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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1966-01-01 Capital Expenditures Committee report /1' ANNUAL REPORT of the CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE january 1, 1966 LeNington, MasaaAusett$ V. T. Boughton, jr. , Chaimman Rodger E. Longley Hugh M. Chapin Margaret F. Rawls Waldo F. Davis 4 CAPPra EXPENDITURES CONNUTEE 1968 AUMUAL REPORT Con/inning ibe 01,m sarYW, las'4 yeao, tha Capital EwndituY'm CommicM,-J has preparod this rpor* on the h :L o inftematam as:ailiablo in Decombep; id hal madei ciLable to hOp thnso responsible p).an The A” les ,N) be pmson;'ed t ao Town Wieling JAI 190 Tiwt Cwwavtos vecnnigos Ihxt• 1e pmposmlm )utlined here may di7fey, from tho final pronoseln prewnted t heTcon Weting; and in the ci,lso of malor cage s moke operific. reommond,?ttnns to the Tilwn Meeting. Last year he CapitU Expenditures CommIttee joined the PlannIng Beard in sponsoring a tong-rango ski:Ay of th? Tour It was decided to conduct the study using both citizen groups fnd a nonsulT.ant under a plan ffhi,41h would mak:, he pTo- ject eligible fo financial assistno71 from the doral Goveirnmen . The propoe(9 was accepted by the Mamh Town Meeting. Th.. engimerix:% tirm of Motalf f Eddy was selected as The consultant, and they have p.oesented a proposal to the Stao and Federal agencies responsible for npprovtng financial aid We ea,-.ostUl IT4Iting final approval of the pr,)joot It had been rnr understanding th.:4 Fedev,O, approv&. would take no mora than four or rive months and we have boon vet1 dis appointed in the delay. We understand the delay i caused by the problew infolvede geLting the new Department of Uvhan Affers orgonized, and ricA by any defect in our proposal We hope this bureaucratic hurdle will be overome before the March Town Meeting, Mr Rober4' V. Whitman has agreed to swom as General Chairman of the project with an Exermtive Committeo consisting of a representative From the Board 4i Seleatmen, Planning Board, Appropriations Committee and Capita/ Expendi- tuas Ccamiteo. Details of the worlt tare being reported regularly in the Lexingkon Minnie-Man. The citizen groups who wilI take part in the study have been recruited and some parts of Om project have been started*. The Capital Expendituees Commitee is still counting on the results of this long-range study to give us guidawa in the relative emphasis that sholA4 be placed on the many worthwhile projgoAs the are presented for egvnsidemtion. Pending these results the 5 year plan recommended in this report is in lino with previous re,vommendations with those exceptions: (1) A delay in the elnhcol construction program is suggested with a correspmding delay in the proposed li I ki.:Itic,.:;r.,gart,.;,,q i..:fy,f,-412joam p c, '1) I'll ,".0,',,6 , i 1,-"eAVi'l' IS., " .',.:"I il A :ratd (a) 1,I":' 0 mt i 7-,1 ..:-.;. 0 0 g:,:;ipfs-.: ,i; us. :acto— iN , r6, .k ,.., .,1 0,c, 41n 1 .1'511 ..TJ- '4 1- lr::" r 141.7v,I4 * 10 3 TABLE 1: RECON DJ) CAPITAL EXPENDXTURES BUDGET 1966 1970 Actual Planning Period 1964 1965 1966 A967 1968 1969 1970 1971 _VM 4 nouvr• oar mn,e•--• n•.1....e....sx ..Y...,..0A ,...,MY.Ip ...1ft.• .Y. School Dept. Plans 06 -- -- 20 65 20 65 Construction 1601 1510* -- - -- 2600* -- 1300 Public Wok 967 740* 354 938 890 906 916 Land 54 940 Conservation 150** 150** 1500* 150*A 150** Other 60 10 60 10 10 Fire Dept 20 8 36 4 56 Recreation 20 6 20 30 30 30 30 Library 2.8 4 - — -- - -. Town Buthlings 5 58 325* AO 300 -- -- Plans & Studies -- 25 -- -- -- -- Center 1 .- 250* 100 75 75 75 75 Other 7. u•,,,r,awa.0 •••••a nnaK.r. smr.a.4.m. *a a* ...* a* _____ TOTAL 2763 2841 1545 1237 1634 3793 1248 Short term notes -- 165 75 75 75 75 75 Bonded 1345 /710 325 -- 300 2600 -- 1300 3�on-bonded /418 1)66 1145 1162 1259 1118 1173 * At toast part of thin amount is bonded. **Short term notes for the amount exceeding $75,000,00, pending reimbursement. / 0 r ke TABLI II ANNUAL COST Or CAPITAL EXPENDITURES Thousands of Dollars Now Plannin,g Perim ---- 1965 1966 1967 19a-----.HK9--- 1970 1971 .„.„........- Principal Pymet3 Previous debt 978 943 920 916 836 626 6 Bridge Seh. $1349. 70 70 70 70 'PO 70 Bowman Sch. $1510 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.9 Sewer $165. 55 55 55 Center $200. 20 20 20 20 20 ,;() *Conservation $75. 75 75 75 75 75 Town Barn $325 32.5 32.5 32.5 32.5 32.5 Town Office $300. 30 30 30 Jr. High $2600.- 130 130 open 1971 Elementary Sch. $1300.-open 1972 TOTAL DEBT REPAYMENT 978 1010 /256 1244 1139 1259 1238 (Art 4) $11. year not to be repaid with Federal and State reimbursements. Note: School bonds 20 years, others 10 years o short term notes. Bonds not already issued assumed sold in year of authorization (Interest rates estimated). Interest Payments Previous debt 306 279 254 229 204 101 158.0 Bridge Sch. 20.2 39.3 37.2 35.1 32.9 30.9 28.8 Bowman Sch. 26.4 51.5 40.8 46 1 43.5 40.9 Sewer 3.9 2.6 1.3 Center 2.9 5.5 4.9 4.4 3.0 3.2 2.,6 Conservation 2.6 2.6 2 6 2.6 2.6 2.6 Town Baru 4.9 9.3 8.3 7.4 6,4 r A ..10 Town Office 4.5 0.6 7.7 6.8 Jr. High 45. 08, 84. Elem. Sch. 49 5 .......-- ____ ,i10.4•....1. •r•IA ni 4...a.. Wr.W.g.l.I.N. MAn¢....ex w..n.,-,--,en TOTAL INTEREST DUE 329 362 362 334 350 363 349 (Art 4) Principal and Interest 1307 1450 1618 1578 1489 1622 1587 Non-bonded Cap. txp. (Tab1e I) 966 1145 11621259 1118 1.173 - ............. ---- ........_ GROSS ANNUAL COST of Cap. Exp. 2273 2595 2780 2831 2607 2795 * 5 TABLE II (Continued) ANNUAL COST Or CAPHAL EXPENDITURES Thousands of Dollars How --"iiiTZTE4 767,3,74- 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 ESTIMATED VALUATION 179 183.8 188,6 193,4 193.2 203 207.8 ($ Millions) TAX BAVE for Cap. Exp. 12.7 14.1 14.7 14 7 13.2 13,8 per $1000 valuation TOWN DEBT (Jane. 1, $W 11,030, 11,762. 12,584- 11,9403 10„534. 12,070. 10,036. DEBT RATIO (Debt r, Val.) % 6.26.4 6.7 5.9 5.3 5 9 5.2 • 6 SCHOOL DEPARTMMT Eh year the Lo7gington School Department ukon a population count IR the schools, surveys the known preschoolers, and then estimates the pTchala$ enrollment in each gmde for the following seven yoers. The 1965 study is. of great interest because it suggests that a slankening in our elementary school. building program may at least be possible. When the two schools no under construction (Bridge and Doww40 are both completed (1967), the Lexington School system will have 19a elementary r,lasn rooms (CR) with a %lominal capacity of 5211 pupils (0 27/CR). Theso totals have been adjusted downward, however, by the School Department bocavoo it 1$ planned to convert four classrooms into special activity Areas, and beeauo* the state roquirementn reduce the number of pupils in certain classes of handimpood children. The adjueted edpaeities and the estimated enrollments projmeted by TtiGLE the school department am shown- in -L- t ---XXL As is shown in this summary, the enrollment in the elementary sysKems will slightly oxcead the capacity by 1971, and in 1912 another slemontavy school will probably be necessary. Previous projections called for this ele- mentary school in 1969, It is realized that forecasting enrollments is difficult and this 'induced growth of enrollment may not ukterialise; bat there aro a number of faeors suppovting the projections listed. The Lnxington School population is still increasing, but the increase for each of the lest three years has been smaller than that of the previous year. Enrollment in the First Grade l down 79 fram last yeaxii and th* 5-year old group identified in the 1965 survey is smaller than the same- group the previous year. Moreover, the number of building starts in Lexington as reported by the Board of Assessors has been about stoady for 4 years. Ewen if the school census in September 1966 confirms this trend, the ochool committee plans to ask for the 1961 clemotery school aisy scheduled ood to justify its construction on the basis of starting a kindergarten program in 1967. The school department estimates that they would enroll 700 children in a kindergarten program, but since the classes are run on a two session basis this only has the same impact as adding about 450 regular students to the school system. The kindergarten program would effectively us* up the capacity 411 at the 396 psvpoged f4ohe,:;1 and edditional nielw.Jory (-opacity wc,uld bf,4 noednol again in 1972.i:1 The mombore cc the Capital Corlmitoa a,N1 gan.wa3ly in favor, of adding kindergrtons to the Leinfsjon oo11.1 ,.And we note thq,T, Lindgd0f,wL may soon he required by the Howw.:Tr, with 1..chool dopartwat cora stit1 rising rapidly oudev the oNisTtng progromu, the Comm:111.0o : eels it canuol re- commend constvuction of a school wl• this time primaL,Ily to st4-xt a kindoogarien program. If the growth of envollment doer slow down the costs oT oplwatinz existing programs ought to stabilize in a yokws, and a that time an additional program suqh as 1,inderlortens cDuld be undee:ann with mduced impt on the tau rate. Enrollment prolectiom eggests that kindergavi-ens eeuid be started with the new i972 elemontAxy school, oavticu)a-ply if game plan were found to toe the surplus capacity in the higher Evades, It is true that from a capital expanditure point of view the kindr,rgavY,ma program 4.'ould be incorporated within the 5 -yuo budge an proposgA 1Pat ye);?r, The recommendAl-lou of the Capital Expe,%dktnvos Commlri:ce to delay the kinder- garten program is based on two consider&ions (1) the impact e the program on school cpezating costs, and (2) the opporunity co take care of other tern projects within the present debt. Heretofore demand for school constrwtinn has pre-empted consideration for other major town building pro)ects Lolengton has d very high bonded debt and we have argued mtmngly against, bonding for any projew. except school oonstruction. If we are able to delay the consTrwAion of the school rimmed for 1969, m have the opportunity to undertake other projects without inoreasing the general leve) of Town debt tour projects are mentioned elsewhere in this report where some bonding will undoubtedly iv required. These pro:lc:eta are: (I) the construction of the Tenn barn, (2) the proposed addition to the Town ofMes, ( ) an increase in the bodget for land acquisition, and (4) further plans for vedevelopmeW in the centcx, particularly the prowisions for parking space. While s- heels are undoubtedly one of our most important needs, the healthy development of The Town reclaims that some priority be given to other projects. *Co56ts of the kindergarten program initially are estimated at 8123,000 per year for teachers, supplies and trAnsportation. In addition we estimate $100,000 per year ewtra costs associated with 'the operation of the additional 5chool building needed. 4 • Xn our opipion, the Kosz iK?orTant school bnilding 71:m ftcing the Town tho mow Junior High 8chool, As Tnhle XII trsdicaftn, oArolicevai: An grradqs will probatay encesd the capaoity o our rsncendory sciwols by IVO. 'fltun, 41,1 completion of I:1)o third Junior High School at loalst by lqa, as provicvn1y scheduled, win be important. rresent thiuking sug9y;ts the constructiom oR o school for 1000 to 1200 pupils. 1k the net increase i 1000 Ar.lato thnn i .1.97k gvcdes 7-9 will have approFimnely 250 empty 14qAim and tho High School 1,111 have bout 525 ompty 002t5 This excess capacity (x7 almost 800 twats should he sufficienT to take care of nermr13 growth ( r of unexpected neat mquiremntk? in the elementary gradco for ume time to corm. The CRC is mindful that MuzPley rii . lill be lacking many o tho Imdem special activity fnoiiitieu which wit J>4 nva1lab10 at both the other jvnioy high schools. It 14 suggested that when the capacity of the new 'junior high planned, considavation be given to inorl,wAng ite size enough to compensate tor the conversion o savaral Nuzzoy rooms for special ;Activities. This pvo:7odum appears to he more eeonmieol end seAsfactory than thv, previously considorul convegision of third floor speco fop these purpose . Table I shows the estimated preliNiury design, fin design and construation costs for the two schools and the proposed year for inetus%on in the warrent. '(..t is emphasized that these etre planning figureonly and the costs way vary significantly when bids for the work are received. 00 A TABLE x14 LEXINGTON SCNOO6S - ENROLLMENTS AND OWAOTTiES CONDENSED FROM L.S.D. PROJECTXONS 11/11/6s AND 12/15('45 1964 1965 L166 19( )a4 989 5,970 971 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 1. Enotimonts 1-6 4331. 4400 45/8 4690 4745 013 4879 501 2, Enrollmants 1 .6 incl. KG* 5r2 5192 5275 5356 5509 55 '4 With 3ed School in 1969 3. Ao-Na1 Capacity 3969 3969 4590 521 5211 5032 5832 5612 5V2 4. C.zp® Adj.**forSp Classes 1083 3052 4464 S062 5041 5641 5620 . 020 5620 5. W/4 C.R. Converted 4954 4933 5533 55 .2 6512 551,i With :,3rd School in 1972 6. Cap. Adj. tor Spec,. Classes 3801 3862 4464 5062 5041 5020 4999 4999 5620 7. W/4 C R. Converted 4954 4933 4912 4091 4691 5512 SECONDARY SCHOOLS 8. Enrollment 7-3 1303 1372 p413 1464 1544 1634 1665 9, Envollment 7-9 2448 U452 10. Capacity jr, Highs /700 1700 1700 A100 1700 1700 1700 2700 2/00 11. Enrollment 9-12 2138 2207 2341 2453 2549 2729 2853 12. Enrollment 10-12 173 225a 13. Capacity High School 2100 2200 2700 2700 2700 2700 2700 !./700 2700 14. Excess seats 7-12 359 821 646 483 243 37 -112 779 690 *Kindergarten enrollments adjusted to compensdite for 45 pupils per olwroom (in two sessions) instead of normal 27 pupils per glessroom. 4HrE1ementary cap4eities adjusted to compensate for *mall sizes of elasses f-pv handivapped chi/dren as required by State Bridge School to be, nompXoted fFIr 1966; Bowman for 19674 P1anning3rd in 1969 and 4th in L972 if K ogram apprwAvd, otherwise 3pd in 1971-1972 would probabiy be sufficient. III ! i f I _ - t _ _ . *' »"- __ — - '`, 4 - tt 4 - _P'_ - - __ ----- - -- — ____ -- ✓'-- -- -- --- -- - i I _. -... --- - t-. —e ."C ta.hr its l E f 1P^ .—y'' '- •— _Y _- _—_._. • — 'J_ " ^ .�.-"� dll >•• -i-_- -- -I— i _ - ___ _— — -- - - - I -- 1 - - i _ i�-I :_ _ �_ __ — --- a — — o - — 4 _- -------_ -- ---- --- — _ --- --- .1 _ __ la i' c -= = I I I E I I . .. ._.__..__ 1 T_ k -- 4i 0 1 1 ( _ .^ ¢r ',= i „1-11 u - n 7„ ,' 4-,-d ,,fit:- } j m -: -- —aria{;' .� / �. — - — — i — F t '77 n _ + i _ _ � ! r r L_7... - I.J'..--_ - ---;- --_--- --- —_ __- ----_--"`=--1_ --_____ _--.– -- -�=i , –------ '- �I 1 ' IIIIIS I =1= 4] _ - i 1 k I il L_� ilii _-11 :I-i — — ■. - _— i I t; - { `O — -- i - _. .. I I Iit. I �. - - -- - -- -- - - - - - ---- ----- - -- - __- - iiI1 r z';%ri'4�� :+�' '."r'� 7- °�' I i 1/4`' i 11 I I r G.3 off 5 ;_....,....,.:r...........77___;.6.7_,....,70 ' _,Gw '70 "'27 '77 ';..Y 00 AO lft6 CAPITAL EMMOITURES PUBLIC WORM Semr ConntL-metion la ow,o 1965 Import. we INonfilLimod an avevago annual capiThil cm.nondi `nrot; budget of $250,000. .ftr trunk sawerc. lit this vote it was fell thlyt sowev, roquimmanfir would bo Q.wmplotod by 19TO. piing figayA ciwdmm to hold truo. Trunk seenv projeci4t :Coo 1066 wil3 ha appro,,!4Toate:ly $205,000. white in 1967 they arc eurrantly entimkAtod at $$00,000. whi#7h 1LmaIntaim the overall avorage It should alftio h< 'awed that ia 3966 the TOW, OP receive dle anticipated rodeo41 r4,0iabuvvenout o $145,000. foso Wondhavon irunk SOWOW. Dev40,opment o new rusidential areas and peCtiJons foem homeowncrA not on the Town sewer keep the pro6mu-on on the Town ,,cr maintain a comAnletitia progrom of sAiler laftrals. For this purpope, w rauommend that .tho annual expenditmre W! W0,000. be vtoninued,, Drain Conatmaetiou For several years, th61 annual enpenditu•,,/:,a, fo drain conation hem been app;h"oximutoJiy $40,000. and ni$7,1 planning fivro shoultd bf4 cimv,inKteld, Set Construction ReconattuctIon of inter-town highways qualifies the Torn to recalimi allots of Stato and Ccunty funds andel', Chapter, 90. The reconstmation of Massachusetts Avenue from they Arlington line to Marrett Road was linanaed by combining the al,letments fro A previous ytt)ars with a spode' distribukAon of State funds. Continuing the reconstractim, o Massachusetts Avenue foom Marrett Read to the Center will cost an estimated $154,000of which $60000. was voted under Chapter 90 in the 1965 Town Meeting. We anticipated recommonding Mutt another $60,000. be appropriated iu 1966 towards this project. However, an additional $51,000. has haen made available to the Town under a special state-wide distribakion of kuude for highway construction (Chapter 679 - Acts of 1965) to be patd in throe sauuzi installments. Therefore, we have the opportunIty to start the remaining m construction of Massachusetts Avenue in 1966. We recommend that this tart k , made and that the Capital budget be changed as follows: 10 60,000. (1966 Chapter 90 appropriation) 17,000. (Erat installment of special distribution n©w available) 60,000. (1966 Chapter 90 appropriation) 17,000. (second install mlont of special distribution) i15s 6007 (Total reconstruction cost) The remaining installment of $17,000. in this special distribution, pay- able in December 1967, will be directed towards some other highway construction project. In addition to the Chapter 90 work, the program of reconstruction of local streets must be continued, The committee now feels that $50,000. is a realistic average figure f©r this purpose. In 1966 reconstruction is planned for the final stretch of Lowell Street from North Street to the Town Line at a cost of $54,000. Street acceptances fall into two general categories: (1) those recently developed residential streets that have been built according to town spocifica- tions by private funds and for which essentially no further town expense is required, and (2) those older private ways not built under subdivision laws and which require considerable reconstruction and, therefore, town expense in addition to the betterment assessments charged to the property owners. Although a backlog does exist, many requests for acceptances can be postponed. The annual budget for this purpose should not exceed $75,000. In our 1965 report we commented in detail on the projected cost of the future Worthen Road construction, both for the Town and for private developers. The major expense to the Town will be in the form of reimbursement to these private d s;velopers for that portion of the roadway made wider than required by the Subdivision Control Law. Although our planning figures indicated at average annual reimbursement of $10,000. it appears that no appropriation will he required in 1966. Sidewalks and Curbing! Our recommendations for 1965 era re-confirmed in 1966. As a practical matter it appears that the maximum amount that can be used for any oneyear for sidewalk construction is $40,000. and for curbing $5,000. In the next few years, the demand for sidewalks and curbing will be in the areas adjacent to new '' 12 school construction. Water Heins Our recommendations of 1965 are re-confirmod in 1966 The continued demand for water main construction will be for the elimination of problem spots within the existing system and for service to new areas. Unless the rate of growth of the Town accelerates, any new major main project is at least S years away. It appears that an appropriation of $40,000. per year is adequate for current needs. This figure is a maximum inasmuch as the actual expenditures for the previous two years were less than this maximum. Road Machinery and PublicWorRsIsmipment The current inventory of equipment indicates that the annual budget for machinery and equipment should be approximately $60,000. This category includes expenditures for: (1) major overhaul of existing road machinery and (2) pur- chase of new vehicles and equipment to replace the old. The above figure does not comtempl.ate any major change in Town services. It is obvious that any demand for change in services will immediately bring about not only an increase in personnel but also a sharp increase in equipment expenditures. This fact should be kept in mind if the Town considers under- taking additional service such as leaf collection, rubbish collection, or purchasing vehicles for Town operated garbage collection. Traffic Control Increasee traffic and the demands for its control indicates that $8,000. per year ehould be allocated for the cost of traffic control signals. Town Maintenance Building At the Special Town Meeting in November 1964 funds were appropriated to study and to prepare plans for the additional space requirements and expanding needsof the Public Works Department on the site of the present "town barn" on Bedford Street. Since Jenne 1965 a Special Committee has been studying these needs. This study has included consideration of relocation of the Public Works Department, alternate sites, as well as the present and anticipated space requirements based on existing ss.,,rvicos. It became evident that additional facilities were required for the proper and efficient operation of the Public Works Department. As of this writing, 13 cost estimates wave not complete. The Special Committee will file a separate report to the, Narch X966 Town Keating. A figure of 025,000. in this wepot i3 a planning figure only to indicate our support and reommandation that this project be undertaken An 1966. 14 PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Ac- Est. Ac- Est. Ac- tua.1 tual tual TYPE 1963 1964 1964 1965 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 SEWER Trunk -- M- --- 250 213.5 205 300 250 250 250 (Sever Conduits- Route 2) -- 50 65 -m -- ..w dr w-. - Laterals 281 509 509 250 196 250 .250 250 250 250 DRAINS 50 40 40 40 42.0 40 40 40 40 40 STREETS Chap. 90 50 50 145 50 60 77 60 60 70 70 Reconstruction- Resurface 440 -m --. 40 56 54 50 50 50 50 Acceptances 92 73 73.6 75 57.1 75 75 75 75 75 Reimburse Sub- dividers 10 5 25 10 -- -- 10 10 10 10 S1d@w7.ks 40 25 --0 40 35.5 40 40 40 40 40 Cua'bings 5 5 33 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 WATER Mains 30 25 25 40 18 40- 40 40 40 40 Route 2 Access 80 16.5 -.- __. (Less Rei s- bui aemennt) EQUIPMENT 30 33 33 50 49 60 60 70 70 80 TRAFFIC CONTROL -- -- 2 8 ---- 8 8 8 8 8 PARKING LOTS -- -- --- 25 7 TOTAL 644 895 967 883 740 854 938 898 900 918 15 LAND ACQUISITION In its 1965 report the Capital Expenditure Committee expressed its recognition of the critical importance of purchasing open /and for school sites, public buildings, public parking, recreation, cm/nervation, and as a means of controlling the growth of the Town. When the Long Range Financial Flan and the Central Business Distriet study are completed, we hope to have a somewhat definitive plan and time schedule to guide us in recommending a budget. In the meantime, both the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission have proposed programs whose cost could fear exceed our 1965 budget projection of $100,000. per year for all public land acquisition. Recognizing that open land is an asset of ever increasing value and decreasing availability, and that authorized Town boards and committees are now pursuing options on laud more actively than ever before, we now recommend measures which would increase that yearly budget figure. These are interim proposals only, pending the completion of the long range studies now under way, the conclusions of which could drastically change our aims and methods regarding land acquisition. It is our feeling that plans for increasing available parking space in Lexington Center should be treated in a separate budget for Center Redevelop- ment. Open laud acquisition should be considered in two categories -• pur- chases eligible for federal state reimbursements, and others, such as School Sites And road rights of way. CONSERVATION AND RECREATION LAND The Capital Expenditure Coittee has gone on record in the part an being in favor of bonding only for schools. In the event, however, that the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, or Selectmen obtained options on desirable conservation n or recreation land with a total cost not exceeding $150,000, we would recommend issuing short term notes for the amount in excess of $75,000, to be rspayed with the Federal and State reimbursements when they are paid to the Town. Such a proposal assumes the dependability of the 50% aid' we now expect from Federal and State sources for such purchases. The 50% Federal rebate, for the Swenson Farm acquisition is now assured, as is the 50% 16 State rebate for the 5 acres adjacent to Willard's Woods; and there is good reason to believe further purchases would be approved. LAND FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES The School Committee has asked the School Sites Committee to locate two more parcels of land for elementary schools. These would be 15 acre sites and we can expect them to cost $35,000. to $50,000. apiece. One of these will be proposed in 1956 and the second is tentatively budgeted for 1968. Acquisition of land for road rights of way as proposed by the Planning Board pertains mostly to the further building of Worthen and Emerson Roads; but oth r small acquisitions are needed from time to time. Current proposals call for spending 10,000 dollars in each of the next three years, and an average budget of this amount should be adequate. FIRE DEPARTMENT 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1. Modernization of Alarm Room control oquip '==nt 36 2. Utility truck 4 3. Ambulance 11 4, Ladder truck 45 Over the past year, the Fire Commissioners have made a study of the central control and alarm system, and will propose to the next Town Meeting a plan to modernize the control equipment at the Central Fire Station. The modernization will provide: (1) additional alarm circuits required to comply with the code of the National Fire Protection Association and to allow for future growth; (2) solid-state power supplies to replace the cumbersome battery power system; and (3) a control console which will permit effective one-man operation of the Alarm Room. Best estimates available for this work indicate a total cost of $36,000. Expenditures projected for succeeding years are for scheduled replace- ments of motorized equipment. A utility truck will be needed in 1967 to replace a truck which was converted from an old fire engine. The ambulance is a e 17 due for veplacement in 1960. A ladder truck Is also ocheduled for 1950 to replace the out•-a oded unit now kept in res4 evc status to ;supplement the one modern ladder unit at the Ceneral Fire Stollen. tECPEATXON COMMITTEE The demand for additional recreation facilities will eraut:inue along with the increase in town population. Some of the unimproved land which has been purchased or designated for recreation must be developed before it cen be used for this purpose. The projected needs as foreseen by the Recreation Committee include the facilities required for the school athletic program.am. Planning for joint use by the schools and the town at large makes for maximum ntilization of recreational. facilities. For 1966, the Recreation Committee is planning to propose to the Town Meeting the following: 1. Development of new recreation area adjacent to the Harrington School, 2. Additional baseball backstop at Diamond Junior High, 3. Paved area for basketball at the 33askin Playground in North Lexington, 4. Development of neighborhood play lots in three sections of the town. The cost of these items is estimated to be about $20,000. New facilities projected for succeeding years are the following: 1. Teelve new tennis courts near the High School (6 to be built at a time in separate years) $65,000 2. Additional wading pool at the Center Playground $15,000 3. Hew playing fields on the old dump site (Lincolns Street) Not Estimated Since the schedule for therm items is not definite at this time, an average annual figure of $20,000. over the next four years is the best projection that can be made. The actual costs each year will vary from this average, depending on the particular items approved. In addition $10,000. per year should be provided for improvement and modification of existing facilities, X�4 k 1G66 1967 /951 1959 1970 Recreation Facilities 20,000 ;';0,000 30,000 30000 30,060 Tho Board of Trustees of Cary Mr.al.ovial Library believes that aa addi ie,A to the p:cose>;slt library facilities will be needed in t riot-too-distant 3:ut nr o. The present rate of usage of the library is substantially lly gr eter than ,ra:7 dilated by the paurvey made at the time of the last major r adds: tiana (1966), aB d the rate is expectod to continue to grow. A new survey is currently boi.ng mad,4;s by a professional ecensultaat, When thea sults of this survey are available, the Board cad Trusteos wi.11 propose a definite plan. At the present time, without benefit of the survey, the Board and does not anticipate that fends will be requested for new eenstr7,►uxt on within the next five years. It is mentioned here, however, since the Town should be alerted to a potential enpenditure of $300,000. to $490,000. C !STER REDEVELOPMENT As a result of action taken at the 1965 Town Meeting, the Planning Board in cooperation with the Louington Chamber of Commerce hired the Economic De- velopment Associates as consultants to study the Lexington Business Center. While the final report on this study is not ready at this writing results of various preliminary inary studies are available and the general conclusions of the consultant have been given wide publicity. The Capital Expenditures Committee iuterprets the conclusions and recommendations of the consultant as follows: 1. The Lavington business center is economically sound. Its ability to withstand competition from the Burlington shopping center depends on the provision of adequate public parking space; and will be improved if it presents a distinctive ppea2raance taking full advantage of its location. 2. Provision of roughly four parking places per thousand square feet of commercial floor space is an absolute necessity if we expect the Center to prosper. This is a little more than the present ratio. With the new commercial space planned or under construction more parking facilities are required in the near future. 3. The widening of Massachusetts Avenue does not appear necessary for the easiest flow of traffic through the center. The key to this problem is the handling of traffic at the Massachusetts Avenue • e Waltham Street Intersection. M=imum flow through this interseaion can be obtained with approximately the present street width provid- ing that some parking along Massachusetts Avenue As eliminated. 4. ft is suggested that the space made available by the demolition of the Hunt Building be the start of a "pedestrian promenade" through the center. This would be the first step 3.n a major Imo - gram of 3eautification in the center with the overall objective of creating a visually distinctive business center. S. Proposals ara made for improving the convenience of parking space by promoting traffic circulation within the center and routes are recommended for future use in bypassing through traffic around the center. The Capital Expenditures Committee feels that steps to preservs the economic health of our bu.eines center are of vital importance to the TOW-VA,' Whether or not the beautification proposals are accepted, it is clear that the Town is going to have to spend additional money for adequate parking in th; Canter. While we cannot justify from a purely financial standpoint the additional money for the complete beautification proposals, we do feel that the money spent will prove to be of a .thug range benefit to the Town. We re commed that the plans authorized in the March 1965 Town Meeting be coordinated with the currant proposals of the Economic Development Associates so that the desired redevelopment of the Center can he achieved.