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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-09-13-AC-min 09/13/2018 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) September 13, 2018 Place and Time: Parker Room, Town Office Building, 7:30 p.m. Members Present: John Bartenstein, Chair; Glenn Parker, Vice-Chair; Alan Levine, Secretary; Ellen Basch; Eric Michelson; Sanjay Padaki; Lily Manhua Yan; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, Finance (non-voting, ex-officio) Members)Absent: Richard Neumeier Other Attendees: Nick Nichols, resident and potential new member; Dave Pinsonneault, Director, Department of Public Works; Melissa Battite, Director, Recreation and Community Programs; Peter Coleman, Assistant Director of Recreation; Lisah Rhodes, Vice-Chair, Recreation and Community Programs Committee The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m. 1. Announcements: • Mr. Bartenstein introduced Nick Nichols, reporting that he may be joining this Committee. • Mr. Bartenstein reported that Jim Malloy, Lexington's recently appointed Town Manager, will be starting on October 1, and Budget Summit dates are being identified by staff. • Mr. Levine reported that he is planning to attend the School Master Planning Committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning. 2. Proposed Minuteman Technical High School (Minuteman Tech) Athletic Complex and Inter-Municipal Agreement (IMA): Ms. Battite reviewed the history related to the current exploration of a joint venture with Minuteman Tech to develop and share the use of athletic facilities on the Minuteman Tech site. Minuteman Tech is currently constructing a new high school, after which the current facility will be demolished. This will provide space for new athletic fields. Minuteman Tech is interested in sharing financial responsibilities and use of those fields with Lexington. In early July, the Massachusetts legislature passed a special act that allows the Town and Minuteman Tech to pursue an IMA for up to 50 years for this purpose. Minuteman Tech is paying approximately $350,000 in design costs and currently has conceptual designs for a $12.0 million-dollar plan that would only serve Minuteman Tech students and a $20.0 million design that would serve Minuteman Tech students and Lexington, assuming Lexington provides the additional$8.0 million. The scope for the project has been determined, and there are no plans to reconsider the basic layout, but Lexington's input may influence the materials to be used and associated amenities. September 2020 is targeted for completing the project. Minuteman Tech would like a decision from Lexington by March 31, 2019 as to whether Lexington plans to participate. A Lexington working group, including Ms. Basch from this Committee, met last month and will meet again next week. Tonight's meeting is part of an effort to solicit questions and comments from stakeholders that can be used to identify the important elements for an IMA. Minuteman Tech hired UMass Boston Institute to facilitate the IMA negotiations. 1 09/13/2018 AC Minutes In response to comments/questions by Committee members, Ms. Battite and Mr. Pinsonneault reported the following: • Hours of use will be addressed in the IMA, but the general concept is for Minuteman Tech to have use of the fields during core times, such as after school; Lexington would have priority after Minuteman Tech; then other entities could use the facilities. • The Recreation Department has documentation supporting the needs for this space; data indicate that the lack of fields has curtailed activity for almost 15 years. Also, Lexington High School is unable to accommodate intramural sports. Lexington currently has 17 tennis courts, and people are turned away because of heavy usage. There is increasing interest in pickleball; tennis courts can be used for this sport. • If Lexington were designing athletic fields to meet its demands, it would be similar to the plan prepared by Minuteman Tech. • It is expected that the IMA will be completed before spring Town Meeting. The Board of Selectmen (BoS) will need to approve the IMA and Town meeting will need to appropriate funding for any improvements. • Minuteman Tech prefers having the full build option, but they do not have the funding for it. Lexington is the only town that has expressed interest in a joint use agreement; distance has been a deterrent for other communities. The IMA could include language that would allow other communities to join in the future. • The full build plan includes synthetic turf and lights. The latter would extend the hours when Lexington residents could use the facilities and reduce the need for lighting at neighborhood fields. • Minuteman Tech is not building a pool as part of this project. • The IMA will address the division of responsibilities for everything from initial construction costs and maintenance, including capital upgrades, to potential changes that may surface over the next 50 years, such as changes in demand. Lexington does not support a dual-responsibility-arrangement for providing the maintenance. From Lexington's perspective, hiring a service contractor is the most likely acceptable arrangement. • If Lexington builds new athletic facilities associated with rebuilding Lexington High School, they would not address the demands from the general community for additional field space. • Town staff plan to meet with the project's architect and engineers to review and ensure a comfort level with the costs. Ms. Kosnoff said that using Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for this project will be explored but noted that such funding cannot be used for artificial turf She also noted that Minuteman Tech has Massachusetts School Building Authority(MSBA) funding assistance for its school project, of which the fields are one component, and they have multiple member communities; these factors restrict Minuteman Tech's flexibility. Additional comments by this Committee included, but were not limited to the following: • It is questionable whether Lexington needs access to another track. 2 09/13/2018 AC Minutes • Facts need to justify the $8.0 million, and there needs to be a robust discussion regarding maintenance and maintenance costs, current unmet needs, expected utilization, anticipated revenue from fees, and financial implications. • Lexington, as a member of the Minuteman Tech regional system, will be paying for a portion of these fields as part of its funding agreement with the school. Ms. Battite reported that next steps include making presentations to the BoS and the School Committee. 3. Review of FY2018 Year-End Financial Results: Ms. Kosnoff reported that FY2018 had gone well, with General Fund revenues exceeding budget projections by approximately $6.0 million and expenses, including those encumbered for later payment, being approximately$6.0 million less than projected. The net result is approximately $12.0 million in free cash at the end of FY2018, which is consistent with past years. Ms. Kosnoff noted that she would be making a presentation to the BoS on proposed FY2019 water and sewer rates at its Monday meeting. She agreed to send that report to Mr. Bartenstein. 4. Budget Summits: Ms. Kosnoff reported that staff is currently beginning to build the FY2020 budget, and she is looking to schedule the traditional budget summits. She asked for comments on combining two of the usual fall summits into one. After some discussion about what would be covered and when, there was general support for the concept. 5. 2018 Fall Special Town Meeting (STM)--November 13, 14 and 15: Mr. Bartenstein distributed a list of STM potential articles from the most recent Selectmen's packet. Twelve articles were considered likely for inclusion. Ms. Kosnoff clarified information for three of the twelve, as follows: • The current thinking is that the appropriation request for the Lexington High School science classrooms would be for design expenses, with a request for construction funding expected at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting in the spring. • The appropriation request for the center streetscape project would be for 100% design funds. • Negotiations continue regarding the Belmont Country Club rezoning, an article for which a petition has been submitted. Seven other articles seemed either unlikely for inclusion or inclusion was yet to be determined. Ms. Kosnoff provided additional information on these, as follows: • The Municipal Facility Master Plan, leasing land from the Historical Society, the automatic meter reading project, and the firing range schematic design request are not yet ready for Town Meeting. • There are still questions regarding inclusion of a crematorium at Westview Cemetery. • It isn't known whether there will be a petition for 186 Bedford Street rezoning. • The Conservation Commission is still considering a request to purchase 39 Highland Avenue. It was not yet clear when financial information regarding the articles would be ready. 6. Minutes: A motion was made and seconded to approve the August 2, 2018 minutes, with edits proposed by Mr. Bartenstein and Ms. Kosnoff. The motion passed. VOTE: 8-0 3 09/13/2018 AC Minutes 7. Next Meeting: Mr. Bartenstein agreed to conduct a Doodle poll to find a date for the next meeting. The meeting adjourned at 9:23 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Approved: October 2, 2018 Exhibits • Agenda, posted by John Bartenstein, Chair • Conceptual Site Plan—Athletic Facility, Minuteman Vocational Technical High School • Special Town Meeting 2018-1 Potential Articles, 8/31/18 4