HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-07-23 BOS min Se I ectmen's Meeting--July 23, 2018
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SELECTMEN'S MEETING
Monday, July 23, 2018
A meeting of the Lexington Board of Selectmen was called back to order at 7:05 p.m. on
Monday, July 23, 2018 in the Selectmen's Meeting Room of theTown Office Building following
an Executive Session that began at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Barry, Chair; Mr. Pato; Ms. Ciccolo; Mr.
Lucente and Ms. Hai were present as well as Mr. Valente, 'Town Manager; and Ms. Siebert,
Recording Secretary.
Ms. Barry opened the meeting with the call for a moment of silence in recognition of the July 15,
2018 death of a Weymouth Police Officer Chesna who was killed in the line of duty. She, Mr.
Pato, and Ms. Ciccolo have attended three Lexington Police roll calls in solidarity with the force
and in acknowledgement that loss is felt by all. Ms. Barry said the three Selectmen spoke with
members of the force, expressing gratitude and urging them to remember to take care of
themselves, along with taking care of the community they serve.
Ms. Barry noted that this evening marks the final regularly-scheduled Selectmen's meeting for
Town Manager Carl Valente before he retires on August 3, 2018. 'The Board members
individually thanked Mr. Valente, praising him for thirteen years of able, calm, wise, patient,
even-keeled, ethical, professional, dedicated stewardship of Lexington as well as a cumulative
40--year career in public service. Mr. Valente thanked the Selectmen for their sentiments.
Selectmen Concerns and Liaison RU.oris
Ms. Barry reported that she recently attended the Department of Housing and Community
Development(DHC D) Wright Farm site visit. Later in tonight's meeting, the Selectmen will be
asked to approve a letter from theTown to the DHCD on the subject of Wright Farm.
Town ManAmReport
Mr. Valente reported that Lexington has been awarded a $196,000 Green Communities grant
from the Department of Energy Resources for energy efficiency projects, to be used for lighting
upgrades for Cary Library and the Clark, Bowman, Bridge, and Lexington High schools. Shawn
Newall, Assistant Director of Facilities, submitted the grant application and will oversee the
proj ects.
Mr. Valente reported that Lexington's State Aid is expected to be $71,000 greater than the $16M
anticipated at the time of Annual Town Meeting 2018.
William ,J ice
Charlotte Rodgers, Director of Human Services andTanya Snyder, Interface Clinical Supervisor,
presented information about Interface Referral Service, a program run by the Freedman Center
for Child and Family Development at William ,larnes College in Newton, A. 'The purpose of
Interface Referral Services is to connect individuals and families across the lifespan to
appropriate information, resources, and referrals. The Center also trains students in Psychology:
doctoral candidates, under supervision, work as resource and referral counselors. Communities
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subscribe to the referral service, which is then free to the community members who call Interface
for assistance. Liaising with a designated community contact, Interface builds and maintains a
community-specific referral database of licensed and vetted mental health service providers.
Interface also conducts its own study of available resources to establish a comprehensive list of
care providers. The Interface call center is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,-
Ms. Snyder clarified that the call center is a"help line" not a"hot line" and said that dialing
911/emergency is the best way to address crises as they occur. Working with the community
contact, Interface provides two community events per year with information about the service
and mental health topics as the primary focus.
Ms. Snyder said that when Interface receives a call from someone seeking assistance, staff
conduct an initial in-take interview to ascertain need; depending on the situation, this call can last
15 minutes to I hour. Four pieces of data are collected: what the mental health needs are; what
the geographic area is that the client can access; what times are available for appointments; and if
the client expects to use insurance or pay out of pocket. At the end of the in-take call, staff
provide the caller with a confidential code so personal information is protected. Once a client's
profile is known, Interface contacts providers to make a match; providers then contact Interface
if they accept the client and Interface provides the client with at least two providers' contact
information. It is the client's responsibility to initiate contact with the provider but Interface
follows up to make sure an appointment has been made and also calls several times afterward to
ensure the match is satisfactory.
The Interface provider databases are available via aTown's proprietary webpage so those
looking for services need not speak to a staff member, although it was noted that staff can
facilitate the client/provider match. Interface maintains each town's database to ensure that
information remains accurate but theTown maintains the webpage. The William James website
also provides guides, mental health topics pages that include hot line numbers, information about
national organizations, a teen section, and a description of how the Interface service works.
Mr. Lucente asked what training Interface staff receive to understand levels of need and whether
people working (not residing) in a member community can also access the service. Ms. Snyder
said staff ask callers about suicidality, substance abuse/use, and gauge general demeanor over the
phone. Staff assess how heightened the crisis level is and respond accordingly. Ms. Snyder said
that only residents of a member community can access services.
Ms. Barry asked what sort of reports Interface provides to a memberTown to understand how
often the service is used. Ms. Snyder said Interface provides reports twice a year to the
community liaison that break the usage data out by numbers, ages, school attendance, how they
learned about Interface, what mental health issues are reported while maintaining client
confidentiality. Interface has a protocol for how the information should be shared to ensure
personal information is not revealed.
Ms. Ciccolo asked what the time commitment is for a community liaison to maintain the
relationship with Interface. Ms. Snyder said the community contact could be one or a number of
Town staff but it is often tied the department that funds the subscription. The community liaison
also helps promote the Interface service and updates the community webpage.
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Ms. Hai asked what Interface does to overcome the general shortage of mental health
professionals. Ms. Snyder said that Interface is not cutting in line or offering resources that do
not exist but, as a college that trains professionals in the field, William James has a corps of
experts to put to the task. Interface is also in a position to be aware of new providers and it also
does not charge providers to be included in the database.
Resident:lack Mahoney asked whether services are only offered in Massachusetts and if they are
fee-based. Ms. Snyder said Interface only services Massachusetts and the initial contract with the
Town would be for two years at a total cost of$25,000.
Valerie Overton, 25 Emerson Gardens/Co.-Chair of LexPride, said she is enthusiastically in favor
of subscribing to Interface, calling it an excellent addition to existing services. She said it would
be helpful for Lexington's webpage to address how specific groups can access services tailored
to individual populations regarding race, ethnicity, disability, faith, cultural and language, and
LGBTQ identities. Ms. Overton asked that inclusive language be used, that text heavy
information be modified for those whose first language is not English, and that flyers be
translated into other languages. Ms. Overton offered to provide suggestions for how to make the
information more visible and accessible on the 'Town website.
Luanna Devenis, 7 Blodgett Road/Lexington Community Coalition Mental Health
Subcommittee, said she is aware that many people in town struggle to find mental health care.
She believes the services Interface provides are important and needed.
,Jessie Steigerwald, Precinct 8 'Town Meeting member, encouraged the Selectmen to approve the
funding for the Interface service. Ms. Steigerwald reported that she heard many times during her
nine years on the School Committee about families unable to find appropriate mental health care.
The Youth Risk Survey shows a substantial number of students are struggling; the circle of
people affected by mental health crises is large and Interface would help them all. The stigma of
mental illness must be reduced.
Mr. Valente said that in order to move ahead, the 'Town would need to solicit quotes from at least
three entities in order to contract for this type of service. Bids received may be fewer than three,
however. All Selectmen agreed to move ahead. Mr. Pato supported asking for proposals but, in
general, said he would prefer this type of request to come from staff as a component of a larger
program. Ms. Ciccolo agreed, saying she looks forward to hearing the big picture plan from the
Mental Health Task Force. Ms. Hai asked it to be made clear that these services are not only for
children and families as others need to know they can access help as well.
A��r��rrove and Sign amended memorandum of LJnderstand�ng 509 Woburn Street
The Memorandum of Understanding between the 'Town and Peter C.,J. Kelley, Owner and
Trustee of the Manor House, located at 425 Woburn Street, has been amended to reflect work
that has now been completed, as required in the previous MOU. It also reflects that, in exchange
for the payment of$25,000 to be used for a traffic study of the problematic State-controlled
intersection of Woburn Street and Lowell Street, the Owner will install traditional crosswalk
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signs rather than flashing signs. All mitigation payments to theTown ($108,500) have been paid
in full.
The final mitigation item relates to a payment that will be given if transportation services are
extended to the Manor House; at the moment, staff does not recommend this due to Lexpress
route capacity limitations. Ms. Barry asked if there is a sunset date for the Lexpress clause; Mr.
Valente said it would end after three years if theTown has not provided the service.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve and sign the
amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding between Peter C.J. Kelley of 509 Woburn
Realty 'Trust theTown of Lexington.
Revise Committee Na stricts Commission Ad
Hoc 40C Committee
The Board is being asked to revise the Historic Districts Commission Ad Hoc 40C Committee
name to become the Historic Districts Commission Ad Hoc Ch. 447 Revisions Study Committee
and to revise the Committee's charge to update the number of members from five to seven given
the amount of work being asked of this committee. The Committee would also like to change
meeting times, description, vision and deliverables specified in the current charge.
Anne Eccles, Chair of the Historic Districts Commission Ad Hoc 40C Committee, said after it
was determined there was not enough support for the revisions originally proposed, the
Committee decided to ask for an extension to dig more deeply into what residents in the four
districts need from the HDC. The Committee also wants to expand by adding two more members
Born outside the small world of historic preservation. This year, the Committee intends to hold
community listening meetings, district by district.
All Selectmen enthusiastically supported the request and expressed gratitude to the Ms. Eccles
and the Committee.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 amend the Historic
Districts Commission Ad Hoc 40C Committee's charge to reflect a name change, updated
number of members and revised charge.
Consider Summer Water UseTime Restrictions
Dave Pinsonnault, DPW Director, and John Livsey, 'T'own Engineer, requested that all outdoor
water use (irrigation, power washing, etc.) in Lexington be restricted on a voluntary basis
between the hours of 5:30 am and 8:30 am from ,luly 25th to October Stn 2018 to make more
water available for indoor use during morning peak demand. This was done last year with
positive results. TheTown of Bedford will make this same request of residents as well. Mr.
Pinsonnault and Mr. Livsey also suggested that all water users in Lexington consider water
conservation techniques both outdoors and indoors to preserve precious resources.
Mr. Lucente asked what the right time is to bring this request to the Board and how the
information about the voluntary restriction will be disseminated. Mr. Pinsonnault agreed it
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would be best to request the restriction when irrigation season gets underway so systems can be
programmed for the preferred hours; he reported that information will be posted on the'T'own's
website, the listserv, and on the electronic message boards.
Mr. Pato was fully in favor of the request and of providing education on conservation methods,
including the beauty of natural lawns.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if there is more the 'Town can do to train residents on water conservation
concepts and expressed concerns that, as the town continues to grow, voluntary requests may not
suffice. She asked if infrastructure upgrades will be needed in the future. Mr. Pinsonnault said
the recently completed water system model provides a valuable information that the engineering
staff use to inform their work. The DPW is planning water conservation education events for the
fall and winter. All athletic fields now have smart irrigation systems which fine tune and target
water use; funding has been appropriated to extend these systems to all Town park areas.
Ms. Ciccolo asked if the 'Town might change its code requirements for irrigation systems for all
new construction. Mr. Valente said there is currently no requirement that an irrigation system
have a smart meter but this could be done in the future. A pressing question is what to do about
the timing of existing systems. Ms. Ciccolo suggested that working with the irrigation companies
might be more effective than trying to get the attention of individual homeowners. Mr.
Pinsonnault said an irrigation company will participate in the education events being planned.
Ms. Hai asked what the preferred timeframe is for irrigation systems. Mr. Pinsonnault said that
systems should run in the early morning hours and be off before 5:30 a.m.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to implement a
voluntary outdoor water use time restriction from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. beginning,luly 25th and
continuing through October 5th, 201&
Center Stre etsca.e MassachusettsA�veiiuC�Turni�n� Lane Reductions-----Waltham Waltham Street and
Edison WE
,John Livsey, Town Engineer, presented information on the traffic trial results for the
Massachusetts Ave intersections at Waltham Street and Edison Way. The purpose of the trials
was to evaluate the effects of eliminating the dedicated right turn travel lane on Massachusetts
Avenue westbound to Edison Way and eliminating the dedicated right turn travel lane on
Massachusetts Avenue eastbound on to Waltham Street. Data was collected in 2016 periodically
during the months of August, September, and October with the trial equipment removed in early
November 2016. Daily and peak hour traffic counts were taken at multiple locations in the
Center.
Edison Way: Mr. Livsey described the long.-terra benefits of this lane reduction as the ability to
increase the sidewalk area; a reduction of pavement from 70 feet to 62 feet that would aid in
traffic calming; and improved safety at the intersection for all modes of travel. One alternative
that could not be modeled was a parking prohibition during morning hours for the spaces
adjacent to the Edison building just before the turn onto Edison Way, allowing travel in the
parking lane at that time.
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Conclusions of this trial include that traffic volume reduction was not a result of the trial; crashes
did not increase; there were no observed negative effects of the lane reduction on vehicle
queuing.
Waltham Street: Mr. Livsey said the long.-terror benefits of this lane reduction would be an
increase in sidewalk area; reduction of Massachusetts Avenue crossing distance; and an
improved turning radius
for large vehicles. There is evidence that large vehicles have hit the
signal polls due to the tightness of the turn. The narrowness of the sidewalk creates a dangerous
situation for pedestrians waiting to cross.
Conclusions of this trial include: right turn traffic volume increased only slightly during the trial-,
Muzzey Street traffic volume was not adversely affected; one crash was related to the trial but
the cause of the second crash is unknown; the queue on Massachusetts Avenue eastbound was
occasionally observed to be two/three vehicles longer than pre.-trial, with the greatest impact
being that pedestrians crossed further"upstream" of the signal.
Ms. Barry stated that the Selectmen have received a letter from the Center Committee about the
proposed lane reductions. Regarding the Waltham Street right hand turn, the Center Committee
voted 70 to support the elimination, citing the urgent need for pedestrian safety at that comer
and the belief that eastbound traffic would not be adversely affected. The Committee
recommended that the timing of the traffic light be adjusted during morning and evening peak
hours to accommodate the greater flows of traffic. This adj ustrment could be made immediately
and does not have to wait for the larger project. Regarding the Edison Way lane reduction, the
Center Committee voted 70 to support the recommendation for shared use space that would
move out the curb one lane to establish a dedicated right turn lane during morning traffic and
retain metered parking during non.-peak hours. The Committee felt this change would preserve a
pedestrian path consistent with adjacent blocks and improve sight lines. The Committee did note,
however, that additional sidewalk width is not needed at this location.
Mr. Lucente agreed that there is no need for additional pedestrian space here. He observed
significant traffic back.-ups during the trial and also feels the dual use of the parking/turning lane
would be confusing. His biggest concern is resident feedback he received that the traffic flow
worsened during the trial and even though the goal is to improve pedestrian safety, he is not sure
this will be a result.
Mr. Pato said he supports both changes. He agreed that the temporary markings during the trial
made the intersection more confusing but the permanent changes would make the curb line
consistent and improve pedestrian safety. He also agreed that the shared parking/turning lane
use should be explored and said he is willing to forfeit those parking spaces if need be. Any
gained space at the Waltham Street sidewalk would create a safer pedestrian waiting area.
Ms. Barry supports both lane reductions. She acknowledged the shared use configuration at
Edison Way will require a learning curve but people will eventually understand the changing
patterns; proper signage should help. In regard to Waltham Street, she also observed traffic back.-
ups past the Minuteman Statue but noted that since the turning lane only stores three cars, the
lane reduction will not make a big difference.
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Ms. Ciccolo also supported both changes. She is intrigued that the traffic volumes appeared to
drop and wondered if the parking management program was a factor. Ms. Ciccolo said that
improving pedestrian safety at the Waltham Street corner is crucial and improving the truck
turning radius will make a positive difference. She did not observe greater-than-usual traffic
back.- up during the trial period and did not receive any complaints. Ms. Ciccolo also agreed that
sightlines will improve near Grant Street/Edison Way.
Mr. Livsey noted that the Harrington Road trial occurred simultaneously and may have
complicated matters; he added that there would be a net gain of two parking spaces on
Massachusetts Avenue by eliminating the turning lane on to Waltham Street.
Ms. Hai approved of both reductions but noted that she observed back-ups on Massachusetts
Avenue eastbound. She asked if increasing the sidewalk width at the corner of Waltham Street
and Massachusetts Avenue would, in effect, provide space for pedestrians to stand within the
truck turning allowance. Mr. Pato noted that the crosswalk at that juncture would be moved and
the shift increases safety.
,John Flynn, I Hunt Road, asked about the Edison Way modification and whether the proposed
Center Streetscape changes still include reduction of the eastbound turning lane onto Grant
Street. Mr. Livsey said, at the 25% design stage, the Center Streetscape configurations are still
under discussion. Mr. Flynn said the shared lane concept is great but he does not believe it
improves pedestrian safety and the loss of the dedicated right-hand lane will make matters worse
for bicyclists. He asked for further consideration of bicycles in the overall scheme.
Dawn McKenna, 9 Hancock Street, said traffic back-ups have increased in general and she does
not believe they are related to the trials. She supports the idea of changing the light sequencing to
facilitate traffic flows during peak times.
Mr. Lucente asked whether erecting pedestrian barriers to protect the sidewalk corner at
Waltham Street would be advisable. Mr. Livsey replied that the traffic signals at that corner
provide a barrier and reactions to proposed bollards have been negative.
Mr. Lucente said he firmly believes the traffic backups were the direct result of the trials and he
is not inclined to approve the two requests.
Ms. Hai asked if the right on red allowance at Waltham Street would be eliminated. Mr. Livsey
said he had not considered eliminating it but would re-evaluate it, along with signal timing.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-1 to approve the lane
reduction for the right turn lane on Massachusetts Avenue at Waltham Street. Mr. Lucente cast
the dissenting vote.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-1 to approve the lane
reduction for the right turn lane on Massachusetts Avenue at Edison Way. Mr. Lucente cast the
dissenting vote.
Discuss the Potential for a Westview ( em�eter Cremator
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Ms. Barry reported that on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, the Board took a fieldtrip to the 'Town of
Duxbury's crematorium. Duxbury is one of two municipalities in Massachusetts that has a
crematorium. Because a new building is proposed for Lexington's Westview Cemetery, the idea
of including a crematorium is being considered; the current new building already proposed
would be paid for from cemetery fees.
Narain Bhatia, Precinct 3 'Town Meeting member/vice chair of the Economic Development
Advisory Committee, said that cremation is an important part of the Hindu tradition. He asked
that the Selectmen support the concept and further asked them to consider including an indoor
gathering place for 100-150 people with good acoustics for ritual ceremonies plus a family
viewing area adjacent to the crematorium. These amenities are not currently available in any
other crematorium, although he has attended cremation ceremonies at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
Dinesh Patel, Precinct 6 'Town Meeting member, distributed architectural renderings of an ideal
crematorium designed in India. Mr. Patel reported that cremation is not only a Hindu tradition
but many others are now opting for it. He quoted the average price of a cremation at$1,2W
Dawn McKenna, Precinct 6 'Town Meeting member, said that Mount Auburn Cemetery is in the
Process of building a new crematorium and she asked the Selectmen to consider this a potential
resource for Lexingtonians in lieu of building a municipal facility.
Ms. Barry noted that the Westview Cemetery article at Annual 'Town Meeting 2018 was
indefinitely postponed and the hope is to bring the building portion of the project to the
anticipated fall Special Town Meeting. A crematorium might be part of that proposal. Mr.
Valente said the architect can design the building with or without the crematorium; if without,
the crematorium could be added at a later date. To keep the timeline on target, the architect
needs direction now.
Ms. Barry said the state of the current building at Westview is deplorable and the 'Town is not
being responsible to the employees who work there nor to the equipment that is stored there. She
would like to move ahead with the building but design it so that a crematorium could be added at
a later date, after more research has been done. It is not yet clear at this point what the upfront,
overhead, maintenance, or employee costs would be and the project must be sustainable, have a
strong business plan behind it, and be environmentally sensitive. She appreciates that a
crematorium means a lot to members of the community but she needs to have a better grasp of
the practicalities and proposed establishing a committee to study the question.
Ms. Hai agreed it is an imperative to move the building forward but she is not ready to decide
about a town-run crematorium. She agreed with the need for a business plan and for establishing
relationships between funeral directors and crematorium services. She is amenable to looking at
a building that could be added later but she would want to know how significant the cost increase
would be since the addition may never occur or occur much later. She asked for a cost estimate
based on scale and scope.
Ms. Ciccolo asked about the anticipated construction timeline and whether postponing a vote
until Annual 'Town Meeting 2019 would delay construction. Mr. Pinsonnault said the project
would be delayed by a year because there are a number of steps to be taken before ground can be
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broken for the new building. Mr. Valente said that the 'Town should bid the project out in
,January 2019, not during construction season. Ms. Ciccolo agreed there is not enough
information to move forward with the crematorium and that a business plan is needed but she
does not want to preclude the later addition of a crematorium. If the number of people to be
accommodated in a crematorium ceremony gathering is 100.-150, this would be a larger space
than what has been conceived for the number Westview building. Mr. Pinsonnault confirmed
that the outdoor pavilion intended for Westview would accommodate 5075 people, to be used in
the case of inclement weather. Ms. Ciccolo suggested that the operations building and the
ceremonial gathering space be thought of as separate projects. She believes more evaluation of
need is necessary, which a study group could be asked to do.
Mr. Pato noted that Duxbury serves a significant portion of the South Shore, conducting 3,000
cremations a year. From a municipal/operational standpoint, he is not aware that a large
gathering area is necessary since intimate proximity to the deceased does not seem to be a
customary part of the cremation ritual for more than the immediate family. He would like to see
the Westview building design move forward without a commitment to construct until more
questions are answered.
Mr. Lucente said the Selectmen learned a lot in Duxbury. He believes that cremation is an
expanding trend that is becoming a norm but Lexington would need to market the service to
make the investment viable. He would like to have a better understanding of how big the
gathering space would need to be. The Westview project, as he sees it, has several parts that can
be separated. He is curious to see what Mount Auburn Cemetery is doing. Mr. Lucente is in
favor of eliminating the outdoor pavilion but looking at the campus with an eye for where a
gathering place might be constructed for a crematorium.
Mr. Pato said he is not sure he would support building a gathering space for religious ceremonies
but he would consider designing a crematorium that included a small area for family to say their
final goodbyes to the deceased.
Ms. Hai agreed that the 'Town should not provide the same capacity for religious services that a
church, temple, or funeral home would. She would not want to overstep the appropriate
municipal role. She would like to include a columbarium and agreed that cremation is becoming
a preferred option.
Mr. Valente said the request for a large function hall is not something he has heard until tonight.
That kind of building space and additional parking are both different considerations. The smaller
model, along Duxbury's line, would be a better fit for Westview. A larger facility would have to
be at another location.
Mr. Lucente asked Mr. Bhatia asked if the Hindu community would not use a crematorium if it
did not have a large function hall. Mr. Bhatia clarified that his attendance estimate was generous-,
gathering space for 75 would generally be adequate.
Dawn McKenna said thatTown Meeting will want to know what the programmatic goals are for
this project.
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Deepika Sawhney, 6 Porter Lane/School Committee member, said there are four Sikh temples in
the Boston area and other populations use cremation services. She urged the Town to reach out
to the Sikh and Hindu communities and to make both a business and humane plan for the project.
Mr. Pinsonnault noted that the original proposal for the building has already been vetted/
approved by the Board and could go forward without additional consideration.
Mr. Valente said that crematoriums charge between $250 an $400 for services, not $1,200, but
funeral home charges are additional.
Mr. Lucente, Mr. Pato, and Ms. Barry supported going forward with the building plan and
forming a separate study for the crematorium. Ms. Ciccolo agreed but not with moving forward
with the pavilion. However, she expressed concern that moving ahead might preclude later
options for how to use available space. Mr. Valente said the pavilion was planned as an add.-
alternate and was not an integral part of the proposal. Ms. Hai also supported moving ahead but
echoed Ms. Ciccolo's concerns the loss of options. She also agreed that the pavilion should be
put on hold and re.-considered together with the crematorium concept. She asked that a broad.-
based study group to be formed.
Ms. Barry called a recess until 10 p.m.
Review an ion and Finaagg-Re g,qLdingy t apital
Bond Bill Projects: Police Radio Console- _Visitors Center Construction Project
The recent Capital Bond bill, approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, included
funding for two Lexington projects: the Police Radio Console for $370,000; and the Visitors
Center for $675,000. The submission of these two projects was made by Senator Barrett, with the
support of Senator Friedman and Representative Kaufman. Mr. Valente noted that another
$200,000 for the Visitors Center is included in the Governor's budget, which is also subject to
approval; he cautioned that none of the funding is not yet assured and that release of the funding
is at the discretion of the Governor's Office.
Senator Barrett's Office has recommended that the Board of Selectmen contact the State agencies
that determine whether to release the funds, to advocate for these important projects. Ms. Ciccolo
encouraged residents to contact the State in support of these initiatives.
Mr. Pato asked if language about a pathway to Douglas House should be included in the letter, as
it has been. Mr. Valente said he has made a note to confirm the location of the path with the
Planning office to see whether inclusion in the letter is advisable.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted 5-0 to approve and sign the letters to
Administration and Finance and the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
regarding funding for the Police Radio Console equipment and Visitors Center project subject to
verification and possible correction.
Si&,ILSelgg!nberPri�mar Warrant
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Page 11 of 14
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted 50 to sign the warrant for the 2018 State
Primary to be held on 'Tuesday, September 4, 2018 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
AMointment of Election Officers
Ms. Barry recused herself because her mother is an appointee. Ms. Ciccolo assumed the role of
chair for the item.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 40 to appoint Election
Officers as presented in a memo from theTown Clerk dated :lily 6, 2018 for the period begin
September 1, 201&
Selectmen's Goal Setting Revisions and Rankin�of Goals
Ms. Barry asked Board members for comment on the edits and revisions made since the last
meeting, noting that there is still more revision work to be completed. There are now 22 high
priority goals. One goal has been accomplished Ms. Barry recommended sorting the remaining
21 goals into three groups of 7 based on relative importance.
Mr. Pato asked the Board to note that he added two target percentages in the "Affordability for
Residents" goal that did not appear in the earlier draft.
Ms. Ciccolo said that a lot of items have been grouped into Goal 412: "Complete Streets/Roads
and Sidewalks Maintenance". She will propose edits and present a revision at the next meeting.
The Board determined that subsequent edits would be sent to Ms. Axtell, AssistantTown
Manager, who will generate another draft of the goals document.
The Board determined to review the most recent edits and revisit them at the next meeting on
August 6, 201&
,association
Ms. Barry recused herself because her husband is employed as a Police Officer by theTown of
Lexington.
The Board previously discussed this matter in Executive Session on July 16, 2018. This
agreement with the Lexington Police Association will adjust detail rates for all police officers,
effective August 6, 2018. The last time detail rates were adjusted was in June 2009.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted 40 to approve and authorize theTown
Manager to signed the Memorandum of Agreement adjusting to detail rates, effective August 6,
201&
The Lexington Housing Assistance Board (LexHab) has requested a letter of support from the
Board of Selectmen for their Local Initiative Project(LIP) application for a comprehensive
Se I ectmen's Meeting--July 23, 2018
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pen-nit for affordable housing development at Wright Farm. Ms. Barry noted that this type of
letter had also been submitted for Fan-nview project on Lowell Street.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board voted 5-0 to provide a letter of support
endorsing LexHAB's application to the Department of Housing and Community Developmenf s
Local Initiative Program for a comprehensive permit for the affordable housing project at Wright
Farm.
A
DRrove Frn—ployrnent A Town Manager
Discussed earlier in the evening in Executive Session, the Board has reached an Employment
Agreement for ActingTown Manager Kelly Axtell.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve and sign the
Employment Agreement between theTown, acting through its Board of Selectmen, and Kelly
Axtell.
Review an te Public Service Fund
Ms. Barry noted that, between them, Town Manager Carl Valente and his wife Maureen Valente
have performed 72 years of public service. Ms. Barry stated that Mr. Valente has distinguished
himself as a teacher and mentor for those new to public service and that this fund recognizes his
contributions.
Mr. Valente said he is honored that the Board thought to establish this fund. He recalled that in
his generation, internships were the way young people got their first government work
experiences but now there is less opportunity to follow this path. The fund will provide
internship stipends for 6 months to I year to work in a broad spectrum of Lexington Town
government roles.
Ms. Barry read the terms of the fund for"Internships and Educational Programs Associated with
a Career in Public Administration" in full. 'The fund will be maintained by theTrustees of the
PublicTrust and will be expended in five years or five disbursements; donations can be made via
the Selectmen's office.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board enthusiastically voted 5-0 to approve and
authorize the Chairman to sign the terms of the Carl F. and Maureen G. Valente Public Service
Fund.
Battle Green Requests
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the
Lexington Minutemen Company's request to use the Battle Green for the purpose of the
installation of officers and the 329th Anniversary of the Lexington Minutemen Company to be
held on Sunday, September 9, 2018 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Town ManAu_ra o�ntiruents
Se I ectmen's Meeting--July 23, 2018
Page 13 of 14
The 'Town Manager requests the Board's approval of the appointment of Ms. Lyn Yang to the
Community Center Program Advisory Committee as well as Dr. ,Jyotsna Kakullavarapu and Ms.
Sandra Shaw to the Council on Aging. Ms. Yang will be filling the position previously held by
,John Zhu. Her term will start immediately and will expire May 2020.Dr. Kakullavarapu will be
filling the position previously held by Nancy Adler. Her term will start immediately and will
expire May 2021. Ms. Shaw will be filling the position previously held by Dr. Harry Allan
Mackay. Her term will start immediately and will expire May 2021.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve theTown
Manager's appointments of Lyn Yang to the Community Center Program Advisory Committee
as well as Dr. Jyotsna Kakullavarapu and Sandra Shaw to the Council on Aging.
Consent A&enda
0 ApErove Annual Review- Cor_nptroller
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve and sign the
annual performance review for Carolyn Kosnoff, AssistantTown Manager for
Finance/Comptroller.
AWrove One-Da a—Li uor License A—
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approveThe Czech
and Slovak Association request for a One.-Day Liquor license to serve beer and wine for their
Czech and Slovak Harvest Festival to be held at Sacred Heart Parish Hall, 21 Follen Road, on
Saturday, October 13, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 11 :00 p.m.
0 f the Minuteman Bikeway
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve and sign a
proclamation recognizing the 25th anniversary of the Minuteman Bikeway.
Executive Session
Upon motion duly made and by roll call, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to enter Executive
Session at 10:28 p.m. under Exemption 6 to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of
real property Edison Way parking spaces owned by the Historical Society, and further by roll
call, the Board of Selectmen voted 4-0, to enter Executive Session under Exemption 3 to discuss
strategy with respect to collective bargaining related to the Lexington Police Association
Superior Officers and to re-convene in Open Session only to adjourn. It was declared that that an
open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining and negotiating position(s) of the
Town. Ms. Barry was recused from the Exemption 3 discussion as her husband is an employee of
the'T
Ad'ourn
L_
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selection voted 4-0 to adjourn at 11 :55 p.m.
Se I ectmen's Meeting--July 23, 2018
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A true record; Attest:
Kim Siebert
Recording Secretary