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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-17-CPC-min Minutes of the Community Preservation Committee Thursday, January 17, 2019 Robbins Meeting Room Isaac Harris Cary Memorial Building 1605 Massachusetts Avenue 4:30 PM Committee Members Present: Marilyn Fenollosa (Chair); Dick Wolk (Vice-Chair), Charles Hornig, David Horton, Jeanne Krieger, Joe Pato, Bob Pressman, Lisah Rhodes, Melinda Walker. Administrative Assistant: Gina Federico Other Attendees: Wendy Manz, Capital Expenditures Committee liaison to the CPC; Ellen Basch, Appropriations Committee; Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs; Christine Dean, Community Center Director; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance (arrived 4:43); Dave Pinsonneault, Director of Public Works; Tom Shiple, Town Meeting Member. Ms. Fenollosa called the meeting to order at 4:33PM. 1020 Funding Requests- At the CPC meeting on 1-10-19 Ms. Battite and the Recreation department were asked to prioritize the four proposed recreational projects for FY20 CPA funding. The CPC allotted $2,000,000 to the Recreation Department to be disbursed. A memo from the Recreation Committee was distributed to the Committee detailing how the Recreation Committee would like the $2,000,000 to be disbursed. $620,000 for the Old Reservoir Bathhouse, $70,000 for Park Improvements- Hardcourt Resurfacing, $1,000,000 for the Inter Municipal Agreement with Minuteman (IMA) and $310,000 for Park Improvements-Athletic Fields, totaling $2,000,000. In the memo the Recreation Committee reduced their original request for the Athletic Fields from $435,000 to $310,000. It was also stated in the memo that if the IMA is not approved at the 2019 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) then the Recreation Committee requests an additional $125,000 for Athletic Fields, restoring the original request of $435,000. Ms. Battite updated the Committee on the IMA project. She explained that there is still excitement for the project at the full build design but there is an inability to fund the project. Minuteman's design team was able to reduce the scope of the work for the Town's portion of the project from $8.5 million to $4.9 million. Ms. Battite explained that the new project would remove the stadium seating, storage, and restrooms. The restrooms were an important part of the project for the stakeholders. Eliminating the restrooms helps save costs because it now eliminates the underground utility work that was necessary for functional restrooms. The tennis 1 courts will also be removed from the project. Ms. Battite explained that the primary focus is the synthetic turf and lighted fields to help decrease the number of denied playing hours each year. It was mentioned that in the original project Minuteman had a sole partnership with the Town of Lexington. Minuteman may now seek other alternative partnerships to achieve the full build such as neighboring towns or organizations. Of the total $4.9 million alternative build cost, $1 million is requested from the CPC, $50,000 would come out of the Recreation Enterprise Fund each year for the next 10 years, and $3.4 million from the General Fund. Mr. Pato asked if the field access remains the same, if there will be access to the restrooms, and if the terms of the IMA have changed since the Town contribution has decreased. Ms. Battite explained that the only restroom access would be portable stalls and that the facilities located inside Minuteman would be off limits. Ms. Battite explained that Town Counsel is reviewing the revised proposal and that many details are still unknown but the Town will have access to the same number of field hours. Mr. Pressman asked how much the tennis courts cost. Ms. Battite stated that the tennis courts cost approximately$700,000. Ms. Manz asked to clarify if there would be a reduction in the number of field hours that the Town has access. Ms. Battite stated that there would not be a reduction in the amount of hours the Town has access. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted (9-0) to support Recreation's FY20 CPA projects. Ms. Battite and Ms. Dean left the meeting at 4:55 PM and did not return. 2) Reconsideration of the Battle Green Master Plan- Phase 3- Mr. Pinsonneault was asked to reappear before the Committee to reconsider the request for FY20 CPA funding for the Battle Green Master Plan-Phase 3. At the CPC meeting on 1-10-19 the Committee had voted (2-7) not to support the project even though in a meeting on 12-13-18 the Committee supported the project 9-0 in a straw vote. The original amount requested was $570,438 for FY20. Mr. Pinsonneault was asked to reduce his request. Mr. Pinsonneault explained to the Committee that he had reevaluated the project and proposed a new figure for items that need to be addressed first, eliminating items that can be addressed in the future. The new request for FY20 funding is $253,394. A subsequent request is anticipated FY21 for the remaining $317,044. Mr. Pinsonneault reduced the amount of money requested for architectural services, contingency, landscaping, the remaining pathways, monuments, and lights. Ms. Fenollosa stated to Mr. Pinsonneault that if the Committee decides to fund the first phase of the project that it does not guarantee funding for the second phase. Ms. Fenollosa asked Ms. Kosnoff if the Committee can afford the new requested amount. Ms. Kosnoff stated yes. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted (9-0) to approve a reduced FY20 project amount of$253,394 for the Battle Green Master Plan- Phase 3. 2 Mr. Pinsonneault left the meeting at 5:11PM and did not return. 3) Debt Service- Ms. Kosnoff reviewed the project requests for FY20 and stated that the projects will all be funded through cash and that the Committee will not be incurring any new debt. Ms. Kosnoff discussed the excel spreadsheet "Community Preservation Fund Balances" and stated that the amount of debt service for FY20 is $3,094,680. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted (9-0) to recommend $3,094,680 to the 2019 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) for debt service. As previously discussed during the CPC meeting on 1-17-19 the amount of debt service for FY20 is approximately 55%to 56% of new income. Ms. Kosnoff recommends not exceeding 50% of revenue as a policy. At the meeting on 1-10-19 Mr. Hornig had suggested that a guideline be put in place similar to the guideline that the CPF endeavors to maintain an undesignated and unbudgeted fund balance of$2 million after each year's projects.The proposed guideline would be that the CPC should not take on debt resulting in debt service of more than 50% of its annual revenues in any given year. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee moved to establish a guideline that the CPC should not take on total debt service of more than 50% of its annual revenues in any given year. The Committee voted (9-0) to support the guideline. 4) 2019 ATM Citizens Article to reduce the CPA surcharge tax from 3%to 1%-The proposed citizen's article to reduce the CPA tax surcharge from 3%to 1%was discussed. It was the general consensus of the Committee with guidance from Ms. Kosnoff that a reduction in the CPA surcharge to 1%would limit the Committee's funding abilities for future projects. Incoming CPC funds would all have to be allocated to debt service. Ms. Fenollosa asked for the Committee's permission to speak on behalf of the CPC at the Board of Selectmen's meeting when the citizen's article proponent presents. The Committee supported the request. 5)Vote for FY20 CPA Funding Request-After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted to approve dollar amounts for FY20 funding. The CPC issued votes on the projects as follows: (a) Conservation Land Acquisition-TBD- (9-0) (b) Willard's Woods Site Improvements- $138,273- (9-0) (c) Archives & Records Management- $20,000- (9-0) (d) Battle Green Master Plan- Phase 3- $253,394- (9-0) (e) 9 Oakland Street Renovations and Adaptive Re-Use- $70,000- (9-0) (f) Inter Municipal Agreement with Minuteman- $1,000,000- (9-0) (g) Old Reservoir Bathhouse Renovations- $620,000 (9-0) (h) Park Improvements- Hard Court Resurfacing- $70,000 (9-0) 3 (i) Park Improvements-Athletic Fields- $435,000, subject to reduction if the IMA is fully funded. Reduced amount $ 310,000 (9-0) (j) Playground Replacement Program- Bridge- $302,000 (9-0) (k) LexHAB Preservation, Rehabilitation, and Restoration- $99,700- (9-0) (1) CPA Debt Service- $3,094,680- (9-0) (m) Administrative Budget- $150,000- (9-0) 6) Review and Approve LexHAB Guidelines- Ms. Fenollosa had asked Mr. Hornig, Mr. Pressman, and Ms. Walker to collaborate and update The "Guidelines for the Use of CPA Funding by LexHAB". Mr. Hornig presented the updated document. Mr. Hornig went through each section and explained what had been changed and the reason why. The Committee generally agreed with the changes with an exception of Guideline number 5. The original revision was "Buildings on the Cultural Resources Inventory acquired with CPA funds may be demolished only in accordance with the demolition delay by law". Ms. Fenollosa stated that the reason why the original policy was in place is because the Committee did not want to use tax payer dollars to demolish a structure that has been deemed architecturally or historically significant to the Town. Mr. Hornig asked if it is the Committee's intent to not permit the purchase of homes on the Cultural Resources Inventory (CRI). Ms. Fenollosa stated that it is the Committee's intent to prohibit the acquisition of a property with the specific intent of demolishing it. The Committee decided to change the wording of number 5 to "Buildings on the Cultural Resources Inventory should not be acquired with CPA funds for the purpose of demolition". After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted to amend the guidelines as modified (8-1). 7) Committee Business-The Committee agreed to hold the next CPC meeting on Thursday February 14, 2019 at 4:30. Mr. Shiple left the meeting at 6:00 PM and did not return. After a motion duly made and seconded, the Committee voted (9-0) to oppose the proposed citizen's article to reduce the CPA surcharge from 3%to 1% and to recommend to Town Meeting to reject the CPA surcharge reduction. After a motion duly made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 6:05 PM. The following documents were used at the meeting: 1. Recreation Committee memo dated 1-17-19 2. Guidelines for use of CPA Funding by LexHAB- Original 3. Guidelines for use of CPA Funding by LexHAB- Edited Version 4 4. Community Preservation Fund Balances excel spreadsheet 5. Email from David Pinsonneault detailing the adjusted cost estimates for the Battle Green Master Plan Phase-3 Respectfully submitted, Gina Federico Administrative Assistant Community Preservation Committee 5