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Home My WebLink About2019-11-20-CEC-min JS�®pN�N Minutes of the �3 Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting H November 20, 2019 Location and Time: Cary Memorial Building, Hudson Room; 7:45 A.M. Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk; Sandy Beebee; Rod Cole; Frank Smith; and Wendy Manz Members Absent: None Others Present: Tom Martellone, Director of Innovation & Instructional Technology, Lexington Public Schools (LPS); David Coecho, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, LPS; Tom Case, Chief Information Officer, Municipal Information Technology (IT) Department (Dept.); Dorinda Goodman, Director, Municipal IT Dept.; Caroline Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Jennifer Hewitt, Budget Officer, Finance Dept.; Deepika Sawhney, Member, School Committee Documents Presented: • Notice of CEC Meeting, November 20, 2019 • Draft CEC Input to the FY2019 Annual Town Report, prepared by Charles Lamb, November 19, 2019 • LPS Technology and Municipal IT Dept. FY2021—FY2025 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs), October 23, 2019 • CEC Questions Regarding the LPS Technology FY2021—FY2025 CIP • Municipal IT Dept. responses to CEC Questions Regarding the IT FY2021—FY2025 CIPs (Municipal IT Q&A) • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol (IP)) Master Plan Timeline, 2018 • IT Dept., Capital 2021—Draft; prepared by IT staff; October 10, 2019 Call to Order Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order at 7:45 A.M. Member Concerns and Liaison Reports Mr. Lamb presented a draft for the CEC's input to the FY2019 Annual Town Report. Some edits were recommended. A Motion was made and seconded to approve said input, as amended. Vote: 6-0. Mr. Kanter reviewed changes in procedures resulting from issues raised during a recent Open Meeting Law Guidance Meeting that he attended: • His distribution to meetings of updated drafts of Minutes, reports, etc., reflecting individual member inputs to him has been suspended until the Town creates—as has now been requested—a link on the CEC website where he can post all such drafts for public access. In the interim, he will present a Pending Final version at the meeting, and all recommended changes must be discussed at the meeting. This also applies to other members. Once that posting process is known, he will address it at a Committee meeting. • All electronic communications between members of this Committee must now include <capitalexpend iturescmte@Iexingtonma.gov> as a "Cc". That is because it is this Committee's official e-mail address and all e-mails to it will be archived automatically. Page 1 of 3 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 20, 2019 • Our Chair, or his designee, is responsible for routine monitoring that official account so any e-mail in it that isn't being handled by one or more members using their personal account(s) can receive a response the monitor deems warranted. Once that is done, the monitor decides whether or not to preserve that e-mail in that account. • Mr. Kanter said that Mr. Lamb had designated him to be the monitor of our official account and, therefore, he has been checking that account daily, or if not practical, normally at least every other day. Mr. Kanter noted that there has not been an e-mail from the public or any Town personnel since he began his monitoring—which is well over a year. Review of the LPS Technology FY2021—FY2025 CIP Mr. Lamb used the LPS Technology Questions to initiate a discussion regarding CIP #945, LPS Technology Capital Request. Mr. Martellone and Mr. Coecho provided comments that included, but were not limited to, the following: • The goal is to have a robust IT environment that integrates technology into the learning experience. • Digital learning coaches are now included in curriculum reviews. • The estimated costs for out-year capital expenses can be considered placeholders because projecting what will be needed or the associated costs for those years is hindered by the fast pace at which technology changes. In general, estimates would be within 15% of actual costs. • LPS has created an end-of-life-based plan for all devices and projected costs have been shifted accordingly. The result is a decrease of approximately$200,000 per year in the capital plan. • Capital funding is sought for equipment needs; the operating budget is used for soft costs such as licenses. • When equipment is no longer needed by LPS, it is sold, donated, or recycled, in that preferred order. Review of the Municipal IT FY2021—FY2025 CIPs Mr. Lamb used the IT Q&A as a guide to lead the discussion through that set of CIPs. IT staff comments included, but were not limited to, the following: • CIP #553, Phone Systems & Unified Communication: The Town has not invested in VoIP for small buildings such as those for Westview Cemetery and the animal-control officer. Cell phones provide adequate back-up. • CIP #556, Network Core Equipment: Security and redundancy are the focus of this CIP. There were some challenges developing the project that caused delays. • CIP #855, Network Redundancy & Improvement Program: This relates to the AT&T Tower, which has been delayed. • CIP #1054, Application Implementation: Capital funding is sought for equipment needs, although some equipment-related capital projects may include soft costs that Page 2 of 3 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 20, 2019 are on a one-time basis; the operating budget is used for licensing and other soft costs. Increased use of the cloud results in operating-budget increases. This has to be explained during the budget process, but is generally understood and supported. Not all systems can be moved to the cloud, and there is uncertainty in making projections for the out-years. During discussion of this CIP, Mr. Lamb emphasized this Committee's support for transitioning to the cloud. Mr. Kanter suggested keeping a record of events and costs. It was also noted that energy use should decrease as more is put into the cloud. It was suggested that tracking energy costs would provide valuable information. There was also discussion about plans to include the IT center in the new Police Headquarters. Future Meetings Mr. Kanter reviewed the December schedule of meetings and suggested that Jim Malloy, Town Manager, Ms. Kosnoff, and Ms. Hewitt be invited to this Committee's December 181h meeting to review CIPs that are of concern to this Committee—likely with emphasis on the FY2021 funding requests. Although no such CIPs have yet been identified, it was agreed to use that date for such a potential discussion with the Committee having previously reviewed all the CIPs—including funding in any FY. It was discussed where there should be time in meetings prior to the 181h, as well as at the beginning of the meeting on the 181h, for this Committee to establish its concerns. Mr. Kanter said he will distribute a spreadsheet before the initial Committee reviews that could be used by the members to record their individual concerns. Adjourn A Motion was made and seconded at 9:13 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 6-0. These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on December 4, 2019. Page 3 of 3