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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-10-24-AC-min 10/24/2019 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) October 24, 2019 Place and Time: Cary Memorial Building, Hudson Room, 7:30 p.m. Members Present: Glenn Parker, Chair; Sanjay Padaki, Vice-Chair; Alan Levine, Secretary; John Bartenstein; Eric Michelson; Meg Muckenhoupt; Nick Nichols; Lily Manhua Yan; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, Finance (non-voting, ex officio) Member(s)Absent: None Other Attendees: None The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. Announcements and Liaison Reports Mr. Nichols reported on the Capital Expenditures Committee's (CEC's) meeting that he attended on October 23, 2019 when Dave Pinsonneault, Director, Department of Public Works, made a presentation to that committee about the 2019-1 Fall Special Town Meeting (STM) Article 9: LED Streetlight Conversion. Mr. Nichols noted that this appears to be a financially responsible project, but he expressed disappointment that the financial analysis had only been recently received and did not include back-up information for the assumptions that were used. He suggested that this Committee explore ways to encourage timelier and more in-depth materials about projects. Mr. Nichols also reported that Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development, made a similar presentation to the CEC about the 2019-1 STM Article 8: Appropriate Funding for 25% Design of the Route 4/225 Bedford Street-Hartwell Avenue-Wood Street Transportation Improvement Project as had been made at this Committee's October 15, 2019 meeting. He noted that a vote was not taken by the CEC. Mr. Levine reported that the School Master Planning Advisory Committee (MPAC)recently met to discuss the first draft of the MPAC report prepared largely by DiNisco Design. Mr. Levine noted that the October 1, 2019, school enrollment numbers reported at the meeting are currently slightly below projections made prior to the availability of the new enrollment numbers, but it is too soon to predict whether this is the start of a trend. Mr. Levine also reported that in December the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA)is scheduled to announce whether it plans to invite Lexington to participate in its FY2021 budget program for building a new/renovated Lexington High School (LHS). Completion of the MPAC report will be delayed so as to incorporate knowledge of the MSBA response into its report. It is anticipated that the report would be finalized in January 2020 or shortly thereafter. Mr. Levine noted that LHS is currently overcrowded, and this needs to be addressed. He added that the School Department is currently focused on redistricting efforts for the next school year. AC Report to the 2019-1 Fall STM Ms. Kosnoff reported on STM articles, as follows: • Article 3—Appropriate To and From Specified Stabilization Funds: It is expected that three such funds will be addressed: ➢ Transportation Demand Management(TDM) Stabilization Fund: The Town has received funds to be allocated into this fund related to previous development projects. 1 10/24/2019 AC Minutes ➢ Traffic Mitigation Stabilization Fund: It is anticipated that there will be a request to deposit into this fund $280,000 from King Street Properties. ➢ Capital Stabilization Fund (CSF): Last spring the Town deposited about$1.5 million into this fund for future use. Funds are now available for another deposit, but the amount has not yet been finalized. Outstanding issues relate to amounts needed to support the conversion of the street lights to LED lighting, decisions on small adjustments to the FY2020 operating budget, and adjustments of estimates of new growth of the property tax levy. In response to questions, Ms. Kosnoff reported that the TDM Stabilization Fund is used to offset operating costs for Lexpress and The Rev, and most of the funds in the Traffic Mitigation Stabilization Fund came from Hayden Avenue area businesses for traffic improvements for that area. These funds are not available to support Article 9. She noted that State aid is $73,000 more than originally projected, and $400,000 for FY2019 snow and ice removal was not used. These funds are available for new appropriations. A motion was made and seconded to support recommendation of Article 3. The motion passed. VOTE: 8-0 • Article 4—Amend FY2020 Operating, Enterprise, and Community Preservation Act(CPA) Budgets: Ms. Kosnoff reported that operating budget adjustments would be made for hiring a Sustainability Director($47,500), possibly for additional property liability insurance, and the Water and Wastewater Enterprise Fund budgets would be adjusted in light of final MWRA assessments. A motion was made and seconded to support recommendation of Article 4, as discussed. The motion passed. VOTE: 8-0 • Article 8—Appropriate Funding for the Route 4/225 Bedford Street–Hartwell Avenue– Wood Street Transportation Improvement Project(TIP): There was discussion about using bond anticipation notes over five years to fund this project and about tweaking draft material for this Committee's report to the 2019-1 STM. All members of this Committee expressed support for the project. Additional comments included, but were not limited to, the following: ➢ Mr. Levine stressed the importance of getting community input and general acceptance before going too far with the design process, particularly if there is strong community opposition; he supports postponing any Hartwell Avenue rezoning article until after this study is complete. ➢ Ms. Muckenhoupt said the project is long overdue. ➢ Mr. Padaki does not want the funding to impact plans for the CSF. ➢ Mr. Bartenstein suggested that the Hartwell Avenue businesses should help fund it, at least minimally, by using part of any balance in the Transportation Management Overlay District Stabilization Fund that is directed at work in the Hartwell Avenue area. ➢ Mr. Michelson believes that getting community support for changes will be a challenge. ➢ Mr. Nichols noted that it will be necessary for the project team to consider new office space at Hanscom Air Force Base and Lincoln Laboratories. ➢ Mr. Parker noted that there aren't any other viable options. 2 10/24/2019 AC Minutes A motion was made and seconded to support recommendation of Article 8, as discussed. The motion passed. VOTE: 8-0 • Article 9—LED Streetlight Conversion: Ms. Kosnoff reported that the requested $875,858 would come from the general fund and that partial reimbursements are expected from the State and the electric company. In response to Mr. Nichols' questions about the budget showing a reduction in the cost of lighting in the operating budget, and, if not, whether there should be a program improvement request, Ms. Kosnoff said that a reduction should show in FY2022 and that Jennifer Hewitt, Budget Officer, would be tracking this. This triggered discussion about following up capital projects to determine whether projected savings are actually realized. It was agreed that this would not be discussed in this Committee's report, but Mr. Nichols stressed the importance of this Committee and staff having access to such data going forward. A motion was made and seconded to support recommendation of Article 9, as discussed. The motion passed. VOTE: 8-0 Minutes: A motion was made and seconded to approve the October 1, 2019 AC minutes. The motion passed. VOTE: 8-0 A motion was made and seconded to approve the October 15, 2019 AC minutes. The motion passed. VOTE: 8-0 The meeting adjourned at 9:28 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Approved: November 12, 2019 Exhibits • Agenda, posted by Mr. Parker, Chair • Tanko Lighting, Summary of Financial Analysis–Lexington, MA, October 21, 2019 3