HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-15-CEC-min JS�®pN�N
Minutes of the
�3 Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
H January 15, 2020
Location and Time: Town Office Building, Reed Room (111); 7:45 A.M.
Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk; Sandy Beebee;
Rod Cole; Wendy Manz; and Frank Smith
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Deepika Sawhney, School Committee; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary
Documents Presented:
• Notice of CEC Meeting, January 15, 2020
• Draft #3, January 14, 2020, CEC Comments on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Town
Manager's Preliminary Recommended Budget & Financing Plan ("White Book") to
Summit III, January 16, 2020
• CEC Subject Areas & Liaison Assignments for FY2019; 9 Jan 2019 (corrected);
re-distributed January 7, 2020
• Draft Timeline of CEC Build of Report to 2020 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) and
Special Town Meeting (STM), prepared by Mr. Kanter, January 9, 2020
• Draft Warrants to 2020 ATM and STM with Mr. Kanter Annotations, distributed
January 10, 2020
• Draft Minutes of the CEC Meeting, December 18, 2019, prepared by Mr. Kanter,
December 30, 2019
• Draft Minutes of the CEC Meeting, Summit II-A, December 19, 2019, prepared by
Mr. Kanter, December 30, 2019
Call to Order
Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order at 7:45 A.M.
FY2021 Town Manager's Preliminary Recommended Budget & Financing Plan ("White
Book")
In preparation for the Financial Summit III scheduled for tomorrow evening, CEC members
suggested edits to be incorporated into the distributed Draft#3 CEC Comments on the "White
Book". Mr. Kanter agreed to incorporate approved changes and submit the document this
afternoon to the Board of Selectmen's (BoS's) office for further distribution.
A Motion was made and seconded to support the recommended edits. Vote: 6-0
CEC's Subject Areas & Liaison Assignments for Calendar Year 2020
Using the CEC Subject Areas & Liaison Assignments for FY2019, committee members
affirmed their assigned subject areas and roles as liaisons to Town Committees,
Commission, and Boards, with a few minor changes. Comments included, but were not
limited to, the following:
• Mr. Kanter reported that the BoS had dissolved the Ad hoc Crematory Study
Committee as it had submitted its final report.
• Mr. Cole reported that many of the Commission on Disability issues do not involve
Capital projects. However, the Commission is currently working with the Department
of Public Works on curb cuts. Mr. Kanter applauded that the Commission is now
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
January 15, 2020
making itself involved much earlier in the development of Capital projects. That
permits the likelihood of incorporating its positions more practical and possibly at a
lower cost.
• Ms. Manz reported that the Center Streetscape project is scheduled to begin in 2021
and be finished in 2025. She also reported the Lexington Housing Assistance Board
withdrew its Community Preservation Act (CPA) supplemental funding request #2 for
the Farmview Housing Project (adjacent to Busa Farm), but Bob Pressman, member
of the Community Preservation Committee, has submitted a separate request for such
funding.
• Mr. Kanter reported the State's funding of CPA projects for this fiscal year (FY2020)
has been enhanced by $20 million as the State closed the FY2019 budget with a
sufficient surplus to cover that amount provisionally authorized by the State
Legislature. As the State's Community Preservation Fund previously had $25,866,183
from fees at the State Registries for the distribution made last November to the
participating municipalities, the extra $20 million should allow a second distribution
soon that is 77% more—still using a formula for how the distribution is made among
those municipalities.
A Motion was made and seconded to retain the current officers, to make the changes to the
Subject Areas & Liaison Assignments for Calendar Year 2020 discussed at the meeting, and
to add the officers to that document. Vote: 6-0
CEC's Report to the 2020 ATM—Timeline
Mr. Kanter explained his Draft Timeline of CEC Build of Report to 2020 ATM and STM,
stressing the importance of preparing the front matter in the near future so it is, potentially,
out of the way before the FY2021 Recommended Budget & Financing Plan ("Brown Book")
is released. Once the Brown Book's documentation has been incorporated in the
Committee's draft report, the Committee's focus will turn to its discussion of the Articles.
It was agreed that this Committee does not need to meet on January 22nd as previously
planned. Mr. Lamb advised that he will not be available for what will now be the Committee's
next meeting on January 291h. As Mr. Kanter expects to be at that meeting, he will Chair it.
Approval of Minutes
After a brief discussion, a Motion was made and seconded that the Draft Minutes of the CEC
Meeting, December 18, 2019, as amended, be approved. Vote: 6-0
A Motion was made and seconded that the Draft Minutes of the CEC Meeting at Summit II-A,
December 19, 2019, be approved as presented. Vote: 6-0
CEC's Report to the 2020 ATM—Warrant Articles
Using the Draft Warrants for the 2020 ATM and STM, there was a review of the applicability
for including each Article, with CEC comments and positions, in the report, and which
Committee member(s) would prepare an input on the applicable Articles. Discussion
included, but was not limited to, the following:
• Article 17: Appropriate to Post-Employment Liability Fund: The BoS plans to discuss
this Article at its January 271h meeting. Although this is not a Capital project, it does
involve funds that, alternatively, could be applied to Capital project(s)—including being
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
January 15, 2020
put into the Capital Stabilization Fund. This Committee had reported on the
comparable Article a year ago, but just as a commentary, and that would also apply
to this report.
A Motion was made and seconded to include an Article 17 commentary in the report.
Vote: 6-0.
• A Not-Yet-Numbered Citizen's Article to Reduce the Town's Legal Fees.. It was noted
that the submitted material for the Warrant refers to reducing costs in FY2020, which
is not practical. The proponent intended for that to read FY2021. Mr. Kanter expressed
what would be his strong support for Indefinitely Postponing this Article if the Motion
reads FY2020 and in opposition if it reads FY2021.
• Mr. Kanter advised that the BoS is not prepared to pursue the Police Station
construction funding request included in the Draft STM 2020 Warrant; therefore, he
expects there will be no such final Warrant. The BoS contemplates that request would
be presented at an STM this fall.
• Ms. Arnold advised that Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance,
reported at the Appropriation Committee meeting held last evening that the staff is
working towards starting to address financial Articles in the first week of the ATM. (The
prior practice of starting that was in the second week.) The Committee agreed that
puts additional importance on its report being distributed, as currently planned, on
March 16, 2020—which is one week before the first session of this year's ATM on
March 23, 2020.
Adjourn
A Motion was made and seconded at 8:55 A.M. to adjourn. Vote: 6-0.
Minutes was approved by the CEC at its meeting on February 6, 2020.
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