Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-04-27 SB-min Select Board Meeting April 27, 2020 A remote participation meeting of the Lexington Select Board was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 27, 2020 via Zoom remote meeting services. Mr. Lucente, Chair; Mr. Pato; Ms. Barry; Ms. Hai and Mr. Sandeen were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk. Mr. Lucente stated this remote participation meeting is being held in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Executive Order suspending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law to allow remote participation during Massachusetts’ State of Emergency due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Mr. Lucente provided instructions to members of the public, who were watching or listening to the meeting via the Zoom application, regarding the procedure of making a public comment. SELECT BOARD CONCERNS AND LIAISON REPORTS Ms. Hai  Towns of Arlington, Lexington and Concord and Minuteman National Park will hold a virtual community meeting on Thursday, April 30, 2020, 7:00 p.m. to discuss the process of the nomination of the Battle Road Scenic Byway for consideration as an all American Road. Mr. Pato  Reported he will be attending the Massachusetts Municipal Association Policy Committee meeting being held virtually on the subject of Public Works. Mr. Lucente  Stated the Lexington Food Pantry is in need of food including canned tuna fish, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, dry pasta. Mr. Sandeen  The Greenways Corridor Committee is preparing to launch the across Lexington challenge this spring encouraging residents to walk all the way across Lexington trails. TOWN MANAGER REPORT Mr. Malloy announced Stella Carr will start on May 26, 2020 as the Sustainability Director and Sandhya Iyer will start in the next few weeks as the Economic Development Director. Mr. Malloy stated he is recruiting to fill the Chief Information Officer position which will now be known as Director of Innovation and Technology. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. COVID-19 Update - Discuss Strategies, Implementation and Community Response Actions Related to COVID-19 Guidelines and Directives Mr. Malloy reported that as of April 6, 2020, there are 246 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Lexington. Mr. Malloy reported the following response actions related to COVID-19 have been implemented since his April 13, 2020 update to the Board: Town/School/Community:  The Governor announced school would be cancelled for the remainder of the school year.  A drive thru COVID-19 testing site will be held on May 1, 2020 at the Lexington Elks Lodge being operated by Physicians One, which has coordinated with our Health Department, Fire Department, Police Department and Public Information Officer. Town Meeting  Preparations continue for a virtual Town Meeting anticipate will be scheduled sometime in early June. Presentations on those items that have been identified as appropriate, will be posted online through LexMedia on Youtube so that Town Meeting members will have an opportunity to review those presentations. Mr. Malloy thanked Mr. Pato, Mr. Lucente, and Ms. Deborah Brown, Town Meeting Moderator and Mr. Ben Moroze, Town Meeting Members Association President, for their efforts to keep this moving forward. Mr. Malloy stated the Town has been working with Representative Michelle Ciccolo and Senator Mike Barrett on moving HD5024 forward to allow remote Town Meetings as well as promoting it with the other 33 Towns with Representative Town Meetings. Further, Mr. Malloy reported preparations are being made to have a Special Town Meeting with one article that would validate actions taken by a remote Town Meeting. Boards and Committee  Mr. Lucente and Mr. Malloy hosted a training session for committee chairs on how to execute a virtual meeting. Starting this upcoming week, some additional Boards and Committees will be meeting virtually, Financial implications  The Finance Team has been working towards providing best estimates regarding the fiscal implications of the COVID-19 virus on the Town’s budget. Initial analysis estimates that the net impact on the budget will be negligible, however the impact on the revenue side of the ledger will be of greater impact. 2. Discuss Scheduling of May Events (i.e. Memorial Day, Discovery Day Events) Ms. Lorain Marquis, Town Celebration Committee Chair, stated that in light of the Coronavirus, the Town Celebrations Committee live Memorial Day events will not be held in 2020. The Committee will look into ways to offer virtual options to commemorate Memorial Day. Mr. Lucente stated the Lexington Retailers Association has decided to cancel the Discovery Day activities originally scheduled in May 2020. The Lexington Retailers Association would like to consider rescheduling the event to be held later this year if possible. The Board discussed the need to cancel all public events through the end of May including the Memorial Day celebrations to maintain public safety. The Town Manager confirmed that his office has cancelled all events under his purview through the end of May. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to cancel all public events under the Board’s purview through the end of the Month of May due to the Coronavirus. 3. Accept and Sign Conservation Easement - Liberty Ridge (Grove Street Development) Mr. Malloy stated this amended and restated Grant of Easement is the result of recently discovering that North Shore Development recorded the Grant of Easement to the Town of Lexington, acting by and through its Conservation Commission, without having the Select Board and Conservation Commission approve/accept it. The Grant of Easement was a requirement of the Planning Board’s Liberty Ridge Balanced Housing Development Special Permit and is shown on the enclosed referenced plan titled “Property Rights & Dimensional Standards Plan” dated 9/12/2017 and recorded as Plan 1009 of 2017. The easement goes down the new Jefferson Drive sidewalk and crosses Jefferson Drive and travels between units 4 and 5, and then along the wetland buffer zone connecting to the narrow strip of land owned by the Lexington Conservation Commission along the Burlington Town-line/Burlington’s Landlocked Forest Parcel. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve the amended and restated Grant of Easement between North Shore Residential Development, Inc., as grantor, and the Town of Lexington, acting by and through its Conservation Commission, as grantee, substantially in the form presented at the April 27, 2020 meeting of the Select Board, with final changes to be approved by the Town Manager in his reasonable discretion in consultation with town counsel; and further to authorize the Town Manager to execute and accept said amended and restated Grant of Easement on behalf of the Select Board. 4. 2020 Annual Town Meeting  Discuss and Call Special Town Meeting Mr. Malloy reviewed a draft warrant for a Special Town Meeting which includes an article that would provide the authority for the Select Board to submit a Home Rule Petition for special legislation to confirm the validity of any action of the Annual Town Meeting if needed in the event the proposed bill by Representative Ciccolo does not pass or does not pass in time. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve to set a Special Town Meeting on June 1, 2020 and to close the Town Meeting warrant with the one article as proposed.  Update on Town Meeting Plans Mr. Pato reported on the state of the technology/operational plan for a virtual town meeting. He then proceeded to demonstrate the current state of the Virtual Town Meeting portal and responded to questions. He said the plan remains to begin small group testing the first week of May 2020 followed by larger per-precinct meetings the following week and finally a full mock town meeting with all members attending to provide the Moderator and staff practice with a large-scale meeting with around 200 attendees later in May. 5. Discuss Food Waste Working Group Mr. Malloy stated that in response to the food waste discussion at a previous Select Board meeting, he plans to create a Town Manager Working Group to discuss the issue and bring back recommendations to the Board. The Working Group would consist of: Robert Beaudoin, Superintendent of Environmental Services, David Pinsonneault, DPW Director, two (2) Sustainable Lexington Waster Reduction Task Force/Green Team Members; two (2) At large Citizens; a Select Board Member and Sean Dugan, Public Information Officer Mr. Malloy said the charge would be to determine what educational material and information is needed; determine the avenues for getting the material and information to the public; discuss home composting and curbside food waste collection; make recommendations reporting back to the Select Board. The Board concurred with this proposal. 6. Discuss Pole Hearing Process Mr. Malloy stated that as the Board may recall, there was a significant discussion during the pole hearing on Lincoln Street about developing a guideline for the Board to follow. Town Counsel is working on a guideline that will be available before the next pole hearing which is on May 4, 2020. General Board discussion ensued regarding the usefulness of guidelines for how to respond to pole requests, including setting expectations for resolving double pole issues, old wires left hanging or wrapped around a pole, safety of nearby poles, and possibly aesthetics of the requested pole installation. Mr. Malloy stated he will include a set of general guidelines from Town Counsel on the next agenda for what is in the within the scope of Board of pole hearings. 7. Approve Letter of Support of the Application to the All-American Road Scenic Byway Designation Mr. Lucente stated that edits suggested at the Board's review of the first draft letter at the April 13, 2020 meeting have been incorporated for review. The Board is being asked to review and approve the attached letter to be sent to the Federal Highway Administration in support of the application being submitted for designation of the Battle Road Scenic Byway as an All-American Road Scenic Byway. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve and sign the letter as proposed to be sent to Federal Highway Administration in support of the application being submitted for designation of the Battle Road Scenic Byway as an All-American Road Scenic Byway. 8. Approve Limousine License Renewals Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve the applications and issue two (2) renewed Limousine Licenses to Boyadjian Limousine Service, 447 Lowell Street, one (1) renewed Limousine License to D&O Limo LLC, 3402 Main Campus Drive., and one (1) renewed Limousine License to Fusco Enterprises LLC, 37 Woburn Street. 9. Approve and Sign Proclamations Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to approve and sign the International Compost Awareness Week proclamation to recognize the efforts of the soil conservation stewards, householders, landscapers, farmers, recyclers, public workers, composters, gardeners, and plant growers everywhere; .and to approve and sign the Mental Health Month proclamation to recognize Mental health as an important factor in every individual's overall physical health and emotional well-being. ADJOURN Upon a motion duly made and seconded, by roll call, the Select Board voted 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 8:49 p.m. A true record; Attest: Kim Katzenback Executive Clerk