HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-01-CEC-min JS�®pN�N
Minutes of the
�3 Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
October 1, 2020
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Location and Time: Remote Meeting; 8:00 A.M.
Members Present (remote participation): Charles Lamb, Chair; David Kanter, Vice-Chair
& Clerk; Sandy Beebee (joined at approximately 8:10 A.M.); Rod Cole; Wendy Manz, and
Frank Smith
Members Absent: None
Others Present (remote participation): Scott Bokun, School Committee liaison;
Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary.
Documents Presented:
• Notice of CEC Meeting, October 1, 2020
• Draft #3 CEC Report to the Special Town Meeting (STM) 2020-3
• Mr. Kanter's E-Mail to the CEC: Re: STM 2020-3, Article 5: Change in
Recommendation to be Made the Community Preservation Committee (CPC);
September 30, 2020, 21 :26
• Draft #3 of CEC Meeting Minutes, September 24, 2020
Call to Order
Mr. Lamb called this Remote (Virtual) Meeting, which had been posted as such, to order at
8:03 A.M. He announced that the requirement to have a physical presence of a quorum had
been suspended in an Executive Order by Massachusetts Governor Charles D. Baker, on
March 12, 2020, after having proclaimed, on March 10, 2020, a STATE OF EMERGENCY in
the Commonwealth due to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, known as
"COVID-19". Mr. Lamb announced the Documents Presented at this meeting and stated that
any votes during this meeting would be taken by a roll-call vote—which he will call. A roll-call
vote was taken and confirmed that five CEC Committee (Committee) members were
remotely participating at the beginning of the meeting. Ms. Beebee joined the meeting at
approximately 8:10 A.M. and responded to Mr. Lamb's request for her to acknowledge her
presence.
Review of the Draft#3 CEC Report to the STM 2020-3 (Report)
Mr. Kanter led a review of the Draft #3 CEC Report to the STM 2020-3, noting updates that
had been made subsequent to the Draft #2 Report, included the following:
• Article 3: Establish, Dissolve and Appropriate To and From Specified Stabilization
Funds (SFs): Mr. Kanter provided a brief review of the Article, noting that there is a
need to withdraw funds from the Capital SF to mitigate an exempt-debt payment that
will be due in June FY2021. The payment date is earlier than usual because bonds
were issued in June 2020 rather than February 2021 to take advantage of low-interest
rates.
A Motion was made and seconded to support the recommendation to withdraw funds
from the Capital SF. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
• Article 4: Rescind Prior Borrowing Authorizations: Mr. Kanter reported that three
rescissions, totaling $79,334.00, are being recommended from appropriations for
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
October 1, 2020
Bridge and Bowman Schools Reconstruction, Concord Avenue Sidewalk Construction
and Easements, and a Supplemental Appropriation for School Facilities Capital
Projects—in the aggregate, only 0.31% of the original appropriations.
A Motion was made and seconded to support the recommendation relative to those
rescissions. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
• Article 5: Amend FY2021 Operating, Enterprise and Community Preservation Act
(CPA) Budgets: Mr. Kanter referenced his September 30, 2020 email in which he
reported that, according to Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance, the
State Department of Revenue (DOR) had unofficially indicated that their
recommended base percentage to be used in calculating the State's distribution under
the CPA is likely to be increased from 17.7% to 22-25%. With that information,
Ms. Kosnoff will be recommending to the CPC that no amendment needs to be made
to the Town's FY2021 CPA Budget, which was approved at the 2020 Annual Town
Meeting. The result is that this Committee does not need to comment on this Article
in its Report.
• Article 7: Land Acquisition: Mr. Kanter reported that there is nothing new to report
regarding this Article. The Select Board (SB) is meeting tonight, and it is not clear
whether this will be discussed outside of an Executive Session. It is possible that the
Article will be Indefinitely Postponed (IP).
A Motion was made and seconded to support a recommendation to IP Article 7 if that
is the decision presented to the Town Meeting. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
Mr. Kanter reported that he expects to update this Committee's Report over the weekend to
reflect votes taken and information shared at this meeting. There was discussion about the
need to meet on Tuesday, October 61", to finalize the Report. It was noted that if Article 7 is
IP, all necessary votes have been taken and that meeting can be cancelled.
A Motion was made and seconded to accept this Committee's Report with updates to reflect
positions taken at this meeting and subsequent, non-substantial, edits as determined by
Mr. Kanter and Mr. Lamb, assuming Article 7 is IP. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
Mr. Kanter agreed to post a CEC meeting to be held at 7:00 P.M. prior to the opening of the
STMs 2020-2 and -3 on October 14, 2020. Mr. Lamb reported that he will not be available to
participate that evening.
Member Concerns and Liaison Reports:
Mr. Smith read the following statement:
I'd like to put into the record that our own John Livsey, Town Engineer, and the Lexington
Engineering Department, were recently honored with a prestigious national award. Given
annually to one city, town, county or state agency for the best pavement management
practices, the 2020 award honored Lexington for its superior work to both significantly
improve our roadway surface conditions, while also reducing costs by extending the
useful life of our roads.
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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting
October 1, 2020
Mr. Smith added that when he congratulated Mr. Livsey, Mr. Livsey expressed his
appreciation for the CEC's input.
Approval of Minutes
Minor corrections were recommended for the Draft #3 Minutes of this Committee's meeting
on September 24, 2020. A Motion was made and seconded to approve said Minutes, as
amended. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
Adjourn
A Motion was made and seconded at 8:37 A.M. to adjourn. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0
This Minutes was approved by the CEC at its meeting on October 6, 2020.
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