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Home My WebLink About2020-11-13-CEC-min JS�®pN�N Minutes of the �3 Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 13, 2020 \ V APAIL 19 \..GEXI NGTQ Location and Time: Remote Meeting; 8:00 A.M. Members Present (remote participation): Charles Lamb, Chair (departed at 9:15 A.M.); David Kanter, Vice-Chair & Clerk; Sandy Beebee; Rod Cole; Wendy Manz, and Frank Smith Members Absent: None Others Present (remote participation): David Pinsonnault, Director, Department of Public Works (DPW); John Livsey, Town Engineer, DPW; Erik Gitschier, Highway Equipment Superintendent, DPW; Mark Valenti, Manager of Operations, DPW; Romina Comunale, Management Analyst, DPW; David Pavlik; Water and Sewer Superintendent, DPW; Chris Filadoro, Public Grounds Superintendent/Tree Warden, DPW; Glenn Parker, Chair, Appropriation Committee (AC) liaison; Sara Cuthbertson, School Committee (SC) liaison; Scott Bokun, SC liaison; Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance; Jennifer Hewitt, Budget Officer, Finance Department; Melissa Battite, Director, Recreation Department; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Documents Presented: • Notice of CEC Meeting, November 13, 2020 • DPW's FY2022-2026 Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) • DPW's responses to CEC Questions Provided Regarding the DPW's CIPs (DPW Q&A) • 2020 Signal Inventory Updated 11-10-20 • Program ID 5016, Equipment Replacement, 9/23/20 • Town of Lexington Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Assessment, September 2020 • Capital Parking Lot Identification, Municipal and Public lots in Lexington Center • Draft #3 of CEC Meeting Minutes, October 6, 2020, Executive Session • Draft of CEC Meeting Minutes, October 14, 2020 • Draft #3 of CEC Meeting Minutes, October 29, 2020 • Draft #3 of CEC Meeting Minutes, November 5, 2020, 8:00 A.M. • Draft of CEC Meeting Minutes, Budget Summit II, November 5, 2020, 7:00 P.M. Call to Order Mr. Lamb authorized Mr. Kanter to serve as Chair during this meeting. Mr. Kanter called this Remote (Virtual) Meeting, which had been posted as such, to order at 8:01 A.M. Mr. Kanter reported 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". Page 1 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 13, 2020 Mr. Kanter further reported that the documents for this meeting, which had been provided electronically to the Committee and would be available upon request, were those listed as Documents Presented. Any votes during this meeting would be taken by a roll call. This meeting is being recorded to assist in preparing Minutes, and the recordings would be deleted once the Minutes were approved. Mr. Kanter took a roll-call vote and confirmed that all six Committee members were remotely participating. Other attendees identified themselves and provided their job titles. Review of the DPW FY2022—FY2026 CIPs Mr. Kanter asked Mr. Smith, this Committee's liaison to DPW, to lead the discussion with DPW staff. Mr. Smith noted that the CIPs and responses to questions were particularly robust and helpful. Subsequent discussion included general comments and specific questions related to the DPW Q&A. DPW staff responses to general comments included the following: • There are situations, particularly engineering projects, where less funding is requested for the coming Fiscal Year because prior authorizations were not fully expended. Water distribution is an example. • If funding for a project comes from two CIPs, staff handling the project allocates the payments, as appropriate. If a portion isn't used in a fiscal year, the requested amount going forward can often be adjusted down. The Finance Department's Open Articles Report—which, in one case, is presented before the Annual Town Meeting—reflects that status of the use of each appropriation until it has been fully expended and/or any balance has been rescinded, reapplied, or became part of the Free Cash. • Project Management funding is not generally needed for programs, although there can be a separate line for such, if appropriate (e.g., contracted oversight during construction). • There are many active projects in the Town which puts pressure on the Department's available "bandwidth" to execute those or any more projects. Projects are prioritized based on an Asset Management System. There has been significant progress over the last six to ten years, which has eased the demand going forward, but some pressure remains. DPW staff responses to questions relating to the DPW Q&A included the following: • The methodology for calculating the Sidewalk Condition Index has not changed. • Signalization at Massachusetts Avenue and Worthen Road will include protected turns to address sight-line concerns. • Funding estimates for outyears for street improvements identified in the CIP increase by 2.5% of the set-aside, per year, rounded. • The Town of Burlington is paying for a project on Adams Street to directly connect that Town to Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) water. • The 60-fire-hydrant-replacement goal was not reached in FY2020, resulting in some excess funds. It may be used by in-house replacement projects, or it may reduce the amount requested for FY2022—although such a reduction is not yet in the CIP. • An effort will be made to identify the culvert ID, location, and GPS coordinates when discussing culverts in a CIP. Page 2 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 13, 2020 • Storm drainage issues are usually caused accidentally; there hasn't been a need for enforcement measures. • The Select Board (SB) needs to take a position on the intersections associated with the Battle Green project. • It is necessary to re-work the Hartwell Avenue compost site to accommodate the construction of solar panels and potentially a new firing range for the Town's Police Department and potentially other regional Police Departments. • It is anticipated that the project to replace the Police Headquarters will include rebuilding some of the parking spaces located behind the current facility. • Lexington is preparing a 25% design for the Hartwell Avenue/Bedford Street intersection. If it is ready in time, there is an outside chance that Lexington could qualify for Transportation Improvement Program State funding between 2025-2029, but 2030-2034 is the more likely window of opportunity. • The sanitary-sewer savings resulted from repairs and improved efficiencies. • The two Town-owned water-tower tanks have damage that warrants their replacement. It is possible to provide the necessary water service with only one tank, and if needed, there is an existing connection to a MWRA tank and it is expected MWRA would grant permission to open that connection so it can serve as a temporary tank during the replacement project. From the replacement-project position, ideally both Town tanks would be replaced at the same time. The tanks are being inspected monthly by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Town is conducting inspections to ensure no additional deterioration is detected that must be acted upon before the replacement takes place. A particularly time-consuming aspect involved in replacing a tank is the removal of all the electronic equipment (e.g., antennas) that is attached to it by multiple cellular carriers. The Town brings in approximately $400,000 a year by allowing such equipment to be on the Town's tanks. Mr. Kanter acknowledged that about 20 years ago when he was on the Town's Communications Advisory Committee and those carriers were first applying for permission to site their cellular equipment and towers in Town, the Town's preference was for the carriers to use existing structures—such as water towers—rather than building new towers that would degrade that local landscape appearance. Member Concerns and Liaison Reports Mr. Kanter reported that the Massachusetts's Department of Revenue had announced this month's annual Community Preservation Act distribution resulted in a 29.7% factor for our Town's participation in all three rounds of funding decisions: besting the FY2021 budget's revenue estimate of 27% for it. Mr. Lamb congratulated the Finance Department on the transition of all of the CIPs data to Workovia's Wdesk system. It was noted that questions and comments on the CIPs for Department of Public Facilities, Land Use, and Recreation should be submitted to Mr. Lamb, Ms. Manz, and Ms. Beebee, respectively, by this coming Sunday. Page 3 of 4 Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting November 13, 2020 Mr. Parker and Ms. Kosnoff reported on the new Minuteman Regional Technical High School (Minuteman) athletic complex, which has been approved by the Minuteman School Committee. Unless Lexington holds a Town Meeting within 60 days and votes to object, Lexington will be obligated to pay approximately $36,000 per year for 10 years to cover the cost of add-alternates that are approximately $1.9 million in excess of Minuteman's current appropriation. They noted that the base bid fell into the amount approved by the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and it is expected that the Town will get discounted rental rates. Mr. Parker reported that the AC will be discussing this at its upcoming November 19th meeting and will be providing input to the SB, as requested. Approval of Minutes • A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft #3 CEC Meeting Minutes, October 6, 2020, Executive Session, with the edits presented by Mr. Kanter. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 • A Motion was made and seconded to approve public release of the now-approved CEC Meeting Minutes, October 6, 2020, Executive Session, contingent on the Town Manager's approval to do so. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 • A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft CEC Meeting Minutes, October 14, 2020, as presented. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 • A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft #3 CEC Meeting Minutes, October 29, 2020, with the edits presented by Mr. Kanter. Roll-Call Vote: 6-0 Mr. Lamb departed at 9:15 A.M. • A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft #3 CEC Meeting Minutes, November 5, 2020, 8:00 A.M. with the edits presented by Mr. Kanter. Roll-Call Vote: 5-0 • A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Draft CEC Meeting Minutes, November 5, 2020, Budget Summit II, as presented. Roll-Call Vote: 5-0 Adjourn A Motion was made and seconded at 9:19 A.M. to adjourn. Roll-Call Vote:5-0 This Minutes was approved by the CEC at its meeting on November 19, 2020. Page 4 of 4