HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-12-04 BOS-min
Selectmen’s Meeting
December 4, 2019
A meeting of the Lexington Board of Selectmen was called to order at 9:02 a.m. on Wednesday,
December 4, 2019 in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of the Town Office Building. Present were
Selectmen Mr. Lucente, Chair; Mr. Pato; Ms. Barry; Ms. Hai; and Mr. Sandeen as well as Mr.
Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive
Clerk.
FY21 Proposed Budget: Town Manager Department: Town Committees
Anne Kostos, Director of Human Resources; and Katharine Labrecque, Management Fellow,
presented the budget details.
Overview: The FY2021 Town Manager Department budget reflects an overall increase of
$60,058 or 6.02% from FY2020. This is net change comprised of an increase of $74,108 or
10.03% in Compensation due to step increases and cost-of-living adjustments, combined with a
net decrease of $(14,050) or (5.43)% in Expenses, primarily due to removing a one-time cost for
a Property & Liability insurance consultant. Several salary contracts were settled during the year
but negotiations continue with the Public Works union.
Department changes: Some staff additions include Sean Dugan, Public Information Officer;
Katharine Labrecque, Management Fellow, and a Sustainability Director (now actively recruiting
to fill this position).
Department Goals: Continue to support the Diversity Advisory Task Force in coordination with
the School department: Initiate implementation protocol for hate crime activities in coordination
with the School department; Work to support the high-performance culture in the organization
by providing directed team building to the newly constituted Senior Management Team; Develop
new revenue sources to support the budget, particularly the capital budget, by looking at
stormwater revenue and sidewalk betterments; Continue the initiative to develop organizational
sustainability by passing on institutional knowledge, engaging mid-level managers in
organization decision-making and selecting and training qualified individuals: Continue the work
on internal controls by revising existing policies and developing new policies that may be
necessary to ensure the protection of assets that are vulnerable to abuse.
Town Manager Department Program Improvement Request (PIR):
Part-time Municipal Assistant $31,366 (Human Resources element)
Mr. Pato and Ms. Barry said the PIR request seemed appropriate but they look to Mr. Malloy
whether it is a priority.
Mr. Lucente agreed that human resources have gotten more complicated over the last few years.
He noted that the Town HR department supports the Schools as Municipal employee benefits
plus retiree benefits.
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Ms. Barry asked Mr. Malloy if the budget as presented provides enough funding for the
workload envisioned for the Public Information Officer, given identified Town Manager and
Selectmen goals. Mr. Malloy said his office is still studying the scope and cost of a two-way
community communication tool to be developed.
Ms. Barry said she believes it is time to think seriously about creating a combined Municipal and
School Human Resources department and/or a combined Finance department. She hopes to find
efficiencies and synergies.
Mr. Sandeen thanked the Town Manager’s Office for making it possible to add a Sustainability
Director.
Mr. Sandeen asked to see a consolidated figure for all legal expenses for the Town.
Ms. Anne Kostos reviewed the Employee Benefits and Insurance; and Property and Liability
Insurance. Ms. Barry recused herself since her husband is employed by the Town.
Employee Benefits and Insurance Overview: Included in the Employee Benefits and Insurance
program are costs for the Town’s pension assessment, workers’ compensation, unemployment
insurance, health, dental and life insurance benefits and the Medicare tax.
Recommendations: The FY2021 recommended All Funds Employee Benefits and Insurance
budget is $37,986,727. This is a $1,324,181 or 3.61% increase from the FY2020 budget. The
recommended budget includes the benefits costs (health, dental, life, Medicare and workers’
compensation) for all municipal and school staff and retirees as of November 1, 2019.
Property and Liability Overview: The property and liability management program consists of
the following elements:
Property and Liability: The cost of premiums for policies that: protect the Town against property
loss and damage; insure the Town’s vehicles; and cover the Town against liability claims; and
Uninsured Losses: A continuing balance account for uninsured property losses, settlements and
deductibles contained in various insurance policies.
Recommendations: The FY2021 overall recommendation for Property and Liability Insurance
is $1,095,000, which represents a decrease of $(37,304) or (3.29)% from the FY2020
appropriation.
Ms. Barry returned to the meeting.
Town Committees: The Town Committees budget is expected to increase overall by $1,689 or
2.71%. This a net change, which reflects a decrease in funding for the Arts Council, offset by a
$2,000 increase for the biennial Dance Around the World event, and a $1,057 or 2.5% increase
in supplies for the Town Celebrations Committee for increasing costs for Patriot's Day.
Authorized Staffing: Beginning in FY2011 the Financial Committees' appropriation includes
funds for a part-time recording secretary. This person is responsible for taking minutes for the
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Appropriation and Capital Expenditures Committees.
Town Committees PIR:
Two-Way Business Radios $2010 (Public Celebrations element)
Town Manager Department Capital Improvement Request (CIP):
Restoration of Margaret Lady of Lexington Painting $9,000
Ms. Barry noted that, originally, the Dance Around the World event had been a successful, key
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component of the Town’s 300 anniversary program in 2013. The intent was to continue the
event in an every-other-year format. Since then, the program has met with only moderate success
and attendance. Ms. Barry believes it is time to consult with town groups to gauge the
enthusiasm level for continuing the event going forward.
Ms. Barry believes borrowing MEMA’s radios— instead of buying two-way radios, as requested
in the PIR— offers a better option.
FY21 Proposed Budget: Fire Department
Chief Derek Sencabaugh; Assistant Chief Ford; Assistant Chief Flaherty; and Office Manager
Laurie Manning were present for the department.
The Fire Department is comprised of the following divisions: Administration, Fire Prevention,
Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, and Emergency Management.
The FY2021 budget for the Lexington Fire Department is $7,502,972 which is a $446,200 or
6.32%increase from FY2020. Compensation is increasing by $403,875, or 6.31%, which is
attributed to contractually obligated cost of living adjustments and step increases from the
recently settled contract. Expenses are increasing by $42,325, or 6.46%, which is a net change
from removing some one-time costs, and adding funds for costs associated with the new Fire
Station and replacement of a command vehicle.
Department Goals: Implement additional modules of the Public Safety Software (inventory,
vehicle maintenance): Training to meet new OSHA regulations pertaining to fire departments;
Develop an improved employee recruitment process to address diversity and retention.;
Continued work on new fire headquarters.
The department is researching grants to cover the costs of self-contained breathing apparatus and
other fire safety and suppression equipment. FEMA also offers a variety of grants that require
Town funding of only 10%.
Fire Department PIRs:
Lexipol Policy and Procedure Management Program $29,000 (Administration element);
Pickup with Forestry Pump Replacement $45,524 (Fire Suppression element);
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All-terrain vehicle replacement $30,000
FY2021 Fire Department CIP:
Ambulance Replacement $325,000 (based on regular, three-year replacement cycle)
Mr. Pato and Mr. Sandeen asked the department to consider electric vehicle models for
replacements to conventional models whenever possible.
Mr. Lucente asked how long it would take for the full department to come up to speed once
policies are updated. Chief Sencabaugh said it generally takes 12-18 months but he noted that
the department can prioritize which policies should be adopted first. Training compliance is
monitored.
Mr. Barry asked if staffing vacancies have been filled. Chief Sencabaugh said he recently hired
for the only remaining vacancy but staffing is always prone to fluctuation. Ms. Barry asked to
see Ambulance run numbers and asked if it were time for the department to evaluate ambulance
fees.
Mr. Sandeen noted the 21% increase in the cost of fuel over FY2020. Budget Officer Jennifer
Hewitt said the Town has had great success through the regional procurement office but the
prices are expected to rise after two years of remaining steady.
Mr. Sandeen asked for an accounting of department-by-department debt service.
Ms. Hai asked if the replacement pumper is ahead or behind schedule. Chief Sencabaugh said
some of the vehicles had not been included originally in the vehicle replacement rotation. Ms.
Hai said she is always happy to support an increase in the Training line item.
FY21 Proposed Budget: Police Department 58.52
Chief Mark Corr and Captain of Operations Michael McLean were present for the department.
Chief Corr reported he has given his notice to retire the Town Manager in the summer of 2022,
which he estimated as the time when the Police Station rebuild will be complete. He hopes to
ensure that 3-4 members of the current staff are eligible to apply for the Chief’s job. As part of
that effort, the current captains will from now on be hands-on with the entire budget process.
Captain McLean reported that the FY2021 Police Department level-service request of
$8,089,201 reflects a $522,171 or 6.90%increase (compensation increased $471,730 or 7.08%
and expenses increased $50,441 or 5.55%) from the FY2020 budget.
The FY2021 requested police budget provides for the continuation of level service that in
FY2019 met 13,092 calls for service with 542 crimes investigated. The current Police
Department staffing includes 65 full-time and 32 part-time employees with personnel
representing 87.4% of the budget. The remaining 12.6% for expenses cover necessary supplies,
contracts and equipment. Our efforts are coordinated through seven police programs: Police
Administration, Patrol & Enforcement, Traffic Bureau, Investigations & Prevention, Dispatch,
Animal Control and School Crossing Guards. The Police Department regularly seeks grants and
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other methods of alternative funding. In FY2019 we received $105,780 in grant awards
(including State 911 support and training funds \[$93,780\] and the Commonwealth's Traffic
Safety Education grant \[$12,000\]). The Police Department is currently funded for 50 police
officers.
At the time this budget was submitted, all collective bargaining units in the department are under
agreement with the Town of Lexington through at least 2021.
Police Department Goals: Continue to identify and schedule training to meet the needs of the
community and develop the large percentage of newer officers in the department. This will
continue to be a goal for the foreseeable future as the Department anticipates the hiring of at least
8 new officers in 2019-2020 in our goal to meet full-staffing and training; Continue to support
and work with the town to obtain funding to construct a new police station at our current
location: Continue to explore the numerous funding opportunities on the State, Regional and
Federal levels for improvements to the Hartwell Avenue outdoor firing range; With the
anticipated retirement of the Chief in the summer of 2022, and two members of the command
staff in 2019-2020, establish a succession plan which includes a more formalized and consistent
executive development program that will continue to develop future leaders from within the
Department.
Police Department PIRs:
Lead Dispatcher $84,815;
Executive Development Program $9,950;
Patrol Officer—Traffic Enforcement $91,741
Police Department CIPs:
Police Outdoor/Indoor Firing Range Feasibility Study—Hartwell Avenue $125,000
Mr. Lucente noted that fines are going down in terms of a budgeted line item. Captain McLean
said having fewer officers on staff/ on patrol means there are fewer citations. Chief Corr said
parking program changes that give employees designated spots, plus the change in payment
methods for parking meters, may be one of the underlying reasons fewer fines have been
collected but, on the other hand, parking receipts have increased.
Mr. Lucente said he had hoped Overtime would decrease as staffing vacancies were filled.
Captain McLean noted that as wages increase, each overtime hour costs more. Mr. Malloy
further noted that with full staffing, more will be spent from the Salaries account than from the
Overtime account.
Mr. Lucente advised that School redistricting may have an impact on the Crossing Guard budget.
He also asked for the department to consider hiring more School Resource Officers, based on the
student enrollment ratio.
Captain McLean said once full staffing is finally achieved, he also hopes to increase the number
of officers available to be assigned to the middle and high Schools where the need is greatest.
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Ms. Barry asked if police academy seats will be available for new hires. Captain McLean said
he believes there will be; the current group of new hires are mostly enrolled already or have
recently graduated. The Town pays for the academy, initially, and the officers pay the Town
back incrementally through deductions to their paychecks.
Ms. Barry noted that the relatively new parking meter heads are peeling paint and the glass
screens can fog up. Captain McLean said the department will look into how to correct these
problems.
Mr. Lucente and Mr. Malloy left the meeting for another engagement. Ms. Hai assumed the role
of Chair.
Mr. Sandeen thanked the Police department for its attention to issues of teen vaping, primarily at
the high school and library.
Mr. Sandeen questioned the Vehicle line item. Captain McLean reported the department budgets
to purchase five new vehicles every year.
Mr. Sandeen asked Ms. Axtell for an accounting of final costs to the Town vis-à-vis the PIR
request to hire another Lead Dispatcher, once offsets have been applied.
Mr. Sandeen asked if the Executive Development Program PIR was necessary to maintain
accreditation. Captain McLean said it is not necessary but it is beneficial so that employees stay
abreast of information and techniques.
Mr. Sandeen asked for an example of a traffic safety request, underlying the Patrol Office/Traffic
Enforcement PIR. Captain McLean reported many of the requests are made by residents for cut-
through traffic speeding.
Ms. Hai seconded the request for additional School Resource coverage and seconded the belief
that School redistricting might require more Crossing Guards. Captain McLean assured the
Board that the department works closely with the School Committee on both matters.
Ms. Hai asked if, besides cost, there is a qualitative difference between the BU Executive
Development program and the two other programs further afield. Captain McLean said since the
program is three weeks long, the BU program is best for many personal, professional, and
convenience reasons. The BU program has more sessions as well.
Mr. Pato said he fully supports the Restorative Justice program and appreciates how it has been
used in recent incidents at the library. Mr. Pato also supports the Patrol Officer— Traffic
Enforcement PIR.
Mr. Pato noted that the Salary line item increases in the Police budget are “catch-up” payments
for delayed contract settlements. Previously, the funds have been held within the aggregate
Salary budget.
Ms. Hai supported the PIR request for an additional Lead Dispatcher.
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Regarding the Capital Improvement Request for a firing range to be built on Hartwell Avenue,
Chief Corr explained that there is a need not only for a department firing range but also for a
regional firing and training area. He understands grant monies are available and has heard from
legislators who are in support of the project. Multiple entities have expressed willingness to pay
fees to use the facility which will defray construction and operational costs over time. Chief
Corr will provide the Board with the in-depth report that supports the request.
Ms. Barry and Mr. Sandeen said understanding how the range would be funded is essential when
balanced against other Capital needs, such as the new Police Station and the plan to
renew/replace Lexington High School.
Ms. Hai said she is in support of the firing range and she appreciates the thought that went into
proposing that the project be taken slowly to allow for grant application submission that would
help pay for it. It will also take time to have the necessary community-wide conversation about
the need.
FY21 Proposed Budget: Department of Public Facilities
Michael Cronin, Director of Public Facilities; and Shawn Newell, Assistant Director of Public
Facilities were present for the department.
The Department of Public Facilities (DPF) FY2021 budget consists of three divisions:
Educational Facilities, Municipal Facilities and Shared Facilities. The DPF FY2021 level-service
All Funds budget is increasing by $222,360 or 1.81%. The General Fund budget is increasing by
$210,468 or 1.79%. Overall Utility costs are increasing by 153,271 or 4.7%, which includes an
increase of $75,154or 10.4% in natural gas, and an increase of $67,617 or 2.7% in electricity
which is based on 100% green energy as well as an increase in electric use for buildings built
under sustainable building practices. Electric costs are net of $126,500 in solar credits for rooftop
installations. Natural Gas and Electric supply rates are based on newly procured utility contracts.
Contractual obligations for step increases and COLAs under the SEIU and AFSCME contracts
that extend through June 30, 2021.
Revenues from building rentals remain strong, and support an $11,892 or 2.18%increase in the
Rental Revolving Fund budget.
Public Facilities Goals: Support the operation of the Community Center, support the School
Master Plan, and implement other capital and priority projects.
The budget was developed keeping in mind the new facilities coming online as well as new
energy contracts to be negotiated. Two new FTEs are also being proposed to provide adequate
services.
Mr. Barry asked if facilities rentals are robust and if the department plans to look at the rental fee
structure. Mr. Newell said fees are something the department keeps on top of, comparing prices
and policies of other towns regularly. Mr. Cronin expects to propose rate increases in the spring
on 2020. From the Town point of view, the only building being rented is Cary Hall; the Schools
and the Community Center oversee the other facilities in which space can be rented.
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Ms. Barry asked Ms. Axtell to provide an activity list for Cary Hall, including the contract with
Spectacle Management.
Ms. Barry emphasized that additional staffing request PIRs are the purview of the Town
Manager.
Mr. Sandeen applauded the Facilities department for operationally lowering energy costs and for
procuring several Green Community grants, which he calculated is saving the Town
approximately $500,000 each year.
Ms. Hai expressed admiration for the work the department accomplishes and for presenting a
budget with less than a 2% increase.
Ms. Hai asked if the tent being used for temporary Fire Station space will also be used by the
Police department during that building project. Mr. Cronin said the Town owns the tent and it
also has the infrastructure to heat it if the Police have a compelling need to do so. The cost of
running the heater is included in the budget but expenditure will be based on the need and
whether the project goes ahead.
Ms. Hai asked if rental fees cover custodian overtime at Cary Hall. Mr. Newell explained that a
rental agreement has two costs: for the space itself and for the cost of custodial staff.
Mr. Pato echoed the request for fee examination.
Public Facilities PIRs:
Maintenance Staff Increase $166,876.38
Community Center Supplies and Equipment $60,000
Mr. Cronin reviewed the Community Center Supplies PIR, noting a persistent funding gap,
specifically for drop-in uses and furniture replacement costs.
Ms. Hai and Ms. Barry agreed this request should be discussed directly with the Community
Center staff.
Public Facilities CIPs:
Lexington Police Station Rebuild $25,651,792
Town-wide Roofing Program $2,010,152
School Building Envelopes and Associated Systems $239,285
Municipal Building Envelopes and Associated Systems $208,962
Building Flooring Program $125,000
School Paving and Sidewalk Program $125,000
Public Facilities Bid Documents $100,000
Public Facilities Mechanical/Electrical System Replacements $672,000
Lexington High School Feasibility Study $1,825,000
LHS Science Classroom Space Mining $150,000
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Mr. Cronin highlighted the Science Lab Space Mining project request that is based on enrollment
spikes prior to the anticipated date of the high school project.
Ms. Barry asked if issues have been identified with calking in the School buildings. Mr. Newell
said only the Central Administration building has such issues. The cost of re-calking is higher
due to toxicity of the materials to be removed.
Ms. Barry asked if the bubbling paint in the Cary Memorial is due to leaks. Mr. Newell said this
is under investigation, specifically in Estabrook Hall and in some of the bathrooms. It may be
due to ice dams.
Sidewalks on Bowman and Bridge schools are the highest priorities for sidewalk and pavement
repair.
Mr. Sandeen asked why investment should be made in the current high school building if it is
going to be replaced. Mr. Cronin said the space mining project is a multi-year effort begun last
year when work was done to head off a critical shortage of Science classrooms and labs.
Adjourn
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selection voted 4-0 to adjourn at 11:54 a.m.
A true record; Attest:
Kim Siebert
Recording Secretary
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