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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-18-AC-min 03/18/2021 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee (AC) March 18, 2021 Place and Time: Remote Participation: in accordance with the Governor's March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law; communication took place via a Zoom teleconferencing session that was open to the public; 7:30 p.m. Members Present: Glenn Parker, Chair; Sanjay Padaki, Vice-Chair; Alan Levine, Secretary; Anil Ahuja; John Bartenstein; Eric Michelson; Meg Muckenhoupt; Lily Manhua Yan (arrived 8:00 p.m.); Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager, Finance (non-voting, ex officio) Member(s)Absent: Vineeta Kumar Other Attendees: Karen Mullins, Conservation Director; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary Mr. Parker confirmed attendance, reviewed the authorization for meeting remotely, noted that the meeting was being called to order at 7:30 p.m. on March 18, 2021, and stated that the meeting was being recorded for the purpose of creating minutes. He also noted that materials for the meeting were available on-line. Announcements and Liaison Reports Mr. Parker welcomed Mr. Ahuja as a new member of this Committee. He also reported that Vineeta Kumar had been appointed but she had a Town Meeting Members Association Executive Committee meeting to attend tonight. Mr. Bartenstein, Mr. Parker, and Ms. Kosnoff agreed to send the new members links to videos that discuss the role of finance committees in Massachusetts. Mr. Parker reviewed the function of the Reserve Fund, noting that this Committee is authorized to approve expenditures from this source when the need is critical, unanticipated, and time sensitive. He and Ms. Kosnoff reported that the Select Board plans to forward a Reserve Fund request to this Committee next week for $15,000 to fund a peer review of a floodplain study conducted by the Town of Belmont. Ms. Mullins added that Belmont is requesting the Federal Emergency Management Administration to update the Town's floodplain maps as part of its effort to cap an old incinerator site. As an abutter, Lexington is required to sign off on the Belmont study. Belmont's study reports that the floodplain changes have no impact on Lexington's watershed area, but Lexington wishes to exercise due diligence relating to that finding. During the discussion, it was noted that these studies are very expensive, and the peer review will not include field work. The focus will be on ensuring that Belmont's filing is complete and that the assumptions are accurate. If there are disagreements, Lexington will present its findings to the Belmont consultant for the project, and additional work may have to be done. Ms. Mullins stressed that Lexington has no jurisdiction over Belmont's plan to cap the incinerator site. Lexington is only looking at the floodplain study. Mr. Parker noted that this Committee will take a vote on the Reserve Fund request, presumably on Wednesday, after the SB formally submits its request. Annual Town Meeting (ATM) 2021 Mr. Parker reported that the Consent Agenda for the ATM now includes five zoning articles: Article 37, Amend General Bylaws-Stormwater Management(Chapter 114), Article 38, Amend General Bylaws-Trees (Chapter 120);Article 40, Amend Zoning Bylaw Retaining Walls;Article 42, Amend Zoning Bylaw-Structures in Setbacks; and Article 43, Amend Zoning Bylaw-Technical Corrections. Articles 38, 40, and 43 are expected to indefinitely postponed, and this Committee has 1 03/18/2021 AC Minutes not discussed the others in its report to the 2021 ATM. There were no objections to these articles being included on the Consent Agenda. Mr. Michelson reported that the SB rescinded its recommended approval of Article 32, Amend General Bylaws-Receive Appraised Value for Removed Trees until additional information is available. This is consistent with this Committee's current position. Ms. Kosnoff clarified her response about this article requiring the Town to give funds to the Tree Fund if the Town removes a tree that is on Town property. Apparently, this would have happened as the motion was written. A "carve out" for the Town is now being pursued, and it is expected that the motion will change. There was a review of who will report on each of the articles during the ATM. It was agreed that AC meetings would be posted for 7:00 p.m. prior to each Town Meeting session. Mr. Parker reviewed the process for this Committee communicating using "Google Hangouts" during the ATM. Minutes of Prior Meetings A motion was made and seconded to approve the draft minutes for the March 11, 2021 AC meeting, with edits. There was a roll call vote. The motion was approved. VOTE: 7-0-1 The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m. by a roll call vote. VOTE: 8-0 Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Approved: March 22, 2021 Exhibits • Agenda, posted by Mr. Parker • Memo from Ms. Mullins to AC, RE: Reserve Fund Transfer Request for Peer Review Services; Town of Belmont Request for FEMA Letter of Map Revision • Unsigned SB Request to the AC for a Transfer from the Reserve Fund • Town Manager's email response to Mr. Parker regarding issues relating to Article 32 2