HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-02-08-CEC-minMinutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee Meeting
Date, Time, & Location: 2/8/2011, 8:00 a.m., Town Office Building, Room 111
Members Present: David Kanter, Shirley Stolz, Charles Lamb (Chair), Ted Edson (Vice -
Chair), Bill Hurley
Other Attendees: Joel Adler (Community Preservation Committee [CPC]) and Alan
Seferian (Citizen)
Documents Presented and Reviewed:
(1) Mr. Seferian's Handout (undated) including the Committee's position in its Report to the
2005 Annual Town Meeting (ATM) on Article 7, Adoption of the Community Preservation
Act (CPA)
(2) Table of Contents from Draft #1 of the Committee's Report to the 2011 ATM
(3) Muzzey High Condominium Association Handout, February 3, 2011, with Information on
the Number and Types of Units within the Condominium & 2010 Prices, by Size, for the
Replacement -by- Anderson Windows
Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
Discussion of Article 17, Reduce Community Preservation Act (CPA) Surcharge
(Citizen Article), with its principle sponsor, Alan Seferian:
Mr. Seferian referred to his handout showing that in 2005 this Committee was unanimously
opposed to the proposal that Lexington adopt the CPA and, thereby, increase its real -
estate taxes by 3 %.
Joel Adler discussed a history of Lexington's CPA funds and the impact on the Town
including a potential increase of matching funds from the State.
All understood a CPA surcharge must continue at least at a level needed to cover any debt
service already obligated for Lexington's CPA projects and Mr. Seferian is not proposing
abolishing the CPA program. Mr. Seferian said he is comfortable with a number of 1 % plus
enough to cover debt service, even after FY2013 when the existing debt service will have
been fulfilled. It was discussed that the rate later could be voted higher, after it has been
voted lower, by following the same process.
Editorial Note: The followina table auantifies that debt service.
Outstanding Community Preservation Fund Debt Service
Project
FY2012
I FY2013
Total
Purchase Busa Farm (May 2009 STM, Article 6)
$974,600
$930,3001
$1,904,900
Purchase Cotton Farm (2010 ATM, Article 9)
$1,300,0001
$1,000,0001
$2,300,000
Total 52,274,600 51,930,300 54,204,900
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The Committee cautioned Mr. Seferian to ensure, before presenting a Motion for a 2% cut
in the surcharge, that he has considered what will be the applicable debt service that must
be funded from what might be the level of the Community Preservation funds available if
his 2% cut in the surcharge were implemented.
Mr. Seferian was asked when he expects this to be brought to the voters if supported by
Town Meeting. The Warrant Article says "such reduced surcharge to be applied to
assessment of fiscal year 2012 taxes and thereafter ", but as the FY2012 tax rate is
expected to be set this December and the Committee believed the earliest the referendum
could be is at the Town's annual election next March, the Committee believes FY2013
would be the earliest any change can be made to the surcharge rate. The earliest date a
vote could be put before the voters needs to be determined prior to the presentation at
Town Meeting. Mr. Seferian will talk to the Town Clerk to determine that.
Funding for Article 13(1)— Library Material Handling System Design:
The Committee discussed how, in response to Mr. Kanter's concerns, the Town will now
bring this proposed effort to Town Meeting as a standalone sub - element within the Public
Facilities Capital Projects Article, rather than as part of the Municipal Building Envelope and
Systems sub - element Q) within that same Article. (That is consistent with the preceding
study having been brought to, and approved by, last- year's Annual Town Meeting as a
separate sub - element.) The Committee agreed it didn't, at this time, wish the scope of
"Municipal Building Envelope and Systems" to be any broader than it will be as presented
to this Annual Town Meeting. If, however, Town Meeting should reject sub - element (1), we
understand the Town will likely propose to amend sub - element Q) to increase its amount by
the $100,000 that would have been under Q) in order to keep those library- contractor-
settlement funds available for a later re- appropriation before the end of FY2012.
(Otherwise, appropriation of that $100,000 would have to await the subsequent certification
by the State of the Free Cash as of July 1, 2012.)
Article Assignments for the Report to the 2011 ATM & Future Meetings:
The Committee discussed and divided up report assignments among the members with the
goal of submitting the report for printing by March 11th and for distribution by March 14th.
The Committee also agreed with Mr. Kanter's suggestion that he would edit the report,
rather than the Recording Secretary. Committee members will try to submit drafts on their
assigned sections to Mr. Kanter by February 19th. Meetings are to be scheduled for
March 1S and 8 th to work on finalizing the report, and also for March 15 to continue the
Committee's preparation for Town Meeting.
Minutes:
Mr. Kanter moved, and it was seconded, to approve the last- distributed draft Minutes for
our five January meetings with the additional administrative changes that were identified.
Votes were as follows (with the abstentions representing members not present at the
respective meeting):
January 4, 2011: Vote: 3 -0 -2
January 11, 2011: Vote: 4 -0 -1
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January 18, 2011: Vote: 4 -0 -1
January 19, 2011: Vote: 3 -0 -2
January 25, 2011: Vote: 4 -0 -1
Mr. Kanter will forward the final minutes to the Town Clerk.
Other Business:
Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA): Mr. Lamb advised that Dr. Ash, the
Lexington Schools Superintendent, has learned that the MSBA will be voting to approve the
Town's Emergency Statement of Interest (SOI) for replacement of the Estabrook School —
which approval would lead to partial funding (expected to be at least 31%) by the State of
that replacement.
Cotton Farm Debt Service and Massachusetts Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity
(LAND) Grant: Mr. Kanter advised that the Town expects, once Town Meeting approves
Article 33 to accept such a grant, $500,000 as the grant. It will be used to reduce the CPA
expense for the purchase of the Cotton Farm. As it is a grant, it does not have to be
appropriated. If received and available before July 5 th of this year —when a $1.3M note held
by the seller will be paid off —and if the grant can be applied toward that pay off, only
$800,000 from the Community Preservation Fund would be used toward that payoff. In any
case, Town Meeting will be asked to appropriate the full $1.3M from the CPF.
Food Service Equipment: Mr. Kanter advised that Mr. Addelson (Assistant Town Manager
for Finance) confirmed that $30,000 from the Food Service Revolving Fund would be
proposed for use to reduce the General Fund source from $64,00 to $34,000 under Article
12(b) for that equipment.
Muzzey High Condominium Window Replacement:
Mr. Kanter reported that he had had two questions on that project: (1) How had the
dollar amount in the request to the CPC been determined as that amount did not match
multiplying the cited number of windows by the cited cost for each replacement window?
and (2) What are the total number of units in the condominium as the numbers in the
application are not consistent? The handout provided by the Condominium Association
resolved both questions. The costs vary by window size (from the $2,855 cited in the report
for the 54 "x96" window down to $2,033 for the 40 "x55" window) and the total request was
based on using the cost applicable to each of the 137 windows in the request. Out of the
total of 71 units, not included in the request are 37 units (LexHAB: 12, Senior Center: 1,
Association: 1, already done: 13, units with monumental -sized windows: 3, and non -
historic: 7) —which leave 34 units having windows within the request.
He also reported that the Association's representative, Ms. McGuire, had taken an
informal survey of those 34 unit owners as to whether they would still be interested in
receiving the CPF support in its present form of an interest -free loan, repayable on sole of
their unit — rather than as a grant. So far, she had only heard back from 14 owners and 8 of
them were still interested; 6 were not. There is an association meeting tomorrow to have a
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formal discussion with all those 34 unit owners. The CPC has consideration of the outcome
of that Association's meeting on the agenda for its own meeting on the 17 of this month.
Wastewater and Sewer: Mr. Kanter said that as there are two types of sewers— storm-
water and sanitary —and the formal title for the fund for the latter is called the Wastewater
Enterprise Fund, he had asked Mr. Addelson, where practical in the upcoming final FY2012
Budget & Financing Plan (the "Brown Book "), to use a single terminology when referring to
sanitary- sewer /wastewater matters.
Article 8(d) (LexHab Set Aside for Housing Acquisition): There was discussion that the
Guidelines prepared by LexHab and who should provide the Board of Selectmen (BoS)
with advice on the specific projects for which LexHAB will later request use of the set -aside
funds —both conditions of the CPC's vote to approve the project — should be included in the
Motion. There was agreement that past history reveals good reason to trust LexHAB and
the BoS, but that circumstances and personnel can change. It was agreed the Committee
has a responsibility to specify its involvement in that final, project- specific, decision as
necessary if we are to recommend our support of the set aside to Town Meeting.
Mr. Kanter moved that the CEC should recommend to the CPC that (1) both the Guidelines
and the CEC's involvement in the project- specific approval be included in the Motion for
this sub - element of the Article, and (2) that it include the same in their report to the
2011 ATM —as we will do in our report. Mr. Hurley seconded the motion. Approved 5 -0.
Mr. Kanter will communicate to Wendy Manz (CPC Chair) the Committee's decision.
Committee Votes on Articles for the 2011 ATM:
Based on Draft #1 of its Report to the 2001 ATM, the Committee voted only as follows.
Article 7: Establish and Continue Departmental Revolving Funds —DPW Compost
Operations
(a) Culvert Replacement: 5 -0
[Note: At this point, Mr. Hurley had to leave the meeting.]
Article 8: Appropriate the FY2012 CPC Operating Budget and CPA Projects
(a) Archives & Records Management /Conservation: 4 -0
(b) East Lexington Fire Equipment Doors Replacement: 4 -0
(d) LexHAB —Set Aside for Housing Acquisition: 2 -1 -1
(e) Battle Green Monument Restoration: 4 -0
(g) Center Playfields Drainage —Phase 11: 4 -0
(h) Muzzey High Condo Association — Window Replacement: Pending final CPC
decision
(i) Vynebrooke Village Drainage Improvements: 4 -0
(j) Busa Farm Debt Service: 4 -0
(k) Cotton Farm Debt Service: 4 -0
(1) Administrative Budget: 4 -0
Article 9: Appropriate for Recreation Capital Project —Town Pool Renovations: 4 -0
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Article 10: Appropriate for Municipal Capital Projects and Equipment
(a) Dam Repair: 4 -0
(b) DPW Equipment: 4 -0
(c) Storm Drainage Improvements: 4 -0
(d) Sidewalk Improvements and Easements: 4 -0
(e) Replacement of Ambulance: 4 -0
(f) MIS Technology Improvement Program: 4 -0
(g) Townwide Electronic Document Management System: 4 -0
(h) Hydrant Replacement Project: 4 -0
(i) South Lexington Transportation Master Plan: 4 -0
(j) Street Improvements and Easements: 4 -0
(k) Westview Cemetery Irrigation —Phase III: 4 -0
(1) Comprehensive Watershed Stormwater Management: 4 -0
(m) Townwide Signalization Improvement: 4 -0
(n) Waltham Street Pedestrian Safety Improvements: 4 -0
(o) Park Improvements — Athletic Fields: 4 -0
(p) Firefighter Protection Turnout Gear: 4 -0
Article 11: Appropriate for Sewer System Improvements
(a) Sanitary Sewer System Improvements: 4 -0
(b) Pump Station Upgrades: 4 -0
Article 12: Appropriate for School Capital Projects and Equipment
(a) School Technology: 4 -0
(b) Food Service Equipment: 4 -0
(c) Classroom Furniture: 4 -0
Article 13: Appropriate for Public Facilities Capital Projects
(a) Bridge and Bowman Schools Renovation Design, Development and Engineering:
4:0
(b) Estabrook School Feasibility and Related Street Access Improvements: 4 -0
(c) School Building Envelope and Systems: 4 -0
(d) School Improvement Projects: 4 -0
(e) Clarke Middle School Paving Improvements: 4 -0
(f) Lexington High School Roof Repair: 4 -0
(g) Hastings School Playground Expansion: 4 -0
(h) School Paving Program: 4 -0
(i) Diamond Middle School [Modular] Extraordinary Repair: 4 -0
(j) Municipal Building Envelope and Systems: 4 -0
(k) Repair of Fire Station Floor and Modular Office Installation: Pending study results
(1) Library Material Handling System Designd: 4 -0
Article 14: Street Acceptance— Frances Road (Citizen Article): 3 -1
Article 19: Rescind Prior Borrowing Authorizations: Pending
Article 21: Appropriate to Stabilization Fund: Pending
Article 22: Appropriate from Debt Service Stabilization Fund: 4 -0
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Article 25: Appropriate for Authorized Capital Improvements: Pending
Article 29: Amend Permanent Building Committee Bylaw: 4 -0
Article 30: Amend Bylaw —Town Meeting Procedure: 4 -0
Article 33: Accept State LAND Grant — Cotton Farm Purchase: 4 -0
Article 34: Approve Battle Green Master Plan: 0 -4
Article 35: Support and Petition for Municipal Utility Act: 4 -0
Article 44: Accept Gift of Land —Off Hartwell Avenue: 4 -0
Recording Secretary is to update the Agenda for the Committee's February 15, 2011
meeting to include further Discussion of Article 17.
Motion was made and seconded to adjourn at 9:47 a.m. Approved: 4 -0.
These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on February 15, 2011.
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