Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-05-17-AC-min May 17, 2011 Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee May 17, 2011 Time and location: Ellen Stone Room, Cary Hall, 7:30 p.m. Members present: Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Joe Pato, Vice Chair; Mollie Garberg; Alan Levine; Susan McLeish; Richard Neumeier; Rob Addelson (non-voting, ex officio) The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. 1. Minutes. Minutes from the 4/6/11 Appropriation Meeting and the 10/6/10 Summit Meeting were approved with a vote of 7-0-0. Mr. Bartenstein distributed an FY11 minutes status spreadsheet. 2. Liaison Reports by Staff and Members. • BoS (Susan McLeish and Rob Addelson): Several staff changes were reported at the most recent BoS meeting, in particular the departures of Susan Yanofsky, the Development Director; Fire Chief William Middlemiss, who will be retiring as of July 1; and Micah Niemy, the Budget Officer, who will be leaving in mid-August to return to school. The income limits for the senior work-off program were raised, and a task force was appointed to review the trash and recycling program and to put together criteria for an RFP in September. A Community Center task force will also be established. Mr. Addelson noted that Camp, Dresser & McKee, an engineering firm, had completed a study of a facility that could process organic waste and that could, potentially, be located on Hartwell Ave. The CDM study will be posted on line. The site is large enough for such a facility but relevant state regulations are still under development. Once those regulations are finalized, the Town will issue an RFP. • (Rob Addelson): Mr. Addelson said the Town has received or will receive a State grant in the amount of$300k for storm water management at the Old Reservoir. The grant funds will supplant CPA funds that have been appropriated for this project. He distributed an updated Summary of Revolving Funds and noted that the Committee will be asked at the upcoming June 21 meeting to approve raising the expenditure ceiling on two of the funds: 1) the PEG TV limit, currently $400k, to $407k; and 2) the Public Facilities Rental Fund limit, currently $275k, to $320k. He also reported that the first round of interviews for a Director of Assessing to replace Joe Nugent, who recently retired, has been completed. Pending the hiring of a replacement, Rob Lent is serving as Acting Director. • School Committee (Alan Levine): Mr. Levine reported on a recent School Committee meeting that he attended. The School Administration is currently 1 May 17, 2011 working with the Town Clerk to make sure that every student in the system is listed in the town census in order to verify that they are Lexington residents and to improve the accuracy of data used for enrollment projections. There was a discussion regarding retirements and replacements and of English language learning program. An ad hoc committee will be formed to review and make recommendations regarding Estabrook School entrances and work that may be needed on nearby streets before and during the construction of a new school building. The School Committee will ask the BoS to collaborate in overseeing this effort and to appoint some of the committee members. This ad hoc committee will include residents of Robinson Road, Grove Street, and the Estabrook neighborhood as well as representatives from the school and town departments. The pending school quarterly financial report will project a surplus of $609k. There is, however, a deficit in the transportation revolving fund that can be resolved by a transfer from the school's operating budget. Some of the potential surplus may be used to purchase needed materials and supplies. The Superintendent reported that the Massachusetts House voted to put $80M into the circuit breaker program. He expects that this will yield $700k in circuit breaker funds for Lexington Public Schools above that budgeted for FY12. The Appropriation Committee discussed how such a surplus might impact the municipal/school budget split for FY13, given that additional funds had been allocated to the school side for FY12 to accommodate an anticipated circuit breaker shortfall. 3. Current and Future DPF Budgets and Projects. Mr. Parker reported that Pat Goddard cannot attend any of the Appropriation Committee meetings this summer but will be attending the next Capital Expenditures meeting on Tuesday 5/24. Mr. Pato will try to attend as a representative from this committee. 4. Appropriation Committee Final Position Report. The draft report that Ms. McLeish prepared summarizing final positions taken by the Committee after the issuance of its written report to the 2011 Annual Town meeting will be reviewed by the Committee, then posted on the Appropriation Committee page of the Town website as well as on the TMMA website. The document can be titled an "Addendum" to the original report. 5. Snow and Ice Budget. Mr. Neumeier remains interested in exploring the potential for savings in the snow and ice budget. The Committee discussed a process for gathering data on contracts and expenses, and for reviewing potential recommendations for changes to the current arrangements for managing snow and ice removal. This could involve research and comparison with the system used in Quincy and would likely need to involve Bill Hadley, who gave a report at a recent BoS meeting. As Mr. Neumeier will be tied up with a lengthy trial, it was suggested that Mr. Michelson, who was not present at the meeting but has also expressed an interest in this topic, might be asked to obtain and review the presentation the DPW made to the Board of Selectmen. 2 May 17, 2011 6. Appropriation Committee Report Format. The Committee discussed the format of and process for producing its annual report to Town Meeting. There was a consensus that it would be desirable to find ways to get at least some portions of the report underway before the completion of budget negotiations, as well as to continue to explore ways to make the format more accessible. One immediate step that can be taken is to identify additional material that can be located in an appendix rather than in the body of the report. 7. Future Meeting Topics and Schedule. Mr. Neumeier raised as a potential topic for future discussion the financial aspects of the tradeoff of using outside law firms versus in-house lawyers. Mr. Parker will ask the Town Manager for some background information on this issue to help the Committee determine whether it is a productive topic to pursue. The July meeting was rescheduled from the 14th to the 7th. Reserve Fund and interdepartmental transfers will be put on the agenda for the July meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:58 p.m. A list of documents and exhibits used at the meeting is attached. Respectfully submitted, Andrea Yepez Recording Secretary Approved June 21, 2011 3 May 17, 2011 Exhibits Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee April 4, 2011 1. Meeting Agenda posted by Glenn Parker, Chair. 2. Summary of Revolving Funds, updated as of 5/16/11, distributed by Rob Addelson. 3. Minutes Status Report, as of 5/17/11, distributed by John Bartenstein 4