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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-09-22-AC-min September 22,2010 Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee September 22, 2010 Place and time: Town Office Building, Room 207, 7:30 p.m. Members present: Glenn Parker (Chair), John Bartenstein (Vice Chair and Secretary), Mollie Garberg, AlanLevine, Eric Michelson, Dick Neumeier, Rob Addelson (ex officio) Also present: Carl Valente, Town Manager; Paul Ash, Superintendent of Schools; Pat Goddard, Director of Facilities; Hank Manz and Deb Mauger, Board of Selectmen; Mary Ann Stewart,Margaret Coppeand Jessie Steigerwald, School Committee The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. 1.Supplemental Reserve Fund Transfer for Estabrook Remediation. The majority of the meeting was devoted to a report on the progress of PCB remediation work being undertaken at the Estabrook School and a discussion of the need for additional funding. Dr.Ash and Mr. Goddard described in detail the steps that had been taken since this Committee’s approval on August 23, 2010 of an emergency reserve fund transfer of $150,000 to address the issue of PCBs in caulking and air samples. Dr. Ash and Mr. Goddard outlined the creation of an advisory committee including parents, teachers and representatives of the town’s health and public facilities departments; meetings with Environmental Health and Engineering (EH&E), the Town’s remediation consultant, and the EPA; steps taken to encapsulate caulking and to repair and supplement building ventilation; continuous testing of air samples throughout the building; relocation of students in the classrooms most heavily affected; and the analysis of likely causes of and best methods to remediate airborne contamination. Dr.Ash distributed a letter he had written to the Estabrook community dated September 21, 2010 outlining a four-phase plan to bring PCB levels below EPA guidelines as soon as possible, with immediately essentialwork to be done by mid- October, consideration of the appropriation of additional funds at a special town meeting to held in November, and the balance of the remediation work to be done during the December, February and April vacations and during the summer of 2011. Mr. Goddard circulated a projection of anticipated remediationproject costs totaling approximately $1,500,000. Mr. Manz stated that a summit would be held on Friday, September 24, to include the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the Appropriation Committee and the Capital Expenditures Committee to consider the next steps and to plan for a potential special town meeting. He also circulated a proposal for a remediation Task Force. In the meantime, Mr. Goddard and Mr. Valente requested an immediate supplemental reserve fund transfer of $250,000 to fund the additional costs of Phase I remediation effortsso that important work could commence over the coming weekend. After extended discussion, the Committee voted to approve the requested reserve fund transfer by a vote of 5-1. -1- September 22,2010 It was noted that the supplemental transfer, together with the previous transfer of $150,000 would bring the original reserve fund balance of$550,000 to just $150,000. Mr. Valente stated that it would be appropriate to consider at a special town meeting, as part of an overall funding plan for the Estabrook remediation, an appropriation to replenish the Reserve Fund to its original level. 2.Recap of September 14 CPA Summit. The Committee discussed briefly the summit that was held on September 14 to address policy and planning issues relating to the selection and funding of projects under the Community Preservation Act (CPA). There was general agreement that the summit had been helpful and productive although no major decisions had been reached. 3.Miscellaneous Matters. Rob Addelson reported on the progress of the street light replacement program. Bids have been received for the project to move ahead and he expressed confidence that the prerequisites for obtaining the promised NSTAR rebate would be met. Mr. Addelsonalso reported that progress was being made to develop a job description for a minute-taker for the financial committees, and that a hiring process would begin in due course. He also reported that work was underway to develop water and sewer rate requests in anticipation of an information sessionand a public hearing to be conducted before the Board of Selectmen on October 4 and 21, respectively. Minutes of the meetings held on April 26, April 28, May 5, and August 23 were reviewed and approved. The meeting was adjourned at 9:40p.m. A list of documents and other exhibits used at the meeting is attached. Respectfully submitted, John Bartenstein ApprovedAugust 18, 2011 -2- September 22,2010 Exhibits Appropriation Committee Meeting September 22, 2010 1.Agenda circulated by Glenn Parker, Chair 2.Projected Costs –Estabrook Remediation, prepared by Pat Goddard, Director of Public Facilities 3.Letter from Paul Ash, Superintendent of Schools, to Estabrook Parents and Guardians dated September 21, 2010 re proposed PCB remediation plan 4.Proposal circulated by Hank Manz, Chair, Lexington Board of Selectmen dated September 22, 2010 re funding of Phase I of the Estabrook remediation plan and creation of a remediation Task Force -3-