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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-01-10-CEC-minMinutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting Date, Place, and Location: January 10, 2012 8:00 a.m., Cary Memorial Building, Ellen Stone Room Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; Ted Edson, Vice - Chair; Shirley Stolz; David Kanter Member Absent: Bill Hurley Other Attendee: Rob Addelson, Assistant Town Manager for Finance Document Presented: "Fiscal Year 2013 Town Manager's Preliminary Budget & Financing Plan ", January 9, 2012 (the "White Book ") Mr. Lamb called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Meeting Minutes Mr. Kanter explained to the Committee the recommended changes that had been made to the previously distributed draft Minutes for each of the following meetings. • November 22, 2011: A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Minutes with the changes as presented. Vote: 4 -0 • November 29, 2011: A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Minutes with the changes as presented. Vote: 4 -0 • December 6, 2011: The Committee affirmed the draft Minutes properly represented what had been its vote on the White House Stabilization Project. A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Minutes with the changes as presented. Vote: 3 -0 -1 (Mr. Edson abstaining) • December 13, 2011: A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Minutes with the changes as presented. Vote: 3 -0 -1 (Mr. Lamb abstaining) • December 20, 2011: A Motion was made and seconded to approve the Minutes with the changes as presented. Vote: 3 -0 -1 (Ms. Stolz abstaining) Mr. Kanter advised that he would be resubmitting to the Town Archives the Minutes for the meeting on November 8, 2011, after adding the missing (and required) "Member Absent" information. (The approval of those Minutes had allowed for Mr. Kanter to make any necessary editorial corrections.) Review of the FY2013 White Book The Committee discussed those projects that had been presented to it for FY2013 funding, but which are now proposed by the Town Manager to be deferred. (Pages XI -24 & 25) • Clarke Auditorium Lighting and Technology Upgrade ($220,000, with two follow -on- year fundings required to complete all the planned work): To help with balancing the budget, the proponent said this project could be deferred. • Energy Saving Projects ($100,000, with at least four follow -on -year fundings): Absent a specific offer from a utility, the proposed funding has been deferred. Page 1 of 5 • Massachusetts Avenue —Three Intersections Improvement ($215,000, with three follow -on -year fundings for other intersections): Deferred to help with balancing the budget. • Hastings Park Irrigation ($70,000): Deferred to help with balancing the budget. • CBD (Central Business District) Sidewalks ($240,000, with one follow -on -year funding for construction): Deferred because it's part of the CBD Streetscape Project which the Town Manager has recommended to the Board of Selectmen (BoS) as requiring further deliberation. • Material Handling and Workflow ($75,000) and RFID Conversion Project ($150,000): The Cary Memorial Library Director wanted more time to look at the implementation plans for both. The Committee voiced no objection to those deferrals under the circumstances cited. In response to the Committee's question, Mr. Addelson said no adjustment had been made to any of the dollar amounts, in any of the years, for the deferred projects to account for any changes that might be expected from delaying the work (e.g., increases in material and labor costs). As, during the presentations of the projects to the Committee, the Committee had been reminding proponents to present their funding needs in estimated then -year dollars, the Committee said it will need to address the difference between current -year and then -year estimates for the deferred projects when building the Five -Year Capital Plan that's a requirement of its report to the Annual Town Meeting. With regard to the East Lexington Fire Station Physical Fitness Room Project ($75,000 in FY2016), the Committee reaffirmed its unanimous position —that had been presented to Carl Valente, Lexington Town Manager, and Mr. Addelson at the Committee's December 20, 2011, meeting —that this project should be advanced for FY2013 funding when considering the immediate benefit it will provide to the Fire Department personnel at that station and the modest cost of the project. The Committee then discussed each of the Capital projects being proposed in the White Book for either specific funding or potential funding in FY2013. (Pages XI- 5— XI -23) [Unless a project is mentioned and cited otherwise, the Committee's Straw Vote on supporting a proposed project was 4 -0.] • Telephone System Replacements Town -wide: The increase from $576,000 to $591,000 is because funding has been added for a consultant to design the specification. • Storm Drainage Improvements and National Pollution Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) Compliance: The decrease from $500,000 to $340,000 is that training & education has been removed from the scope as not being Capital —which is consistent with the Committee's earlier- expressed position. • Sidewalk Improvements ($300,000): Mr. Kanter noted that while the proposed funding is a 50% increase over the $200,000 appropriated last year, and the program continues from FY2014 and now into FY2017 at a further, level- funded, increase to $400,000, he considers this is inadequate funding —even without considering the likely effect of inflation in the out -year costs to do an increment of sidewalk —in the light of the huge backlog of work that's already recognized as needing to be done. Just as the huge street - improvement need is being addressed Page 2of5 by the use of unneeded allocated revenue, Mr. Kanter believes the sidewalk- improvement need should be a recipient of further increased funding — conceivably using some of that unneeded allocated revenue. • Street Betterment Improvements: The decrease from $275,000 to $200,000 reflects a revised estimate for just two roadways. Straw Vote: 3 -1 (Mr. Kanter against) • CBD Streetscape— Engineering ($TBD) [Listed among projects requiring further deliberation.]: The Committee holds this should not advance in FY2013 as, based on what was heard during the public- review process, the Committee believes it's not ready for further funding. • Clarke Gymnasium Storage Area: Decreased from $45,000 (as presented to the Committee) to $28,000. • Conversion of Computer Lab to Classroom —Fiske School ($60,000): The Committee noted that it had not received a presentation; Mr. Addelson advised this was a late addition. Based on the subject matter and the modest funding, the Committee had no objection. • Sound Proofing of Classroom Spaces for Hearing - Impaired Program — Diamond Middle: Decreased from $80,000 (as presented to the Committee) to $50,000. • Visitor Center Renovations and Expansion ($255,000 — $137,269 General Fund debt & $117,731 Community Preservation Fund [CPF] —for Design &Engineering (D &E); FY2014 construction estimate is $1,402,500) [Listed among projects requiring further deliberation.]: Mr. Kanter advised that the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) Straw Vote yesterday on forwarding this project to Town Meeting was 0 -9. This Committee believes that the scope, timing, and priority of this project have not been properly vetted. Straw Vote: 0 -4 • White House Stabilization ($381 — $232,410 CPF & $148,590 General Fund debt) [Listed among projects requiring further deliberation.]: Contingent on support by the BoS and with noting Ms. Stolz's concern that wood storm windows seem an excessive requirement, Straw Vote: 3 -1 (Mr. Kanter against) At this point, Mr. Kanter asked about two projects that had been presented to the Committee, but are not in the White Book: The Department of Public Works' "Two -Way Radio Narrow Band Upgrade" ($50,000) and the Department of Public Facilities "New Loading Dock for CO (Central Office)" ($25,000). Mr. Addelson said that the former will be handled in the operating budget; the latter has been included in the "School Building Envelope and Systems" —whose amount has been increased from $200,000 to $215,000. • Evaluation of Middle School Science Labs and Performing Arts Spaces: Renamed and increased from $25,000 to $35,000 to now include Performing Arts Spaces. • Cary Memorial Building Upgrades ($550,000 CPF; FY2014 construction estimate is $7 CPF) [Listed among projects requiring further deliberation.]: Mr. Kanter advised that the CPC Straw Vote yesterday on forwarding this project to Town Meeting was 7 -1. He suggests that there should be a further vetting of project —as was done in the past with regard to the new Department of Public Services building at 201 Bedford Street — before asking for FY2013 funding and the plan, instead, should be to bring it forward for CPF support of the D &E in FY2014. Straw vote, in this case, not to advance for FY2013 funding: 4 -0 • Town -wide Facilities Master Plan ($65,000) [Listed among projects requiring further deliberation.]: The Committee expressed a particularly strong support for this effort. Page 3of5 Street Improvements: In response to Mr. Kanter's concerns about the further supplementing from the municipal balance of the FY2013 revenue allocation, Mr. Addelson pointed out that the narrative (Page XI -18) now does explicitly identify both the FY2012 and proposed FY2013 supplements. Mr. Kanter recommended that the related Footnote 2 to the Cash Capital (Table VII) (Page XI -15) be further revised also so as to more accurately represent the components of the proposed funding. Straw Vote on the project: 3 -1 (Mr. Kanter against) Mr. Kanter expressed his concerns about how an additional $303,714 of allocated revenue was reassigned toward Capital financing (a shared - expense category) —even though he appreciates that there is a very -large backlog in capital projects. Mr. Addelson pointed out that the dual sourcing of that amount ($218,324 from the schools allocation and $85,390 from the municipal allocation had been presented as a footnote in the presentation at the last Financial Summit —and appears, again, in the Cash Capital (Table VII). • Battle Green Area Master Plan—Parking, Traffic Calming and Safe Pedestrian Access Study—Phase 1: Conceptual Plan ($60,000) [Listed among projects requiring further deliberation.]. As Town Counsel had deemed this study as not appropriate for use of the CPF —and this Committee hadn't previously been advised the project would be considered for support by the General Fund —this Committee hasn't had any presentation on this project; therefore, it takes no position. • Off -Site Street Improvements Related to Estabrook School ($TBD) [Listed among projects requiring further deliberation.]: This Committee hasn't had any presentation on this project; therefore, it takes no position. • LexHAB Set -Aside for Housing Acquisition ($500,000 CPF): While lauding LexHAB's contributions toward the Town's affordable- housing needs, Mr. Kanter urged that the Committee not support this year's request; that there be a hiatus in providing funding for them so as to be able to proceed with an opportunistic purchase, likely of one unit, to add to their housing stock. He explained there are several factors leading him to his stand: (1) the absence of a Town policy on affordable housing, (2) the current status of having 11.1 % of its housing stock counted toward the Town's Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) (versus the 10.0% needed to avoid projects under the State's Chapter 40B), (3) the likely approval of the Greeley Village Accessible Housing Project (CPC Straw Vote 8 -0 to recommend to Town Meeting) which would add four units to the SHI, and (4) LexHAB's on -going involvement in housing at the Leary and Busa properties — which, if any are approved by the BoS, and also by Town Meeting to provide the funding, would also provide units eligible for the SHI. Mr. Kanter also pointed out that as LexHAB expected to have $45,000 — $50,000 remaining from last- year's appropriation, he would hope the CPC would reduce the amount to $450,000 if it were to recommend funding in FY2013 for LexHAB under their current request. Although the Committee's initial position was to defer even a Straw Vote on this funding, as a position would be important to present to the BoS and the Town Manager, among others, before the Financial Summit 4 scheduled for next week, the Committee supported the proposed hiatus. • Greeley Village Accessible Housing Project ($1,110,673 CPF): Mr. Kanter advised that Mr. Keane, Executive Director of the Lexington Housing Authority, had received advice that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community (DHCD) will provide a $300,000 grant of State funds to support this project. [Note: The Committee subsequently received the January 9, 2012, DHCD Page 4of5 letter confirming the approval of that grant, of up to $300,000, contingent upon there being sufficient additional funds from local sources to pay for all project costs beyond those funded by the grant and upon DHCD oversight of the design and construction process, as determined by DHCD.] Future Meeting: Although there's a meeting posted for next Tuesday (the 17 "), unless Agenda items are determined by this Thursday (the 12 "), the meeting will be cancelled. [Note: Items were determined and an Agenda submitted to the Town Clerk's Office on January 11, 2012.] Committee's Report to the 2012 Annual Town Meet The Committee decided to plan on members having the same report- content assignments as applied to its report to the 2011 Annual Town Meeting. Adjourn: A Motion was made and seconded at 10:00 a.m. to adjourn. Vote: 4 -0 These Minutes were approved by the CEC at its meeting on January 17, 2012. Page 5of5