Monday, April 9, 2018

Article 12 - Appropriate for Lexington Children's Place Construction

Article 12 is now open.
Selectman Ciccolo recuses.
The Report of the School Committee is received and placed on file.
ARTICLE 12 — APPROPRIATE FOR LEXINGTON CHILDREN’S PLACE CONSTRUCTION To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the design and construction of a new Lexington Children’s Place, located at 20 Pelham Road, including the payment of costs of demolition, architectural and engineering services, original equipment, furnishings, landscaping, paving and other site improvements incidental or related to such construction; determine whether the money will be provided by the tax levy, by transfer from available funds, by borrowing or by any combination of these methods; authorize the Selectmen to grant any easement or other interests in land necessary therefor; or act in any other manner in relation thereto. (Inserted by the Board of Selectmen at the request of the School Committee)

Lexington Children’s Place (“LCP”), the pre-kindergarten program for Lexington Public Schools, is outgrowing its locations in the Harrington School and Central Administration buildings. With the Town’s purchase of the property at 20 Pelham Road, the former Armenian Elementary School, the School Committee has recommended the use of a portion of this property as a permanent location for the LCP. The funds requested by this Article will be for the design and construction of the LCP. A debt exclusion for this project was approved by the voters in December 2017.

MOTION That $11,997,842 be appropriated for design and construction for a new Lexington Children’s Place, located at 20 Pelham Road, including the costs of demolition, architectural and engineering services, original equipment, furnishings, landscaping, paving, and other site improvements incidental or related to such construction, and that to meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $11,997,842 under M.G.L.Chapter 44, Section 7, or any other enabling authority. Any premium received by the Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this vote, less any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bonds or notes, may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this vote in accordance with Chapter 44, Section 20 of the General Laws, thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a like amount.
Superintendent Dr. Mary Czjaikowski and Donna DiNisco, DiNisco Designs, present - presentation may be found HERE
Designed to LEED Silver standards. Schematic Design is on budget. On schedule to complete by September 2019.

RECOMMENDATIONS
SC: Unanimous (5-0)
BOS: Supports 4-0 (Ciccolo recused)
AC: Unanimously Supports (9-0)
CEC: Unanimously Supports (5-0)

Question Mic: TMM/P6 Will we lose some of the "grandfathering" of that space?
A: There is a time limit as to how long we can use it as a school space
Q: How long
A: I believe it's three years

Question Mic: TMM/P6 The solar panels cannot be on the roof? In the parking lot? Was the plan reviewed by Sustainable Lexington Committee?
A: Solar panels will added to roof and canopies in the parking lot. Last review of Sustainable Lexington Committee was in February.
Q: Was it positive?
A: Yes. Pleased that it was all electric building.

VOTE of TOWN MEETING (2/3 majority, because borrowing)
YES: 144
NO: 2
ABSTAIN: 5
MOTION PASSES
Deputy Moderator on the next two Articles, Articles 13 & 14