Monday, April 9, 2018

Consent Agenda

To facilitate Town Meeting this year the Board of Selectmen, working with the Moderator and financial committees, have again proposed that a number of Articles be acted upon collectively, that is by a single vote. In other towns this is generally referred to as the "Town Meeting Consent Agenda.”

All MOTIONS have the unanimous consent of the Board of Selectmen and the Appropriation Committee, and, for those items pertaining to capital, the Capital Expenditures Committee and will be taken up with one vote. Additionally, the Moderator says, "these items satisfy one or more of the following:
  • Are to be Indefinitely Postponed (IP'd)
  • Tend not to change from year to year
  • Are straightforward and fully explained in the FY19 Budget Book (Brown Book)
  • Are housekeeping in nature - requiring Town Meeting action, but with no policy implications for the Town
Presentations will not be heard on any of the items. Nor debate. Questions will be permitted. Any part of the Consent Agenda may be removed from the list and considered separately at the request of a Town Meeting Member; remaining items will be put before Town Meeting for a vote.
Articles, Motions, and Descriptions included in the Consent Agenda may be found HERE. (Articles 6; 10a, 10c, 10l; 15; 16a, 16d, 16f, 16g; 17; 18; 20b, 20c, 20e, 20g, 20i; 27; 28)

ARTICLE 6 — APPROPRIATE FOR SENIOR SERVICES PROGRAM
MOTION: That this article be indefinitely postponed
No funding is requested for FY19 as there is sufficient balances from prior year funding.

ARTICLE 10 — APPROPRIATE THE FY19 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
MOTION: That the Town hear and act on the report of the Community Preservation Committee on the FY19 Community Preservation budget and, pursuant to the recommendations of the Community Preservation Committee, take the following actions:
a) That this item be indefinitely postponed
The town is not ready to bring forward thee property in question.
c) That $20,000 be appropriated for Archives & Records Management and Records Conservation & Preservation, and to meet this appropriation $20,000 be appropriated from the Historic Resources Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund.
Section 10-c requests that $20,000 be appropriated to fund the conservation and preservation of old Town papers from 1722-1923. This has been a regular appropriation of CPA funds.
l) That $150,000 be appropriated for the Administrative Expenses and all other necessary and proper expenses of the Community Preservation Committee for FY19 and to meet this appropriation $150,000 be appropriated from the Unbudgeted Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund.
Section 10-l requests that $150,000 be appropriated for Administrative Expenses. This has been a regular appropriation of CPA funds.

ARTICLE 15 — APPROPRIATE FOR RECREATION CAPITAL PROJECTS
MOTION: That $60,000 be appropriated for Pine Meadows Golf Course improvements, and that to meet this appropriation $60,000 be appropriated from Recreation Fund Retained Earnings.
This article requests $60,000 for a Pine Meadows Golf Course lawn mower, bunker rake and spreader.

ARTICLE 16 — APPROPRIATE FOR MUNICIPAL CAPITAL PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT
MOTION: That the following amounts to be appropriated for the following capital improvements and that each amount be raised as indicated:
a) Hydrant Replacement Program - $150,000 for the replacement of fire hydrants and all incidental cost related thereto, and that to meet this appropriation $75,000 be appropriated from Water Fund Retained Earnings and $75,000 be appropriated from the General Fund unreserved fund balance.
Section 16-a is an ongoing program designed to replace 60 fire hydrants per year. 
d) Townwide Culvert Replacement - $390,000 for the repair and replacement of culverts, and that to meet this appropriation $390,000 be appropriated from the General Fund unreserved fund balance.
Section 16-d is an ongoing program to replace culverts that are at or near failure. 
f) That this article be indefinitely postponed.
Section 16-f requests that this Article be indefinitely postponed as staff is continuing to review the consultant’s report/analysis.
g) Sidewalk Improvements - $800,000 for rebuilding and repaving existing sidewalks, and all incidental costs related thereto, and to take by eminent domain, purchase or otherwise acquire any fee, easement or other interest in land necessary therefor; and that to meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $800,000 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.
Section 16-g is an ongoing program to rebuild and/or repair existing sidewalks that are in poor condition.
Question Mic TMM/P7 When will 16g be done?
A: If funding is approved, after July 1, Fall and following Spring

ARTICLE 17 — APPROPRIATE FOR WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
MOTION: That the Selectmen are hereby authorized to make water distribution system improvements, including the installation of new water mains and replacement or cleaning and lining of existing water mains and stand pipes, conducting engineering studies and the purchase and installation of equipment in connection therewith, and all incidental costs related thereto in such accepted or unaccepted streets or other land as the Selectmen may determine, subject to the assessment of betterments or otherwise, and to take by eminent domain, purchase or otherwise acquire any fee, easement or other interest in land necessary therefor; to appropriate $1,000,000 for such distribution systems improvements and land acquisition; and to meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $1,000,000 under M.GL. Chapter 44, Section 7 or any other enabling authority; and further that the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow all or a portion of such amount from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and in connection therewith to enter into a loan agreement and/or security agreement. 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.
This is an annual program that replaces unlined, inadequate, aged and vulnerable water mains, deteriorated service connections and eliminating dead ends in the Water mains. This project ensures a proactive approach for keeping Lexington’s water both safe and reliable.

ARTICLE 18 — APPROPRIATE FOR WASTEWATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
MOTION: That: (a) the Selectmen are hereby authorized to install sanitary sewer mains and sewerage systems and replacements thereof, and all incidental costs related thereto in such accepted or unaccepted streets or other land as the Selectmen may determine, subject to the assessment of betterments or otherwise, in accordance with Chapter 504 of the Acts of 1897, as amended, or otherwise, and to take by eminent domain, purchase or otherwise acquire any fee, easement or other interest in land necessary therefor; to appropriate for such installation and land acquisition the sum of $1,000,000, and to raise such amount the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $1,000,000 under M.GL. Chapter 44, Section 7 or any other enabling authority; and that (b) $800,000 be appropriated for pump station upgrades and all incidental costs related thereto, and to raise such amount the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $800,000 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.
This is an annual program that provides for rehabilitation of sanitary sewer infrastructure including pumping stations and related equipment to enable better energy efficient and avoid emergency expenditures.

ARTICLE 20 — APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES CAPITAL PROJECTS
MOTION: That the following amounts be appropriated for the following capital improvements to public facilities and that each amount be raised as indicated:
b) Public Facilities Bid Documents – $100,00 for professional services to produce design development, construction documents, and bid administration services for capital projects, and that to meet this appropriation $100,000 be appropriated from the General Fund unreserved fund balance.
Section 20-b is an annual request for funding of professional services to produce design development, construction documents and/or bid administration services for smaller school projects to ensure projects can be completed within the then-current construction season. 
c) Facility and Site Improvements - $361,890 for building flooring programs, and school paving program, and that to meet this appropriation $361,890 be appropriated from the General Fund unreserved fund balance.
Section 20-c is an ongoing program to replace flooring systems in both municipal and school buildings as well as the ability to replace sidewalks, bus loops and parking areas on school grounds as needed.
e) Municipal Building Envelopes and Systems - $198,893 to fund extraordinary repairs to municipal buildings and systems, and that to meet this appropriation $198,893 be raised in the tax levy.
Section 20-e is continued implementation of extraordinary repairs to the foundation and original drainage system of the Town office building. 
g) School Building Envelopes and Systems - $227,755 to perform extraordinary repairs and modifications to school buildings and systems, and that to meet this appropriation $227,755 be appropriated from the General Fund unreserved fund balance.
Section 20-g will be used to address water infiltration issues, caulking, window lintels and translucent skylights at the Harrington School. 
i) Public Facilities Mechanical/Electrical System Replacements - $544,500 for replacement of HVAC and electrical systems, and that to meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen is authorized to borrow $544,500 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.
Section 20-I is an annual request that replaces HVAC and electrical systems. This request will be used to replace the HVAC systems in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room and the Main Server room in the Town Office Building.

ARTICLE 27 — APPROPRIATE TO GENERAL STABILIZATION FUND
MOTION: That this article be indefinitely postponed.
No additional funds are being recommended for this Stabilization fund. The current balance is approximately $9.5 million.

ARTICLE 28 — APPROPRIATE FROM DEBT SERVICE STABILIZATION FUND
MOTION: That $124,057 be appropriated from the Debt Service Stabilization Fund to offset the FY19 debt service of the bond dated February 1, 2003 issued for funding additions and renovations to the Lexington High School, Clarke Middle School and Diamond Middle School as refunded with bonds dated December 8, 2011.
This article will appropriate $124,057 from the Debt Service Stabilization Fund, and received as part of the Mass. School building Authority program, to offset a portion of the debt service on the 2003 School Bonds.

RECOMMENDATIONS
BOS: Unanimous on all Articles
AC: Unanimous on all Articles
CEC: Unanimous on all Articles pertaining to capital

VOTE OF TOWN MEETING (2/3 majority)
YES: 137
NO: 0
ABSTAIN: 1
MOTION PASSES