Closing the Second Week | Town Meeting

7:32 PM Call to Order

Town Meeting Member Memorial—Carolyn Tiffany, affectionately known as Kay. Kay was a long-time TMM in Precinct 8 for more than 30 years. A retired Guidance Counselor, more than 20 years in Winchester. Organizer. Activist. Prescient on Climate Change. She died earlier this year. A moment of silence for Kay.

The Meeting is now open on Article 4: Reduce Community Preservation Act Surcharge Rate from 3% to 1% Pursuant to MGL Chapter 44B, §16 (Citizen Article)

MOTION that this item be Indefinitely Postponed (IP'd)
Bridger McGaw, maker of the Article, with a presentation, HERE
Select Board (SB): Unanimously supports IP

Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC)
Appropriation Committee: Does not take a position on items for IP
Community Preservation Committee (CEC): Unanimously supports IP
Planning Board (PB): Unanimously supports IP
TMM/P1: NOmic Will support IP; hopes this is the last we will see of this [trying to reduce the CPC rate]
There are no further questions or comments
VOICE VOTE (VV)
Unanimously PASSES

Town Moderator to Deputy Moderator, Barry Orenstein (TMod to DMod)

The Meeting is now open on Article 15: Appropriate for Recreation Capital Projects

MOTION is HERE
Lisah Rhodes, TMM/P4, and Chair of Recreation Committee with the presentation, HERE
Recreation Committee: Unanimously supports
School Committee (SC): Unaimously supports
AC: Unanimously supports
CEC: Unanimously supports the relevant parts

Q TMM/P2: Fees at Pine Meadows Golf Course?

Town of Lexington (ToL): Yes.

Given that there are user fees, why aren't they used?

ToL: They are, 100%

There are no further comments or questions
VOTE on Article 15: 

YES: 157

NO: 1

ABSTAIN: 5

MOTION CARRIES

DMod back to TMod

SB requests TMod take up Article 27 on Wednesday, April 10
TMod indicates that's what we will do

Article 16: Appropriate for Municipal Capital Projects and Equipment
Revised MOTION is HERE
Parts 16a, 16d, 16j, 16k, 16l have already been acted upon
Taking up 16b, 16c, 16e, 16f, 16g, 16h, 16i, 16m, 16n, 16o, and 16p, ultimately
AC: unanimous on all but 16f--comments on that when it comes up

No questions or comments on 16b or 16c
No VOTE on 16b or 16c yet

On to 16e—presentation is HERE
Planning Board (PB): Unanimously supports 16e
CEC: Favors this MOTION
Citizen's Mic (CitMic): Chamber of Commerce supports
YESmic: TMM/P6
NOmic: TMM/P7
Qmic: TMM/P5: Can this section be broken out?
TMod: We will definitely vote this separately
CitMic: Resident and high school teacher is concerned there will be traffic backups in neighborhoods (citing Waze, Google)
NOmic: TMM/P9 Is concerned that before we vote on such a substantial sum of money, we should reconsider the $2M spending for brick sidewalks
YESmic: TMM/P3
Qmic: TMM/P3: Wants to support this. Is concerned about the ornamental lights. Are there shields from above? LED lights?
ToL: Fully shielded, yes to LEDs
Victoria Buckley, TMM/P9, Chair of Commission on Disability, with an Amendment. [To read: In the MOTION, after the word "construction", adding "as approved by the Commission on Disability"] 
Questions about the AMENDMENT
TMM with a Point of Personal Order: Is this appropriate?
TMod: We will hear from Town Counsel
Town Counsel: To the Q just asked: Yes, it is appropriate. Regarding the enforcability: "Approval" is somewhat problematic because SB has authority of streets and sidewalks, so it would be "Advisory"
SB: Requests a brief recess
We are recessed

Amendment offered by Ms. Buckley

9:00 PM We are back in Session
AMENDMENT to the AMENDMENT reflects the discussion that has just taken place during recess:

Amended Amendment

SB: Unanimously supports
CEC: 4-2 in favor of the Amendment
AC: 1-6 AC does not recommend
PB: no position
Center Committee: does not have a position on it because haven't convened on the AMendment
Qmic: TMM/P6: Is the SB voting to do what the Commission on Disability recommends?
SB: We accept the insertion of the language
NOmic: TMM/P7
Qmic: TMM/P3: What is the charge of the Commission on Disibility?
Town Counsel: Charge as per MGL Ch 40 §8j
TMM/P3 will oppose AMENDMENT and the ARTICLE
YESmic: TMM/P7
Qmic: TMM/P3: If we do not adopt and SB does it anyway. are we open to a law suit (due to bricks)
Town Counsel: I think the answer is NO
YESmic: TMM/P4
YESmic: TMM/P9
TMM/P1 Calls the Question
Vote by VOICE VOTE
Debate on the Amendment is CLOSED
Final comments from Ms. Buckley
YES:  128
NO: 35
ABSTAIN: 2
MOTION to AMEND CARRIES
Debate continues on 16e with the MOTION as AMENDED
Center Committee: Unanimously supports
YESmic: TMM/P1
Qmic: TMM/P6 With regard to the road closure test: what was the impact of the lane loss?
ToL: Counts were set up in surrounding neighborhoods throughout the trial; we saw no impact.
TMM/P6: With a later school start time, how will that impact this project?
ToL: We haven't looked at the delayed start time
NOmic: TMM/P6
Qmic: TMM/P4 More information on the Mass Works Grant? Least/Most to expect?
TMgr: The range is specifically for municipal projects; they are substantial ~ $2M
Qmic: TMM/P4: Care and maintenance of new trees?
ToL: Plan is to give them the proper space and soil in which to grow, coupled with irrigation; after that, they will follow with our regular program
TMM/P4 Are there any provisions for extended drought?
ToL: They will have irrigation, plus supplemental waterings from the watering truck
NOmic: TMM/P3
Qmic: TMM/P4: Why is there no funding for improved signage?
ToL: There is signage within the plan, most of it is street signage
YESmic: TMM/P4
Qmic: TMM/P6 Funding sources. Given that we have small businesses in the center, public/private partnerships?
TMgr: At this point the Town hasn't done anything about looking into pub/priv p'ships
TMM/P6: Talked about planters. Will the curbed planters function as protection?
ToL: We think so
Qmic: TMM/P4 Any peer reviewed lit that compare the slipperyness of brick to concrete?
ToL: Unable to find any reports on the slipperyness of brick; there are different types of brick and concrete, but nothing
TMM/P4: Similarly on maintenance of brick or concrete?
ToL: The ad hoc Working Group asked for the same thing, but we couldn't find anything on this either
TMM/P6 asks what materials experts were heard by the ad hoc WG -- ToL runs through a list of experts from memory, acknowledges his list isn't complete
NOmic: TMM/P5
TMM/P6 Calls the Question
VOTE TO CLOSE DEBATE
YES: 114
NO: 47
ABSTAIN: 4
MOTION CARRIES
No final comments
MOTION to adopt 16e as AMENDED requires 2/3 Majority
YES: 121
NO: 21
ABSTAIN: 4
MOTION CARRIES

On to 16f— presentation is HERE
Assistant Town Manager with brief Financing Plan presentation on the last four pages of presentation above: Enterprise Debt and MWRA Debt; borrowing term of 10 years, 4% interest rate. Three hypothetical scenarios; decisions made during rate-setting process in the fall.
SB: Unanimously supports 16f
CEC: 5-1 in support of 16f
AC: 6-3 in support of 16f
Qmic: TMM/P4 Wants to know if anyone has looked at the cost of ownership over time, as in costs of maintenance?
CEC: Yes
Town of Lex (ToL): Average maintenance ~$20K/year
TMM/P4: Spending $6Million works out to ~500/household. Over what amount of time to cover that cost?
ToL: Not a complete return on investment. Automated meters saves staff time, abatements, at ~$250K/year
Qmic: TMM/P6 Wants to know if people really need to put up antennae on their house
ToL: Not every house; there will only need to be a few and they will not go up on houses
TMM/P6: Confirm that no one will be asked to put an antennae on their house as part of this project
ToL: Yes.
Qmic: TMM/P2: How often can we get a report?
ToL: That's up to you
TMM/P2: Can we get it in real time?
ToL: Not in real time but the next day
What about on leaks?
ToL: Sensitive to 1/10th of a gallon,
A lot of questions from a TMM/P2 having to do with particulars of the network system, radio frequency, on which the system is built
TMM Calls the Question
MOTION to CALL the Q PASSES by VV
Debate closed on 16f
VOTE on 16f requires 2/3 Majority:
YES: 121
NO: 21
ABSTAIN: 8
MOTION CARRIES BY MORE THAN THE 2/3 NECESSARY

Voting on Article 16b and 16c together, which had no questions or debate
VOTE requires 2/3 Majority:
YES: 149
NO: 0
ABSTAIN: 2
MOTION CARRIES BY MORE THAN THE 2/3 NECESSARY

MOTION to ADJOURN until Monday, April 8 at 7:15 PM PASSES on a VV
10:31 PM 
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Image credit: Superintendent Dr. Julie Hackett presenting her first LPS Operating Budget and School Technology Budget requests Monday Night, April 1 ~ mas