Select Board approves lease amendment for BEEP full‑day program, raises accounting concerns over capital vs operating funding

The Select Board approved a second amendment to the lease with Temple Ohabei Shalom (1187 Beacon St.) to add hours to accommodate the expansion of the BEEP program to full‑day operations and to increase the lease payment. Paul Warren and other board members asked detailed questions about how the lease costs are being accounted for in the town's financial plan, noting the packet lists an incremental amount of $77,000 that staff said is understood to be "over the life of the term" but still required confirmation.

Several board members criticized the long‑standing practice of charging leases to the capital improvement plan (CIP) budget even though leases are typically operating expenses. School‑department staff described a historical decision to place certain temporary classroom leases in the CIP as a way to lessen override costs and to treat short‑term lease costs as capital when they augmented classroom capacity during a facility shortfall. Finance and school staff told the board the school department is committed to moving leases out of the CIP when feasible, but a specific timetable for that shift was not provided.

The motion to approve the amendment carried unanimously as recorded in the meeting: all five board members present indicated "aye." The board asked staff to return with confirmation on the $77,000 figure (annual vs. term total) and to clarify any follow‑up actions required to align lease accounting with operating budgets.

Other consent items: the board approved the appointment of Steve Huyken as the Housing Advisory Board designee to the Community Preservation Act Committee and reappointed Lincoln Heinemann as an ex officio member of the retirement board (term through 01/24/2027). Chair Bernard Green also noted that a preservation commission candidate, John Spears, had withdrawn his candidacy because he is moving out of town.

Quotes:
- "The operating budget does not cover the complete cost... we're using capital funds in order to pay for operating leases," Select Board member Paul Warren said.
- "I move approval of the second amendment to the lease agreement with Temple Ohabei Shalom," Chair Bernard Green said; the motion carried with recorded ayes from all members.

Next steps: staff will report back with confirmation of the $77,000 timing, and the School Department and Finance will continue to evaluate shifting lease costs out of CIP into operating accounts when appropriate.