1987-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Selectmen: Continuity of Policies With Change in Manager F or the Board of Selectmen, 1987 was a year of continuity both in policy issues dressed and in membership of the board dressing those issues. The most prominent sues concerned how the town would respond he affordable housing crisis and what would be the trade -offs among competing programs and projects under progressively tightening budget con- straints. With the reelection in March of Selectmen Paul W. Marshall and John C. Eddison and the contin- uation of the latter in the role of board chairman, the composition and policy orientation of the board remained unchanged. By contrast, there was a major change in the operational management of the town when Richard White took office as the successor to Lexington's town manager of the previous ten years, Robert M. Hutchinson. The recruitment and selection of Richard White as the new town manager was the most notable activity of the selectmen in 1987. The goals set by the selectmen for themselves in June 1987 were, not surprisingly, quite similar to those they had set out in 1986. The problems of too much traffic, too little affordable rental housing and too many competing demands on limited revenues continued to challenge the ingenuity of selectmen and the town meeting. MAJOR GOALS FOR 1987 - 1988 1. Board relationships. In anticipation of a tight budget year, establish closer working relation- ships with other boards and committees, and espe- cially the school committee, and seek to achieve greater congruence of policy positions before budgets are submitted to town meeting. Improve communications with neighboring towns regarding land development and traffic problems and review the role of Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS) as an instrument for this purpose. 2. Town Manager recruitment. Proceed with the recruitment process by defining the kind of manager we want, approving the charge to the search committee and setting down the procedure and schedule for selection. 3. Fiscal planning. Develop the fiscal year 1988- 1989 (FY89) budget within existing resource limi- tations and without recourse to an override of Proposition 2 1/2. Give particular attention to cost and revenue projections, especially those relating to insur- ance, the Massachusetts Water Resources Author- ity (MWRA), trash collection and the schools. 4. The Center and the environment. Support a reassessment of the parking situation in Lexing- ton Center and a review by the Lexington center committee (LCC) of the options for increasing parking capacity there. Support the preparation of design guidelines for the enhancement of the Center. Appoint and prepare the charge for the waste disposal /recycling task force authorized by the 1987 Town Meeting. Continue efforts to find a design solution acceptable to both the residents of North Lexington and the State DPW for the reconstruc- tion of Bedford Street from Route 128 to Hartwell Avenue. Work with state agencies and contractors to insure that Lexington's concerns are taken into Board of Selectmen. L/R seated: Jacquelyn Smith; Paul Marshall; John Eddison, Chairman; Marion Snow, Executive Clerk; William Dailey; Leo McSweeney. Standing: Norman Cohen, Town Counsel; Richard White, Town Manager. Overview 7