2014-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Town Government Board of Selectmen Five members elected by the voters at large to overlapping Town Meeting funded plans by LexHAB to build six units 3 -year terms: Chair Deborah Mauger, Peter Kelley, Nor- of affordable housing in two buildings on a portion of the man Cohen, Michelle Ciccolo, and Joe Pato. Hank Manz Busa Farm property fronting Lowell St. did not run for re- election after serving for three terms and Ms. Ciccolo was elected to the Board along with the Capital Planning re- election of Mr. Cohen. Ms. Mauger resigned from the The Board continues to address the issues of maintaining and Board upon moving out of town in July 2014 and was suc- improving our capital infrastructure, including, but not lim- ceeded as chair by Mr. Pato. Her vacant seat will be filled ited to, our roads, water and sewer systems, parks and fields in a special election on November 4, 2014. and buildings. The Ad Hoc Townwide Facilities Master Plan - The Board of Selectmen is committed to balancing the in- ning Committee charged by the Board with devising a mas- terests of all of Lexington and continuing to ensure the ter plan for our municipal building needs presented its final Town remains a strong, diverse and healthy community. report in October 2013. General recommendations from this Fiscal Matters report include: advancing the public safety facilities projects to renovate or reconstruct the police and fire stations, initiat- Lexington continued to maintain its positive financial ing and planning school projects, proceeding with renovation standing. Property tax revenues rose due to new growth in of the Cary Memorial Building and of the newly acquired both the residential and commercial sectors. Home prices Community Center on Marrett Road, using available funds have increased rapidly during the year, and the housing to advance projects and to create a fund to meet the planned market has been robust. We have maintained our Aaa rat - life of town buildings. ing from our bond agencies, and our cost of debt is very The Board affirmed that its highest priority is to pursue low. We continue to see a positive financial impact on our refreshed public safety facilities and is working to bring a health insurance expense as a result of employees join- plan to Town Meeting in 2015. In support of schools, the ing the Commonwealth's Group Insurance Commission Town has submitted a statement of interest to the Mas- (GIC). The Selectmen kept their goal to have no operating sachusetts School Building Authority for renovation or overrides. The Selectmen have continued their policy to set replacement of the Maria Hastings Elementary School. aside a portion of revenues in a fund that would be used to Town Meeting has funded the construction of a wing of reduce the impact of excluded debt and to support capi- classrooms at Lexington High School, completed in the tal projects. Town Meeting approved appropriations from summer of 2014 using pre- fabricated modular units. In- this fund to mitigate excluded debt tax increases due to the g construction of a new Estabrook and the renovation of the :,.. rr��•- �.,..�...�- Bridge and Bowman elementary schools. � r..r .r..r•irrrr�rr.�r. �r ® rrrrr�rrr� ®rr er++re rrww Land Acquisition and Use Lexington completed the purchase of approximately ten acres of open space with two buildings at 39 Marrett Road from the Scottish Rite. Town Meeting approved funds to renovate one of those buildings, the mansion and modern annex, to be used as the Town's new community center ex- pected to open in the late spring of 2015. On the Busa Farm property, acquired by the Town in 2009, the Town has established a community farm. LexFarm, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, in cooperation with Community Farms Outreach, won the bid to a 10 -year lease of the Busa Farm property. Lexington Community Farm opened its farm stand on an appropriately historic date: April 19, 2014. In addition, the Board approved and Board of Selectmen: (L -R) Michelle Ciccolo, Peter Kelley, Norman Cohen, Joe Pato and Town Manager Carl Valente.