1975-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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ENTERING LEXINGTON POPULATION 32253 ALTITUDE NO ;T. CREDIT RATING Aaa 1 \t4 BOARD OF SELECTMEN 2. The lifting of Lexington's rating by Moody's Investors Service from Double A to Triple A added signif- icantly to Lexington's stature in the financial world. Only six other towns or cities in the commonwealth bear this elite rating. 3. A distinct step forward was made in citizen/ government communications. If, as we believe, better communication is a cornerstone in developing better community relations, then the new community relations committee established by the selectmen ought to be a significant plus for Lexington. By providing a frame- work for dialogue between all arms of government and its citizens we have a vehicle for isolating and agree- ing on the problems, the first step in solving them. Advance notices and at least a partial agenda of town board meetings are now published weekly in the Lexington Minute -man. 4. Two other committees are of interest. The first is the Lexington Historic Commission which is concerned with identifying and inventorying the historic assets of the town, all with the thought of developing a program for their preservation. The second is the Lexington Council for the Aging which directs its attention to the needs of the town's elder- ly population and seeks to enlist support and partici- pation of all citizens concerning those needs. 5. A continuation of a "hold the line" policy on expenses. In the last six years taxes have increased 4t - an average of only 1.17 per cent a year. Associated with the restraint on spending have been increases in y�a,�,.•+°'y income, particularly from increased state aid for special education, increased tax revenues arising from new construction and increased income from investment of tax revenues prior to their disbursement. 6. A drawn battle with the state department of public works over the development of Bedford St. Design criteria formulated by the state are quite un- acceptable to the neighborhood and to this board and there is little "give" on either side. Efforts to set up more palatable criteria progress very slowly. 7. In a spirit of maintaining the ancient tradition that goes back to feudal days, each five years town officials "perambulate the bounds ". This was the year for it and the officials walked the town boundaries to observe that all markers were in place between Lexington and the abutting towns. 8. When Chairman Kenney concluded not to be a candidate for re- election he resigned on December 1 to permit his successor better to prepare himself for the town meeting. He thus continued a precedent that had earlier been established. We applaud his action and believe that his course might well become a tradition. 9. A year end item of undetermined import was a news release from the office of Secretary of State Paul Guzzi that Lexington's population is down three per cent from the 1970 census. Whether this was simply 6