1967-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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BOARD OF SELECTMEN long range financial study of the town. Such a study may offer appropriate guidelines for our future planning and judgment. We must take into account the forth - coming report of the structure of government committee and the unknown effect of recent home rule legislation passed by the General Court. We have been reasonably far - sighted in anticipating some of the issues which will have a bearing on our financial affairs in the near future. The questions of a town manager and of more adequate town office space will be key matters for discussion in the months immediately ahead. Our Career Employees The business of serving as a full -time, career government employee is often difficult at best. Many dedicated, loyal and highly capable persons have given a full measure of devo- tion to Lexington through the years. We accepted with deep regret the resignations of a number of faithful career employ- ees during 1967. Their contributions to the town's well -being far exceeds the knowledge of most citizens. Dedication, competence and faithfulness have characterized their tenure and the town has been enriched by their performance. As our town enterprise has expanded, many functions have been too great for the time and energy of one person. The position of town clerk has been separated from the responsi- bilities of town treasurer during 1967. Increased financial control has been made possible with the appointment of a town comptroller. These steps are intended to provide a more ef- fective and business -like government in the best interest of our people. We have been aided immeasurably by the work of our salary review board as we ap- proach the new dimensions of collective bargaining and the desire to properly compensate our employees. Our goals in these areas must be commensurate with those in other institutions and industry if we are to keep pace with these changing times and the need to secure and hold employees of the best possible capability. Conclusion No message on the "State of Lexington" can be completely comprehensive nor exhaus- tive in its content. It remains for the citizen to pursue further in the several reports of the various agencies, boards and committees to secure greater detail and insight into the chal- lenges of his government and its operations. It has been our purpose to state some of the highlights, the challenges and opportunities before us to keep Lexington attractive as a good place to live, as a community with an out- standing provision for public safety and protection, with effective agencies to deal with our health and recreation, as a community with good business acumen and a sound financial policy, and as a town that appreciates its career employees. For some these will appear as the annual generalities of being for all the good things and as being against all the bad. For the perceptive citizen, it means the unending quest for good government on the part of fellow citizens who recognize that we live in a changing world and that we are all "the government." We would re- emphasize that our concerns are no longer insular. We are actively involved with our neighbors in other cities and towns. We are interdependent, and as time goes on we will be faced with those inevitable economic pressures which suggest working with others for our mutual advantage. Such areas as transportation, sanitary refuse disposal, 12