|
T 0 W M G 0 V IIE':IIR I T IIE':III' T
<br /> BOARD OF SELECTMEN
<br /> Five members elected by the voters at large to overlapping Fiscal Strength
<br /> 3-year terms:Douglas Lucente (Chair), Jill Hai(Vice-Chair), In January, Moody's Investors Service assigned a rating of
<br /> Joseph Pato, Suzanne Barry, and Mark Sandeen. Michelle Aaa in advance of issuance of the Town's general obligation
<br /> Ciccolo resigned from the Board effective December 31, bonds.The Town's strong financial management,conservative
<br /> 2018 after being elected as a State Representative to the budgeting, adherence to formal policies, multi-year budget
<br /> Massachusetts Legislature for the 15th Middlesex District. forecasting,and capital planning were noted by Moody's rat-
<br /> Ms.Ciccolo served as a Selectman for more than four years.In ing outlook. Property tax revenues rose due to new growth
<br /> March 2019,Mr.Pato and Ms.Barry were re-elected to 3-year in both the residential and commercial sectors. Home prices
<br /> terms,and Mr.Sandeen was elected to fill the remaining year have continued to rise during the year,and the housing mar-
<br /> left vacant upon Ms.Ciccolo's resignation. ket continues to be robust. The Selectmen maintained the
<br /> Year of Transition split tax-rate factor at its maximum to soften the impact on
<br /> residential taxpayers. The Selectmen kept their goal to have
<br /> FY2019 was a year of several transitions for the Selectmen. no operating overrides and have continued this policy. The
<br /> May 7,2018,Carl Valente,Lexingtons Town Manager for Selectmen have continued their policy to set aside a portion of
<br /> 13 years, announced his retirement effective August 3, 2018. revenues in a fund that would be used to reduce the impact of
<br /> The Selectmen-appointed Town Manager Search Screening
<br /> Committee engaged the consulting firm Municipal Resources, Board ed d excludedebt on the taxpayer and to support capital projects.
<br /> Selectmen Goals
<br /> Inc. to guide the Committee and the Board through the Each year following the Annual Town Meeting, the
<br /> search process through the summer of 2018. The committee Selectmen meet to discuss their goals for the upcoming fiscal
<br /> was chaired by former Selectman Peter Kelley. It included year and to establish and confirm the guiding principles as a
<br /> two current Selectmen and representatives from the School means of informing staff and helping guide the annual budget
<br /> Committee,the Planning Board,the Economic Development process.During the goal setting process,input is solicited and
<br /> Advisory Committee, previous Town senior management, received from staff,Board members,boards and committees,
<br /> the Diversity Advisory Task Force, Town Meeting, and the and the community.After the Selectmen evaluated more than
<br /> Lexington business community.The Board extends its appre- 60 sixty submissions,22 categories were put forth as priority
<br /> dation to everyone who participated in the process.Upon the goals for FY2019-FY2020.The Selectmen addressed several of
<br /> Town Managers retirement, Assistant Town Manager Kelly these important priorities and other important issues during
<br /> Axtell served as Acting Town Manager until the new Town FY2019.Highlights of several of these are listed below.
<br /> Manager was hired. After interviewing three finalists identi
<br /> fied by the Town Manager Search Screening Committee,the Housing OptIons
<br /> Board offered the Town Manager position to James Malloy. In an effort to foster the creation of more affordable and di-
<br /> Mr.Malloy began work at the Town of Lexington on October verse residential dwelling units, in September the Selectmen
<br /> 1,2018,bringing a solid municipal financial background and created the Special Permit Residential Development (SPRD)
<br /> an ability to work collaboratively in a local government set- Zoning Bylaw Amendment Ad Hoc Committee.The 9-mem-
<br /> ting after serving in the same role in other municipalities for ber committee was charged with gathering stakeholder input,
<br /> more than three decades. Mr. Malloy quickly settled into his reviewing housing data, and drafting a statement of values
<br /> role, and hit the ground running with several key initiatives so that consultants, under the direction of the Committee,
<br /> that have had a positive impact on the Town. elected boards, and staff,could develop a draft zoning bylaw
<br /> Stacey Prizio joined the Board of Selectmen's staff in amendment and warrant article to either revise or replace
<br /> March 2019 as a Department Assistant after Morgan Steele the current Special Permit Residential Development Zoning
<br /> left that role in November 2018 to move out of state. After Bylaw. The committee worked throughout the remainder of
<br /> serving as Recording Secretary for several years,Kim Seibert the fiscal year reviewing the existing bylaw,projects produced
<br /> stepped down from that role. since its inception, alternative zoning from neighboring
<br /> At our 2019 Annual Town Meeting,the article to rename communities, and the Town's Housing Production Plan. The
<br /> the "Board of Selectmen" the "Select Board" passed by a committee heard from experts on inclusionary zoning and
<br /> strong majority, and the waiting period began for the state affordable housing and from the development community.
<br /> legislature to enact special legislation. In April the committee held two public listening sessions to
<br /> seek input from the community. The committee is expected
<br /> to have recommendations to present at an upcoming Town
<br /> Meeting.
<br /> (continued on next page)
<br /> TOWN OF LEXINGTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 731
<br />
|