2011-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Board of SpledrrIe" runt!+ "ed from previous page Communicating Community Values As was noted in the report for 2010, the debate over what services to add and how to pay for those additions contin- ued unabated. Such discussions often help to discover how the town feels about various things. The discussions about affordable housing were numerous. Although plans for exactly what form such housing should take on the Leary and Busa parcels remain in flux, a portion of the Leary parcel has been designated for such housing and the Selectmen have indicated an interest in including affordable housing as part of the final plan for the Busa parcel. Planning for a renewed Massachusetts Avenue continued with a series of public forums to discuss the Streetscape Plan for that area. In addition, there has been discussion of how best to renew the Battle Green. The long- running debate over maintenance of unaccepted streets was resolved by passage of an article by Town Meet- ing that allows emergency repairs at no cost to property owners on the street. The cost to bring a street up to the TOWN OF LEXINGTON 1 5 standard of an accepted street remains with abutters, how- ever. The debate over the clearing of the Minuteman Bikeway was at least partially resolved by an aggressive fund - raising campaign by the Friends of Lexington Bikeways (FoLB) matched by equally aggressive management of the project by the Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee (LBAC). The way this project was handled provides insight into why we value our boards, committees and commissions so much. The Board of Selectmen recognizes that our function is to guide and support all of the groups who do so much for the town, but we realize that any successes are a joint effort of an involved and participatory citizenry supported by a dedicated Town staff. As Lexington moves toward its 300th anniversary, the Board of Selectmen continues to embrace the history of the town while encouraging new and positive ideas which will help us all move forward. Board of Selectmen: Front (L -R) George Burnell, Peter Kelley, Hank Manz, Lynne Pease, Norman Cohen, Deborah Mauger,• Rear Carl Valente., Town Manager'