1985-Annual Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Board of Selectmen D. When a majority of residents from a street have submitted a petition for street cons- truction, the petition shall remain active for three years. E. Insofar as possible, street construction guidelines shall be consistent with the Planning Board's Rules and Regulations Gov- erning the Subdivision of Land. F. A final decision on which streets to recom- mend to town meeting for acceptance will be made by the board of selectmen. Maintenance of existing narrow, unaccepted streets: 1.) The town will provide a limited service for maintenance requests. 2.) When streets pose a hazardous condition, the town reserves the right to order appropriate maintenance of the street and bill the owner(s). FISCAL PLANNING The board developed budget guidelines that allowed for staying within the Proposition 2 1/2 limits for FY 87 by targeting no more than a 4 1/2 percent total budget growth. The board adopted a new sewer use charge to support the maintenance of our sewer system by an estimated infusion of $600,000 in new revenue. PLANT MAINTENANCE The board directed the town manager and the perma- nent building committee, working with the school department, to pursue a review of the condition of all town and school buildings with the specific intent of maintaining and improvement our $56 million dollars of physical plant. Accessibility for handicapped citizens will be a primary focus of that study as well. ENVIRONMENT Lexington Clean and Green Spring Campaign. The selectmen took the lead for the third consecutive year in organizing a town -wide spring clean up, planting and beautification campaign. Under the chairmanship of Selectman Eddison, the 1985 campaign was notable for the increased involvement of the conservation land stewards and the public schools in the clean up and publicity efforts and for the par- ticipation of volunteer groups in the planting of trees, seedlings and flowers on town and school lands. This latter dimension was linked in turn to Arbor Day and to the recognition of Lexington as "Tree City U.S.A." In all, some 50 sites were cleared of trash by 48 volunteer groups and organizations, many of which had begun to recognize the spring clean -up and beau- tification as an annual town event deserving of their support. Pine Meadows Land Acquisition. The Selectmen's Advisory Committee on the Purchase of Conservation Land /Pine Meadows, chaired by Selectmen Marshall and Eddison, negotiated throughout 1985 to purchase the L z T Pine Meadows golf course and adjacent land for a price acceptable to the town. These negotiations were made more difficult by a sudden offer in April by Emerson College to buy the land at a much higher price. Many townspeople and the selectmen believed that the Pine Meadows site was unsuitable for use as a campus. The selectmen proposed to town meeting through a warrant article that they be authorized to acquire the land, utilizing the power of eminent domain if necessary. They were supported by a town meeting vote of 160 for to one against. The selectmen then entered into a purchase and sale agreement with the owners to purchase the land for $2,825,000, sub- ject to approval by the court. The selectmen also called a special town meeting for the late fall to obtain authorization for the financing of the proposed purchase. Owing to court delays and the continued unwillingness of the owners to agree to the board's offer, a decision was made in early November to file a notice of intent to take the land by eminent domain and the town counsel was instructed to pursue that course. Farmland Acquisitions. The board supported the acquisition of the Chiesa and West farm properties in the amount of $1.8 million recommending to the town meeting provided a referendum be held for the town to exclude the debt incurred from the limita- tions of Proposition 2 1/2. Although purchase was voted without the selectmen's proposed amendment on debt exclusion, the board continues to believe that override of Proposition 2 1/2 will soon face the town in borrowing authorizations for major capital costs. Minuteman Commuter Bikeway. The proposal to convert the unused right -of -way of the former Lexington Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad into a com- murer bikeway was reactivated. This step followed Tree City, USA awarded to Lexington following Lexington Clean and Green Spring Campaign. L /R: Harriet Hathaway, President of Field and Garden Clubs Jacquelyn Ward, Treasurer of Field, and Garden Clubs Robert Hutchinson, Town Managers Paul Mazerall, Tree Wardens John Eddison, Selectman; Ernest DeRosa, State Urban Forester. Overview 7