HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-07-28-VISION2025-minTown of Lexington
Vision for Lexington Committee Meeting
July 28, 2023
Remote Meeting
7:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Members Present: Margaret Coppe, Mark Manasas, Samita Mandelia, Weidong Wang, Bob Peters,
Bhumip Khasnabish, Sara Cuthbertson for Kathleen Lenihan, Andrew Dixon, Marian Cohen, Jill Hai, Dan
Joyner
Guests: None
Staff Present: James Robinson
Absent: Carol Marine, John Giudice, Min Zhou, Shannon Murtagh
The meeting was called to order: 7:50 am
The Remote Meeting Script was read by Margaret Coppe
Minutes:
Minutes from 6/30/2023 were unanimously approved with minor revisions to attendance.
Meeting Highlights:
VFL Website Report on Emails
Daniel Joyner gave an update on emails received by the Vision for Lexington Committee, including that
the East Village Fair will be held in the coming weeks. Mark Manasas suggested to the committee to
consider a table for sharing information about VFL’s ongoing work.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
Margaret Coppe shared that the Lexington Chief Equity Officer, and representatives from the
Commission on Disability, will join the Subcommittee on Local Election Voter Participation for a future
meeting.
Dissolve ECil Subcommittee
Mark Manasas shared that the final ECiL (Enhancing Communications in Lexington) report is available on
the VFL webpage. The committee voted unanimously to dissolve the ECil Subcommittee.
Update on Subcommittee on Voter Participation in Lexington
Margaret Coppe shared that the subcommittee is looking into DEI work and Disability Inclusion to get a
better understanding of their relationship to access and functional needs relating to voting. They will
also look to collaborate with organizations to further the tasks of the subcommittee and enrich their
report and recommendations. Margaret Coppe continued that the subcommittee has discussed the
difference between citizen/civic engagement and cultural engagement.
Update on Subcommittee for Sharing Survey Information
Dan Joyner shared that the subcommittee is organizing materials and coordinating on the relevant
boards to conduct outreach. Discussion surrounding schools and housing have taken place, which is
informing the report that will be drafted for the major boards and committees in town to review. Dan
Joyner continued that it may be helpful to have a liaison to each body being covered by the
subcommittee.
Marian Cohen shared that there was a discussion on the data and information that is available online,
and how it relates to first-person accounts that may refute that data, such as student-teach ratio. Sara
Cuthbertson shared that anecdotal evidence can often be different from an average ratio.
Dan Joyner noted that the Planning Board and housing-related topics will be in the subcommittee’s next
steps.
Discussion of Future Studies
Bob Peters highlighted that planning should occur for the FY2027 5-year survey to better coordinate
with the ongoing work of other Town boards and departments, as the Planning Board positively utilized
the previous survey to inform their work.
Mark Manasas noted the VFL Charge and its focus on long-term planning.
Margaret Coppe welcomed ideas regarding the high school building project. Jill Hai shared that the high
school project has generated numerous questions about recreational resources, field use, and the
relocation of recreational facilities. The School Building Committee will be deciding on a number of
those points, such as what will be included in the new/renovated school building.
Margaret Coppe noted that some new schools in other towns have utilized their auditorium as a more
public space.
Dan Joyner asked about student engagement and student membership.
Margaret Coppe suggested reviewing previous studies. Marian Cohen shared that a previous diversity
study was conducted and suggested reviewing broader diversity data such as age, income, and other
social data points.
Mark Manasas suggested reporting on past recommendations to follow-up and track progress.
Weidong Wang shared that social diversity would be valuable to review, as would e-government/digital
government. Margaret Coppe highlighted the importance of defining “e-government”, and shared issues
on digital voting. Bhumip Khasnabish noted that there are equity barriers that may pose challenges
regarding e-government.
Margaret Coppe shared non-citizen voting in local elections and the topic of ranked-choice voting.
Public Comment
There was no public comment.
Next Meeting: August 25, 2023 @ 7:45am
Adjourn: 8:40 am