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Home My WebLink About2026-04-27 SB Packet - ReleasedAGENDA SELECT BOARD MEETING Monday, April 27, 2026 Select Board Meeting Room, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420 - Hybrid Participation* 6:00 PM 1.Discussion: Potential Lease to Wireless Companies 6:00pm 2.2026 Annual Town Meeting Select Board Article Discussion and Positions 6:15pm 1.Anticipated Adjournment 7:00pm 1.Meeting Information Meeting Packet: https://lexingtonma.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php? view_id=5 *Members of the public can attend the meeting from their computer or tablet by clicking on the following link at the time of the meeting: https://lexingtonma.zoom.us/j/86343561893? pwd=oXKQDdIdatm6cK4k5pbTMMCVODdQYa.1 join.zoom.us Meeting ID: 863 4356 1893 Passcode: 436053 An Act Relative to Extending Certain State of Emergency Accommodations: https://www.mass.gov/the-open-meeting-law The next scheduled meeting of the Select Board will be held on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 6:00pm via hybrid participation. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION ADJOURN MEETING INFORMATION 1 04/27/2026 6:00pm PRESENTER: Steve Kaufman, Communications Advisory Committee; and Verizon Representative ITEM NUMBER: 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY LEXINGTON SELECT BOARD MEETING AGENDA SECTION TITLE: ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION AGENDA ITEM TITLE: Discussion: Potential Lease to Wireless Companies SUMMARY: Category: Discussion Verizon Wireless has expressed interest in leasing sites on Town-owned land for the purpose of constructing new wireless communication towers to address cell service gaps in town which have been identified. A preliminary evaluation of potential locations was done by Verizon, focusing on parcels with adequate space, appropriate setbacks from wetlands, and no conservation restrictions. Based on this review, two Town-owned properties were identified as suitable candidates: William Diamond Middle School and Pine Meadows Golf Club. Both sites appear to meet the necessary criteria for tower development, including sufficient land area and compliance with environmental considerations. The Select Board is asked to provide feedback on Verizon’s request regarding each of these locations for the construction, operation, and maintenance of wireless communication facilities. DATE AND APPROXIMATE TIME ON AGENDA: ATTACHMENTS: Overview.pdf Verizon Lexington Coverage Analysis Proposed Cell Tower Sites.pdf 2 Communications Advisory Committee Wireless Group Update for SB April 27, 2026 Lexington Communications Advisory Committee 3 Communications Advisory Committee Wireless Group Update for Town Agenda •Environment •Goals •Carrier Feedback •Meeting Objectives •Verizon Discussion Lexington Communications Advisory Committee 2 4 Environment •Cell service gaps in town identified due to poor signal quality in certain locations on major streets, e.g. Lowell St, Rt 2A, Mass Ave •Public safety officers reported having to drive up to ½ mile from certain locations to get signal •Town staff dependent on good cell signal for staff safety, communication and work efficiency. Poor cell signal impacts nearly every department •A few systems impacted include: •Public Safety vehicle computers •Cellular based systems (water meters, building management systems, alarm systems) •Staff field technology/laptops •Staff mobile communication (field work, program communication) •Staff backup communication (backup to radio communication, backup to wired bandwidth) Lexington Communications Advisory Committee 3 5 CAC Wireless Goals •Set up meeting with carriers to get feedback on cell service quality and understand action plans •Support additional network buildout to improve communications access and data speeds •Obtain town support for follow-up actions by carriers Lexington Communications Advisory Committee 4 6 Carrier Feedback •Met with T-mobile, AT&T and Verizon in mid 2025 •T-mobile making investments to upgrade coverage •Acknowledge service gaps but making upgrades •Open to possibility of new antenna sites •AT&T recognized service gaps but no plans to fix •Focused on more rural/remote areas right now •Verizon recognized gaps and suggested new sites •Colony Road – Fiske => NOW Diamond •Pine Meadows Golf Course – 232 Cedar St •Requested RFP for cell site construction and will bid Verizon’s Coverage Map of Town Lexington Communications Advisory Committee 5 T-Mobile Coverage Map of Town AT&T Coverage Map of Town Focus Today - Verizon Cell Site Request and RFP 7 Meeting Objectives •Discuss Verizon proposal for site additions •Obtain direction from SB on site approval process •Determine steps to get RFP issued for new cell locations Lexington Communications Advisory Committee 6 8 VERIZON WIRELESS N E T W O R K C O V E R A G E A N A L Y S I S Lexington, MA LEXINGTON_14_MA and LEXINGTON_17_MA Coverage Impact Assessment 700 MHz (Band 13) RSRP | 2100 MHz (AWS-1) RSRP | C-Band (n77) SS-RSRP April 27 2026 | Prepared by: Parth Patel 9 VERIZON WIRELESS 700 MHz (Band 13) RSRP —Coverage Comparison EXISTING NETWORK Without LEXINGTON_14_MA and LEXINGTON_17_MA PROPOSED NETWORK With LEXINGTON_14_MA and LEXINGTON_17_MA RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 Band: LTE Low-Band | Metric: RSRP (dBm) | RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 | NAD83 UTM Zone 19N Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential 10 700 MHz (Band 13) RSRP —Coverage Change (Delta) Delta Legend Difference (dB) <-5 -5 <=Difference (dB) <-4 -4 <=Difference (dB) <-3 -3 <=Difference (dB) <-2 -2 <=Difference (dB) <-1 -1 <=Difference (dB) <-0.01 -0.01 <=Difference (dB) <0.01 0.01 <=Difference (dB) <1 1 <=Difference (dB) <2 2 <=Difference (dB) <3 3 <=Difference (dB) <4 4 <=Difference (dB) <5 Difference (dB) >=5 Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS 11 2100 MHz (AWS-1) RSRP —Coverage Comparison EXISTING NETWORK Without LEXINGTON_14_MA and LEXINGTON_17_MA PROPOSED NETWORK With LEXINGTON_14_MA and LEXINGTON_17_MA RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 Band: LTE Mid-Band | Metric: RSRP (dBm) | RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 | NAD83 UTM Zone 19N Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS 12 2100 MHz (AWS-1) RSRP —Coverage Change (Delta) Delta Legend Difference (dB) <-5 -5 <=Difference (dB) <-4 -4 <=Difference (dB) <-3 -3 <=Difference (dB) <-2 -2 <=Difference (dB) <-1 -1 <=Difference (dB) <-0.01 -0.01 <=Difference (dB) <0.01 0.01 <=Difference (dB) <1 1 <=Difference (dB) <2 2 <=Difference (dB) <3 3 <=Difference (dB) <4 4 <=Difference (dB) <5 Difference (dB) >=5 Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS 13 C-Band (n77) SS-RSRP —Coverage Comparison EXISTING NETWORK Without LEXINGTON_14_MA and LEXINGTON_17_MA PROPOSED NETWORK With LEXINGTON_14_MA and LEXINGTON_17_MA SS-RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 SS-RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 Band: 5G Mid-Band | Metric: SS-RSRP (dBm) | SS-RSRP Level (DL) (dBm) >=-100 | NAD83 UTM Zone 19N Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS 14 C-Band (n77) RSRP —Coverage Change (Delta) Delta Legend Difference (dB) <-5 -5 <=Difference (dB) <-4 -4 <=Difference (dB) <-3 -3 <=Difference (dB) <-2 -2 <=Difference (dB) <-1 -1 <=Difference (dB) <-0.01 -0.01 <=Difference (dB) <0.01 0.01 <=Difference (dB) <1 1 <=Difference (dB) <2 2 <=Difference (dB) <3 3 <=Difference (dB) <4 4 <=Difference (dB) <5 Difference (dB) >=5 Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS 15 FINDINGS & SUMMARY —LEXINGTON_14_MA AND LEXINGTON_17_MA 700 MHz (Band 13)LTE Low-Band Threshold: >= -100 dBm LEXINGTON_17_MA will help reduce the load on nearby towers and improve coverage in the area. LEXINGTON_14_MA will extend coverage to the south and fill in any weak signal spots. The 700 MHz comparison slide is usually the most convincing to show, as it clearly displays the coverage gap being fixed. The delta slide shows how much the signal improves across roads, neighborhoods, and public buildings. 2100 MHz (AWS-1)LTE Mid-Band Threshold: >= -100 dBm There will be a noticeable improvement in 2100MHz coverage around Lowell Road and the nearby school area, with the signal also reaching further toward I-95 and the surrounding neighborhoods. The site will not only fix weak signal areas but also reduce network congestion and improve connection quality. This is especially beneficial for residents who work from home, students, and emergency services that rely on data-heavy applications. C-band (n77)5G Mid-Band Threshold: >= -100 dBm These two proposed sites will bring a clear improvement in coverage and deliver a much better experience for users, including faster download speeds on their devices. The sites will also strengthen 5G service across Lexington, supporting the town's goals in economic growth, smart city initiatives, and emergency preparedness. C-Band 5G makes it possible to run advanced applications such as connected vehicles, telemedicine, and strong reliable connectivity at large, busy events. OVERALL SUMMARY The proposed Two sites in Lexington, MA delivers verified coverage improvements across all three analyzed frequency bands —700 MHz, 2100 MHz, and C-Band 5G. 700 MHz low-band LTE provides the widest footprint improvement, addressing gaps along major roads, residential neighborhoods, and community facilities. 2100 MHz mid-band LTE enhances data throughput and reliability in areas transitioning from marginal to solid coverage. C-Band 5G (n77) extends next-generation 5G NR service into Lexington, providing high-speed connectivity for residents, businesses, and first responders. Proposed sites will achieve simultaneous multi-band improvements, minimizing infrastructure impact while maximizing public benefit. Verizon recommends approval of this application to close identified coverage gaps and ensure the community has access to reliable, high-quality wireless service Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS 16 Existing Sites KPI in Lexington, MA 700 MHz (Band 13) 2100 MHz (AWS-1) OVERALL SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS Adjacent Macro Utilization Average Throughput Key Takeaway •The areas around the proposed sites are experiencing notably high network demand. Three sectors currently covering I-95 and the nearby commercial and residential zones have been flagged by Verizon for traffic offloading. •There is also a capacity constraint on the 700 MHz band in the vicinity of the proposed locations. The new macro sites are intended to improve mid-band and C- Band coverage for local residents, resulting in faster speeds and greater capacity. •Broadly, all sites are seeing elevated 700 MHz traffic, which is a direct consequence of insufficient mid-band and C-Band coverage in those areas. 17 Proposed Sector –Frequency Band Analysis 700 MHz (Band 13) 2100 MHz (AWS-1) OVERALL SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS 18 Verizon Existing Network 700 MHz (Band 13) 2100 MHz (AWS-1) OVERALL SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS Key Takeaway •Verizon is continuously dedicated to improving network coverage across Lexington and surrounding communities ensuring reliable connectivity for every resident. •Connecting residents to public safety and emergency services is Verizon's top priority because when every second counts, your network must never fail. •Verizon is committed to providing strong, reliable coverage around schools, ensuring students, parents, and staff stay connected when it matters most. •Our network improvements are ongoing —through strategic site upgrades and small cell deployments, we proactively close coverage gaps across the communities we serve. 19 Proposed Solutions in Lexington, MA Proposed Site Names Verizon Wireless | Coverage Analysis | Lexington, MA | April 27 2026 | Confidential VERIZON WIRELESS Site Name Structure type LEXINGTON_14_MA Monopole LEXINGTON_17_MA Monopole LEXINGTON_18_MA Monopole Previous Modification Projects Site Name Structure type LEXINGTON_15_MA Monopole HANSCOMM_FIELD_MA Rooftop LEXINGTON_8_MA Flag pole 20 21 22 04/27/2026 6:15pm PRESENTER: Board Discussion ITEM NUMBER: 2 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY LEXINGTON SELECT BOARD MEETING AGENDA SECTION TITLE: ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION AGENDA ITEM TITLE: 2026 Annual Town Meeting Select Board Article Discussion and Positions SUMMARY: Category: Informing The Board may take up discussion on the 2026 Annual Town Meeting Articles and/or Select Board article positions. Town Website - 2026 Annual Town Meeting FY2027 Brown Book DATE AND APPROXIMATE TIME ON AGENDA: ATTACHMENTS: Working Document - 2026 ATM Positions Chart Article 4 McKenna Amendment Article_4_Amendment_-_Proposed_Compromise_Agreement-1_School_Committee_.pdf 23 Select Board Positions Working Document #Article Name PLACEHOLDER FOR AN UPDATE AT SELECT BOARD MTG SELECT BOARD PRSNTR Proposed CNSNT (C) Possible IP (IP)JH JP DL MS VK 1 Notice of Election Y Y Y Y Y 2 Election of Deputy Moderator and Reports of Town Boards, Officers and Committees Y Y Y Y Y 3 Appointments To Cary Lecture Series.- C C Y Y Y Y Y 4 Appropriate FY2027 Operating Budget JIH Y Y Y Y Y - Diaz Amendment - Lamb Amendment - McKenna Amendment 5 Appropriate FY2027 Enterprise Funds Budgets - C JP C Y Y Y Y Y 6 Amend Fy2026 Operating, Enterprise And CPA Budgets DL Y Y Y Y Y 7 Sustainable Projects 2/23/2026 MS Y Y Y Y Y 8 Appropriate For Vision For Lexington Survey VK Y Y Y W Y 9 Establish and Continue Departmental Revolving Funds JP Y Y Y Y Y Appropriate The FY2027 Community Preservation Committee Operating Budget And CPA Projects Y Y Y Y Y a. Document Conservation – $20,000 - C C Y Y Y Y Y b. Munroe Center for the Arts Cash Refinancing – $2,000,000 Y Y Y Y Y c. Affordable Housing Trust Funding – $3,200,000 Y Y Y Y Y d. LexHAB Affordable Housing Support, Restoration, and Preservation – $395,355 Y Y Y Y Y e. Park Improvements – Athletic Fields - Harrington: Phase 2 – $2,630,000 Y Y Y Y Y f. Playground Infrastructure Upgrades – $100,000 Y Y Y Y Y g. Administrative Budget – $150,000 - C C Y Y Y Y Y 11 Appropriate For Recreation Capital Projects - C DL C Y Y Y Y Y Appropriate For Municipal Capital Projects And Equipment Y Y Y Y Y a) Transportation Mitigation - C;C Y Y Y Y Y b) Bicycle-Pedestrian Plan Implementation: Minuteman Bikeway to LHS;Y Y Y Y Y c) Townwide Bicycle-Pedestrian Plan Implementation;Y Y Y Y Y JIH MS Financial Articles 10 12 2/2/2026 As of 3/15/2026 Select Board meeting 24 Select Board Positions Working Document #Article Name PLACEHOLDER FOR AN UPDATE AT SELECT BOARD MTG SELECT BOARD PRSNTR Proposed CNSNT (C) Possible IP (IP)JH JP DL MS VK d) Fire Ladder Truck;Y Y Y Y Y e) Equipment Replacemen - C;C Y Y Y Y Y f) Sidewalk Improvements - C;C Y Y Y Y Y g) Hydrant Replacement - C;C Y Y Y Y Y h) Street Improvements - C;C Y Y Y Y Y i) Stormwater Management Program - C;C Y Y Y Y Y j) DPW Building Floor Repairs;Y Y Y Y Y k) Burlington & North Streets Sidewalk;Y Y Y Y Y l) Adams Street Intersection Improvements at East & Hancock Streets C,IP;C IP Y Y Y Y Y m) Hartwell Training Facility Paving;Y Y Y Y Y n) Municipal Technology Improvement Program - C;C Y Y Y Y Y o) Application Implementation; and Y Y Y Y Y p) Network Technology Improvements - C.C Y Y Y Y Y 13 Appropriate For Water System Improvements - C.MS C Y Y Y Y Y 14 Appropriate For Wastewater System Improvements - C MS C Y Y Y Y Y 15 Appropriate For School Capital Projects And Equipment - C JP C Y Y Y Y Y Appropriate For Public Facilities Capital Projects Y Y Y Y Y a) Public Facilities Bid Documents - C;C Y Y Y Y Y b) Public Facilities Interior Finishes - C;C Y Y Y Y Y c) School Paving and Sidewalks - C;C Y Y Y Y Y d) Public Facilities Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Replacements; and Y Y Y Y Y e) LHS Equipment Emergency Needs.Y Y Y Y Y 17 Appropriate To Post Employment Insurance Liability Fund - C VK C Y Y Y Y Y 18 Rescind Prior Borrowing Authorizations - C JP C Y Y Y Y Y 19 Establish, Amend, Dissolve And Appropriate To And From Specified Stabilization Funds DL Y Y Y Y Y 20 Appropriate For Prior Years’ Unpaid Bills - C VK C Y Y Y Y Y 12 (cont.)JIH 16 JP As of 3/15/2026 Select Board meeting 25 Select Board Positions Working Document #Article Name PLACEHOLDER FOR AN UPDATE AT SELECT BOARD MTG SELECT BOARD PRSNTR Proposed CNSNT (C) Possible IP (IP)JH JP DL MS VK 21 Appropriate For Authorized Capital Improvements -C,IP.DL C IP Y Y Y Y Y 22 Street Acceptance - C VK C Y Y Y Y Y 23 Appropriate For Trash/Recycling Bins MS Y Y Y Y Y 24 Elderly And Disabled Taxation Aid Fund & Committee (Gl C. 60, § 3d)DL Y Y Y Y Y 25 Surcharge On Specific Residential Development (Citizen Petition 2/9/2026 JP N Y N Y N 26 Oversee Financial Expenditures Lexington High School Project (Citizen Petition) 2/2/2026 VK N N N N N 27 Procurement For Online Capital Project Platform (Citizen Petition)2/23/2026 DL N N N N N Parker Amendment Y Y Y Y Y Kaufman Amendment to Parker Amendment N N N N W 28 Speed Humps - Walnut Street (Citizen Petition)1/26/2026 VK N Y W Y Y 29 Select Board To Accept Easements - C JP C Y Y Y Y Y 30 Amendment To Annual Meeting Date (Election) Provisions In Town Bylaw JIH VK Y Y W Y Y 31 Amendment-Chapter 90, § 9 "Regulation Of Refuse Disposal"2/23/2026 VK Y Y Y Y Y 32 Amend Council On Aging Charge - C JIH C Y Y Y Y Y 33 Universal Design Resolution JIH JP Y Y Y Y Y 34 Skip The Stuff (Citizen Petition)MS Y Y Y Y Y - Avallone Amendment - Michelson Amendment 35 Amend Zoning Bylaw - Technical Corrections - C JIH C Y Y Y Y Y Zoning Articles General Articles As of 3/15/2026 Select Board meeting 26 under Article 4 that under Program 1000: Education Personal Services be changed to 132,774,406 and the Total Line Item 1100, Lexington Public Schools be increased to $153,679,248; and to meet that the appropriation that an additional $1,250,000 be taken from the Unreserved Fund Balance/Free Cash for line item 1100 for a total of $1,950,000. Examples of text for amendments may include statements such as: By striking the words... And by substituting the words... By adding the Following... By striking in its entirety Section ( ) Paragraph ( ) ... And by substituting in its place the following Section ( ) Paragraph ( ) ... LEXINGTON TOWN MEETING AMENDMENT FORM ARTICLE NUMBER: 4 DATE: Dawn McKenna 03/30/2026 move to Amend the Motion Action Taken: Pass Fail Unanimous Majority Other 27 Memorandum To: Budget Summit Boards and Committees From: Eileen Jay, Chair & Larry Freeman, Vice-Chair, School Committee Date: April 27, 2026 Subject: Article 4 Amendment - Proposed Compromise Agreement Purpose This memorandum documents a proposed compromise agreement presented in an effort to support continued dialogue and move toward consensus among the Budget Summit Boards and Committees. In order to meet the identified LPS student needs and adhere to prudent Town financing, this compromise proposal reduces the original $1.25 million Article 4 amendment request to a $625,000 one‑time, one-year budget increase for Lexington Public Schools (LPS) in FY2027. In addition, the memorandum outlines the establishment of a joint Financial Outlook and Policy Analysis Advisory Group, intended to promote a shared, data‑informed understanding of current data trends and fiscal impacts, longer‑term financial forecasts, and policy considerations to guide future discussions and decision‑making. Part 1: Article 4 Amendment – FY2027 LPS Budget Proposed Action: ● Approve a $625,000 one‑time increase to the LPS budget for FY2027. Allocation of Funds ● $250,000 to fund a supplemental amount enabling the purchase of a five‑year plan (in lieu of a one‑year plan) for the state‑mandated Literacy Curriculum. ● $375,000 to retain five specialized instructional positions, literacy coaches and math coaches, for one year, to support teachers and students during the initial implementation of a new curriculum. 28 Conditions ● All reinstated specialized instructional positions shall be approved for a one‑year term only. ● Lexington Public Schools will determine which specific specialized instructional positions are reinstated. Part 2: Financial Outlook and Policy Analysis Advisory Group Establishment The Summit boards and committees agree to establish a Financial Outlook and Policy Analysis Advisory Group. Charge The group is advisory in nature and is established to: ● Conduct a structured, data‑informed, and forward‑looking review of LPS and Municipal financial policies. ● Initiate and conduct financial studies and data analyses on issues and topics that can lead to improved understanding of data trends, contributing factors, and outcomes. ● Review factors contributing to financial and budgetary constraints, trade‑offs, and challenges across both the municipal and school systems. ● Analyze current and long‑term fiscal forecasts and policy implications to support informed future planning and decision‑making by LPS and Municipal leadership. ● Advise on best practices related to communications and updates to the community regarding financial conditions, budget priorities, and long‑term fiscal sustainability. The group shall not function as an audit, investigative, or compliance body. Its purpose is to understand fiscal trends, influences, and conditions that inform policy decisions. 29 The group shall be considerate of and respectful of staff resources, workloads, and availability when requesting information for analysis. All information requests shall be: ● Conducted equitably across LPS and Municipal organizations, and ● Coordinated through designated LPS and Municipal leadership. Membership The Advisory Group shall consist of eight (8) voting members: ● Two (2) members of the School Committee ● Two (2) members of the Select Board ● Two (2) members of the Appropriation Committee ● Two (2) members of the Capital Expenditures Committee Non-voting liaisons may include: ● School and municipal staff, as appropriate. Scope of Work ● Conduct high‑level analysis of existing LPS and municipal budgets and financial conditions. ● Identify, confirm, and forecast current and future budgetary challenges. ● Undertake a comprehensive assessment of the necessity and timing of a potential override. ● Review and re‑evaluate current fiscal policies to better understand their intent, application, and potential impacts on long‑term financial planning and policy discussions. 30 Expected Outcomes ● Timely and comprehensive dissemination of findings, analyses, and evaluations to LPS and Municipal leadership. ● Equitable and simultaneous distribution of advisory proposals and recommendations to LPS and Municipal leadership. 31