HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-07-24-VISION2025-min
Town of Lexington
Vision for Lexington Committee Meeting
July 24, 2026
Remote Meeting
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Members Present: Sara del Nido Budish, Marian Cohen, Margaret Coppe, Bob Creech
(Planning Board), Andrew Dixon, John Giudice, Bhumip Khasnabish, Tom Lin, Carol Marine,
Shannon Murtagh, Mona Roy (School Committee), Catherine Yan,
Absent: Vineeta Kumar (Select Board), PK Shiu, Min Zhou
Staff: Tim Goncalves (IT Director)
Meeting was called to order: 8:03 am.
The remote meeting script was read by Margaret Coppe.
Roll Call Vote: Budish, Aye; Cohen, Aye; Coppe, Aye; Creech, Aye; Giudice, Aye: Khasnabish,
Aye; Lin, Aye; Marine, Aye; Murtagh, Aye; Roy, Aye; Yan, Aye.
Minutes:
The approval of minutes from July 10, 2026, was moved by John Giudice and seconded
by Marian Cohen.
Roll Call Vote: Budish, Aye; Cohen, Aye; Coppe, Aye; Creech, Aye; Giudice, abstain;
Khasnabish, Aye; Lin, Aye; Marine, abstain; Murtagh, Aye; Roy, Aye; Yan, Abstain.
The vote was unanimous with three abstaining.
Marian Cohen left meeting at 8:11 AM
Andrew Dixon joined at 8:15 AM
Meeting Highlights:
VFL Website and Report on Emails
N/A.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity
N/A
Town Wide Survey
Process for selecting vendor
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Subcommittee on Town Wide Survey 2027 recommended using the exempt process for selecting
the vendor for the 2027 survey.
Discussion followed:
Did vendors understand the scope of the job? Response was Yes.
How does the subcommittee feel about the proposals from UMass Lowell Center for Program
Evaluation, UMass Amherst Institute for Social Science Research, and Marian Cohen?
Subcommittee has written proposals from UMass Lowell and UMass Amherst, and a verbal
proposal from Marian Cohen.
Did the vendors have experience with youth, diverse populations, and focus groups? Yes.
Did you speak with Marian Cohen? No, she did not submit a proposal.
Did you take into account differences between the other two vendors? Yes
Can we get more information about Photovoice?
Who will own the information gathered? If graduate students work on the study, will they be
able to use it?
How will AI affect the study?
Tom Lin moved that the Vision for Lexington Committee approve the Subcommittee
recommendation using the exempt process for selecting the vendor for the 2027 Survey.
Catherine Yan seconded
Vote: Roll Call Vote: Budish, Aye; Coppe, Aye; Creech, Aye; Dixon, Aye; Giudice, Aye:
Khasnabish, No; Lin, Aye; Murtagh, Aye; Roy, Aye; Yan, Aye.
The motion passed 9 Ayes to 1 No.
The committee moved to the next item on the agenda, selecting the vendor for the 2027 survey.
The subcommittee recommended going with UMass Lowell Center for Program Evaluation
Discussion followed.
Why UMass Lowell over the other groups?
Concern about Marian having been present at the July 10, 2026 meeting where there was
discussion about process.
Concern was voiced about overhead costs to the university groups over going with Marian’s firm
which would save taxpayer money.
UMass Lowell group looked at the past surveys and provided a detailed time and cost line.
Need an answer to ownership of data and who has access to it in the future.
Need to look at the last contract.
John Giudice moved selecting UMass Lowell Center for Program Evaluation to conduct the
2027 Survey with clarification about data retention and use of AI.
Catherine Yan seconded.
Roll Call Vote: Budish, Aye; Coppe, Aye; Creech, Aye; Dixon, Aye; Giudice, Aye: Khasnabish,
Aye; Lin, Aye; Murtagh, Aye; Roy, Aye; Yan, Aye.
The motion passed unanimously.
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Meeting in person
Not discussed.
Public comment
No public comment.
Motion to Adjourn: Moma Roy moved adjournment.
Roll Call Vote: Budish, Aye; Coppe, Aye; Creech, Aye; Dixon, Aye; Giudice, Aye: Khasnabish,
Aye; Lin, Aye; Marine, Aye; Murtagh, Aye; Roy, Aye; Yan, Aye.
Meeting ended: 9:20 AM
Next meeting: August 28, 2026 at 8:00 AM. Zoom.
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Minutes submitted by Margaret Coppe, Chair
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