HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-30-TGC-min Transportation Governance Ad Hoc Study Committee
Meeting Notes
Wednesday November 30, 2011 3:30 pm
Room G-15
Present: Richard Canale, Michelle Ciccolo,Norman Cohen, Peggy Enders, Jeanne
Krieger, Bill Levison, Maryann McCall-Taylor, Hank Manz, Jerry Van Hook, Linda Vine
The minutes of November 16th were accepted as corrected.
Jeanne Krieger distributed an article from the Boston Sunday Globe on the work of
Newton's Transportation Advisory Committee.
Members discussed the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Its goals and
objective lay out the values and goals the Town is interested in pursuing. These can
provide a structure for reviewing the 17 transportation related committees (see attached
list). There are nine Lexington committees and that's what the group will concentrate on,
finding ways to make them work and communicate better. There should be an
overarching agreement as to what the goals are.
Richard Canale pointed out that there are implementing actions laid out in the
Comprehensive Plan, broken down as near-, intermediate- and long-term actions. Some
in each category remain to be done. How will these tasks get done since most require
multiple actors? Members agreed that any work need to be consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan.
Michelle Ciccolo had suggested an annual transportation summit at the last meeting and
it was discussed further. The various committee chairs might meet to give an update on
what each committee is doing and how it is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. In
the end, it was thought that three or four summits a year to allow the committees to
communicate their plans and current projects could replace the Transportation Mitigation
Group which was formed to negotiate with developers seeking rezoning, but that role has
been taken over by the Selectmen.
Questions to be considered are:
■ Who is really responsible for what and when is it done?
■ Who establishes which projects are undertaken and their sequencing?
■ What is the decision making process?
■ TIP coordination- Who is in charge? How are priorities set and who sets them?
A discussion of liaison and staff roles followed. Liaisons don't necessarily go to the
meetings but that isn't always the expectation of the committees. The Selectmen see the
liaison as a person to contact if a committee has issues or questions. There are too many
committees to expect a liaison to be in constant attendance, or to provide staff to all of
them. Linda Vine suggested adding a definition of liaison and their expected role in the
Board and Committee Handbook. They are to make sure communication is open and to
lend expertise but it is a two-way street. The role of the committees in promoting their
particular interests is appropriate when it fits into the Town's goals.
Why does the Town have committees? Is it to meet and talk, or to empower them? It is a
waste of their time if they are off doing their own thing; they need to be sure their actions
are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
Homework for the next meeting is:
• Think about clarifying the role of the liaison and staff. Who is the staff? Who do
committees connect/communicate back to? What is expected from staff? If there is
no liaison, who is the point of contact, or who should be the contact?
• How should the summit be structured?
• Think about an overview of the decision making process.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:40.
Future Meetings: Wednesdays at 3:30 pm December 14, December 28, January 11 and
January 25.
Maryann McCall-Taylor
Transportation Committees
1. Those with charters that explicitly mention Transportation: Lexington only
a. Bicycle Advisory Committee
b. Greenway Corridor Committee (off-road)
c. Estabrook School Access Ad Hoc Task Force
d. Lexington Center Committee
e. Sidewalk Committee
f. Traffic Mitigation Group
g. Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC)
h. Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)
i. Ad Hoc Committee on School Transportation (is there a charge yet for this)?
2. Those with charters that explicitly mention Transportation: Regional
a. 128 Central Corridor Coalition
b. Hanscom Area Town Selectmen Committee (HATS)
c. Hanscom Field Advisory Committee (HFAC)
d. Scenic Byway Working Group
e. Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC)
3. Those with charges that don't mention transportation but have not been deterred from
dealing with transportation issues anyway
a. Disability Commission
b. Tourism Committee
4. Those that don't deal with Transportation, but should
a. Economic Development Advisory Committee—Should have development and
monitoring of Transportation Management Association (TMA) as part of its
charge