2019-Annual Report
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i o aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,,,;;,,,,„ ,,,,,,, U f a I I i l f o/ l i 0 111111III"" 1111111::::::::,111111III"" Council on Aging ............................. 102 TOWN REPORT COMMITTEE NG ERN ENT Board of Selectmen ............................. 3 Design Advisory Committee ............ 103 Chair: Economic Development Nancy C. Cowen Town Manager ..................................... 6 Advisory Committee ........................ 104 Town Clerk/Board of Registrars .......... 9 Editorial Staff: Fence Viewers ................................. 104 State Primary Election ....................... 10 Gloria Amirault Fund for Lexington .......................... 104 State Election .................................... 16 Janice Litwin Greenways Corridor Committee ...... 105 Special Town Meeting ....................... 20 Susan Myerow Hanscom Area Towns Varsha Ramanathan Annual Town Election ........................ 23 Committees (HATS) ......................... 105 Town Meeting Members .................... 26 Layout: Victoria Sax Historical Commission .................... 106 Annual Town Meeting Minutes .......... 29 Printer: Lexington Public Schools Historic Districts Commission ......... 107 Print Center Elected Town Officials ....................... 47 Housing Authority ............................ 107 Senators and Representatives .......... 48 600 copies printed Housing Partnership Board ............. 108 Moderator .......................................... 49 Also available at Human Rights Committee ............... 108 Town Meeting Members http://records.lexingtonma.gov/weblink Human Services Committee ........... 109 Association (TMMA) .......................... 49 Lexington Center Committee .......... 110 Each year, volunteers get the unique Cary Memorial Library ....................... 51 opportunity to learn about their Town Lexington Housing Assistance Finance .............................................. 53 Board (LexHAB) ............................... 110 through their work on this report. We Fire and Rescue ................................ 55 hope those who peruse this Report Noise Advisory Committee .............. 111 a/so discover something new and Human Services ................................ 56 Permanent Building Committee ...... 112 interesting about Lexington. Many Information Technology ..................... 59 Recreation Committee .................... 113 thanks to the hardworking team listed Land Use, Health, above, and the committee members Regional Planning Agencies ............ 113 and Development .............................. 60 and town staff who contributed to Scholarship and this report. This report, including Minuteman Regional Education Fund Committee ............ 114 narratives, covers the fiscal year High School ....................................... 68 Sustainable Lexington ..................... 115 July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Unless Police ................................................. 70 Tax Deferral and Exemption otherwise noted, financial data reports Public Facilities .................................. 72 the total dollars expended in the fiscal Study Committee ............................ 115 year (FY) that began July 1, 2018 and Public Works ..................................... 75 Tourism Committee ......................... 116 ended June 30, 2019. Recreation and Town Celebrations Committee ........ 116 Community Programs ....................... 84 Cover Photos: David S. Tabeling Town Report Committee ................. 117 Interior Photos: David S. Tabeling Retirement ......................................... 87 Transportation Advisory unless otherwise noted School Committee ............................. 88 Committee ....................................... 118 Superintendent of Schools ................ 90 Tree Committee ............................... 118 Cover: Lexington Children's Place is Town Counsel .................................... 94 a 30,000 square foot early childhood Trustees of Public Trusts ................. 119 center located at 20 Pelham Road Water & Sewer for the pre-kindergarten program in NCO E Abatement Board ............................ 131 the Lexington School District. The 20/20 Vision Committee .................... 96 building includes on-site solar panels, Youth Commission .......................... 132 air source heat pumps for heating Ad Hoc Crematory Study .................. 96 Zoning Board of Appeals ................. 132 and cooling, and an energy storage Antony Working Group ...................... 96 system. Construction of this building, Lexington's first net zero energy Appropriation Committee .................. 97 APPEND X- building, began in September 2018 Bicycle Advisory Committee ............. 98 F NC AL and was completed by the fall of 2019. Capital Expenditures Committee ...... 98 Comptroller Schedule Net zero energy buildings combine of Appropriations ............................. 133 energy efficiency and renewable Cary Lecture Series ........................... 99 Enterprise Funds ............................. 137 energy generation to consume only Commission on Disability ................ 100 as much energy as can be produced Debt Service Summary ................... 138 onsite through renewable resources. Communications Advisory Committee ........................ 100 Revenues/Expenditures and Fund Balance ........................... 139 Community Preservation Committee ....................................... 101 Council for the Arts ......................... 102 Index ................................................ 145 MESSAGE OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN Massachusetts law requires that the Board of Selectmen, prior to the annual Town Meeting, issue an Annual Report for use by the residents of the town. The 2019 annual Town Report presented here provides, among other things, financial data relating to the town for the fiscal year 2019 that covers the period July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. In addition, the report contains highlights of the accomplishments of the many departments, boards, committees, and commissions that are responsible for the governance of Lexington. This Annual Town Report is just one of several ways by which citizens may be informed of what is going on in the town. The Town's website at www.lexingtonma.gov provides links to many other resources, including the websites for the public schools and the Town Meeting Members Association. From our Town website you can also find all budget documents as they are generated, and the minutes of all committee meetings. These provide valuable insight into the departments and committees. Meetings of the three elected boards - Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and Planning Board - are covered by LexMedia, our public, educational, governmental (PEG) access provider, and broadcast by all three of the town's cable television providers. LexMedia covers other Town meetings and events as well. For more up to the minute information, residents can register for CodeRED - the Town's emergency notification system - for texts, emails, and automated phone calls about closings, detours, and emergencies. Residents can sign up for monthly town wide news email or for periodic emails and e-newsletters from specific departments, boards, and committees. Residents can also follow the Town's social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter. The Board of Selectmen acknowledges the leadership provided by Town Manager James Malloy, his outstanding staff, and the dedicated Town employees who manage the day-to-day operations of the Town and make Lexington a special place to live, work, and visit. Of special note, however, are the countless volunteer hours provided by the citizens who make up our many boards, committees, and commissions. The Board of Selectmen extends its continued thanks, appreciation, and admiration to the many residents whose work and civic engagement makes it possible for Lexington to be a well-managed town. Douglas M. Lucente, Chair Jill I. Hai, Vice Chair Joseph N. Pato Suzanne E. Barry Mark D. Sandeen TOWN OF LEXINGTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT QJ Settled 1642, incorporated as Town of Lexington 1713 Latitude 42.26N Longitude 71.13W Area of Town Acres 10,650.42 , .. .., Area of Town in Square Miles 16.64 Extreme Length in Miles 5.80 Extreme Width in Miles 4.85 Highest Elevation (feet above MSL) 374 Lowest Elevation (feet above MSL) 110 FY2018 FY2019 Population 32,615 31,626 Public School Enrollment 7,332 7,259 Town-owned Conservation Land, Acres 1,375 1,392 Total Revenue Sources $241,464,081 $249,841,600 Total Operating Expenses $241,845,361 $249,877,016 Property Tax Bill for Home of Average Value $14,169 $14,834 Typical Annual Residential Water/Sewer Bill (120 HCF per year) $1,541 $1,638 Solid Waste Trash (tons) 8,322 8,368 Recycled Materials (tons) 4,040 3,857 Home of Average Value (single-family home) $990,000 $1,051,000 Home of Median Value (single-family home) $887,000 $939,000 Single-family homes sold 348 355 Single-family homes demolished 70 81 Permits issued for new single-family homes 69 98 Town of Lexington Moody's Credit Rating Aaa Aaa Town of Lexington 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420 • 781-862-0500 • www.lexingtonma.gov 0 TOWN OF LEXINGTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT Ill(:i, 0 V IEH Ill111\11 IE Ill r BOARD OF SELECTMEN Five members elected by the voters at large to overlapping Fiscal Strength 3-year terms: Douglas Lucente (Chair), Jill Hai (Vice-Chair), In January, Moody's Investors Service assigned a rating of Joseph Pato, Suzanne Barry, and Mark Sandeen. 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