Town Of Lexington : Link To Lexington - March 3, 2023

Government and Politics

March 6, 2023

VOTE: Annual Town Election This Monday, March 6

The Annual Town Election for candidates running for local elected office is Monday, March 6.

Polls are open between 7 AM and 8 PM. Find your polling place.

There are a number of elected positions that voters will decide on. Visit our website to view sample ballots by precinct.

Vote by mail ballots must be returned by 8 PM on Monday, March 6 to the Town Clerk's Office in order to be counted. If you submitted a vote by mail ballot, you can track your ballot to ensure that it has been received and processed.

Cast Your Vote Now for Community Improvement Projects in Lexington’s First-Ever Participatory Budget Cycle

Lexington’s first-ever Participatory Budgeting (PB for short) cycle has reached the Voting Phase! The community will choose from a number of projects proposed by their neighbors that adds up to the $500,000 made available for this cycle. The $500,000 was made available thanks to the Select Board allocating a portion of the Town's American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Voting is open to residents of all ages. One vote per-person.

The deadline to vote is April 7, 2023.

Join over 1,100 of your neighbors who have already voted on their favorite projects.

Vote on your favorite projects!

For those who would like to vote, but don’t have a computer or internet access at home, there is free internet and computer access at Cary Library, 1874 Massachusetts Avenue.

More information is available on our Participatory Budgeting webpage. If you have any questions about the PB process, please contact Sean Dugan in the Town Manager’s Office at 781-698-4540, or via email.

What is Participatory Budgeting?

PB is a process where a certain amount of public money is set aside for the community to directly decide how it’s spent (this is different than the Town’s annual operating and capital budgets). In this case, it is $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds.

PB is a four-step process:

-Submit Ideas - Community submits ideas on how to spend the funds

-Proposal Development - Town staff vet ideas for cost and feasibility and develop them into proposals that can be voted on. The Select Board then narrows the list of projects down to a smaller number for the public to vote on.

-Vote on Proposals – The community votes on their favorite proposals

-Implementation - Winning projects are implemented

Lexington Receives High Bond Rating, Indicating Town's Strong Financial Management

The Town of Lexington recently issued municipal bonds in the amount of $33,940,000 and received the highest rating of ‘Aaa’ from Moody’s Investors Service.

Municipal bond ratings are used by investors to assess the Town’s creditworthiness to raise money for various municipal projects like schools, infrastructure, buildings, etc.

Lexington’s ‘Aaa’ rating indicates the Town’s strong ability to meet its financial obligations.

Benefits of having a high bond rating

The Town’s ‘Aaa’ bond rating comes as a result of having extremely well-managed finances and financial planning, and it comes with some benefits:

Lower borrowing costs

When a municipality has an ‘Aaa’ rating, it is considered a low-risk borrower, and investors are more willing to invest in their bonds. As a result, municipalities can raise money at a lower cost than those with lower ratings, which can save them millions of dollars over the life of the bonds.

Access to a wider pool of investors

An ‘Aaa’ rating signals to investors that the municipality is financially stable and less likely to default on its obligations. This can help attract a broader range of investors, including institutional investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies, who may be restricted to investing only in highly-rated bonds.

Enhances reputation

A high bond rating enhances the reputation of the municipality, which can increase the confidence of its citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders in the government's ability to manage public finances responsibly. This can lead to increased economic development and investment in the community.

View the credit opinion from Moody’s Investors Service.

Blood Drive Tomorrow, March 4 at Lexington Fire Headquarters

The Lexington Fire Department is partnering with the Washington Masons Lodge to host a blood drive at the Lexington Fire Headquarters.

Saturday, March 4 from 8 AM until 2:30 PM

Lexington Fire Headquarters

45 Bedford Street

You can schedule an appointment online

Eligibility questions can be answered via email, or by phone at 617-632-3206.

All successful donors will receive a $10 gas card.

Photo ID is required for all donors.

Tips: be well hydrated, drink extra water, and eat before donating.

Job Opportunity: Clean Heat Outreach Specialist

Lexington Climate Action Network (LexCAN), in partnership with the Town, is seeking a part-time Clean Heat Outreach Specialist (CHOS) to accelerate and assist in the transition to clean, healthy and affordable HVAC and appliances in Lexington homes. The CHOS will conduct outreach, drive energy efficiency program enrollment and participation, and develop communication tools to empower homeowners and residents to play a role in Lexington’s progress toward climate change mitigation and resilience goals.

Details:

-Remote work, with regular attendance at in-person events

-10-15 hours per week (flexible)

-1 year position (flexible)

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to [email protected] and [email protected].

View the Job Description

This new position is made possible by a Mass Save Community Education grant.

FY2022 Annual Town Report Now Available Online

In accordance with Massachusetts law, the Select Board has issued the Annual Report as required prior to the Annual Town Meeting. The report has financial data and highlights of the accomplishments of the many Town departments and boards/committees that are responsible for the governance of Lexington. The FY2022 Annual Town Report, covers fiscal year 2022, which was from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

View the FY2022 Annual Town Report

Hard copies of the FY2022 Annual Town Report will be available throughout the Town Office Building, the Community Center and Cary Memorial Library by approximately March 16, 2023.

Share Your Thoughts on Biking in Lexington

We're working towards becoming a more bike-friendly community, and we would like your feedback as we do that!

Whether you bike in town frequently or infrequently, please take this survey from the League of American Bicyclists.

Your input will be useful and much appreciated, and will also provide feedback that can inform the Town's Pedestrian and Bike Master Plan.

Register for the 9th Annual Parent/Caregiver Academy

Registration is now open for the 9th annual

Lexington Parent / Caregiver Academy. This is a free and in-person event.

WHO: All interested Lexington families,

adult caregivers and faculty

WHAT: 9th Annual Lexington Parent /Caregiver

Academy. Participants can choose up to 3 workshops to attend throughout the day.

WHEN: Saturday March 11 from 10:00am-2:15pm

WHERE: Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett

Rd, Lexington, MA

WHY: The Parent/Caregiver Academy is

designed to educate and empower parents and caregivers to manage the changing

demands of parenting in today’s world, this is a free event for all interested

parents and community members.

descriptions for the 2023 Lexington Parent/Caregiver Academy Registration

Get Involved in Patriots' Day this April!

Patriots' Day is fast approaching, with our annual festivities taking place this year between Sat., April 15 and Mon., April 17. The Town Celebrations Committee is looking for Parade Sponsors and Parade Ambassadors to help make the events even better!

Parade Ambassadors

Parade Ambassadors are volunteers that march in teams of two or three in front off a parade unit, carrying a banner naming the unit's sponsor. No experience necessary, but you must be at least 12 years old. High school students earn 4 hours of community service credit.

Learn more about being a Parade Ambassador.

Parade Sponsorship

Help underwrite the costs of bringing wonderful bands, marching units and floats to Lexington for our parade. Individuals, families, groups and businesses are welcome to be parade sponsors.

It's a great way to show your support for our community while getting recognition for your contribution.

To support the parade as a Sponsor, please complete our online form or use the fillable PDF form.

Sponsorship deadline is March 17, 2023.

Learn more about parade sponsorship.

COVID-19 Data; New Test Kits Available at Town Buildings; Old Test Kit Expiring Soon

The Lexington Office of Public Health will update weekly COVID-19 case numbers each Friday. The data represented on the dashboard DOES NOT include at-home test results. The data only represents results of PCR and antigen tests verified through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

View Lexington’s case numbers

View the State’s COVID-19 dashboard

Test Kits Available

Free at-home rapid COVID-19 test kits are available at Town buildings across Lexington. Town buildings received a new shipment of tests that expire in August 2023. Old test kits that were picked up prior to mid-January 2023 are set to expire on January 26, 2023. Be sure to check the date on your test kit before using.

You can pick up a test at the following locations:

-Town Office Building (Health Office) - 1625 Massachusetts Avenue

-Fire Department - 45 Bedford Street

-Police Department - 173 Bedford Street

-Community Center - 39 Marrett Road

-Visitors Center - 1875 Massachusetts Avenue

-Public Services Building - 201 Bedford Street

Test kits are available during regular business hours (Police Dept. open 24/7) while supplies last.

For questions, contact the Office of Public Health at 781-698-4533.

JOBS

-Heavy Equipment Operator

-Recreation Supervisor