How would YOU invest $500,000 of Public Money? Info Session on August 2

The Town’s first-ever Participatory Budgeting (PB for short) cycle has kicked off, and we need YOUR ideas for how to invest $500,000!

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).

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

-Vote on Proposals - Residents vote on their favorite proposals

-Implementation - Winning projects are implemented

Learn more about Participatory Budgeting, and how to submit your idea!

Translation

Translation services are available upon request in Mandarin, Korean, and Hindi. Email Sean Dugan for assistance.

PB Info Session - August 2

Town staff will host an upcoming info session for those interested in learning more about Participatory Budgeting. Staff will give a brief presentation, and will then open it up to questions from the audience.

Tuesday, August 2

6 PM until 7 PM

Via Zoom

View the details for the PB Info Session

Learn About YOUR Local Government at the 2022 Citizens Academy

Ever wonder what your tax dollars are used for? Curious about what it takes to deliver the services needed to keep our community moving? Join us for the 2022 Citizens Academy!

-Begins Thursday, September 8, 2022

-Approximately 10 sessions (some in-person, some remote)

-Thursday nights from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

-Presentations by department heads and managers

About Citizens Academy

You will learn how local government in Lexington operates through a series of presentations and Q/A sessions from the Town's professional staff.

You'll also discover new opportunities for civic engagement. A number of previous participants have gone on to serve on Town boards and committees.

Have you ever wondered…?

-What the Police do with evidence?

-What gets carried on a fire truck?

-How we decide what roads to pave?

-How the Town sets the Fiscal Year budget?

-When you need a building permit?

You'll learn all of this, and more!

Register for Citizens Academy

There are 30 spaces available this year on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information and to register, visit our website: LexingtonMA.gov/CitizensAcademy, or contact James Robinson in the Town Manager’s Office via email or call 781-698-4543.

Police Department is Moving During the Week of August 1

At the 2022-1 Special Town Meeting March 28, an article was passed providing for design and construction of a new Police Station at 1575 Massachusetts Avenue, the location of the current Police Station. 

As the first step in this project, the Police Department will move to 173 Bedford Street, near the Hadley Public Services Building. This building was last used as temporary Fire Headquarters during the rebuilding of the new Fire Headquarters.

This move will take place in stages during the week of August 1. 

All services will continue to be provided, and emergency dispatch and response will not be impacted. Non-emergency and business lines may temporarily be down for a period of one to two days during the move. Please prepare for a potential delay in response to non-emergency requests.

In an emergency, call 911

For non-emergency police business, call 781-862-1212, or fill out the online police contact form.

For the Traffic Bureau, call 781-862-1235.

Old Reservoir Closed Through At  Least July 31 Due to Drought Conditions

The Old Reservoir at 484 Marrett Road will be closed to patrons through at least Sunday, July 31 due to the current drought and the conditions at the Reservoir.

Staff will re-evaluate conditions on Monday, August 1. The Town's Aquatics webpage will have the most up-to-date information on closures.

Planning Board to Review Draft Comprehensive Plan; Community is Encouraged to Comment 

The Planning Board’s detailed review of Lexington’s Draft Comprehensive Plan is continuing and will be completed in August.

The Board's review was broken into sections related to the Plan's goals and is being reviewed over the course of the summer. The next session will be:

Wednesday, August 3, 7:00 PM

Via Zoom & Select Board Meeting Room

Zoom Info

-Diversity & Inclusion

-Introduction

-Executive Summary

Upcoming:

Wednesday, August 17

6:00 PM via Zoom

-Implementation Plan

Providing Comment

Now is the time to provide final comments and any recommended changes. Please help us spread the word with friends, family, and neighbors; this work will shape the future of Lexington!

Public comments will be taken at each Board meeting. Written comments may be submitted to Planning staff via email. Written comments received before 5:00 pm on Monday, August 1 will be compiled in the Board’s packet. 

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

A Comprehensive Plan is a:

-basis for decision making for future development

-process leading to a plan of action based on a town’s shared values and goals

-set of priorities for addressing the full range of issues facing a town 

Compost Drop-off Location Change; Space is Still Available in Composting Program

We've partnered with LexSORT (Lexington Shared Organics Recovered Together) to provide a community composting drop-off program. The goal of this free program is to generate interest in composting, in hopes that residents will eventually start composting at their home, or to subscribe to a curbside compost pickup service.

One of the two drop-off locations has been changed:

-Carriage House

Lexington Community Center

39    39arrett Road

-Samuel Hadley Public Services Building*

201 Bedford Street

*Note: there previously was a drop-off location at 173 Bedford St., but it has been moved to 201 Bedford St.

If you aren't already signed up for the community compost drop-off program, but are interested, you can learn more on our website.

COVID-19 Data; Test Kits Available at Town Buildings

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.

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 - 1575 Massachusetts Avenue

-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.