Priorities

The Select Board member elected in March 2027 will guide and support our community as the new MBTA-overlay housing begins to come online. We will need to expand our services and infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing population over the next three years and beyond. At the same time, thoughtfully welcoming our new neighbors is essential to maintaining Lexington’s unique community spirit. These changes require our town leaders to take a multi-pronged approach: data-driven planning and strategic thinking, alongside meaningful community outreach. This is a critical moment for Lexington, and we need a leader in that seat who reflects our values.

How much housing growth are we expecting over the next 3 years?

Town Meeting voted to approve both the MBTA Communities and revised Special Residential Development (SRD) zoning bylaws in the spring of 2023. Both bylaws allow for by-right development on parcels where the new zoning applies.

Built: Only 40 new units are currently complete and occupied: 10 units at the corner of Meriam Street and Edgewood Road, and 30 units at 89 Bedford Street.

Approved: 1,613 housing units have been approved by the Planning Board under our MBTA-C zoning bylaw to date, and 40 units have been approved under our SRD bylaw.

Under Construction: More than 600 housing units are either under construction or in site preparation at this time. The first of these larger buildings, 17 Hartwell Avenue (known as Reverie Lexington) will begin renting its 312 units in spring 2027.

Coming Soon: It is anticipated that 7 Hartwell Avenue (130 units), 3/4/5 Militia Drive (292 units) and 475 Bedford Street (150 units) will become occupied in mid-to-late 2028.

Not yet filed: There are also properties eligible to develop MBTA housing that have not yet filed plans with the Town’s Planning Department.

How can we best welcome our new neighbors?

Lexington is growing. More folks will be moving to town in the next few years, and it is in our spirit to be accommodating and welcoming. How can we achieve this? I have met with the Lexington Human Rights Committee to consider methods of outreach and opportunities to connect. I have reached out to the Lexington Neighbors and Newcomers Group, The Lexington Interfaith Clergy Association, the Community Coalition, and the Town Manager’s office to learn more about friendly ways we can integrate new Lexingtonians into our community. I will continue to meet with the leaders of Lexington’s numerous civic organizations to encourage the planning and publicity of welcoming events for new residents. I am also interested to discuss a second annual offering of our beloved Lexington Civic Academy, where residents gain a better understanding of how the Town of Lexington operates and how they can contribute to our shared success.

How will we mitigate traffic?

Residents have asked me about traffic mitigation and roadwork improvement plans in the areas surrounding these new larger developments. The Town is already working to address these concerns, but there is no quick fix.

Prior to the MBTA-C and SRD zoning changes, larger developments required approval from Town Meeting as a “Planned Development,” or the Planning Board would approve SRDs as “SPRDs” which would require a Special Permit. Under those zoning rules, the Town could require developers to include off-site improvements like crosswalks, bus shelters, or flashing pedestrian beacons and other traffic mitigation measures as a condition of approval.

In the MBTA-C Overlay Districts, multifamily housing must be allowed “by right.” This means the approval is not discretionary. If a building project complies with the zoning standards, the Planning Board cannot disallow the project. While the Planning Board still conducts a site plan review, the review is limited to existing bylaws and regulations. The Board can impose reasonable conditions on site design, access, lighting, and stormwater, but it cannot deny a compliant project. In short, the developer is not required to include any traffic mitigation or adjacent off-site improvements.

Once a building project is complete, the Town can work with our Town Engineer to apply for grant funding for roadway improvements. I will work to ensure that this process happens as quickly and efficiently as possible. On Hartwell Avenue specifically, the Town is already funding the design work to improve the intersection of Hartwell Avenue and Bedford Street. The goal is to have construction funded through the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which uses federal and state money instead of local dollars. This project is not yet scheduled, but the Town hopes it will be constructed in the early 2030s.

Replacing car trips with transit, biking, and walking

As new housing approved by our Planning Board under the MBTA Communities Act takes shape, Lexington will need a thoughtful plan to manage the traffic that comes with growth. The good news is that we have a solid foundation to build on, thanks to our existing public transit options: the MBTA’s 62 and 76 bus routes, the REV shuttles operated by the 128 Business Council (R1 serves employers along Hartwell Avenue, R2 serves the center), and our own Lexpress bus system.

For example, the approved Militia Drive development is a short walk to both MBTA and Lexpress bus routes. The town reviews Lexpress routes every year, and the commuter-focused REV shuttle service can also be adjusted. This provides the flexibility to adapt as new neighbors arrive, with partners like the 128 Business Council helping meet demand. The goal is to replace car trips with transit, biking, and walking. We have the tools to get there — the work ahead is deciding how best to deploy them. I look forward to our committees and Town staff working with Lexington’s new Transportation Manager, whose focus on regional mobility collaboration will help shape a forward-looking vision for transportation in our town.

How will the new developments impact our public schools?

Our school facilities have the capacity to accommodate more students. LPS enrollment has decreased by 13% since our pre-Covid peak in 2019. For the 2026-2027 school year, our Lexington Public Schools K-12 enrollment has decreased by 286 students compared to the previous year. The new Lexington High School was designed with the knowledge that our current enrollment is declining, but we are entering years of growth from new housing. The new high school will be able to accommodate the anticipated number of students from the MBTA-C housing, and is designed to be able to expand to meet the need should enrollment exceed current projections.

So far, the 40 new units that have been constructed and occupied have not had a major impact on our schools. With 312 units coming online at 17 Hartwell Avenue this spring, we will be able to refine projections for student populations in the upcoming larger housing developments. Our Superintendent has emphasized the importance of working with the School Master Plan Advisory Committee (SMPAC) to continuously monitor enrollment and adjust planning as needed to ensure the best outcomes for students.

LPS administration completed the Annual Review of LPS Enrollment Projections Preliminary Report in October 2026. The report accounts for all of the development projects that have been approved by the Planning Board so far. The Projections with Housing Adjustment show that even at the estimated high end, our current school buildings have the capacity to absorb the increased student population attributable to these new units.

Municipal budgets across Massachusetts are under enormous strain, and Lexington is no exception. The general rate of inflation combined with shrinking federal funding has put pressure on salaries and wages and most other expenses. Rising healthcare and special education costs are also driving major increases in necessary spending. Maintaining a level-service budget for our Public Schools must remain a top priority, reflecting one of this community’s core values: our exceptional public schools. As Select Board member, I will advocate relentlessly to address these fiscal challenges, working closely with our financial committees and School Committee to protect our schools in a way that is both fiscally prudent and accountable to taxpayers.

What are we facing and what can we do?

Spending pressures are mounting, as costs for health insurance, compensation, collective bargaining agreements, pensions, debt service, and inflation outpace projected revenue. Current planning uses an 8% health insurance increase as a placeholder until updated figures are available.

I am actively attending Select Board meetings and Town Financial Summits and closely following as FY2028 budget discussions evolve. I will update this site accordingly as data becomes available and we learn more throughout the winter. The first FY2028 Budget Summit made clear that Lexington’s finances will be significantly tighter than in recent years. At the heart of the FY2028 discussion: how can Lexington close the gap by prioritizing needs and finding savings while protecting the services residents count on? Living within our means remains the Select Board’s priority, and it is mine as well.

To navigate these tight financial years, I support the creation of the “Financial Outlook and Policy Analysis Advisory Group” as first proposed by the Chair and Vice Chair of the School Committee in April 2026. Our Annual Financial Summits are composed of our Select Board, School Committee, Appropriation Committee, Capital Expenditures Committee, Town Manager, LPS Superintendent, and Town Staff. That body is too large to conduct the detailed analysis needed to move toward consensus among the Budget Summit boards and committee. Ideally, launching this Advisory Group will foster the collaboration and data-driven approach necessary to help navigate our town’s near-term fiscal future.

Residents want a clearer understanding of how our processes work and how their tax dollars are spent. As a Select Board member, I will push to improve how we deliver information to residents, in formats that are accessible, easy to find, and easy to understand.

At the Spring 2026 Town Meeting, two articles called for greater transparency from our Town government: Article 26 sought more insight into the financial expenditures for the new High School project. Our Owners Project Manager, Dore + Whittier, has created and is maintaining an LHS Construction Dashboard that is available to the public. Article 27 called for the procurement of an online project platform to improve how information about approved major capital projects is presented to the public. Town Meeting members expect a progress report on this approved resolution at the November 2026 Fall Special Town Meeting. The Select Board has also discussed initiatives to strengthen public confidence and organizational trust in our Town governance. I look forward to working toward shared goals to improve communication.

Environmental sustainability is a matter of both fiscal responsibility and quality of life. Lexington has taken a major step in reducing carbon emissions from our municipal buildings by approving the construction of our new net positive high school. To continue working toward a more sustainable and resilient Lexington, I will advocate for advancing our climate action goals by:

• Continuing to electrify our municipal buildings and fleet
• Accelerating renewable energy transitions
• Expanding safe multi-modal transportation options
• Protecting our trees, natural resources and open spaces
• Continuing and augmenting our waste reduction practices

The measures institutionalize changes that we need to undertake as a culture and community in order to preserve Lexington for future generations, including my two young daughters. These strategic efforts will directly enhance the health and well-being of our residents while lowering long-term municipal costs.

I will continue to support the affordable housing goals set forth in the Lexington Next Comprehensive Plan.

I support our policies to encourage Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), which add smaller, less expensive housing units into existing neighborhoods.

I will also continue to support the Lexington Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) to provide financial support to LexHAB and the Lexington Housing Authority. Further, I will continue to support the efforts of the AHT to highly leverage opportunities to create deeper affordability and additional affordable MBTA Community and SRD units.

• Most notably, last year the AHT collaborated with Town staff to file an application for outside funding from the Commonwealth One Stop for Growth HousingWorks Infrastructure Program grant. Our Governor announced the State grant award of $1,600,000 to the Town of Lexington on October 31, 2025. I am impressed with how the AHT used that award amount, in conjunction with their Community Preservation Act (CPA) fund allocation, toward both buydowns of affordable units and additional affordability of units. The AHT continues to explore potential for additional funding sources from the state and other grants beyond Lexington’s CPA.
• Also notable, the AHT’s goal of assisting current and future Lexington residents in accessing and maintaining housing was further enhanced this year with the creation of Lexington’s Pilot Rental Assistant Program (Lex PRAP). This program is a short-term rental assistance program administered by Metro West Collaborative Development. The program provides up to 6 months of rental assistance for income-eligible, rent-burdened households.

E-bikes play a positive role in transportation but require a new level of responsibility. We need to take steps now to raise awareness and improve safety before there is a tragedy that could have been avoided.

Residents are raising concerns about the behavior of e-moto, e-bike and e-scooter riders in Lexington, especially among our students. Until the Massachusetts laws can better define their use, the Select Board should consider ways to support our police in tightening the enforcement of existing laws and policies on the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway, in Lexington Center, and along Center Track to keep our residents and children safe.

My concern with e-motos, electric bikes and scooters pertains predominantly to minors.The Lexington Police are looking for partnership from the community. Educating families and their students is key, both in and out of school. Parents need to understand that e-bikes require re-learning how to ride a bike, and that there are already applicable laws in place: any electric bike (Class 1 or 2) or electric scooter or vehicle with a motor cannot be ridden on a sidewalk, helmets are required for riders younger than 16 years of age, and all bikes need lights at night. Riders under 18 who violate the law can have their bikes impounded for up to 15 days. We need to educate residents on how we collectively can be stewards of a safe community. 

As a Select Board member, I want to be genuinely accessible to Lexington residents. I’ll hold regular weekly office hours so neighbors can reach me directly with their questions and concerns. Sometimes I’ll be able to help right away; other times my role will be to listen, understand the varied perspectives residents share with me, and discern which issues matter most to this community. Good government starts with people feeling heard.