Committee Formation

The Board of Selectmen, in consultation with the School Committee and Planning Board, created an Initiating Committee in 1998 to begin a comprehensive community-wide long-range planning effort.

Primary Objective

Develop the foundation for a community-based strategic goal-setting process.

Methods

• Organize into two subcommittees to accomplish the work:
  • Citizen Participation Subcommittee
  • Process Design Committee.
• Use a letter and survey, newspaper advertisements, and direct solicitation of volunteers to invite participation from a broad group of residents who adequately reflect the community's interests and perspectives:
  • Letter to community
  • Letter to Lexington High School students
  • Letter to organizations
• Develop a process design flow chart detailing the project phases over the next 12 to 18 months.

Findings

• Past efforts have laid the groundwork for a Strategic Goal-Setting Process:
  • Focus groups
  • Community conversations
  • Resident survey
• Lexington's process will be tailored to our community but be informed by lessons learned from strategic planning other communities.
• A comprehensive long-range planning effort will require involvement of all segments of the community, specifically including individuals not currently active in Town governance.
• There is sufficient community interest to move forward.

Recommendations

• Hire a consultant to provide expert insights and guidance to the process.
• Obtain assignment of a Town staff member to serve as Project Manager.
• Create issue-based Working Groups to discuss specific topics and prepare "green papers" for use in the final visioning document.
• Create a Stakeholder Group to provide feedback to the Working Groups and formulate them into a final vision report.

Final Report, March 24, 1999 (PDF)