Select Board — March 9, 2026
The meeting was elevated well above routine by the emotionally charged Liberty Ride debate — featuring public criticism of the board's process, a split board decision to end a beloved community program, mid-meeting financial revisions, and the politically sensitive immigration enforcement resolution — all combining to create sustained tension throughout the latter half of the session.
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At the March 9, 2026 Select Board meeting, Lexington made a significant decision that many residents may not have heard about: the Liberty Ride trolley tour program is effectively over. After eight failed procurement attempts and a confirmed annual operating deficit exceeding $125,000, four of five board members said they could not support pursuing a ninth RFP. Member Joe Lucente was the only dissenter. Importantly, no formal vote was taken — the decision was made by consensus, meaning there's no roll call on the record for a choice that ends a program that served roughly 8,700 passengers per year.
The process leading to that decision drew sharp criticism at the meeting. Dawn McKenna, the person who originally developed the Liberty Ride, told the board directly that in all the time current leadership has been in place, no one ever sat down with her to discuss the program. She described herself as the town's tourism expert and said that consultation never happened. The Town Manager agreed to meet with her — but the board had already reached its conclusion by that point. Separately, the financial figures underlying the decision were revised mid-meeting, with staff clarifying that the contractor alone cost $215,000 and total direct expenses reached $308,000 — numbers that differed from what had been presented earlier. A major program termination decision was finalized while the financial basis for it was still being clarified in real time.
There was a second significant item that received less attention: Lexington's Community Choice Energy program is downgrading its renewable energy content from Class 1 renewable energy credits to National Wind RECs. The program's own consultant acknowledged that Class 1 credits are more effective at driving new clean energy projects to be built, and that federal policy changes have reduced their impact anyway. The board also approved an accelerated contract negotiation timeline due to price volatility tied to Middle East conflict risks. Every resident and business enrolled in the Community Choice program is affected by both the cost increase and the shift in renewable content.
Residents who care about tourism, downtown business health, or Lexington's clean energy commitments should pay attention to what comes next: staff are supposed to deliver alternative tourism proposals by June 2026, and Community Choice contract pricing returns to the board as soon as next week. If you have views on either, now is the time to make them known.
Public impact
Elimination of a program serving approximately 8,700 passengers annually; staff directed to develop replacement tourism options by June 2026 with no guarantee of equivalent service
Supplier cost increase approved alongside downgrade from Class 1 to National Wind RECs; exact rate impact not specified but affects the town's clean energy commitments and all enrolled ratepayers
2% increase; new rates of $106/year (up to 10 seats) and $265/year (more than 10 seats) — modest impact on individual businesses
Topics discussed
Olga Guttag requested that the town paint utility boxes at Adams and North Street and add a painted horse sculpture to improve the aesthetic of the northern route to Lexington Center for Patriots Day.
Discussion about timeline for Select Board report covering home rule petitions and budgetary outlook, with decision to not rush for March 30th town meeting opening.
Reminder about public listening session scheduled for March 19th at 6pm, fully remote via webinar format.
Town Manager reported on RFP awards for event management (Coventures) and screen/technology services, noting zero noise complaints from previous year's Saturday event.
Approval of 2% increase in outdoor dining permit fees, with new rates of $106/year for up to 10 seats and $265/year for more than 10 seats.
Discussion of three issues: supplier cost increase request, modification of renewable energy content from Class 1 to National Wind RECs, and timing for next contract due to Middle East conflict impacts.
Presentation of new web-based dashboard to simplify communication about the high school construction project, showing schedule, budget, photos, and key milestones in an accessible format.
Town staff presented a mockup of a new dashboard to track the high school construction project, seeking feedback from the Select Board. The dashboard would provide monthly updates on project status, finances, and progress.
Community members provided feedback on the dashboard, requesting features like archiving capabilities, phase-by-phase financial tracking, color-coding with context, and simplified views for different user needs.
Staff presented analysis showing the Liberty Ride trolley tour program faces an unsustainable $125,000+ annual operating deficit, with eight failed RFPs yielding only one bidder and declining service quality.
Board members discussed the program's value versus costs, comparing 8,700 Liberty Ride passengers to 27,000 charter tour visitors, and exploring alternative tourism offerings like VR tours.
Jay Abdelis presented updated financial figures for the Liberty Ride program, clarifying that Joseph's contract came to $215,000 and direct tour guide salaries were around $23,000, with total expenses of $308,000 in the current memo excluding indirect staff costs.
Board discussed whether to continue pursuing the Liberty Ride program through a ninth RFP attempt, with concerns about financial losses exceeding $100,000 annually and declining occupancy rates despite increased ridership.
Tourism committee members and business owners testified about the Liberty Ride's importance to local tourism, citing TripAdvisor rankings and customer testimonials about the program bringing visitors to downtown Lexington businesses.
Board considered and approved a resolution affirming that municipal facilities cannot be used for federal immigration enforcement purposes and reaffirming the town's commitment to constitutional rights and community trust.
Brief discussion of presenter assignments for upcoming Town Meeting articles, with Chair requesting feedback on any needed adjustments to the initial draft assignments.
Controversy & dissent
Potentially controversial issues
Liberty Ride Program Elimination
Civil Immigration Enforcement Resolution
Community Choice Energy Program - Renewable Energy Credit Downgrade
Liberty Ride Financial Figures Transparency
Split votes
Community vs. board tension
Public comment
Decisions logged
Action items
Member positions
Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position. UNCLEAR means the vote was split but the record did not name how this member voted — it is not a “yes.”
Accountability flags
Agenda items not discussed
Topics discussed — not on agenda
Transcript vs. official minutes
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