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Select Board — April 27, 2026

The meeting was marked by high-stakes discussions on budget reconciliation and a self-admitted crisis of community trust and fiscal consensus.

Date Monday, April 27, 2026 Duration 1.2h Speakers 13 Public comments 5 Decisions 2 Contentious

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01

School Budget and Curriculum Funding

Debate over a $1.25 million floor amendment and a $625,000 compromise proposal involving staffing and curriculum. Affected: All taxpayers and students/staff in the school system.
budget cut
02

Wireless Infrastructure Deployment

Potential installation of multiple 125-foot towers across residential and recreational areas. Affected: Residents (connectivity/safety) and property owners near proposed monopole sites (aesthetics/property value).
other high impact

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Decision on proceeding with a Request for Proposal (RFP) for wireless sites.
The Board decided not to vote on an RFP immediately, opting instead for community outreach and further investigation into specific sites and aesthetics.
Deferred
38:05
Adjournment of the Select Board meeting.
The meeting was moved, seconded, and approved for adjournment.
Unanimous
1:12:22

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
00:50 Wireless Service Improvement Discussion

The Communications Advisory Committee (CAC) and Verizon presented a proposal to address cellular coverage gaps in Lexington, specifically in residential areas, schools, and the golf course, via potential new cell tower sites.

Speakers: Jill Hai, Steve Kaufman, Tim Green, Dorinda Goodman, Pat Partell, Mark Sandeen, Doug Lucente, Vineeta Kumar, Steve Bartha
39:40 Budget Summit and Amendments Discussion

The Board discussed the upcoming budget summit to address a $1.25 million floor amendment and a $625,000 compromise proposal regarding school curriculum, staffing, and retirement incentives.

Speakers: Jill Hai, Mark Sandeen, Doug Lucente, Vineeta Kumar, Joseph Pato
1:01:14 Creation of a Finance/Appropriation Committee

Members discussed the possibility of re-establishing an appropriation committee or a similar finance group to help the town establish a long-term strategic plan and achieve consensus on current financial standing.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:02:20 Curriculum Funding and Expense Classification

The Board discussed whether the funding for a new curriculum (specifically phonics) should be classified as a one-time expense or a recurring cost, debating the implications of purchasing five years of materials upfront versus annual operating expenses.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:10:05 The McKenna Amendment and Staffing

Discussion regarding the McKenna Amendment, specifically concerns about salary reductions, retirement buyouts (RIF), and the addition of staff back into the budget to reach a consensus.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:11:48 Policy Summit Logistics

The Board discussed the logistical setup for an upcoming policy summit at Batten Hall, including table arrangements for various boards and the format of the discussion.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Wireless Service Infrastructure Expansion

The proposal to install 125-foot monopoles to address cellular gaps creates a conflict between the need for public safety/connectivity and concerns regarding visual aesthetics and the impact on town assets like the golf course.
Board position: The Board deferred a vote on the RFP, prioritizing community outreach and aesthetic investigation over immediate procurement.
medium concern
02

Budget Amendments and the McKenna Amendment

The town is facing significant fiscal tensions regarding school curriculum funding, staffing levels, and retirement incentives. There is a clear struggle to reach a consensus on the town's financial direction.
Board position: The Board is attempting to find a compromise (the $625,000 proposal) to move past long-standing disputes and reach a consensus for the Town Meeting.
Internal dissent
While members are negotiating, there is clear underlying friction regarding whether to accept the McKenna Amendment to achieve stability. Mark Sandeen noted a fundamental lack of agreement on the town's current financial standing.
high concern

Community vs. board tension

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Identify specific site locations for proposed antennas and develop a proposal for community outreach, including discussions on aesthetics and stakeholder engagement (e.g., Recreation Committee).
Assigned: Communications Advisory Committee (CAC)
Investigate if the existing monopole behind the police station can be utilized for Verizon to address coverage gaps.
Assigned: CAC / Town Staff
Attend the Budget Summit at 7:30 PM to discuss budget amendments and prepare a recommendation for the Town Meeting.
Assigned: Select Board · Due: 2026-04-27
Clarify if curriculum materials are a one-time purchase or require recurring updates at the upcoming policy summit.
Assigned: Board Members · Due: During the policy summit
Address the creation of a finance group as a potential first item in the upcoming policy summit.
Assigned: Select Board/School Committee · Due: Following Town Meeting

Notable ⁠statements

I think having neighbors and residents understand what we're talking about before we just go put an RFP out... I think the earlier the better. — Doug Lucente · Expressing concern about the visual impact of monopoles and the need for community engagement before formal procurement. 29:43
I would be a little cautious about saying that's a one-time expense because it's going to expire after five years. We're going to have to redo it every five years. — Unidentified speaker · Debating the long-term financial impact of the five-year curriculum material bundle. 1:02:50
I am willing to potentially get comfortable with [the amendment] if that is the closing of this deal... if that is what it takes for us to all come together and move past this issue. — Unidentified speaker · Discussing the McKenna Amendment and the potential for reaching a consensus to allow for fresh planning. 1:09:46
The town moderator has said what would be in scope is an amendment that changed the dollar figure, period. — Unidentified speaker · Clarifying the legal limitations of what Town Meeting can consider regarding the amendment. 1:11:07
The community is so split and there is so much anxiety right now that I would like to work in the interest of rebuilding that trust and goodwill in the community. — Vineeta Kumar · Discussing the depletion of trust caused by the ongoing budget and policy disputes. 1:35:17
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there... we fundamentally don't agree on where we are right now. — Mark Sandeen · Commenting on the lack of consensus regarding the town's current financial and policy position during the budget discussion. 1:38:44

Member ⁠positions

3 issues · 0 explicit · 3 inferred
Jill Hai
Chair
Present
Wireless Service Improvement Discussion ~
Supported deferring the RFP to prioritize community outreach and aesthetic investigation.
Adjournment of the Select Board meeting. YES ✓
Joseph Pato
Vice Chair
Present
Wireless Service Improvement Discussion ~
Supported deferring the RFP to prioritize community outreach and aesthetic investigation.
Adjournment of the Select Board meeting. YES ✓
Present
Wireless Service Improvement Discussion ✓
Advocated for early community engagement regarding visual impacts of monopoles.
Adjournment of the Select Board meeting. YES ✓
Present
Wireless Service Improvement Discussion ~
Supported deferring the RFP to prioritize community outreach and aesthetic investigation.
Budget Summit and Amendments Discussion ✓
Highlighted a fundamental lack of consensus on the town's current financial position.
Adjournment of the Select Board meeting. YES ✓
Present
Wireless Service Improvement Discussion ~
Supported deferring the RFP to prioritize community outreach and aesthetic investigation.
Budget Summit and Amendments Discussion ✓
Expressed desire to rebuild community trust and goodwill amidst budget disputes.
Adjournment of the Select Board meeting. YES ✓

Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position.

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
5
Total speakers
5
Addressed
0
Partial
0
Not addressed
Dorinda (CAC Representative)
02:09
Addressed
Presented the Communication Advisory Committee's findings regarding cell service gaps in Lexington. Highlighted how poor connectivity impacts commerce and public safety, such as emergency response delays and the inability to use mobile apps in certain areas. Key concern
The need to improve cellular coverage in town via wireless infrastructure investments.
Board response
The board listened to the presentation and allowed for follow-up questions from board members.
The board engaged with the presentation through a Q&A session to determine the next steps for the RFP process.
Tim Green (Verizon)
09:27
Addressed
Discussed Verizon's proposal to address coverage gaps, specifically mentioning potential sites near the golf course and school areas. Explained that standard designs would likely involve monopoles approximately 125 feet tall. Key concern
The technical requirements and potential locations for new wireless sites to close coverage gaps.
Board response
The board members asked several technical and aesthetic questions regarding the proposed sites and monopole designs.
The board actively questioned the speaker on design, site locations, and the ability of the equipment to serve different carriers.
Douglas Lucente (Select Board Member)
16:03
Addressed
Expressed concerns regarding the aesthetics of monopoles and the potential negative impact on town assets like the golf course. Argued for greater community engagement and transparency before moving forward with an RFP. Key concern
The visual impact of towers and the need for earlier community input/transparency.
Board response
The Chair and Town Manager responded by explaining the existing communication with the school department and outlining a plan for future community outreach.
The board addressed his concern by deciding to direct the CAC to engage in community conversations and solicit feedback before proceeding to the RFP stage.
Mark Sandeen (Select Board Member)
21:01
Addressed
Questioned whether existing infrastructure, like the monopole behind the police station, could be utilized to avoid new construction. Also raised concerns about financial implications and the need for reliable backup power (electric vs. diesel) during outages. Key concern
Utilization of existing assets, financial transparency, and power redundancy for new sites.
Board response
The Verizon representative and the CAC responded to his questions regarding existing pole capacity and backup power.
The speaker's technical and procedural questions were answered directly by the presenters during the discussion.
Joseph Pato (Select Board Member)
27:34
Addressed
Asked about the timing of public review relative to the RFP process and whether the town could provide aesthetic examples to residents to clarify what might be installed. Key concern
Determining how to best communicate various design options to the public before a final decision is made.
Board response
The CAC and Verizon representative discussed how different designs (like flagpoles or trees) could be requested in an RFP and how the town could share those options.
The board members' questions regarding the process and aesthetics were incorporated into the committee's next steps.
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Report composed by grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4-fast, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-05-29.