Sustainability the Focus of Newly-Formed Committee

Out of the ashes of Lexington's Climate Action Committee, a new committee is rising, this time with less of a focus on planning and more of a focus on action, officials say.

Called the Sustainable Lexington Committee, the group was officially created at the June 21 Board of Selectmen meeting to serve as the next step in the town's 2020 vision plan for the future of Lexington. 

The commitee will seek to put various programs in place to address Lexington's long-term sustainability and resiliency related to environment, resource and energy challenges. It will address specific actions that can be taken either by the town government or by citizens of the town to reach its goals.

Selectman George Burnell has spearheaded the formation of the committee and will serve as the committee's liaison to the Board of Selectmen.

"This committee will identify issues, but it will also go beyond identifying the issues to make sure that someone is taking action on those issues and that they are getting addressed," he said. "The committee will present ways they can achieve their goals."           

The group will recommend sustainability goals and implement programs designed to reach those goals. It will also monitor the effectiveness of those programs, review other proposals put before the Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting related to sustainability, and coordinate with other relevant boards and committees on sustainability issues to avoid redundancy. 

"They will not focus on issues parallel to other committees, but the sustainability committee will be looking at a myriad of issues and identifying how to address them," said Burnell.

Depending on the type of topics and the best solutions, overlapping areas, such as energy, could be passed to the energy committee, or large scale issues such as reducing water usage in the home could be put on the town website or communicated to the public through Lexington's various news outlets, Burnell said.

The committee will be comprised of five individuals. Criteria for membership includes environmental or technical land-use expertise, community organization and development experience, strong communication skills, a record of effective collaboration and team management skills. Appointed individuals will serve three-year staggered terms of service on the committee.

Interested individuals can apply by contacting Lynn Pease, executive clerk to the Board of Selectmen, at 781-862-0500, ext. 208. The Board will select the committee by September 30.

Burnell said the fact there are so many dedicated citizens in Lexington is what keeps the community's 60-plus committees running and what makes the town special. 

"We have an abundance of volunteers in this town and with this [committee] I'm sure we'll meet some new people with expertise we haven't seen before," he said.