Lennox Select Board Regular Meeting - August 5, 2026

The Lennox Select Board held its regular meeting on August 5, 2026. The agenda included public comments on town operations and website accessibility, approval of several special event permits and licenses, and a public hearing to establish a new no-parking zone on School Street in Lenoxdale to improve emergency vehicle access from the fire station.

Consent Calendar

• Approved a use request for Lilac Park from the Lennox Youth Basketball Association for their annual craft fair and pancake breakfast on August 8th and 9th.
• Approved a special one-day all-alcohol liquor license for Katya Galarza for Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m. at the Lennox Community Center.
• Approved a special one-day wine and malt only liquor license for Lee Ann Collins for Saturday, August 29, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Lennox Community Center.
• Approved a temporary sign in public right-of-way request by BUTI for their community day event (sign placed August 5-11 for the August 8 event).
• Added and approved a last-minute request from American Traveling Morris for a Morris Dance Performance at Lilac Park on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m.
• The consent agenda was approved with the addition.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sonia Baikovsky addressed the board during the Citizen Open Forum on several topics:
  • Town Website Tutorial: Strongly praised Town employee Paul for a 20-minute one-on-one tutorial on using the town website to sign up for board notices. She proposed hosting a public drop-in coffee hour at the community center for Paul to offer this service to other residents. The board discussed alternate venues, including the Public Safety Building community room with its electronic screen.
  • Official Posting Location: Raised a discrepancy regarding the town's official posting location. She noted that a bulletin board posting stated “the official legal posting for location for the town of Lennox is now our website,” which appeared to conflict with a previous board member statement that official postings had not been made purely electronic. The board clarified that the Select Board has jurisdiction under Massachusetts General Law to set the official posting location (the website) and that this does not preclude additional physical postings.
  • Volunteer Openings: Requested a public list of vacancies on town boards and committees, arguing that increased awareness would encourage more residents, like new resident Jarrett who was present, to volunteer. The board confirmed the list is being compiled.

Discussion Items

• New No Parking Zone on School Street (Lenoxdale): The board opened and closed a public hearing to consider a request from the Fire Chief.
  • The Fire Chief detailed the severe difficulty the Lenoxdale Fire Station faces with its new, longer engine. When exiting the rear bay onto School Street, the engine requires a complex double turn onto Elm Street; vehicles parked on the grass strip opposite the station, notably near house number 65, make the turn nearly impossible and create a significant safety hazard for emergency response and traffic.
  • The initial proposal was a no-parking zone on one side of School Street, 100 feet north of Elm Street. Discussion followed regarding extending the restriction to both sides of the road to prevent cars from simply parking on the opposite side.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Approved: All special event permits, liquor licenses, and the added Morris Dance performance request were approved.
• No-Parking Zone Enacted: The board voted unanimously to amend the traffic rules and regulations, establishing a no-parking prohibition on both sides of School Street, 100 feet north of Elm Street. The prohibition will take effect on October 1, 2026.
• Next Meeting Scheduled: The next regular meeting is set for August 19, 2026, where a previously postponed Permanent Building Committee meeting is expected to be held.