The average Lexington household would pay about $30.80 more per year for water and sewer service under a rate increase the Select Board heard Monday, Sept. 28.

The board has not yet published minutes or vote results from the meeting, held at 1625 Massachusetts Ave. with hybrid participation. What follows is based on the agenda and supporting documents. The board also reviewed a draft Special Town Meeting warrant and received a long-awaited crematory study report.

Water and sewer rates

A public hearing on proposed FY2027 water and sewer rates opened at 6:45 p.m. The town proposed a combined 2.8% increase, split between a 3.8% bump in water rates and a 2.3% bump in wastewater rates.

That $30.80 figure is based on the average Lexington household's consumption of about 70 hundred cubic feet (HCF) per year, according to a rate-setting memo prepared by Carolyn Kosnoff, assistant town manager for finance. Households using the higher regional average of 120 HCF would see an increase of about $63.20.

The proposed FY2027 Water Enterprise budget totals $14,540,185, a 4.2% increase over FY2026. The Wastewater Enterprise budget is $13,463,895, up 1.0%. The largest expense in both budgets is the annual Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) assessment, which accounts for 61.2% of the water budget and 69.8% of the wastewater budget.

The 2.8% combined increase falls below the town's historical average of 3.9% annual increases from FY2011 to FY2026. The FY2026 Water Enterprise ended with an operating surplus of about $2.14 million.

Special Town Meeting warrant

The board reviewed a draft warrant for a fall Special Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m. The rate-setting memo references budget adjustments proposed for "Fall STM 2026-1," confirming a Special Town Meeting is planned. The specific warrant articles have not been made public.

Crematory study report

At 7:45 p.m., the board was scheduled to receive the final report from the Ad Hoc Crematory Study Committee II. The agenda noted that public comment would not be taken on this item.

The committee voted 4-2 in August to recommend delaying construction of a crematory at Westview Cemetery. The majority cited health and environmental concerns, projected costs and questions about demand, as first reported by the Lexington Observer. A 2019 town report had also recommended against a crematory, estimating construction at slightly more than $1.3 million and annual operating costs above $300,000.

Committee member Archan Basu, who voted in the minority, told the Lexington Observer on Sept. 25 that the majority had arrived with fixed positions and failed to engage with the committee's charge.

No crematory in the Boston area accommodates the havan ceremony, an end-of-life ritual practiced by Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist families. Many travel to New Hampshire for the service. Select Board member and chair committee Joe Pato, told the Observer on Sept. 25 that five New Hampshire crematories perform 150 to 200 such cremations a year for families across three states.

The board also received an American Public Works Association accreditation presentation for the Lexington Department of Public Works.

The next Select Board meeting is Monday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m.