SANDRA HACKMAN

SANDRA HACKMAN

Name: Sandra Hackman
Address: 65 Fifer Lane
Precinct: 7
e-mail address: shackman1021 [at] gmail.commichaelschanbacherlexpb [at] gmail.com (
)phone number: 781-971-6676

Community Activities: 

  • Bedford Planning Board, 15 years
  • Community Preservation Committee, 5 years
  • Council on Aging Board, 6 years
  • Transportation Advisory Committee, 3 years
  • Bedford rep to the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPC), which serves 101 area cities and towns
  • MAPC elected officer and Executive Committee member; current member, Legislative Committee
  • Recent arrival (July) in Lexington with extensive involvement in local government and regional planning
  • Attendance at Lexington Special Town Meeting in November
  • Regular attendance at Lexington Select Board and Planning Board meetings

The School Building Committee has approved a plan, “Bloom” for the new high school and building on the current playing fields in the Center. Do you support this decision? If not, what would you propose as an alternative?

I support moving forward with Bloom while also seeking additional sources of funding. The School Building Committee pursued extensive community outreach and expert analysis before choosing this option. The vast majority of residents and Town Meeting members who have weighed in support it.

The cost and disruption entailed in building a new high school are significant concerns. Fortunately, Bloom seems to be the least costly and fastest to completion. The configuration can also accommodate 800 more students than are now enrolled over three phases if needed. Finally, Bloom would be the least disruptive to students.

Concern over the loss of some playing fields in their current location is warranted. However, any major building project entails tradeoffs. In this case, some fields and the playground will stay where they are, while the other fields would sit elsewhere on the high school campus. The Town would also gain a larger and better fieldhouse. The fact that the Recreation Committee supports Bloom is significant.

The state has offered major funding for Bloom. Let’s not risk loss of that funding by delaying this critical project.