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Minutes of the Lexington Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) Meeting <br />January 22, 2013, Executive Session <br />Date, Place, and Location: January 22, 2013, 8:00 A.M., Town Office Building, Reed <br />Room (111) <br />Members Present: Charles Lamb, Chair; Beth Masterman, Vice - Chair; Jill Hai; Bill Hurley; <br />David Kanter <br />Other Attendee(s): Deborah Mauger, Chair, Board of Selectmen, Carl Valente, Town <br />Manager; Sara Arnold, Recording Secretary <br />Documents Presented: None <br />With Mr. Lamb having called to order at 8:33 A.M. the Open Session —which had been <br />posted also to involve an Executive Session —he then declared, as Chair, that an Executive <br />Session was warranted under the Open Meeting Law Exemption 6 (to consider the <br />purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property) as the discussion in an open meeting <br />may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town —and with the <br />intention to reconvene in Open Session. A Motion to do so was made and seconded. Each <br />member was polled and each voted "yes" The Committee went into Executive Session at <br />8:34 A.M. <br />Potential Acquisition of Property at 33 Marrett Road <br />Mr. Lamb reviewed for Ms. Mauger and Mr. Valente the Committee's concerns that had <br />been identified at its December 18, 2012 meeting regarding the Town's potential purchase. <br />• The potential acquisition of this property seems to have heightened the competition <br />for financial resources for capital projects, and the potential projects do not appear to <br />be prioritized; <br />• The Committee is concerned about public- safety needs and believes they should <br />have priority; <br />• The voters should be afforded an opportunity to express their support for or against <br />major capital projects, such as this purchase; the use of Conservation Preservation <br />Act (CPA) funds shouldn't preclude that process; <br />• There is Committee support for moving forward on Cary Memorial Building <br />renovations, which project impacts available resources; <br />• The Town shouldn't buy the land just to protect it from development. There should <br />be, for the record, an evaluation of real- estate -tax income from homes and the likely <br />services burden to the Town from such a development. Ms. Mauger said that <br />housing generally doesn't pay for itself because it brings in more students who use <br />the schools; and <br />• If the Town uses CPA funds, this could restrict the Town's ability to re -sell the <br />property if the Town should subsequently decide that the purchase was not in the <br />Town's best interest. <br />Ms. Masterman asked if the purchase satisfies a need, or is this just something that is <br />wanted; she believes that there are public- safety needs that should be addressed first. <br />Mr. Lamb reiterated that public safety is the Committee's highest priority. <br />Page 1 of 5 <br />