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<br />Town of Lexington <br />Recreation Committee <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Frederick DeAngelis, Chairman Tel: (781) 698-4800 <br />Christian Boutwell, Vice Chair Fax: (781) 861-2747 <br />Carl Fantasia <br />Lisa O’Brien <br />Claire Sheth <br />Renen Bassik <br />Weiwei Li <br /> <br />Recreation Committee <br />Minutes of Meeting <br />July 19, 2023 <br /> <br /> <br />A meeting of the Recreation Committee was held on Wednesday, June 19, 2023 in person at 6:30pm at <br />the Pine Meadows Golf Club. <br /> <br />Members Present: Rick DeAngelis, Christian Boutwell, Carl Fantasia, and Claire Sheth <br /> <br />Members Not present: Renen Bassik Weiwei Li, and Lisa O’Brien <br /> <br />Staff Present: Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and Community Programs, Peter Coleman, <br />Assistant Director of Recreation, Christine Dean, Community Center Director, and <br />Chris Filadoro, DPW Superintendent of Public Grounds <br /> <br />Others Present: John Allen (New England Golf Corporation), Rod Cole (Capital Expenditures <br />Committee liaison), and Leslie Schaffer (16 Cushing Street, Lexington) <br /> <br />1. Public Comment – None <br /> <br />2. 5-Year Capital Plan FY25-FY29 Discussion <br />This was a continuation of the conversation that began during the June 21st meeting. The <br />attachments to the meeting minutes include a link to the FY24-FY28 5-Year Capital Plan, the <br />Recreation Committee’s FY24-FY28 capital summary statement, and an updated memo on <br />current projects. The upcoming capital plan will emphasize preparing for the impacts of the new <br />Lexington High School construction project. Melissa Battite, Director of Recreation and <br />Community Programs, informed the Committee that it is anticipated that the fields at the Center <br />Recreation Complex (excluding the Center Track Field) will not be available from Spring 2026 <br />through 2030. It will be imperative to not have any additional fields offline during this period of <br />time. Ms. Battite stated that over the next six months, the Town decision makers are expected to <br />determine what the future uses of the Lexington Public Schools Central Office (“old Harrington”) <br />and 173 Bedford Street will be. The LHS Feasibility Study will begin shortly. Ms. Battite <br />recommended reintroducing the land acquisition placeholder into the plan. This was last included <br />in the plan back in 2016 and could be listed as a to be determined. Christian Boutwell, Vice <br />Chair of the Recreation Committee, asked if the Committee would look to fund the land <br />acquisition placeholder and if a financial plan is the most efficient way to message this to the <br />Lexington community. Rick DeAngelis, Chair of the Recreation Committee, thought a working <br />group could be formed to help initiate and ignite this initiative. Rod Cole, Capital Expenditures <br />Committee (CEC) liaison, said that if the Committee has a plausible purchase, then the CEC <br />would like to see it on the plan as TBD. Otherwise, if it is not plausible, then Mr. Cole’s <br />recommendation is to not include in on the plan. Ms. Battite mentioned that in recent years, there <br />has been a push within Town to purchase the old Boston Sports Club. However, due to the