UPDATE: BOS Will Discuss $10M-Plus Bid for Scottish Rite Property March 14

Less than 48 hours after its negiotiating team made public the town's $10 million-plus third and final bid for 10 acres of the Scottish Rite property off Marrrett Road, the Board of Board of Selectmen will discuss and vote to approve the offer at 6 p.m. tomorrow, March 14, at Cary Hall.

The property in question is approximately 10 acres of the Scottish Rite’s land behind the National Heritage Museum, including the carriage house and annex, which the selectmen are identifying as a possible location for a community center.

The selectmen's negotiating team publicly announced the bid, which is contingent upon approval by the Board of Selectmen and a special Town Meeting vote, in an email to Town Meeting members Tuesday, March 12, the same day the bid was made as a counteroffer, according to said email.

The first of those approvals, from the Board of Selectmen, would come tomorrow night when the board is scheduled to meet publicly to formally vote on its recommendation to Town Meeting.

If agreed to by the board, the town’s offer would likely be officially submitted to the Scottish Rite on March 15.

As well, the Scottish Rite has agreed to hold an open house for folks to view the property from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 17. A member of the Board of Selectmen will be available to speak with people during those hours, according to Chairwoman Deb Mauger's Wednesday afternoon post to the Lexington Yahoo group.

According to the initial communications, if approved by the Board of Selectmen the appropriation would then be up for a vote at a special Town Meeting to be held next Monday, March 18. The proposal is for the purchase to be financed through Community Preservation Act funds and through the tax levy, the letter explains.

However, in an email to Patch on Wednesday, Town Manager Carl Valente described the timeline a little differently. Asked how the town would communicate the status of its bid and possible acceptance by the Scottish Rite he said:

We are working on this. We will likely send the Board's Letter of Intent to purchase the property to town meeting members/public on the 15th (assuming that is the vote the BOS takes on the 14th.).  The Scottish Rite will meet to consider the Town's offer on the 19th, so presumably we can communicate their decision at Town Meeting on the 20th.

Consideration of this land purchase began over the summer, when the Scottish Rite reportedly offered the town first dibs on the land, prompting the Board of Selectmen to approve an appraisal and study of the property.

READ MORE ON THE ISSUE

• Officials Exploring Option to Buy Scottish Rite Property
• Town's Bid for Scottish Rite Property Could Top $10M