Tell us a little about yourself. You can include your personal background, family, outside interests that are important to who you are as a person and a candidate.
I have been a Lexington resident together with my wife, Gail, for over 40 years. We have three children, Adam, Gregg and Devon who all graduated from the Lexington School system.
I am a member (for over 30 years) of the Lexington Communications Advisory Committee as part of the License Negotiation group. I was a Lexington Fence Viewer (Chairman) for many years.
I am a former Lexington Youth Soccer coach and Little League coach for my children’s teams.
I’ve volunteered at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum (Vice President, Board Member, and President Emeritus) in Maine for over 28 years where my professional experience as a retired real estate attorney comes in handy for right of way acquisition and easement negotiations.
Why are you running for Town Meeting?
Lexington is facing many more issues today than it has in the past. Current state and national affairs that never directly affected Lexington now impact decisions that we will have to make in both the short and long term. With over 45 years of legal and professional experience, I feel I can be part of the solutions the town must make. Moreover, I was raised by the philosophy of “to whom much have been given, much is expected”. My father was a community volunteer on his town’s housing board for many years. His commitment had a big affect on me.
How has your past experience — whether in your professional life, elected office, or as a community leader — prepared you for a role in Town Meeting?
Approximately 25 years of my professional experience was in the commercial real estate area — specifically title insurance. Prior to that, I was a litigator. Both areas required skills in collaboration and negotiation. I prided myself on being part of getting a deal done—getting to yes. No one wins if a deal isn’t done or a matter isn’t settled. Listening to all sides and what their goals are enables you to craft solutions that take all needs into consideration. I also served as president of the New England Land Title Association.
As a Fence Viewer for many years I dealt with sometimes very angry neighbors over very personal issues — their property. With no legal power, I had to rely on my mediation skills to attempt to come to a satisfactory solution to boundary, fence, vegetation, and stone wall issues.
In addition to my experience as a Fence Viewer, I was president of the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum, a heritage railway in Maine. For eight years I presided over a nine-member Board of Directors and a membership of over 1300. The WW&F is an all-volunteer organization so motivating those volunteers in building and maintaining over three and a half miles of rail infrastructure along with over a dozen buildings (all built by those volunteers) as well as historic equipment operating for the public was a constant exercise in dealing with opposing views. Moreover, planning for the future including expansion, sustainability, and fundraising required dealing with disparate personalities and mindsets. Issues dealt with included “me-too,” financial, legal, mental and physical health, and paying guests.
What is the most important issue in this election to you personally, and what ideas do you have about how to address this issue?
Housing and the cost thereof is the most important issue to me personally. When my wife and I bought our bungalow in 1984, it was a real financial stretch–even with two incomes– for us to be able to make that purchase especially with a mortgage that had 13.75 percent interest rate. While my wife and I have certainly benefited from appreciation, today’s buyers with a comparable income can’t realistically hope to buy a home in Lexington. The reasons are many. First, developers are buying up all the so-called starter homes like ours was and building mega mansions. Second are restrictive zoning laws. MBTA Communities zoning has helped, but not without problems. More cluster zoning would help, though the price of land makes that difficult. We need to explore more multifamily solutions such as in-law apartments, adaptive reuse, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The problem is complex without easy solutions. As a Town Meeting member, I would be able to immerse myself in many of the ideas others have.