Council approves amended resolution authorizing acquisition steps for two West Main parcels

Councilors approved an amended resolution authorizing action to acquire two specific parcels on West Main Street for a planned fire department project, after amending language that had been written to allow acquisition of other properties “as may otherwise be necessary or appropriate.”

The nut graf: the resolution formalizes the town’s intent to pursue purchase of two addresses for the department project while councilors struck broader language that, they said, could create unintended discretion to acquire other properties without additional approval.

A council member asked why the resolution included a phrase that would permit acquiring ‘‘certain real estate property located … or as may otherwise be necessary or appropriate,’’ and raised concerns the clause could be interpreted to authorize additional acquisitions beyond the two identified parcels. A councilor suggested tightening the language to instruct staff to take “all acts as necessary or appropriate to acquire those two properties,” and the council adopted that narrower language.

After the amendment, a motion to approve resolution number 13 20 24 as amended passed by voice vote; councilors answered “Aye.” The resolution authorizes the town to proceed with actions limited to the specified addresses for the planned fire department site.

Council members said the intent of the resolution was to give the town’s representatives the authority to complete acts necessary to acquire the two properties for the project; they emphasized limiting the scope to those parcels to avoid ambiguity.