To the editor:
In my 14 years as a resident of Lincoln, I have come to deeply appreciate Lincoln’s long tradition of being proactive in anticipating and adapting to change. We as a town have often taken advantage of new opportunities long before other towns seem to even be aware such opportunities exist. In my mind, this (and the often drawn out and tedious but necessary consensus-building that goes with it) is part of the often extolled, sometimes derided, but never concretely defined “Lincoln Way.”
We have long shown ourselves to be a town determined to address problems before they become crises. We spend a great deal of time and effort discussing and wrestling with the challenges presented by the changing world around us. We are often recognized (and emulated) for providing direction and leadership in the face of change. I see all of these qualities active in the recent WIDE and IDEA initiatives to encourage diversity and inclusion; in SLPAC’s work to revitalize the Lincoln Station area; and in our decades-long efforts to balance and strengthen our often competing goals of historic preservation, the conservation of our open space, and the preservation and promotion of affordable housing.
I am often amazed (but no longer surprised) at the deep bench of professional skill and experience that many or most past and present members of our town’s boards, commissions and committees bring to the table in this work. I am also impressed with how humble most of these folks are: their focus is on serving the best interests of the town as best they can — not self-promotion.
In my opinion, Margaret Olson and Steve Gladstone exemplify all of this. They have proven to be creative, and hardworking guardians of our town’s best interests and “the Lincoln way” through their presence on the Planning Board: working hard to find a viable path forward in the face of ever changing and often competing economic, environmental, political, cultural, and legislative agendas. They are both good listeners, hard and reliable workers, and their professional backgrounds provide valuable points of view and skills in support of this work.
Both were important contributors in the successful development, vetting, and town meeting approval of Oriole Landing; in the development and ongoing work of SLPAC; in simplifying our planning and permitting processes; in making our zoning laws fairer and easier to understand and implement; and in promoting affordable and safe housing for all of Lincoln’s residents. Neither of them are “flashy” or eager to grab the spotlight, but the results of their work benefit us every day.
Steve and Margaret are respected and valued members of the Planning Board and are important allies in the complex challenge of promoting and supporting increased diversity, inclusion, and equity within Lincoln. Please join me on March 28 in voting to allow them to continue doing so.
Sincerely,
Allen Vander Meulen
30 Beaver Pond Rd.
“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.