For the first time in three years, Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting will take place indoors. It will start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 26 in the newly renovated Brooks Auditorium. Here are some details about what to expect.
Parking — Parking will be available in the Brooks and Hartwell lots, the modular classroom temporary parking lot, and various roadside spots along Ballfield Road. Spaces closest to the entrance will be reserved for handicap and mobility impaired parking. Public safety staff will be on hand to assist.
Masks — The mask mandate has been lifted, community members are encouraged to wear masks and leave two seats between parties from different households. Officials also encourage residents to test themselves before and after the meeting; the town has free kits available to anyone who would like one.
Seating — Residents are welcome to sit in the gym as well as the auditorium. Those in the gym will be able to view, listen and vote from the gym, but they will not be able to make comments. To comment, they will need to come to a microphone location in the auditorium.
Making comments and asking questions — There will be standing microphones for people to queue up in the auditorium, as well as handheld microphones that can be passed to those unable to get to a standing microphone. If people would prefer to write their comment down, officials will accommodate that.
Watching remotely — Officials are hoping to have a live feed of the meeting through cable TV and the town website (www.lincolntown.org). They are awaiting new hardware, so if it doesn’t arrive in time, they will stream the meeting on Zoom. In either case, the necessary information will be posted on the Annual Town Meeting webpage.
Those watching from home may not vote or speak. They’re encouraged to submit any questions to the relevant board in advance of the meeting, either at a public meeting or over email.
Food and beverages — The Girl Scouts will provide coffee and breakfast treats that can be consumed in the hallways, gym, or new movement room. Given the new carpeting and fabric seating, only water will be allowed in the auditorium. Lunch will not be provided.
“We want the meeting to run as efficiently as possible in the interest of public health and the time residents are being asked to commit,” said Assistant Town Manager Dan Pereira. “The pandemic forced us to rethink our practices and we’ve developed some strategies (presentations in advance, greater use of the consent calendar, remote viewing) that have led to a better meeting overall. Our goal is to be done by midday, but that will be at the discretion of the moderator.”
Several presentations can be viewed ahead of time on the Annual Town Meeting webpage.
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