By Krystal Wood
At the Special Town Meeting (STM) on November 30, 2022, the residents of Lincoln approved the following motion:
“That the town vote to transfer the sum of $325,000 from the town’s Stabilization Fund for the purpose of hiring relevant consultant support services, to potentially include project management, design, engineering and other technical reviews to assist the Community Center Building Committee in developing a range of community center design choices and budgets, including options not to exceed 75%, and 50% of the current project estimated cost of $25 million for the Hartwell complex, supplemented or not with existing available town space, with the intention of presenting said choices at a fall 2023 Special Town Meeting for a vote on a preferred option; and provided further, that it is anticipated that the preferred option selected by the Town will be presented for a funding vote in March 2025.”
The specific wording of the motion is the result of an impressive collaborative effort at the Special Town Meeting — specifically the language directing the Community Center Building Committee (CCBC) to prepare and present designs at different price points, and the language directing the CCBC to prioritize the use of existing facilities, where possible.
The goal of the CCBC is to enhance the life of the community with a plan that can gain the approval of a large majority of town residents. The greater the engagement of town residents, the better we can do our work. The committee is therefore immensely grateful for the time and effort that so many town residents have already invested in the early stages of our work, and grateful for the substantive and constructive feedback that has already shaped the committee’s mission and
program.
The CCBC will continue to strive to provide as many opportunities as possible for meaningful input from town residents.
Krystal Wood is a member of the Community Center Building Committee.
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