The Lincoln Squirrel

News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

conservation

Drumlin Farm debuts summer music series starting June 23

Katrin Roush

The Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary will host an outdoor summer music series starting with Katrin Roush on Friday, June 23. All three concerts run from 5:30–8 p.m.

This community event, co-presented by climate action group Mothers Out Front, invites people from across the state to celebrate local music, local food, and local action in an effort to provide a hopeful future for the planet.

“We’re excited to bring music to Drumlin Farm as a way to celebrate nature and the arts in an outdoor setting,” said Drumlin Farm Sanctuary Director Renata Pomponi. “Partnering with Mothers Out Front to incorporate a hopeful message of how our community can work together to fight climate change adds a great dimension to this concert series, turning it from a scary topic to one that can bring us together in new and positive ways.”

In addition to having live music and farm-fresh food, the concert series will feature climate-related activities for kids and adults to make pledges and learn how they can make a difference in their own communities.

“Together, we can mobilize to create a livable climate for our children and for generations to come,” said Emily Haslett, Mothers Out Front–Lincoln. “We invite families to join our grassroots movement of mothers, grandmothers, and caregivers who are working for the swift and just transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy.”

All ages are welcome and concert-goers are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner. Farm-fresh snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be on sale. Please note: no alcohol allowed on the property. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 65+ and children ages 5–12, and free for children under 2. Purchase tickets online here. Other concerts in the series:

News acorns

Forum on how to discuss neighborhood noise

The Leaf Blower Study Committee (LBSC) and the Conservation Commission will sponsor a town-wide forum on how to communicate with neighbors about an issue that has increasingly become a source of friction within our community—neighborhood noise—on Wednesday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Donaldson Room at the Lincoln Town Hall.

During “Civil Discourse in a Noisy World: How to Talk with Neighbors about Difficult Issues,” mediator and attorney Jeanne Kempthorne will lead a workshop aimed at finding common ground on the use of noisy leaf blowers, an issue that has become contentious in communities in Massachusetts and around the country.

The LBSC believes that all residents in Lincoln, regardless of their opinion on this issue, would benefit from the establishment of some ground rules on when and how these machines are used, for reasons of health, the environment, and common courtesy. The group is seeking to initiate a conversation and a process that may lead to mutually beneficial resolutions amongst neighbors. Kempthorne is co-chair of the Legal Advisory Committee of Quiet Communities and The Quiet Coalition, and has been active in educational and outreach activities to support their mission.

Codman Farm BBQ and campout June 10-11

Parents and kids are invited to camp out under the stars after a hayride, barbecue, s’mores and an old-fashioned sing-a-long around the campfire at Codman Community Farms (CCF) starting on Saturday, June 10 at 4 p.m. There will be breakfast on Sunday with coffee, orange juice and bagels. Visitors are also welcome to enjoy the activities without camping overnight. Cost is $35 per tent site (includes breakfast for all campers in the tent). A CCF family membership required to sleep over. Tickets for the dinner (click to buy online) catered by Blue Ribbon Barbecue are $30 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Click here for stories and photos about the campout in 2012.

Talks at American Revolution meeting next week

Two members of the American Revolution Round Table will speak at the group’s next meeting on Monday, June 5 at 7 p.m. at the the Minute Man National Historical Park Visitor Center. Jim Hogan will speak about religion as a catalyst of the American Revolution, focusing on the ministers of the towns of Concord, Lexington, Lincoln and Bedford. Nancy Lynch will talk about the political clash between Jefferson and Hamilton, what it meant to the workings of democracy, and the ebb and flow of their ideas during the course of the American political experience, based on the book, Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry that Forged a Nation. Please RSVP to reserve a seat by emailing mbern9@gmail.com.

Yoga in the park on four Saturdays

Melinda Bruno-Smith, certified hatha yoga instructor and Lincoln Garden Club member, will lead four yoga sessions in Station Park Garden (160 Lincoln Rd., across from the train station) on four Saturdays: June 3, 10, 17, and 24, from 9–10 a.m. A $5 donation is suggested; please bring a yoga mat, towel, or blanket to practice on and wear loose-fitting clothing.

Selectmen discuss building committees, ConsComm candidates

(Editor’s note: Following are highlights of the May 22 meeting of the Board of Selectmen. This is the first in a series of summaries of these meetings by former Selectman Peter Braun based on his review of the meeting videos, which are available at lincolntv.viebit.com or via the Town of Lincoln website under “Meeting Videos.”) 

The board met with Conservation Commission Chair Peter von Mertens and Larry Buell, a candidate for an open seat on the Conservation Commission. Two other candidates were interviewed at a prior board meeting. Buell described his experience as a professor, academic administrator, and researcher in history and environmental matters. Selectmen thanked him for his willingness to volunteer for the town, acknowledged the dilemma of having to choose one of three well-qualified candidates, and expressed the hope that the two candidates not chosen will be willing to serve in another capacity. The board deferred its decision until its next meeting.

Town Administrator Tim Higgins updated the board on several ongoing matters:

  • Wang property—review of purchase of town portion, bond financing, and management of development, including developing an irrigation plan and coordinating construction schedules.
  • Solar installation—the project’s planning committee focused on potential business arrangements with developers and is working with state Rep. Stanley on “home rule” legislation to provide relief from conservation restriction and thus permit solar array use on the former landfill.
  • Affordable accessory apartments—bylaw revisions have been approved by attorney general; the town is working with Rep. Stanley on legislation to authorize the tax exemption.
  • Financial management policies—Higgins is working with the Finance Committee to review and update.

The board also:

  • Updated its procedures for drafting and approving minutes.
  • Discussed the status of seeking at-large members of the Community Center Planning and Preliminary Design Committee, as well as continuing dialogue with the School Building Committee regarding who might serve as these committees’ respective liaisons to each other.
  • Continued development of its policy regarding whether, where, and to what extent the board and/or town staff would respond to matters raised in LincolnTalk or social media, as well as the status of redesign of the town web site.
  • Discussed its ongoing liaison with the Green Energy Committee regarding updating the town’s energy-usage targets.
  • Heard brief liaison reports regarding HATS, the School Building Committee, the L-S Environmental Club, the Housing Trust, the Bicycle Safety Advisory Committee, and the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee.
  • Noted correspondence received from a resident of Old Winter Street requesting reconsideration of traffic restrictions.
  • Discussed its process for continuing to publish the Selectmen’s Newsletter.

Outdoor watering now allowed one day per week

Flint’s Pond water levels since 2010. In previous droughts, the lowest levels seen at the pond were 5.5 feet below full in 1951, and a bit more than 7 feet below full in 1967 (click image to enlarge).

The complete ban on outdoor lawn watering imposed during last summer’s drought has been modified, though it isn’t back to the old two-day-a-week permitted schedule.

The Water Department Commissioners voted to allow outdoor watering on a one-day-a-week schedule. Outdoor watering via irrigation systems and/or hose sprinklers on Saturdays for street addresses ending in an even number and on Sundays for addresses ending in an odd number.  The irrigation systems can operate between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Hand-watering of plants is allowed any day of the week from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m.

The water level in Flints Pond has rebounded more than 2.5 feet since the near-record low water levels of this past fall and winter. However, even with this strong recovery, the pond is still more than two feet below full capacity and has not yet reached the level it was at this time last year, according to Water Department Superintendent Greg Woods.

“With normal summer water use (i.e., watering twice a week), the pond level typically decreases by 2–3 feet, so if it’s another dry summer, it’s likely we will be right back in a similar situation as last year,” Woods said.

The Water Commission anticipates that the current watering restrictions, coupled with the increased use of the Tower Road well, will minimize the drawdown of the pond level. The panel will continue to monitor the pond level and the town’s water demand on a monthly basis to determine if the water restriction requires further adjustment. Anyone with questions may call Woods at 781-259-1329.

Lincoln residents can get discounts on solar installation

A rooftop solar array in Chicago (image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Lincoln is one of three towns selected by the state to participate in Solarize Mass, a program where residents can get lower pricing from an approved vendor of residential rooftop solar installations.

Sponsored by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Council (MassCEC), Solarize lets residents of a community to enter into a competitive pricing agreement with a preferred solar installer following a vetting process. Representatives from Lincoln, Wayland, and Sudbury’s energy committees are working with MassCEC to promote solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar hot water for residential rooftop installation. This program helps consumers by keeping costs lower—historically, up to 21% lower—and ensuring that installations are of high quality. Lincoln participated in the same program five years ago.

“Following the success of the 2012 Solarize Lincoln program and building on the increasing momentum of greener energy among residents means the time is ripe for another round,” said Jennifer Haugh of the Green Energy Committee (GEC) in a press release. “We’ve seen so much interest and excitement among residents, and it’s clear our communities are ready.”

In addition to finding a vendor for solar photovoltaic, the three towns were also selected to engage in a pilot project, Solarize Plus, which will engage a separate vendor to offer solar hot water. Unlike solar photovoltaic, which converts direct sunlight to electricity, solar hot water transfers heat from the atmosphere directly to a hot water tank in the home. This technology can be more forgiving of shadier rooftops but may require ongoing investments and maintenance.

In the coming weeks, GEC members will work with MassCEC and the towns of Wayland and Sudbury to accept and review bids for both solar photovoltaic and solar hot water providers. The team expects to announce a winner and launch the program this summer.

Since its launch in 2011, 58 cities and towns have participated in Solarize Mass, resulting in more than 3,400 new small-scale installations at homes and businesses totaling 20.6 megawatts of solar capacity.

Bylaw change maximizes rooftop solar

Residents voted at Town Meeting in March to remove a zoning bylaw setback requirement on rooftops, which will create additional space for rooftop solar arrays. GEC member Jim Hutchinson, who presented the warrant article, said the measure could make the difference for some Lincoln residents looking to install solar on smaller rooftops.

“In one case, that [former] one-foot setback requirement reduced the amount of rooftop available by 44 percent,” he said. “Having more viable space makes the decision to go solar that much more feasible for homeowners.”

A related bylaw change increased the maximum allowed height for ground-mounted solar from 10 feet to 12. The Planning Board may also now grant waivers to the solar installation requirements on a case-by-case basis.

Survey results town’s interest in solar

A survey in late February indicated strong interest on the part of Lincolnites in exploring investments in solar options for residences. Of 127 respondents, 66.4 percent were “very interested” and 23 percent were “somewhat interested” in finding out more about group purchasing and favorable pricing of solar equipment, installation, and/or solar electricity, with the remaining 10.7 percent indicating “other”—which primarily consisted of current solar owners who are enthusiastic about their arrays.

From a question regarding the motivations for interest in solar, 90 percent of respondents indicated a concern for climate change and 65 percent were concerned about the global politics of fossil fuels, whereas 56.7 percent were interested in solar in terms of an economic investment.

Of 117 responses to a question regarding types of solar of interest to Lincoln residents, 53.8 percent were homeowners interested in solar arrays for their own rooftops, and 37.6 percent were interested in sharing a sunshine-harvesting somewhere else.

A question about additional energy-efficiency opportunities yielded 48.3 percent of respondents interested in monitoring electric loads in their homes to find phantom loads, with additional interest in having home energy assessments (HEAs) and learning more about electric vehicles.

Optimizing energy use

Solarize is one of several residential energy programs offered by the GEC. Residents are urged to consider ways of conserving energy in their homes first before investing in the supply side, according to Lincoln Energy Challenge coordinator Sue Klem.

“Solar PVs are a great way to minimize your carbon footprint, but you’ll want to optimize your home for energy efficiency first,” she said. “The best way to find out how to make your home as efficient as possible is to get a home energy assessment” or HEA.

Massachusetts has one of the nation’s top statewide energy-efficiency programs in partnership with MassSave, a nonprofit funded through utility fees. Lincoln works with a company called HomeWorks Energy to perform no-cost HEAs, where an energy auditor comes to check a residence for air leaks, proper insulation, lighting, and other sources of inefficiency. They can replace incandescent bulbs with free LED light bulbs, leave free “smart” power strips, and perform on-the-spot air sealing for drafty homes. HEA auditors can also offer recommendations for energy-efficiency improvements, often supported by tax incentives.

For more information on obtaining a no-cost HEA, visit www.lincolnenergychallenge.org or call 781-305-3319.

News acorns

No charges filed in 2016 bike accident

No criminal or civil motor vehicle charges will be filed in the wake of an accident in Lincoln on June 16, 2016 that claimed the life of Eugene Thornberg of Wayland. Thornberg, 61, was killed while bicycling on Route 126 just south of Hillside Road. The decision comes after an investigation by Lincoln Police Department, Middlesex District Attorney’s office and Massachusetts State Police. 

A second fatal accident involving a bicyclist last summer is still under investigation, Lincoln Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy reported. Westford resident Mark Himelfarb, 59, was killed in an August 17 accident on Virginia Road about 200 feet north of intersection with Old Bedford Road.

Eric Chivian to speak at LLCT gala

Dr. Eric Chivian with a Colombian tree frog.

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust annual meeting and 60th anniversary celebration takes place on Thursday, May 18 from 6–9 p.m. at the Pierce House. The evening starts with a reception and music by Colonial Jazz with Jim White and hors d’oeuvres by Trail’s End Cafe. Wine and beer will be served.

After a brief business meeting at 7:25, Dr. Eric Chivian, physician and Nobel laureate, will give a talk on “Human Health and the Environment.” Chivian will discuss how medical models can help people understand the implications of our altering of the global environment by translating the abstract, technical science of these changes into the concrete, personal, everyday language of human health.

While a staff psychiatrist in the MIT Medical Department, Chivian co-founded International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 for its efforts to highlight the implications of nuclear conflict for global health. He is on the Harvard Medical School faculty and directs the nonprofit Program for Preserving the Natural World, Inc. Copies of his book Sustaining Life: How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity will be available for purchase.

Bike to school on May 19

In celebration of National Bike Month, and in collaboration with Lincoln Cycling Safety Advisory Committee, hop on your bicycle for an environmentally friendly, good-for-your-body, fun ride to school on Friday, May 19. Don’t forget your helmet!

Dr. Timothy Johnson at St. Anne’s

Dr. Timothy Johnson

Physician, author, minister and St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church parishioner Timothy Johnson will host a forum on the state of U.S. health care and what’s at stake with the new administration’s proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act at the St. Anne’s on Sunday, May 21 at 9 a.m. That afternoon, Still Your Soul will be a service of Contemplative Holy Eucharist, with time to soothe the soul before the beginning of another busy week.

Group uses humor and art to tag gas leaks

Athena Montori hangs one of the gas leak signs along with a tasseled scarf on a tree near Lincoln Woods.

A group of enthusiastic volunteers posted “tree couture” tassels to mark gas leaks in town on May 7.

Lincoln’s chapter of Mothers Out Front staged the event to draw attention to underground gas leaks. They hung brightly colored scarves—knitted by members and decorated with tassels as part of a “tree couture” designed by landscape designer and artist Carol Michener Card—along with notices calling attention to some of the underground natural gas leaks in town. These leaks contribute to global warming, but utilities are not required to repair them unless they pose an immediate danger. There are more than 40 known leaks in Lincoln.

Along with opening speakers, organizers sold “leaky lemonade” in cups with holes purposely punched in the bottom to illustrate the idea that consumers still pay for leaked gas.

Alex Chatfield pretends to be outraged at the lemonade leaking from his cup as Selectman Jennifer Glass (left) looks on.

Lincoln Mothers Out Front listen as founding member Trish O’Hagan speaks about mobilizing for a livable climate.

South Lincoln hydration station stages ribbon-cutting

The Lincoln Garden Club is having a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Station Park on Saturday, May 6 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the opening of its latest project: the installation of a granite water fountain for the town of Lincoln. The park is located across the Lincoln Mall at 145 Lincoln Road.

The native-plant flower bed at Station Park installed in 2015.

The Garden Club decided to have the water fountain built at the Park it has been maintaining since 1972, inspired by last year’s warrant article, sponsored by the Lincoln School eighth grade, to install a hydration station at the school gym. DPW Superintendent Chris Bibbo and his staff, as well as the Lincoln Water Department, were key in designing and installing the fountain, which can be used by bicyclists and walkers to fill water bottles and get a drink of water.

Station Park was created by the town in May 1970 and has been maintained by the Lincoln Garden Club since 1972. In the fall of 2015, the Garden Club installed a native plant bed, designed by the New England Wildflower Society. Like the water fountain project, the installation of the native bed was funded by the Lincoln Garden Club and encompasses approximately 300 native plants.

Lincolnites join forces with crowd at climate rally

Eighteen Lincolnites armed with posters, good spirits, hats, and sunscreen participated in the Boston People’s Climate Mobilization on Boston Common on Saturday, April 29. A Doherty’s bus, organized by the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee, conveyed the group to and from the rally.

Sponsored by a wide array of environmental organizations, the rally offered workshops, teach-ins, music, and speakers focusing on jobs, economic and environmental justice, and ideas for promoting job growth and diminishing the ill effects of climate change.

“The activities were informative and often inspiring and the mood was buoyant, as it was a perfectly beautiful spring day in Boston with participants, along with their children and their dogs, enjoying the warm sunshine and the flowering trees, shrubs and tulips in the Public Garden,” said participant Barbara Slayter, who provided the photos below (click any image to enlarge).

Gwyn Loud, Nancy Soulette, and Elizabaeth Cherniack on the bus to Boston Common.

Barbara Slayter behind her Maura Healy sign.

The Lincolnites get themselves organized before heading onto Boston Common.

 

Jillian Darling displays her poster.

Kate Dahmen and Staci Montori, whose sign calls attention to unrepaired natural gas leaks.

Leslie Hallowell and Sherry Haydock.

Lia Darling.

 

Nancy Soulette’s sign.

New group invites residents to ‘tag’ gas leaks

Lincoln Mothers Out Front Gas Circle members (left to right) Staci Montori, Kate Dahmen, Trish O’Hagan, Sue Michener, Carol Michener Card. Missing from photo: Emily Haslett, DJ Mitchell, Jackie Lenth and Stacey Parks. (Photo from Mothers Out Front – Lincoln)

As one of its first actions to take on local and global environmental challenges, the new Lincoln chapter of the group Mothers Out Front invites residents to a rally and artistic event on Sunday, May 7 to raise awareness of natural gas leaks in town.

The event starts at 1 p.m. at the Lincoln Town Office Building with a welcome address and kickoff rally. Teams of “taggers” will then disperse to mark over 45 known gas leaks throughout Lincoln and hang doorknob information sheets to alert neighbors about the harmful and costly effects of leaking natural gas. Anyone interested in joining is welcome; please email LincolnMOF@gmail.com to sign up for a tagging team.

Natural gas is 95 percent methane, a potent greenhouse gas that speeds up climate change, harms trees, and is linked to health issues including asthma. The Cambridge nonprofit Home Energy Efficiency Team maps gas leaks in more than 200 Massachusetts cities and towns. There are more than 20,000 gas leaks in Massachusetts;Mothers Out front cites a recent Boston University survey of 100 of those leaks that were identified seven as “super-emitters” and 15 as potentially explosive.

Utilities charge consumers for the leaked gas they never use, and the Lincoln campaign is part of a statewide movement to enact gas leaks legislation. A law signed in 2016 requires gas companies to address “environmentally significant” leaks, or the ones leaking the most gas, while other pending legislation would pass the cost of lost gas from consumer bills to the utilities over a period of time. Senate Bill 1845 is currently before the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy co-chaired by Lincoln’s state senator, Michael Barrett.