The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

elections

Candidates share views on HCA, community center, Town Meeting

Here are some selected questions and answers from town election candidates at the PTO forum held on March 12. More information:

Do you believe boards are obligated to follow the will of the town as expressed through TM votes?

(all candidates)

This question was a reference to the split vote by the Planning Board on whether to recommend passage of Article 3. All the candidates answered yes, “but you have obligation to show the facts in an unbiased way and not put your finger on the scale,” Postlethwait said.

Taylor: “If boards are unwilling to support it, you’re effectively undercutting the whole process” of Town Meeting and the work done by town volunteers who studied the issue and made the recommendation.

Glass: “It’s incumbent on boards to take that [Town Meeting vote] as a direct will of the town.”

Clark: “Yes, of course… [but board endorsement decisions] should be intimately connected with what residents want.”

If elected, what will you do to reunite the town?

(Select Board candidates)

Clark suggested following Brookline’s example in tackling the Housing Choice Act. “They did an extremely complicated, secret-sauce solution — they brought everyone together and forged consensus,” he said dryly. “That’s exactly what I would do if you voted me to the Select Board.”

“I have great faith in Lincoln’s resilience,” Glass said. “This is not the first or last time [we’ll have] difficult conversations. It’s OK to disagree about things; the choice is about how we handle that disagreement. We have to have trust in the democratic process.” She also noted that Brookline and Milton (which reversed an earlier vote to comply with the HCA) have a representative town meeting form of government, unlike Lincoln’s open town meeting.

Do you see flaws with the HCA law?

(all candidates)

Taylor: “There are things that could have been improved in HCA, but there’s really nothing in it you can’t work with.”

Clark: “The spirit [of the HCA] is something Lincoln has complied with for 40 years. We have done in spirit what the state was trying to get us to do.”

Postlethwait: “I have a huge issue with the HCA. The state could have forced developers to have 20% affordable housing. There’s not a housing crisis, there’s an affordable housing crisis.” Lincoln should resubmit an affordable-housing feasibility study to achieve that goal, she added.

Glass: “There were definitely some flaws. There was no provision for affordable housing at all.” After making some adjustments in the law’s specific requirements, “the state has actually done a pretty good job of allowing towns some flex as to how this plays out for them.”

If the HCA doesn’t pass, what process do you propose to bring the community to “yes” by December?

(Planning Board candidates)

Postlethwait recommended disbanding the Housing Choice Act Working Group and form a new group with renters and residents of South Lincoln “to better represent the town so more voices can be heard.” When the rezoning options were being discussed in the fall, she charged, “people dug in their heels and refused” to negotiate.

“Rezoning was being reconsidered all along alongside the HCA. The idea that we suddenly put it together is a misconception,” Taylor said. As for renegotiating for a different option, “I’m less optimistic than Sarah is,” he added. “When you look at [Options] E and C, there are key differences and I don’t know there’s a way to agree on those because it’s pretty fundamental.

“Getting approval from the state is not quick,” Taylor continued. “Even though we have several months, it would be a difficult lift to get there.”

Do you believe Town Meeting is equitable and proper in this day and age? If not, how can we make it so?

(all candidates)

While all the candidates agreed that Town Meeting is difficult for some residents to attend in person (those with small children, those with mobility issues or fear of illness, etc.), they noted that the process is dictated by state law and can’t be changed at the local level.

Clark recommended a change whereby important issues could be voted on at the ballot box and Town Meeting restricted to “other things that didn’t have such a major impact on people.”

Postlethwait urged the town to provide “clickers” for voting at Town Meeting to speed up the process (something that will be discussed on March 23), as well as free child care rather than the $40-per-child cost required by LEAP.

“Town Meeting isn’t equitable. It’s the historical way we’ve run our town governments, which worked pretty well when everyone who came was old white men, but things have changed since then,” Taylor said. “It’s a state-level problem, and it would take a very thoroughgoing deep dive to figure out how to change” the all-in-person format, which is “very inspiring — I would miss it.”

Glass noted that several measures in recent years have streamlined Town Meeting, such as expanded use of the consent calendar and having personations about some warrant articles ahead of time and available online. The only feasible alternative is to switch from open town meeting to representative town meeting, “but you lose your voice that way. When you have everyone in the room discussing those issues, it builds community even when the issues are hard.”

Is the community center a good use of the town’s tax dollars?
(all candidates)

Here the candidates disagreed. Glass said yes, cited the costs of “nothing happening and renovating town buildings. There is no sort of easy, cheap solution for properly taking care of our buildings,” largely because of the town’s stringent building code and ban using fossil fuels in new buildings or gut renovations.

Taylor said he voted for the 75% option in December that “would cover our needs but be more fiscally responsible. But I’m also committed to the town government structure we have. Town Meeting decided and I’m fully behind the choice that was made.”

“I’ll go along with whatever the [March 23] vote is, but if it’s voted down, it could mean a much more modest proposal. I think it costs too much money and can be done in a more frugal way,” Clark said. “We have the highest [per-household] indebtedness of almost any town in the state… Maybe we can revisit what the community center should be.”

Postlethwait agreed. “The Council on Aging & Human Services should be its own building and there are better places for it.” For example, the town preschool moved from the Hartwell building to the renovated school, “and there’s got to be a classroom or two we can use.” Water mains need to be replaced, among other future expenses; “there’s always things we have pay for as a town, and I just don’t think a brand-new $25 million building is the way to do it,” she said.

Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden reminded attendees that the community center funding must win a two-thirds majority on March 23 to pass, as well as a simple majority at the ballot box two days later.

Opening statements by candidates at PTO forum

Here are the prewritten opening statements (in alphabetical order) that the four candidates made at the Lincoln PTO candidate forum on March 12. Click here to read more about the forum.

Frank Clark

Select Board challenger

I’m running because the town deserves a choice between the divisive path we’re currently on and a more moderate, and more inclusive way forward.

Our town seems to have lost its sense of balance. We are a very small town, and I worry that our aspirations are beyond what we can realistically accomplish without permanently damaging the character of the town and the social fabric of the town. I believe the majority of the town’s residents just want to know that the town’s essential character will be preserved & public money is spent carefully. We have to recognize that our rapidly rising taxes are pushing people out of town.

Among all Massachusetts towns, Lincoln has one of the highest long-term debt loads, about $40,000 per household. Add the community center and our debt will rise to about $50,000 per household and we might be #1 in the Commonwealth. We have other projects waiting in the wings and we’ve fallen behind on essentials such as road maintenance.

We have lost a sense of moderation… we borrowed $90 million to renovate our school because we didn’t want to wait for state aid. And now, We’re heading towards approval of the most expensive option for the community center. And the HCA rezoning promoted by town leadership goes far beyond what’s required by the State, and we haven’t done the analysis to be sure we can handle the large increase in population that will result.

On this issue, the Planning Board is split and the Select Board is wavering. And the town is very polarized. I’m preaching for unity, and that won’t happen with a 55/45 vote at Town Meeting. We can come together but we need consensus, not a winner-take-all attitude.

Town leaders cannot take refuge by saying “we’re just doing what Town Meeting wants.” We look to the Select Board and Planning Board for leadership and the town is heavily influenced by their recommendations and by the subcommittees they appoint. But we’re not being given the balanced, objective information we need to make wise decisions about big projects. The subcommittees that do the research for big projects become invested in an outcome and they rarely give us “both sides of the story.” It is disingenuous for town leaders to now say ‘we’re just following orders’ from Town Meeting.

I believe we need new leadership to get us back on track.

Jennifer Glass

Select Board incumbent

I moved to Lincoln with my family at the end of 2006. Many things drew us to the community: Its conservation land; the school system, the modernist deck houses; and it’s on the commuter rail, which has always been a prerequisite for choosing a place to live.

In 2007, the School Committee was looking for volunteers to serve on its Class Size Policy Subcommittee. As a former Kindergarten teacher, I thought this would be an interesting way to bring my experience to our new community. It was a great experience, and our group hammered out a policy that focused on what was best for our children while being fiscally responsible to the town. It also began my interest in tackling complex, emotional, and controversial topics.

I ran for School Committee in 2008 and served for 9 years, 7 of them as Chair, and in 2017, a friend encouraged me to run for the Select Board. For the past seven years on the Select Board, I have focused on building community, holistic planning, and finding creative ways to ensure community voice in our decision-making. That has played out in a number of ways:

  • We are sitting in one of them. As part of the School Committee and School Building Committee, I helped build community consensus to get this school renovated.
  • I have worked extensively with the Green Energy Committee and helped shape Lincoln’s new Climate Action Plan.
  • I helped establish and now co-chair the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Antiracism Committee.
  • I worked with my colleagues to recognize Juneteenth and Pride Month, listened to the 3rd graders who thought we should recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
  • I helped craft a new property tax abatement program for income-eligible seniors.
  • I am a member of the Affordable Housing Trust.
  • And I am, of course, part of the Housing Choice Act Working Group.
  • For fun, I’ve been editor in chief of the Select Board newsletter, have learned how to set up hybrid Zoom meetings, and organized the December 2020 scavenger hunt on Lincoln’s amazing trail network.

I love working with all of you to serve our town, and I respectfully ask for your support to continue to do so.

Sarah Postlethwait

Planning Board challenger

You may be able to tell that I don’t like public speaking and this is definitely not inside of my comfort zone, but I feel the current issues facing our town are far too important to sit on the sidelines and just hope for the best.

I am extremely invested in a successful South Lincoln rezoning, as this is the place my family calls home. I deeply care about ensuring more housing is built — especially more affordable housing, while also protecting the rural character of our town and ensuring that our commercial center is able to thrive. I may not have a formal background in development — but I am unprejudiced, versatile, and eager to learn. I am dedicated to looking out for the best interest of the town and our stated goals- safeguarding what we have achieved in the past, while at the same time adapting for the needs of the future.

I have grown increasingly concerned, as with many other of my fellow residents, with Lincoln’s chosen path to comply with the state mandated Housing Choice Act, and its proposed bylaws. I have dedicated countless hours to researching the law, its guidelines, its compliance model — every detail around it. I have studied several other town’s HCA bylaws to see how our own bylaws can be improved.

I feel we can do better. And we have plenty of time to do better! But instead of being the squeaky wheel, I’ve decided to be a part of the change and to run for a seat on the planning board.

Lincoln’s current Housing Choice Act proposal is rezoning 71% more land than is required by the state. The multifamily developments that are being permitted on these acres can be built by right. This means as long as a developer follows the set of rules established in our town’s bylaws, they can build the maximum allowed, and the town has no right to deny that development. It’s imperative the HCA proposal and bylaws that we pass align with the vision we see for our town. I feel what is being submitted for town meeting vote in a couple weeks does not.

Our HCA proposal puts our commercial center at risk. It is seriously lacking in environmental protections for all 72 acres of rezoned land. It does not limit negative impacts on the resources and residents in the rezoned area. We are the stewards of this land. We are the ones who should be safeguarding it. If we are going to rezone it for multifamily developments, the least we can do is ensure that the bylaws are written in a way that reasonably minimizes the negative environmental impact of development.

I firmly believe that the current proposed path towards HCA compliance has major flaws that could significantly change the landscape of the town that we all know and love. But I am hopeful we can all sit down at a table, find common ground, and come up with a path towards HCA compliance that will gain significant support, fully comply with the regulations of the law, and protect the values that are important to this town.

Thank you for considering voting for me for planning board, and I hope that my focus on critical thinking, thoroughly researched planning and inclusive dialogue will bring value to Lincoln and win your vote.

Gary Taylor

Planning Board incumbent

Most residents encounter the Planning Board when seeking to remodel or build a home. Through Site Plan review we guide development in ways that respect Lincoln’s values and protect abutters and the environment. Since I joined the board, we’ve made this process more user-friendly and less time-consuming for everyone, allowing us to spend more time planning.

The board regularly proposes changes to Lincoln’s bylaws to address state requirements and local land use and environmental issues. Recent examples are the liberalization of the accessory apartment bylaw and adoption of the 2023 opt-in stretch energy code to improve energy efficiency.

Now we face the Housing Choice Act mandate for zoning allowing “by right” multi-family housing near our metro rail station. How should we respond? After decades of concern over the viability of the mall and years of study about how to address Lincoln’s housing needs, five options were presented to voters at December’s Special Town Meeting, and Option C focusing housing in the mall area was selected.

I hope the coming Town Meeting votes “yes” on Article 3 (zoning implementing Option C). Whether or not is passes now, I shall honor Town Meeting’s decision, and my professional expertise and town experience will be of value in helping Lincoln through this process. I have learned how to bring people together and get things done.

I’m particularly proud of my role in the addition of over 100 units of affordable housing units in Lincoln. These include 30 at The Commons, one of the first senior living facilities with affordable units, and 60 at Oriole Landing that protect Lincoln for decades from the threat of 40B development, which — unlike the HCA — would circumvent Lincoln zoning entirely.

Lincoln has in the past strived successfully to strike a balance between preserving its shared values and responding as needed to change affecting our town and the world around us. I hope that we can continue to thread that needle effectively. I ask not only for your vote, but as well for your participation in the continuing dialogue that will shape Lincoln’s future.

My Turn: Re-elect Gary Taylor to the Planning Board

Dear friends and neighbors,

We are asking for your support and your vote on Monday, March 25 for the reelection of Gary Taylor to the Planning Board.

Committed to forward thinking and planning, Gary Taylor brings significant town board experience and professional expertise to the Lincoln Planning Board. His skills in analysis and resolution of complex issues — as well as his positive approach and collaborative style — have helped Lincoln continue to be a place where we enjoy living and raising our children while upholding values that make us good neighbors in our region and in the world around us.

Gary’s public service to Lincoln has been substantial and lasting. He has proved that he can get things done. He has been instrumental in a wide range of positive changes in Lincoln in three terms on the Select Board, nine years on the Finance Committee, six years on the Planning Board, and leadership roles on the Lincoln Housing Commission and Affordable Housing Trust. Among the town’s accomplishments during his service:

  • Improved Planning Board approval procedures with capable planning staff, thereby moving the board away from micromanaging individual property plans
  • Adoption of the state’s most strict environmental building code
  • Creation of more than 100 new affordable homes that not only served our residents but also blocked housing developers from using state law 40B to ignore local zoning
  • Conservation of large, key open spaces to connect wildlife corridors and recreation
  • Development of The Commons in Lincoln senior living facility, with an affordable component, so older people who need support can remain in Lincoln or move near their children
  • Computerized the town’s accounting and integrated budgeting with the schools

Gary is not a one issue candidate. Future projects* need his skills in analysis and resolution of the many associated complex issues:

  • Responding to the state Housing Choice Act calling for denser “by right” housing near our commuter rail station and our small commercial center
  • The design and funding of a new community center
  • Proposed expansion of private jet services at Hanscom Field by MassPort
  • Preparing for crowds coming to Minuteman National Historic Park for our nation’s 250th Celebration and for proposed repaving of Rte. 2A
  • Planning for climate initiatives such as electric charging stations and solar arrays

Gary’s considerable professional training and experience add to his value on the Planning Board. With degrees in law and in finance and planning management, he has provided expert testimony in high-stakes energy-related litigation and is co-founder of an economic consulting firm that grew from two people to 400 with 14 offices in the U.S., Europe, China and Australia. He currently is a senior advisor to Massachusetts Sen. Mike Barrett on energy issues.

Abigail Adams
Sarah Andrysiak
Chris Andrysiak
Dea Angiolillo
Ken Bassett
Laura Berland
Sarah Bishop
Rebecca Blanchfield
Paul Blanchfield
Pam Boardman
John Bordiuk
Rory Bordiuk
Janet Boynton
Stephen Brand
David Briggs
Elaine Briggs
Julie Brogan
Erica Bronstein
Kim Buell
Larry Buell
Brian Burns
Karen Carlson
Ted Chan
Alex Chatfield
Deb Choate
Buzz Constable
Rosamand Delori
Alice DeNormandie
Penny DeNormandie
Tom DeNormandie
Jona Donaldson
Brianna Doo
Betsy Doorandish
Ramin Doorandish
Anne Doyle
Rachel Drew
Nataly Dvash
Jeff Eaton
Andy Falender
Jon Ferris
Kristen Ferris
Caroline Fiore
Mike Fiore
Nancy Fleming
Jim Fleming
Rainer Frost
Martha Frost
Amy Funkenstein
Andy Gnazzo
Mark Goeteman
Josh Grindley
Sandy Grindley
Gina Halsted
Tom Haslett
Emily Haslett
Alan Hein
Nancy Henderson
Jim Henderson
Ruth Ann Hendrickson
Lis Herbert
Zach Herbert
Ruth Hodges
Shira Horowitz
Sue Howland
Tony Howland
Chris Hug
Ken Hurd
Pam Hurd
Kimberly Jalet
Brian Jalet
Bryan Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Jon Kelman
Joan Kimball
John Kimball
Chris Klem
Sue Klem
John Koenig
Steve Kropper
Bob Kupperstein
Patrick Lawler
Judith Lawler
Jesse Lefkowitz
Barbara Leggat
Jackie Lenth
Karin Levy
David Levy
Paula Light
Jonathan Light
Rosemary Lloyd
Lew Lloyd
Mary Helen Lorenz
Sara Lupkas
Scott Lupkas
Rick Mandelkorn
Nancy Marshall
Peyton Marshall
Rachel Mason
Lucy Maulsby
Chris McCarthy
John Mendelson
Ellen Meyer Shorb
DJ Mitchell
Matt Mitchell
Richard Mollica
Staci Montori
Buffer Morgan
Terri Morgan
Jennie Morris Gundy
Patty Mostue
Brooks Mostue
Jayne Mundt
Rachel Neurath
Richard Nichols
John Nolan
Trisha O’Hagan
Barbara O’Neil
David O’Neil
Katherine Page
Eloise Patterson
Jeff Patterson
Lisa Paul
Terry Perlmutter
Ginger Reiner
Kurt Reiner
Dana Robbat
Joe Robbat
Cathy Rogers
Allen Rossiter
Selina Rossiter
Lucy Sachs
Surendra Shah
Kathleen Shepard
Ray Shepard
Paul Shorb
Barbara Slayter
Vicky Slingerland
Tucker Smith
Jonathan Soo
Kara Soo
Nancy Soulette
Sue Stason
Bill Stason
James Stock
Susan Taylor
Pam Thayer
David Urion
Allen Vander Meulan
Peter Von Mertens
Tom Walker
Katy Walker
Ben Wells
Jeani Welsh
Susan Welsh
Blandyna Williams
Fred Winchell
Claire Winchell Manning
Krystal Wood
Jen Zeis

“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.

My Turn: Jennifer Glass for Select Board

By Jonathan Dwyer

Many times, I have witnessed Jennifer’s wisdom, skill, and thoughtfulness from the upper rows of the Harriett Todd Lecture Hall in Donaldson Auditorium, from the seat beside her at our board meetings, in the parlor room at Bemis Hall, and on the grass at Pierce Park. She is everywhere in town, and wherever she goes, she is taking care of business and bringing people together. 

I remember in 2012 when Jennifer was chair of the School Committee, she pursued the most fiscally responsible decision the town could make: a $49 million school project that would only cost the town $29 million after state funding. Her knack for designing inclusive processes that promote community input showed in the many forums and charettes ahead of the town vote for the project. That vote failed, but Jennifer immediately invested effort, resourcefulness, and persistence into restarting the process.

Incredibly dedicated, she volunteered for School Building Committee #2, that resulted in the recently finished school project. I remember watching Jennifer and her committee colleagues, over many cycles and numerous hours, debate options for reducing inflation-driven cost projections back in line with budget. 

Concurrently with SBC #2, she was on the Select Board where she led the town’s Property Tax Study Committee. Anticipating that school building costs might exceed the financial means of some residents, this committee researched ways to provide relief. The committee’s proposal was approved at Town Meeting and submitted to the state for approval. 

When the Water Commission needed a temporary member, she volunteered to serve as a commissioner and assist the commission in identifying financially responsible options for implementing essential upgrades to the filtration system, as required by regulators.

Jennifer wants you to be informed and works hard at it. She has been instrumental in connecting Select Board members to residents, with meetings in locations beyond Town Hall. There have been regular Ask a Select Board Member drop-ins at Bemis Hall, Lincoln Woods, Battle Road Farm, PTO meetings, Parks & Recreation concerts, and summer camp drop-off time. She is the editor-in-chief of the Select Board Newsletter you receive in the mail.

We saw her at Pierce Park commemorating Memorial Day, July 4th, Black Lives Matter, Pride Progress, and standing behind a table providing information on Lincoln’s committees.

In so many ways, she visibly demonstrates how much she cares about Lincoln, its schools, municipal services, infrastructure, and people. She has a long history of pursuing inclusive processes and long-term value for our tax dollars.

Jennifer cares about you, and our town. I respectfully ask that you join me in voting her back onto the Select Board on March 25.

Dwyer served two terms on the Select Board from 2017–2023.

“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.

My Turn: Vander Meulen endorses Taylor for Planning Board

By Allen Vander Meulen

I’ve known Gary Taylor for nearly 15 years. He and his wife Susan were one of the first people we met when we moved into our home on Beaver Pond Rd.

I think we all are very aware of the many years both Gary and Susan have invested in service to the town, in many roles and in many ways. So, instead of dwelling on his many qualifications, I thought I’d share two tidbits that speak to me of Gary’s thoughtfulness and long-term dedication to many of the issues central to the challenges and controversies of the present.

Back in 2014 or so, I attended a Planning Board meeting. Following that meeting, Gary took the time to talk at length with me about his concerns over the erosion of moderate-priced housing in Lincoln, and how economic realities plus the regulatory structure at the local, state, and federal levels all conspired to promote the creation of housing for folks at the low end and high end of the income scale, but nothing for those in the middle. This is precisely the challenge that the Housing Choice Act seeks to address. 

Now, this was around the time I joined the Housing Commission, and I was still quite the newbie in that arena. Even so, Gary made sure his concerns were clear, and that I clearly understood the “bigger picture” of housing, not just whether Lincoln could keep its SHI (Subsidized Housing Inventory) percentage above 10% as mandated by state law. I learned a lot in that conversation, and as a result the concerns he raised have been part of my own thoughts and work ever since.

In 2017 I ran for the Select Board against Jennifer Glass — and (rightfully) got stomped. (Mainly, I think, because it was clear I had neither the experience nor the connections within the Lincoln community to be in such a position — yet.) Even so, Gary and Susan went out of their way to host a neighborhood coffee for Jennifer and me during that campaign so their Lincoln neighbors and friends could meet both candidates and hear what they had to say. They didn’t have to do that, and I’m sure they knew that I had little or no hope of winning that election. But it was important to them to facilitate communication and understanding for all. And frankly, I learned a lot from that evening myself: not just meeting many Lincolnites I hadn’t met before, but also hearing what they felt was important for us to learn, no matter who won that race.

So to me, that’s who Gary Taylor is: a man who has spent a very long time working to make Lincoln a more inclusive, welcoming, and diverse community. A gracious and a good friend, an attentive listener, a deeply thoughtful and knowledgable speaker, a creative and reliable worker, and someone who remains diligent in working for the town’s best interests.

Please join me in re-electing Gary Taylor to the Planning Board.

“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.

Haley whips Trump in Lincoln’s primary; Biden cruises

In Lincoln’s Republican presidential primary on March 5, Nikki  Haley soundly defeated former President Donald Trump, 71% to 25%. Not surprisingly, Joe Biden cruised to victory in Lincoln’s Democratic presidential primary with 89% of the vote. “No preference” was a distant second place, followed by the two other candidates on the ballot.

A total of 1,151 Democrats and 165 Republicans cast ballots in the town primary for a turnout of about 26%, based on Lincoln’s 5,015 registered voters as of November 2020.

Full results, including those for Democratic and Republican Town Committee members and state committee man and woman can be found here.  

Precinct 1Precinct 2Total
DEMOCRAT
Joseph R. Biden6953261,021
No Preference354479
Dean Phillips141327
Marianne Williamson11718
Write-In145
Blank011
Precinct 1Precinct 1Total
REPUBLICAN
Nikki Haley247162409
Donald J. Trump7373146
Chris Christie4610
Ron DeSantis213
Write-in123
No Preference202
Vivek Ramaswamy011
Ryan Binkley000
Asa Hutchinson000

Video of town election candidate forum posted

An hourlong forum featuring the four candidates vying for contested seats in the March 25 town election introduced themselves and answered questions at a forum at The Commons in Lincoln on March 5. Though the forum was not open to the public, it was recorded and the video can be viewed below or by going directly to this YouTube link.

“It was clear throughout the forum that every one of the candidates is determined to serve the town to the best of their ability, and that they truly love this community of which they (and we) are all a part,” said Allen Vander Meulen, who organized the forum moderated by Lincoln Squirrel editor Alice Waugh. “They are candidates for office out of their devotion to this town, and their determination to be of service in shaping and supporting our collective future. I would ask that we remember this as we continue working to find solutions for the major challenges we face, including (in the months and years to come) enacting the decisions we make together at the upcoming Town Meeting and election.”

Participants were Select Board candidates Jennifer Glass (incumbent) and Frank Clark, and Planning Board candidates Gary Taylor (incumbent) and Sarah Postlethwait, a member of Lincoln Residents for Hosing Alternatives. Most of the discussion focused on the Housing Choice Act rezoning, the proposed community center, and town budgets and taxation.

My Turn: Don’t post signs in front of other people’s houses

By Mark Robidoux

This office has received multiple questions and concerns from residents that signs are being installed on the town-owned easement in front of private residences without the resident’s permission or town permission.

As a friendly reminder, 16.4 of the local zoning ordinance states signs on town-owned property need approval from the Select Board and a permit from the Building Inspector.

You are welcome to install political signs on your own property or at the following intersections: Sandy Pond and Lincoln Road, Ballfield Road and Lincoln Road, Lincoln Poad and South Great Road, Bedford Road and Morningside Lane, and Codman Road and Concord Road.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation on this very important matter. Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns on the sign bylaw.

Sincerely,

Mark Robidoux, Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer
781-259-2613, robidouxm@lincolntown.org

“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.

Town candidate forum slated for March 12

The Lincoln PTO will host a town election candidate forum on Tuesday, March 12 from 7–9 p.m. in the Lincoln School Learning Commons. It will also be accessible via this Zoom link.

Candidates will have three minutes to introduce themselves and present a substantive statement of their platform. Moderators Rob Stringer and Sarah Cannon Holden will then direct questions to candidates that were submitted on cards filled out by attendees shortly after they arrived, or that are posed via the chat function on Zoom. Candidates will have two minutes to respond. The LPTO can’t guarantee that there will be enough time to get to all the questions.

The forum is intended not as a debate but as an information session and meet-and-greet whereby voters can get acquainted with candidates and their views. Candidates have been asked to refrain from addressing or referring to fellow candidates and to refrain from campaign speeches or speechifying.

The candidates scheduled to participate in the forum are as follows (each seat is for a three-year term):

Select Board:

Planning Board:

Upon arrival, attendees should stop at the LPTO table to fill out a name tag before settling into the Learning Commons. Volunteers will also offer audience members question forms and pencils prior to entering the Learning Commons. Attendees will be invited to join in a collective round of applause for all the candidates at the beginning and end of the Introductions round and are asked to refrain from cheering for anyone candidate during that round.

My Turn: Vander Meulen endorses Glass for reelection

By Allen Vander Meulen

As some might recall, I was Jennifer Glass’s challenger during her first campaign for Select Board in 2017.

I must say, I got royally stomped in that election, receiving about 10% of the vote. But the outcome was no surprise: Jennifer clearly had the experience, temperament, and talent needed for such a challenging position, while at the time I was still relatively unknown and unproven.

In that campaign, I came to deeply respect and admire Jennifer, and that respect and admiration have only grown since. Jennifer listens carefully to all of her constituents (and her opponents too, as I learned). She is not afraid to rethink her approach or path when new information is presented, or it is clear the current path is not workable. She is very clear and consistent in her determination to make Lincoln a more just, welcoming, and livable community for all. And she has proven herself to be adept at constantly educating herself about, and navigating, the extremely intricate and challenging legal, regulatory and political landscape within which Lincoln exists.

While I have great respect for one of the other candidates challenging her (I do not know the third candidate at all), it is clear to me that Jennifer Glass is by far the best choice for the position. This is not just because of her past record, but also because she continues to be a creative, knowledgable, deeply thoughtful, forward-thinking, and energetic leader. Such qualities are absolutely necessary for those who wish to lead our community in confronting the challenges we face.

Please join me in re-electing Jennifer Glass to the Select Board.

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