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

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Panel opts to stay the course with current water treatment plant

The Water Commission voted to stay the course with the current water treatment plant after analyzing a consultant’s report that also examined the pros and cons of building a new plant or applying to join the MWRA system.

The commission will also hold a public forum on its Annual Town Meeting budget requests via Zoom on Tuesday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m. (see below).

A cost summary of there three options studied by Tata and Howard (click image to enlarge).

In the wake of skyrocketing spending in recent years for modernizing the water treatment plant, which is based on older technology, Tata and Howard presented costs and benefits of three paths forward in a draft report in February:

  1. Keeping the existing plant and paying for whatever future upgrades it may need
  2. Building a new and larger plant using current technology that’s better able to cope with current and emerging contaminants
  3. Decommissioning the plant and applying to get town water from the MWRA

According to the report, a new plant would cost between $17.4 and $20.6 million, while connecting to the MWRA through one of the adjacent member towns would cost $8 million. A new plant would also have to be sited on a separate piece of property since it would have to be built while the current plant is still operating. The land nearby on Sandy Pond Road is town-owned but is conservation land., so using any of that would require finding an equivalent amount of land elsewhere in town to put into conservation to compensate.

Former Conservation Director Thomas Gumbart said he had been approached about taking land out of conservation for municipal service and “strongly warned” that conservation land is not meant to be “a municipal land bank,” Water Commission member Michelle Barnes relayed at the panel’s February 25 meeting.

The likelihood that the MWRA would accept an application from Lincoln is very low, because the town already has an adequate supply of drinking water, and it would be unprecedented for a community to be accepted purely on financial grounds.

Opting for a new plant or joining the MWRA doesn’t make sense at this point because after next year, relatively little money will have to be spent on the current plant, compared to the large amounts of capital investment required for the other two options, Commission Chair Jim Hutchinson said at the group’s April 12 meeting when it voted unanimously to stay with the existing approach.

About $3.62 million must be spent on capital projects between now and 2042 to keep the current plant running, according to the report. A new plant would cost an estimated $478,000 per year to operate and maintain, compared to $348,000 a year for the existing plant and more than $1 million annually if Lincoln went with the MWRA. The MWRA’s annual assessments are slated to rise by 3.9% per year for the next 10 years, Hutchinson noted.

Although sticking with the status quo makes sense for now, the commission may find itself revisiting the MWRA option sometime in the next 20 years when the current treatment plants nears the end of its useful life, Barnes said. The group will redo its analysis every 10 years “as the time approaches to do a major overhaul on the water treatment plan to see if a different decision would make sense in the future,” member Ruth Ann Hendrickson said this week.

One of the concerns about staying with the current plant was whether it would be able to handle the increased levels of TTHM even after the upcoming installation of a new $680,000 coagulation system. Levels have been slowly rising over the years as an indirect result of more organic matter in Flint’s Pond, which may be due to warming temperatures.

The new coagulation system should take care of the problem, but if necessary, the plant could switch to treating the water with a different class of chemicals called chloramines. This would require advance public notification because chloramines must first be removed from water before it can be used in fish tanks and for dialysis.

Budget forum on Tuesday

The Water Department’s budget requests for the coming fiscal year include $1.88 million in operating costs (a 2.5% increase over this year’s total) as well as $907,600 in capital spending, which will necessitate borrowing $830,000 if approved.

The larger of the two capital items is $480,000 to replace the Tower Road well, pump, and piping. During the dry months, the maximum yield of the well (which came online in the 1960s) is limited because of the age, style, and condition of the existing well screen where raw water iron and manganese collect, and cleaning capabilities are limited.

The Water Department’s proposed operating and capital budgets for the fiscal year beginning in July (click image to enlarge).

This year, the Water Commission formally reviewed its budget plans with the Finance Committee and the Capital Planning Committee as the town requested, although it wasn’t required to do so because it is a separate entity funded entirely by user fees. The request came after huge budget increase and borrowing in 2019 and 2020 and staffing for both the department and its overseeing commission were in flux. Former Finance Commission chair Jim Hutchinson was elected to the commission last year and is now the chair.

There will be no increase in water usage rates or base fees next year. Going forward, the commission is “striving to get back to a more ‘steady state’ level of requests for FY23,” Hutchinson said last month, though some capital spending is to be expected every year. In April 2020, water usage rates were hiked by 28% and base charges went up 43% in addition to the borrowing, while the operating budget request rose by 38%.

Click here for the Zoom link for the May 11 forum, or go to the Annual Meeting web page for links to this and other presentations ahead of the May 15 Town Meeting.

Property tax proposal is topic of Monday night presentation

A proposal to redistribute property taxes to help homeowners with limited means and property values is the subject of a Zoom presentation on Monday, May 3 at 7 p.m.

At the upcoming Annual Town Meeting on May 15, voters will be asked to approve a home-rule petition to the state legislature that would allow Lincoln to create a local Property Tax Extended Circuit Breaker Program. If approved, the program would limit the percentage of income a homeowner would have to pay in property taxes based on their income, assets, length of time in town, and age (65+). Funding would come from a small across-the-board tax rate increase. 

The Property Tax Study Committee was formed in 2019 to look at ways to ease the burden on limited-income residents and preserve economic diversity after the town raised property taxes by almost 15% to pay for the $93 million school project. The issue was discussed at the State of the Town Meeting in November 2019 and was slated for a vote at Annual Town Meeting, but that meeting was postponed and stripped of nonessential warrant articles as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.

Last year’s postponed proposal would have applied to renters as well as homeowners, “but we don’t have an easy mechanism for implementing this kind of a program for renters — we don’t have that [financial] connection with them as we do with homeowners,” Selectman Jennifer Glass said when she recapped the plan at an April 26 board meeting. To track more closely to other towns’ programs, Lincoln’s plan applies to homeowners over 65 who meet the state’s income limits and those who have lived in town for five years, rather than the 10 years specified by some other towns. Otherwise, the proposed program is identical to the one that has been offered in Sudbury since 2014.

“We want our home rule petition to be as familiar to the legislature as possible” to maximize its chances of passage, Glass said. Sudbury, Concord, and Wayland have already enacted local versions of the state circuit breaker program.

To qualify for the plan, a house must not exceed Lincoln’s average single-family property value plus 10%. The plan would be funded by shifting up to 0.5% of the total tax levy in the first year, and 1.0% in years two and three. The program would have to be reauthorized at Town Meeting every three years.

Phase 2 of the effort to limit the tax burden on some seniors will involve establishing a task force to look at the town’s social services and come up with a long-range plan for  social svcs and det LR plan for supporting the community’s needs.

In 2019, the committee initially floated a residential tax exemption as well as the circuit-breaker proposal, but it was shelved after residents at a public forum were cool to the idea. That proposal would have exempted a certain percentage of the value of everyone’s property, meaning that the tax burden would shift toward those with higher-value homes to benefit those with homes at the lower end of the value range.

Capital spending requests on tap for Wednesday presentation

Capital spending requests that residents will vote at at Town Meeting on May 15 include funds for school furniture and equipment, a public safety radio system, and a new town well.

The Capital Planning Committee (CapCom) and the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) will host a joint Zoom presentation on their proposals on Wednesday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. Click here for the agenda, which includes the Zoom link as well as brief descriptions of each item.

CapCom is proposing a total of $2,762,310 in two separate warrant articles that will be up for a vote on May 15. Article 7 seeks $937,695 for nine items. The single largest request is $410,557 for furniture and technology needs for the renovated Lincoln School that were cut earlier to stay within the construction budget. The only other six-figure item is $380,000 to refurbish the Fire Department’s ladder truck.

In a separate vote, CapCom will ask for $1,824,615 to replace the fire and police department’s public radio system. That item was originally considered for approval at the the 2020 Town Meeting but was deferred in favor of restoring some of the cuts to the school project.

The CPC is seeking approval to spend a total of $1,385,646 on 16 items costing $1,281,834 plus $103,812 from the housing reserve fund. Those items include $355,000 to repair the library’s parapet and $307,891 for debt service for the Town Office Building renovations as well as $161,200 for Lincoln School playground equipment and $200,000 for land acquisition.

Water Department funding

The Water Department is seeking capital spending totaling $907,600. That includes about $350,000 to complete a project to reduce total trihalomethanes (TTHM) in the drinking water, since they have been slightly over the state-mandated limit for some time. TTHMs are formed as the result of required chlorine disinfection on pond water with increasing levels of plant matter and algae.

Voters approved spending $330,000 in 2019 for the first phase of the project to install coagulation treatment to filter out more of the organic matter in the pre-treatment phase. The new expenditure will pay for equipment to handle the residuals from the treatment process so the chemicals can be safely released from the water plant without violating its discharge permit.

Water Commission chair Jim Hutchinson said the money needed for this second phase was not brought up last year as a future expense because the final cost was very uncertain at that time. Also, the commission’s Town Meeting presentation was limited to only items to be funded that year at the request of Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden in the interest of keeping the meeting short.

Also on the Water Commission’s wish list is $480,000 to replace the aging Tower Road well, which has been on their for several years. The group is hoping to pay for the well and the TTHM system by bonding $830,000. The other items on their capital improvements list will be paid for from Water Department retained earnings.

This is the third bonding request in two years for the Water Department. Voters approved almost $2 million (including the $330,000 for the first part of the TTHM project) in two separate measures in 2019, followed by $225,000 in borrowing voted at the 2020 Town Meeting.

“Much like the town as a whole, the Water Department has regular capital needs that are not properly handled in an operating budget, and need to be requested separately and funded with bonding or reserve funds. And that will continue to be the case going forward,” Hutchinson said. “It is true that the requests made in FY20-21 and that we are making for FY22 are larger than normal, due in part to the department previously falling behind on replacing aging infrastructure and in part due to the TTHM issue. Looking forward, we are striving to get back to a more ‘steady state’ level of requests for FY23, but there is always some amount of uncertainty and potential for surprises about capital needs.”

Water Department capital funding requests
CategoryDescriptionAmountFunding Source
Regulatory compliance with high TTHM levelsResiduals handling & neutralization system upgrades at water treatment plant (WTP) to comply with the EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System discharge permit$350,000* Bonding
Aging infrastructureReplace Tower Road Well (current well cannot pump at desired rates despite aggressive cleanings due to clogged shutter-type screen)$480,000Bonding
Aging infrastructureReplace compressor #2 at WTP (two compressors in service since 1995; replace the one with more hours on it)$25,000Retained earnings
Increase resiliencyInvestigate cost and engineering needed to interconnect with Wayland. A backup water source is needed for our emergency response plan.$13,600Retained earnings
Increase resiliencyEvaluate current condition of storage tank and reconsider previously proposed solutions to what is currently our sole storage tank. $39,000Retained earnings
Required by Mass. Water Management Act permitConduct water audit to determine what happens to the water we produce. $31,500**Retained earnings
Total water capital projects:$939,100

* Subject to adjustment up until ATM motion is finalized, as T&H work to better define scope of this project.

* The Water Commission voted to remove this item from the warrant pending feedback from the state DEP on the town’s previous numbers.

Planning Board presentation to focus on bylaw proposals

Lincoln officials are gearing up for Annual Town Meeting with advance presentations via Zoom starting Tuesday night.

The Planning Board will explain and take questions about two measures — an accessory apartment zoning bylaw revision and a new illicit discharge/stormwater management general bylaw — on Tuesday, April 27 starting at 7 p.m. Click here for the Zoom link (meeting ID: 994 5136 7238; passcode: 317537).

The changes to the accessory apartment bylaw would add a cap on the number of accessory apartments allowed equal to 5% of all residential units in Lincoln. The board also proposes to remove limitations on the age of structures that are eligible to add accessory apartments, and to require a minimum rental term of 30 days where the accessory apartment or principal dwelling is occupied as a rental unit. 

Lincoln voters approved the Affordable Accessory Apartment program four years ago, but it was only recently that the state officially OK’d it, so the local rules needed some tweaks before the program can finally launch.

Stormwater proposal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified land disturbance and polluted storm water runoff as a major source of water pollution. Under Lincoln’s federal and state environmental permits, it’s required to work on a range of measures including adoption of a Stormwater Management Bylaw.

This bylaw would prohibit pollutants and other non-stormwater discharge such as an indoor drains, sinks, toilets, or washing machines from being discharged into the storm drain system or a water course. The Planning Board would administer the town’s Stormwater Management program and adopt regulations including rules to ensure erosion control during construction.

More information:

Future presentations will be announced to give residents as much advance information as possible with the goal of keeping the outdoor May 15 ATM as short as possible.

Town election results: Doo wins seat on Parks and Rec Committee

In the only contested race in the local election on Mach 29, 2021, Brianna Doo beat Evan Gorman for an open seat on the Parks and Recreation Committee by a total of 303–87. However, Gorman also successfully ran for reelection to the Housing Commission.

Offices & CandidatesPrecinct 1Precinct 2Total
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
JENNIFER LANE REASER GLASS268162430
WRITE-IN112
BLANK18725
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
EDWARD H. MORGAN263153416
WRITE-IN101
BLANK231740
BOARD OF HEALTH
PATRICIA E. MILLER259158417
WRITE-IN101
BLANK271239
CEMETERY COMMISSIONER
DOUGLAS B. HARDING259156415
WRITE-IN112
BLANK271340
COMMISSIONER OF TRUST FUNDS
WRITE-IN19928
DONALD COLLINS5611
BLANK263155418
HOUSING COMMISSION
EVAN KARMEL GORMAN251149400
WRITE-IN303
BLANK332154
L-S REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTEE
HEATHER-JEANNE COWAP SALEMME259155414
MARY D. WARZYNSKI192114306
WRITE-IN101
BLANK12271193
PARKS & RECREATION COMMITTEE
BRIANNA MARISA DOO183120303
EVAN KARMEL GORMAN513687
WRITE-IN101
BLANK521466
PLANNING BOARD
GERALD A. TAYLOR253153406
WRITE-IN123
BLANK331548
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
SUSAN HANDS TAYLOR245150395
JOHN A. MACLACHLAN227135362
WRITE-IN101
BLANK10155156
TRUSTEES OF BEMIS
MIRIAM L. BORDEN255155410
WRITE-IN101
BLANK311546
WATER COMISSIONER
JAMES M. HUTCHINSON262157419
WRITE-IN000
BLANK251338

My Turn: Brianna Doo seeks votes for Parks & Rec

(Editor’s note: Evan Gorman also filed papers in February to run for the single open seat on the Parks and Recreation Commission in the town election on Monday, March 29.)

By Brianna Doo

I am writing to introduce myself and to ask for your vote in the upcoming town election. My name is Brianna Doo, and I am running for a spot on the Parks & Recreation Committee.

Since we moved to Lincoln seven years ago, my family has been very involved with the Parks & Recreation department. My six children participate in many of the programs offered for preschool and school-aged children. I have previously served and will continue to serve as the role of parent coordinator for the summer swim team and have helped the coaches organize meets. I have also enjoyed volunteering at various other Parks & Recreation events.

In addition, I currently serve as the room/cohort coordinator within the Lincoln Public School PTO, and designed and organized the “spirit wear” sales this year. I have actively volunteered in many other town/school and community organizations over the past few years, including as a Lincoln Youth Soccer board member. I believe there are opportunities for collaboration between LYS and the parks and recreation department, and look forward to furthering that collaboration as a member of the committee.

I hope to continue to serve the community as an active member of the Parks & Recreation Committee. Since my children will be involved with the Parks & Recreation activities for years to come, I am uniquely interested in the programming, and would love to play a role in finding new opportunities for activities. I believe that, with my perspective, knowledge, and experience, I will be a valuable asset to the committee, and I hope that you will vote for me on Monday, March 29.

My Turn: Glass asks for votes as she runs for reelection

By Jennifer Glass

I write to announce my candidacy for re-election to the Board of Selectmen for a three-year term, and I ask for the support of Lincoln’s residents and voters.

When I first ran in 2017, I made a commitment to pursue holistic planning and decision-making given the breadth of topics that fall under the purview of the board. That commitment continues energize me in assisting us to achieve our collective goals and is what motivates me to seek election to serve the town for another term.

Town residents and our town government working together have begun and accomplished many important objectives during the past four years:

  • We approved the Lincoln School revitalization project, and construction is well underway
  • The development of Oriole Landing allowed the town to continue its commitment to more affordable housing options
  • We launched the Lincoln Green Energy Choice program, which meaningfully reduces our collective carbon footprint
  • We entered into an agreement with the deCordova Museum and the Trustees of Reservations to ensure a vital future for the arts in Lincoln
  • We started community discussions about racism and racial equity following the brutal murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor
  • The global pandemic forced us to entirely rethink how we run our town government and care for our residents.

Much of this work is ongoing. Last fall the board hosted a series of roundtables that brought together community members, our police chief, town boards, and community groups and institutions to talk about inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism. This laid the groundwork for the IDEA Initiative, a new committee that we will appoint in April and that is expected to examine how the town can specifically and intentionally address equity and justice.

The work of the South Lincoln Planning & Advisory Committee (SLPAC) forms another major focus of the town. The Planning Board has been studying potential zoning changes in the area around the train station for a number of years, and SLPAC is continuing that examination with an eye toward making recommendations to the town in 2022. The town is now considering the potential changes in the context of the Massachusetts Housing Choice Act that the legislature passed in January that has specific provisions for towns with an MBTA station.

The legislature also recently passed a landmark act to combat climate change, which will have profound implications for us as individuals and a community for many decades to come. We will engage with town residents to assist us all in meeting our commitments under the act.

Now that the school project is nearly halfway completed, it is time for the town to restart the conversation about a community center that would house both the Parks & Recreation Department and the Council on Aging (or “the Council on Aging and Human Services” if we approve the name change at Town Meeting!). In doing so, we will continue discussions about the town’s provision of social services and about town finances and property taxes.

All of these issues are interrelated, and we must consider them together if we are to shape the future of the town in innovative and positive ways. Most fortunately, we have a skilled and knowledgeable professional team and dedicated volunteers on our town boards and committees to engage in this effort. With your vote of support, I look forward to continuing to contribute to the work of this team. Again, I ask for your vote at the town election on Monday, March 29.

Respectfully,

Jennifer Glass
11 Stonehedge Road

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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.

Uncertainties surround new state multifamily housing law

A new state law effectively requires Lincoln and other MBTA communities to allow denser housing around their train stations, but it will be many months before the state clarifies the law and explains exactly what’s required, Town Counsel Joel Bard said at a March 17 Planning Board/SLPAC meeting on the topic.

State zoning law as revised by the Housing Choice Act says MBTA communities must have a least one district of “reasonable size” within a half-mile of the MBTA stop that permits multifamily housing by right. “Multifamily housing” is defined as a minimum of 15 units per acre, “subject to any further limitations” imposed by the Wetlands Protection Act and Title V, which outlines requirements around septic systems.

For the time being, all communities are considered to be in compliance with the Act, Bard said. Eventually, MBTA communities that do not comply will not be eligible for grant funding from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund, or the MassWorks infrastructure program. Town officials will gather information about how much funding Lincoln has received from these programs in recent years.

In its preliminary guidance about the new law, the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) does not define terms such as “reasonable size” of the zoning district, or whether development proposals can be denied if they don’t also meet every wetlands and septic requirement. “There will be a discussion of what is a zone of ‘reasonable size’ in a very small town” that’s more rural than Somerville but more densely populated than Deerfield, for example, said Bard, whose law firm published this update on the legislation last month.

Lincoln Woods has 125 units on 17 acres of land for a density of about 7.5 units per acre. Oriole Landing has about 10 units per acre.

“Lincoln should get credit for allowing density near [the train station] over the years — so ‘reasonable size’ might be smaller for Lincoln than other communities that have done very little,” Bard said.

The existence of Lincoln Woods wouldn’t let Lincoln off the hook in any case. The town would still have to change its zoning to allow future developments of that type by right, rather than by special permit and Town Meeting approval.

Well before the Housing Choice Act was passed, the Planning Board and its South Lincoln Planning and Advisory Committee (SLPAC) were working on rezoning proposals that would encourage more housing and mixed-use development in South Lincoln with the goal of creating a more vibrant village center for residents and businesses. Board chair Margaret Olson wondered how that work could proceed with the new uncertainties.

“I wouldn’t let this slow down your process,” Bard said, adding that it would be several months at least before state authorities give clearer guidance in implementing the new law. He suggested that when the Planning Board was ready, it could send a draft of its proposal to the DHCD for an advisory opinion.

Another unresolved question involves mixed-use development in which a single structure contains both housing and commercial space. “If the residential component is by right, but the commercial component is not, what prevents the town from effectively preventing the development based on aspects of the commercial development?” asked Michelle Barnes, chair of the RLF/Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, which hopes to redevelop the mall.

“Good question,” Bard replied.

Until further state guidance is forthcoming, all communities are considered to be in compliance with the Act, Bard said. Eventually, MBTA communities that do not comply will not be eligible for grant funding from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund, or the MassWorks infrastructure program. Town officials will gather information about how much funding Lincoln has received from these programs in recent years.

In 2018, the state allocated $500,000 for designing improvements to Lincoln’s MBTA station but never released the money. The fate of that funding is now more uncertain than ever. Meanwhile, the MBTA is cutting service everywhere after taking a financial hit from the Covid-19 pandemic, and it’s unclear what the long-term future holds for Lincoln’s train service.

Because many people may continue to work from home even after the pandemic is over, “use of the commuter rail may change dramatically… this whole notion of being an ‘MBTA community’ is kind of up in the air,” observed resident Sara Mattes.

News acorns

Emerson Hospital launches community needs survey

Emerson Hospital is conducting a community health needs survey to get input from residents, health care providers, and social service workers in the cities and towns served by Emerson. Anyone who lives or works in the region can participate. Click here for more information and a link to the survey.

Event spotlights male survivors of sexual assault

While all survivors of sexual assault face barriers, male survivors experience a unique set of challenges when choosing to come forward and seek support. Amplifying the voices of male survivors helps end the stigma and raise awareness surrounding male survivors of sexual assault. In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on Tuesday, April 13 at 3 p.m. for their next Spotlight Series event: Amplifying the Voices of Male Survivors of Sexual Assault. This event will feature male survivors from the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center’s (BARCC) Survivor Speakers Bureau, who will share their stories and what they want the community to know. The conversation will be moderated by a staff member from BARCC and allow time for participants to submit questions via chat. Registration is required, and can be completed through the Roundtable’s website at www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org. For questions, email infodvrt@gmail.com. Recording or taking pictures of this event is prohibited.  

Pastel workshop offered

The Lincoln Public Library is offering “Dandelions: A Pastel Workshop with Greg Maichack” on Wednesday, April 21 from 6–8 p.m. via Zoom. In this highly researched two-hour event, participants have fun producing their own original pastel painting of Millet’s “Dandelions,” creating smaller versions from parts of his painting. Registration opens on Friday, April 2 at 9 a.m. The workshop is limited to 24 participants who are age 18+. All art materials will be supplied prior to the workshop. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library.

South Sudanese Fund events celebrates 21 years

South Sudanese Enrichment for Families invites everyone to “Resilience 2021: A Celebration of the South Sudanese 21 Years in America” on Thursday, April 22 from 7–8 p.m. Help celebrate and contribute to the ongoing work to build and support the next generation — the children of the “lost boys and girls of Sudan.”

  • Register for this free Zoom event
  • Silent auction from April 9–26 — view and bid
  • Donate online by going to SSEFBoston.org or send a check to SSEF, P.O. Box 492, Lincoln, MA 01773.

Volunteer sought for Board of Assessors

The Board of Selectmen seeks candidates to serve a one-year term as an appointee to the Board of Assessors. The appointee would need to submit nomination papers and stand for election in March 2022 in order to continue on the board. Download and submit this application form to the Selectmen’s Office, c/o Peggy Elder (elderp@lincolntown.org), by April 30 at 5 p.m. Interviews will be conducted in June and the appointment will be effective immediately thereafter. Dorothy Blakely, administrator for the Board of Assessors, is available (blakelyd@lincolntown.org) to answer questions about the duties and role of the board.

Lincoln gets nod from Boston Magazine

Lincoln is one of four Boston suburbs spotlighted in the magazine’s “Top Places to Live 2021” issue. The magazine reports that the median price for a single-family home in town is $1,375,000 and has increased by 15% in the past year. Coldwell Banker’s Susan Law is quoted as saying about Lincoln: “It’s really amazing to me to see how many people are active and involved… to make things work for the town, not just for themselves.”

My Turn: Route 2A plans should have Lincoln residents’ input

By Jane Bradley Herlacher

(Editor’s note: This piece is in response to the March 7 Lincoln Squirrel article headlined “Repaving and more are planned for Route 2A.”)

As a homeowner living behind the Minute Man National Historical Park (MMNHP) ranger station for 35 years, I want to understand the MassDOT Route 2A Corridor Study Concepts. The study area is from the west side of I-95 in Lexington, along North Great Road and Bypass Road in Lincoln to Crosby’s Corner in Concord. For the past two and a half years, it has been disappointing that area residents were not identified as “stakeholders” and were not invited to the four stakeholder meetings. The only public link about the study is in the December 2020 issue of the Northside News. This lack of participation has never been the way Lincoln has been involved in projects of such importance.

At the October 2020 meeting, MassDOT announced that they were at the 25% design submittal stage and included the following concepts:

Traffic calming — Rotaries are proposed for Old Mass Avenue in Lexington and Hanscom Drive with slip lanes for bikes and pedestrians. Placemaking opportunities may enhance the road’s historic character, although nothing specific was shown or described.

Island treatments — Islands are suggested for the other roads even though they are designated scenic roadways exiting from rural residential areas which are separated by large reserved lands. Pedestrian/bike signs, not hardscape islands, are needed at just four proposed crosswalk locations (Brooks Road, Bedford Lane, Mill Street and Minuteman High School’s secondary driveway). No stop signs, only islands, were proposed for eastbound and westbound traffic on North Great Road at Bedford Road. The stop signs would more safely let pedestrians and bicyclists cross from the area’s only sidewalk, which is under the jurisdiction of MMNHP, not the Town of Lincoln.

Road widening — Since North Great Road is part of the Battle Road Scenic Byway and is an All-American Road (Massachusetts’s first and only federal designation as of February 2021), widening the corridor is inappropriate for this scenic road.

The repaving project must enhance the historic character of the MMNHP and the Battle Road Scenic Byway. Let’s consider:

  • redesigning the intersections at Massachusetts Avenue and Forbes Road (Lexington)
  • creating a rotary at Bypass Road (Lincoln) and Lexington Road (Concord)
  • replacing 11 metal guardrails with wood ones
  • eliminating the proposed sidewalk opposite Mill Street
  • incorporating green space at exits of Mill Street and Bedford Road instead of painting the asphalt
  • lowering the speed limit on North Great Road, not installing speed feedback signs
  • removing the Route 2A designation from North Great Road and Bypass Road

Apparently the project is delayed because a presentation of the 25% design stage at a public meeting is now planned for Fall 2021 (not Fall 2020). At that time, will MassDoT seriously consider suggestions from Lincoln citizens? Lincoln has seen the benefit from full citizen participation in the outcome of the recent Route 2 project. Now we all ask for an open and transparent process for this project, too.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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.