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

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Water Commission candidates discuss the issues

Terms on town boards and committees are usually staggered so new members join others who have more experience on that board, but this year, all three seats on the Water Commission are open due to two resignations and a normally expiring term. Three candidates are running for those seats (down from six residents who initially expressed interest):

  1. Michelle Barnes was appointed as an interim member and is now running for a full three-year term.
  2. Incumbent Ruth Ann Hendrickson (chair of the commission) is up for reelection and is running for a two-year term. She has previously said in a letter to the editor to the Squirrel that, if reelected, this will be her last term.
  3. Jim Hutchinson is resigning from the Finance Committee a year before his term expires to run for a one-year term on the Water Commission.

Barnes and Selectman Jennifer Glass were both sworn in as emergency interim Water Commissioners in October after Bob Antia and Heather Ring resigned (in Ring’s case, because of dissatisfaction with management by Water Department Superintendent MaryBeth Wiser).

Below are Q&As and statements from the three candidates, lightly edited for length and clarity.

Michelle Barnes

South Great Road

Please tell us a bit about your background.

Most of my career I spent as a macrofinancial economist in the research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Before that I was a tenured lecturer at the University of Adelaide teaching finance, international monetary economics, and macroeconomics. During graduate school, I worked as a consultant at both JP Morgan and the World Bank, and before going to graduate school, I managed Teamsters at Roadway Express in my hometown of Sacramento, Calif. I received my PhD in economics in 1998, and my last day on the job at the Fed was in December 2018.

I’ve lived in Lincoln since 2008, and feel super lucky to be able to fully enjoy Lincoln’s bucolic open spaces with my 10-year-old daughter and our border collie. During our time in Lincoln, I have had the opportunity and pleasure to serve on the Magic Garden board, the Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee (as co-chair in 2015, secretary through 2019, and as president since then), and on the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust/Rural Land Foundation Board of Trustees (as chair since 2019).

Why are you running for the Water Commission?

I’ve chosen to run for Water Commissioner to continue the efforts our team has made since October 2019 to stabilize the Lincoln Water Department (LWD). I believe that at this important juncture, continuity, stability, and a strong measure of critical and analytical thinking are required to further stabilize the LWD and bring it to the point where it is successfully delivering safe and reliable water in a fiscally prudent and sustainable manner. Due to my recent tenure as a Water Commissioner and my background as a macrofinancial economist, I bring both attributes to the table.

Back in October 2019, when there was a call for the need to fill two Water Commissioner vacancies, I heeded that call (as did Jennifer Glass and Jim Hutchinson, who have been members of our team since then as well). I have thoroughly enjoyed climbing the steep learning curve of overseeing the Water Department’s operating and long-term planning process, getting to know all of the people involved in this organization and process, and being able to use my background in macro-financial policy analysis to help frame some of our debates about LWD fiscal management and long-term capital planning

In your opinion, what are the biggest problems or decisions facing the Water Commission, and how do you propose to tackle them?

The biggest problems facing the Water Department are personnel issues, chronic underinvestment in maintenance and infrastructure, and the long-standing leadership culture that brought the LWD to this critical point. It bears emphasizing, however, that I believe that a certain amount of continuity and stability in leadership are integral to moving the LWD forward in the most constructive possible way; the role of institutional knowledge in solving the LWD’s problems should not be underestimated.

I have confidence in the ability of the chair of the Water Commissioners, in conjunction with the team that has been assembled, to address and solve the critical issues facing the LWD for the benefit of the town and its water customers.  More personally, I am committed to facing head-on the multiple challenges I outlined above with candor, curiosity, clarity of vision, and a critical mind, and in a manner that simultaneously celebrates and preserves our positive contributions while having the courage to mitigate and reshape efforts that I believe are a detriment to the LWD’s mission.

Why should Lincolnites vote for you?

Lincoln voters should vote for me because I am deeply committed to ensuring the delivery of safe and reliable drinking water to the Town of Lincoln in a manner that is financially prudent and fair, both in the short- and long-term. Given my recent tenure on the Water Commission, I have been able to come up to speed in the areas that matter most for ensuring the current and future safety and stability of water treatment and delivery in Lincoln.  My skills as a macrofinancial economist focused for much of my career on policy analysis can continue to help the LWD chart a clear path to a more financially sustainable future.

Ruth Ann Hendrickson

Concord Road

Please tell us a bit about your background.

I’ve lived in Lincoln since 1967. While I was home raising my children, I served as president of the Recycling Committee for several years in the 1970s and as the Lincoln’s representative to the Regional Solid Waste Committee for several years after that. I was on the board of the Lincoln League of Women Voters, which was very active in town issues as well as state and national issues. I served as president for two years and vice president for several years.

I chaired studies on whether the town assessors were undervaluing older houses and on the per-pupil cost of our public schools, the latter leading me to run for School Committee, where I pushed for consolidation of all the grades into the Smith-Brooks complex. I also led the move to close the town’s polluting open dump and create the current transfer station. I went back to work in 1989 and retired in 2009.

In 2011, I ran for Water Commissioner after looking for a way to serve the town that would utilize my technical background and allow me to promote water conservation. For the past few years I have also served as the liaison to the School Building Committee (SBC), promoting both water and energy conservation. I recently withdrew from the SBC due to the demands on my time from chairing the Water Commission.

As I said in my letter to the editor, given the recent changes in Water Superintendent and Commissioners, I believe my continuing on the commission for another two years would lend a needed continuity. Moreover, since I am retired, I can devote a substantial amount of time to gathering and analyzing data to ensure knowledge-based decision-making. I bring to the position communication and creative problem-solving skills honed by my years in industry and an aptitude for electromechanical systems developed during my work on advanced gyroscopes and vacuum robotic systems.

In your opinion, what are the biggest problems or decisions facing the Water Commission, and how do you propose to tackle them?

Going forward, the issues are:

  • Successfully completing the projects needed to upgrade the water system infrastructure
  • Developing both short-term and long-term financial plans
  • Assessing whether to continue with the existing upgraded treatment plant, to build in new treatment plant, or to sign up for MWRA water
  • Attracting seasoned personnel to fully staff the Water Department

We are making significant progress on all four issues, especially in staffing, as we have hired a new and very experienced senior plant manager and several experienced part-time water operators, and we are about to add another full-time operator. We are in the midst of revamping our fee and rate structure to ensure we have the funds needed to provide clean, safe water. I’m confident that by the end of the next two years, the department will be back on an even keel with a solid plan for the future.

Jim Hutchinson

Stonehedge

Please tell us a bit about your background.

I hold a Ph.D. in computer science from MIT. Earlier in my career I developed novel machine learning and financial applications for supercomputers. I then co-founded a hedge fund with two partners, where as CEO I led the R&D for our quantitative, systematic trading strategies as well as managing all outside vendors and services for the firm, including legal, brokerage, fund administration, and hardware and software services. I am now retired.

My family and I have enjoyed living in Lincoln since 1999. I’ve always admired how so many good and capable residents have volunteered over the years to help keep our town running smoothly, and once I had the time I’ve tried to step up and do my part. I served as treasurer of Codman Community Farms from 2010–2013, and on the Finance Committee since March 2013, serving two years as chair and two years as vice chair. I’m resigning from FinCom as my seat has one more year on it. I’m not allowed to serve on FinCom and the Water Commission at the same time, and I feel like Water needs some attention.

While on FinCom, I’ve had the opportunity to act at times as liaison to various other groups including the Green Energy Committee, the Affordable Housing Trust, and most recently the Capital Planning Committee and the PPA Subcommittee, which is in charge of getting solar on our new school project. Since October 2019, I’ve also been invited to attend Water Commission meetings as an additional FinCom liaison.

Another relevant fact is that I own and maintain my own swimming pool, and am quite comfortable discussing water chemistry and sanitation. My setup is not as complex or sophisticated as our water treatment plant, of course, and I have plenty to learn if I am to become a Water Commissioner. But I find the water processes and equipment quite interesting and will be happy to dig in and learn more on the job.

In your opinion, what are the biggest problems or decisions facing the Water Commission, and how do you propose to tackle them?

The Water Department has been going through a very challenging period, with high staff turnover, difficulty hiring and retaining staff, and aging infrastructure to replace, all while trying to meet regulatory standards as the chemistry of Flint’s Pond changes over the years. Some of these challenges have already begun to be addressed starting last fall by a coalition of the Water Superintendent, town administration and finance staff, the elected and interim commissioners, and two liaisons from FinCom (including myself). However, much work remains to be done, including answering big-picture questions like whether the town would be better off switching to MWRA service.

Of course I don’t have all the answers to these questions yet. But in my opinion, the staffing issue is the most critical to resolve, for two reasons. First, the FY21 budget has risen sharply, in part due to the Water Department’s current need to engage outside consultants to get necessary tasks done. I’d like to see as much of the necessary work done in house as possible, since that would be more cost-effective.

Second, even if we decide to switch to MWRA, it will take years to do so, and in the interim we need to continue to operate our plant smoothly and safely. On the capital equipment issues, since October I have been advocating for deferring any capital investments that are not needed in the near term for safety or regulatory compliance reasons until we can make an informed decision about MWRA, although given the projects that have already been approved, it may be a foregone conclusion to stick with our own plant. In any case, I believe it is incumbent upon the Water Department and commission to make capital equipment decisions that get what value we can out of our existing investments and only replace or supplement that equipment when necessary to meet regulatory standards and provide clean drinking water to residents.

Why should Lincolnites vote for you?

I believe I have the management and team-building experience to help guide and oversee the staffing issues and rebuild a capable and stable team; the technical skills and interest to evaluate engineering trade-offs and make the correct capital equipment decisions; and the finance experience and orientation that will be needed to bring all of this together in a cost-effective manner.

Planning Board candidates have their say

The Lincoln Squirrel is gathering statements from the candidates in the town election that takes place March 30. First up: the three candidates who are running for two seats on the Planning Board, which is the only contested race this year: incumbent Lynn DeLisi, challenger and former board member Robert Domnitz, and incumbent Rick Rundell.

Lynn DeLisi

South Great Road

Lynn DeLisi

I am running for re-election to the Planning Board of our town and I would like to tell you why.

Like so many other people, we decided to purchase a home in Lincoln several years ago because we fell in love with the picturesque vistas of wide-open spaces with nighttime stars in the sky, fields of wildflowers, organic farms and wild-life of all kinds safely roaming conservation land. The zoning for one residential home per two acres appealed to us, along with the many mapped walking paths and scenic ponds. We were amazed that we could carry our canoe to the Sudbury River and see blue herons, and yet attend a concert at the BSO only a 30-minute drive from our house.

Not even a month after we moved into our new home, however, we received a letter by registered mail from a neighbor whose property we abutted on three sides. He included a diagram of a dozen dense structures on the acreage surrounding our lot with a letter informing us that a developer in Concord was interested in buying his land and placing several groups of condos in an L shape surrounding our new home. The letter further stated that “The Planning Board was very interested in having this done.” I cried a lot after receiving that letter and the stress of this crisis was tremendous. We had just purchased a house we loved with a beautiful view in a town we thought was unique for the reasons I mentioned, and now we were about to be surrounded by dense dwellings and more people, cars, and noise than we thought could be possible in this quiet, environmentally sensitive community.

Not long after receiving this letter, I saw there was a vacancy on the Planning Board, expressed my interest, and was appointed. Once on the board, I became aware that what my neighbor wanted would need to go through zoning changes and site plan reviews and be approved by Town Meeting. It still could have happened, but this neighbor’s plan never came to fruition simply because we managed to purchase that extra lot surrounding us to preserve our view, our favorite wildlife, and quiet.

I realize, however, that not everyone in town can stop the development around them as we did. If someone convinces the Planning Board and the town of the need to rezone a neighborhood for new housing or something else, what almost happened to us could be reality for others. They need someone on the Planning Board who will listen to them and look out for their interests.

Currently there is a controversy about whether or not significantly more dense housing units are needed in South Lincoln near the train station. Some people think we need to do our share as a town to alleviate the housing problem in Boston. Others do not agree and predict the changes to the town would be dramatic. Those most affected are those living there already and are the most vulnerable to the changes.

It’s difficult to know what the majority of people truly want for this district. I don’t think that gets answered by early-morning or late-weekday-evening public forums and meetings. Can all those who care attend these meetings and speak up to voice an opinion? Are these opinions being counted in some way? Do we need a scientifically and carefully constructed survey of the town to determine what the residents want? This may be the best way to hear all the views.

I know very well what the negative consequences of not carefully listening could be. I will always be questioning why, where, and what, and looking for ways to preserve neighborhoods and the interests of abutters while maintaining the uniqueness of Lincoln.

One of my past accomplishments on the Planning Board was my service on the Selectman’s fact-finding committee on the implications of the legalization of recreational marijuana businesses in the Lincoln. As a committee, we were very cognizant that we needed to put our personal views aside and recommend to the Selectmen a path to follow that the people of the town truly wanted.

In order to do that, I took the lead in conducting a survey of residents to hear their views on having marijuana grown, manufactured, and/or sold within our town. Based on that survey, a public forum, and extensive research on the facts, we brought to a Special Town Meeting a bylaw amendment to ban marijuana establishments in Lincoln, and this was passed by two-thirds vote and by subsequent ballot. I am proud to have contributed to this, knowing as I do (someone working with young adults addicted to marijuana) that we have taken a small step not to promote easy access to a harmful substance by the youth of our town. If, in the future, carefully controlled treatment trials show positive effects of cannabis products on an array of medical ailments, I will be happy to help reverse this town vote.

Another campaign of mine has been to help the residents of North Lincoln, who in my mind have suffered more than their share for the town. The Route 2 changes occurred before my time on the Planning Board and I have been dismayed with how they were handled and how residents of our town have suffered. I tried hard to minimize the effects of Minuteman Vocational High School on the residents of Mill Street. I believe it is a disgrace how the school officials handled this project, not collaborating with the neighborhood. They did not need the high tower for theater classes, or to clear out so many trees, or to build a highly lit stadium with a loud speaker system.

In addition, as a Harvard-affiliated psychiatrist who treats people with borderline personality disorder frequently, I knew that what McLean was doing to claim they were an educational facility was wrong. I spoke out against it orally and in writing. Unfortunately, this ultimately did not go in favor of the North Lincoln residents. Nevertheless, I will continue to speak out forcefully against anything that has a negative impact on the neighborhoods of North Lincoln and will of course rigorously support the positive.

In summary, I am for responsible planning, always in collaboration with the people in neighborhoods. I am for keeping the South Lincoln commercial district successful but not dense with new housing unless that is truly what the majority of residents want. I am for keeping North Lincoln residents free from any more adversity, which means keeping a DPW site out of North Lincoln.

I am for regulations that preserve Lincoln’s unique atmosphere, with nighttime stars and early morning wildlife grazing in open fields. I am for preserving the historical significance of some of Lincoln’s neighborhoods and the designated Historical Districts, the highest quality education available to our children in modernized facilities, a community center that serves our residents well, safe and supportive facilities for senior residents, keeping the availability of harmful substances away from our young generation, and most of all, keeping Lincoln safe.

If these are your interests and you want to be assured that you will have someone representing them, then vote in Lincoln’s election on March 30. I always have time to listen to people’s concerns and suggestions. You can email me at DeLisi76@aol.com or phone me at 781-257-5046.

Robert Domnitz

Mill Street

Robert Domnitz

(Editor’s note: Domnitz is a former member of the Planning Board who narrowly lost his bid for reelection in 2015.)

What is your previous experience in town government?

I served on the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission from 1985–1991. In Lexington, I was member/chair of the Lexington Planning Board from 1990–1995 and a Town Meeting Representative from 1986–1995. I was member/chair of the Lincoln Planning Board from 2003–2015

In the next few years, what do you think are the most important issue(s) facing the Planning Board, and how would you tackle them if elected?

The Planning Board has given top priority to promotion of increased business activity and housing in the Lincoln Station area. They are developing a complex revision to the town’s zoning bylaw which they believe will foster this development. A key feature of their proposal is that they — and they alone — will have authority to approve large-scale development proposals without review by Town Meeting. This is a dramatic departure from our traditional reliance on Town Meeting for major decisions.

I revere our Town Meeting form of government. As a member of the Planning Board, I will work to ensure that Town Meeting continues to play a central role in Lincoln’s decisions about land use. I believe that the Planning Board’s effort to foster revitalization of Lincoln Station without meaningful participation of Town Meeting will be divisive and will fail. Conversely, with Town Meeting’s participation, we have the opportunity to welcome projects that appeal to neighbors, business owners, and the town at large. Again and again, we have proven that our Town Meeting can take decisive action when it’s needed. I will do my best to make sure that Town Meeting gets the balanced information it needs to make those bold, prudent decisions.

Why did you decide to run for the Planning Board again?

In recent years, many residents have become increasingly concerned as our Annual Town Meeting has turned into a mostly routine exercise that “rubber stamps” the proposals that are presented. Our boards and committees almost invariably present unanimous, seamless recommendations. If there is another side to the issue, it is rarely presented for our consideration.

The Planning Board’s current zoning proposal accelerates this worrisome trend. It authorizes the board to approve major projects in Lincoln Station without Town Meeting’s participation in the decision-making process. These projects can have profound impacts on virtually every aspect of Lincoln: finances, services, school population, traffic, and Lincoln’s overall character. I feel we should not rely on five future Planning Board members to make these important decisions. As a member of the Planning Board, I would work to preserve the vitality and relevance of our Town Meeting.

Rick Rundell

Todd Pond Road

Rick Rundell

What background and experience do you offer?

I am a Massachusetts registered architect with over three decades experience in the building industry and a member of the American Institute of Architects. I hold credentials from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the U.S. Green Building Council. I presently work in the software industry, where I lead innovation programs focused on architecture, engineering, and construction. I hold a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University and a B.A. in engineering science from Dartmouth College.

My wife Virginia and I came to Lincoln in 2012 with our two children and small flock of chickens, drawn by its unique character, connection to nature, and the thoughtful planning of its beautiful neighborhoods. The children are now in college and the flock has flown—and meanwhile, Virginia and I have become deeply committed to the community, serving on several local volunteer boards and organizations.

I was recruited to the Planning Board shortly after arriving in Lincoln by then-member Bob Domnitz because he felt the board lacked a professional architect. I agreed, and since then I have brought the energetic perspective of an active, engaged professional to the board. I am a registered architect in the state of Massachusetts and the sole candidate for the board with an architectural background. I’ve served on the Planning Board since 2012, including as chair in 2015, and have been one of two Board members appointed to the Historic District Commission since 2013. I have also been president of the Todd Pond Residents Association since 2013.

Why are you excited about serving on the Planning Board?

We’ve seen tremendous changes in the Planning Board over the last few years. I am especially proud of the amendments to the Zoning By-Law passed by Town Meeting in 2018 as Article 27. This measure, by putting a five-year sunset on site plan review requirements, finally put limits on the creeping power of the Planning Board as property after property had become permanently encumbered under site plan review, with the obligation to bring even the most trivial improvements before the board. Changes that many residents could make as of right were closed off to property owners once they had fallen under site plan review. Though the article was opposed by a former board member at that Town Meeting, the measure passed resoundingly. That today’s board proposed a measure to so limit its own power made me proud to be a member, and proud of our Town Meeting process. It is also evidence of the change represented by today’s board that has benefited the citizens of Lincoln.

The challenges to Lincoln come largely from the world around us—changes to demographics, the economics of retail, the cost of public infrastructure, development in towns around us that impact our residents without benefiting them, and even the legalization of marijuana. With the newly professionalized board and Planning Department that is bringing hundreds of thousands of grant dollars to Lincoln for civic improvements, and with the level of civic engagement in the town, I see a tremendous opportunities to respond to these challenges in ways that continue to preserve and increase the health and character of the town.

The opportunities presented by having our own rail station, world-class cultural facilities, and spectacular rural landscapes in conservation allow Lincoln to punch well above its weight as a vibrant, diverse, and engaging community. My experience with Town Meeting since first attending on our arrival in 2012 leaves me with nothing but respect for direct democracy, and I have seen time and time again where authentic discourse has led to great results.

2020 Presidential primary results for Lincoln

As he did statewide, former Vice President Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary in Lincoln. However, Lincoln’s second-place finisher was Elizabeth Warren rather than the statewide #2, Bernie Sanders. He and Michael Bloomberg were tied for third place in Lincoln with 16% each.

In Lincoln’s Republican primary, former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld garnered 22% of the vote (far better than his statewide tally of 9%) but was still decisively defeated by President Donald Trump, who got 71% of Lincoln’s Republican votes.

Overall, those voting in the town’s Democratic primary far outnumbered those voting Republican, 2,459 to 176 (93% to 7%). Twenty-five percent of those who voted in both primaries cast their ballots early. 

More resources:

DEMOCRATPrecinct #1Precinct #2Total votesPercentage
Joseph R. Biden52530382833%
Elizabeth Warren48622571129%
Bernie Sanders22516939416%
Michael R. Bloomberg25113638716%
Pete Buttigieg5036863%
Amy Klobuchar4013532%
Andrew Yang5380%
Tom Steyer3360%
Deval Patrick4150%
Tulsi Gabbard2240%
Michael Bennet2130%
John K. Delaney0110%
John Delaney0010%
Corey Booker0000%
Marianne Williamson0000%
Total ballots cast1,5938932,494100%
REPUBLICANPrecinct #1Precinct #2TotalPercentage
Donald J. Trump885214071%
William F. Weld28164422%
Joe Walsh3142%
Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente1010%
Total ballots cast1267019696%
GREEN-RAINBOWPrecinct #1Precinct #2Total votes
Dario Hunter101
S.K.C. Moyowasifza-Curry011
Total ballots cast112
LIBERTARIANPrecinct #1Precinct #2Total votes
Jacob Hornberger022
Total ballots cast113

NOTE: Totals include early voting but do not include write-ins or blank ballots.

Democratic Town Committee:

Sharon Antia, Graham Atkin, Laura Berland, Alexander Chatfield, Gary Dean Davis, Sheila Dennis, Marjorie Debowy, Theordore Debowy, Lorraine Fiore, Jerry Gechter, Andrew Glass, Jennifer Glass, Alexandra Golden, Jennifer Gundy, Roy Harvey, Sarah Cannon Holden, Joan Kimball, Geraldine Lattimore, Christopher Loschen, Rosemary Kerrebrock, E. Rachel Mason, Margaret McLaughlin, Carolyn Montie, Paul Montie, Jessica Packineau, Travis Roland, Jacqueline Sasso, Betty-Jane Scheff, Alvin Schmertzler, Paul Shorb, Barbara Slayter, William Stason, Tricia Thornton-Wells, Jean Welsh.

Republican Town Committee:

Stephen Binder, Sandra Damirjian, Joseph Dwyer Jr., Richard Fraiman, Adam Hogue, Mark Soukup, David Stubblebine, Richard Theriault.

Correction and clarification

The February 27 article headlined “$3.5m cut from school project, but alternate funding is a possibility” erroneously implied that money in the town’s free cash account and the money that was recommended for spending on the public safety radio system were two different things. In fact, the radio-system sum was budgeted by the Finance Committee to come out of free cash. The article also did not clearly present FinCom member Tom Sander’s views. The original article has been amended.

News acorns

Civil disobedience training, climate film at St. Anne’s

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church is offering nonviolent civil disobedience training on Saturday, Feb. 29 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The fight to reduce carbon emissions is “heating up,” and some citizens have realized that conventional forms of advocacy and political activism to combat climate change are not bringing about the urgent responses they’d like to see from elected leaders. A time-honored alternative to conventional activism has been nonviolent civil disobedience (CD) in the tradition of Thoreau, Gandhi, and King. 

Trainer Cathy Hoffman will offer legal and practical information about CD as well as experiential practice about CD and supporting others to engage. There will also be background on the local efforts to stop the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. Please register for the event by clicking here. After you register, you’ll receive a confirmation email with further explanation of what will happen at the training. Anyone with questions may call Alex Chatfield at 781-697-0140.

Also at St. Anne’s, there will be a free screening of the documentary film “Racing to Zero” on Sunday, March 1. A light vegetarian soup and bread supper will be served at 6:15 p.m. followed by the film at 7 p.m. and a discussion of waste reduction initiatives with Mothers Out Front at 8:15 p.m. “Racing To Zero” presents new solutions to the global problem of waste and the efforts of the city of San Francisco to achieve zero waste by 2020. The event is part of St. Anne’s Climate Justice Film Series. Everyone is also welcome to attend the 5 p.m. worship service prior to the event. For more information contact Alex Chatfield at adchat@aol.com or 781-697-0140.

LWV stages Civics Bee with teams from four towns

The League of Women Voters of Sudbury, Wayland, Weston and Concord-Carlisle will stage the 12th annual LMV Civics Bee featuring intergenerational town teams on Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m. in the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School auditorium. Teams from the middle schools, high schools, and adults from the four towns will test their knowledge of government at the federal, state, and local levels. The event is free and open to the public. 

Friends of Lincoln Library seek volunteers

The Friends of the Lincoln Public Library (FOLL) are seeking volunteers to serve on their board of directors. FOLL provides funding for all of the library’s special programs, staff enrichment programs and training, and various other projects such as the soon-to-be-installed audiovisual system in the Tarbell Room (funding also provided by the Ogden Codman Trust). Volunteers are welcome to help organize fundraisers, organize the monthly book sales at Bemis Hall, deliver library materials to housebound residents and more.

The monthly FOLL book sale will take place on Saturday, March 14 from 9 a.m.–noon in the Bemis Hall basement. Purchase gently used (and some new) books, CDs and DVDs while supporting the library’s programs. There’s also an FOLL book sale cart in the library with new books added each week. All books are $2.00.

Water usage rates to go up by 28%, base charges by 43%

By Alice Waugh

Water usage rates will be going up by 28% as of April 1, and the quarterly base charge will also go up from $35 to $50 for homeowners following a public hearing and Water Commission vote on February 25. The commission also voted to start assessing base charges by dwelling unit rather than water meter, but they decided not to implement that change for those in apartments and condominiums until next year.

The water usage rate hike is slightly less than the 30% that the commission was considering earlier this month. The Water Department is required to collect enough revenue to cover its operating budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2020 and to replenish its retained earnings, which have been depleted by unanticipated expenses. The proposed operating budget of $1.835 million for fiscal 2021 is 38% higher than this year’s.

The biggest change — and the one that drew about 20 residents to a public hearing on a weekday morning — will be felt next year by those who live in apartments and condo complexes, or multi-unit developments (MUDs). Until now, the base charges were based on the number of water meters at a given location, but MUDs almost always have more households than meters (see table below). For example, Lincoln Woods has 125 units but reportedly only five water meters. An exception is Oriole Landing, which will have one meter for every apartment.

Multi-unit development nameAddress# of dwelling units
The Commons in Lincoln
(other than skilled nursing)		Harvest Circle258
Lincoln Woods*Wells Road125
Battle Road FarmNorth/South Commons, Indian Camp Lane120
Farrar Pond VillageAspen Circle, Chestnut Circle97
Lincoln RidgeBirchwood Lane 41
Ridge Court*Ridge Road “flying nuns”36
Minuteman CommonsOld Bedford Road/Virginia Road32
GreenridgeGreenridge Lane25
Todd Pond CondominiumTodd Pond Road21
Ryan EstateLincoln Road25
Ridge Road Condominium*Ridge Road4

* Developments that are mostly or exclusively rental units

The change is an effort to spread the fixed costs of water service across all users. Lincoln has 87 miles of water mains as well as a water treatment plant, a well, a pressure reservoir and other equipment that must be maintained, said Commissioner Ruth Ann Hendrickson. “No matter how much water you use, those fixed costs are required to be supported… this doesn’t cover the whole cost, but it gives us some stability.”

“Implicitly in the past, users who were not in multi-unit developments were subsidizing these costs by paying more than their share of the fixed costs,” Finance Committee member and Water Commission liaison Tom Sander said before the meeting.

The Water Commission is still in the process of finding out exactly how many units and water meters each development has. Preliminary estimates for the base charge increases for MUDs are based on dwelling unit numbers from the Board of Assessors, and the numbers of meters are “educated guesses” based on complexes where the Water Department has conducted checks, said Sander, who helped compile the numbers.

The commission was required by state law to set water rates for fiscal 2021 by April 1, even though it still lacks data about things like accessory apartments, or how many clients and meters there are in group homes in Lincoln.

“We don’t have that information,” Commissioner Michelle Barnes said. “If we can get more hard information on who we can charge, we’d be happy to receive it.” (One of the residents at the hearing said there are 67 registered accessory apartments according to the town building inspector, but that figure could not be immediately verified.) Barnes and her colleagues later voted to make ““best efforts” to identify all of the accessory apartments in town (some of which are not properly registered) and include them in the new per-unit charges when appropriate.

Attendees also complained about the lack of information in the notice of the public hearing, which was not specific about the fee structures to be proposed. Others noted that some condo associations or apartment tenants and landlords had not been directly notified of the impending hike. Hendrickson said much of that contact information isn’t available on the web, though one resident pointed out that the phone number for Farrar Pond Village is listed in the town telephone directory.

“It’s going to disrupt our community, and there will be turnover in units if that increase goes through,” said Lincoln Woods resident Alisar Cohen, adding that tenants currently see rent increase of 4–6% per year. “Those of us in the market-rate units will most affected, but there will be a spillover to the affordable units.”

Condo residents also protested the base-charge change, especially in light of the fact that most condominium associations have already had annual meetings and set budgets for the year. “This is almost the equivalent of having a septic failure or roof collapse—things at that catastrophic kind of level,” said Lincoln Ridge resident Bryce Wolf, who asked the commission to phase in the change more gradually.

The water increases last year and this year are coming at the same time as homeowners are grappling with significant property tax increases due to the $93.9 million school project. Another Farrar Pond Village resident noted that many of the development’s owners are seniors on fixed incomes.

Although the Water Commission discussed a phase-in plan for the base-rate change for MUDs, members ultimately voted 2-1 to approve the original hikes of 28% for water usage and the base-charge increase from $35 to $50 per quarter. “It’s a very big jump in a very short period of time,” said Hendrickson, who voted in favor of the phased-in plan before voting against the final proposal.

The commission also voted to defer billing for the billing change for multi-unit developments until January 2021 to allow time for financial planning by owners and tenants. That change will be reflected in the quarterly bill that goes out in April 2021, and that bill will include the charges retroactive to April 2020, when the other rate hikes are also taking effect.

Health care facilities (the skilled nursing unit at The Commons in Lincoln and the Care Dimensions Hospice House) will pay a base charge calculated by dividing the number of beds by 2.9, which is the average number of people per household in Lincoln.

“Lincoln is already on the high side and will be on the higher side when we raise rates,” Water Commissioner Michelle Barnes said. Her comparison of water rates in nearby towns showed that Lincoln will rise from $706 to $927 annually for customers using 50,000 gallons a year. The average for Bedford, Concord, Lexington, Sudbury, and Wayland at that level of water use is $542, with Lexington the lowest at $329 and Concord the highest at $850. Lexington and Bedford ($472) get their water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority.

Some of Lincoln’s overall costs reflect its steep price increases for tiers of water usage, an incentive for conservation. “The more you use, the higher the cost relative to other towns,” Barnes said.

News acorns

Volunteers sought for Pierce House Committee, CapCom

The Board of Selectmen is seeking interested volunteers for the Capital Planning Committee and the Pierce House Committee. The Capital Planning Committee (CapCom) is charged with evaluating capital requests as well as maintenance funding requests. Members are tasked with evaluating each proposal for need, viability, and the effect on operating budgets. The mission of the Pierce House Committee is to “be stewards of the historic property so that residents of Lincoln, neighbors and guests may continue to use the Pierce House as a venue to gather and celebrate in keeping with the spirit of John H. Pierce’s gift to the Town of Lincoln.”

Letters of interest for either position should be sent to Peggy Elder, Administrative Assistant in the Selectmen’s Office, elderp@lincolntown.org. Click here for a volunteer application form or call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601 for more information.

Library activities for school vacation week

School vacation week at the Lincoln Public Library will feature the following events for kids:

Origami Workshop
Tuesday, Feb. 18 from 2–3 p.m. for grades 1–3, and 3:30–4:30 p.m. for grades 4–6
Learn how to fold 3D origami snowflakes with Lisa Corfman from Rocky Arts Unfolded. Registration is required. Call 781-259-8465 x4 or email dleopold@minlib.net.

Singalong with Matt Heaton
Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 11 a.m.
Musician Matt Heaton will be bringing his unique mix of rockabilly, surf, American roots and Irish traditional music to the library. All ages welcome; no registration necessary.

Family Bingo Night
Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m.
Come one, come all for a fun night of bingo! All ages welcome, no registration required. Prizes for everyone.

Girl Scouts pancake breakfast on Feb. 29

The Lincoln Girl Scouts will host Pancake Breakfast, Take 2 (postponed from Winter Carnival week) on Saturday, Feb. 29 from 8–11 a.m. at the First Parish Church (14 Bedford Rd., Lincoln.) There will be plain, blueberry, chocolate chip, and gluten-free pancakes with pure maple syrup along with coffee, tea, orange juice, and fruit, and face painting and crafts for kids. Girl Scout cookies will also be on sale. Tickets are $5 for children under 12 and $10 for everyone else ($30 family maximum).

Three-part series on opera singers

The Lincoln Public Library will host a three-part series on “Opera For Everyone: A Salute to Three Great Opera Singers” with Erika Reitshamer on Sundays, March 1, 8 and 22 at 2 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. Each session will look at a different artist: Jessye Norman on March 1, Fritz Wunderlich on March 8, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky on March 22. Click here for more information. Reitshamer was active in the formation of the Boston Lyric Opera Company, has led opera tours to Europe, and served as vice president of the Boston Wagner Society for many years.

Poetry workshop for kids

The Lincoln Public Library will host a poetry workshop for kids in grades 4-6 on Mondays, March 2–30 from 4–5 p.m. with a PoetryFest performance on evening of April 6. Kids will read, write and perform poetry and create an accordion book to fill with favorite poems and artwork. the final session will be filled with lights, snacks, and poetry performances for friends and families. It’s important to attend all five sessions. Registration required; call 781-259-8465 x4 or email dleopold@minlib.net. 

Lincoln Dems schedule caucus for state convention

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee (LDTC) will hold its annual caucus on Sunday, March 8 from 1:30–3:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Attendees will elect five delegates and four alternates to the Massachusetts Democratic Party 2020 Convention in  Lowell on Saturday, May 30.

Registered Democrats may vote and are also eligible to be delegates. Enrollment cards provided by the Town Clerk’s office will be available for those who wish to register to become a Democrat at the caucus just before it opens. Democrats who will be 16 by February 2020 may pre-register at the caucus and participate and run as a delegate or alternate to the convention, although they are not eligible to vote in general elections until they are 18. Youth, minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals who are not elected as delegates or alternates may apply to be add-on delegates to the caucus at www.massdems.org.

Anyone with questions may contact LDTC co-chairs Barbara Slayter (bslayter@comcast.net) or Joan Kimball (selenejck@gmail.com).

Talk on supporting healthy emotions in children

Erika Christakis, author of The Importance of Being Little: What Young Children Really Need From Grownups, presents “The Essential Connection: Supporting Healthy Emotions in Children” on Tuesday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Nursery School at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. Technology and the demands of 21st-century life can make it especially hard to see how children really think and feel. Christakis will share highlights from the science of early learning and explain how to improve the emotional “cueing system” between adult and child, with special attention to children’s need for autonomy, competence, and connection. Attendees are invited to read articles in The Atlantic and the The Washington Post before the event.

Planning Board has the only contested seat in upcoming town election

By Alice Waugh

Signatures have been gathered and papers filed to decide who will be on the ballot for the town election on March 30 (see full list below). And despite an earlier flurry of interest by would-be candidates for Water Commission, the Planning Board will have the only contested race, where three residents — Lynn DeLisi, Richard Rundell, and Robert Domnitz — are running for two open seats.

Both openings on the Planning Board are for three-year terms, so the top two vote-getters will be seated. DeLisi and Rundell are incumbents running for reelection, while Domnitz is a former board member. He ran for reelection in 2015 but lost to challenge and current board member Gary Taylor, who ran unopposed for reelection in 2018.

A whopping seven residents took out papers in preparation for running for three openings on the Water Commission, which has been troubled by budget and personnel issues. However, only incumbent Ruth Ann Hendrickson, Michelle Barnes and James Hutchinson submitted papers and signatures to get on the ballot before the February 10 deadline. The others who initially took out papers were Ephraim Flint, Steven Kanner, Allen Vander Meulen, and Tobin Hack. 

Those running for the Water Commission have to declare their candidacy for a specific term. Hendrickson (who has said this will be her last term) is running unopposed for reelection for a two-yer term. Barnes joined the board in the fall as one of two emergency appointments after two of the three commissioners resigned, and she is now running for a full three-year term. Hutchinson is currently serving a seven-year term on the Finance Committee that expires in March 2021 and is resigning to run unopposed for a one-year term on the Water Commission.

No one is running for openings on the Housing Commission and Trustees of the Bemis Fund, although two residents (Deb Wallace and Victoria Benaflew) took our nomination papers but never submitted them. Anyone can write in a candidate for those seats or any other. However, if no one is elected, the group in question and the Board of Selectmen may jointly make an appointment to fill the opening at a later date.

There are two candidates for two openings on the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, and Lincoln resident Harold Engstrom is running for the seat being vacated by Patty Mostue, who is retiring after many years of service with that group. Candace Miller of Sudbury is running for reelection.

* Asterisks indicate incumbents

Board or CommitteeOpenings/termsCandidate(s)
Board of AssessorsOne for three yearsEllen Meadors*
Board of Health
One for three yearsFrederick L. Mansfield*
Board of SelectmenOne for three yearsJonathan Dwyer*
Cemetery CommissionOne for three yearsManley Boyce*
Commissioners of Trust FundsOne for three yearsD. Paul Fitzgerald*
Housing CommissionOne for three years—
ModeratorOne for three yearsSarah Cannon Holden*
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School CommitteeTwo for three yearsCandace Miller,* Harold Engstrom
Parks and Recreation CommitteeOne for three yearsRobert Stringer
Planning BoardTwo for three yearsRichard Rundell,* Lynn DeLisi,* Robert Domnitz
School CommitteeTwo for three yearsTara Lynn Mitchell,* Adam Hogue*
Trustees of BemisOne for three years—
Water CommissionOne for three years, one for two years, one for one yearRuth Ann Hendrickson,* Michelle Barnes, James Hutchinson

Residents argue pros and cons of South Lincoln rezoning

By Alice Waugh

Current zoning in South Lincoln (left, where “SLOD” stands for South Lincoln Overlay District) and the changes being proposed. Click image for larger version.

A proposal to rezone part of South Lincoln met with opposition last week as residents worried about ceding too much control to the Planning Board for building projects in that area.

More than 60 residents packed the Town Hall conference room for the second public forum on the rezoning proposals, which was hosted by a subcommittee of the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee (SLPIC). The group has been working with an outside consultant in drafting changes to the zoning bylaw to encourage a more dynamic “village center” around the train station with a greater variety of businesses and housing. This would result in a larger commercial tax base as well as options to stay in Lincoln for older residents and others in smaller households who are looking to downsize. 

The proposal builds on recommendations of several planning studies done in the past 20 years, including the 2009 Comprehensive Plan.

As outlined in the forum last May and the State of the Town meeting in November, the proposal would create a new South Lincoln Village District consisting of two subdistricts: Village Business, which emphasizes commercial or mixed use, and Village Residential, which provides a variety of housing options close to transit and retail amenities. That area would also allow buildings up to three and a half stories if they’re farther back from Lincoln Road.

Units that combine living and working space for a yoga studio, artist, architect, or designer, or bed and breakfast would be allowed in the entire village district, while uses such as an artisan bakery or a microbrewery would be allowed in the business district. 

Under the proposal, projects that have up to six units per acre and no more than 25% lot coverage would require only a site plan review by the Planning Board. “Lot coverage” takes height into account, so if a building’s footprint occupies 15% of the lot’s square footage but has two stories, it would have 30% lot coverage.

These criteria are still quite restrictive, however — “that’s not going to get anyone’s juices flowing,” Planning Board chair Margaret Olson said at the February 5 forum. The expectation is that developers would prefer more density, which would require them to apply for a special permit as well as the site plan review. With a special permit, projects could be up to 20 units per acre and have a greater maximum lot coverage (60% for residential and 100% for business). The developer would also have to include “density bonuses” such as outdoor play areas or gardens, sidewalks and seating, and at least 10% of the housing would have to qualify as moderate income.

Getting a special permit would require a public hearing, notices to abutters, traffic and environmental analyses, input from other town boards, and other conditions. However, Town Meeting approval would not be required unless a proposed project exceeds the special-permit density. 

Recently added to the rezoning proposal is a circuit-breaker provision that limits the total number of residential units that can be created at Lincoln Station over time. Once that number is reached, the hurdles become steeper for developers, and Town Meeting could also amend the cap at any time.

Town Meeting discourages developers

For developers today, the Town Meeting process is “lengthy, costly, and unpredictable,” so many potential applicants in Lincoln simply go elsewhere, said Olsen. The town would be better served by a rigorous Planning Board review using new regulations and guidelines, which includes a series of back-and-forth discussions with the developer, she added. This is “poorly suited to the Town Meeting process, and frankly, if you want to lean on a developer, it helps to have had practice.” The result would be a more comprehensive, predictable and efficient process for permitting, according to an FAQ sheet created by SLPIC.

Another stumbling block for existing South Lincoln businesses is that many do not meet current zoning, and, as a result, require a special permit to operate. Special permits can require renewals if there is a change in tenant or for any improvement to the building.

“Building owners stated that such uncertainty in the permitting process made it difficult to find suitable tenants because small local businesses or their lenders would not expend time and up-front money with the risk that permits might not be issued. Consequently, some existing businesses are not making improvements to their properties due to the current permitting process,” the FAQ sheet says. 

Additionally, under current rules, any modification to the mall other than minor changes must be approved by a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting. The mall and restaurant/post office building are owned by the Rural Land Foundation and sit in the South Lincoln Overlay Zone.

“With Town Meeting, there’s no rules… [Developers] have very little idea of whether [the project] met the town’s expectations,” Olson said. “If we want to achieve the goals of 20 years of master planning, we need a set of rules we can communicate about what is and is not acceptable in our town.”

A few residents at the forum spoke in favor of the rezoning proposal. “There are needs for more housing and more diverse economic availability for people. I’m concerned that my children won’t be able to live in a generational town or afford to retire here,” said C.J. Doherty, a Lincoln resident who co-owns the Twisted Tree Cafe. “As a business owner, having more people living around my business would certainly help. We need businesses to make a town. Change is painful and disruptive, but I don’t think it should preclude us from even considering it.”

Potential applicants in the past have asked if they would have to go to Town Meeting for a specific project, and when they learn they do, “that ends the conversation,” said Allen Vander Meulen, a member of the Housing Commission.

At a Town Meeting, “there are maybe 200 people who actually know anything about the particular question. [Other attendees] haven’t researched it. They just vote a straight yes or no on housing or school funding or whatever,” resident Paul Rice said. “My faith is in the [Planning] board, and if we’re putting the wrong people on the board, that’s a whole different question.”

Voice in opposition

But others protested what they saw as taking voting power away from residents and giving too much power to the Planning Board.

“Town Meeting is the ultimate arbiter of our town collectively, not just one five-person committee,” Peter Braun said. Under the rezoning proposal, “all we have is a ‘trust us’ kind of dimension to it. This is radical change in how we’re governing ourselves.”

“If we allow Town Meeting to keep having the final say on every single project, there will be no projects,” Olson said.

“If it’s the right project, it will pass,” replied Braun, noting that voters approved The Commons in Lincoln and Oriole Landing (albeit with the help of a $1 million grant from the Housing Commission for the latter).

Others said SLPIC has not gathered enough input from renters and homeowners in the areas that would be subject to rezoning, and that they do not have a representative on its planning and zoning subcommittee. Olson said that the Planning Board will consult town counsel about the legality of opening up more seats.

“Any steps in being less transparent as citizens as a town is the wrong direction. Part of what I love about Lincoln is having Town Meeting and having that say,” said Greenridge Lane resident Lisa Parker.

Along with official handouts at the forum were flyers produced by United Residents for Responsible Redevelopment touting its website, StrongSouthLincoln.com, that argues against the rezoning proposal. One member of the coalition, Jessica Packineau, said after the meeting that she supports mixed-use redevelopment, especially for the mall. 

“I think there are strategic ways to do it,” said Packineau, who lives at 148 Lincoln Rd. behind St. Joseph’s Church. “I love the goals of increasing [train] ridership and I think attention to parking is critical, but we should look at it holistically across the town. There are a lot of tweaks we could make to the zoning code that would advantage homeowners in what they could do to create more value on their lots.”

If the current proposal were to be enacted, “it could have been very lucrative for us,” Packineau added, noting that her property would be eligible for denser development. “I’m not being Nimby about it — I think it’s just wrong philosophically and politically.”

The rezoning proposal was originally slated for a Town Meeting vote next month, but officials didn’t complete all of their impact analysis in time, Olson said, so the vote will be postponed until a Special Town Meeting next fall. One of the provisions that might change is the 20-units-per-acre maximum that would be allowed with a special permit but not a Town Meeting, she said.