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

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Residents drill down on school, community center options before June vote

This School Building Committee chart compares the six options on features and cost and also shows total estimated campus costs that include the community center. (click to enlarge).

Residents who packed two workshops on April 10 on the campus building projects were asked for feedback on six school concepts and three community center schemes in preparation for votes at a Special Town Meeting on June 9.

At that meeting, voters will be asked to choose from among the three community center ideas and an as-yet-unknown number of school concepts, though it will be at least two. Firm cost estimates for each will be presented, and there will be two votes in the fall to bond the project. To win approval, Town Meeting must approve by a two-thirds majority; a simple majority is required at the polls.

The footprint, features and cost of the school concepts are described in this six-page summary, which also includes an energy performance analysis for all but one of the concepts, and the added cost to bring each concept into compliance with the “stretch” code (a higher level of energy efficiency than the state’s base building code) and net-zero energy use.

The paper version of the six-page concept summary handed out at Tuesday’s meeting also listed the annual tax bill increase for the median Lincoln taxpayers based on a 4 percent of 5 percent bond interest rates:

School conceptEstimated costAnnual tax increase (4% interest)Annual tax increase (4% interest)Added cost for stretch code compliance/net zero energy efficiency, including solar
R
$49 million$1,329$1,494N/A
L1
$73 million$1,980$2,226N/A
L2
$79 million$2,142$2,409$0 / $6 million
L3
$89 million$2,413$2,714$0 / $6 million
C
$95 million$2,576$2,897$0 / $2 million
FPC
$109 millionAnalysis not yet performed for this optionAnalysis not yet performed for this optionAnalysis not yet performed for this option

Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall outlined the educational advantages of each of the six options:

Option R

  • There would be no educational improvement except for a more consistent temperature climate due to the heating system upgrade.

Option L1

  • The new dining commons between the Brooks gym and auditorium lobby could serve as a learning space for large groups.

Option L2

  • Bringing preK into the main school from Hartwell saves time for staff who serve both preK and K-8, as well as preK students who must sometimes cross the campus, and it also eases the integration of preK children into the school as well as faculty collaboration.
  • Two new flexible-use spaces on each side of the school.
  • Having a single, centrally located lower and middle school office and dining commons  also reduces travel time for students and staff.

Option L3

  • Hub spaces for grades 3-8 where classes can open out into larger collaboration or teaching spaces, and which allow more collaboration among teachers. At the new Hanscom Middle School, which includes hubs, “we find teachers are doing much more conscious planning together, and we see the impact of more integrated curricula being developed,” McFall said. For each grade, the hubs also “create a bit of a community within a community,” she added.
  • A larger commons space than previous concepts, and the space looks out onto the woods, which is less distracting for students.

Option C

  • Having two floors in part of the building reduces transition times for middle schoolers by shortening corridors. “The compactness helps with efficiencies and interactions for both faculty and students, as well as greater sustainability,” McFall said. “I feel like it’s a better design for education.”
  • More space for playing fields

Option FPC

  • Allows for the “optimal” educational program, with three more classrooms than the current school (or options L2, L3 and C), as well as hubs for all nine grades and more athletic field space.
  • This option was recently added at the request of residents who wanted to see what an “ideal” building would look like, so the design is still in flux and it may be more compact building with two floors in some places, McFall said.

Almost every elementary school in Massachusetts designs within the past 10 years includes small breakout rooms and/or larger hub spaces between classrooms, McFall said. The U.S Department of Defense’s education arm, which oversees construction of schools on military bases, mandated this type of design for the Hanscom school. “They did a lot of research, and they’re convinced of it—their analysis shows a true benefit,” McFall said.

Having hubs and breakout rooms “is the catalyst to change… an eruptor that makes you think something else is possible,” said resident Jen Holleran. “This is a generational opportunity.”

The Capital Planning Committee is now researching long-term operating costs for the various options, which would include estimating the financial value of making a greater up-front investment in a more sustainable design, Finance Committee chair Andy Payne said. Any savings on current utility costs would not help pay down the bond but would show up in slower growth in the school’s annual operating costs, he said.

Following the presentation, residents were asked to specify their two favorite options to help the School Building Committee gauge how many concepts should be presented for a vote on June 9. In 2012, the SBC offered only one option for an up-or-down vote that failed to garner the required two-thirds majority, “and we will not make the same mistake—we feel like we have to bring that choice to you,” said Selectman and former SBC chair Jennifer Glass.

Community center

Workshop attendees then saw the three latest concepts for a community center located on the Hartwell side of campus and were asked for feedback on paper. (The fourth concept on the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee website—putting the facility in renovated Smith school space—is no longer being considered.)

All are 23,000 square feet and include renovation of any remaining standalone Hartwell pods. Scheme 3 calls for having the community center linked to all three pods, with a resulting total cost ($13.5 million to $16.5 million) lower than the estimate for the other two options (both $15 million to $18 million).

There will be a multi-board meeting to discuss more details of how to finance the campus projects on Monday, April 30.

Marijuana Study Committee hosts panel

The town’s Marijuana Study Committee will host a panel discussion on Wednesday, April 25 from 7–9 p.m. in Town Hall to consider the implications of the state law that legalized the personal use, cultivation, processing, lab testing, and retail sale of recreational marijuana.

Before November 2018, when a temporary town moratorium on marijuana businesses is set to expire, Lincoln must vote on whether or not to allow recreational marijuana cultivation, processing, and retail dispensaries in town. The issue first came up for local discussion at the 2015 State of the Town meeting in the context of medical marijuana dispensaries.

For the April 25 event, the Board of Selectmen has assembled a panel of legal, public safety, agriculture, medical, and industry experts to help Lincoln explore the issues and help inform residents’ thinking about our public policy options. Come learn more about the law, ask questions, and voice your opinions. The committee will also post a comprehensive FAQ document on its web page before the discussion.

News acorns

Hazard Mitigation Plan approved

A summary of Lincoln’s existing hazard mitigation measures (click to enlarge).

The Lincoln Hazard Mitigation Plan has been approved by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and will go before the Board of Selectmen for adoption. The document was created as a useful guide for the town of Lincoln  to meet the challenges of natural hazard events such as flooding, hurricanes and blizzards. Lincoln’s Plan will then be in effect for the next five years. Because the Town will now have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Town it is now eligible to apply for many state and federal grants.

DPW expands hours for brush disposal

To help with the cleanup from the March storms, the Highway Department yard at 30 Lewis St. will be open all four Saturdays in April to accept brush disposal from residents who have a Transfer Station sticker. The yard is normally available for brush disposal Monday through Friday and on the first Saturday of each month from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To limit the use of emergency brush disposal privileges solely to Lincoln residents, staff will be checking vehicles to ensure they have valid Transfer Station stickers. If you are hiring an individual or company to clear your brush, you must contact the Highway Department in advance and provide your address, the name of the individual or company you have hired, and the date when this individual or company is expected to dispose at the yard. Any individual or company who does not meet the above conditions will be denied access to the DPW brush disposal area. Please call the Lincoln Highway Department at 781-259-8999 for more information.

ZBA seeks members

The Zoning Board of Appeals is seeking new members for open seats on the board. The ZBA is a land use board that interprets and applies the town’s zoning bylaw, acting on requests for variances, special permits, and appeals of decisions by the Building Inspector, considering the impact on the town and neighborhoods and the requirements of the bylaws. The ZBA has five regular members and three associate members and generally meets one evening a month. For more information, call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601 or click here for a volunteer application.

Cultural Council session postponed

Due to a family emergency, the Lincoln Cultural Council introduction meeting scheduled for Saturday, April 7 has been postponed. Anyone interested in learning more about the council and becoming a member should contact Melinda Bruno-Smith at melindabruno@hotmail.com.

Gospel group coming to First Parish

Joyful Voices of Inspiration, a community gospel choir, will perform at the First Parish in Lincoln on Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m. in the Parish House Auditorium (14 Bedford Rd.) Joyful Voices of Inspiration is non-denominational and represents musicians from a wide range of religious backgrounds who find joy and power in the gospel’s music and message. They often donate their services at civic and fund-raising events in the Boston area. Suggested donation for the concert is $20 per person or $40 for a family. Children under 12 are free. Proceeds will benefit the First Parish in Lincoln.

Annual benefit gala at deCordova is May 12

Tickets are now available for the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum’s annual Party for the Park gala benefit on Saturday, May 12 from 6:30–10 p.m. The event honors Phyllis and Jerry Rappaport, who have been loyal supporters of deCordova for the past three decades, most notably by establishing and funding the prestigious $25,000 Rappaport Prize. Established in 2000, the Rappaport Prize celebrates contemporary artists with strong connections to New England and a strong record of achievement.

The gala will be chaired by Gerard Frank, a founding partner of Bechtel Frank Erickson Architects and former board president of deCordova. Joyce Kulhawik, the Emmy Award-winning longtime arts and entertainment critic for CBS-Boston, will be a special guest.

Individual tickets are $500 and tables start at $5,000. Proceeds support deCordova’s exhibitions, lectures, and programs, and can be reserved by emailing rsvp@decordova.org or online at decordova.org/party.

FoMA sponsors tour of Modern houses

Friends of Modern Architecture is sponsoring a tour of three Modern houses in the newly created Brown’s Wood Historic District on Saturday, April 29 from 3–5 p.m. Built in 1956, 1957, and 1959, each house has been updated and adapted to the needs of its current owners while successfully maintaining the spirit and intent of the original house. Cost is $35 for FoMA members and $45 for non-members. RSVP to fomalincoln@gmail.com.

Newly elected town officials sworn in

Town officials being sworn in by Town Clerk Susan Brooks are (left to right) Selectman Jennifer Glass, deCordova Trustee Jonathan Rapaport, Finance Committee members Elisa Sartori and Gina Halsted, Parks & Recreation Committee member Sarah Chester, School Committee members Al Schmertzler and Peter Borden, Bemis Trustee Mimi Borden, Registrar of Voters Margaret Flint, and Housing Commission member Even Gorman.

The induction ceremony for newly elected and appointed officers of the town took place on March 28, two days after the Lincoln election. The event is held annually and is meant to celebrate those who have stepped up to serve the town, and to acquaint them with one another and with the legal obligations of their public service. It culminates with the administration of the oath of office to the group and with each person signing a leather-bound registry of public service.

One of the new officials signs the Register of Oaths Sworn.

Joachim wins second seat on L-S committee

Ellen Joachim of Sudbury has won the second write-in seat on the Lincoln-Sudbury District School Committee. She will join Lincoln’s Carol Kasper, who earned the most votes—and who had endorsed Joachim as her unofficial running mate.

In Sudbury, Joachim won by a margin of 866 to 677, according to Sudbury’s unofficial results posted Tuesday afternoon. She also won Lincoln by a whopping 712–16 margin. When adding in Lincoln’s official results (see table), Joachim had a two-town total of 1,578 votes compared to 693 for Hullinger. A third write-in candidate on the ballot, Cara Endyke-Doran of Sudbury, got 236 votes in Sudbury and two in Lincoln.

Kasper will take the seat of retiring Lincoln member Nancy Marshall. Committee member Gerald Quirk of Sudbury decided not to run again after the candidates’ filing deadline had passed, necessitating the write-in campaign. The race was the subject of vigorous campaigning by their supporters in both Lincoln and Sudbury, including numerous letters to the editor. 

The official results also correct an error in the unofficial results posted earlier today in the Squirrel, which mistakenly listed 366 write-in votes for Lincoln School Committee in Precinct 1 (they were actually blank ballots).

A squeaker for Parks and Rec; LSSC race still awaiting Sudbury totals

Sarah Chester narrowly defeated Adam Hogue for a seat on the Parks and Recreation Commission, 296–288, while Rey Romero finished third with 204 votes, according to unofficial results from the town election on March 26. Chester won Precinct 2 by a single cote, but it wasn’t enough for s town-wide victory. (Click here to see a map of Lincoln’s two voting precincts.)

Carol Kasper and write-in candidate Ellen Joachim of Sudbury won the most Lincoln votes for the two openings on the Lincoln-Sudbury District School Committee, but the Sudbury vote totals were still unavailable as of 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Sudbury’s Siobhan Hullinger also campaigned as a write-in candidate but won only 15 Lincoln votes vs. 711 for Joachim.

Check the Lincoln Squirrel later on Tuesday for final results of the L-S  race once Sudbury totals become available.

Unofficial results for the March 24, 2018 town election (click to enlarge).

Oriole Landing approved at Town Meeting

Residents approved a zoning change and preliminary plan for the Oriole Landing mixed-income housing project, despite impassioned pleas not to subject the neighborhood to yet another major construction project that will increase traffic.

Town officials urged passage of the measure so Lincoln can avoid a much larger 40B affordable housing project. Developers can circumvent town zoning restrictions for a project of that type if less than 10 percent of the town’s housing stock is affordable according to the 2020 census, and Lincoln was projected to be about nine units short. Lincoln Woods, which has both affordable and market-rate units, has a waiting list of 60 families, according to housing consultant Pamela Gallup.

“This provides the diversity of housing that Lincoln currently lacks” for young professionals or retirees looking to downsize but stay in town, Selectman James Craig said.

Residents including Cathy O’Brien of 3 Mary’s Way objected to the development before the Planning Board earlier this month, saying it was too large and would create traffic and road safety issues. At Town Meeting, she also repeated her earlier claim that the project was being rushed through.

“Public meetings on this started in January. What has ever happened in this town of this magnitude in a matter of three months? Nothing,” O’Brien said. “This process has been steamrolled through with no commitment or thought process about the impact on the neighborhood.”

“We don’t get a chance to pick the properties. This one came up very fast, and the accelerated pace is not due to anything other than a need to react to market conditions when things become available,” Selectman Jonathan Dwyer responded.

The property was on the market for some time and the town looked into purchasing it, but the price was “well out of reach,” Craig said. Several developers inquired about putting a project on the site with anywhere from 125 to 250 units, “but we were able to turn them away,” Gallup said.

The Planning Board and Board of Selectmen endorsed the project last week with several conditions. Among them: a left-turn-only restriction out of the Oriole Landing driveway onto Mary’s Way on weekday mornings and a $25,000 contribution by Civico to the town’s Complete Streets program earmarked for a roadside path on Mary’s Way. The company will also offer a shuttle bus service for Oriole Landing residents to Alewife and South Lincoln.

Neighbors not satisfied

But neighbors on Saturday said these steps were not enough. “A no-right-turn sign without a policeman standing there every day is virtually useless,” said Andrew Cole of Sandy Pond Road, adding that a similar restriction on his road is “routinely flouted.” The promised $25,000 is also inadequate, he added.

“Who is going to fund the rest of what needs to be done? These answers need to be in writing before we change the zoning,” O’Brien said.

Other area towns including Sudbury and Wayland are grappling with looming 40B projects, but O’Brien rejected the comparison. “They’re trying to convince you through fear. We need nine units in next two years. We have brilliant people in this community who can find a solution for nine units,” she said.

But a Concord Road resident disagreed. “To think you’re going to have someone come in with nine units in the next year and a half is unrealistic,” he said. “If we miss this opportunity, a 40B [developer] can slam down anything they want. If you’re worried about the impact on schools or traffic now.”

Residents including David Levington argued that the town is unfairly isolating affordable housing in North Lincoln, which is not within walking distance to public transportation for Oriole Landing residents who might not own a car. Others expressed concern about the roadways and lack of sidewalks in the area.

“That’s life in Lincoln — we have narrow roads,” resident Sharon Antia said. She also alluded to earlier fears about the location of Lincoln Woods, then the town’s first affordable housing development. “There were major objections being that close to the train station that they might get a lot of undesirable people from Boston,” she said.

Levington moved to postpone the decision until the special Town Meeting in June, but Andrew Consigli of Civico Development said that would not be financially feasible for him. “There’s a certain amount of money we pay a month to hold the land. We don’t have the ability to do that past this time of year,” he said. “We won’t be here in June, and I mean that with all due respect.”

This possibility caused outgoing Finance Committee member Eric Harris to say he was “experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder from 2012,” when the town voted down a school project that would have been partially paid for by a $20 million state grant (the state subsequently denied repeated reapplications).

“For $29 million [the town’s share in 2012], we could have had a school. Now we’re talking about maybe $120 million. Sometimes the ‘Lincoln way’ way isn’t the best way,” Harris said..

Civico has “bent over backwards like no developer I’ve ever seen,” said resident Noah Eckhouse. “Change is tough, but Lincoln is changing, and either we change it or somebody else does. We’re going to be paying for this one way or another. We have got to vote for this.”.

After the motion to postpone the vote was soundly defeated, the standing-room-only crowd approved the measure in a voice vote by the required two-thirds majority. Civico must come back to the Planning Board within two years to obtain a special permit and site plan review.

This is the sixth overlay-district development that the town has approved since 1986. The others are Lincoln Woods, Battle Road Farm, Lincoln North, the Minuteman Inn (which was never built), Minuteman Commons, and The Commons.

Residents clash over immigration during citizen’s petition debate

The final item on the Town Meeting agenda turned out to be one of the most contentious, as discussion on a resolution declaring Lincoln to be a “welcoming, safe town” laid bare the fears of several residents about illegal immigrants. The resolution passed despite a loud chorus of “No!” from a few dozen of the hundreds in attendance.

A group headed by resident Peter Pease asked voters in a citizens’ petition to adopt a resolution declaring Lincoln to be a welcoming, safe town “which resolves to make all residents, workers, and visitors feel safe and secure regardless of immigration status” and for selectmen to support passage of the Massachusetts Safe Communities Act “or comparable legislation.” Undocumented immigrants are sometimes afraid to call the police for help because they are “terrified of being ripped out of their family and deported,” he said.

The measure does not seek any policy changes by Lincoln police, who are not permitted to check the immigration status of a person stopped for an infraction such as a traffic violation, Police Chief Kevin Kennedy told the Board of Selectmen on March 19. For those arrested for a crime or on an outstanding warrant, their fingerprints and other information are automatically sent to federal authorities. However, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled last year that local police may not detain a person who is otherwise free to go solely on the basis of a request from federal immigration authorities, Pease noted.

The resolution “is not in conflict with our practices… we have no authority to run someone through system to see if they’re a citizen or not,” Kennedy said to selectmen. The language of the resolution also specifies that it “shall be interpreted as to not violate any requirements of state or federal law.”

But several residents at Town Meeting objected to the resolution. “This creates an appearance of safe haven for criminals, drugs dealers, and terrorists,” said Stephanie Smoot, urging residents not to “tie the hands of law enforcement.”

“This is totally unnecessary. No one can deny that Lincoln is already a welcoming, safe town,” said Richard Fraiman.

Another unidentified man claimed that the measure’s backers want to “put an end to cooperation” between local and federal law enforcement in matters of undocumented immigrants. At the selectmen’s meeting, he said the resolution’s title was a misnomer, because “a lot of people feel the opposite, that it’s making the town not a safe place… there are many communities in Massachusetts where illegal aliens have been released, they’ve slipped through the cracks, not been reported and committed vicious crimes.

“The first and foremost responsibility of the selectmen is to make sure public safety is the highest priority,” the man said at the selectmen’s meeting. “What you’re doing by this blanket protection is protecting people that do not deserve protection who are actually committing crimes.”

“This resolution cannot cause or dictate inclusion. Welcome is based on whether someone merits your trust and hospitality. It’s an individual matter of the soul, mind and heart,” said Barbara Darling, adding that she was “affected by illegal immigration” when her New York apartment was damaged in the 9/11 attacks.

Maite Fay, another Lincoln resident who is herself an immigrant, said she was “offended” by the resolution. “I can attest that Lincoln is already a safe town,” she said. Her husband Adrian Fay showed a slide of desperately poor people living on trash heaps outside Buenos Aires. “These people came from unrestricted immigration… by bringing in these people without a plan, this city is bankrupt,” he said.

“Everyone here is for legal immigration… but the immigrants today are not the immigrants of the 1800s” who “built a country,” said Ron Darling. Naturalizing all 11 million illegal aliens in the U.S would come at a “huge cost,” he added.

Emotional rebuttals

The remarks prompted many other residents to push back. “This is an opportunity for Lincoln to reset its moral compass. We don’t want undocumented residents to be labeled as criminals,” said Barbara Slayter.

”Anyone in America has basic civil rights, whether they’re documented or not,” said Jessica Bethany. “This is not about encouraging undocumented immigration… it’s so people feel safe enough to report to police any crime they see. It’s just a no-brainer.”

Mark Soukup proposed an amendment to the resolution’s wording that “in 2018, when discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion and national origin continues, and is abetted by the federal government, we must reaffirm our commitment to respect each person’s dignity.”

“I have a severe problem with that language. I don’t think we’re a racist country,” he said. His amendment was voted down and he was prevented from speaking any further by Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden as lines of people stretched out at both microphones behind him

“Many of those who spoke have stressed such distracting, irrelevant scare stories that it convinces me that this motion really is very important,” said Larry Buell. “In the name of humanity, I urge you to vote yes.”

“I too am incredibly rattled and also embarrassed,” said Phoebe Chatfield. “A fundamentally immoral way to fix an immigration system is by throwing people out. I am horrified to hear some of the comments.”

After the 2016 election, “my son was constantly afraid the police would send us back to Nepal. I told him, ‘No, we live in Lincoln, the police are our friends,” said Rakesh Kharmacharya, his voice breaking. “I come away today shocked and baffled at sentiments that I hear expressed which I did not envision. I go away less assured of what I can tell my son.”

Letter to the editor: Why the Oriole Landing project is important for Lincoln

To the editor:

The Lincoln Housing Commission and Affordable Housing Trust are co-sponsoring the Oriole Landing Project at Town Meeting on Saturday, March 24.

The project, located at 1 Mary’s Way and presented in Warrant Article 30, is the result of a truly collaborative effort over the past six months involving multiple town boards and committees, Civico Development, and extensive public input. Because of these efforts, we believe Oriole Landing will benefit the residents of Lincoln in the following ways:

  • It will significantly increase the town’s inventory of affordable rental housing. As 15 (25 percent) of Oriole Landing’s units will be set aside as affordable, the state Department of Housing and Community Development will count all of the project’s 60 units towards Lincoln’s subsidized housing inventory (SHI). This will fulfill Lincoln’s Chapter 40B requirements for the next several decades while also meeting Lincoln’s high standards for responsible development and protecting our town’s rural character.
  • It will provide a diversity of housing opportunities our town currently lacks: moderately priced one- and two-bedroom apartments to appeal to young professionals and “empty nesters” looking to downsize and stay in Lincoln.
  • The 15 “affordable” units will be for households earning up to 80 percent of the area median income. Of these units, 10 will be reserved as “local preference” for Lincoln residents, employees of the town or local businesses, and families with children in the Lincoln Public Schools.
  • Oriole Landing will enable the town to fulfill one of the long-term goals identified in the Housing Commission’s 2014 Housing Plan: expanding our housing stock to serve a broader spectrum of Lincoln residents.

Lincoln’s SHI is anticipated to fall below 10 percent in 2020, making the town vulnerable to 40B high-density housing developmens similar to projects under consideration and/or construction in Weston, Wayland, and Sudbury today. In fact, at least four prior developers made inquiries with the town about the six-acre Mary’s Way property since it was listed for sale, discussing developments ranging in size from 125–250 units.

To arrive at where we are today, many town boards and committees, through multiple public forums, hearings, and informational sessions, have worked diligently to identify and address the many concerns and issues raised about this project, including: 

  • Traffic — The town conducted an independent peer review of the traffic study performed by Civico and as a result, a condition of the project will include a “no right turn” restriction during peak commuting hours to help mitigate the potential traffic impact to the neighborhood. Additionally, neighborhood feedback has made it clear that there are already existing roadway and pedestrian safety issues which the Board of Selectman have committed to prioritize in addressing. Civico has also pledged $25,000 to the town’s Complete Streets program to be targeted for this neighborhood.
  • School enrollment — Civico estimated nine to 16 new school age children while the town’s own independent peer review of the fiscal impact and project finances estimated seven7. Our school administrators state that enrollment constantly fluctuates for a wide variety of reasons. They are confident that Oriole Landing’s contribution to the student population will be well within what the school system already experiences annually, and which it has both the expertise and resources to respond to.
  • Financial contribution — The Affordable Housing Trust will support this project with a $1 million loan to secure a permanent deed restriction that ensures that all 60 units at Oriole Landing will remain on Lincoln’s subsidized housing inventory in perpetuity. Lincoln’s peer review consultant has reviewed the project finances and determined that this sum is important to the project’s overall financially viability.
  • Historical Commission — Civico and the Historical Commission have agreed that the historic home on the property (Dexter C. Harris House, c. 1870) will be relocated and restored for use as a garden house.
  • No variation from submittal — If approved, the project cannot be substantially changed in the future without requiring another Town Meeting vote (which needs a two-thirds approval), ensuring the property must be developed in accordance with the will of the town.

The Housing Commission’s 2014 Housing Plan’s goals included providing housing for young couples, empty nesters seeking to downsize, those who work in town, and those connected to Lincoln in other ways. Oriole Landing will enable the town to create moderately priced local housing opportunities in a cost-efficient manner, rather than pursuing the inefficient and expensive task of incrementally increasing Lincoln’s subsidized housing stock to keep pace with new home construction.

If approved, the Housing Commission and Affordable Housing Trust will be able to turn their focus toward other important housing initiatives, such as working with the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee to explore housing opportunities in the Lincoln Station area.

You have an important role in determining the shape and direction of Lincoln’s future. Please join us this Saturday at Town Meeting, participate in the discussion, and vote. Lincoln’s Board of Selectmen, Housing Commission, Affordable Housing Trust, and Planning Board have all endorsed this project. We ask that you support it too, by voting “yes” in favor of Warrant Article 30. See the websites below for more information.

Sincerely,

James Craig and George Georges
Co-chairs, Lincoln Affordable Housing Trust

Allen Vander Meulen
Chair, Lincoln Housing Commission

Pamela Gallup
Lincoln housing consultant

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Get ready for Town Meeting with this Squirrel story roundup

Here’s a guide to stories published in the Lincoln Squirrel about some of the topics to be voted at at Town Meeting on Saturday, March 24. See the town website for a one-page summary of warrant articles and the full warrant.

The town election is Monday, March 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Smith gym. Click here for more town information about voting. Scroll down for more information and to see the ballot.

Articles 8, 9, and 10 — Capital Planning Committee and Community Preservation Act appropriations
Article 26 — Reports from the School Building Committee and the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee
Articles 28 and 29 — Historic District bylaw amendment: Modernist homes and corresponding creation of a new Brown’s Wood Historic District
Article 30 — Bylaw amendment to create zoning overlay district and a preliminary development and use plan for the Mary’s Way development
Articles 32, 33, and 34 — Proposed bans on retail use of plastic bags and retail sale of individual plastic water bottles (citizens’ petitions)
Article 35 — Resolution in support of tighter regulation of gas leaks (citizens’ petition)

Town election

In the March 26 town election, the contest for two open seats on the Lincoln-Sudbury District School Committee has drawn the most attention. Lincoln resident Nancy Marshall is stepping down from the panel and fellow Lincolnite Carole Kasper is running for her seat. Meanwhile, Sudbury resident Gerald Quirk was up for reelection but unexpectedly withdrew from the race after the candidates’ filing deadline, so three other Sudbury residents—Cara Doran, Siobhan Hullinger, and Ellen Joachim—are running as write-in candidates.

Kasper and her supporters are urging residents to write in Joachim, but both Joachim and Hullinger have been the subject of numerous letters to the editor to the Lincoln Squirrel. All seats on the committee are at large, meaning neither town is apportioned a certain number.

There are also contested races for the Cemetery Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission. Cemetery Commission candidates are Susan Harding and Carol DiGianni, who is featured in a short video on the town website. Also in the video is a statement from Kasper starting at the 2:25 mark, and a video by Parks and Recreation Commission candidate Rey Romero and his daughter at the 5:25 mark. Romero is running against Sarah Chester and Adam Hogue for the single seat.

There is also a question on the ballot:

Question 1. Shall the Town of Lincoln be allowed to assess an additional $600,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of purchasing a new Fire Department engine, including all costs incidental and related thereto, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018?

Board or CommitteeOpenings/termsCandidates
Board of AssessorsOne for three yearsEdward Morgan*
Board of Health
One for three yearsPatricia Miller*
Board of SelectmenOne for three yearsJennifer Glass*
Cemetery CommissionOne for three yearsSusan S. Harding,* Carol DiGianni
Commissioners of Trust FundsOne for three years—
DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park TrusteesOne for four yearsJonathan Rapaport
Housing CommissionOne for three years, one for two years, one for one year Evan Gorman,* Bijoy Misra,* Keith Gilber
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School CommitteeTwo for three years**Carol Marie Kasper
Parks and Recreation CommitteeOne for three yearsAdam Hogue, Rey Romero, Sarah Chester
Planning BoardOne for three yearsGerald Taylor*
School CommitteeTwo for three yearsPeter Borden,* Alvin L. Schmertzler*
Trustees of BemisOne for three yearsMimi Borden
Water CommissionOne for three yearsRobert B. Antia*

* incumbent

** Carole Kasper of Lincoln is running for one of two seats. Three Sudbury residents—Cara Doran, Siobhan Hullinger, and Ellen Joachim—are running as write-in candidates for a second open seat.