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

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Elizabeth Warren speaks to overflow crowd in Concord

Sen Elizabeth Warren speaks to the media and overflow crowd at the town hall event in Concord (click to enlarge).

By Gary Davis

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren criticized the failed health care bills as well as growing income inequality in the U.S. at a town hall event that drew an overflow crowd of more than 1,500 area residents to Concord-Carlisle High School on August 25.

Preceding Warren were state Rep. Cory Atkins (D–14th Middlesex) and State Sen. Michael Barrett (D–3rd Middlesex), who opened by discussing some of the critical legislative issues facing Massachusetts residents. He mentioned two pending state bills he authored, one to counteract the effects of carbon dioxide and climate change and another to require presidential candidates to submit their tax returns to qualify for the ballots in the primary and general elections.

Click here to see a video of the August 25 town hall

When Barrett introduced Warren, the audience greeted her with a standing ovation. She began by thanking grassroots organizations and individuals for saving the Affordable Care Act by speaking up at Town Hall meetings, and visiting legislators’ offices as well as calling and emailing to express their opposition.

The health care bills presented in the House and Senate would have created  tax benefits for the wealthy and health insurance companies that would come from cuts to Medicaid and reduction of essential services for millions of Americans, Warren said. “Those bills did not represent our values,” she said. “They were not who we are as a country. We believe that health care is a basic human right, and we will get out there and fight for it.”

State Rep. Michael Barrett and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Addressing income inequality, Warren said that from 1935 to 1980, the GDP rose 70 percent, with 90 percent of the benefits going to the middle class through basic income growth, new protective financial regulations, a new progressive income tax, investment in education to provide an equal and better future, and investment in infrastructure. However, starting in the 1980s, the economy focused on tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations; between 1979 and 2012, the income of the top 10 percent of earners grew about 76 percent, while income of the bottom 90 percent decreased by about 9 percent even though the GDP rose, according to the World Wealth and Income Database, she said.

Answering questions from the audience for over an hour, Warren spoke of the need to respect and honor our transgender troops, strongly condemned neo-Nazis and white supremacists, and encouraged the audience to make a commitment to work for a Democratic and accountable government based on shared prosperity and equal opportunity.

Public hearings coming up

 

Historic District Commission

The Historic District Commission will hold public hearings on Tuesday, Sept. 5 starting at 7:30 p.m. to consider the followng applications:

  • Michael Barnicle and Anne Finucane for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a new structure known as a sleeping cottage at 20 Trapelo Rd.
  • John and Lara MacLachlan to replace 15 windows and a side door at 49 Bedford Rd.

Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of the Appeals will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m. to hear and to act on the following petitions for renewal of a special permit for an accessory apartment:

  • Erin Kelly and Lionel McPherson, 2 Forester Rd.
  • Sarah Cannon Holden, 60 Weston Rd.
  • Andrew Pickett, 12 Longmeadow Rd.
  • Kelly and Lincoln Greenhill, 12 Page Farm Rd.
  • William Churchill, 6 Horses Crossing
  • Peter Von Mertens and Dea Angiolillo, 16 Tower Rd.

The ZBA will also hold a public hearing that night to hear and act on two more applications:

  • Charlene McCart Jackson, trustee of McCart Realty Trust, 14-16 and 22-24 Lewis St., for an extension of an existing special permit for the expansion of non-conforming residential use in a B-2 District.
  • James Pingeon and Elizabeth Graver, 47 Old Sudbury Rd., for a special permit to extend the roof to cover the landing outside the front door.

Property tax classification hearing

The Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing on Monday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. for the purpose of determining for fiscal year 2018 the percentage of the real estate property tax burden that shall be borne by the residential and commercial classifications of property respectively. General inquiries prior to the hearing may be directed to the Assessors’ Office, 781 259-2611.

News acorns

Clarification on Elizabeth Warren town hall location

Due to the editor’s oversight, the location for the August 25 town hall with Sen. Elizabeth Warren was omitted from the August 22 edition of News Acorns. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Concord-Carlisle High School (500 Walden St., Concord). Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

School Council seeks new member from the community

The Lincoln School Council is an advisory body to the school principals that includes parents, teachers and a community member. Due to a resignation, the group is seeking a new community member to serve. The council meets on a monthly basis, typically during the school day. Recent School Council work includes supporting goals in areas of homework, community building, and technology. Anyone who has questions or is interested in participating may contact one of the Lincoln School principals:

FOLL book sale seeks volunteers

The Friends of Lincoln Library Book sale is looking for additional volunteer help, The group meets on Tuesday afternoons from 1–3 p.m. to sort and cull donations of used books and other materials. The book sale takes place on the second Saturday of the month in the Bemis Hall basement from 9 a.m.–noon. Getting involved is a great way to get first dibs on books for yourself and family, or just to meet with like-minded bibliophiles. For more information, contact Susan Hallstein at reerichards1@gmail.com or 781-259-1023.

L-S Boosters membership now open

L-S All Sports Boosters membership is now open. Your $85 donation gets each family member an L-S Boosters card to use for admission to all home games (excluding playoffs). Get your card now and join us for the first home football game on Friday, Sept. 8. To purchase a membership or find more information, go to www.lsboosters.org.

News acorns

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Sen. Warren to hold town hall in Concord

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren will be hosting a town hall in Concord on Friday, Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m. and all are invited. She will be making remarks and answering questions about what’s happening in the Senate and how she’s fighting for Massachusetts families. This is also a chance to talk with her staff about any questions or concerns you might have, or assistance you may need. Doors open for the event at 5:30 p.m.

West Bank/Gaza movie rescheduled for Aug. 27

The date for a second screening of The Law in These Parts sponsored by the GRALTA Foundation has been changed from August 20 to Sunday, Aug. 27 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Click here for details.

Solar home tour reminder

Four homes in Lincoln will offer tours and Q&As about their solar installations on Sunday, Aug. 27 from 13 p.m. Additional details about the homes can be found here. Lincoln residents are also welcome to tour similar homes in Wayland on Saturday, Sept. 23 as part of the three-town Solarize Massachusetts PLUS program.

Art and Ales at the deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will host Art and Ales with Aeronaut Brewing Company on Thursday, Sept. 7 from 5–8 p.m. The event features beer tastings matched with sculptures in the park, plus live music and a food truck. Tickets (buy online here or in person on the day of the event) are $20 for deCordova members and $30 for nonmembers, and free for children 12 and under.

Residents wary of planned study on location of DPW

Several residents at a recent Board of Selectmen meeting protested the notion of moving the Department of Public Works to the transfer station area, but planning officials stressed that they intend to study a range of options for the DPW site.

The South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee (SLPIC) plans to ask the Board of Selectmen for about $9,000 to pay a consultant to study the DPW site on Lewis Street. SLPIC and others are interested in the possibility of using part or all of that property as part of a larger effort to revitalize the South Lincoln area centering on the train station and surrounding commercial area. Moving the DPW elsewhere would free up valuable land that could be put to commercial, residential, and/or municipal use.

The issue arose at a selectmen’s meeting in June and again on July 31, although SLPIC postponed a planned appearance at that meeting. Nevertheless, several residents spoke in opposition to the idea of moving the DPW to the transfer station.

“That’s probably one of the most environmentally sensitive sites you could find in this town,” said Oakdale Lane resident Keith Hylton, noting that the DPW’s work involved diesel fuel and other chemicals and the transfer station lies within the Cambridge reservoir watershed. Some houses in the area also use well water, he added. In addition, there could be contamination in the soil at the Lewis Street site that could cost “millions” to remediate if the town planned to convert it to some otherl use, Hylton said.

If the Lewis Street study does show environmental issues that need to be addressed, “you can’t ignore it,” said former Planning Board member Robert Domnitz, a Mill Street resident. “If you start walking down this path, you may find yourself locked into a cleanup that not only costs a lot of money but impairs the forward-looking value of that parcel.”

“We understand that this is a sensitive issue,” Lynn DeLisi of SLPIC, who is also a member of the Planning Board, said on Sunday. Some years ago, a different study apparently recommended moving the DPW to the transfer station site, “but we don’t know details; that’s partly why were having another meeting” before going before selectmen with a budget request, she said.

There is no language in the draft charge for the yet-to-be hired consultant about the transfer station, and SLPIC will look at a variety of options for the DPW site, including moving some functions to a neighboring town or simply preserving the status quo, DeLisi said. Also, if the consultant makes a recommendation that SPLIC or a majority of residents are opposed to, “we don’t have to pay attention to it.”

However, if the new study does show potential hazards from environmental contamination on Lewis Street that must be rectified, “we have a right to know about it—it’s right in the center of town,” DeLisi said.

Also at the July 31 Board of Selectmen meeting (as summarized by former Selectman Peter Braun), the board:

  • Accepted a plaque presented by members of the Donaldson family to rededicate the Donaldson Room and to honor Robert Donaldson (1870-1964), who was a selectman for 28 years and builder of some 80 Lincoln houses and the original town office building.
  • Met with Mothers Out Front, an organization that includes Lincoln residents, that is focused on natural gas leaks and other environmental issues.
  • Approved a curb cut requested for 19 Granville Rd., following a recommendation by the Planning Board.
  • Discussed concerns raised by abutters with respect to a new Wayland soccer field to be located in a meadow close to the Lincoln town line in the Oxbow Road area.
  • Heard reports from Town Administrator Tim Higgins regarding:
    • Questions raised by several residents about compliance of the June 19 Board meeting with the Open Meeting Law.
    • Requests by wireless carriers for installation of repeaters on utility poles.
    • Initial activities of the Community Center committee.
  • Scheduled further discussion of Old Winter Street traffic questions for September 25.
  • Scheduled the State of the Town Meeting for November 4 and had an initial discussion about the agenda.
  • Discussed its continuing efforts to coordinate with the Housing Commission and other boards regarding the town’s affordable housing strategy.
  • Discussed proposed content for its next newsletter.
  • Heard liaison reports from:
    • Selectman Jennifer Glass on the School Building Committee’s activities, including its engagement of an Owner’s Project Manager and its process for considering an architectural firm.
    • Selectman James Craig on highlights of a report from a consultant by the Cycling Safety Committee on ideas for accommodating cycling on roadways.

Letter to the editor: support Bob Massie for governor

letter

To the editor:

Bob Massie is running for governor of Massachusetts. Recently I drove to Concord to meet him at an event sponsored by the Concord Democratic Committee. Massie is an inspiring speaker; he is approachable but most important he listens. His responses to the many questions were thoughtful, informed and convincing.

When Massie was asked about his stance on single-payer health care, I was moved by his unique personal story. As a child, he was unable to walk from the age of 4 until his family moved to France when he was 12. There he was able to benefit from the excellent universal health care easily available to all. He says health care is a right.

Local Lincoln green activist Wen Stephenson, author of What We’re Fighting for Now Is Each Other: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Climate Justice, sums up Massie’s “compassion and activism” in a recent article in The Nation:

“Massie taught for years at Harvard Divinity School; wrote the definitive, prize-winning history of the anti-apartheid movement… won the Democratic nomination for Massachusetts lieutenant governor in 1994 (when Democrat Mark Roosevelt lost the governor’s race to Republican Bill Weld); led Ceres, the international alliance of businesses, investors, and environmental organizations; created two influential sustainability organizations, the Global Reporting Initiative and the Ceres Investor Network on Climate Risk; and… became president of the New Economics Institute, leading its re-launch as the New Economy Coalition, a driving force in the movement to replace exploitive and extractive global capitalism with just and sustainable local economies. For the past two years, he led the Sustainable Solutions Lab at UMass–Boston, with an emphasis on climate justice in low-income communities.”

Gov. Charlie Baker has yet to fulfill even one of his campaign promises and has so far demonstrated that he does not have the long-term vision the Commonwealth urgently needs. Bob Massie’s political and managerial experience and his ability to bring people together from all points of view convinced me he’s the governor this state needs, now.

Massie has already visited 60+ towns in the Commonwealth and aims to visit all. When he comes to Lincoln, I hope you will meet up with him to share your ideas and ask questions.

Sincerely,

Jean Palmer
247 Tower Rd.

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.

Selectman mull another sign request from Old Winter St.

Undeterred by an earlier denial by the Board of Selectmen, some Old Winter Street residents have asked the board to restrict evening commuter traffic on their road, though members were at best noncommittal at their June 19 meeting.

The Roadway and Traffic Committee (RTC) fielded a complaint from the road’s residents in 2015 that some commuters traveling north on Winter Street from Waltham to Lincoln were using the Old Winter Street loop as a cut-through to “jump the line” of traffic backed up at the intersection with Trapelo Road. The RTC recommended that the town install a sign banning left turns onto Old Winter Street from 4–7 p.m. for a six-month trial period.

However, the Board of Selectmen voted by 2–1 margin later that year to deny the request. Selectmen Peter Braun and Renel Fredriksen were reluctant to restrict use of a public road in general and were concerned about setting a precedent for similar situations in Lincoln.

Earlier this year, the RTC reiterated its recommendation for a no-left-turn sign, but RTC members also plan to write a memo with “a detailed rationale and explanation of what makes this circumstance unique as compared with other cut-through traffic circumstances elsewhere in town,” said Town Administrator Tim Higgins.

“If nothing has changed and we’re getting the same request again, it’s almost akin to judge-shopping or forum-shopping,” Selectman James Craig said. “Previous colleagues who’ve sat in these seats have already studied and carefully, thoughtfully, and painfully deliberated this. For me that’s concerning.”

Selectmen deferred action pending the memo from the RTC.

Other highlights of the June 19 Board of Selectmen’s meeting compiled by former Selectman Peter Braun:

  • After interviewing four additional candidates, the board appointed the four at-large members of the Community Center Planning and Preliminary Design Committee: Douglas Crosby, Owen Beenhouwer, Sarah Chester, and Ellen Meyer Shorb. The board also approved committee members who were nominated by their respective boards or committees: Steve Gladstone, Jonathan Dwyer, Eric Harris, Dilla Tingley, and Margit Griffith.
  • Town Administrator Tim Higgins reported on the current status of staff’s conversations with a new advocacy organization called Mothers Out Front that is focusing on natural gas leaks.
  • Higgins reported on the recent Route 2 celebration event and his intention to invite to a future board meeting certain residents who were unable to attend the event, so their efforts could be recognized in person.
  • The board approved the concept of forming a housing options working group with the Housing Commission and other agencies to coordinate consideration of opportunities to enhance affordable housing in Lincoln.
  • The board discussed ideas for enhancing communications with the public in general, including enhancing coordination and public outreach concerning proposals that are intended for Town Meeting presentation.

Council on Aging activities in July

Coping with change: a new group
July 6 at 1 p.m.
As we age, we confront change in many forms. It may be dealing with physical or cognitive changes in loved ones, friends or in ourselves. It may be moving to a different living situation or a joyful reveling in the freedom and time to pursue new skills and interests. Claire Gerstein, LICSW, a social worker with many years of experience helping people navigate the changes of later life, will be facilitating a group which will give people the opportunity to talk about these issues in a supportive environment. The three-week group will run on Thursday afternoons at 1 p.m. on July 6, 13, and 20 at Bemis Hall. If there is interest the COA will schedule three additional sessions in August. No need to sign up.

Tai chi in the park
July 11 at 9:30 a.m.
You may sign up now for tai chi in the park, which will begin on July 11 and continue each Tuesday morning at 9:30 a.m. (Tai Chi I) and 10:30 a.m. (Tai Chi II) until August 8 at a cost of $5 per day. The class will meet at Pierce Park. Bring a water bottle, lawn chair and a hat! In inclement weather, the class will meet under the tent. Participants may use the Pierce House restroom. The class is for continuing students only. Sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Outdoor drawing with Bernadette Quirk at Lincoln Tree Tour sites
July 12 at 9 a.m.
Enjoy the outdoors while learning to draw nature’s glory outside with the COA’s new class, “En Plein Air Drawing” with Bernadette Quirk. The class will take place on six Wednesdays at 9 a.m. beginning on July 12. Meet at Bemis Hall the first week. Then each class will take place at each of the five Garden Club Lincoln Tree Tour locations. Bernadette will e-mail you the list of materials needed for this class. No previous experience necessary, beginners encouraged! The cost is $20 per session. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811 and leaving your contact information.

Paint a colorful flower pot to take home
July 12 at 10 a.m.
A painted flower pot is a colorful, cheerful way to express your love of both art and nature. All are invited to join Karen Halloran, Community Liaison of CareOne at Concord, in a fun, free workshop to paint a lovely flower pot for you to take home on Wednesday, July 12 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. No painting experience necessary and all materials are provided. All you need to bring is yourself and your imagination! Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Sizzle your summer style with an accessory swap
July 19 at 10 a.m.
Go through your accessories—clean out any jewelry, handbags, hats, scarves, etc that you just don’t use anymore. Then come on down to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, July 19 at 10:00 a.m. for an accessory swap! Bring one or more pieces (not more than five)—scarves, jewelry, etc.—put them on a table, and then pick out some to take home! It’s fun and it’s a great way to swap out what’s OLD to you and breathe some new life, color and style into your wardrobe!

Canal and mill tour: Lowell National Historic Park
July 25
Join the COA on Tuesday, July 25 for a fascinating day at the Lowell National Historic Park. Find out about the famous Mill Girls, the technology that powered the mills, and how immigrants have contributed to the industrial city. First, you’ll hop a trolley to the Swamp Locks. There you’ll board a canal boat and cruise the Pawtucket Canal, maybe even all the way to the Pawtucket Falls. Then, you’ll have lunch at one of the many ethnic restaurants in the area. Finally, you’ll visit the Boott Cotton Mill Museum and Mill Girls and Immigrants Exhibit. The air-conditioned air-ride bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 9:15 a.m., returning at approximately 4 p.m. This trip is rated moderate for physical ability, as there will be some walking and entering/exiting the canal boat entails steep steps. Non-refundable cost, including lunch is $32, and drinks are on your own. This trip is funded by the Hurff Fund, and is therefore open to Lincoln seniors only. To reserve a space, send a check made out to FLCOA/Trips to Donna Rizzo, 22 Blackburnian Road, Lincoln MA 01773. Be sure to include your phone number and email address. Your reservation is complete when your check is received. Questions? Contact Donna at 781-257-5050 or donna@ecacbed.com.

Savor summer and be healthier with delicious, nutritious summer salads
July 26 at 10 a.m.
Salads can be exciting and scrumptious while giving your body the nutrients you need. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy crisp, tasty ingredients from your own garden or a local market. Get a fresh take on salads and how to make them when Jamie Parsons, the chef at Lincoln Kitchen/Trail’s End Cafe, comes to Bemis Hall on July 26 at 10 a.m. Chef Parsons will tell you how to get the best vegetables and fruits from local farms and then walk you through creating the most delicious salad you’ve ever made! Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up as space is limited to 15.

What programs would you like the COA to offer?
July 27 at 10 a.m.
The COA would like to know what you would like them to offer as new programs and services or what you would like more of that they already provide. They would love suggestions for one-time presentations, ongoing classes and workshops, one-to-one services, and more. Come have coffee with COA Director Carolyn Bottum at Bemis Hall on Thursday, July 27 at 10 a.m., call her at 781- 259-8811 or email her at bottumc@lincolntown.org.

Coffee with Lincoln’s town administrator
July 31 at 1 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, July 31 at 1 p.m. for Coffee with Town Administrator Tim Higgins. Tim will update you on some of the projects going on around town and news—including the results of Town Meeting, the state of town finances, the Wang property, the Community Center Planning and Preliminary Design Committee, and more, and answer your questions. He would also like to know your ideas and suggestions. Get to know Tim in an informal setting and chat about those aspects of the town that are most important to you.

School Building Committee offers timetable, urges public input

The School Building Committee held its first public forum last week to outline initial steps and emphasize the need for community input and participation in coming up with a school design that voters can eventually approve.

This summer, the SBC will interview, select and negotiate with an architect and owner’s project manager. Part of its work will involve close coordination with the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Preliminary Design Committee (CCPPDC), which is working in parallel with the SBC on a feasibility study for a community center on the school campus. To that end, the Board of Selectmen and School Committee have authorized a Campus Coordination Group to facilitate collaboration between the SBC and the CCPPDC. Members are Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall, Town Administrator Tim Higgins, the chairs of the PPDC and the SBC, or designees, and one other member of the SBC and CCPPDC.

The SBC hopes to develop preliminary design options starting in the fall, with a town vote to choose one of the designs in the spring. If all goes well, the next steps are producing detailed shcematic drawings and thn another town vote on bonding the project in November 2018.

Among the issues that the SBC will tackle early on are where the various functions of the school campus should go (for example, the Lincoln After-school Activities Program, school administration offices, pre-K classrooms and storage); what a “green” or “net zero” building might involve, and what roles that other boards and committees will play.

“We need your help—I can’t stress it enough,” SBC Chair Chris Fasciano said at the June 14 forum. “To bring this project to fruition, it has to be a community project. Not everyone is going to get what they want, but in order for it to succeed, the community has to embrace the process and help us get there.”

Gina Halsted, a member of the SBC Outreach Subcommittee, outlined the various avenues of communication the SBC will use, including social media and LincolnTalk as well as mailings, workshops, forums, coffees, and other traditional methods. Meetings are also live-streamed and recorded for later online playback on the town’s video website, and all meetings are open to the public. Agendas, minutes and other documents can be found here.

Halsted invited residents to submit comments or questions by email to sbc@lincnet.org, though she cautioned that “we can’t respond [via email or social media] unless it’s in a very factual way” due to the requirements of the state’s open meeting law.

The SBC has also posted an online survey asking about residents’ priorities for a school project (building shape, repairs vs. new construction, etc.) as well as how they preferred to informed. The survey is open until July 15.

Panel maintains watering restrictions

The Board of Water Commissioners voted this to keep the current one-day-a-week limitation on outdoor lawn watering.

Houses with even-numbered street addresses may water lawns by means of automatic irrigation systems or manual sprinklers on Saturdays and those with odd-numbered addresses on Sundays. Details on allowable watering uses and penalties for violations can be found on the Water Department web page.

Although the water in the Flint’s Pond has been rising during the rainy spring, it is still two feet below normal which is exactly where it was at this time last year. If the area has another dry summer, officials will have to restrict outdoor watering even further.

The board reviews current data on pond levels at each monthly meeting and considers revising the restrictions as necessary.