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

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Letter to the editor: vote for new Minuteman school building

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(Editor’s note: For more information, see “Minuteman project going to district-wide vote” (Lincoln Squirrel, July 14, 2016).

To the editor:

On Tuesday, Sept. 20, voters in the Minuteman District will go to the polls in a special election to determine the fate of the Minuteman High School building project. I urge my fellow citizens living in the towns of Acton, Arlington, Belmont, Bolton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Lincoln, Needham, Sudbury, Stow, Wayland and Weston to join me in casting a vote on that day between the hours of noon and 8 p.m. (If you won’t be in town on September 20, please contact your Town Clerk’s office about getting an absentee ballot.)

As superintendent of the Minuteman district, I have been involved in this project since its inception. Working with the Minuteman School Building Committee, Minuteman School Committee, member towns and the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), I believe we have jointly designed a project that all of us can be proud of. For me, a new Minuteman High School:

  • Supports the continuation of high-quality career and vocational-technical education for our students that will improve the region’s local workforce and enhance our economic vitality
  • Provides a safe, modern facility specifically designed to provide 21st-century career and technical education along with relevant and rigorous academics
  • Addresses long-standing structural, mechanical and handicap accessibility issues that limit its educational effectiveness for all students
  • Safeguards the commitment of $44 million from the MSBA to keep down costs to local taxpayers
  • Enables Minuteman to charge out-of-district towns a capital fee to cover their portion of the costs of a new building
  • Retains Minuteman’s regional accreditation by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC)
  • Avoids “Plan B,” a scenario that would require member towns to spend more than $100 million on repairs to the existing building without any financial assistance from the MSBA
  • Demonstrates a strong and unified commitment that may compel new cities or towns to join the district to provide access for their students
  • Represents the most affordable option for local taxpayers

To learn more about the project or to view a list of polling places in your town, please visit the Minuteman website at www.minuteman.org.

Sincerely,

Edward A. Bouquillon (Director/Superintendent, Minuteman High School)
10 Mill St.

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.

Letter to the editor: open debates to all

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To the editor:

The presidential debates are the most important events in our election process, and voters need to hear from all four candidates who will be on the ballot across the country in November. The right to vote means little unless we have the right to know who we can vote for and what they stand for.

It is public knowledge that the debates are now controlled by a corporation actually controlled by the Republican and Democratic parties. This corporation has not served the U.S. voting public well, and a majority of U.S. voters today no longer identify with either of the two major parties. This is what the League of Women Voters said in 1988: “The League of Women Voters is withdrawing its sponsorship of the presidential debate scheduled for mid-October because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter.”

The presidential debates should provide voters with multiple opportunities to see all the candidates representing the diversity of American political thought discussing important issues in an unscripted manner so that the people can make informed decisions about the direction of our country. Instead, the debates have become an unfairly and tightly controlled charade. There is no significant participation by the public, moderators are chosen by the candidates, and questions are carefully vetted. And any unscripted back-and-forth between candidates is minimal. This “fraud” deprives voters of the honest and open discussion they need and deserve.

Open debates will strengthen our nation, no matter who is the next president. Please stand with the majority of Americans who want open debates and demand all four candidates be in the debates.

Sincerely,

Jean Palmer
Tower Road

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.

Lincoln Road track crossing to close for repairs

crossing2The MBTA recently notified Lincoln officials that they will be making rail improvements at the Lincoln Station railroad crossing, which will require the closure of Lincoln Road at the railroad tracks from Saturday, Aug. 20 at 5 a.m. until Monday, Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. Area businesses will remain open, and trains will be running on a normal schedule. There will be detours in place to reroute traffic, as well as additional public safety personnel hired by the MBTA so public safety will not be compromised.

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Editor’s note: This post has been edited to reflect a correction to the time given for the 9/11 ceremony.

Voter registration deadline for state primary is this Friday

If you are not already a registered voter, the deadline for participation in the September 8 state primary is 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19. You may register in person at the Town Clerk’s Office, or register using this Secretary of State website to register or check your registration status. Incumbents U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, state Sen. Michael Barrett and state Rep. Thomas Stanley are running unopposed  in the Democratic primary, and none of those offices has a challenger on the Republican ballot. However, Lincoln resident Peter Georgiou and Newton resident William Humphrey are running in the Democratic primary against incumbent Governor’s Council member Marilyn Devaney of Newton.

Flag display and ceremony to make 15th anniversary of 9/11

The Veterans of Lincoln, Mass. (VOLMA) is sponsoring a flag display and ceremony to commemorate the 15th anniversary of  the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. A flag to represent each person killed in the attacks in New York, Washington and Shanksville, Penn. (almost 3,000 in total), will be placed on the hill beside Bemis Hall and displayed from a week before the anniversary until a week afterwards. A ceremony will be held beside Bemis Hall at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11. When the flags are taken down on September 17, all are invited to participate and take home a flag.

Letter to the editor: respect political signs on town-owned land

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To the editor:

Political election and campaign time is approaching again, with the attendant practice of candidate signage. Judging by experiences in the past few elections, there seems to be a lack of understanding or appreciation regarding an interpretation of the Sign By-Law issued by the town of Lincoln in August 2012.

In the words of town officials, this compromise was developed to recognize the historical practice of town residents in the apparent interest of restraint, fair play and courtesy, and to be consistent with statewide legal precedent protecting free speech. The town published a notice at that time defining these interpretations, but apparently many residents did not see that notice since there is widespread misunderstanding. Following are the key points:

  • Unattended political signs can be placed by right on town-owned land at the designated intersections in Section 16.2 (d) of the Zoning Bylaw. These five locations are at the intersections of Sandy Pond Road and Lincoln Road; Ballfield Road and Lincoln Road; Lincoln Road and South Great Road; Bedford Road and Morningside Lane; and Codman Road and Concord Road.
  • Political signs can be held by right (without a permit) on town-owned land as long as they don’t impact safety or constitute a hazard for either motorists or pedestrians.
  • One political sign can be placed by right on private land, not to exceed 8 square feet and for no more than 180 days prior to the election.
  • Enforcement of these provisions is the responsibility of the Building Commissioner.

It should also be noted that such political signs are the private property of the relevant candidate’s campaign and as such, vandalism and/or unauthorized removal is illegal.

I hope this will clarify misunderstandings and become more widely appreciated by town residents and campaign supporters alike.

Sincerely,

Gary Davis (co-chair, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee)
Indian Camp Lane

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.

Letter to the editor: on McLean, act with compassion and support, not fear and anger

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To the editor:

I am not a medical professional (although I spent years as an IT expert, working closely with the physicians and staff at some of the largest and most prestigious medical institutions in the world). Nor am I an abutter of the McLean property on Bypass Road, though I am a Lincoln resident and active in the town’s political processes and governance.

My personal perspective on the issue of the proposed McLean adolescent facility is informed by my growing up within a block or two of a large residential psychiatric hospital in Vermont—the Brattleboro Retreat, which is a near-twin of McLean’s main campus in Belmont. In addition to this, I’ve had a great deal of relevant experiences by virtue of a past marriage to someone suffering from what multiple mental health professionals later suggested was probably undiagnosed BPD [borderline personality disorder], and also by virtue of my present (second) career as a minister.

The Brattleboro Retreat had patients of all sorts, from the violently insane (the last time I walked through the campus, there was still an unused building with heavy bars on its windows) to young outpatients similar to those who will be at the proposed McLean facility, some of whom were my childhood friends. In my ten years as a boy in the area—attending nearby schools, running, playing and riding my bike in the neighborhoods adjacent to that institution, building “forts” and climbing trees in the large woodland adjoining that hospital, in my occasional encounters with patients as they took walks in the park or downtown streets, or having a part in the annual Christmas pageant our church performed at an auditorium within that hospital—I never felt threatened or afraid. That hospital was (and still is) a place of healing, compassion, caring and hope.

In my career as a minister, I’ve met many folks in need of, or benefitting from, the care available through places like McLean and The Brattleboro Retreat. I’ve counseled those dealing with the pain of loved ones who died of suicide, and officiated over their funerals; and I’ve known and ministered to numerous people with BPD, severe depression, PTSD, anxiety and numerous other mental health challenges. What I’ve learned from such experiences is that everyone with a mental illness of any sort is still a human being. They are all valuable, worthwhile people—just like you and me. And, in the case of this facility, they will be well supervised and cared for by competent professionals.

Specifically, and speaking from my own long (and sometimes painful) experience, those with BPD pose no threat to the peace and well-being of their neighbors. On that score, I would have no qualms about living in or owning a home adjoining the McLean property. The young people who will be there and those working with them need our friendship and support, not our judgment and condemnation. They are not violently insane—believe me! They are young folks learning how to cope in healthy ways with a world that they often find to be hostile and confusing. There is nothing to be afraid of. They will not break into neighboring homes or attack people in their back yards. I am certain that the facility and its activities will be nearly invisible to both its neighbors and those who pass by, as nearly all such facilities are.

Apparently because the process of vetting McLean’s application is not going as some wish it would, accusations have been made that impugn the character of some in leadership positions here in town. Knowing some of those people as I do, I am certain such accusations are baseless, and are certainly of no help in achieving an outcome that is acceptable to all.

We have all heard about the concerns regarding too much traffic being generated for the shared drive that leads to this facility, and concerns about the impact on neighbors and the facility’s conformance to zoning and sanitation laws (among other things). Having no expertise in such areas, I cannot speak to them directly, but I do know that the “powers that be” in Lincoln take those concerns and the law very seriously, and are determined to do their job in as fair and balanced a manner as possible. Those who represent the interests of this town and its residents in this matter cannot, should not and will not make decisions that undermine or violate those laws, and my review of the minutes from the Planning Board meeting of June 28 dedicated to this very issue confirms this.

Lincoln is a town that has long been known for being compassionate and very deliberate in “being there” for those in need of a chance for a better life. We are a town that has long done an excellent job of anticipating and accommodating change. We are a town that cares about people, the land and the environment.

All I’m saying is this: as we respond to McLean’s proposed facility, let’s act with the measured and thoughtful care and deliberation that we in Lincoln are known for. Let’s talk, discuss and find mutually beneficial common ground—not just with McLean Hospital’s representatives, but with each other. We need to take care so that all voices and concerns are heard, and that McLean is a good and responsible neighbor—as many here in town, and McLean’s representatives, seem to be trying to do. And in pursuing that goal, let us approach the questions that remain to be answered out of a spirit of openness to learning, and out of compassion and support, not out of fear and anger.

Sincerely,

Allen Vander Meulen
30 Beaver Pond 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.

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acornHATS meeting on Thursday

The next meeting of HATS (Hanscom Area Towns Committee) on Thursday, July 28 will host a round-table discussion of regional transportation issues. Click here for the agenda and expected guests. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Town Offices.

Middle-school girls’ soccer clinic scheduled

The Warriors Soccer Clinic for girls entering grades 5-8 clinic will take place on August 22-24 from 9-11:30 a.m. on the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School turf field. The clinic, which is the primary fundraising event for the L-S girls’ soccer program, will be run by returning members of the L-S varsity girls’ soccer team supervised by at least one of the L-S girls’ soccer coaches. The cost is $90. The first 25 players to sign up will have an opportunity to enter a free raffle. Register online and mail a check for $90 made out to “LSRHS Girls Soccer” to LSRHS Girls Soccer c/o Hayley Barnes, 42 Mary Catherine Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776. E-mail lsgirlssoccer@gmail.com with any questions.

Open Space and Recreation Plan being updated

openspaceThe Conservation Commission is spearheading the effort to update the Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) and is planning a pair of public forums and an upcoming online survey.

The commission is working with a residents’ advisory group and a environmental consultant on the OSRP, which was last updated in March 2008. AS explained in the introduction, the document “re-affirms Lincoln’s core natural resource, agricultural and recreational values. It provides a guiding framework that can be used to maintain and enhance the ‘green infrastructure’ of the community, and it identifies pressures and opportunities that may influence the future character of Lincoln.”

The OSRP includes an environmental and open-space inventory and outlines how the Conservation Commission and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) work together to manage Lincoln’s 2,000+ acres of conservation land, as well as the community’s vision and statement of needs.

The community survey and public forums aim to gather input on residents’ priorities for open space and recreation in town. They are also an opportunity to share maps and information on Lincoln’s history of creative land development and protection. The forums will be on the following dates:

  • September 14 at 7:30 p.m. — Recreation Department
  • November 16 at 7:30 p.m. — Town Office Building

The survey is being developed and will be distributed online and at various locations around town from August 1 to September 30.

Advisory Group meetings take place in the Conservation Department in the Town Office Building on Thursday mornings at 7:30 a.m. See the Conservation Department web page for dates (under the heading “Open Space Planning”). Also on that page is a link to the Advisory Group’s timeline and tasks. Members (all of whom are Lincoln residents except Pomponi) are:

  • James Craig (Board of Selectmen)
  • Jordan McCarron, Richard Selden (Conservation Commission)
  • Patty Donahue (Parks and Recreation Commission)
  • Lynne Bower (Agricultural Commission)
  • Ellen Meadors (Board of Accessors, LLCT)
  • Buzz Constable, Gwyn Loud (LLCT/Rural Land Foundation)
  • Renata Pomponi (Mass. Audubon Society)
  • Jennifer Hashley (Codman Community Farms)
  • Michele Grzenda (Weston Conservation Agent

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Residents invited to forum/brunch on accessory apartments

The Lincoln Housing Commission invites all residents to a forum and brunch at Bemis Hall on Thursday, July 28 at 11 a.m. to participate in a discussion about developing accessory apartments in Lincoln.

The purpose of the meeting is to gather opinions about various ways to provide small or smaller units for current residents who want to stay in Lincoln. Some have houses in which they would like to remain but are larger than they need, and/or require more work than they want to continue to do.  To accomplish that goal, they would provide a small unit in their existing home at regular or subsidized rates. On the other hand, there are folks whose resources, for various reasons, are limited but who also want to remain in Lincoln and only need or can only afford smaller units.

The meeting will provide an opportunity to hear how to deal with town regulations, guidance on design and construction  issues.  Those with limited resources will hear discussions about the information they need to provide to be eligible to live in these units.

DeCordova summer activities

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum has several activities slated for the rest of the summer. For details, click on one of the events below.

Minuteman project going to district-wide vote

mm1Residents of all 16 towns in the Minuteman High School district will vote at a referendum on September 20 on whether to approve its new school building after officials from Minuteman and other towns determined that the Belmont Town Meeting could not be persuaded to change its “no” vote.

Minuteman needs approval from all 16 towns by November 30 to preserve a $44 million grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to help pay for the $145 million project. Every town except Belmont voted either to approve funding the project or to withdraw from the district to avoid incurring the capital costs levied on member towns. Belmont’s Town Meeting voted against bonding for the project on May 4, and Minuteman officials initially hoped to persuade the town to change its mind after securing an extension from the MSBA (the original deadline was May 27).

Lincoln voted in February to withdraw from the district, but the withdrawal does not take effect until July 2017, so it is still considered a member town for purposes of the September vote. Five other towns have also elected to withdraw.

State law allows the option of a district-wide referendum if the full complement of Town Meeting approvals for a regional school project isn’t achieved. There have been at least three such votes in regional school districts since 1995, all of which resulted in approvals, according to a Minuteman statement.

Asked why Lincoln should approve a project for a district it has decided to leave, Minuteman Superintendent-Director Edward Bouquillon noted that Lincoln students will still be able to enroll as out-of-district students. He also extolled the broader advantages of “having high-quality technical and vocational education” in the area.

“The value of vocational-technical education when it comes to economic development is clear,” he said. “It’s really an opportunity to express their support, and I would ask them to do that.”

The vote will be decided by a simple majority of the 16-town vote total. Polls will be open on Tuesday, Sept. 20 from noon to 8 p.m. The election will be paid for by the Minuteman school district.