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

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Letter to the editor: Glass seeks support

Editor’s note: This letter was sent to the editor but is addressed to the Lincoln community.

Dear Lincoln Community,

I write to announce my candidacy for re-election to the Lincoln School Committee, and to respectfully ask for your support at the polls on Monday, March 31.

Creating a successful educational environment requires the ability to balance competing needs, manage constant change, and pay close attention to detail.  It is easy to be overwhelmed by all that must happen on a daily basis.  Yet, whether the task is implementing national Common Core standards, adopting the new Massachusetts educator evaluation system, managing our burgeoning technological needs, or planning for the construction or renovation of three buildings, it is important not to lose sight of why we expend so much of our time, energy and material resources on these tasks:  We want to foster joy and persistence, curiosity and engagement as our students learn skills and master content.

For six years, I have been fortunate to work with dedicated, thoughtful School Committee members and educators who keep the “big picture” of what we want to achieve at the heart decision-making.  Looking ahead, I would focus on three key tasks:

  1. Support our new superintendent and our educators as they focus on the quality of teaching and learning; including thoughtful implementation of new learning standards and the Massachusetts educator evaluation system.
  2. Continue to expand the district’s capacity to differentiate learning and meet student needs.
  3. Determine, with the town, a clear plan for renovating the Lincoln School, and support the Hanscom schools through a multi-year construction process.

When I was elected to the Committee in 2008, I brought to the role my experience as a teacher, my active involvement in my daughters’ schools, and my belief that a child’s education is nurtured by the combined efforts of parents, schools and the community. What I have gained since then is an appreciation for the intricacies of operating a school district and a profound respect for the educators, staff members, parents, and community members who devote themselves to our children.  It is a privilege to serve the town, and I ask for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Glass
11 Stonehedge 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 must be about a Lincoln-specific topic. They may be edited for length, grammar/punctuation, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Cool stuff coming up in Lincoln

Police_CapEvents in the next few days in Lincoln include a trip down memory lane with several former Lincoln police chiefs, a town candidate forum, and Drumlin Farm’s annual Sap-to-Syrup breakfast.

On Friday, March 14, the Lincoln Council on Aging will screen “50 Years of Public Safety” starting at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The 2004 DVD features former Lincoln Police Chiefs Leo Algeo and Allen Bowles—both of whom will be there to participate in a panel after the film, along with another former Lincoln chief, Dominic Arena, and current chief Kevin Mooney. Find out how public safety in Lincoln has changed over the years, reminisce, tell some stories of your own, and ask questions.

On Saturday, March 15, the Republican and Democratic Town Committees are co-sponsoring a nonpartisan candidate forum at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Meet the 20+ candidates who are on the ballot for the March 31 town election, and learn their qualifications and interests, and become informed about important issues that may impact the town for years.

There are a few spots left for the Sap-to-Syrup breakfasts at Drumlin Farm on Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets ($15 for adults and $12 for children over age 2) include a half-hour seating for a breakfast of pancakes with real maple syrup, Drumlin Farm roasted potatoes and sausage, plus access to special programming around the farm. See how sap is collected, explore the natural history of trees, learn about Native American sap-to-syrup techniques and purchase maple syrup made at Drumlin Farm to take home with you. Call 781-259-2206 or register online.

Two letters to the editor in support of Braun

To the Editor:

I am pleased to support Peter Braun for reelection as Selectman. I have known Peter for close to 30 years, as parents on various sport sidelines, as co-members of a number of committees including the Community Preservation Committee, and as a good friend.

As a Selectman for the past three years, he has thoughtfully and conscientiously involved himself in a number of major projects, including helping to manage the impacts of the Route 2 project and support and enhance the efforts of the state, our representatives in Washington, and other local officials to preserve the Hanscom Air Force Base. Peter uses his analytical as well as his diplomatic skills to understand issues and work productively with people.

We in Lincoln are fortunate to have a terrific threesome as Selectmen at this time. They well work together to solve problems. They are efficient and effective in accomplishing the complex duties involved in running the town. Peter is a vital member of this team. His willingness to be deeply involved in a number of issues crucial to the town makes him an essential Selectman for the next three years.

Please vote on March 31 (the Monday after Town Meeting) and please vote for Peter Braun.

Peter Von Mertens
16 Tower Road

To the Editor:

Our neighbor and friend Peter Braun is running for reelection as Selectman for the town of Lincoln. We are fortunate as a town to have such a perceptive, intelligent and capable person to represent us on the Board of Selectmen. Peter has expertise in legal and financial matters and he is dedicated, hard-working, and experienced. We hope you will join us in supporting his candidacy for reelection.

Sincerely,

Diana and Colin Smith
8 Trapelo Rd.

Susan Hall Mygatt
37 Old Concord 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 must be about a Lincoln-specific topic. They may be edited for length, grammar/punctuation, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Ballot corrections and additions

correction-smThere were several errors in the election ballot published in the Lincoln Squirrel on March 3:

  • There are now two candidates for two seats on the Bemis Trustees, Melinda Abraham and Stephen Atlas.
  • Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee candidate Michael Walsh and Planning Board candidate Gary Taylor have withdrawn and will not appear on the ballot.
  • The middle name of Commissioner of Trust Funds candidate Derek Paul Fitzgerald was omitted.
  • The last name of Water Commission candidate Ruth Ann Hendrickson was misspelled.

The list in the March 3 article has been updated to reflect these corrections. The Squirrel regrets the errors.

Also on the March 31 ballot will be two yes-or-no questions for voters:

1. Shall an act filed in the year 2013 and passed by the General Court entitled “An Act Relative to the Granting of Special Licenses for the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages in the Town of Lincoln” be accepted?

Summary: On December 23, 2013, the Governor approved Chapter 187of the Acts of 2013 (the “Act”). The wording of this ballot question is taken directly from the Act, which follows a vote taken at the March 25, 2013 Annual Town Meeting. If accepted by the voters of the Town, the Act will authorize the Board of Selectmen, as licensing authority, in accordance with the provisions of G.L. c.138, §14, to issue one-day alcoholic beverage licenses for the sale of wine and beer to the organizers of special events, with one-day licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages available only to non-profit organizations. While no notice to abutters or formal hearing is required by law, the Board of Selectmen would be required to act on such license requests at meetings posted in accord with the Open Meeting Law, and retains discretion as to whether to grant such licenses. The Board of Selectmen would also be authorized to set uniform fees for such licenses.

2. Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year 2014, entitled “An Act Authorizing the Town of Lincoln to Grant a License for the Sale of Wine and Malt Beverages to be Drunk on the Premises” be accepted?

Summary: On January 16, 2014, the Governor approved Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2014 (the “Act”). The wording of this ballot question is taken directly from the Act, which follows a vote taken at the March 25, 2013 Annual Town Meeting. If accepted by the voters of the Town, the Act will authorize the Board of Selectmen, as licensing authority, to issue a single license for the sale of beer and wine to be drunk on the premises to the deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park located at 51 Sandy Pond Road. State liquor license laws will apply to the issuance of the license. Said laws require, among other things, that the Board of Selectmen provide notice to abutters, hold a hearing, and determine that the applicant is of good character and has premises suitable for such purpose.

Hospice proposal goes before ZBA on Thursday

Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston purchased 12 acres of land in Lincoln and Waltham in hopes of building an inpatient hospice facility.

Property in Lincoln and Waltham being proposed for a hospice facility is outlined in red.

A proposal for a two-story hospice facility on Winter Street property in Lincoln and Waltham, which calls for a 42,000-square-foot building and parking for 87 cars, will be the subject of a Lincoln Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hearing on Thursday, March 6.

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