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

health and science

Flush water pipes if your building has been vacant

The Lincoln Water Department is advising occupants of small businesses and homes that have been closed or vacant for several weeks due to the Covid-19 pandemic to flush their pipes when they return.

Non-essential businesses such as hair salons, dental offices, and consulting businesses have been closed by state order, and some people in the region have decamped to second homes. When buildings are unused for more than three weeks, water quality may become degraded due to stagnation, which can lead to elevated lead, copper, and Legionella bacteria levels as well as discolored water. The department’s May 6 advisory details steps that property owners should take to flush lines when returning after an extended absence, including regular vacations lasting three weeks or more.

The Water Department office is closed, but office are working remotely and can be contacted at kacprzykm@lincolntown.org or 781-259-2669 (press option #3). Operators are maintaining the water treatment plant and other facilities and can respond to emergencies, though non-essential customer appointments will be scheduled for a later date. A second May 6 memo describes precautions for staff and residents if a home visit is necessary during the state of emergency.

Two Covid-19 deaths at The Commons

Two residents at The Commons at Lincoln have died of Covid-19 and the town’s total number of cases has risen to 16, Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean reported on Tuesday.

Lincoln has the lowest number of cases compare to surrounding towns. Lexington has the most with 151 (see table below).

“The other towns I cover are really amping up, and I’m guessing that Lincoln will continue to have more and more cases,” said McGean, who is also the public health nurse for Concord and Carlisle and performs some public health functions for Maynard as well. 

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of social distancing,” she added. Anyone who needs help with food or medication delivery can contact the Lincoln Board of Health (781-259-2614 or carrolle@lincolntown.org) or Council on Aging director Carolyn Bottum (781-259-8811 or bottumc@lincolntown.org).

The Commons, like other senior housing and care facilities, is vulnerable to clusters of illness because of the age and physical proximity of its residents. “The situation has been escalating over the last week,” McGean noted. The facility is “exploring, among other options,” the idea of creating a Covid-19 isolation unit, said a spokesperson for Benchmark Senior Living, which owns The Commons along with 34 facilities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Many staff members at The Commons also work at other Benchmark facilities. Thirteen employees who work at The Commons have tested positive so far, the spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.

“We are working closely with agencies to limit their staff interactions in other buildings. All associates, whether they are a full-time Benchmark Senior Living associate or a temporary agency worker, are screened and protected in exactly the same way in accordance with CDC guidelines,” the spokesperson said. The company outlined its precautionary measures on its coronavirus web page.

The Board of Health has strongly recommended that the facility test all residents and staff (a total of about 500 people) for Covid-19. “The best way to control this is to know who’s infected as early as possible and isolate them,” Lincoln Board of Health member Patricia Miller said.

The problem is the limited availability of tests. The board recommended that The Commons reach out to the National Guard, which is providing free on-site testing for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities (though not independent living units), but they’re backed up by at least one to two weeks, Miller said. 

The facility is also looking into the possibility of having testing done through Mt. Auburn Hospital. Benchmark Senior Living, which owns The Commons, can do testing, but there’s a long turnaround time to get results back from labs in another state, Miller said.

The Board of Health hasn’t officially ordered testing at The Commons only because it wouldn’t make any difference. “They want to get everyone tested as well — they want to do the right thing in this situation,” Miller said, referring to management at The Commons. “All these facilities are vying for the same resources. There’s just not enough to go around because we’re in the peak of this.”

The Benchmark spokesperson would not confirm testing plans except to say that they are “proactively looking at all options to test our staff and residents.”

Staff members are leaving dinner and breakfast for the following day at residents’ doors each evening, based on what they ordered from a menu, according to two residents. They also shop for groceries requested by residents and call them every day to check on their health and answer questions. No one (even those in independent living cottages and apartments) may have outside visitors, and residents are discouraged from visiting each other. 

“The Commons has done a marvelous job. They’re working as hard as they can to keep us safe,” said resident David Levington.

Covid-19 cases in Lincoln and surrounding towns

(Note that towns post data on different days)

TownTotal
cases		DatePopulation
(2010)		Cases as %
of 2010 pop.
Lexington1514/15/2033,4800.45%
Weston654/13/2012,0670.54%
Bedford*644/15/2014,1260.45%
Sudbury494/13/2018,9400.26%
Wayland264/10/2013,7200.19%
Concord224/13/2019,3230.11%
Lincoln164/12/206,7260.24%

* Includes Hanscom Air Force Base

Covid news acorns

Property tax deadline extended

The deadline for property tax payments (normally May 1) has been extended to June 1. The town will waive interest and penalties if payment is received by June 30.

Clark hosts telephone town hall with mental health experts

On Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m., Congresswoman Katherine Clark will host a telephone town hall discussion about how people can support the mental health needs of themselves and their loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic. Clark will be joined by Dr. Claire McCarthy, a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Brent Forester, chief of McClean Hospital’s Center of Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry, who can provide best practices and resources available to our community as we guide our families through this challenging time. The public will be invited to submit questions ahead of the call or ask their question live. Questions can be submitted here. Dial 844-734-8764 to join the call.

Student will pick up food pantry donations

A group of Lincoln-Sudbury High School students including Lincoln’s Andrew Craig is asking residents to donate nonperishable food items to the St. Vincent de Paul food bank at St. Joseph’s Church. The teens will stop by your home on Saturday, April 18 to pick up items and deliver them to the food bank. Email him at andrewcraig1210@gmail.com if you can donate. Please leave your items in a bag in a visible location near your driveway or mailbox by 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Donations by check can be sent to Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St Joseph Conference, PO Box 324, Lincoln 01774 (attn: Food Bank). Shoppers at Donelan’s can pick up extra non perishables can walk down the left side of the little church across the street and leave them in the basket just inside the door at the top of the ramp.

Memorial Day observance to be virtual

The town’s annual Memorial Day celebration has been postponed, and officials hope to have an observance in the fall. This year, there will be a wreath-laying that residents can view online details TBA.

Walden Woods virtual author talk with Dahr Jamail

Dahr Jamail

Join The Walden Woods Project and RESTORE: The North Woods for a virtual lecture by Dahr Jamail on Wednesday, April 22 at 1:30 p.m. Jamail will discuss his award-winning book The End of Ice: Bearing Witness and Finding Meaning in the Path of Climate Disruption, in which he journeys to locations experiencing the most dramatic impacts of climate disruption, climbing and diving alongside leading experts and front-line scientists. The End of Ice was named one of the 10 Best Science Books of 2019 by Smithsonian and is a finalist for the 2020 Pen/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award for exemplifying literary excellence. 

The free virtual event will take place via Zoom. Directions for logging on will be sent to those who register online.

Class and other art activities offered online

The deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park is closed but is offering “Learning from the Masters: An Online Drawing Workshop” on Wednesday, April 22 from noon–2 p.m. Click here for more information and to register. The deCordova is also offering virtual visits and other activities for all ages — click here to learn more.

Board mulls options for Town Meeting as Covid-19 caseload ticks up

As of Monday night, five Lincoln residents have been confirmed as having Covid-19, and two of the town’s firefighters were exposed to the virus and are in quarantine.

Of the five infected Lincolnites, one is still hospitalized and another has recovered and been released from isolation, Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean reported on March 30 to the Board of Selectmen, which is now meeting weekly via Zoom. A person at Hanscom Air Force Base has also been infected and is isolated.

McGean is the public health nurse for Concord and Carlisle as well as Lincoln, and performs some public health functions for Maynard as well. Her position in the town is through a contract with Emerson Home Care, which has quadrupled her hours, Town Administrator Tim Higgins said. McGean has trained about 12 public and private school school nurses from all four towns to help with Covid-19 case contact tracing, and others have volunteered to pitch in. The current contact tracing and follow-up caseloads are manageable for one person at the moment, “but in the next week or two, I’ll probably be asking for more help,” she said.

One of Lincoln’s 13 full-time firefighters and one of its seven on-call firefighters are in quarantine, Acting Fire Chief Brian Young said on March 31. Firefighters, who respond to all medical calls, are wearing surgical masks and goggles for all calls and are screening callers to check for symptoms of Covid-19. If anyone in the residence might be symptomatic, firefighters then add gowns and N95 masks to their protective gear before they arrive, he said.

“We’re really treating every call as if it’s positive” for Covid-19, Young said, adding that the fire and police departments have enough personal protective equipment for now.

Town meetings, election

The fate of the two town meetings that were rescheduled for April 25 is still undecided. At their March 30 meeting, the Board of Selectmen discussed the possibility of combining the two meetings (one of which was a Special Town Meeting (STM) to vote on adding back items to the school project) and postponing votes on all non-budget-related items that were on the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) agenda until the fall.

A streamlined ATM could still be held, but it could be very brief — most or all of the financial items could be moved to the consent calendar, meaning that they would be voted on as a bloc except for any items that residents ask to pull out for separate discussion and voting. Financial items include the school and town budgets, appropriations from the Community Preservation Act and Capital Planning Committee, etc.

The school funding question would also have to be a separate warrant article. This is the most time-sensitive issue because contractors have said that some of the items on the list need a definite yea-or-nay decision by June 1, as construction is slated to begin later that month.

Changes in town meeting scheduling or procedures must be approved by Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden, who is expected to attend the April 6 selectmen’s meeting in her official capacity.

The board is also likely to further postpone the town election that was originally scheduled for March 29 and later pushed back to April 27. State election officials have said that towns can postpone local elections to an undetermined date as long as they occur by June 30. Local voting normally must be done in person only, but early voting by mail will also be allowed.

The selectmen’s online meetings now include a 15-minute period for public comments and questions by residents who join the Zoom meeting. Participants can listen in without offering their own audio or video, though their Zoom screen name will be visible to others. Instructions on how to join each meeting can be found on the meeting agendas, which are posted here.

More information on Covid-19 “close contacts”

For those who have tested positive for Covid-19 in Lincoln, Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean will get in touch with people who are identified as “close contacts” of the patient—but the patient’s name will not be shared with those contacts if they don’t already know who it is, she said.

The March 27 Lincoln Squirrel story headlined “Second case in Lincoln confirmed; general procedures outlined” explained that close contacts of newly diagnosed cases of Covid-19 will be ordered into home quarantine for 14 days by the public health nurse after she receives notification of a positive case from the Massachusetts Department of Health. Some readers asked how they would know if they had been in close contact with the patient. 

A “close contact” is defined by the Centers for Disease Control as someone who was within approximately six feet of a Covid-19 case for a prolonged period of time, or someone who had direct contact with infectious secretions of a Covid-19 case (e.g., being coughed on). “Close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a Covid-19 case,” the CDC says (see Footnote 2 on this page).

“Most close contacts already know about the person’s status, as these close contacts are often friends and families,” McGean said on March 28. “If they were on a bus, plane or train, it makes it more difficult, though planes not as much, as we know seat numbers. So, when I reach out to contacts, they may know the person or may not. I would never give the person’s name of the positive case. That is an extreme violation of HIPPA.”

HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a series of rules designed to protect patients’ medical records and other health information provided to health insurance plans and health care providers. The standards provide patients with access to their medical records and more control over how their personal health information is used and disclosed. 

Once a case is identified, McGean follows the case and the case’s contacts until the risk of infection is over and everyone has been released from isolation (for the positive case) and quarantine (for the close contacts).

Second case in Lincoln confirmed; general procedures outlined

As of March 27, Lincoln has been notified of its second confirmed case of coronavirus. Here are the actions that must be taken by Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean, patients, and close contacts in these situations:

  • The public health nurse is notified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health when there is a confirmed case of Covid-19 in town. She is not given negative test results.
  • The public heath nurse notifies the positive case of their result, if they don’t already know. The new case is then given strict instructions to isolate themselves from household members and is not allowed out into the community until directed by a public health authority.
  • If you are ordered to isolate, you may not leave your home. If you live with someone else, you need to isolate yourself from other people in the home. There are specific guidelines that must be met for isolation discontinuation which will be strictly enforced before a positive case can leave the house and circulate in the community.
  • The other household members will most likely be in quarantine for 14 days. “Isolating” refers to sick people while “quarantine” refers to for healthy people who are at risk of getting sick.
  • The next step is to identify close contacts of the new positive case. Close contacts refer to those people who were within six feet for 15 minutes or more when the infected person was symptomatic with fever, cough, etc. This is the time when the virus is most contagious. Those contacts are identified and interviewed by the public health nurse and told to quarantine themselves in their home for 14 days. Frequent calls and check-ins are made throughout the 14-day period for both the positive case and his/her close contacts.

 

Covid acorns

Special senior hours, precautions for grocery stores

Gov. Baker issued an executive order on March 25 that requires all Massachusetts grocery stores to offer at least one hour in the early morning when they are open only to adults 60 and older to limit their potential exposure to the Covid-19 virus. Until further notice, the order also requires:

  • Procedures to ensure that both employees and customers remain at least six feet apart at all times, including a marked “social distancing line” that begins six feet away from all checkouts.
  • Closure of any salad bar or other self-serve prepared or other open food, and no open free samples or tastings.
  • No usage of reusable grocery bags, and no charge for recyclable paper bags, compostable plastic bags, or single-use plastic bags.

Property taxes can be paid two months late with no penalty

For those who are experiencing financial hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Town of Lincoln will waive interest and penalties for property tax payments payment that are received after the due date but before June 30, 2020.

Tax bills are being mailed this week and are due on May 1, and the town is asking those who are able to pay on time continue to do so. Gov. Charlie Baker recently filed emergency legislation that would allow the partial amnesty for late payments. Click here to pay online, or make payments by mail or drop them in the black box at the front of Town Hall (facing Lincoln Road). Treasurer/Tax Collector Krystal Elder (elderk@lincolntown.org or 781-259-2605) is available to answer any questions and will work with any taxpayer experiencing financial difficulties as flexibly as possible.

Mental health resources available for coping with pandemic

The following mental health resources to help during the Covid-19 emergency were assembed by Claire Gerstein, a retired social worker and Lincoln resident and approved by Council on Aging Director Carolyn Bottum.

Don’t return library books

There is no one at the Lincoln Public Library on a regular basis to check in returned items, so please do not return them for now. The Minuteman Library Network, which includes Lincoln, has waived overdue fines and extended all due dates.

Businesses close due to Covid-19, but town services carry on

Businesses
Town government
Social services
Police and fire
Schools
(Editor’s note: This story was posted Tuesday evening and updated at 11 p.m. to include more information from the schools.)

By Alice C. Waugh

All nonessential businesses are closed in Massachusetts until April 7 as ordered by Gov. Baker on March 23, but the town’s vital services are operational, officials reported at a Board of Selectmen meeting conducted online via Zoom on March 23.

Public safety/law enforcement, health care and public health, water and sewer services, and public works are all exempt from the order. “For many of these offices, emergency operations are second nature,” with protocols already in place in case of natural disaster or national emergencies like 9/11, Town Administrator Tim Higgins said.

Here are some of the brick-and-mortar business categories particularly relevant to the Lincoln area that are closed:

  • Landscaping services (except emergency tree work)
  • Gift and antique shops
  • Dry cleaners (laundromats and laundry services may operate)
  • Barbershops, hair and nail salons
  • Professional offices (law, real estate, architecture, accounting, etc.) Exceptions: legally mandated activities and critical sector services, or those where failure to provide such services would result in “significant prejudice”
  • Gyms, fitness centers, indoor pools
  • Indoor arts and recreation (video arcades, bowling alleys, movie theaters, museums, etc.). The outdoor deCordova Sculpture Park is open and free, but no restrooms are available.

Public-facing businesses and employment categories that are exempt from the lockdown include the following (click here for a detailed list):

  • Restaurants (takeout and delivery only; no dining in)
  • Health care, including physicians, home health aides, social workers, dentists, veterinarians, medical lab personnel, assisted living facilities, and residential facilities for psychiatric and disabled patients
  • Pharmacies
  • Convenience stores
  • Farms and grocery stores (anyone involved in food production, inspection, distribution, and sales)
  • Stores that sell pet supplies, auto supplies, hardware and home improvement items, home appliances
  • Gas stations and auto repair shops
  • Liquor stores
  • Hotels
  • Bank ATMs (maintenance, armored cars)
  • Sanitation/garbage removal
  • Maintenance and construction for both public and private customers (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, exterminators, inspectors, etc.)
  • Funeral homes, crematoriums, cemeteries
  • Workers in medical and public health records, cybersecurity, and other information technology functions that can’t be carried out remotely
  • Providers of food, shelter, social services, and other necessities for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals
  • Medical marijuana dispensaries
    • No recreational sales, but the state Cannabis Control Commission is allowing health care providers to certify medical marijuana patients through a telehealth waiver, rather than requiring in-person visits

Police have been fielding questions this week about where people are allowed to go during the lockdown. The governor’s order does not forbid Massachusetts residents from leaving home or traveling, but the Department of Public Health has issued an advisory for those 70 and older or with underlying health conditions to stay at home except for “essential trips for food, medicine, and focused time for exercise and fresh air.”

As far as enforcing the business lockdown and other restrictions on public gatherings, “we’re relying more on education and cooperation rather than enforcement,” Higgins said.

Town government

Although Town Hall and Bemis Hall are closed, the town’s social services and Council on Aging (see below) are functioning via phone and email, as are the town’s financial operations and vital records management in the Town Clerk’s office. Except for the selectmen, Board of Health, Finance Committee, and School Committee, town boards and commissions have suspended their work.

As previously announced, the March 28 Town Meetings have been postponed until April 25. The Special Town Meeting was scheduled to vote on supplemental funding for the school project, and the Board of Selectmen will take a formal position on the issue before that vote.

“Once we know whether Town Meeting is moving forward on April 25, the appropriate meetings will be rescheduled. As events unfold, we will make sure that all decision points are transparent,” Selectman Jennifer Glass said. The School Building Committee is scheduled to meet virtually on March 25 to get an update on where the project stands, and to approve any necessary expenditures.

The town is keeping track of expenditures it’s making as a result of the epidemic, and those expenses can be amortized over several years, Selectman James Dwyer said. Higgins said that there will be federal and state money available in the future for reimbursements. The town’s reserve fund is somewhat larger than usual for this time of year because there has been so little money needed for snow removal this winter, he added. 

Social services

As they’ve done in the past during major storms and power outages, police and Council on Aging staff are keeping tabs on specific residents who are “considered vulnerable” with regular check-ins. The COA (which aims to change its name to the Council on Aging and Human Services) is handling calls from people of all ages who need help obtaining food or medicine because of Covid-related loss of income, COA Director Carolyn Bottum reported.

More than two dozen people have volunteered to make deliveries or reassurance calls to Lincolnites in need, and the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry “is literally working night and day” delivering food to cars and homes, as are local churches, and Minuteman Senior Services is still visiting homes when necessary, she said.

Police and fire

The police and fire departments are fully staffed around the clock in the usual eight-hour shifts, though they’ve worked out plans for going to 12-hour shifts to cover absences due to quarantine or illness if necessary, Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy said.

Lincoln and surrounding towns also have mutual-aid provisions in place when extra help is needed. Police departments in the North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (comprising more than 60 cities and towns in Middlesex and Essex Counties) can also pool resources to provide extra manpower and specialized units.

Some police departments in the U.S have started to tread lightly when it comes to minor infractions, and Lincoln is no exception. For example, Lincoln police stopped issuing most traffic citations after March 15.

“What we’re trying to do is limit our contact with members of the public that we don’t necessarily need to have to have contact with,” Kennedy told the Squirrel on March 24. “They’re definitely out on patrol and vigilant, but it’s really a discretion thing. Obviously we’ll make a traffic stop or an arrest that needs to be made. I don’t want to say that police aren’t going to do X, Y, or Z.”

Police officers continue to respond along with EMT firefighters to all medical calls in Lincoln, but in non-life-threatening situations, they’re now waiting on scene for the Fire Department to let them know if their help is needed. The Fire Department is also waiving the fee for outdoor burning permits, which residents can obtain in advance by phone. 

Residents shouldn’t let virus fears prevent them from calling for medical help, said Deputy Fire Chief Brian Young. EMTs wear masks on all calls, and the ambulances are regularly sanitized. “We’re fearful that people might sit at home and wait and wait and wait,” he said. “We don’t want to overwhelm hospitals, but people who need care can still call. It’s kind of a delicate balancing right now.”

The Police Department’s mental health and domestic violence staff are still at work, Kennedy said. Although court schedules have been adjusted since the Covid-19 outbreak, residents can still obtain restraining orders and harassment prevention orders, he added.

“The response as a community has been outstanding. People have been very cooperative and supportive and have been staying home,” Kennedy said. He also thanked Minuteman High School for its recent donation of personal protective equipment to police. Many of those supplies are on backorder even for first responders, “and I can’t thank them enough.”

Testing kits for Covid-19 are in short supply, but public safety and medical personnel with official ID can get drive-through testing at the CVS in Shrewsbury, he noted.

Schools

The decision to close the schools as of March 13 was made late in the evening of March 12, so there was almost no time to plan ahead, but since then the district has been working on three core areas: access to food, technology, and learning resources.

As of March 23, Lincoln Public Schools are providing free lunch deliveries twice a week for 52 students in 31 families in Lincoln, Boston and Hanscom Air Force Base who indicated their need in a survey, “and I’m expecting those numbers will rise as we move forward,” said Superintendent of Schools Rebecca McFall, adding that Donelan’s had donated 400 paper grocery bags for packing and delivering the food. The schools are also bringing loaned laptops, Chromebooks, and iPads to families who need them for educational purposes.

McFall told parents in a March 24 email that the schools are launching BrainPop, Dreambox, Lexia, and Newsela to additional grade levels. General-education classroom teachers have also been asked to offer one session via Google Meet (a videoconferencing app) for their students this week and two sessions per week moving forward. Instructions for parents on connecting with these resources will be forthcoming.

“The purpose of these Google Meets is to connect teachers to students and students to each other, to say hello, to talk about what students are doing, to practice mindfulness or other coping strategies, etc. Think of it as a morning meeting or advisory,” McFall wrote. Administrators and faculty are developing more structured methods that may include live and/or pre-recorded learning sessions with the goal of helping parents create a daily educational plan for children.

“This is new for all of us and we are building the plane as we fly it, continuing to make child-centered decisions about next steps,” McFall wrote. “While our beginning steps may not seem adequate at this time for long-term learning and I understand you may have a desire or an expectation for more, please know that we are working with faculty to continue to develop and define learning opportunities for students that are responsive to their needs.”

Selectmen to meet next week; playgrounds closed

Here’s the latest news about Lincoln’s response to the Covid-19 epidemic.

Zoom meeting open to all

Lincoln resident Andy Payne has set up another online meeting for any interested Lincolnites to learn more about using the popular free meeting app Zoom and chat about whatever is on their minds on Friday, March 20 at 1 p.m. Just go to https://zoom.us/j/494878673 to join the meeting. Anyone needing help in getting Zoom set up before the meeting can email Payne at andy@payne.org.

Board of Selectmen to meet online

The Board of Selectmen will meet online on Monday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Though most of Lincoln’s boards and commissions are no longer meeting due to the epidemic, selectmen and some other officials will meet online since Gov. Baker last week relaxed aspects of the Open Meeting Law to allow this, as long as the public can see and hear the meetings in real time.

Residents who want to watch the meeting can do so by going to https://zoom.us/j/437201565 and entering this meeting ID: 437 201 565. If there are insoluble technical issues that prevent public access during the meeting, selectmen will post an audio or video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the Town of Lincoln website.

The meeting will cover updates on the public health emergency response and potential votes to clarify or confer certain emergency authorities. Click here for the agenda.

Playgrounds closed

As part of the ongoing efforts to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, Lincoln’s playgrounds and play structures will be closed until further notice. Athletic fields are closed to group gatherings and sporting activities/events. Town parks will remain open and residents are encouraged to continue using public, open spaces while practicing the CDC guidelines for social distancing and hygiene.

Council on Aging offers volunteer updates

The COA is providing periodic updates to the groups who are organizing volunteers to let everyone know what everyone else is providing, assist in sharing resources, give information about best practices, pass on news about benefits available to residents in need, offer links to potential sources of funding, and more. If you or your organization would like to be on the list to receive these updates, please contact Carolyn Bottum, COA director, at bottumc@lincolntown.org.

For those making deliveries to residents, the COA and Tricia McGean, Lincoln’s public health nurse, have developed a protocol to help ensure the safety of both the volunteer and the person receiving the items. This is based on CDC guidelines as well as other protocols in use by area organizations.

  1. Have disposable gloves, disinfectant wipes and a plastic trash bag with you.
  2. Call the person in advance to tell them when you will arrive, and arrange for a place where you can leave the items.
  3. Wipe down the items you will be delivering (if applicable) and use gloves to handle them. You do not want to contaminate the items with the virus before you give it to the person.
  4. When you arrive, call the person to let them know you will be leaving the items in the pre-arranged place.
  5. Leave the items in the pre-arranged place and leave. Do not enter the person’s house, have an in-person conversation, etc. Again, you are risking infecting both yourself and the person you are serving.
  6. Throw away your gloves in the plastic trash bag after delivery, use hand sanitizer if available, and dispose of the bag.  

As a reminder, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Council on Aging is still providing:

  • Social work and other social services, including information and referral, case management, crisis intervention, and phone check-ins with residents who are at special risk due to COVID-19.
  • Telephone reassurance with volunteers by phone.
  • Coordination of delivery of food, medication, and supplies to residents in need.
  • Emergency financial assistance to residents who have received eviction or utility shut-off notices.

By next week they hope to have online fitness classes, but this is still a work in progress.

Covid-19 news for March 16

Click here for a collection of previous stories and updates on the effects in Lincoln of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Social services in Lincoln

Bemis Hall is closed, but Lincoln’s social services staff are available by phone or email to help residents of all ages with:

  • Having food and medication delivered
  • Getting emergency financial assistance with rent or utilities
  • Other urgent resource or social service needs

Council on Aging Director Carolyn Bottum is at her desk manning the phone while other social services staff are working remotely. Call 781-259-8811 during regular COA hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or email bottumc@lincolntown.org 

If you would like to donate funds to help residents who may experience difficulties due to the inability to work or other circumstances during this crisis, please send a check to the Lincoln Emergency Assistance Fund, COA, Town of Lincoln, 16 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. 

As a reminder, all nonessential Council on Aging activities (classes, tax preparation, transportation, and senior dining) are canceled until further notice.

Town government

In response to the evolving public health emergency, town offices will be closed to the public except by appointment, effective Tuesday, March 17. However, the town’s essential services (public health, public safety, water department, public works, cemetery, inspectional services and Town Administrator Tim Higgins’s office) continue to be staffed and remain fully functional. Contact Higgins at 781-259-2604 or higginst@lincolntown.org, or Assistant Town Administrator Mary Day at 781-259-2603 or daym@lincolntown.org.

Some business transactions (property and excise bill payment, building permits, dog licenses and vital records) have been automated and are accessible through the town’s website at www.lincolntown.org. Anyone having difficulty navigating these services may contact Patrice Brennan brennanp@lincolntown.org.

The town’s key leadership boards, including the Board of Selectmen, Board of Health, School Committee, and Finance Committee, will continue to function and coordinate. For the most current public health emergency response information visit: lincolnpublichealthnews.com.

Food pantry

The Lincoln Food Pantry, operated by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) at St. Joseph Church, expects that the need for food and financial support will greatly increase over the coming weeks. SVdP serves 200 clients who live, work or go to school in Lincoln or Weston and also offers emergency financial assistance with rent, utilities, car repairs, medications, etc.

Residents can help by donating nonperishable food. Suggestions of items to add to your shopping list (please make sure the food is within the sell-by date):

  • Progresso soup
  • pasta sauce
  • cereals
  • peanut butter and jelly
  • canned tuna
  • mayonnaise
  • shelf-stable Parmesan cheese
  • crackers
  • cookies
  • gluten-free items
  • paper towels and toilet paper

Food donations may be left at:

  • St. Joseph’s Church, in the vestibule at the side entrance where the ramp is.
  • St. Julia’s Church in Weston, at the back of the church
  • Donelan’s (buy and drop in the collection bin behind the registers)

Deliveries of online orders (without a signature required) from places like Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Walmart, etc., can be sent to Chris Connell, 142, Lincoln Rd., Lincoln MA 01773

To donate funds, please send checks to SVdP, PO Box 324, Lincoln MA 01773, made payable to SVdP. For more information, please contact Ursula Nowak at unowak33@gmail.com or 781 259 4297.

Anyone in need of food may contact Karen Boyce at karenboyce620@gmail.com or 781-259-9303. For emergency financial assistance, contact Tomasina Lucchese at tomasinal@mac.com  or 617-680-4159.

Commuter rail schedule reduced

Starting Tuesday, March 17, the MBTA commuter rail is reducing service. There will be seven trains each way stopping in Lincoln per day, vs. the usual 17. Click here for the train schedule. Subway and bus lines are on a Saturday schedule.

Transfer station

The swap table area at the transfer station will be closed until April 1. Trash and recycling drop-off will continue normally. The Department of Public Works office will also be closed and no new transfer station stickers will be issued until April 1. Questions? Call the DPW at 781-259-8999.

Restaurants

All Massachusetts restaurants have been ordered to stop dine-in service. However, Lincoln’s eateries are adapting. Real is now offering a small selection of family-friendly takeout dinners delivered to your car. Go to www.keepitreallincoln.com/real-takeout/ and place your order by 5 p.m. You can also order from their regular menu by calling 781-259-9464 or ordering from www.keepitreallincoln.com/menu-dinner. Gift cards are also available.

Beginning March 16, the Twisted Tree will start offering delivery to the local community, and will continue to have pick up options available as well. Visit thetwistedtreecafe.com to place your order.

Police Department

The Lincoln Police Department is fully operational but is taking antiviral precautions. “Officers are using lots of Clorox wipes in the cruisers and workstations along with hand sanitizer, and more importantly, washing their hands with soap and water,” Lt. Sean Kennedy said on Monday. “During traffic stops or motor vehicle crashes, officers have been told to verbally obtain the individual’s information vs. handling their paperwork. It’s easy enough for them to check the driver’s information on the computer. Traffic is way down, and our incidents are way down as well. People seem to be hunkering down, which is good.”

School closings extended

Gov. Charlie Baker has ordered all public schools in Massachusetts to stay closed until at least April 6.

Emerson Hospital appeal

Emerson Hospital employees are in desperate need of childcare. If you or someone you know can provide babysitting in their homes, please contact Emerson HR Manager Diana Marzoratti at DMarzoratti@emersonhosp.org.

More information: