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

My Turn

My Turn: Carty is running for L-S School Committee

(Editor’s note: Carty is one of three Sudbury candidates vying for two seats on the the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee.)

To the editor:

My name is Maura Carty and I am pleased to share that I am running for the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee.

I have three children; my oldest is a graduate of L-S, my second is currently an L-S senior, and my youngest is an eighth-grader at Curtis heading to L-S next year. My family has lived in Sudbury for over 20 years. During those years, I have been deeply involved in the community by serving as a board member on many nonprofit organizations. I presently serve on many community boards in leadership positions, including Lincoln-Sudbury Parent Organization and L-S’s Senior Safe Night (formerly known as Jamaica Jammin’). This has afforded me the opportunity to cultivate deep connections with many community members and to gain an understanding of what is important to them. 

So why am I running? Lincoln-Sudbury is an incredible school, and I believe together we can elevate it. I am running to bring a current perspective to the Committee. I am plugged into the community and feel I can make an impact on the lives of students and their families by concentrating efforts on student mental health and academic growth. I look to leverage what I have learned and decisions I have made in my many years of public service to benefit the L-S community and all of its students.

Students have been overwhelmed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Their academic experience and mental health has been impacted. Collaboration to find safe, appropriate solutions to the complicated issues that arose during the pandemic and are certain to continue as we transition to the next phase of this evolving virus will be key. Our decisions must be made based on science with the needs of students at the forefront. I believe it is the role of the School Committee to ensure both happen.    

I am a dedicated and passionate individual and proud member of the L-S community. I build relationships by listening, asking questions, and embracing different viewpoints to accomplish the best outcomes. I look forward to advocating for all students and helping them advance to their full potential. Together we can make a great place better, and I ask for your support on Monday, March 28th.

Sincerely,

Maura Carty
15 Stonebrook Rd., Sudbury, MA

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to  Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Kevin Matthews seeks reelection to L-S School Committee

(Editor’s note: Matthews is one of three Sudbury candidates vying for two seats on the the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee.)

To the editor:

I am excited to be running for re-election for L-S School Committee. It has been an honor and a privilege to have served the communities of Lincoln and Sudbury for the last 12 years. I believe, in that time, I have been able to make a difference. I hope you consider voting for me for the L-S School Committee on Monday, March 28.

As in 2010 when I was first elected, we are again facing uncertain times; this time we are entering a post-pandemic era, with a growing war in Europe and with the economic threat of rising inflation. As before, I promise to provide steady, bold, and reasoned leadership.

As a community of teaching and learning, we must prioritize our mission: the development and education of our communities’ students. It is our public charge to provide the best possible education for all of the students who enter our doors. There is perhaps no mission more important.

We must provide a safe, supportive, and sustainable environment for this period of developmental growth for our students. In order to do so, we need the appropriate resources and responsible financial management, and a faculty and administration who bring educational and administrative excellence. We as a high school and a community need to work together to provide a safe environment and to inspire our children with a sense of grit and optimism toward learning here and in their lives beyond these walls.

We as a school need to remember we serve the community in this role. And in service, we work together with the community, the families of our students, and the taxpayers and always remain sensitive to the needs of the community.

While we have the tools to guide and develop our students, our families depend upon us to heed their concerns and the taxpayers require us to manage their resources responsibly and efficiently.

I promise to serve the community openly, honestly, and always with a sense of urgency. You have entrusted this committee with tremendous responsibility. I hope to earn your trust once again. I ask for your vote on March 28. 

Sincerely,

Kevin Matthews
137 Haynes Rd., Sudbury MA

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to  Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Lincoln needs a Climate Action Plan

(Editor’s note: Climate Action Lincoln gave a presentation at the State of the Town meeting on Nov. 2, 2021).

To the editor:

The global climate crisis has us all wondering what we can do now and for the next generation. The great news is that, as a town, we are not powerless. Lincoln is going to develop a Climate Action Plan that will address climate change on many levels.

Massachusetts is legally committed to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 and a 50% reduction from 1990 levels by 2030. That means we in Massachusetts must cut our use of fossil fuels by about one-third in eight years — a drastic reduction in the use of natural gas, oil and propane to heat and cool houses, to run our cars, trucks, and buses, and to generate electricity.

For the last year, volunteers from Climate Action Lincoln, a subcommittee of the Green Energy Committee, have been learning about climate plans from our neighboring towns. Lexington, Concord, Carlisle, Weston, Arlington, Cambridge, and Acton have comprehensive plans, and most have Sustainability Managers. We have also met with 12 town boards and committees to hear about their efforts.

While Lincoln has done a lot to protect the environment, become more energy-efficient, and reduce GHG emissions, there is more we can do together as a community.

We are pleased to announce that Jennifer Curtin, Assistant Director of Planning and Land Use, will support our efforts. She is working to secure grant funding for a consultant to lead Lincoln through development of a Climate Action Plan, which will address the interconnected issues of the climate crisis:

  • Electrification with renewable energy to reduce GHG emissions
  • Mitigation and adaptation to climate impacts
  • Ensuring environmental justice and supporting vulnerable populations
  • Safeguarding public health
  • Creating sustainable and resilient infrastructure
  • Protecting and regenerating ecological systems, including back yards, forests, open space, farms, and wetlands

A Climate Action Plan will also coordinate and recommend municipal, commercial, and residential actions. It will address the built environment, transportation, energy production, waste, and land use in Lincoln.

Town-wide participation is critical to developing a Climate Action Plan that will achieve results, not just sit on a shelf or a website. In Lincoln, actions by residents will be crucial to the success of a plan as Lincoln has very small commercial and municipal sectors. The process of developing a plan will include:

  • Visioning — Engagement of all residents and stakeholders in town
  • Data — Energy use, GHG emissions, carbon storage
  • Analysis — Vulnerable populations, housing, infrastructure, transportation
  • Goals — Align with state and federal goals; interpret for residents
  • Implementation — Timelines, accountable parties, measurement
  • Financial implications for the town budget

As the town works to secure funding for the plan, Climate Action Lincoln would like to engage residents. To join our group, receive updates on our progress, or arrange a presentation for your organization, please email ClimateAction@lincolntown.org or reach out to one of our members listed below.

Sincerely,

Climate Action Lincoln
Sue Klem (chair), Roy Harvey, Emily Haslett, Staci Montori, and Lynne Smith

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Ephraim Flint throws hat in ring for Planning Board

To the editor:

I am pleased to announce my candidacy for Planning Board in the March 2022 town election. 

As I grew up in Lincoln, I witnessed the town’s innovative and thoughtful decision-making as it navigated change while maintaining its unique rural character. I left Lincoln for school and work in 1975 and returned in 2000, happy to see that the town had continued its tradition of carefully managing growth and change.

I served on the Planning Board from 2003–2008 as we shepherded several significant projects towards successful completion: the redevelopment of the Mall at Lincoln Station, the creation of the South Lincoln Overlay District; The Commons senior living community, and Minuteman Commons. Other volunteer positions I have held include School Committee (in Garrison, N.Y.) and the board member of Codman Community Farms. 

Today, we are again in a period where we must creatively manage change so the hard work of those who came before us and the values that we all cherish are not lost.   

I live on our family farm on Lexington Road. With extended family, we grow hay, sweet corn, and pumpkins and in the spring, we make maple syrup. Professionally, I work at Draper Lab. I am a physicist by training and a farmer at heart.

Again, I would like to offer my service to the town at this exciting and challenging time.

Sincerely,

Ephraim Flint

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Joseph Dwyer running for School Committee

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela

Dear fellow citizens of Lincoln:

Today I write to announce my candidacy for the open seat on the Lincoln School Committee. In a time when our world is changing at an unprecedented rate, providing our children the skills to navigate their way through is more critical than ever. With technology continuing at its ever-increasing pace, the priority of teaching needs to shift from what our kids  learn to how to learn. I argue that focusing on the process of learning and education better equips our youth with the tools they need to succeed in the long term, far outlasting the temporary satisfaction of acing weekly tests.

I have had the good fortune to be a resident of Lincoln past 13 years. At this stage in my life, I have greater bandwidth and a genuine drive to work on behalf of our community. I respectfully ask for your support. I welcome the opportunity to speak further about my vision for Lincoln’s schools and can be contacted directly at jaysp51d@gmail.com or 603-560-1787. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

Special thanks to all the hardy Lincolnites who took the time to sign my nomination papers in this frigid weather. I got many more than needed!

Sincerely,

Joseph Dwyer
6 Emerson Rd
Lincoln, Ma 01773

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Rajdev declares candidacy for School Committee

Dear neighbors,

I am writing to announce my candidacy for the open position on the Lincoln School Committee, and ask for your support.

My family moved to Lincoln five years ago, and our two young girls (entering third grade and kindergarten) are blossoming in the Lincoln schools. I’ve taken an active role in supporting the schools from the onset, volunteering as a room parent and acting as legal advisor to Lincoln Nursery School as part of the parent co-operative. Through that role I gained experience working through many administrative policies of the school, including Covid-19 policies. The experience of working closely with parents, administrators, and specialists to find the best solutions to keep our children healthy, active, and engaged has been challenging, and I’m excited for the opportunity to serve the community and schools in a more robust way on the Lincoln School Committee.

In addition to school volunteering, I’ve enjoyed getting to know so many talented and committed Lincolnites through my involvement on the boards of Friends of Modern Architecture (FoMA) and Valley Pond. With my professional background as an engineer and attorney, I have had many opportunities to analyze challenging issues, reach consensus across a broad group of interests, and communicate the outcome.

If elected, I will use independent critical judgment to help carry forward the strategic priorities of the schools, and ensure that the policies, procedures, and budget support these objectives. I believe now more than ever, we need to work to overcome the deep divisions that are being exacerbated by social media and allow kindness and understanding help us reach decisions that will benefit all of the children our schools serve. These issues are top of mind for me as I watch my young girls grow up in the community, and I can think of no better use of my time to support our school system in any way I can.

Lastly, I would like to thank the current School Committee for all their efforts in making the Lincoln schools the wonderful places they are, and for the extraordinary efforts to steer us through the pandemic the past two years.

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself, and I hope that you will support me in the town election on March 28th.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Rajdev
18 Moccasin Hill Rd.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Adam Hogue is running for Select Board

(Editor’s note: Hogue will compete for the open seat on the Select Board with Jim Hutchinson, who declared his candidacy earlier this month.)

Dear Lincoln community,

I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the open seat on the Board of Selects. I want to start by thanking James Craig for his years of service to the town.

Since moving to Lincoln nine years ago, I have been a very active member of our community. I have enjoyed helping to plan our Veterans Day events and our Fourth of July run, along with my involvement in other town events. I have also been a member of the School Committee for the last few years and serve on the Capital Planning Committee.

I want to serve on the Select Board because I want to bring positive change to Lincoln along with new ideas.  While serving on our town committees, I have learned that we need fresh ideas to make our town even better while being fiscally responsible to the taxpayers of our town.

I look forward to a great campaign and meeting everyone on the campaign trail. I hope I can earn your vote!

Adam M. Hogue
50 Lincoln Rd.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Thanks from president of domestic violence aid group

For the past two years, it has been my privilege to serve as president of the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable (SWLDVR) and see firsthand the courage, tenacity, commitment, and generosity of both those whom we support and the many who support the Roundtable.

Our mission is to promote safe and healthy relationships, raise public awareness about abusive and controlling behaviors, and end relationship abuse in all its forms. We could not move towards achieving our goals — to educate communities, support agencies that provide services to survivors of domestic abuse, network with other concerned groups, and mobilize community leaders — without the support of our communities.

The numbers of reported domestic abuse incidents have risen sharply during the pandemic, and strains on survivors and service providers have increased correspondingly.

In addition to everything else they face, survivors are experiencing job losses, health concerns, financial instability, and increased domestic pressures. As front-line workers, providers have continued their work while worrying about their own health, sick family members, and grieving the loss of loved ones.

And yet, amid all the darkness, the best of human nature has been displayed.

Financial donations have increased. The Holiday Gift Drive, Shower for Shelters, and the Valentine’s Gift Bag Project have been supported in ways that clearly demonstrate “the kindness of strangers,” the generosity of the community, and the enormous commitment of our volunteers.

During October (Domestic Violence Awareness Month), purple lights (the color of courage) illuminated public and private buildings in Sudbury, Wayland, Weston, Framingham, and Weston. Banners encouraging us to Shine a Light on domestic abuse were displayed in Sudbury, Wayland, and Lincoln. Residents of Lincoln placed purple bulbs in window lamps.

As we move into 2022 and on behalf of the Roundtable, I should like to thank firstly and most importantly, the community members of Sudbury, Wayland, and Lincoln who have shared their lived experiences, resources, and talents.

Next, we are deeply appreciative of the support received from town leaders, civic organizations, local businesses, and members of the faith communities.

Finally, thanks to the following for their continued support and generosity: the First Parish in Wayland Lydia Maria Child Fund, the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund, Brad Keyes of Keyes North Atlantic, Inc., the Saia Family of Sudbury Wine and Spirits, Ace Hardware Wayland, Lincoln Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy, and Lincoln Town Administrator Tim Higgins.

For information on ways to support the SWLDVR, or if you or someone you know needs help, please go to our website at www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org.

Sincerely,

Sue Rushfirth
President, Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable
P.O. Box 543
Sudbury, MA 01776

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Jim Hutchinson is running for Select Board

Dear Lincolnites,

I am writing today to declare my candidacy for the Select Board seat being vacated by James Craig, which will be for a three-year term. I thank James for his many years of service to the town, and I respectfully ask for your support at the town election on Monday, March 28, as I seek to continue my service to Lincoln in a new capacity.

If elected, it would be a bit too much for me to continue to serve in my current role as chair of the Board of Water Commissioners, so I am also announcing my resignation from the commission, effective at the end of our Annual Town Meeting in March. I encourage interested residents to run for this Water Commission seat. Don’t be shy — the new Water Superintendent is fantastic! I also note that if elected to the Select Board, I will offer to be the liaison to the Water Commission and do what I can to help continue our good progress on the work there to strengthen the Water Department and to successfully complete the needed updates to our water infrastructure.

My wife Anne and I have lived in Lincoln for 22 years, and I’ve had the pleasure getting to know many of you while serving on a number of town committees. I was treasurer of Codman Community Farms for three years, a member of the Finance Committee for seven years (as chair for two of those years). I’ve been on the Green Energy Committee for eight years and on the Water Commission for two. In addition, I have had various liaison duties such as helping with the Power Purchase Agreement Subcommittee in charge of getting solar PV panels installed next year on our newly renovated school. I enjoy keeping tabs on what’s going on in town by serving in these positions, and I am perennially refreshed by the humor, intelligence, and thoughtfulness of my fellow volunteers and town staff with whom I’ve worked.

Some of you who know me may believe that I am only interested in the finance aspects of issues and have found that the best way to communicate with me is via a well-constructed spreadsheet. My career was in finance as a portfolio manager and a small business owner, and I’ll admit to believing that there is an important cost/benefit analysis at the heart of many of the issues that we face. If elected, I will offer my assistance and leadership on any such analyses needed for the town.

I have worked extensively with Town Administrator Tim Higgins and Select Board members Jennifer Glass and Jonathan Dwyer in the past, and expect to need only occasional arm-wrestling matches with them to divvy up and collaborate on the work of the Select Board. More generally, I hope to help the Select Board ensure that residents have all of the information they need to make important decisions, such as whether to proceed with building a new community center, or what should happen next regarding South Lincoln redevelopment.

But it is not just about having the information ready for Town Meeting and counting your votes. If we learned anything from the school building project, it was that residents need to be more involved while we develop the proposed solutions to our issues. I’ve been happy to see town leadership encourage more inclusive processes in recent years, and I’d like to help continue that evolution to see what we can do to make resident participation more convenient, productive, and enjoyable for a broader group of people. I believe this has already been happening to some extent. Our pandemic-induced switch to Zoom meetings, for example, has made it easier for many folks to attend meetings. I’d like to continue to pursue new tools and approaches that will bring even more people to town and committee discussions. After all, what’s more important to the Select Board than trying to ensure that we identify and pursue the issues and solutions most favored and important to you, the residents?

Sincerely,

Jim Hutchinson

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Thanks to “Every Mile Counts Walk” participants

By Karen Salvucci and Ursula Nowak

We’d like to express our deep appreciation to the Lincoln community for the great success of our “Every Mile Counts Walk” last Saturday. The walk was fun, inclusive, and a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness and funds to continue our mission of relieving poverty and restoring human dignity. You are truly neighbors helping neighbors and your help means so much.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston is devoted to helping individuals and families in our communities who need critical assistance to meet some of their most basic needs. People in our towns facing challenges like food insecurity, unemployment, health issues, or a sudden change in circumstances have come to us in greater numbers than ever before seeking help and guidance. Thanks to your involvement and support, we have been able to respond when that call comes in. And as the need continues, so do our efforts.

Again, many thanks!

Salvucci and Nowak are president and outgoing president, respectively, of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to share letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.