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

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Town meeting approves funding for school project planning

school(Editor’s note: The Lincoln Squirrel was on vacation during the last week in March but will post stories in the coming days about the March 23 Town Meeting.)

By Alice Waugh

Residents approved spending $17,700 from the town’s stabilization fund for architectural and engineering work in hopes of submitting a second school building project feasibility study to the state—though not after several residents argued that the town should pursue its own path toward a modernized school building.

[Read more…] about Town meeting approves funding for school project planning

Dates set for dropping off household hazardous waste

Skull_and_crossbones copyDo you have household chemicals or environmental poisons you need to get rid of? While the Lincoln transfer station does not accept hazardous waste, Lincoln residents may drop off materials on one of eight days this year at the Minuteman Hazardous Products Facility at 60 Hartwell Ave. in Lexington—but they must first pre-register and to fill out a form with the Lincoln Board of Health in person or by calling 781-259-2613.

Lincoln items will be accepted in Lexington from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following dates (almost all on Saturdays): [Read more…] about Dates set for dropping off household hazardous waste

Greening Lincoln surveys residents, offers info on toilet/washer rebates

ToiletGreening Lincoln invites residents to take a survey that will help the group learn what measures people in town now use to save energy and protect the environment and what additional sustainability information and services they’d like to see. Click here to take the online survey.

Greening Lincoln also offers information about Water Department rebates for residents who buy water-saving toilets and washing machines, as well as other topics including solar panels and household energy assessments. The program, which started in January, offers rebates of $75 for WaterSense-labeled toilets and $200 for WaterSense washers. According to the Greening Lincoln website, which also has details on the terms of the rebates, WaterSense toilets use about 4.8 gallons per person per day vs. 18.2 gallons for old-style toilets, while WaterSense washers use 15.4 gallons per person per day vs. 7.7 gallons per day.

Residents can see the terms and conditions for the rebates on the Greening Lincoln website. To obtain a rebate form, call the Water Department 781-259-8997.

Route 2 project finally underway

rt2-1

The south side of Route 2 near Old Cambridge Turnpike looking towards Concord. (Photo / Alice Waugh)

Workers have demolished several houses along Route 2 in Lincoln and removed trees and brush as work on the state project to make the area around Crosby’s Corner—for which planning began in 1994—has finally begun.

The state Department of Transportation (MassDOT) awarded the project in June 2012 to D.W. White Construction, Inc. of Acushnet. This town web page offers contact information, weekly construction updates, and a public information presentation from October 2012 that includes photos of the work area and a history of the project.

Schools offer data snapshots in first annual report

schoolFor the first time, school officials have published an annual report with information on demographics, spending, MCAS scores, educational programs and more, as well as data comparing Lincoln schools to others in the area on various measures.

The report is available on the Lincoln Schools website in two forms: a series of slides with charts and graphs, and a three-page executive summary. The report by the School Committee and Lincoln Public Schools administration is the result of an initiative by the Finance Committee to provide the town with information about the operations and performance of town agencies.

[Read more…] about Schools offer data snapshots in first annual report

Warrant piece: Water fluoridation

water-smEditor’s note: This is one of several Lincoln Squirrel articles about an agenda item (a “warrant piece,” with apologies to Leo Tolstoy) to be considered at the March 23 Town Meeting.

By Alice Waugh

Should Lincoln’s public water supply continue to be fluoridated? Residents will have a chance to say yay or nay at the March 23 Town Meeting, thanks to a citizen’s petition by a group opposed to the water additive.

[Read more…] about Warrant piece: Water fluoridation

The Town Meeting is coming! The Town Meeting is coming!

townmtgBy Alice Waugh

Lincoln residents will gather on March 23 to vote on 41 warrant articles on matters ranging from the town budget for fiscal 2014 to citizens’ petitions on leaf blowers and water fluoridation.

The town’s total budget request for fiscal 2014 is $33.09 million, an increase of 4.6 percent over this year. If all elements of the budget are approved, the median property tax bill would rise from $11,340 in fiscal 2013 to $11,815 in the next fiscal year—an average increase of $475, or 4.2 percent.

[Read more…] about The Town Meeting is coming! The Town Meeting is coming!

Council on Aging events rescheduled

Because of the recent snowstorm, the Council on Aging has rescheduled several events:

The Groves wants to add skilled nursing, memory care

An aerial view of The Groves showing the current facility (blue outline) and the amended proposal for Phase II (red outline).

An aerial view of The Groves showing the current facility (red outline) and the amended proposal for Phase II (blue outline) — click to enlarge.

By Alice Waugh

The Groves in Lincoln has asked the town for permission to build assisted living, memory care and skilled-nursing units in an effort to attract more residents to its age 62+ independent living facility just south of Route 2.

In 2007, the Planning Board and Town Meeting approved a plan for construction in two phases. The completed Phase 1 includes 100 congregate units, 30 rental units and 38 cottages. Originally, The Groves planned to build 28 more cottages after the first set was fully occupied.

However, nearly three years after opening, only 57 percent of those units are occupied, and “the community is struggling financially,” according to a February 5 letter to the Lincoln Planning Board. That letter was sent by John E. Dragat, senior vice president of development for Benchmark Senior Living, which was commissioned to “assess the project’s shortcomings,” and Toby B. Shea, chief financial officer of Masonic Health System of Massachusetts, co-owner of The Groves along with New England Deaconess Association–Abundant Life Communities, Inc., of Concord. The Wellesley-based Benchmark is the largest operator and developer of senior housing in Massachusetts.

A market study “confirmed [the] belief that the primary impediment to the success of the community is its lack of continuum of care,” the letter says. The 90 new units, if approved, would remedy this shortfall by providing assistance with activities of daily living, meals and social activities, as well as long-term and rehab care.

“The overall campus will operate as one integrated community, with many of the residents in Phase II emanating from the existing independent units, allowing the existing Groves residents the ability to age in place in a single continuing-care retirement community,” the letter says.

Residents will be asked to approve them amended plan by voting on Article 34 (page 73 of the warrant) at Town Meeting on March 23.

Drumlin Farm raising money for new education center, exhibits

This map shows the locations of the first projects on the campaign wish list (click to enlarge).

This map shows the locations of the first projects on the campaign wish list (click to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

Drumlin Farm recently kicked off a campaign aimed at raising money to fund improvements starting with a new education center, wildlife care center and fox exhibit.

The “Landscapes for Learning” campaign aims to bring in $4.7 million over four to five years, said Christy Foote-Smith, Drumlin Farm’s sanctuary director. The campaign aligns with specific goals outlined in Drumlin Farm’s strategic plan. As of December 2012, Drumlin had raised more than $900,000, including a grant of $384,000 from the Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund.

“We’re off to a running start. I don’t expect it to continue at that pace, though I wouldn’t be unhappy if it did,” Foote-Smith said at a Board of Selectmen meeting on December 17, 2012.

That sum will be enough to pay for improvements to the service barn, much of which was destroyed in a 1980 fire and rebuilt. Those changes include more classroom space and an expanded root cellar, which will help Drumlin expand its Winter CSA (community-supported agriculture) program.

“We have the field space, but we just don’t have places to store” the produce, Foote-Smith said.

Construction work on the barn should begin this summer, with completion scheduled for mid-2014, Foote-Smith said. Next on the list is either a new wildlife care center or a new education center to be built near the existing education building, Foote-Smith said. The current wildlife care center south of Route 117 is in an old poultry house, which will be razed and rebuilt on the same stone foundation, Foote-Smith said.

The new fox exhibit will replace the current “Drumlin Underground” exhibit, which can never be made handicapped-accessible, Foote-Smith noted. Also planned for campaign’s proceeds is a new equipment shed near Boyce Field, and new deer and coyote exhibits.

Noting that programs such as the summer camp are at full visitor capacity for the property, Foote-Smith noted Drumlin isn’t aiming to increase attendance except perhaps during the winter and other times of the year when attendance is relatively low.

“That’s not a goal we have moving forward,” she told the selectmen. “We expect our growth to happen mostly around our outreach programs,” such as satellite camps and staff visits to schools.

Anyone who wants more information about the campaign or wishes to donate may email Foote-Smith at cfsmith@massaudubon.org.