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

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Community center discussion dominates SOTT #1

The size and cost of a proposed community center was the focus of the lion’s share of discussion and questions at the first of two State of the Town meetings on November 14.

More than 200 people at one point were on Zoom to hear about that proposal as well as updates on the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Anti-Racism (IDEA) Committee and the public schools. Community Center Building Committee Chair Sarah Chester began by recapping the need for the facility based on several past studies that highlighted the increasing inadequacies of the current Hartwell pods for the Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) and Bemis Hall, headquarters of the Council on Aging and Human Services.

“Doing nothing to provide adequate facilities for the COA, PRD, and community organizations is not an option. The physical plants of both Bemis Hall and the pods continue to age, and it makes no sense for the town to continue to expend scarce tax dollars to fix up, patch up and make do with facilities that do not suit their purpose,” the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Development Committee said in its 2018 report.

By including an indoor/outdoor cafe, a community center on the Hartwell campus could be a hub for intergenerational socializing as well as a meeting place for many other community organizations, Chester said. The building would also have ample parking, modern bathrooms (an upgrade over the seriously outdated facilities in Bemis and the pods). The goal is to have the building be net-zero in terms of energy usage as well. She also said that there’s no intention of having the cafe take away business from Twisted Treem noting that the eatery already has a satellite location at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.

At a Special Town Meeting on November 30, residents will be asked to approve spending $325,000 from the town’s debt stabilization fund to develop preliminary schematic design options. Those options will be based on two schemes on which residents were about evenly divided in 2018: a new building northeast of the Hartwell building with a larger green (estimated at $24.6 million in 2022 dollars), or an infill structure north of Hartwell that would encompass renovated pods A and C plus the space in between them ($26 million). Pod B would be used for LEAP in both scenarios. The schemes were created by Maryann Thompson Architects, which also designed the Walden Pond visitor center.

Starting in June 2022, the CCBC visited community centers in other towns, reexamined programming and space needs in the era of Covid, and prepared requests for proposals for an architect and owner’s project manager. Given the recent rise in inflation and interest rates, “we recognize that current economic conditions have changed substantially,” Chester said, and the CCBC will work with the chosen architect to research lower-cost options and reduce the overall price tag as much as possible.

Finance Committee Chair Andy Payne reported that right now, the town has the fiscal capacity to borrow another $30 million. This figure will grow over time as town income and spending increases while debt payments stay flat, so the capacity for additional debt will be about $40 million by 2025, he said. Assuming a bond interest rate of 4.5%, every $10 million of borrowing would add $309 to the median property tax bill for a hike of 1.8%, he said.

The amount to be borrowed will in all likelihood be lower than the construction cost because some of the debt stabilization fund can be applied, Payne said. There is also a “Friends” group in town that is raising private funds to offset some of the expense, Town Administrator Tim Higgins said.

In answer to a resident’s question about operating costs for the community center, Chester said it can’t be known until the design is fleshed out. The building will need a custodian and a receptionist (“a friendly face who knows what’s going on to greet people”), but “putting two staffs together from two energy-inefficient buildings” will realize some savings, she said.

As to the building’s size, Chester said the square footage per person as recommended by the state for Councils on Aging “is about equivalent to our current [proposed] designs” and would amount to about two and a half pods. As noted in Appendices C and D of the CCPPDC’s 2018 report, “every space will be used extensively — there are no blank areas,” she added.

The CCBC invites residents to learn more about the project, ask questions, and provide feedback at its next meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. Click here to join via Zoom (passcode: 570005). 

Anyone who missed the November 14 meeting can watch a recording here.

IDEA Committee

After sorting through 17 proposals from all over the country, the IDEA Committee has settled on two firms, Elite Research and Racial Equity Group, to move Lincoln forward on the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion)  front. Over the course of the next 18 months, the firms will look at current town practices and policies and do a gap analysis, formulate short and midrange action plans, and identify evaluation metrics to measure progress. 

Consultants hired by many other towns focus exclusively on hiring and management practices, but  “no other town really scoped out what we wanted to do — to include not only town employees but all elected and volunteer board and committee members, and to do so in partnership with all of the other organizations in town that make Lincoln such a vibrant and wonderful community,” Stringer said. “We didn’t want just a 101 course on diversity.”

  • See slides from the State of the Town presentation by the IDEA Committee
Schools

Lincoln Public Schools officials discussed their strategic plan for 2022-23 which includes “establishing a culture that is built upon the intersectionality of social and emotional learning,

Antiracism, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (AIDE), student and adult learning, and fostering strong connections,” Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall said. The idea informs the schools’ culture and “portrait of a learner” — a student who is a collaborative leader, a critical thinker, equity-oriented, and growth-minded. 

School Committee Chair John MacLachlan offered an update on the search for a new superintendent of schools to replace McFall, who is retiring next year. The panel expects to make a hiring decision by the second week in February, he said. The Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee is likewise in the process of seeking a new superintendent to replace Bella Wong. As with the LPS search, there will be opportunities for the community to participate in this process via forums, surveys, and a search advisory committee, LSSC Chair Heather Cowap said.

Service on Nov. 19 for Rodger Weismann, 1942–2022

Rodger Weismann

Rodger E. Weismann, Jr., a devoted family man and retired CFO  passed away surrounded by loved ones on November 7, 2022 at the age of 80 after a courageous battle with cancer. His family wishes to extend a special thanks to the exceptionally caring staff of Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Rodger was born to Dr. Rodger and Alice (Hopkins) Weismann in Phoenix, Ariz., on January 10, 1942. He graduated from Hanover High School (N.H.) with the class of 1960. He then earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1964, where he was Captain of the Ski Team. He went on to get his MBA in 1966 from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, kicking off his 40+ year career as a chief financial officer.

When hired as the CFO for the Forum Corporation in 1979, he quickly caught the affections of Pam Maddalena and they married on November 6, 1982. Soon after, they welcomed two children, Tom and Hilary. He poured his heart into being the best husband and father, always present and ensuring his family knew how much he loved them.

Rodger and Pam called Lincoln home for almost 40 years, where they bought the house of Rodger’s dreams, planted roots, and made lifelong friends. They moved to Medfield earlier this year to be closer to their three grandchildren.

Being a family man came naturally to Rodger and his spirit of generosity shined brightest around the holidays, filling his wife’s four-foot-tall Christmas stocking to the brim every year and planting Christmas cards all over the tree for each of his 22 nieces and nephews. He always counted his blessings and was dedicated to giving back to family, friends, community, and especially those in need. He lived his life according to Luke 12:48, “To whom much is given, much will be required.” His family will forever cherish his generosity, charisma, and sense of humor.

Through the years, Rodger enjoyed the thrills of racing — from running marathons, to ski jumping and slalom racing, playing endless rounds of golf, and racing thoroughbred horses. He fulfilled a lifelong dream of having his horse, Captain Bodgit, race in the Kentucky Derby.

Second to his love for his family was his dedication to his golf game and the friendships formed through years of membership at Marlborough Country Club (MCC). His intense drive, financial prowess, and love for golf all came together in his last business role when he was elected to the MCC Board of Directors as the VP of Finance, fiercely determined to work right up until his final days.

In addition to his wife of 40 years, Pam, he leaves his children, Tom Weismann and Hilary Foley (Nathan); his grandchildren, Jack, Makenna and Farrah Foley; his siblings, Kathy Marohn (Bill), Betsy Gonnerman (Mike), Fred Weismann (Mary), and Bill Weismann (Deborah); in-laws Dan Maddalena (Cheryl), Jim Maddalena (Robin), John Maddalena and Bill Maddalena; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

His friends and family are invited to share happy memories and honor Rodger’s life by gathering for calling hours at Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main St. (Rt. 20) Waltham on Friday, Nov. 18 from 4–7 p.m. His Memorial Mass will be celebrated in Our Lady of Fatima Church, 160 Concord Rd., Sudbury, on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 9 a.m.

In his memory, donations can be made to Dana Farber Jimmy Fund, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215 or  to advance progress towards a cancer-free future, or to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Boston, 18 Canton St, Stoughton, MA 02072, or to support Rodger’s mission to help those in need.

This obituary was provided by the Joyce Funeral Home. Click here to to plant a memorial tree or send flowers to the family.

Town counsel slaps down voter roll complaint made by Lincoln resident

The November 8 election in Lincoln went as smoothly as it usually does, though there was one complication beforehand — town officials had to deal with a formal complaint of suspected voter fraud lodged by Todd Pond Road resident Thomas Risser.

In his October 31 complaint, Risser alleged that there were 357 people who were “illegally or incorrectly registered to vote in Lincoln” and provided a list of names and addresses compiled by Stephen J. Stuart based on discrepancies between Lincoln’s voter list and the U.S. Postal Service’s National Change of Address (NCOA) database. (Stuart is president of Stuart Research LLC, a Deland, Fla., company that lists as subsidiaries Stuart Research LLC, a direct mail and marketing company with no apparent website, and NCOA-easy.com, which updates lists of mailing addresses for a fee for organizations that send out bulk mail.) 

Just days before the Election Day, Town Clerk Valerie Fox scrambled to quickly respond as required by law, consulting with town counsel Lauren Goldberg and convening a meeting of Lincoln’s Board of Registrars of Voters. The three-person board voted unanimously on November 3 to deny, on Goldberg’s advice, Risser’s request to act on his complaint, saying it failed to meet the standard required under state law.

Reached by phone on November 10, Goldberg said that similar complaints were filed by residents in every city and town in the Massachusetts 5th Congressional district — an effort spearheaded by the campaign of Republican Caroline Colarusso, who was challenging incumbent Democrat Rep. Katherine Clark for the seat. Clark won by a margin of 75% to 25%.

A mailing address “may or may not relate to residency — it is not in itself evidence of residency. It doesn’t support the allegation… that’s really not the way election law works,” Goldberg said.

“It does not demonstrate that anybody has moved to another town or state, let alone [that they have] registered to vote somewhere else. All [Risser’s] got is mail is being sent somewhere else,” said Registrar Laura Glynn.

“It’s hard enough to get people to vote. For somebody who wanted to vote twice, it would certainly be a pretty intentional criminal act,” said Registrar Marget Flint.

As Fox explained at the board meeting and Goldberg later confirmed, there is a system in place to make sure people don’t vote twice, vote from a location where they don’t reside, or are mistakenly denied the opportunity to vote. The town sends a census form to every voter by mail once a year to ensure they still live at their Lincoln address. If they don’t return the form or a follow-up postcard two years in a row, or if they don’t vote in two consecutive federal elections, they are designated as inactive on the town’s voter rolls.

If someone moves and does not re-register to vote in another town, they are eligible to vote at their former address’s location for six months. If they do re-register, the new city or town immediately alerts the former town to remove them from their records.

Slightly more than half the names on the list in Risser’s complaint were associated with addresses on Hanscom Air Force Base, where the population shifts frequently as military postings change. 

Providing just a long list of names of people who may or may not be incorrectly registered is also not legally appropriate, Goldberg said. “The data from the NCOA is really evidence of nothing and is not personal to the individual. You can’t complain about 10 people [collectively] or even five. To require someone to come in [for a hearing], there has to be information about an individual, not several hundred or thousand. They have to provide information that a reasonable person would say ‘Hey, there’s enough here that merits looking into something.’”

As a last resort, someone who believes an individual is voting illegally may challenge that person at the polls (or by correspondence if the person voted early or by mail). In that case, both the voter and challenger would have to sign sworn statements and the vote would still be counted, albeit provisionally.

“No one showed up at the polls and challenged any of those voters in any of those towns, and that speaks volumes,” Goldberg said.

“The allegation [Risser] is making is very serious under the election laws… it’s a big deal,” she continued. If a registrar decides that someone may in fact be illegally registered to vote in their town, they are required to have that person served a subpoena served by a sheriff or process server, and both the recipient and the complainant must appear at a hearing before the board with legal counsel, documentation and possibly witnesses, according to state law. “We are relying on the voter under the penalty of perjury. If they illegally vote, that is a crime.”

Fraud opportunities are rampant, Risser says

In a conversation with the Lincoln Squirrel on November 9, Risser said he was not aware that the Board of Registrars had rejected his complaint. The affidavit text “was written by an attorney, and I assumed they were competent in the law and would have met legal standards.”

Risser and his wife Edie (who he said was heavily involved in the regional effort to file voter roll complaints) organized the infamous “voter integrity” event in Bemis Hall last May. The main speaker was Seth Keshel, one of several ex-military men and election deniers who toured the country pushing baseless conspiracy claims.

What was Risser’s motivation in filing the complaint? “Nobody really looks at [voting procedures], and if they did, they would be aghast at the opportunities for fraud,” he said. “No one is doing their duty in terms of the registrars… the law of the land is being systematically violated.”

Asked if he thought any current or former Lincoln residents were being intentionally deceptive about their voting status, he acknowledged, “In our little town, it’s very unlikely because people know each other so well. I’m not worried about throwing off elections in Lincoln; I’m worried about larger cities where people don’t know each other.”

Risser — a U.S. Navy veteran and a cardiologist with the Cambridge Health Alliance — said his operating principle in this case was “think globally, act locally. If it can happen here where we’re supposed to be educated people with a citizenry concerned about government, it can happen anywhere. This is one tiny little step to get every town” to make sure its voting records are correct, he said. 

Asked if he thought the 2020 Presidential election results were valid, Risser said, “I don’t know and I don’t think anyone else knows.” The bigger problem is the vulnerability of voting machines, he claimed. Lincoln uses paper ballots that are electronically scanned. “I’m sure the scanner reads correctly — what it does with the data is another issue. It depends who programmed the bloody thing,: he said. “These machines are incredibly dangerous. You can reprogram so the results read 51 to 49 [percent] or whatever you want them to read. The Chinese know my childhood girlfriend’s first name. Everyone’s getting hacked everywhere. We’re vastly too trusting of a system that’s rather easy for cyber-smart people to overwhelm.”

Risser went on to condemn the supposed ability to vote without being a U.S. citizen (“I’d say we are the laughingstock of the world in that regard,” he said), being able to vote in some cases without being asked to show a legal ID, or people receiving a ballot in the mail without having requesting one. 

What about the dozens of lawsuits alleging voter fraud that were filed and dismissed after the 2020 election? “Most of those were thrown out based on the formality of standing” to sue, Risser said. However, “it’s true that nothing has been proven conclusively, and that’s gratifying.”

As for former President Donald Trump — the source of much of the current suspicion about voting — “I don’t trust Trump. I think he’s proven himself to be such a narcissist that I’d have to question his motives. He’s a terrible example for our children… the issue is providing a country that our children deserve. We’re not Republicans or Democrats, we’re Americans.

“Whether [Risser and others] intended to make election day difficult or make people worried about going to the polls, it did that. Just the fact that you’re writing about it is evidence of that,” Goldberg said. “He should have given that personal evidence way ahead of time. It’s not possible to serve and have hundreds of hearings. It was very hard for the [town] clerks and completely unnecessary.”

Lincoln celebrates finished school project with ribbon-cutting gala

Officially cutting the ribbon are (left to right) Steve Banak, senior project manager at Consigli Construction; architect Jennifer Soucy of SMMA; K-4 Principal Sarah Collmer; Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall; John MacLachlan, School Committee chair; Keith Fallon, Executive Vice President of EwingCole Architects; and Select Board Chair Jennifer Glass. See more photos below.

Dozens of residents, school and town officials, and design and construction personnel gathered on October 28 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the newly renovated Lincoln School.

Half of the renovated school has actually been in use since September 2021 but the other half welcomed students and staff at the start of this school year. But the ceremony was a celebration to celebrate the years of planning, meetings, and general hard work (not to mention money) that went into the project which broke ground in June 2020.

The event was just shy of 10 years since Lincolnites first voted on whether to fund a major school project (the first since the Smith and Brooks buildings were linked in 1994). Voters were asked on Nov. 3, 2012 to approve bonding $28 million, supplemented by a promised state grant of $21 million, to demolish the old buildings and replace them with a new, compact $49 million school. The measure passed at a packed Special Town Meeting by a margin of 370-321 (54% to 45%) — but it wasn’t enough, since a two-third majority was required. As a result, the town forfeited the state funding and eventually approved spending $93 million for a combination of major renovations and additions, retaining the L-shaped campus but also resulting in a cafeteria; upgraded and reconfigured learning spaces; improved lighting, air quality, and acoustics; a link to the Brooks gym; and a net-zero energy footprint, among other things. (For a full history, see the School Building Committee website or read some of the 130+ Lincoln Squirrel articles on the topic.)

Among the highlights of the day were displays of items found in time capsules during the demolition associated with the first phase of the project. The time capsules were concealed within an interior wall in the old “link” under a display case in the interior entrance to the old library, in the area which now serves as the book room off the Dining Commons, SBC vice chair Kim Bodnar said.

“We didn’t know in advance that they would be found in that location,” she said.We knew that there were time capsules, but we thought that they were in or under the bell tower off the library, so Consigli used extra care in demolishing the tower. We were all surprised when the time capsules were revealed later in the demolition.”

“I enjoyed reading students’ predictions, hopes, and dreams. Several predicted we would have a real cafeteria [smiley face],” said Select Board Chair Jennifer Glass.

Some of the time capsule items and accompanying explanatory notes written by the students:

  • A new #2 pencil with “DO YOU STILL USE ME?” written along the barrel in red ink
  • A crayon (“A crayon is kind of like a marker but it uses colored wax instead of ink”)
  • Some cards from Magic the Gathering (“It’s a kind of game that boys and girls in the third grade like to play… we trade and collect these cards”)
  • A postage stamp (“I wonder how many cents it is going to be in 25 years. Right now it is worth 32¢”) (Editor’s note: Actually it was worth only 4¢; these G stamps were “makeup” stamps issued in 1994 so people with 29¢ stamps could meet the new letter rate of 32¢. It’s safe to assume that most of today’s second-graders would be baffled by the concept of a postage stamp.)
  • A Pog disc
  • A plastic Lion King figurine
  • A cassette tape of the children’s song “Baby Beluga” by Raffi
  • A photo of a second-grader’s Brownie troop

As the ceremony was going on, students in their classrooms did their own ribbon-cutting for the cameras. Below are some of the dozens of photos from the occasion — click here to see the entire gallery assembled by the School Building Committee.

RC-crowd
RC3-ribbon
RC1-group
RC-capsules
RC-class3-Sajdera
RC-items2
RC-1st-Laughlin
RC-lawler-5th
RC-johnson-7th
RC-class2-sykes

Lincoln votes strongly Democratic in 2022 midterms

Editor’s note: This story was updated on November 9 at 1:50 p.m.

In keeping with its longtime political leanings, Lincoln voted decisively in favor of Democratic candidates for statewide office and U.S. Representative in the 2022 midterms, according to unofficial results on the evening of November 8.

All four ballot questions passed in Lincoln. Statewide, Questions 1, 2, and 4 were approved while Question 3 was defeated.

For the first time in recent memory, residents in Lincoln’s two voting precincts had different choices for state representative. Due to redistricting after the 2020 census, the new Massachusetts state House maps split Lincoln between two districts along the town’s voting precinct line: the 13th Middlesex (Precinct 1, in the western part of town) and the 14th Norfolk (eastern Lincoln). District-wide, State Rep. Carmine Gentile (D) ran unopposed for reelection in the 13th Middlesex, while Alice Peisch (D) beat David Rolde (Green/Rainbow) in the 14th Norfolk by a margin of 89% to 11%. Tom Stanley, Lincoln’s longtime state representative, no longer represents any part of the town.

The precinct line within Lincoln did not change because the population distribution within town did not shift enough to warrant an adjustment. State Sen. Michael Barrett (who ran for reelection unopposed in the 9th Middlesex) ran uncontested for reelection and still represents Lincoln.

Precinct #1 Precinct #2Total% of votes
in race*
GOVERNOR /
LT. GOVERNOR
Healey & Driscoll (D)1,6749332,60781%
Diehl & Allen (R)31224055214%
Reed & Everett (L)2723502%
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Andrea Campbell (D)1,6659192,58480%
James McMahon (R)33026459419%
SECRETARY OF STATE
William Galvin (D)1,6629392,60181%
Rayla Campbell (R)27621348915%
Juan Sanchez (G/R)66361023%
TREASURER
Deborah Goldberg (D)1,6929352,62786%
Cristina Crawford (L)22918241114%
AUDITOR
Anthony Amore (R)42330773024%
Diana DiZoglio (D)1,3967602,15670%
Gloria Caballero-Roca (G/R)62431053%
Dominic Giannone (W)181028<1%
Daniel Riek (L)4222642%
REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS
Katherine Clark (D)1,6619292,59082%
Caroline Colarusso (R)32124056118%
COUNCILLOR
Marilyn Devaney (D)1,5798962,47599%
STATE SENATOR
Michael Barrett (D)1666,9332,599100%
STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Precinct 1
Carmine Gentile (D)1,636—1,636100%
STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Precinct 2
Alice Peisch (D)—91991992%
David Rolde (G/R)—77778%
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Marian Ryan (D)1,6399242,563100%
SHERIFF
Peter Koutoujian (D)1,6439362,579100%
QUESTION #1
(millionaires' tax)
Yes1,1646421,80658%
No7975171,31442%
QUESTION #2
(dental insurance)
Yes1,5389012,43980%
No38123962020%
QUESTION #3
(alcohol sales)
Yes1,0455941,63955%
No8225131,33545%
QUESTION #4
(driver's license eligibility)
Yes1,5048482,35275%
No45931877725%

* Totals do not always add up to 100% because write-in and blank ballots are not included.

News acorns

FELS Thanksgiving pies on offer

FELS, the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury, www.FELSGrant.org, is offering its Thanksgiving pie sale again this year after a four-year hiatus. Pies baked by The Hyve will be sold through Friday, Nov. 11. Pickup will be available at the high school and the Lincoln Council on Aging on Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 3–6 p.m. Pies can also be gifted to staff and faculty at L-S and will be delivered by FELS Board members. For more details, go to www.FELSGrant.org. Pies can also be purchased for donation to the food pantries in Lincoln and Sudbury and the fire and police departments in both towns. Those who are traveling and can’t buy a pie may donate to FELS, a non-profit organization that awards enrichment grants to L-S faculty and staff to pursue their professional and personal interests and passions.

Family portrait fundraiser for food pantry

On Saturday, Nov. 12, Lincoln photographer Corey Nimmer will host a family portrait fundraiser at Flint Farm, where 100% of proceeds will be go directly to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lincoln and Weston, which operates the local food pantry and provides financial support to families in need. Sessions will be about 5 minutes each. To participate, click here to book a time slot; when it’s time to pay, just select “Cheque” as your payment method. The suggested donation is $75, but any amount goes a long way toward helping your neighbors this holiday season, and you can either bring a check made out to the St. Vincent de Paul Society or click here to make an online donation.

See “Seussical” at L-S

Tickets are now on sale for the LSB Players’ production of “Seussical,” with shows on Thursday to Saturday, Nov. 17–19 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.  This bright and energetic musical combines several well-known Dr. Seuss characters to tell the story of Horton the Elephant and his fierce determination to protect the land of the Whos, despite the scorn and disbelief of his fellow jungle folk. This show explores hope, identity, inclusivity, and the importance of having that “one true friend in the universe who believes in you.” Directed and choreographed by Carly Evans, music directed by Michael Bunting, and conducted by Tom Grandprey, and performed in the Kirshner Auditorium at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. Click here to buy tickets. Please pick up your reserved, prepaid tickets at the will-call table on the night of the performance. 

Donate gift cards and items for food pantry clients

SVdP board member Alpheen Menachery and her grandchildren with Turkey Tins they’re donating.

Because of high inflation, Thanksgiving will be more difficult than usual for many of the clients of St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lincoln and Weston, which operates the shared food pantry, and its distributor is unable to supply turkeys this year. As a result, the food pantry is asking for donations of $25 gift cards from grocery stores (preferably Donelan’s) and/or items that will go into “Turkey Tin” food baskets. They expect about 130 families will receive the baskets and gift cards. To find out more and to sign up to donate, click here. Questions? Call 781-899-2611 x4 or email svdplincolnweston@gmail.com.

Substitute teachers needed

Lincoln Public Schools need full and half-day substitute teachers at a variety of grade levels in Lincoln and Hanscom Air Force Base. For more information, click here, email Kerry Parrella at kparrella@lincnet.org, or call 508-958-6872.

Another Lincolnite firefighter hired

Michael Goldblatt, Lincoln’s newest call firefighter.

Michael Goldblatt was one of 22 recruits to graduate from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program on November 1. The program delivers a standard recruit training curriculum, meeting national standards, on nights and weekends. Recruits learn to respond to all types of emergencies including gas leaks, chemical spills, drug overdoses, and trapped people as well as fires. Goldblatt was initially hired in Lincoln as an EMT and had to finish this training before he was allowed to ride on a fire truck or enter a structure fire (the Fire Department has three career firefighters and one per diem call firefighter at night to make up a shift of four.) He’s the third Lincoln-raised candidate who’s been hired in Lincoln as a call firefighter in the last three years. The other were Ronnie Row (who was hired three years ago but left for a job in Maynard) and Tom Blair.

Skittish Lincolnites report more issues at railroad crossing

A photo taken by Abigail Adams on November 2 of a train (an engine pulling a car filed with ballast) slowly moving toward the Tower Road crossing.

Railroad crossing problems continue in Lincoln as multiple residents reported this week that gates were stuck down and even a non-passenger train approaching when the gates were up — though Keolis and MBTA officials said this was related to ongoing track work and there was no danger.

LincolnTalk was abuzz Tuesday and Wednesday with emails from Lincolnites who sat in their cars for extended periods at crossings where the gates were down but a train never came. Resident Abigail Adams had the opposite experience as she was approaching the Tower Road crossing on Wednesday.

“As I was nearing the gate (but still at a distance), I saw the gate going up and the red lights turning off, so I assumed a train had just passed,” she told the Lincoln Squirrel. “As I got closer, I saw a train moving out of the corner of my eye so I immediately stopped and honked the horn and starting waving at the oncoming car to stop. They too realized what was happening and stopped their car. The train was coming at a lesser speed than normal. I think the conductor realized the gates were not down, and someone got off the train, looked up at the gates and then stood on the side of the tracks to block cars from crossing, and then the train proceeded to move across the road.

“After the main part of the train was across the road and about two carriers as well, the lights came on and the gates went down,” she continued. “Once the train was gone and lights and gates off and up, I went across. I had to re-cross about 12 minutes later and there were then three Keolis trucks there upon my return looking over the situation.”

The Lincoln Squirrel sent Adams’s photo of the train to Keolis officials. “There is nothing in the photo to indicate that there was any safety risk to anyone or that standard safety procedures weren’t followed,” responded Keolis spokesperson Alana Westwater.

“Most of you have probably experienced the frustration of sitting at the railroad crossing with the arms down for what feels like hours, only of the arms to go up with either no train passing, or the arms never go up and people have to drive around the arms to get to the other side, or you give up and find another way that doesn’t involve crossing the railroad tracks,” resident Liz Lieblich wrote on November 1. “I feel like 85% of the time, the arms (when they come down), have problems.”

Lieblich said she called the phone number posted at the crossing (800-449-6393) and explained that the crossing has had issues for some time, though especially this week. This causes traffic to build up on Tower Road and 117, making turns onto 117 from Tower ever more difficult and dangerous. She quoted the person as saying that “the crossing mechanisms at Tower Road differ from most others and it’s the most problematic of the crossings.” They also said that trains were being required to slow down and stop at the crossing because something was wrong with the gates,

“His suggestion was to always call and report an issue so that the problem becomes elevated — to what end, I don’t know,” she said.

“I’ve experienced the delays and two close calls, both on Tower Road,” another resident wrote on LincolnTalk. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to trust the tracks even when they’re repaired!”

The issues are especially worrisome in light of an incident last April when, due to an error on the part of a maintenance worker, a train came through the Route 177 crossing at almost full speed and narrowly missed hitting the car of a Lincoln resident who got her car off the tracks just in time. 

Town officials who contacted the MBTA in response to this week’s listserv posts were told that the MBTA is doing track maintenance along the Fitchburg line and is working in Lincoln this week. “When maintenance activities are taking place in close proximity to a crossing, the MBTA’s protocol is to take that particular crossing out of service,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins reported in an email to LincolnTalk. In that situation, the MBTA tower/dispatch center tells all approaching trains to come to a complete stop before reaching the crossing. “A train crew member then exits the train and walks alongside until the train has safely cleared the crossing. We have been told that this is standard operating procedure,” he said.

“However, we have also received reports of gates going up and coming immediately back down as vehicles are proceeding through a crossing, nearly coming down on top of the passing vehicle,” Higgins continued. “We have also reported this concern to the MBTA. We urge residents not to proceed through a crossing while the lights are flashing, even if the gates are in the upright position.”

Lincoln Police Lt. Sean Kennedy was more reassuring in another email to LincolnTalk earlier on November 2 after speaking to an MBTA construction supervisor and the track supervisor for the Lincoln area

“First and foremost, the track supervisor said there is no safety concern with the Tower Road crossing. The signal at that crossing is working properly, as are all of our crossings,” Kennedy wrote. The Tower Road crossing had had a problem in the past that required trains to stop, but it was resolved, he said.

“The reason why the gates are remaining down for an extended period of time is due to the ongoing construction which requires a speed restriction for the trains,” he continued. “As explained to me, the signaling [mechanism] which trips the crossing is approximately 4,000 feet before the crossing. Under normal operations, when a train is traveling at 70mph in that area, the signaling [mechanism] trips the crossing gates to come down. Due to the speed restriction, the trains are now traveling at 25-30mph and therefore the gates are down more than twice as [long as] usual.

An October 26 panoramic photo by Alaric Naiman of construction equipment on the tracks next to the Donelan’s parking lot (click to enlarge).

“From time to time, the construction crews working on the tracks will move equipment towards a crossing, which will in turn trip the signaling which causes the gates to come down and then go back up when a train isn’t in the area,” Kennedy said.

In an email to the Lincoln Squirrel on Thursday, Keolis spokesperson Alana Westwater confirmed that railroad ties and ballast (the rocky bed under the rails and ties) are being replaced as part of routine track maintenance.

“During construction, at impacted crossings, people in town will notice that we have put some additional safety measures in place that will change crossing operations temporarily. Crossings that are not impacted by construction will see normal operations,” she wrote. “Some of the changes may mean that crossing gates are down longer as trains reduce speed, or that trains adopt a ‘stop and protect’ procedure where the crew stops the train and walks it through the crossings in lieu of the crossing gates being activated. All these changes are designed to keep drivers, pedestrians, construction crews, train crews and passengers safe.”

Westwater said construction will be finished by December 2 “unless impacted by weather or other unforeseen circumstances” and that commuter rail passengers “may experience some minor delays.” She encouraged them to subscribe to T alerts and follow @MBTA_CR schedule information.

News acorns

Free Covid-19 test kits available

Once again, the town has a supply of free iHealth antigen rapid test kits for residents who are symptomatic or have been in close contact with Covid-19. Supplies are limited to one box (two tests) per person in your household. Test kits can be picked up Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. in the Select Board Office in Town Hall or the Council On Aging and Human Services Office in Bemis Hall. Test kits may also be picked up seven days per week, 24 hours a day at the Public Safety Building dispatch window. These kits currently expire in January, but expiration dates are being continually reevaluated. Each box has a barcode for you to scan and receive updated expiration information.

CCF offers sessions on sheet mulching and cooking

Codman Community Farms is offering a hands-on workshop on Gardening for a Changing Climate: Sheet Mulching on Sunday, Oct. 30 from 2–4 p.m. in the market garden. This workshop is free but registration is required; click here to register. The fall Gardening for a Changing Climate workshops are part of the Healthy Soils Series, a collaboration among the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, Lincoln Common Ground, and Codman Community Farms. The farm is also offering classes on cooking turkey (Saturday, Nov. 5) and pumpkin ravioli (Wednesday, Nov. 9), and Sugar Shack Storytime for kids on Wednesdays from 4:15–5 p.m. through November 30. Click here to see all events at the farm.

Coat drive through November 14

The Town of Lincoln’s Staff Culture, Recognition, Unity, and Fun Initiative is sponsoring a winter coat drive from October 31 through November 14. Please bring new or gently used coats and jackets of any size to the donation bins located at Town Hall and the Public Safety Building during that time. Lapel Cleaners in Concord has generously offered to clean the donations at no charge. Donations will benefit  On The Rise and Reach MA.

The Great Pumpkin Smash is coming

Mothers Out Front is sponsoring the Great Pumpkin Smash at Codman Community Farms on Sunday, Nov. 6 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Every year in the U.S., an estimated 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are carted away to landfills or incinerators where they produce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Green your Halloween by bringing your pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and decorative gourds to this family-friendly event, smash your Halloween creations, and recycle them into the soil by feeding them to the Codman Farm pigs. Please remove any stickers, paint, candles, or other decorations. Suggested donation of $1/pumpkin to benefit  CCF. Click here to register.

Farmland available for licensing

The Conservation Commission is currently accepting proposals from persons, farms, or organizations for licensing municipal conservation land for agricultural purposes. The two parcels available for licensing for the 2023-2027 farm licensing period are as follows:

  • A 3.5-acre parcel at Umbrello Field (270 South Great Rd., parcel ID 179 32 0))
  • A 3.0-acre parcel at Mt. Misery Fields (60 South Great Rd., parcel ID 159 20 0))

Those interested in applying for these fields should contact the Conservation Department to get detailed Request for Proposals packets. Join Conservation staff for a site visit at both parcels on Wednesday, Nov. 16 (see packets for more details). Proposals must be received no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5.

Movie: “The Great Beauty”

Join the Lincoln Library Film Society in the Tarbell Room on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. for “The Great Beauty” (2013) directed by Paolo Sorrentino. In Italian with English subtitles. It’s a Fellini-esque tale of decadence and lost love featuring sensuous cinematography, a lush score, and an award-winning performance by Toni Servillo.

Correction

The September 29 edition of News Acorns has been updated with the correct program for the piano concert given by Abla Shocair. She played Liszt’s/Paganini Etude No.3,”La Campanella” and Chopin’s twelve Etudes Opus 10, dedicated to his friend Franz Liszt. Despite being a civil/structural engineer by profession, Abla kept up her piano performances in different cities. She was born in Amman where she started her piano lessons at age 4. The concert can be viewed here on Zoom (passcode: de#W1j&$).