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My Turn: Vote Hutchinson for Select Board

Fellow Lincolnites: I urge you to cast your vote for Jim Hutchinson for Select Board in the upcoming town election on March 28.

I have served on both the Green Energy Committee and the Water Commission with Jim Hutchinson. When Jim volunteered to join the Water Commission, the Water Department was in dire straits. His expertise in the intricacies of municipal finance was critical as we dealt with the need for substantial capital investment, but equally important was his ability to quickly understand the issues and suggest the best way to tackle each one. After a year of his leadership, the department was back on track.

What really stood out to me, however, was that Jim treats every person with respect. Whether it is a new Water Department superintendent, a disgruntled water customer, a member of the department staff, or one of his fellow committee members, he listens deeply to their concerns and strives to reach consensus on all decisions. Moreover, Jim has no agenda but to do what is best for the town.

I believe that Jim offers just the right expertise and temperament to make an excellent member of the Select Board, and I urge you to vote for him on March 28.

Ruth Ann Hendrickson
Water Commissioner
253 Concord Rd., Lincoln

“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 Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Police log for March 4–10, 2022

March 4

Wells Road (11:46 a.m.) — A walk-in to the station reporting a possible theft of their Social Security deposit. An officer spoke to the party and contacted the bank. The bank reported the funds were in fact deposited.

Police station (3:25 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported a party down by the Post Office on crutches looked in need of medical attention. An officer spoke to the party who is not in need of medical attention but needed a ride. The officer assisted the party to their residence.

Wells Road (7:11 p.m.) — Party accidentally called 911 looking for assistance with paying a phone bill. Party advised to contact their provider.

March 5

Langley Road, Hanscom AFB (1:41 p.m.) — Concord police requested a well-being check on a child after an incident that occurred in their town. Officer responded, the child was fine. The parents were advised to follow up with Concord police.

First Parish, Stone Church (3:04 p.m.) — Caller reported a large dog running around the playground and that parents were concerned. Animal Control notified and an officer responded to stand by. Animal Control arrived to get the dog, as did the owner. The owner took control of the dog.

Conant Road (3:40 p.m.) — A party called requesting a well-being check on the residence. Officer responded and spoke to the residents. Everything was fine at the house; the officer followed up with services that can assist them.

Liberty Lane, Hanscom AFB, (6:46 p.m.) —  Officer assisted Hanscom Air Force Base with a missing juvenile. Officers conducted an investigation and safely located the juvenile on March 7 in Hudson, N.H.

Police station (7:27 p.m.) — A party turned in a wallet that was found. The owner was contacted and later came into the station to pick it up.

Lexington Road (9:30 p.m.) — A caller who was out of town reported their neighbor informed them that earlier in the day, a group of people were playing in the snow on their property. An officer checked and no one was at the property.

March 6

Cambridge Turnpike (1:13 a.m.) — Officer reported the gate to the cell tower area was left open. Officer checked and it appears to be neglect.

Lexington Road (4:29 a.m.) — State Police had a driver flee a crash on I-95 in Lexington. Officers checked the area for the party but no contact was made with the individual.

Wells Road (6:50 p.m.) — Party called to report their bicycle was stolen. They later called back and reported the bicycle was found.

March 7

Trapelo Road (2:14 a.m.) — Officer checked on a bicyclist. The party said they’re fine.

Old Sudbury Road (8:29 p.m.) — A party drove onto the railroad tracks at the Old Sudbury Road crossing and got stuck. The MBTA tower was notified. The vehicle was towed and the driver was transported to the Emerson Hospital as a precaution.

March 8

Nothing of note.

March 9

Hanscom Vandenberg Gate (7:41 a.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces called reporting that Jonathan Taveras, 28, of Lawrence was attempting to get on the base and has an active warrant for a restraining order violation out of Salem District Court. Officers responded and arrested Taveras, who was booked and later brought to the Concord District Court.

Concord Road (7:10 p.m.) — Caller reported a car off the road Route 126 near Old Concord. Officer responded and found that a car had slid off the roadway. A plow driver assisted in pulling the car out of the snow embankment. No damage.

March 10

Minuteman Technical High School (9:03 a.m.) — Police were called regarding a juvenile matter.

Lexington Road (11:42 a.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported that their computer was hacked. Report taken; no financial loss at this time. The party was advised of what safeguards to take.

Farrar Road (3:39 p.m.) — Caller reported smoke coming from a house on Farrar Road. Fire Department responded; the smoke is coming from a wood burning stove.

Police Department (4:19 p.m.) — Party walked into the station requesting information on a civil matter. An officer spoke to the party and provided them with their legal options.

Todd Pond Road (5:42 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station asked to speak to an officer about phone calls that were possibly a scam. An officer documented the incident.

Town Meeting procedures and precautions outlined

For the first time in three years, Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting will take place indoors. It will start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 26 in the newly renovated Brooks Auditorium. Here are some details about what to expect.

Parking — Parking will be available in the Brooks and Hartwell lots, the modular classroom temporary parking lot, and various roadside spots along Ballfield Road. Spaces closest to the entrance will be reserved for handicap and mobility impaired parking. Public safety staff will be on hand to assist.

Masks — The mask mandate has been lifted, community members are encouraged to wear masks and leave two seats between parties from different households. Officials also encourage residents to test themselves before and after the meeting; the town has free kits available to anyone who would like one.

Seating — Residents are welcome to sit in the gym as well as the auditorium. Those in the gym will be able to view, listen and vote from the gym, but they will not be able to make comments. To comment, they will need to come to a microphone location in the auditorium. 

Making comments and asking questions — There will be standing microphones for people to queue up in the auditorium, as well as handheld microphones that can be passed to those unable to get to a standing microphone. If people would prefer to write their comment down, officials will accommodate that.

Watching remotely — Officials are hoping to have a live feed of the meeting through cable TV and the town website (www.lincolntown.org). They are awaiting new hardware, so if it doesn’t arrive in time, they will stream the meeting on Zoom. In either case, the necessary information will be posted on the Annual Town Meeting webpage.

Those watching from home may not vote or speak. They’re encouraged to submit any questions to the relevant board in advance of the meeting, either at a public meeting or over email.

Food and beverages — The Girl Scouts will provide coffee and breakfast treats that can be consumed in the hallways, gym, or new movement room. Given the new carpeting and fabric seating, only water will be allowed in the auditorium. Lunch will not be provided.

“We want the meeting to run as efficiently as possible in the interest of public health and the time residents are being asked to commit,” said Assistant Town Manager Dan Pereira. “The pandemic forced us to rethink our practices and we’ve developed some strategies (presentations in advance, greater use of the consent calendar, remote viewing) that have led to a better meeting overall. Our goal is to be done by midday, but that will be at the discretion of the moderator.”

Several presentations can be viewed ahead of time on the Annual Town Meeting webpage.

Masks no longer required indoors in Lincoln as of March 14

Masks will no longer be required indoors in Lincoln as of Monday, March 14, and the Lincoln Public Schools will move to a “less masking” policy on the same day.

Wearing masks in the schools and on buses will be optional with the following exceptions. Mask wearing is required/necessary:

  • In nurses’ offices and healthcare settings, per the state Department of Public Health
  • For all individuals in days 6-10 following a positive Covid-19 test result, indoors
  • When directed by a school nurse for health and safety reasons

Mask wearing is strongly recommended for unvaccinated individuals and those with health risks. Everyone is welcome to wear masks at any time, “and a culture of support and acceptance for those continuing to wear masks is the expectation,” according to a March 11 statement form the School Committee.

The schools will continue to monitor Covid-19 cases on a daily basis. “As necessary, we will make decisions about reinstating mask requirements on a classroom, grade, school, or district level in order to minimize or stop potential spread of the virus. Decisions may include a short-term, temporary mask requirement or a longer-term requirement depending upon the circumstances of the positive case rates and distribution of the cases,” the statement said.

After a spike due to the omicron variant in February, the case rate everywhere has dropped substantially. Last week, for the first time since pool testing began at the schools, there were no positive cases.

The Board of Health rescinded the town-wide indoor mask mandate, though they and the DPH recommended that residents with weakened immune systems or at increased risk of severe Covid-19 because of age or medical conditions (or who have a household member at increased risk) continue to wear a mask when indoors other than in their home, even if they’re vaccinated. Private establishments may continue to require masks upon entry.

The board also noted that there are free Covid-19 treatments available that can prevent hospitalizations and reduce the risk of becoming very ill for those who test positive for the virus and have symptoms, or for those at increased risk of severe disease. Treatments now include Paxlovid, an oral antiviral agent that physicians can prescribe. Prevention now includes Evusheld preventive antibody injections for immunocompromised persons.

Public forum on town budget set for March 15

As the March 26 Annual Town Meeting draws near, the Finance Committee will host a virtual Town Budget Q&A on Tuesday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. (see below for Zoom link). The proposed budget for fiscal 2023 is 3.0% higher than last year’s. A summary can be found on page 8 of the Financial Section and Warrant, with a detailed breakdown beginning on page 57.

All residents have the right to speak at Town Meetings, and FinCom members will respond to comments and questions at that time. However, to keep the Town Meeting as short and focused as possible, the committee hopes to address comments and questions in this virtual Q&A session before the in-person meeting.

The FinCom presented the budget at a public hearing on February 15; click here to watch a recording of that meeting. The budget presentation starts around 30:00. Viewers have the option of using YouTube’s accelerated playback feature to review material quickly. 

Since the warrant was printed, the Finance Committee has deliberated and is recommending an amended budget that adds $200,000 to the cash capital items, and lowers the stabilization fund contribution by the same amount (formerly $1,323,438, now $1,123,438). The $200,000 was requested by the School Building Committee for lighting control systems at the renovated school and is recommended by the Capital Committee. The amount is expected to be fully offset by future proceeds from the sale of the modular classrooms. 

The March 15 Zoom Q&A session will not include the full budget presentation. See the video presentation above and/or review the financial report before the Q&A session. However, the Q&A session will be recorded and posted.

Click here to join the March 15 Q&A on Zoom (meeting ID: 849 2072 7318; password: fincom). Town Meeting will take place on Saturday, March 26 at 9:30 a.m. in the newly renovated Brooks Auditorium. All materials, including recorded presentations and slides relating to other warrant articles, are available on the 2022 Annual Town Meeting web page.

Further information on Town Meeting procedures and warrant articles will be published next week in the Lincoln Squirrel.

My Turn: Vote for Hogue for Select Board

Dear Lincoln,

I am writing today in support of Adam Hogue’s efforts to be elected to Lincoln’s Select Board. I met Adam and his family last summer and had the opportunity to do a few a jobs for them. Through conversations and other interactions, I have found Adam to be very respectful, fair-minded, and very dedicated to Lincoln. As he has stated in his March 9 letter, he has a passion for serving.

I am very confident that should he be elected to the Select Board, he will carryout his functions with the judiciousness and integrity required.

Kind regards,

Donald Fonseca
1 Mary’s Way

“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.

News acorns

L-S School Committee candidate plans meet-and-greet in Lincoln

Maura Carty

L-S School Committee candidate Maura Carty invites residents to meet with her on Saturday, March 12 from 10–11 a.m. at the Twisted Tree in Lincoln to hear why she’s running, ask questions, and share what’s important to you. (Two seats are open in the March 28 election; Carty is hoping to beat out one of the incumbents, Cara Endyke Dorman or Kevin Matthews, who are running for reelection. All three are Sudbury residents.) Carty will also be at Sudbury Coffee Works on Wednesday, March 16 from 10–11 a.m. and a virtual gathering on Tuesday, March 22 from 7–8 p.m. Her website is www.mauracarty4ls.com.

Big Night(s) for amphibians is coming

“Big Night” is often used to describe the annual ritual of certain frogs and salamanders when they migrate from their upland overwintering habitat towards their spring breeding ground (generally a small pond or wetland that dries up in the summer months). The exact date(s) are unknown but usually happen on the first few rainy nights in March and early April when the night temperature is above 40 degrees. However, they are often endangered by cars when crossing roads. If you plan to watch for them, park well off the road, wear a reflective vest, and use a flashlight. If vehicle headlights are in the distance and there is a frog or salamander in the road, please move it off the road in the direction it was heading (moisten hands if possible in a puddle before handling to minimize disturbance to their skin). Feel free to email the Conservation Department at conservation@lincolntown.org to share what you see. To learn more about amphibians, vernal pools, and Big Night, see www.vernalpool.org.

See “Days of Heaven” in person

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen the 1978 Oscar-winning film “Days of Heaven” on Thursday, March 17 at 6 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. Starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard; directed by Terrance Malik. Descriptive content provided by Syndetics.

FoMA event looks at aluminum house

Friends of Modern Architecture–Lincoln will present “Stewardship and Sustainability: Lincoln’s 1957 Alcoa Aluminum House” at its annual award ceremony via Zoom on Sunday, March 27 from 4–5:30 p.m. (click here to register). The group will honor the owners of Lincoln’s 1957 Alcoa Care-Free Aluminum House for their stewardship of this unique house, one of only two dozen built in the United States. There will be a presentation about the house and its restoration, followed by a short Q&A session with the owners.

Kindergarten registration now open

The Lincoln School is starting the fall 2022 kindergarten enrollment and registration process.  If your child is eligible or know of a family who has an eligible child, please see this Lincoln Public Schools webpage for information and an Intent to Enroll form. Children who are Lincoln residents and will be five years old by October 1, 2022 are eligible to enroll. The Lincoln Public Schools also enroll town and school employees’ children with approval of the School Committee and Boston-resident students through the METCO program. 

Town completes second round of bonding for school project

The town has sold bonds worth $8,489,000 in the second portion of borrowing to fund the school project. The sale generated a 2.6% interest rate with annual debt service at roughly $440,000, according to Lincoln Finance Director Colleen Wilkins.

Prior to the sale, the town’s AAA credit rating was affirmed by Standard & Poor, which helped keep interest rates low. “As part of their report, S&P cited strong credit rating factors for the town, including Lincoln’s very strong economy, very strong management with strong financial policies and practices, and the town’s thoughtful practice of building financial reserves,” Wilkins said.

The tax impact on the median tax bill is $215 and will be reflected in real estate tax bills issued in fall 2022.

In the first round of borrowing in early 2019, the town sold bonds worth $80 million at an interest rate of 3.379%. At that time, the Finance Committee was basing property tax impact estimates for the project on an expected interest rate of 4–5%, resulting an estimated tax hike of 18–20%, but officials revised that down to 14–16%.

The combined bond sales plus $4.4 million from the town’s debt stabilization fund and $1 million from free cash in 2019 are funding the $92.9 million project , which is scheduled for completion this summer.  For fiscal year 2023,  the Finance Committee projects in the Annual Town Meeting warrant that debt service for the school project will be $4.29 million, or 9.6% of the $44.52 million town budget.