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

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Road work in Concord will affect Bypass Road

Starting later this month, drivers heading toward Concord Center from the Meriam’s Corner area will be detoured as the town of Concord performs roadway and drainage improvements along Cambridge Turnpike between Lexington Road and Route 2A.

The work will necessitate intermittent and occasional full road closure during daytime work hours. When Cambridge Turnpike is closed, eastbound traffic will be detoured to Bypass Road Lincoln via Lexington Road Concord (see map below). Westbound traffic will be detoured to Walden Street via Route 2.

Lincoln police will monitor the detour routes and coordinate with Concord police to minimize any impact on Lincoln’s roadways. The project is expected to take about a year.

Traffic will be detoured around a segment of Cambridge Turnpike (solid line), with Bypass Road in Lincoln bearing some of the eastbound Route 2 traffic (click map to enlarge).

Letter to the editor: can ranked-choice voting strengthen our democracy?

To the editor:

The midterm elections of 2018 have sparked new interest in a process of voting for candidates known as ranked-choice voting (RCV).

An August 7 editorial in the Boston Globe asserts, “The Massachusetts legislature would be wise to adopt ranked-choice voting, coupled with a robust voter education campaign for statewide elections.” Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin has revealed that he is open to the idea of RCV. Some have suggested that RCV might be an appropriate issue for a ballot question. But why all of a sudden are we just now hearing about ranked-choice voting?

Interest is surging in Massachusetts because of two specific elections, one in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District and the other in Massachusetts’s 3rd Congressional District. Why Maine? In 2016, Maine became the first state to enact ranked-choice voting for statewide elections for governor, state legislature, and Congress. The state used RCV for the first time in November 2018 when the votes for the top two of four contenders in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District were too close to declare one a lawful victor. The process of RCV ultimately proved effective and efficient in determining the winner without resorting to a runoff.

Why is there now interest in the seat in the 3rd Massachusetts District, which Niki Tsongas held for a decade? There were ten individuals competing in the Democratic primary. Because of the distribution of votes among all ten, and since no candidate achieved a majority, a runoff was required for the top two. RCV would likely have resolved the election without a costly and time-consuming recount.

How does RCV work? Instead of picking just one candidate, ranked-choice voting allows you to rank the candidates on the ballot — as many or as few as you like — in your order of preference. If one person gets 50 percent of the vote, no further action is necessary. If no candidate gets 50 percent or more of first-choice votes, then the last-place candidate is eliminated and that candidate’s votes automatically get reallocated to the second choice listed on those ballots. RCV ensures that whoever wins has the support of the majority of voters and not just an electoral plurality.

Supporters believe that RCV frees voters from being pressured to choose between two or more preferences, and solves the problem of “spoiler” candidates who don’t actually reflect a majority of overall voter preference. According to Eric Maskin, a Nobel prize-winning Harvard economist, RCV gives all voters the opportunity to cast their vote according to their individual preference as well as a means to determine which candidate is most preferred by a majority of all votes cast.  The method has been used by the Cambridge City Council since 1941 as well as in municipal elections in Memphis, San Francisco and Minneapolis and in parliamentary elections in Australia and Ireland, as well as in the recent midterm Congressional vote in Maine.

Closer to home, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization, Voter Choice Massachusetts, is dedicated to educating the public and fostering legislative support for RCV. Supporters believe that RCV frees voters from being pressured to choose between two or more candidates, and solves the problem of “spoiler” candidates who don’t actually reflect a majority of overall voter preference.

Lincoln residents are proud of their grassroots politics, cherish their Town Meeting, and treasure their civic activism. On January 20, we in Lincoln have an opportunity to learn from a nonpartisan expert, Jim Henderson, board member of Voter Choice Massachusetts, the pros and cons of RCV and its relevance to Massachusetts. We hope you will join the discussion and help us all to reflect on the utility and value of RCV for statewide elections in Massachusetts on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 3 p.m.  in Bemis Hall.

Sincerely,

Barbara Slayter and Gary Davis
Co-chairs, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

New bike/pedestrian group seeks members

A new Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) is being formed to advise the Board of Selectmen and other committees and boards on issues of cycling and pedestrian safety, and interested residents are invite to apply.

The BPAC will pick up where the Cycling Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC) left off, working with town departments to study options for making Lincoln’s roadways safer for cyclists and pedestrians. “The selectmen hope that the knowledge gained will become a natural part of our thinking and planning within DPW, Planning, Roadway & Traffic, Public Safety, and Parks & Recreation,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said.

The CSAC was formed in 2017 to develop recommendations for improving cycling safety after two bicyclers (Eugene Thornberg and Mark Himelfarb) died in road accidents in Lincoln in 2016. The group issued its report in October 2018 outlining the state of the roads for bike riders, what steps had already been taken, and what more could be done to improve safety. Members performed an “audit” of major biking roads, cycling on each one and documenting hazards with GPS positioning and photographs.

Even as the study was being completed, the town was already fixing some road safety issues with the help of a Complete Streets grant. Among the work done so far: adding a pedestrian island and lights at the intersection of Lincoln Road and Route 117, repairing several roadside paths, and changing the stop lines and other markings on the south side of Route 117 at the intersection with Tower Road.

Among the CSAC’s accomplishments:

  • Revived the Bike to School program
  • Developed and distributed a “Rules of the Road” bookmark for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians
  • Worked with Lincoln police to increase “educational” traffic stops for both drivers and cyclists who violate Massachusetts traffic laws related to cycling.
  • Worked with other town officials to install “Bikes May Use Full Lane” signs (with additional help in research and lobbying from L-S student Ashley duToit, who worked on the initiative as part of her Gold Star project)

Other recommendations for future work include:

  • Making improvements to the intersection of Routes 117 and 126 as well as Route 2A. Both projects will require working with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
  • Working with Hanscom Field, Minuteman National Park and the Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS) to lobby MassDOT for safety improvements along Route 2A.
  • Asking MassDOT to build a bicycle/pedestrian tunnel to reconnect parts of the town isolated by Route 2, such as reconnecting Lexington Road or Page Road south of Route 2 with Lexington Road north of the highway.
  • Reinstituting the Bike Safety Program as part of the school curriculum.

Anyone interested in serving on the BPAC should send a letter of interest to Peggy Elder, administrative assistant in the Selectmen’s Office (elderp@lincolntown.org) by Tuesday, Jan. 15. For more information, call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.

Strike up the band (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Lincoln School musicians directed by music teacher Karen Sheppard were one of seven schools, colleges, and local musicians who gave holiday performances at the Watertown Mall shortly before Christmas. Other schools were Boston University Academy, Perkins School for the Blind, St. Jude’s School, Belmont Hill School, and Watertown middle and high schools. It was the first year that the Lincoln School performed.

Above (front row, left to right): Simon Karty, Kalash Manandhar, Elizabeth Cooke, Sebastiano D’Ambrosio, Sage Gorman, and Hunjun Lee. bStanding in back: Georgia Buendia and Alexandar Balogh.

Standing in back (left to right): percussionists Nicholas Volpone, Georgia Buendia, Aubie Wells, and Alexander Balogh. Front row: Karen Sheppard (conductor), Sebastiano D’Ambrosio, Hunjun Lee, Nina Gill, and Olivia Wilkinson.

South Lincoln efforts continue with workshop for businesses

As part of a larger effort to revitalize the Lincoln Station area, the town is sponsoring a free workshop for Lincoln’s storefront business owners titled “Retail Best Practices: The Power of Presentation” on Wednesday, Jan. 9 from 8–9:30 a.m. at the Rural Land Foundation office at Lincoln Station (145 Lincoln Rd., second floor).

The session led by Christine Moynihan of Retail Visioning. Her program aims to help business owners improve the look and feel of their establishments as well as the customer experience and business planning and marketing in print and online. Attendees are also invited to participate in a private one-on-one free consultation with Moynihan in January or early February and could be eligible to receive a small grant to help implement recommendations made by the consultant.

For more information about the program or to register, contact Jennifer Burney, Director Planning and Land Use, at burneyj@lincolntown.org or 781-259-2684. Registration is not required but seating may be limited.

Funding for the workshop comes from a grant awarded to the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee, which is steering several simultaneous projects aimed at revitalizing the area around Lincoln Station.

Other SLPIC projects

The MBTA subcommittee has recommended a list of improvements to the train station and commuter parking lots and expects to receive $500,000 from the state to pay for a study to design those improvements. The group is soliciting opinions as to whether the inbound and outbound train stops should be on the same side of the tracks, and whether non-Lincoln residents, or whether out-of-town commuters would be willing to pay for parking using a smartphone app. People can respond on the South Lincoln Revitalization Project website or by texting 781-702-3466.

Another SLPIC subcommittee is looking at zoning changes in South Lincoln that would encourage residential or mixed-use development in the area. The town hired Weston & Sampson more than a year ago to look at options for relocating and/or consolidating DPW operations on Lewis Street. Among the possibilities: moving the entire DPW to the transfer station, or co-locating some DPW functions on other land near Hanscom Field.

The study was expected to take only three months but is still not finished; the firm is expected to provide an update to SLPIC in January. “The work has taken longer due to the amount of parcels they had to review and apply the analysis to,” Burney said. “Unfortunately, projects often take longer than expected.”

Much of the study has consisted at examining and rating other possible DPW sites in town, as well as costs associated with any relocation. However, some North Lincoln residents have already voiced concerns about the idea of moving some or all of the DPW’s functions to the transfer station site.

With the help of grants, SLPIC’s Wayfinding Team has already installed wayfinding signs and a “pocket park” with a kiosk and bike repair station next to the railroad tracks. Among the items on the group’s to-do list for 2019: conducting a parking and sewer feasibility study, and seeking funds to spruce up the park-like area between Donelan’s and Lincoln Woods. A June 2017 report presented design ideas along with a cost estimate of $100,000.

Girl Scouts spearhead successful donation program for seniors

Girl Scouts collect donations for Lincoln seniors from fellow students at the Lincoln School.

Thanks to a donation drive by the Lincoln Girl Scouts, 28 bags “full to the brim” with donated items will be distributed to needy seniors in Lincoln, said Council on Aging Director Carolyn Bottum.

The Scouts teamed up with the Lincoln Council on Aging to host a holiday gift basket drive during the weeks before Thanksgiving to benefit homebound, frail, and economically disadvantaged seniors living in Lincoln. The Scouts collected donations of toiletries, cleaning supplies, socks, and helpful household items that COA staff will deliver on home visits. Many other Lincoln residents donated items to the COA as well.

For two weeks, the girls stood in the foyer of the Lincoln School during arrival time to greet and solicit participation from their peers,. They also made morning announcements on the PA system to the school and even spent an afternoon outside Donelan’s getting the word out to local residents.

The hands-on, goal-oriented project taught Scouts marketing and social skills even as they learned about the importance of giving back—and they were impressed by the amount of donations they collected. During the “sorting party,” one girl exclaimed “We did this! Because of us, over 40 homes will get a beautiful gift basket with all this stuff!”

This was the second year that the COA has assembled gift bags but the first in which the Girl Scouts played a leading role. Girl Scout troop leader Tomasina Lucchese noted that the group is thankful to the entire community and especially the COA “for all the wonderful work they do all year round.”

Pierce House needs help with First Day 2019

Lincoln residents and their guests are invited to First Day 2019 on January 1, 2019 from 1–5 p.m. at the Pierce House—and organizers need help in making the annual event happen.

The drop-in event celebration, which is a great way to meet neighbors and fellow Lincolnites, features food, desserts, refreshments, children’s activities, and music by the Ancient Mariners. Last year’s event, initially threatened by a lack of funding, came together with the support of town organizations, private citizens, and volunteers; this year, more volunteers are needed for setup, serving, and cleanup. Though the actual event runs from 1–5 p.m., organizers need hands to help from 10 a.m–7 p.m. Please click this volunteer signup form to pick a task and time slot.

Financial contributions are also needed; if you can donate to the celebration, please contact Nancy Beach at nancy@piercehouse.com or 781-259-9757.

Correction

Two numbers in the table showing the December 3 election results were transposed, resulting in incorrect totals in the table and accompanying article. The correct total voting percentages were 68 percent voting yes and 32 percent voting no. The table and article have been updated to reflect this correction.

And the winner is…

Jal David Mehta won the Lincoln Squirrel’s Town Meeting “guess the vote percentage” contest. He submitted a guess of 84 percent “yes” and 16 percent “no.”

Perhaps due to the sometimes angsty debate on LincolnTalk, only 10 of the 18 guesses predicted the school project vote would even clear the required two-thirds threshold. No one was so pessimistic as to predict the measure would not win a simply majority, though the lowest “yes” guess came close (51 percent to 49 percent). The full list of submissions can be found below.

Jal is now the proud owner of a year’s subscription to the Lincoln Squirrel for himself or to give as a gift—a $48 value. Thanks to all who played!

"Yes""No"
84%16%
78%22%
78%21%
74%26%
72%28%
70%30%
68%32%
68%32%
67%33%
67%33%
65%35%
63.21%36.79%*
63%37%
60%40%
59%41%
56%44%
54%40%
51%49%

* (an inside engineering joke, we’re told)

School project bonding approved in ballot vote

In unofficial results for the December 3 ballot vote, a comfortable majority of Lincoln residents gave the go-ahead for the $92.9 million Lincoln School project—though the margin was not as large as the one at the December 1 Special Town Meeting.

Sixty-five percent of Lincoln voters who cast a ballot voted yes, clearing the way for the town to borrow $88.5 million to renovate and partially rebuild the Lincoln School. The 68%–32% margin easily cleared the required hurdle for a simple majority—though it was notably lower than the 89%–11% margin at Saturday’s vote, which required a two-thirds majority to pass.

The election saw a 35 percent turnout of Lincoln’s 4,797 registered voters.

Early next year, the Finance Committee will determine what amounts of the total to borrow and when. The final interest rate won’t be known until just before the first bond purchase. The panel has been using interest rates of 4% and 5% to estimate the range of property tax increases (currently 17.2%–19.4%), though the full impact of the increase will not occur right away.

Precinct 1Precinct 2Totals
Yes7453991,144
No341196537
1,0865951,681

Click here to see a map of Lincoln’s voting precincts.