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

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Letter to the editor: Glass running for Fredriksen’s seat

letter

To the editor:

Lincoln has a long tradition of civic engagement and independent thinking. Since its beginnings, the town has engaged in constructive and vigorous debate over issues such as education, conservation, roadways and public safety, always honoring its past while thoughtfully planning its future. We are currently on the cusp of decisions that will shape our community for decades to come—decisions that begin with the question “What is our vision of Lincoln?” To create a collective answer, we will need to navigate many choices, requiring each of us to listen, ask challenging questions, and build consensus as we make decisions about capital projects, community development, conservation and the well-being of our citizens.

It is in this context that I am excited to announce my candidacy for the one-year Board of Selectmen term that will be created by Renel Fredriksen’s resignation in March. I thank Renel for her many years of service to the town, and I respectfully ask for your support as I seek to continue my service to the Lincoln community in a new capacity.

Since we moved to Lincoln a decade ago, my husband Andrew and I have immersed ourselves in the life of the town. During my nine years on the Lincoln School Committee, I have found serving in town government deeply engaging and rewarding because of the thoughtful and creative people with whom I have worked. I am grateful for what each committee member, administrator, faculty, staff and community member has taught me. Whether discussing educational policy or strategic planning, budgets or building projects, support for our faculty or how best to measure the efficacy of our work as a district, I have strived to follow their examples and to listen carefully, work openly and collaboratively, and act thoughtfully. Together we have focused on enhancing student outcomes and engagement, and on promoting a culture of educational innovation and risk-taking. I am proud to have played a role in fostering the changes happening in the Lincoln Public Schools.

And so, with positive momentum in the schools, and after three terms on the committee, I look forward to serving Lincoln as a selectman. If elected, I hope to bring the same positive momentum and focus on engagement, innovation and outcomes to issues facing the town.

Two capital projects have the potential to command much of Lincoln’s attention, energy and financial investment over the next several years: a Lincoln School renovation project, and a community center to house Parks & Recreation and the Council on Aging (COA). These institutions not only form the vital core of civic life but serve, together with public safety, as our community’s support network. While on the School Safety and Security Committee, I worked with our police and fire departments, and I have been deeply involved in the numerous conversations and committees guiding plans for a Lincoln School renovation project. The latter continues to require collaboration with many town boards and committees, parent groups, the COA, and individual citizens.

In addition, I have been part of the team reaching out to Hanscom Air Force Base leadership, state legislators, and our congressional delegation to talk about issues affecting our schools, our families and our town. Through my work on the School Committee and particularly in my seven years as chair, I have gained a great appreciation for the interconnectedness of our institutions and for the centrality of conversation to building community consensus. Achieving our goals is rarely a linear process, and I understand the perseverance needed to make shared decisions. I want to continue to build the connections that move Lincoln forward.

Our town strives to cherish its history and imagine a progressive future. It embraces both long tradition and innovation. These values provide the touchstone and spark of Lincoln and make it an energizing and engaging place to live. Your welcoming and sustained support has made me deeply committed to our community. I humbly ask for your vote as a candidate for selectman.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Glass
11 Stonehedge Road

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 publication covers issues along Route 2 corridor

North Lincoln has another local news source just for its part of town: the Northside News.

The publication, which is posted online and sent as a PDF for free to email subscribers, joins the Lincoln Journal, the Lincoln Squirrel and the Lincoln Review as print and/or web-based publications offering news and views about the town.

The publication got started to focus more attention on the neighborhoods to the immediate north and south of Route 2, including The Commons. “There was some sentiment from some people that we’re a little forgotten about,” said editorial board member Steve Durante, a Brooks Road resident. Other board members are Bob Domnitz, Maria Hylton and Jane Herlacher. Publication won’t be on a regular schedule but will be “issue-driven,” Domnitz said.

In recent years, several projects have directly impacted the north side of town—the Route 2 construction (which began inauspiciously when the clear-cutting of numerous trees angered nearby residents), the Minuteman High School building proposal, and Hanscom Field and Hanscom Air Force Base, where noise from airplanes has been a sore spot for years. Two years ago, residents also protested a proposal by Jet Aviation, which services and stores business jets at Hanscom, to expand its facilities there.

However, Northside News is not intended to be a complaint platform; “it’s all about communications and reflecting,” Domnitz said. “To the extent that it voices any opinion, it’s just as a conduit for the community.”

The first issue of Northside News in October included articles about the most recent developments in the McLean Hospital proposal for Bypass Road, the Minuteman High School project, and Hanscom runway repaving plans at Hanscom that could result in temporarily increased noise over Lincoln.

In recapping the September 20 district-wide financing vote for the school, the Minuteman article cast doubt on the sincerity of school officials who had promised there would be no driveway access from Mill Street, because “they have recently backed away from other commitments so residents are uncertain about the future.” Those included a pledge to abide by Lincoln zoning rules (though schools are exempt from many of them) and an expressed interest in a public-private partnership for developing the land under the existing building even though officials eaid earlier that they leaned toward recreational use of the land.

Issue #2 on November 19 reported a successful effort by area residents to relocate a potentially dangerous Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School bus stop. L-S moved the Brooks Road bus stop from the corner of Smith Hill Road and Brooks Road to Route 2A and Brooks Road at the beginning of this school year, but moved it back after protests from residents and a letter from Lincoln Police Chief Kevin Kennedy.

In the future, Northside News will keep an eye on other ongoing issues, including the Battle Road Scenic Byway, a state-designated section of Route 2A with a Corridor Management Plan that will “assist the four towns and the Minute Man National Historical Park in reaching agreement about how best to preserve the area’s intrinsic resources while expanding economic opportunities, developing a balanced tourism industry, and accommodating future development,” according to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s website.

“There’s a lot going on in the area,” Durante said. “Hopefully other people will get involved, and we can share more information and be better informed.”

Lincoln robotics teams shine at multiple events

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Jack Hutchinson, Dante Muzila and Calvin Terpstra operate their robot during the FTC event.

The last two weekends have been very busy for Lincoln robotics, as the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team and all six of the Lincoln Recreation Department’s FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams competed in their first events this season.

FTC is an annual challenge in which teams of students in grades 7-12 build robots that fit into an 18-inch cube to accomplish certain tasks. The game is played in a 12-by-12-foot playing field. FLL is similar to FTC, posing an annual challenge with new obstacles to be completed by a robot, though in this case the machines are made of Legos and the students are in grades 4-8. The FLL teams also create a project in which they brainstorm a solution to a real-life challenge.

At a qualifier in Canton on December 4, the FTC GearTicks received the Think Award, which is given to the team whose engineering notebook best reflects the team’s engineering design process journey. Jack Hutchinson, one of the team’s drivers, thought it was a great opportunity to test out this year’s robot. “This excellent start to our season really got our team excited for the coming year,” he said. Teammate Anna Sander agreed. “We had a great chance to meet other teams and see all the cool designs they’re using,” she said.

In separate qualifiers, the FLL Orange GearTicks took second place in their robot competition and received the Champion’s Award given to the top team at the competition, and the Green GearTicks had a great project presentation and ended the day with their robot in 11th place. The Purple GearTicks received the Inspiration Core Values Award, and the Yellow GearTicks received a judges’ award as Rising Stars. Meanwhile, the Blue GearTicks received the Robot Design Award for their interesting turret design and the Red GearTicks won the “Programming Award” for their understanding of PID controllers.

The Lincoln robotics program derives much of its strength from the support it receives from the community. Although the GearTicks FLL teams are run through the Recreation Department, they rely entirely on parent and high school volunteers to coach each team.

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The FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team. Front row: Evan Lee, Howie Tsang and Irene Terpstra. Back row: Caleb Sander, Dante Muzila, Laura Appleby, Jack Hutchinson, Calvin Terpstra, Catherine Appleby and Anna Sander.

“The judges were impressed by the range of in-town experts we consulted for our research project,” team member Emily Appleby said. For their “Active Deer Warning Signs” project, the students worked with Chris Bibbo at the DPW and Tom Gumbart at the Conservation Commission to investigate the problem of deer and cars on Lincoln’s roads.

FLL students agreed that the team has been a great experience. Emily Feng joined the Lincoln robotics program because she wanted to “improve my teamwork skills and learn about programming and building robots,” and she and her teammates certainly succeeded. The team also learned a lot about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math and how to compete under pressure.

“It’s interesting to see how other teams solve the same missions that we do in very different ways,” said Amelia Pillar.

“Out team really learned a lot and improved our teamwork,” said Alex Stewart.

“Sometimes it’s stressful to set up the robot in a gymnasium full of screaming people,” but the teams were equal to the pressure, said Stavros First.

The FTC team advanced from the Canton qualifier and will compete in the Massachusetts FTC State Competition on March 4 at Natick High School. The Orange GearTicks also advanced to the Massachusetts FLL State Tournament, in which they will compete on December 17 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The Red and Blue GearTicks FLL teams will also compete in further qualifiers.

Lincoln is #5 in the state for early voting

ballotIn the inaugural year of early voting in Massachusetts, Lincoln wound up with 40.7 percent of its residents casting ballots early—the fifth-highest percentage in the Commonwealth.

The highest percentage belonged to Eastham with 47.4 percent, followed by Carlisle, Mashpee and Concord. Overall turnout (the proportion of eligible voters who cast ballots) in Massachusetts was 68 percent in Massachusetts and about 58 percent nationally. The official number for Lincoln wasn’t in as of late last week, but Town Clerk Susan Brooks estimated it would be close to or slightly above the 2012 turnout of 78 percent.

Thirty-four states permitted early voting in some form for the election last month. “There are a lot of variations on the theme” in terms of when, where and by what method early voting may take place, Brooks said. As it was this year in-person early voting (in addition to absentee ballots) will be an option in even-numbered years in Massachusetts from now on.

“Lincoln is highly educated and highly opinionated,” Brooks said when asked why she thought Lincoln had such a large early turnout. Also, it’s possible that “people voted early to be done with paying attention” to the bitterly fought race, she added. “They just wanted to be able to check out.”

 

 

Correction

correction-smThe December 8 article headlined “Dwyer hopes to modernize town government’s outreach methods” incorrectly stated that Jonathan Dwyer met his wife Carolyn at the First Baptist Church in Newton. They actually met when both were students at Hamilton College. The article also gave the wrong year for when he started serving on the Parks and Recreation Committee. Dwyer joined in 2010 and is currently in the first year of his third three-year term.

Obituaries

Peter Pantazelos

Peter Pantazelos

Peter Pantazelos, 85 (November 26) — Executive nice president and CFO of Thermo Electron for 40 years.

Edward Gerrig, 87 (November 14) — husband of Bernice “Bunny” (Hoffman) Gerrig; resident at The Commons.

Mary T. Tori, 90 (November 17) — wife of the late John E. Torri, great-grandmother of five.

 

Braun reflects on his two terms on Board of Selectman

Peter Braun (2014 photo)

Peter Braun (2014 photo)

Looking back on his six years as one of Lincoln’s selectmen, Peter Braun is proud of his accomplishments but is looking forward to a future oriented more around grandchildren than town government.

“I feel strongly that it’s important to encourage new people to come into the office and for selectmen to step aside and play some other role, if they are so inclined,” Braun said when asked why he decided not to run for a third two-year term. “It’s not about me, it’s about the long-term stability and governance of the institution we call the town of Lincoln.”

A second consideration for Braun is the pending arrival of a grandson, the child of his son and daughter-in-law in Jamaica Plain. “This is going to a big deal for us,” said Braun, adding that he and his wife “are very baby-oriented.” His daughter-in-law and her family are Chilean, so he also plans to learn Spanish. Meanwhile, his career as lawyer working for community hospitals is winding down, largely because many of his clients have been swallowed up by larger hospitals.

“I’m getting to a point where my life circumstances are changing,” said Braun, who is 67. “You reach a certain point in life where you real you need to think about the horizon.”

As Braun ran for his second term in 2014, the town was grappling with the fallout of the failed school funding vote in 2012. Challenger Vincent Cannistraro—who had been a critic of the projects’ cost estimates—ran a vigorous campaign against Braun but lost to the incumbent by a margin of 487-372.

Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Jonathan Dwyer, who has declared his candidacy for the vacant seat, “has my strong endorsement,” Braun said. Dwyer’s father-in-law John Caswell, himself a former selectman in the 1980s, was one of those who urged Braun to try for a seat on the board. “He was one of my inspirations to run for selectman,” said Braun, adding that Caswell unfortunately passed away shortly before his mentee was sworn in.

As a selectman, Braun played a major role in expanding the membership and overall role of the Capital Planning Committee. The panel, which at one time consisted of a single at-large member and four members from other boards and committees, added four at-large members.

The planning for Minuteman High School’s new building and the construction of the Route 2 flyover at Crosby’s Corner were two “challenging issues” that also reached major milestones during Braun’s tenure, though Braun noted that the Route 2 project had been in the works long before he became a selectman. “I was just a steward for the implementation phase” of the Route 2 project, though “it happened to be a pretty active tail end,” Braun said, referring to the controversy over tree-cutting when work commenced in 2013.

As for Minuteman, “I know not everyone was happy with the result, but I think in the long term it will serve us well,” Braun said. Lincoln residents voted to withdraw from the Minuteman district in late 2015 after failing to win concessions from other towns for being the host community for the new school.

Still unresolved is the fate of the Lincoln School. After the 2012 defeat, the town reapplied several times for state funding and expects to hear by January about its 2016 application. Braun initially raised questions about the project but eventually became an “avid proponent,” he said. Now the town may be faced with paying for a major renovation of school replacement entirely with its own money.

“This is a truly essential part of our future. Whether we fix what there is in place or do some more expensive and transformative, it’s essential that we step up and do the right thing for our schools,” Braun said.

Braun was also instrumental in launching the Selectman’s Newsletter and serving as an active liaison to Lincoln’s state and U.S. legislative delegations, as well as with Hanscom Air Force Base and the Hanscom Area Towns Committee. Going forward, he hopes to stay involved with those efforts in an informal or ad hoc way, “but that would be up to the future Board of Selectmen,” he said.

News acorns

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Karin Levy (left) and Nancy Fleming, co-chairs of First Parish in Lincoln’s Touch of Christmas Fair, with the greenery that volunteers will use to make holiday wreaths and centerpieces. The fair will be on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Santa arrives to greet children and pose for pictures at 11 a.m.

Jackson Gillman at next LOMA night

Jackson Gillman will perform a half-hour hour set starting around 8:30 p.m. at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) on Monday, Dec. 12 from 7-10 pm. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell room. Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Jackson has been described as zany, intelligent, professional, whimsical and inspirational, or in his own words, a “stand-up chameleon” who incorporates comedy, drama, music, dance, mime, and sign language. Jackson featured at the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee four times (watch this video of him telling his “Foodie” story at Club Passim) and has thrice been Teller in Residence at the International Storytelling Center

LOMA is a monthly event. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

“Finding Dory” movie matinee

Finding Dory will be shown at the Lincoln Public Library on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. In the animagted film, amnesiac fish Dory journeys to be reunited with her parents. Along the way, she is captured and taken to a California public aquarium, from which Marlin and Nemo attempt to rescue her. Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes. Free popcorn.

 

Town and state sign Community Compact

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Lt. Gov. Karen Polito, State Rep Thomas Stanley, Selectman Peter Braun and Town Administrator Tim Higgins at the signing of the Community Compact.

In a December 1 ceremony in Lincoln, Lt. Gov. Karen Polito and town officials signed a Community Compact by which Lincoln will pursue best practices in three areas: water resource management, housing and economic development, and business continuity. In return, the town can get technical assistance as well as extra points on grants and grant opportunities from the state.

Under terms of the two-year agreement, Lincoln will work to implement stormwater management measures and land use regulations that help promote infiltration, control flooding and reduce pollution. Lincoln is now eligible to join nine other area towns in applying for a $99,000 Efficiency and Regionalization Grant, a regional grant that would provide technical assistance for communities to comply with permitting requirements for municipal separate storm sewer systems.

In the area of business continuity, the town hopes to digitize paper records and implement a permit tracking software program as well as creating a more robust GIS/GPS program that integrates with the software. These measures should result in improved operational efficiencies, both interdepartmentally and with the public. The town is also eligible to apply next year for a Community Compact IT Grant of up to $200,000.

Lincoln will look into aligning land use regulations, capital investments and other municipal actions with housing and economic development, the master plan or other plans for future growth. The town will also promote development and reuse of previously developed sites and create opportunities for various stakeholders in economic development efforts, such as by helping identify priority development projects, improve local permitting processes, and proactively address obstacles to housing and job creation with a focus on the South Lincoln area.

“We really want  to make it a vibrant village center,” Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney said at the ceremony.

Polito praised Burney, Town Administrator Tim Higgins, Selectman Peter Bran and town Lincoln officials for their efforts. “You are our public workforce across our state that really binds us together,” she said.  “The state is not a place where we should be making decisions; it’s really at the local level, and you are the people closest to the grassroots. If we strengthen local government, we will truly knit together a stronger Massachusetts.”

Christmas church happenings in Lincoln

christmas-lightFirst Parish in Lincoln

The First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) will present Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. in the Parish House Auditorium (14 Bedford Rd). Experience the magic of Handel’s holiday classic performed by world-class artists including Ian Watson (conductor/harpsichord), Guy Fishman, Aisslinn Nosky and more, plus the Lincoln Baroque Players and Chorus. Seating is limited and is first come, first seated; doors open at 2:30 p.m. Suggested donation is $30, but any amount is appreciated. For more information, contact Mary Briggs at maryhbriggs@gmail.com.

The FPL’s Handbell Choir will present its annual holiday concert on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Parish House Auditorium. The concert is free and all are welcome. During the holiday season, the Handbell Choir also takes to the road. They will present the following concerts at senior living residences:

  • Thursday, Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. — Benchmark Senior Living at Waltham Crossings, 125 Smith St., Waltham
  • Thursday, Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. — Newbury Court, 100 Newbury Court, Concord

The First Parish will celebrate a Winter Solstice service marking the longest night of the year on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Parish House. This day has been celebrated in many cultures and religious traditions for centuries, and FPL’s service will incorporate elements from polytheistic and earth-based traditions and center on the themes of darkness and light.

St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

From now through Christmas Eve, St. Anne’s will offer additional prayer services. Monday through Friday, Morning Prayer will be offered in the side chapel from 9:15-9:45 a.m. On Tuesdays, Contemplative Prayer will be offered in the Spiritual Room from 11:30 a.m. to noon. On Wednesdays, Silent Meditation will be held in the Spiritual Room from 5:30-6:30 p.m. On Sundays, St. Anne’s has three standard services: Holy Eucharist at 8 a.m., Holy Eucharist with Choir at 10 a.m. and Still Your Soul, a rotating series of contemporary services, at 5 p.m.

On Sunday, Dec. 18, at 5:00 p.m., St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church will offer Christmas Lessons and Carols. This is a festive, celebration modeled on the famous Anglican service of Nine Lessons and Carols held in King’s College, Cambridge, using traditional language, favorite congregational carols and glorious anthems sung by the choir. A festive reception will follow.

On Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, St. Anne’s will offer three worship services: Family Holy Eucharist with Pageant at 3 p.m., and Holy Eucharist with Choir at 5:30 and 10 p.m. On Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, St. Anne’s will celebrate a service of Holy Eucharist at 9 a.m.