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

Correction

The March 23 article headlined “Library strives to reach patrons with different abilities” should have said that the Friends of the Lincoln Library who split the cost of the hearing loop with the Ogden Codman Trust, not the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. FOLL paid $8,100 toward that project as well as $13,000 toward the cost of redoing the audiovisual equipment in the Tarbell Room (again split 50/50 with the Codman Trust). The original article has bene updated.

My Turn: Five former Selects endorse Hutchinson

We are writing to urge you to join us and vote for for Jim Hutchinson for the Select Board.

As former Selects, we have experienced the joys and challenges of serving. The challenge was to honor the vision statement of the town, as we worked to build consensus within the town and at Town Meeting. While we were the CEOs of the day-to-day operations, we also were charged to be leaders while following the will of the town as expressed in Town Meeting votes.

We believe Jim has the deep experience to address the challenges the town will face in the years ahead. His work on the Finance Committee, liaison to the Capital Planning Committee, the Green Energy Committee, and the Water Commission has him in a unique position to have a more holistic understanding of the impacts of proposed projects that the town is currently discussing.

But most important, Jim has demonstrated a temperament that is thoughtful and respectful and inclusive, and these are critical qualities to bring to the role of Select Board.

For these reasons, we urge you to join us in voting for Jim Hutchinson for the Select Board.

Respectfully,

Penny Billings
Noah Eckhouse
Sara Mattes
Beth Ries
Peter Sugar

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 Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Library strives to reach patrons with different abilities

(Editor’s note: This story was updated on March 27, 2022.)

By Lucy Maulsby

Reference Librarian Kate Tranquada, Assistant Library Director Lisa Rothenberg, and Director Bobbie Myles hold selections from Lincoln’s extensive large-print book collection.

The Lincoln Public Library’s offerings continue to evolve from the days of printed matter only, and its website has been updated to communicate the range of services available to patrons with different abilities as part of its ongoing effort to engage diverse populations within Lincoln and the broader community.

Some of these accommodations are long-standing, such as the two accessible parking spaces adjacent to the entrance, an accessible bathroom on the second floor, and an elevator to provide access to the basement and second floors for all. Service animals are always welcome.

Other offerings are more recent. The Tarbell Room (the library’s main reading room) is equipped with a hearing loop system, generously funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and installed in 2019. The loop transmits sounds directly to a wireless receiver in the user’s hearing aid or cochlear implant and thus limits the transmission and interference of background noise. If someone does not have a wireless receiver in their hearing aid or a cochlear implant, the library has a portable unit with headphones for people to use. 

This technology is especially helpful to those who meet regularly at the library. When the Friday Morning Book Group returns to meeting in person, participants will notice the recently increased number and sensitivity of microphones that will more easily transmit group discussions to the loop.

The Ogden Codman Trust and the Friends of the Lincoln Library also split the $13,000 cost of  redoing the audiovisual equipment in the Tarbell Room.

The library’s collection of large-print books, first established by an anonymous grant administered by the Boston Foundation in 2017, has expanded to include books for children and young adults. This has engaged not only younger people with visual and learning disabilities, but also allowed older patrons with visual impairments to read favorite books to a new generation of readers.

“We feel very lucky to have such an extensive youth and young-adult large-print collection,” Children’s Librarian Debbie Leopold said. “Text in large print is a wonderful resource not only for children and young adults who have visual impairments, but also for young people who struggle with reading. The extra white space and less daunting text help children feel confident in and improve their reading skills.”

The grant for the books generates funds for purchasing new books every year, so Lincoln’s collection of large-print books is quickly becoming one of the largest in the area, so patrons throughout the Minuteman Library Network (MLN) can borrow them. As a point of comparison, the library in Sherborn (population 4,400) has only 100 large-print books and all of them are for adults.

Reference librarians can also help patrons access large-print books through digital platforms and work with them to both download the books and adjust the font size on their own devices or on one of the three Kindle Paperwhites available to borrow. The library regularly adds to its Library of Things collection and purchases equipment such as a large-print keyboard to improve access to library resources.

Books in Braille are available through the network and can be found on the MLN website or the library home page by entering a keyword or an asterisk (which functions as a “wildcard”) into the search box and then refining the format to Braille. Audio and large-print books can be identified the same way. The Children’s Department also has a small collection of fiction books in Braille.

For those who are unable to visit the library in person either temporarily or long-term, a weekly delivery service supported by a small group of volunteers led by Heather Silvestro. She drops off books assembled by librarian Robin Rapoport and picks up books to be returned at The Commons as well as locations in Lincoln, and the service expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic. Any Lincoln resident who can’t come to the library in person and would like to sign up for home delivery may call the reference desk at 781-259-8465 x204 or emailing lincoln@minlib.net.

Through the generosity of the Friends of Lincoln Library, the library now owns a Meeting Owl Pro, which offers library the ability to broadcast in-library programming via Zoom so patrons who can’t come in person can participate.

“We want to make Lincoln residents and patrons aware of what we do provide, and, more importantly, let people know that we’re open to suggestions about how to make our library a welcoming place for everyone,” Assistant Library Director Lisa Rothenberg said.

My Turn: Vote for Planning Board incumbents

To the editor:

In my 14 years as a resident of Lincoln, I have come to deeply appreciate Lincoln’s long tradition of being proactive in anticipating and adapting to change. We as a town have often taken advantage of new opportunities long before other towns seem to even be aware such opportunities exist. In my mind, this (and the often drawn out and tedious but necessary consensus-building that goes with it) is part of the often extolled, sometimes derided, but never concretely defined “Lincoln Way.”

We have long shown ourselves to be a town determined to address problems before they become crises. We spend a great deal of time and effort discussing and wrestling with the challenges presented by the changing world around us. We are often recognized (and emulated) for providing direction and leadership in the face of change. I see all of these qualities active in the recent WIDE and IDEA initiatives to encourage diversity and inclusion; in SLPAC’s work to revitalize the Lincoln Station area; and in our decades-long efforts to balance and strengthen our often competing goals of historic preservation, the conservation of our open space, and the preservation and promotion of affordable housing.

I am often amazed (but no longer surprised) at the deep bench of professional skill and experience that many or most past and present members of our town’s boards, commissions and committees bring to the table in this work. I am also impressed with how humble most of these folks are: their focus is on serving the best interests of the town as best they can — not self-promotion.

In my opinion, Margaret Olson and Steve Gladstone exemplify all of this. They have proven to be creative, and hardworking guardians of our town’s best interests and “the Lincoln way” through their presence on the Planning Board: working hard to find a viable path forward in the face of ever changing and often competing economic, environmental, political, cultural, and legislative agendas. They are both good listeners, hard and reliable workers, and their professional backgrounds provide valuable points of view and skills in support of this work.

Both were important contributors in the successful development, vetting, and town meeting approval of Oriole Landing; in the development and ongoing work of SLPAC; in simplifying our planning and permitting processes; in making our zoning laws fairer and easier to understand and implement; and in promoting affordable and safe housing for all of Lincoln’s residents. Neither of them are “flashy” or eager to grab the spotlight, but the results of their work benefit us every day.

Steve and Margaret are respected and valued members of the Planning Board and are important allies in the complex challenge of promoting and supporting increased diversity, inclusion, and equity within Lincoln. Please join me on March 28 in voting to allow them to continue doing so.

Sincerely,

Allen Vander Meulen
30 Beaver Pond Rd.

“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.

My Turn: A poetical plea for pothole repair — and two candidates

By Peter von Mertens

The time is here! It’s quite a thing
We finally have a taste of spring.
Out come the peepers and the fox;
We have just made it passed the equinox
At this time when winter mellows
We expect to find many shades of yellows.
Forsythia, willow and daffodils are all of a hue
That bespeaks of rebirth and life anew.

But on a more sober note with subtlety alack
I fear the more crucial color this year is black
We need it to fill the holes in our roads
While we listen to the sounds of frogs and toads
With Tar and MacCadam
So please, DPW, have at ’em.
For it’s clear we have lost the battle this year
To the frost heaves and blades that snow did clear

And, on a quite different note,
Next Monday please go out and vote.
And here is a contest we all can win:
Get out and vote for Jim and for Kim!

“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.

Correction

The March 21 article headlined “Group scales back proposal to ban fossil fuels in new construction” contained an incorrect link to the text of warrant article 3 that was discussed at the March 7 Select Board meeting. The original motion with detailed wording for a proposed town bylaw that would go into effect if the home rule petition were granted is here; the updated wording that will be voted on at Town Meeting is here. The original article has been edited to reflect this correction.

My Turn: Gladstone seeks support for another Planning Board term

To the Town of Lincoln:

After six engaging years on the Planning Board, I would like to continue with the productive work of this group. My goal is to insist upon and to help to craft consensus-driven solutions by eliciting and utilizing the views of as many people and groups as possible and melding them into the best possible outcome.

Since arriving in Lincoln 15 years ago, Susan and I have found great pleasure and satisfaction in our involvement with townsfolk, governance, and of course the character and landscape of this remarkable community.

Professionally, two graduate degrees in scientific fields supported my responsibilities as Director of Research Operations at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. I served on the management team responsible for a complex, interdependent research enterprise with a $325 million budget. As a director in the Office of Science and Technology, I was intimately involved with budgeting, strategic planning, space/resource allocation, and implementation of diverse critical functions. My later career included a similar function at MGH, the management team at a pharmaceutical startup, and consultant in the biomedical research arena.

My official experience on town governance began 12 years ago with the Facilities Coordinating Committee. Identifying usage patterns, availability, capabilities and limitations of our critical meeting spaces led to deeper engagement in the town’s management and social processes. I was selected as one of the three at-large members of the Community Center Study Committee, and was the Planning Board representative on the Community Center Planning & Preliminary Design Committee. I intend to continue to advocate for the community center that our town deserves and needs.

Lincoln enjoys a distinct rural character unique among towns so near Boston. It is a fundamental aspect of our special town spirit — one that deserves to be understood, respected and refined to “keep Lincoln Lincoln.” Yet we must and will evolve as times change. One key role of the Planning Board is to look ahead, anticipating what threats and opportunities the future may present and how Lincoln might most effectively engage them. The mindful management of land, services and community by committed and attentive citizens is central to my thoughts. The town’s future successes and character depend in great part on how effectively we embrace and respond to emerging ideas and approaches as they support this guiding principle.

With the help of other volunteers and staff, the Planning Board has streamlined the permitting aspect of its activities, making them more efficient and less burdensome for applicants while continuing to protect the interests of all affected parties.

Volunteers have ever been the backbone of Lincoln’s community spirit. I am enthusiastic to continue my involvement on the Planning Board. It is my hope that this note gives the voters of Lincoln greater familiarity with me, both personally and professionally. Please call or email with your thoughts, questions, or concerns. And please do vote, do volunteer and do get involved in the thoughtful evolution this exceptional town! 

Sincerely, 

Steve Gladstone 
67 Winter St.. Lincoln
617-784-9731 
steve.gladstone@gmail.com 

“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.

My Turn: “Lincoln, we have a problem,” says SC candidate Dwyer

Lincoln, we have a problem.

Why? Here are the numbers for K-8 Lincoln Public Schools from niche.com: 59% [of students are] proficient in math, 61% proficient in English. What grade do you get with 61% on a report card? You get an F for failure. We spent $13 million a year for our schools and this is what we get.

People with the ability to pay $40,000 a year take their kids out of Lincoln schools and put them in private schools like Fenn. You know many families that have done this.

We are not traditionally rigorous in teaching. One parent told me she “liked that her son was not pushed too hard in school.” This is a poor foundation which is a recipe for failure in future grades and in life.

I have a solution they will not cost any money:

  1. Written homework every night that is graded and handed back the next morning with a traditional percent grade.
  2. The final exam every week on what you learned that week.
  3. A report card every Monday morning with average scores of homework and grades on the final exam with a rank in class.

I experienced this program for three years in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. Then I went through Central Catholic high school in Lawrence and  it was easy. I graduated with a degree in economics from Georgetown University and felt 100% confident that I could learn anything.

If these ideas makes sense to you, I ask for your vote on March 28 for Lincoln School Committee.

Thank you,

Joseph Dwyer
6 Emerson Rd., Lincoln
jaysp51d@gmail.com
603-560-1787

“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.

My Turn: Dozens more express support for Hutchinson

(Editor’s note: the signatories with asterisks below also signed this letter of support that was posted on March 21.)

While we are delighted that there is a contested race for Select, the Lincoln residents listed below are writing to endorse Jim Hutchinson for the Select Board. We think that Jim has the breadth and depth of experience that make him highly qualified for election to the Select Board. He has served as a member of the

  • Water Commission for two years and (currently chair)
  • Finance committee for seven years (chair for two years)
  • Subcommittees for several issues such as the process for placing solar panels on the schools
  • Green Energy Committee for eight years
  • Codman Board for three years as treasurer

Jim has a thoughtful, inclusive and collaborative approach exemplified in his service on the various town committees. His colleagues on the Finance Committee, Water Commission, and Green Energy Committee, who have enthusiastically endorsed him, describe Jim as a problem solver, a person who can balance costs and benefits, and a leader in complex decision making. In our collective view, he is an outstanding candidate for the Lincoln Select Board.

Town elections are Monday, March 28 at the Smith gym or you can vote by mail. We hope you will join us and vote for Jim Hutchinson.

Sincerely,

Michelle Barnes*
Ken Bassett
Cynthia Bencal
Laura Berland
Dan Boynton
Janet Boynton
Irene Briedis
Alex Chatfield
Christine Damon
Robert DeNormandie
Lorraine Fiore
Gina Halsted
Roy Harvey
Ken Hurd
Sonja Johansson
Joan Kimball
John Kimball
Barbara Leggat
Jackie Lenth*
Connie Lewis
Mary Helen Lorenz
Emily Lovering
Rachel Mason
Margaret McLaughlin
Marion Meenan
Travis Roland
Al Rossiter
Ellen Meyer Shorb
Paul Shorb
Barbara Slayter
Bill Stason
Susan Stason
Jeannine Taylor*
Dilla Tingley
Mary Jo Veling
Peter Von Mertens*
 

My Turn: Vote yes on fossil fuels measure at Town Meeting

To the editor:

Twenty-five years ago, Emily and I made the great decision to raise our family in Lincoln. We chose a town that celebrated its history and made bold commitments to the community’s future. We have loved the trails and open spaces. We have appreciated the commitments to educating children and supporting our elders. We are excited to grow old here.

I am excited to support Article 31 at town meeting this Saturday. This article follows through on town commitments: to our collective health, the well-being of our planet, and the values we have already embraced. This article will help us reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for heating and cooking. New construction (home building and major renovations) that shifts us from natural gas and oil to electric power will help us to reduce carbon emissions.

Our town, our Commonwealth, and our country have made commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our public health officials have warned us about the risks of exposure to fossil fuels and the compounds that result from combusting these fuels. Having enjoyed the benefits of electric heat pumps for the last three years — I can say with confidence that moving into a 21st-century mode of heating is a good idea!

In the last 25 years we haven’t suffered wildfires and catastrophic weather. While so many parts of the world have suffered from the ravages of climate change, we haven’t faced hardship. For our collective health in Lincoln and for all the people whose lives will be improved by reducing demand for fossil fuels, I hope you can make it to Town Meeting to vote for Article 31. Lincoln’s future was bright 25 years ago; let’s take some bold steps to ensure the next 25 years are bright too.

With thanks,

Tom Haslett
26 Baker Bridge Rd.

“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.