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

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The Board of Health rescinded the town-wide indoor mask mandate, though they and the DPH recommended that residents with weakened immune systems or at increased risk of severe Covid-19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.

Town restarting project to install solar array at landfill

The plan to install a solar array atop the old town landfill has lain fallow for a while, but it will “go near the top of our priority list to restart that process” once the Annual Town Meeting is over, said Town Administrator Tim Higgins.

Almost five years ago, voters approved a land swap in conjunction with the Wang property purchase that allowed the town to move several acres of the landfill parcel out of conservation so a solar array could be installed there. The area was deemed the best spot out of 25 potential sites for a municipal solar array that were studied earlier by a consultant hired by the now-defunct Solar PV Working group. Higgins said this week that the site could generate 1 MW of electricity, or enough to power all of the town-owned buildings except the school, which will have its own solar array.

But the project stalled due to factors including the pandemic and the complexity of the process. Minute Man National Historical Park owns the right of way on either side of Route 2A, so the town would need their approval to install power lines from the landfill out to the road. It’s unclear whether who would need to grant that approval — the park superintendent, a regional director or someone at the federal level.

Also yet to be determined is where that line will go (alongside or under the transfer station driveway, or via Mill Street), and whether it will be above ground or underground. If Mill Street is seen as the better option, town officials will discuss the matter with residents there, although Higgins said the line would not have to cross any private property. Any underground work will probably also require an archeological survey, he said. 

Finally, the town will have to identify a solar developer and get estimates for up-front costs for that company and the town. The goal is to “generate income for the community or [have it be] a break-even proposition at least,” Higgins said. He and other officials are working with Beth Greenblatt of Beacon Integrated Solutions, the firm that was involved in creating the power purchase agreement for the school’s solar installation. He estimated that all the planning and permitting could be completed by the end of 2022.

My Turn: Olson asks for votes for re-election

Dear Fellow Lincolnites,

I’m writing to ask for your support for my re-election to the Planning Board.

I first joined the board in 2013 as an associate member and became a full member later that year. The zoning, site plan review, and land use planning and processes for which the Planning Board is responsible can seem intimidating and complex. My initial goals as a board member was to make licensing and permitting friendlier to applicants and neighbors by making them clear, consistent, and transparent. The Planning Board has made great progress in this regard. Working with our excellent town planning staff, we developed a set of guidelines and regulations for site plan review that increased transparency for both the applicant and neighbors while reducing the amount of time required to navigate the process.

Over the past eight years on the board, I have worked with my colleagues to ensure that Lincoln’s zoning and land use policies are clear to all residents, fair to all applicants, and reflect Lincoln’s values and the will of the town.

As I gained experience, my goals expanded to engaging the town in the long-term planning needed to respond effectively to the challenges of the 21st century. As chair for the last six years, I have led public discussions for several major developments: the Minuteman School, the new Lincoln School, and Oriole Landing, a 60-unit, mixed-income housing development. My objectives were to ensure that Lincoln’s requirements were met and its values respected, and that neighboring property owners were given a voice and protected from negative impacts to the extent permitted by law.

Ultimately, the rules around land use and the processes for important land use decisions are made not by the Planning Board but by town meeting through approval of zoning bylaws and other regulations. Beyond its permitting responsibilities, the role of the board is to look forward and engage the town in conversations around the challenges that arise from the changing needs within Lincoln as well as Lincoln’s part in the region. I believe it is not only necessary but part of Lincoln’s ethos to engage residents in a robust discussion of the pros and cons of possible responses and then to prepare bylaw proposals for consideration and approval by town meeting. I look forward to continuing to listen as we together seek to protect what we all love about Lincoln and position the town for success in the future.

Thank you,

Margaret Olson
(I appear on the ballot by my full name: Setha Margaret Olson)

“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 from the pews

First Parish in Lincoln (UU/UCC)

4 and 14 Bedford Rd.

Worship
  • Sunday morning worship at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary at 4 Bedford Road. Guest Minister Mary Margaret Earl from the UU Urban Ministry will preach with open conversation after the service. In-person with masks or via Zoom. Links and information available at FPLincoln.org.
Religious Exploration for Children and Youth
  • Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the Parish House at 14 Bedford Road. This week: Sunday School of Magic and Mystery will study “Charms.” Throughout time, people have infused all sorts of items with the property of bringing good luck… four-leaf-clovers, rabbits feet, coins, mementos, specific routines. What are charms but a form of prayer? We’ll make our own charms and learn some wand-waving charms techniques this Sunday!
Adult Education

Details and Zoom links available at www.fplincoln.org

  • Coffee with the Minister — Thursday, March 10 at 10 a.m. on Zoom
  • Sacred Texts: From Jesus to Christ — Thursday, March 10 (and Thursdays in Lent), 12–1 p.m. Join us for a Lenten sacred texts series exploring the different ways Jesus was viewed in the early church. We will trace the origins of the “doctrine of Christ” and think about the different ways we are encountering the divine in our own lives this Lent. March 10 is the season opener.
  • Quiet Walks — Friday, March 11 at 1:30 p.m. This Friday the Quiet Hikers will explore a new and not well known wilderness area on the Concord/Acton line. The hike will be slightly longer than usual and could take as long as an hour and a half. Enter 155 Black Horse Place into your GPS or go out Route 2 to the traffic circle next to the prisons and take the Route 2A exit. Your first right (not counting some private roads) will be Commerford Road. As you approach the end of Commerford, you’ll see the sign for Black Horse Place on your right. Go a very short distance on Black Horse and you will see the parking on your right. As always, park “efficiently.” We hope the ice will be gone but prepare for mud.
  • “The Poetry of Lent” Retreat — Saturday, March 12, 1–4 p.m. Meet in the Stearns Room at 4 Bedford Rd. for an afternoon of reflection, writing, and ritual guided by the poetry of Mary Oliver and inspired her instructions for living a life: “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” We will deepen into the Lenten season, which invites us to return to our truest selves and reconnect with that which we hold sacred. Come be astonished with us. Click here to RSVP.
  • Sip Talk Learn — Sunday, March 13 at 4 p.m. We need a few more three-minute storytellers for our last STL of the season. Do you have a travel adventure, a SWAP shack story, a passion or a hobby to tell us about? More than 50 people have told their stories since we started in 2019. Please sign up and share yours by contacting Tucker Smith (tuckerwsmith@gmail.com). Please join us on Zoom just to listen if you don’t have a story!
  • Weekly Meditation — Tuesday, March 15 at 4 p.m. on Zoom. Contact Joan Kimball at selenejck@gmail.com to receive the weekly meditation emails.

St. Julia Parish (Catholic)

St. Julia Church, 374 Boston Post Road, Weston
St. Joseph Church, 142 Lincoln Road, Lincoln

St. Joseph Church in Lincoln will re-open for Sunday Mass starting on April 3. The 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday Masses will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s in Lincoln.

Worship
  • Weekend Masses — Saturday at 4 p.m.; Sunday at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 5 p.m. All Masses continue at St. Julia Church in Weston for now. Mass is now live streamed. We will continue to post Masses on Facebook and our website.
  • Weekday Mass — Monday through Thursday at 8 a.m. at St. Julia Church, Weston
  • Lenten Confession & Mass — Beginning on Wednesday, March 16, there will be confession at 5 p.m. followed by Mass at 5:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln
  • Eucharist Adoration — Friday, March 18, noon–1 p.m. in St. Julia Church
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
  • No classes on Sunday or Monday, March 13 and 14 (classes resume the following week)
Adult Education
  • Little Rock Scripture studies return on Tuesdays, and run from 9:30–11 a.m. in the Parish Center.  The focus will be on the Book of Revelation.
  • Fr. Bob Braunreuther, SJ will lead a study of the four gospels every Thursday morning in Lent beginning on March 3 from 11 a.m.–noon. 
  • Small Groups — On Wednesday evenings from 7–8:30 p.m. in Lent, there is a Small Group focusing on the Catholic tradition of prayer forms.

Please contact cmcgarry@stjulia.org for details on either Bible study series.

St. Anne’s in the Fields (Episcopal)

147 Concord Road, Lincoln

Worship
  • St. Anne’s will hold a hybrid Holy Eucharist service at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 13. The service will be both in-person and live-streamed, which can be accessed via the church website at www.stanneslincoln.org.

My Turn: Hogue makes his case as Select Board candidate

By Adam Hogue

(Editor’s note: Hogue is running against Jim Hutchinson for the Select Board seat being vacated by James Craig. He sent the following to LincolnTalk in answer to a question about what local issues he believes are important and how his experience and qualifications would contribute to addressing those challenges. His answer is reprinted here with his permission.)

One of the most important issues (not only in Lincoln but the Commonwealth overall) is housing. I love our community and I know others that want to live here, but are either priced out or simply unable to find a home given the supply. We need more housing options in Lincoln so that people can afford to live in our great community. In addition, I also want to make sure that people are not forced to sell their homes due to inability to pay taxes, so that people are able to age in place if they so desire.

The next issue that I see as critical is sustainability and green energy. As we have seen with gas prices and heating costs (even prior to the current situation), we need to work with our leaders on Beacon Hill and as a region to fulfill our energy needs in a smart way that doesn’t economically burden our residents.

Finally, another important issue, and one of my main goals, is to work with the Finance Committee to build a reasonable budget that serves our needs while also making sure we do not put too much of a burden on the taxpayers of Lincoln.

In terms of my experiences and qualifications, I have been involved in state and regional politics for years though my charity work for veterans, as well as lobbying to teach financial education to children in schools. If elected, I will use the relationships that I have built to work together with elected officials in our neighboring towns and the state level to make sure we solve issues together.

Specific to Lincoln, I have volunteered to run many veterans’ events in town and the Fourth of July run. These experiences have given me a great appreciation of the importance of these community events. I want to work to create more community events in town and to make sure that we bring back the Fourth of July fireworks to our community once the school project is done. So many in our community miss this great event.

I have also served the town as a current School Committee member. I have helped form budget and policy in this role and have worked with numerous people in town for the last four years. This has helped me understand how the town works, as well as what goes into the budget process, and has also helped me to understand the community. While the work has been challenging at times, it has always given me great pride to serve our children and our community. During my time on the School Committee, we have kept the budget within the Finance Committee’s guidance and have not had to ask for an override.

Finally, I love serving my community. I picked this up from my 17 years in the United States Military where I was awarded a Bronze Star for my action in Afghanistan. I also currently serve on the Capital Planning Committee as part of my role on the School Committee, and as I’m sure others on that committee may say, I am not afraid to speak up and suggest new ideas. I don’t passively accept the answer “because that is how we have always done it” because we have to be creative and have debates to solve issues. I like to learn and work with people and I believe that debating the issues to come up with the best solution(s) is an integral part of this work.

Thank you once again and I would appreciate your support on March 28!

“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.

Codman Farm plans to improve driveway, install forecourt

If all goes well, the muddy and cramped driveway at Codman Community Farms (CCF) will be resurfaced and expanded to allow easier access to the farm store, and there will be a new public gathering area in front.

Plans for driveway improvements and a new forecourt (in red) at Codman Community Farms. Areas shaded in yellow are not part of the upcoming project but are part of the farm’s five-year plan (click image to enlarge).

Voters approved spending $210,000 in June 2020 to fix problems due to driveway erosion, poor drainage and lack of sufficient parking, but those plans were stalled by the pandemic. The farm is now requesting an additional $119,950 to create a car-free forecourt in front of the main barn and add an ADA-compliant entrance at the side of the attached barn to the north. The CCF is putting up another $50,000 for both projects from its own budget.

CCF already had approval for the driveway project from the Historic District Commission, but they will need to go before the HDC again to get approval for the ADA-compliant entry and other above-grade work that may include small stone walls around some trees, gates, and other small items, said Nancy Fleming, president of the CCF board of directors. The Select Board and Capital Planning Committee have expressed overall support for the project.

The forecourt that the farm plans to install in front of the main barn in an area now used mostly for parking.

Fleming and others from CCF appeared before the Select Board in February to report on the last couple of years and outline the driveway project as part of their presentation of the five-year plan for the town-owned farm. Like everything else, public activities at the farm were shut down during most of 2020 due to the pandemic — but the self-service farm store tripled its income as people sought to avoided crowded supermarkets, and it now provides the majority of funding for farm operations.

In 2021, the farm brought back some public events (modified for Covid-19 safety) and launched a market garden to grow and sell produce and flowers. Coming soon: a recently completed commercial kitchen, and new sales terminals in the farm store that are more user-friendly and will allow customers to pay using SNAP food assistance funds.

The farm now has a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and four full-time employees: Farm Manager Pete Lowy, Assistant Farm Manager Jared Martin, plus a farm store manager and market garden manager in addition to a part-time HR and office manager, education and outreach coordinator, and seasonal staff. 

Looking ahead over the next five years, CCF hopes to move the farm store to the rear of the main barn to free up the front area for community events and workshops. They’re also thinking about building an educational pavilion with an integrated outdoor cooking area with a wood-fired pizza oven for food-related events and educational classes, constructing a crosswalk from the bike path on the other side of Codman Road, and installing a fire suppression system in two of the barns. The vegetable garden may also expand, pending approval from the Conservation Commission.

Before Low was hired six years ago, “we had some quite difficult years at the farm” in which the board had to borrow from its endowment to cover operating costs, Treasurer Carol Carmondy said at the Selects meeting. “That has all turned around,” mainly due to store income, grants, and Lowy being “very smart about running an efficient farm,” she added. The pandemic “generated a lot of demand that seems to be lasting for local and sustainably grown food.”

The farm is not looking to scale up its livestock operation but will focus its energy on improving the land through reseeding and other measures as well as expanding its educational outreach and volunteer activity. “We want to do a better and better job of maintaining the pastures and fields around town, have more events, more ways to engage the community, and more ways to teach people about where our food comes from,” Lowy said.

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.