In the March 8 article headlined “Codman Farm plans to improve driveway, install forecourt,” the names of Pete Lowy (in one place) and Carol Carmody were misspelled. The original story has been corrected.
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.
Town completes second round of bonding for school project
The town has sold bonds worth $8,489,000 in the second portion of borrowing to fund the school project. The sale generated a 2.6% interest rate with annual debt service at roughly $440,000, according to Lincoln Finance Director Colleen Wilkins.
Prior to the sale, the town’s AAA credit rating was affirmed by Standard & Poor, which helped keep interest rates low. “As part of their report, S&P cited strong credit rating factors for the town, including Lincoln’s very strong economy, very strong management with strong financial policies and practices, and the town’s thoughtful practice of building financial reserves,” Wilkins said.
The tax impact on the median tax bill is $215 and will be reflected in real estate tax bills issued in fall 2022.
In the first round of borrowing in early 2019, the town sold bonds worth $80 million at an interest rate of 3.379%. At that time, the Finance Committee was basing property tax impact estimates for the project on an expected interest rate of 4–5%, resulting an estimated tax hike of 18–20%, but officials revised that down to 14–16%.
The combined bond sales plus $4.4 million from the town’s debt stabilization fund and $1 million from free cash in 2019 are funding the $92.9 million project , which is scheduled for completion this summer. For fiscal year 2023, the Finance Committee projects in the Annual Town Meeting warrant that debt service for the school project will be $4.29 million, or 9.6% of the $44.52 million town budget.
Police log for Feb. 23–March 3, 2022
February 23
Lincoln Road (3:49 p.m.) — Walk-in to the station couldn’t gain access to their nearby office. Fire Department went down to assist and the building manager arrived to handle the matter.
Lincoln Police Department (4:30 p.m.) — Party turned in a found credit card. Attempts were made to contact the owner.
Millstone Lane (5:59 p.m.) — Party called to report that they lost their license in Minuteman National Park on a trail in case it gets turned in.
Wells Road (8:08 p.m.) — Caller reported smelling a strange odor coming from an apartment. Officers went down but nothing was found.
February 24
Hanscom Vandenberg Gate (5:40 a.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces called regarding a person trying to enter the base with an active warrant. Officers arrested Isabelo Guzman-Rodriguez, 47, of Milford on a warrant out of the Lawrence District Court for a violating a restraining order. He was later brought to the Concord District Court
Trapelo Road (7:12 p.m.) — Resident called to report a person on Trapelo Road who was lost and needed assistance in getting to Concord. An officer responded and drove them to Concord.
February 25
Concord Road (6:24 a.m. ) — One-car crash rollover near Baker Farm. Officers and FD responded. No injuries, one vehicle was towed. Report taken.
Minebrook Road (4:05 p.m.) — Caller reported cars parked on the side of the road blocking the plows. An officer responded and found that there were no violations.
Baker Bridge Road (6:13 p.m.) — A vehicle slid into a town plow truck. No injuries; one vehicle was towed from the scene.
February 26
Nothing of note.
February 27
Smith Hill Road (5:03 p.m. and 9:19 p.m.) — Officer attempting to serve paperwork. Party was not home.
Wells Road (7:14 p.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on a party. Officers responded and were unable to locate the party but were able to contact a relative. Everything was fine.
February 28
Nothing of note.
March 1
Smith Hill Road (9:20 a.m.) — Officer delivered paperwork to the party.
Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge (4:00 p.m.) — Detective Ian Spencer assisted Harvard University Police with a forensic sketch regarding an investigation.
March 2
Wells Road (12:54 p.m.) — Caller reported an odor of natural gas. Fire Department responded; and vented the apartment (the stove was left on).
March 3
Minuteman Technical High School (8:19 p.m.) — School staff found a small packet containing an unknown substance on the school grounds. An officer responded and retrieved the item, which appeared to be an unknown drug. The item was returned to the station to be destroyed.
Conant Road (12:22 p.m.) — Fire Department assisted at a residence with a broken water pipe.
Todd Pond Road (6:14 p.m.) — Caller was having a problem with their fireplace. Fire Department assisted the party. No carbon monoxide readings inside the home.
Virginia Road (6:30 p.m.) — Caller reported an ongoing issue with the fire alarm system. Fire Department responded and found a problem with a smoke detector that was causing the issue.
My Turn: Residents endorse Hutchinson for Select Board
We are writing to endorse Jim Hutchinson for the Select Board. For several years, he has contributed his experience and analytical skills to many town committees. For the past eight years on the Green Energy Committee (GEC), Jim has offered critical thinking and leadership during a time of transition. The climate crisis has brought urgency to the role of the GEC as the town responds to new state guidelines for energy efficiency and reduced emissions.
Jim’s ability to see the problems clearly and articulate the way forward has helped the committee navigate this new path. He is determined to balance costs and benefits, using a “sharp pencil” when needed. He is mindful of the need for residential equity and inclusivity as the town works to implement needed change in our energy practices. Most recently, he has played a key role on the PPA subcommittee, which is working to put solar PV panels on our newly renovated Lincoln School.
Jim has waded into the thorny problems that confront our town organizations during these difficult times. He often brings a light touch of humor to discussions help all of us see the issues more clearly. Lincoln is lucky to have his background, temperament, and commitment to the town.
Sincerely,
Alex Chatfield
Buck Creel
Andy Fallender
Trisha O’Hagan
Roy Harvey
Ed Kern
Chris Klem
Sue Klem
Ed Lang
Paul Shorb
Lynne Smith
“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.
New book offers an inside look at Lincoln METCO sales
The Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee has published a new book about the hundreds of donations of furniture, antiques, and artwork they sold to help fund activities for students year in and year out.
Downsize for Diversity: How We Raised $122,000 with a Pickup Truck and a Little Help from Our Friends tells the story of how an unexpected donation of 60 porcelain dolls led to the idea of selling them and other donated items to pay for METCO summer camp scholarships. The seed was a fundraising brainstorming session involving the book’s co-authors, MCC fundraising chair Joanna Schmergel and Lincoln METCO Director and AIDE Coordinator Marika Hamilton. (Full disclosure: Lincoln Squirrel Editor Alice Waugh designed and edited Downsize for Diversity but will not earn money from sales of the book; all proceeds benefit the Lincoln MCC.)
“As we pivoted from porcelain dolls to American Girl Dolls to estate sale items, we started to slowly realize the huge opportunity with people who were downsizing for different reasons at different phases of life,” Schmergel said. “We realized we could keep going and get to our goal of $100,000, which would be enough to start a policy-governed investment fund to generate school-year operations funds.”
Over the course of four years, dozens of volunteers learned how to transport, fix up, price, and list items for sale (see photo gallery below). The MCC eventually surpassed their fundraising goal by racking up more than $122,000 in the end. But they haven’t stopped collecting and selling donations; the focus has shifted to artworks only, and the operation is now called “Downsize for Diversity ART” (Anti-Racist Together) and has already raised another $10,000.
The book is packed with photos, tips, and humorous anecdotes about the surprising variety of things that passed from the hands of donors to volunteers to new owners. Those items ran the gamut from American Girl dolls to Southeast Asian furniture, clocks, oil paintings, a computer server cabinet, a canoe, christening gowns — and even a century-old proctoscope complete with case and instructions.
Every item has a history, some of which is included in the book. “People want to give their valuable items to a good cause, but they also want to tell the stories that go along with them,” she said. “We then pass those stories on to the buyers who purchase their treasures and want to hear those stories.”
“We learned that there is passionate support in the greater Boston area for anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Schmergel said. “Almost every single donor and many buyers had a story to tell about how the METCO program touched them as a host parent, close friend to a METCO-enrolled student, coach, or teacher.”
“I have been amazed at the generosity of so many people all over. During times where we were dealing with a dual pandemic, folks were still showing love but wanting to donate dolls, furniture, art, and much more,” Hamilton said, who also had high praise for her co-author.
“It’s been most rewarding to see Joanna’s passion with Downsize for Diversity. She’s been full throttle since I met her, and our connection and ideas have been magical from the time I met her. Her battery pack never runs low and even if it does, she still has the energy of 100 people. She is one of the most selfless people I know and has unconditionally worked to pull in volunteers and open the doors to her home to keep D for D growing. The benefit has been that students are able to have access to opportunities that they might not otherwise have been afforded.”
For anyone who’s looking to raise money for their local METCO program or any nonprofit, “my advice would be to read our book and let it trigger your own ideas. You can take pieces and fragments from the book and use them to go after the low-hanging fruit,” she said.
Hamilton’s advice? “Your ‘why’ must be very clear because when times feel tough, that’s what will continue to drive your work. I’d also say think big, but it’s OK to start small, even if you start with a goal to raise $1,000. It’s not the dollar amount when you start, but the blueprint and plan you use. And if you’re in need of a plan, purchase our book so you don’t have to grow a second brain! Sharing is caring,” she said with a laugh.
Look inside Downsize for Diversity and buy now from BookBaby.com to maximize MCC’s royalties, or order on Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com. All income from sales of the book will go to the Lincoln MCC.
My Turn: Article headline was “misleading”
To the editor:
Although the body of the article is accurate, the headline of the Lincoln Squirrel article “Town officials marshal arguments against housing rules” (posted March 3, 2022) is somewhat misleading.
It is important to emphasize that Lincoln is not against the Housing Choice Act, nor is it opposing the Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD’s) draft guidelines, which are the focus of this article. The concern is that the DHCD’s proposed rules, as currently written, do not accomplish their intent of providing support and usable guidance on conforming to the Housing Choice Act for smaller towns (like Lincoln). They would have the opposite effect.
Lincoln has a long history of being proactive and diligent in the development and support of affordable housing and still is, as the ongoing support and leadership in this regard from the Planning Board, Board of Selects, SLPAC, COA&HS, Housing Commission, Housing Trust, and many other town bodies and departments demonstrate.
The goal of the town’s response is to encourage the state (and DHCD) to work with Lincoln and other smaller towns to craft a more effective, and comprehensive, approach in support of the Housing Choice Act. We must avoid creating a set of rules that will discourage smaller towns from participating in the effort to address our state’s severe shortage of affordable housing with viable public transit options.
Sincerely,
Allen Vander Meulen
Chair, Lincoln Housing Commission
“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.
PTO to host debate for town candidates
The Lincoln PTO will hold a debate featuring candidates in the March 28 town election on Wednesday, March 16 from 7–9 p.m. The event will take place in the newly renovated Brooks Auditorium and will also be live-streamed and recorded.
Moderating the event will be PTO co-chair Rob Stringer and former PTO president Carol Kasper. All of the candidates for the four contested races (Select Board, Lincoln School Committee, L-S School Committee, and Planning Board) have said they will participate, as have most of those who are running uncontested. “We really want everyone to get to know all the candidates,” Stringer said.
Each candidate will have two minutes to introduce themselves and will then face questions from the moderators. There will also be Q&A opportunities for the audience, probably with questions written down and sent to the moderators as with recent Town Meetings.
National issues have trickled down into local politics in many cities and towns, “but we want to make sure it stays civil and nobody feels attacked from the right or the left. We are still neighbors,” Stringer said.
Details and online links will be announced closer to the event.