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

My Turn: Adam Hogue is running for Select Board

(Editor’s note: Hogue will compete for the open seat on the Select Board with Jim Hutchinson, who declared his candidacy earlier this month.)

Dear Lincoln community,

I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the open seat on the Board of Selects. I want to start by thanking James Craig for his years of service to the town.

Since moving to Lincoln nine years ago, I have been a very active member of our community. I have enjoyed helping to plan our Veterans Day events and our Fourth of July run, along with my involvement in other town events. I have also been a member of the School Committee for the last few years and serve on the Capital Planning Committee.

I want to serve on the Select Board because I want to bring positive change to Lincoln along with new ideas.  While serving on our town committees, I have learned that we need fresh ideas to make our town even better while being fiscally responsible to the taxpayers of our town.

I look forward to a great campaign and meeting everyone on the campaign trail. I hope I can earn your vote!

Adam M. Hogue
50 Lincoln 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 Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Bruno the serval, minus his bad leg, heads to a sanctuary

Bruno the serval cat is on his way to his forever home in Minnesota after successful surgery to amputate his right hind leg, which was broken in two places when he was rescued in Lincoln earlier this month.

Bruno was captured by workers from the MSPCA/Angell Memorial Hospital on January 4 in the garage of Martin Pierce and Mary Jo Haggerty on Partridge Lane after their Deerhaven Road neighbor, Vic Saleme, called in the alert. The thin, limping cat had been spotted several times in the same neighborhood in previous days.

Because of the pain he was experiencing, surgeons amputated his broken leg on January 12 and also neutered him (cats of all sizes adapt very well to having only three legs, the MSPCA noted). While he was awaiting surgery in his Boston enclosure, he enjoyed playing with balls and other toys (even gathering them into his bed at night), though he slept with his injured leg dangling out of his house because it was painful for him to bend or put weight on it. The MSPCA’s Instagram feed has a dedicated Bruno story with lots of photos, videos, and information based on questions submitted by users about Bruno and servals in general.

Servals are wild animals native to sub-Saharan Africa. The MSPCA has speculated that Bruno was acquired illegally as a pet or to breed Savannah cats (a cross between a serval and a domestic cat), and he either escaped or was abandoned when he became too much to handle. They emphasized that servals do not make good pets and are illegal to own or breed. Savannah cats are also illegal in Massachusetts unless they are at least four generations removed from the serval ancestor.

“Bruno’s story makes us both sad and mad,” says the Bruno page on the website of the Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, MN, which reached out to the MSCPA to offer assistance when they heard Bruno’s story. “As more and more people believe that servals, bobcats and hybrids can be great pets, we’re seeing reports all over the country of ‘escaped’ exotics. These cats can’t survive on their own. Many have been declawed. All see humans as a source of food. Bruno is the poster child of the horrible things that can happen when they escape. We don’t know if he was hit by a car, but the breaks in his rear leg are extensive and could be months old. Can you imagine this poor cat trying to survive a bitter winter with a broken leg?”

Experts from the sanctuary confirmed that Bruno is a full-blood serval and not a hybrid.

“Not only will Bruno live out his live at a sanctuary that offers him a natural and safe habitat with heated, indoor buildings, but is going to a place that shares the MSPCA’s values: that wild animals do not exist for our entertainment,” Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the MSPCA, said in a statement.

Bruno, who is about a year old, was very thin when he was captured. Since X-rays revealed his injury was several months old, it’s a bit of a mystery as to how Bruno survived in the New England woods with his painful leg. MSPCA spokesman Rob Halpin speculated that he may have foraged for scraps or handouts or perhaps hunted for small rodents and/or birds “to the extent that he could.”

Handouts were undoubtedly a big reason the serval hung out in the Lincoln neighborhood for a while. Saleme fed him Tyson chicken nuggets — and when Tyson saw the story, they FedExed him a dozen two-pound bags of nuggets packed in dry ice (see photo in gallery below).

After Bruno first came to the MSCPA, the organization set up a fund for donations to defray costs of his veterinary care, and animal lovers opened their wallets. “We’re happy to report that about $12,000 has come in from donors across the state. That’s far more than the $5,000 needed for his surgery so the balance will stay in a restricted account called Pet Care Assistance, which meets the medical needs of homeless animals in our shelters and is never used for things like salaries, building maintenance, etc.,” Halpin said.

The Wildcat Sanctuary also welcomes donations for general purposes or to sponsor a cat (though it’s unclear whether you can choose a specific animal by name). 

Bruno will join 15 other servals and many more big cats at the sanctuary (go to this page and click on “Serval” to see photos). On January 16, the organization posted on its Facebook page about Bruno’s journey to Minnesota. “We will definitely do a more comprehensive video all about his surgery, his journey home, and how he was doing when he’s safe at his forever home at the Wildcat Sanctuary,” they wrote. “For now, all focus is on getting that little boy home safely.”

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Public forum on how to spend $2.06 million in Covid-19 relief funding

Lincoln’s ARPA Working Group will hold a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. to discuss its initial recommendations and hear public comment on how best to spend the $2.06 million in Covid-19 relief funds that the town stands to get from the federal government.

The Select Board formed the group several months ago to develop a recommended spending plan for the money that the town will receive under the American Rescue Plan Act. Members have been wading through the extensive government regulations about what is eligible for funding and has compiled a list of specific projects that would qualify, based on applications listed on its web page.

If approved, almost two-thirds of the $2.06 million would go the the Water Department for capital projects. The costliest of those is a new Tower Road well for $600,000, which might otherwise necessitate bonding.

Conservation Department

  • Repairs to the parking lot at Mt. Misery ($6,823)

Council on Aging and Human Services

  • Additional mental health clinics ($12,000*)
  • Create a half-time Town Social Worker position previously funded by grants ($106,228*)
  • Adding to the Emergency Assistance Fund for those who need help paying for housing ($43,500)

Lincoln Public Schools

  • An AIDE (Antiracism, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity) faculty residency whereby a faculty member would pause their teaching for a year to help teachers plan, observe and give feedback, model deeper learning and culturally responsive pedagogies, and support ongoing professional development and resource creation ($71,999 plus benefits*)
  • Salary increases and retention bonuses for food service workers ($21,441*)

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School

  • Lincoln’s 15% share for a ventilation system improvement ($15,000)

Water Department

  • Tower Road replacement well ($600,000)
  • Bedford Road tank cover repair ($500,000)
  • Distribution system repairs ($200,000)

General

  • Covid-19 response contingency fund for future non-reimbursed costs relating to the pandemic ($386,420)
  • A one-year consultant position shared by the schools and town to begin building Lincoln’s diversity program ($100,000*)

* Some level of ongoing funding required

After processing public reactions and suggestions, the Working Group will develop a set of final recommendations for consideration by the Select Board which, in its capacity as the town’s executive officer, will make the final determination on the spending plan.

The town has also applied for another $675,149 from two other Covid-19 relief funds (the CARES Act and FEMA).

Click here for the February 2 forum Zoom link (Meeting ID: 956 9986 3456, Passcode: 496711).

Police log for Jan. 1–8, 2022

January 1

Stonehedge Road (12:46 a.m.) — Caller reported that a friend who lives in Lincoln went hiking on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire and had not been heard from. Officers went to the residence and found that the party was not due back home until later in the day. The party later called to report they were fine and did not have cell service where they were staying.

Mackintosh Lane (4:25 p.m.) — Caller reported cars illegally parked on MacIntosh Lane. Officer responded and the vehicles were parked legally on conservation property.

South Great Road (5:22 p.m.) — Sudbury police called asking Lincoln police to keep an eye out for a vehicle on Route 117 in which the driver had been making suicidal statements. Officers checked the area; Sudbury police made contact with the party.

January 2

Mackintosh Lane (4:57 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle parked illegally on Macintosh Lane. Officer responded and located the vehicle and advised the owner they couldn’t park there.

January 3

South Great Road (5:00 p.m.) — Caller reported a coyote in the middle of the roadway that could be rabid. Officer responded and was unable to locate the animal.

Bedford Road (5:09 p.m.) — Caller reported that the catalytic converter was stolen from their car in late December. The delay in reporting was due to being out of the country.

Deer Run Road (5:43 p.m.) — An elderly caller was confused about a call they’d received about missing an appointment. Officer met with the caller and assisted them.

January 4

Food Project (1:54 pm.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot. Party check out OK.

Brooks Road (6:13 p.m.) — Report of a crash near Brooks Road. The crash occurred just over the town line into Concord and that town’s police handled it. Lincoln officers assisted with traffic; one person transported to the hospital

January 5

Minuteman Vocational Technical High School (7:30 a.m.) — Caller requested an officer come to the school for a reported former employee family member on the grounds who may be upset. While en route the caller, called back and cancelled the response. The party was a neighbor walking the grounds.

Codman Road (8:04 p.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on a resident. Officer made contact and the party was fine.

January 6

Concord Road (9:35 a.m.) — The Conservation Department reported vehicle parked at the Food Project lot. Officer made contact and the party was in the process of leaving the area.

January 7

North Great Road (4:58 a.m.) — Report of a crash on Route 2A near the Concord town line. Officers responded; the crash was in Concord and that town’s police handled it.

Pierce House (2:11 p.m.) — Resident called to report they slid off the road at the Pierce House and they had called a tow service to pull them out.

January 8

I-95 south, Lexington (9:02 a.m.) — Officer reported a vehicle spun out on the ramp from I-95 south to Route 2 east due to the snow. State Police were notified.

State officials explain draft guidelines for multifamily housing

State housing officials made the case for multifamily zoning in MBTA communities and explained the draft compliance guidelines during a January 12 webinar.

New zoning rules require MBTA communities to allow multifamily housing of a given density in an area within half a mile of an MBTA station or bus stop, or face loss of eligibility for some state grants. For Lincoln, the requirement would be 750 multifamily units (the minimum number for all MBTA communities). The changes are part of a $262 million economic development bond bill passed in January 2021. 

That bill has several other provisions and funding allocations that aim to alleviate the housing shortage in Massachusetts, which has among the highest and fastest-growing housing costs in the nation, said Michael Kennealy, Housing and Economic Development Secretary. Although the population has risen steadily, only half the building permits statewide were issued from 1990 to 2020 as in the preceding 30-year period, he noted.

“This has placed an incredible burden on our households and families all over the state” and is making Massachusetts less competitive with other “innovation economy” states, Kennealy said. The new law “is simply good climate policy, good transit policy, good housing policy, and good local economic development policy.”

Gov. Baker has said his administration will take a “thoughtful approach in developing compliance criteria” and that those criteria will “recognize that a multifamily district that is reasonable in one city or town may not be reasonable in another,” said Chris Kluchman, Deputy Director of the Community Services Division of the state Department of Housing and Community Development.

The officials emphasized that the law is unrelated to Chapter 40B, which allows developers to bypass local zoning in communities that do not meet the state minimum for affordable housing stock. It is also not a production mandate; “the actual unit production will depend on many factors,” Kluchman said.

Clark Ziegler, Executive Director at the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, showed a slide with photos of “real-world examples of attractive multifamily housing,” including developments in Sudbury and Lexington (see slide deck below). “We need to show local residents that multifamily is not what they often fear, and that it can be knit into the fabric of any community to create vibrant neighborhoods,” he said.

Lincoln and other towns currently require a two-thirds majority at Town Meeting to approve changes to their zoning rules. The economic development bill reduces the voting approval threshold for approving certain zoning bylaw amendments (including creation of the multifamily district) and special permits to a simple majority. Nonetheless, the state realizes that “that can be a big lift,” so officials are offering technical assistance as well as grant programs for low- and moderate-income housing near public transit to help communities comply,” Ziegler said.

To be eligible for this year’s round of grants, towns must submit an online form by May 2. The public comment period for the draft guidelines closes on March 31. Once the final guidelines are established, MBTA communities must establish a compliant zoning district by 2023 or become ineligible for grants from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund, or the MassWorks infrastructure program.

The 750-unit mandate for Lincoln is “infeasible” and “jaw-dropping,” Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson said last week. After the webinar, she commented, “The most interesting part of that webinar is that the emphasis is on the zoning, not on what is feasible nor on housing production. That has some interesting implications that we will have to think about.”

Here are some of the slides from the January 2 webinar hosted by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (click on a slide to see larger versions and forward/back buttons):

My Turn: Thanks from president of domestic violence aid group

For the past two years, it has been my privilege to serve as president of the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable (SWLDVR) and see firsthand the courage, tenacity, commitment, and generosity of both those whom we support and the many who support the Roundtable.

Our mission is to promote safe and healthy relationships, raise public awareness about abusive and controlling behaviors, and end relationship abuse in all its forms. We could not move towards achieving our goals — to educate communities, support agencies that provide services to survivors of domestic abuse, network with other concerned groups, and mobilize community leaders — without the support of our communities.

The numbers of reported domestic abuse incidents have risen sharply during the pandemic, and strains on survivors and service providers have increased correspondingly.

In addition to everything else they face, survivors are experiencing job losses, health concerns, financial instability, and increased domestic pressures. As front-line workers, providers have continued their work while worrying about their own health, sick family members, and grieving the loss of loved ones.

And yet, amid all the darkness, the best of human nature has been displayed.

Financial donations have increased. The Holiday Gift Drive, Shower for Shelters, and the Valentine’s Gift Bag Project have been supported in ways that clearly demonstrate “the kindness of strangers,” the generosity of the community, and the enormous commitment of our volunteers.

During October (Domestic Violence Awareness Month), purple lights (the color of courage) illuminated public and private buildings in Sudbury, Wayland, Weston, Framingham, and Weston. Banners encouraging us to Shine a Light on domestic abuse were displayed in Sudbury, Wayland, and Lincoln. Residents of Lincoln placed purple bulbs in window lamps.

As we move into 2022 and on behalf of the Roundtable, I should like to thank firstly and most importantly, the community members of Sudbury, Wayland, and Lincoln who have shared their lived experiences, resources, and talents.

Next, we are deeply appreciative of the support received from town leaders, civic organizations, local businesses, and members of the faith communities.

Finally, thanks to the following for their continued support and generosity: the First Parish in Wayland Lydia Maria Child Fund, the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund, Brad Keyes of Keyes North Atlantic, Inc., the Saia Family of Sudbury Wine and Spirits, Ace Hardware Wayland, Lincoln Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy, and Lincoln Town Administrator Tim Higgins.

For information on ways to support the SWLDVR, or if you or someone you know needs help, please go to our website at www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org.

Sincerely,

Sue Rushfirth
President, Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable
P.O. Box 543
Sudbury, MA 01776

“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 acorns

Jan. 11 talk by Palestinian scientist

Lincoln’s GRALTA Foundation is co-sponsoring “Hope in the Midst of Calamity: A View from Palestine, ” an online presentation by Bethlehem University professor and Palestine Museum of Natural History founder Mazin Qumsiyeh, on Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. The event is hosted by the Community Church of Boston and co-sponsored by Muslims for Progressive Values and Jewish Voice for Peace. Qumsiyeh, a U.S. citizen, lives in Bethlehem and is an internationally known voice for Palestinian science and rights. He is co-founder of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability. Click here to join the Zoom meeting (meeting ID: 895 5257 5898, password: 246499).

Run for local office

Looking for a rewarding if occasionally vexing way to feel more connected?  Willing to undertake new challenges? Unafraid to speak up? Then run for local office! The annual town election will take place on Monday, March 28. Nomination papers are available at the Town Clerk’s Office until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Papers must be returned by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4. Please contact Valerie Fox at foxv@lincolntown.org or call 781-259-2607 if you’re interested.

The following offices will appear on the March ballot:

  • Board of Assessors — one seat for three years
  • Board of Health — one seat for three years
  • Cemetery Commission — one seat for three years
  • Commissioners of Trust Funds — one seat for three years
  • Housing Commission — one seat for three years
  • Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee — two seats for three years each
  • Parks and Recreation Committee — one seat for three years
  • Planning Board — two seats for three years
  • K-8 School Committee — one seat for three years
  • Select Board — one seat for three years
  • Town Clerk — one seat for three years
  • Bemis Trustee — one seat for three years
  • Trustees of Lincoln Library – one seat for three years
  • Water Commissioner — one seat for three years
  • Water Commissioner — one seat for two years

Former police dispatcher pleads guilty

Spencer Hughes of Randolph, a former dispatcher for the Lincoln Police Department, has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges. He was arrested in 2020 and resigned the following month, according to NBC 10Boston. Investigators subsequently found more than 2,200 images and approximately 68 videos of child pornography in external hard drives and other devices after searching his home. He faces a maximum of 40 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for May 5.

DeCordova is the most popular Trustees web page

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum was #1 for the properties managed by The Trustees of Reservations based on web traffic in 2021. Rounding out the top five starting at #1 were Castle Hill Estate in Ipswich, World’s End in Hingham, Crane Beach in Ipswich, and Naumkeag in Stockbridge.

Corrections

  • The headline on the January 9 story, “New rules say Lincoln must allow 750 housing units in South Lincoln,” was misleading. The town is not required to change its zoning. The explanatory document on the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development’s web page titled “Multi-Family Zoning Requirement for MBTA Communities” says that towns that do not comply will be “ineligible” for three types of state grants, as specified in the last paragraph of the Lincoln Squirrel story. The headline has been corrected.
  • The headline on a “My Turn” piece by Ruth Ann Hendrickson published on January 9 misspelled her last name. The original post has been corrected.

 

New rules ask town to permit 750 housing units in South Lincoln

(Editor’s note: when this story was originally published, the accompanying map misidentified the amount of land that would be subject to multifamily zoning under the new state rules. The map has been updated.)

To comply with new state housing guidelines, Lincoln would have to allow 750 units in South Lincoln or become ineligible for various state grants.

Because it has a commuter rail station, Lincoln is designated as an “MBTA community” and is therefore required to amend its zoning to allow multifamily housing with half a mile of the station or face loss of eligibility for some state grants. The rules call for a minimum of 15 units per acre suitable for families and children and with no age restrictions. This translates to 750 units for Lincoln.

The red circle shows land within a half-mile radius of the Lincoln commuter rail station. Wetlands and buffers are indicated in shades of blue, conservation land is in green, and the beige area in the southwest quadrant is the Mass Audubon Society. The town would have to allow 750 units of multifamily housing within that area to comply with the Housing Choice Act. NOTE: this map was incorrect when initially published and was updated on Jan. 19, 2022. (Map courtesy Margaret Olson)

The initiative was announced in early 2021 but the initial outline of the law left many unanswered questions.

“We verified this [750-unit requirement] jaw-dropper with the state,” Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson, who made an illustration of “just how infeasible this is.” At least half of the acreage within that zone is wetlands, wetlands buffer, or conservation land, she noted.

It’s unclear how the existing multifamily units in South Lincoln would be counted as part of Lincoln’s requirement. Condos and apartments with half a mile of the station include 125 units in Lincoln Woods and a total of 65 units in three developments on Ridge Road and Greenridge Lane.

There will be a webinar hosted by the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development to explain the requirements outlined in a 2021 bill on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 1 p.m. Click here to register. 

If Lincoln does not comply by changing its zoning, it would no longer be eligible for grants from the Housing Choice Initiative, the Local Capital Projects Fund, or the MassWorks infrastructure program. It’s unclear how much money Lincoln has received from these funds in the past.