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

Candidate slate ready for town election in March

The slate for the upcoming town election features several newcomers hoping to win seats after some incumbents decided not to run for reelection, and one contested seat — two candidates are vying for one opening on the Parks and Recreation Commission. All seats are for three-year terms.

Residents can vote in person in the Smith gym from 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m. on Monday, March 29. They may also vote by absentee ballot, or early by mail (this last option has been extended by the legislature).

The election is usually held two days after the Annual Town Meeting, but the ATM this year will be held outdoors on May 15 (details to be announced).

Board/committeeCandidateIncumbent not running for reelection
Board of AssessorsEdward Morgan*
Board of HealthPatricia Miller*
Board of SelectmenJennifer Glass*
Cemetery CommissionDouglas Harding**None (the seat is currently open)
Commissioner of Trust Funds—Donald Collins
Housing CommissionEvan Gorman
LSRHS School CommitteeHeather Cowap SalemmeCarole Kasper
LSRHS School CommitteeMary WarzynskiEllen Joachim
Parks and Recreation CommitteeBrianna Doo, Evan GormanSarah Chester
Planning BoardGerald Taylor*
School CommitteeSusan Taylor*
School CommitteeJohn MaclachlanPeter Borden
Trustees of Bemis FundMiriam Borden*
Water CommissionJim Hutchinson*

* Incumbent running for reelection

** Doug Harding is running for the seat formerly held by his wife Susan, who passed away in 2020.

Town refinances bond, saving $60,000 a year

The town has been able to take advantage of historically low interest rates to refinance the bonds it sold for renovating the Town Office Building 10 years ago — a move that will save approximately $60,000 a year  for the next 20 years.

The town sold 30-year bonds totaling $5.8 million to pay for the project a decade ago (another $1,000,000 came from the Community Preservation Fund). The deal included a bond call option so the town could refinance after 10 years if interest rates dropped — and they did, from 3.6% to the new rate of 1.18%, according to Lincoln Finance Director Colleen Wilkins. The lower interest rate will save about $1,278,000 over the next 20 years. At the same time, the town’s AAA bond rating was also reaffirmed.

The semiannual payment on the bonds varies each year as result of the annual principal payments reducing the interest expense each year, and the average annual savings won’t be known until the closing, Wilkins said.

The Town Office Building, which began life as the historic Center School, lacked handicapped access and needed better space utilization and greater energy efficiency. A study committee made the case for the project at the 2010 State of the Town Meeting, and residents approved the project in March 2011.

Police log for Feb. 13–19, 2021

February 13

The Commons in Lincoln (6:30 a.m.) — A woman called looking for assistance, saying she was in trouble. There was no problem; the resident had recently moved to the memory care unit.

Round Hill Road (4:54 p.m.) — A resident fell victim to a grandparent scam. Investigation ongoing.

February 14

Doherty’s Garage (7:39 p.m.) — A person was seen placing items into a dumpster. Officer advised them to stop as they had no affiliation with the business.

February 15

Lexington Road (3:31 p.m.) — A car crashed into a stone wall. One person was transported to Emerson Hospital and the vehicle was towed.

Department of Public Works (6:08 p.m.) — Police were asked to call out the DPW to treat the roads due to weather conditions.

February 16

Doherty’s Garage (2:25 a.m.) — Police cruiser struck a parked vehicle due to the icy conditions while conducting a check of a business. The owner of the vehicle was notified (very minor damage).

February 17

Department of Public Works (3:29 a.m.) — Police were asked to call out the DPW to treat the roads due to weather conditions.

Trapelo Road (8:18 p.m.) — Officer checked on a car pulled over on the side of the road with its hazard lights on. The driver was OK and had pulled over to use their phone.

Trapelo Road (10:44 p.m.) — A caller reported people sledding on the hill near Minebrook Road. An officer spoke to the sledders and had them leave.

February 18

Concord Road (11:08 a.m.) — Maynard police requested a well-being check on a person at the residence. Officers checked and spoke with the person and everything was fine.

Boston Post Road, Weston (4:09 p.m.) — Weston Fire Department requested an ambulance for a medical call.

February 19

Hanscom Air Force Base (2:20 p.m.) — Caller reported being harassed by a person living out of state. Report taken; investigation ongoing.

Weston Road (7:09 p.m.) — Officer checked on an unoccupied vehicle pulled off to the side of the roadway. Vehicle appeared to have been there a while.

Lincoln Road (9:49 p.m.) — A vehicle was parked on the roadway near Lewis Street. The owner removed the vehicle.

Violet Thayer, successful Lincoln businesswoman born into slavery

Editor’s note: This is the first article in a new series called “Lincoln’s History” written by the Lincoln Historical Society.

By Don Hafner

Black History Month is a time to reflect upon stories of Lincoln’s own history of slavery. Here is one such story.

Against all odds, Violet Thayer of Lincoln was a successful businesswoman. When she died in 1813, she was in her seventies and had never married. Violet’s mother was still alive, but she was blind and incapable of managing her late daughter’s affairs, so John Hartwell, proprietor of the Hartwell tavern, handled Violet’s estate.

The probate inventory of Violet’s property included what we might expect of a successful seamstress — two calico gowns, one cambric gown, four short gowns, twenty yards of shirting fabric, thimbles, yarn. In all, the estate was valued at $114. Three more items showed Violet’s success and savvy as a businesswoman. She had $30 in cash, as well as two loans she had made that paid her interest—one to Bulkley Adams for $20 and the other to Samuel Hartwell for $27.

During the seven weeks of Violet’s terminal illness, she was cared for by John and Hepzibah Hartwell. John Hartwell claimed a third of Violet’s estate for his expenses in boarding her during these weeks, but that still left something for her aged and blind mother.

Violet Thayer’s success did not come easily. She had been born into slavery and had been enslaved “from infancy” in the households of Ephraim and Elizabeth Hartwell and then John and Hepzibah Hartwell. Yet by the time of her death, Violet had earned enough money on her own to make loans to two of Lincoln’s prominent citizens. Quite likely, these “loans” were Violet’s shrewd equivalent of a savings account that paid interest at a time when Lincoln had no banks.

Hartwell Tavern in 1904 and in modern times. The house (now part of Minute Man National Historical Park) was originally built as a home for Ephraim Hartwell and his newlywed wife Elizabeth in 1733.

Also against the odds, the Hartwells attempted to hold Violet in bondage even after the state Supreme Judicial Court pronounced in 1783 that the court was “fully of the opinion that perpetual servitude can no longer be tolerated in our government.” Essentially, the court gave every “servant for life” in Massachusetts the opportunity to simply walk away from their owners, including the dozen or so slave owners in Lincoln. Yet five years later, when Ephraim Hartwell made out his will in 1788, he included this clause: “I give unto Elizabeth Hartwell my beloved wife … my Negro woman, named Violet for her own service & disposal.”

Ephraim Hartwell died in 1793, and the probate inventory of his estate did not include any mention of Violet among his “property.” Perhaps she had challenged her enslavement; perhaps she had simply been released by the Hartwells. Either way, when freedom finally came to her, Violet Thayer made her own path in the world—and quite successfully.

For more on slavery in Lincoln, see A Rich Harvest by John C. MacLean, especially pages 216-221. Copies of are available from the Lincoln Historical Society.

Addendum (March 1, 2021):

Did you know that the end of slavery in Massachusetts was complicated, and there was not a single action or case that ended it. Although in the 1790 census no individuals within Massachusetts were identified as slaves, Hartwell’s ongoing treatment of Violet as a slave two years earlier was not unique and not illegal.

In 1781 there were two important lower-court cases brought by slaves Mum Bett and Quock Walker that resulted in their being declared free. Walker had been owned by Nathaniel Jennison, and other charges developed out of the original case. One was Commonwealth v. Jennison, which related to an incident where Jennison had beaten Walker. In 1783 it had gone to the Supreme Judicial Court, and Jennison was found guilty and fined forty shillings.

Chief Justice William Cushing argued the view that based upon language in the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution (an issue earlier argued in the Mum Bett case), Cushing was “fully of the opinion that perpetual servitude can no longer be tolerated in our government.”

Although highly suggestive, those statements were not part of the formal decision of the court, which was dealing with a narrower issue of assault and battery—so slavery legally continued (including with the Hartwells), but it now became clear that the SJC would not uphold it.

For those interested in research into Massachusetts slavery, a general article I wrote some time back for the New England Historic Genealogical Society includes Lincoln references and is available here.

Jack MacLean
Lincoln Town Historian

My Turn: Learn how to slash trash and revive recycling

By Barbara Heffner

You embrace recycling but still you have questions about your trash and recyclables, such as: Should I be doing something different? Which types of plastic are okay? What matters most: reducing, reusing, or recycling?

Meanwhile, our cities and towns are struggling with both the volume of trash and the rising expense of managing it. While recycling programs used to generate revenue for many towns, that is typically not the case now.

If you’re asking these or other questions, join MetroWest Climate Solutions for a discussion with Kirstie Pecci on Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. — click here to register. Pecci is the director of the Conservation Law Foundation’s Zero Waste Project and is part of the Zero Waste Boston coalition, which advocates for zero waste solutions such as reuse, recycling, redesign and composting/anaerobic digestion in the City of Boston. 

The Zoom-based presentation will be followed by a Q&A moderated by Joel Angiolillo. He is a founder of MetroWest Climate Solutions, president of the Weston Forest and Trail Association, and served as co-chair of the Weston Open Spaces and Recreation Committee.

MetroWest Climate Solutions is a growing partnership between First Parish in Wayland, First Parish Church in Weston, First Parish in Lincoln, the Congregational Church in Weston, and other communities and individuals. Our mission is to share strategies for moving towards a low- and no-carbon-based society and economy and to suggest activities that enable individuals to help bring about solutions.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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

Winter Carnival features scavenger hunt, ice sculpture demonstration

As part of Lincoln’s annual Winter Carnival, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust/Rural Land Foundation (LLCT/RLF) invites the public to participate in two of its featured free events:

  • From Saturday, Feb. 20 through Sunday, Feb. 28, the LLCT/RLF will host a Winter Animals Scavenger Hunt. Gear up and take a hike on Lincoln’s many walking trails in search of the various animal sculptures hidden on trails and created by local artists and students at the Birches School. Take a selfie at each sculpture and submit your photos to be eligible to receive a $10 gift card from Twisted Tree Cafe or Something Special (one per household while supplies last). Click here for instructions and scavenger hunt clues.

    Ice sculptor Donald Chapelle with a frog in progress.

  • On Saturday, Feb. 27 from 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m, the LLCT/RLF and William Jackson Associates will host an ice sculpture demonstration featuring Donald Chapelle, a local artist with 40 years of ice carving experience and founder of Brilliant Ice Sculpture. In addition to showcasing a number of pre-made ice sculptures, which he’ll have on-site, Chappelle will use chainsaws, ice picks, and various carving elements to bring a moose to life out of a block of ice. The demonstration, which takes place on the green at the Mall at Lincoln Station, is a great fun-for-the-whole-family experience (physical distancing protocols will be in place). Twisted Tree Cafe will set up a pop-up shop with hot chocolate and cookies starting at 10:30. Hint: the moose will be the last sculpture on the scavenger hunt (see above).

See and hear spring birds in fireside chat

The LLCT is also sponsoring a Zoom fireside chat and photo-sharing session with Lincoln resident and photographer Barbara Peskin about spring birds on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. Spring is a time of renewal, return and migration, and Peskin will highlight spring visitors to our yards, woods and fields, including rose-breasted grosbeaks and a scarlet tanager, a pair of cardinals, black-capped chickadees, pileated woodpeckers, and more. She’ll also play some of the calls and songs of these backyard friends. Along with the spring songbirds will be a few local and special photos. After her remarks, there will be time for questions and conversation. The program is free and open to all, but registration is required.

Library works to improve contactless pickup

Since the Lincoln Public Library second closure to the public, patrons have had to rely on reserving books online and picking them up in paper bags in the library vestibule. But because of limited space and demand outstripping the skeleton staff’s ability to quickly fill all the requests, the library has announced some changes.

As of February 18, items will no longer be put into separate paper bags so as to maximize the limited space in the vestibule. Staff are also looking into more temporary shelving in the small space. Empty paper bags and hand sanitizer are available. The staff also asks that patrons fill out the online pickup scheduling form only after they receive notification that they have an item ready for pickup. Complete information and links are available on the library’s Contactless Pickup web page.

Scholarship committee seeks member

The Board of Selectmen seeks volunteers to fill a vacancy on the Lincoln Scholarship Committee. The committee administers the information, applicant review, and selection processes for several scholarships and awards available to Lincoln students graduating from secondary schools. The group also fundraises on behalf of the Lincoln Permanent Scholarship Fund and mails an annual appeal letter to residents of Lincoln. For more information about the Committee, you can visit their webpage or email LincolnScholarship@LincolnTown.org

Letters of interest should be addressed to Select Board Chair James Craig and sent to Peggy Elder, administrative assistant in the Selectmen’s Office, at elderp@lincolntown.org. Residents are also welcome to fill out and submit this volunteer application or call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.

My Turn: Support more state aid for kids in poverty

Editor’s note: This piece was originally published in early February but was deleted due to a website malfunction and later restored.

By Jean Palmer

I recently received an email response from Thomas Stanley, Lincoln’s state representative, that he has signed on to “An Act of Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty” (HD 1158) — legislation that would raise cash assistance grants by 20% per year until they reach 50% of the federal poverty level (currently $915 per month for a family of three) and then increase grants each year to keep up with inflation.

Even with the historic 10% increase implemented in January of this year, cash assistance grants are still far too low to meet families’ basic needs. The maximum TAFDC grant (Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children) for a family of three is only $652 per month. For an elder or disabled individual, the maximum EAEDC grant (Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children) is just $334 per month.

My daughter, a lawyer who works for Greater Boston Legal Services, tells me this is very important to support. I hope you will support it also, and send a thank-you to Rep. Stanley for supporting it. (Thomas.Stanley@mahouse.gov). I haven’t yet heard back from our state senator, Mike Barrett, on another email I sent asking for his support of this same legislation in the Senate: SD430.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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.

Obituaries (January – February 2021)

Editor’s note: This is a compilation of obituaries (in order of the date of death) that were originally published at various times between mid-January and mid-February 2021. They were inadvertently deleted from the website due to a technical malfunction and later restored.

Pamela Gallup, 69

The flag was lowered to half staff on town buildings until February 10 to honor longtime Lincoln resident Pamela Gallup, who passed away on January 30 after a courageous battle with cancer. She leaves her son Tony.

Pamela, who graduated from Boston College and later Suffolk Law School, was very active in the Lincoln community. As a long-time member of the Housing Commission and Housing Trust, she was instrumental in shepherding the Oriole Landing project. She was also an advocate for group homes for the handicapped in Lincoln. For her work on affordable housing, she received the Bright Light Award, given each year at Town Meeting to a Lincoln citizen who made a significant contribution to the town.

“Pam was a passionate advocate for affordable housing and expanded housing diversity in Lincoln,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said. “She employed her legal training and extensive knowledge of affordable housing programs for the benefit of people seeking to live in Lincoln, and there is no doubt that she helped open the doors for dozens of our current town residents.”

 
Michael McHugh, 87

McHugh, a former sergeant for the Lincoln Police Department, died on January 21. Click here for full obituary.

Sophie Poulos, 100

Poulos died on January 14 and is survived by her children Diane Poulos Harpell, Theodore Poulos, and Nicholas Poulos. Full obituary.

Gert Brieger, 89

Brieger, a scholar in the history of medicine and public health, died on January 13. Full obituary.

Frank Ferguson, 94

Ferguson, an angel investor and philanthropist, died on January 12. Full obituary.

Ralph Flannery, 97

Ralph Flannery, 97, a brick layer and racing enthusiast, died peacefully at home on January 12, 2021. Survivors include daughter Pamela Poulos and her husband Theodore of Lincoln. Full obituary and video of his burial.

John Hart Terrell, 86

John Hart Terrell, a physicist and student of Japanese painting, cello, and Buddhism, passed away on January 13. Full obituary.

Robert Lager, 63

Robert (Bob) Lager, one of the Lincoln Public Library’s custodians, passed away suddenly on January 10 in the library. The staff “always looked forward to seeing Bob — it meant our work day was over and we could share a joke or a story with him,” they said in a statement. “The most important part of the library staff is that we are a family. Bob was a member of our family, we are all in a state of shock. Bob was an incredibly hard worker who went above and beyond for his staff and family.” Click here to contribute to a fundraiser for Bob’s family in a fundraiser organized by friends of the Woodland School in Weston, where he also worked as a custodian. Full obituary.

Kerri-Jae Sussman, 52

Sussman, who died on January 5, was a banker and served on the board of directors of the Newfoundland Club of New England. Full obituary.

Italo “Al” Servi, 98

Servi, a Holocaust survivor, earned a PhD from MIT and worked in applied research in metallurgy. He died on January 2. Full obituary.

Michael McHugh

Sophie Poulos

Gert Brieger

John Terrell

Robert Lager

Kerrie-Jae Sussman

Al Servi

 

My Turn: Urge Rep. Stanley to support House rules reform

(Editor’s note: This story was originally published on or about January 30, 2021. It was lost after a website outage and later recovered.)

By 11 Lincoln residents

On Friday, Jan. 22, 32 residents of Lincoln and Waltham met virtually with state Rep. Tom Stanley to discuss proposed rules changes for the Massachusetts House of Representatives.  Several Lincoln groups were represented, including the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee, Mothers Out Front, and 350 Mass. The meeting was convened by advocates from Act on Mass, which is spearheading the rules reform campaign.

People attending were advocating for more transparency and accountability in the House of Representatives. A healthy democracy requires transparency because that is the foundation for accountability. We believe all voters should know how their representatives vote in committee and in floor votes and should have enough time to make their views known on a bill before a floor vote.

Three amendments for House rules were presented to Rep. Stanley with the request that he publicly commit to voting for them:

  • That all votes held in legislative committees are publicly disclosed.
  • That all bills coming up for a final vote should be made public 72 hours prior to the vote.
  • That the threshold for a vote to be publicly recorded in the House of Representatives is reduced from 16 representatives to eight.

A lively and passionate conversation about the issue of transparency ensued, and we appreciated Stanley’s candid responses to the concerns raised by his constituents. For example, a constituent from Waltham who does community organizing with college students pointed out that legislation to create same-day voter registration, despite popular support, has languished for 16 years without coming to a final vote. Lack of such a law can be an obstacle to young people voting due to their frequent moves, yet the bill has usually been “sent to study” to die, with no disclosure on which Representatives voted to kill it.

While he did endorse the principle that committee votes should be made public, Stanley did not commit during the meeting to voting for any of the three amendments. He assured the group that he was advocating privately with House leadership on behalf of the first rule change, but did not feel it was appropriate to promise a vote prior to the rules debate.

Stanley did not express support for the 72-hour rule or the eight-member threshold, stating they were either unnecessary or would be a hindrance to the legislative process. The constituents attending expressed their disappointment with Stanley’s positions, but also their appreciation for his participating in the meeting and his openness in discussing these issues despite his reluctance to agree to our requests.

We invite other community members to learn about the Act on Mass campaign. On January 27, House Speaker Ron Mariano announced an unprecedented delay on the house rules debate until July 2021. This means that efforts to push for more transparency appear to be having an impact.  Please join us in expressing your views by contacting Rep. Stanley at ThomasStanley@mahouse.gov.

Signed,

Laura Berland
Emily Haslett
Sarah Cannon Holden
Joan Kimball
Steve Kropper
Margaret McLaughlin
Staci Montori
Patricia O’Hagan
Travis Roland
Barbara Slayter
Paul Shorb

Police log for January 8 – February 5, 2021

(Editor’s note: This is a compilation of police logs that were previously published but then lost due to a technical issue with the Lincoln Squirrel website.)

January 8

Town Hall (10:30 p.m.) — Caller reported that a recreational vehicle was parked at town hall. Officers checked on the party, who had planned on sleeping there. Officers suggested the rest area on Rte. 128 and gave directions.

January 9

Hartwell Lot, North Great Road (6:56 p.m.) — Officer checked on two vehicles parked in the lot. Vehicles were on their way.

North Great Road (7:10 p.m.) — Party flagged down an officer looking for assistance with directions.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound — Officer checking on a state trooper who was stopped with a disabled vehicle on Rte. 2. Officer transported the owner to Crosby’s Mobil to make arrangements for a ride home.

January 10

Emerson Hospital (12:21 a.m.) — Concord police requested assistance with a possible unruly party at the hospital. Officer arrived on scene and everything was calm.

Paul Revere Lot, North Great Road (9:10 a.m.) — Caller reported that a party in his vehicle was hassling people. Officers responded and spoke to the party, who was waiting to meet friends to go on the trails. No issue found.

The Commons (3:43 p.m.) — The manager reported finding what appears to be drugs near the dumpster. Officer responded and took possession of the package to be properly disposed of.

Barretts Mill Road, Concord — Fire Department assisting Concord firefighters with a report of a dryer fire at the Northeast Correctional Facility.

January 12

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