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

My Turn: Maintain the diversity that’s already here

By Dilla Tingley

We had an interesting discussion at the Antiracism/Diversity Roundtable on October 15, but I would like to emphasize something I do not think got sufficient attention. Before we spend so much energy on considering new housing options to promote diversity, let’s work to maintain the diversity we already have.

There is a diverse population of residents already in Lincoln who are struggling to be able to afford to stay. The Council on Aging recently initiated the Rental Assistance Program. after applying for and receiving $30,000 from CPA (Community Preservation Act) funds. We are now assisting eight families and have 12 on a three-year waiting list. This program is not limited to seniors.

These families that qualify will only pay 30% of their income, however small, on rent. This is real affordability. As we learned, the affordable units at Oriole Landing. because of a narrow range of income limits based on the “area median income” (which is high) go to individuals who are quite well-to-do. Only 11 of the 15 “affordable” units are spoken for. What does this tell us? This type of housing is not meeting our needs.

Let us add funds to our Rental Assistance Program so that the 12 families on the wait list will be able to stay. Funds should continue to be added as more needy families are identified. They represent a diversity that is already here. The Housing Trust has funds that might appropriately be used for this purpose.

Dilla Tingley is chair of the Lincoln Council on Aging.

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 Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Storm wreaked havoc at Codman Community Farms

The unexpected derecho that swept through the area on October 7 damaged hundreds of trees, closed many roads and caused widespread power outages (about half the town at one point). A similar but stronger event in August destroyed millions of acres of crops and buildings in Iowa and northern Illinois, but the storm here caused damage and even livestock deaths on Lincoln’s own town farm. Below is the account of farmer Pete Lowy of Codman Community Farms. He sent this account to subscribers of the farm’s email newsletter; it’s reprinted here with his permission.

Last Wednesday was yet another memorable night on the farm. The evening starting out pretty much business as usual for a chicken catching night. As we do every chicken catching night we loaded the trailer with empty chicken crates, recruited some volunteers, and planned to gather out in the field to catch and crate birds about one hour before sunset. A bit of rain and thunderstorms did pop up in the forecast which had not been predicted, but it didn’t seem like a big storm.

Of course, the rain itself was due to arrive right around 6 pm, just when we planned to meet up with volunteers at Mt. Misery field, but otherwise, all seemed fine. Jared and I decided to get a jump on the weather as we first had to catch the last 40 turkeys at Van Leer field, then head over to Mt. Misery. We successfully caught all the turkeys as planned and loaded them in the back of the pickup truck. Toby the guardian dog looked on lazily as we caught the birds, no doubt happy to be done working for the season, then Jared loaded Toby in his truck and we both headed back to the farm to hook up the big trailer with the empty crates and to drop off Toby.

I was eager to get going as I’m always a bit excited and hopeful that chicken catching goes well – so I headed over to Mt. Misery first — Jared would soon follow. Just as I arrived in the field where the coops were located, some raindrops started falling. I got out of the truck to open the electric fence gate and as soon as I opened the truck door I felt a strong gust of brisk wind and some big pelting raindrops smack me on my bald pate — never a nice feeling! I jumped back into the truck and pulled into the field about 200 yards from where the coops were located.

Driving slowly towards the coops, the weather closed in, uncertain how much rain would fall, I stopped the truck. The raindrops were unusually large — but the rain was not falling heavily. But then a strange wind quickly descended from the tree line. The tall trees surrounding the field swayed in the strong wind. Before I knew it, the 8’x12′ open-floored, tarp-covered chicken coops, each containing 65 chickens, started lifting off of the ground. One popped off the ground and descended again, like a kite trying to take off, then was suddenly picked up and flung through the air, tumbling and twirling side over side until it lay resting at the tree line about 200 feet from where it started. Then just as quickly another coop — and another — and another lifted off the ground and flipped over.

I honestly could not believe this was happening. We have used these types of coops for over 10 years and never, ever has this happened before. But this storm, later to be officially classified as a derecho (defined on Wikipedia as a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that is associated with fast-moving windstorms, potentially rivaling hurricane and tornado force minds), was like nothing I have ever seen. As the coops tossed and turned and danced in the air, I could only imagine how many chickens were being injured.

As quickly as the storm arrived, it departed. I called Jared, who had yet to arrive, and shouted out to him about the disaster I just witnessed — he was on his way. I was afraid to get out of the truck for fear of another wave of wind, but thankfully it never arrived. Once Jared arrived, we cautiously walked out to the coops to survey the damage. The chickens were scattered around, newly exposed to the open sky, and disoriented from the sudden change in their housing situation! Many chickens were walking around aimlessly in circles, wondering where their feeders and waterers went. Some were huddled together in small groups trying to stay warm, and yet other birds took advantage of their newfound freedom and started foraging, searching for tasty bugs and grass bits.

As Jared and I walked in circles surveying the damage, we began developing a plan as to how to unravel this mess. Volunteers starting arriving and we all pitched in to catch and crate the birds that were ready for harvest. We then had to relocate the homeless birds back into shelters for the evening. It was the best we could do as nighttime quickly descended. We would sort it all out in the morning. And just as we were finishing up and moving the last of the homeless birds back into shelters, an opportunistic hawk swept down and grabbed a free chicken dinner! And to our amazement, that was the only chicken that we lost due to the storm.

Unfortunately, the story does not quite end here. While we were dealing with the chickens, our pigs over at Minuteman National Park were also impacted that evening. Minuteman National Park along 2A was devastated by the storm with a tremendous amount of fallen trees. A large branch fell in our pig field, knocking down our pig fencing and injuring some of the more than 60 full-grown pigs who live on the field. Several days after the storm, three pigs died from internal injuries suffered from the fallen branch. They were beautiful full-grown Old Spot pigs that we had been growing since the spring. Tremendously sad accident. So far the rest of the pigs seem strong and healthy and we are keeping a close eye on them. Never a dull moment….

These events that happen all too often are just part of the many physical and economic challenges farms like ours face every day. We feel it’s important to share these stories to provide a deeper understanding of our work and what it take s to run a small diversified farm in today’s world. As always, we appreciate any and all feedback and are grateful for your support! Onward!

Photos of some of the damage caused by the derecho (click to enlarge).

My Turn: Vote “yes” on ballot question for ranked choice voting

By 57 Lincoln residents

As we approach the election of 2020 scheduled for November 3, we find our democratic institutions threatened from many directions. In several recent elections in Massachusetts, we have witnessed candidates who have been voted into office with a small plurality of votes. This election, we have an opportunity to more clearly understand the voice of our electorate, and to strengthen our democracy by voting “yes” on ballot question #2 in support of ranked choice voting. This is a nonpartisan ballot question that gives everyone more choice and more effective participation in our elections.

What is RCV and how does it work?

With ranked choice voting, you can choose one candidate just as you always have, or rank the candidates for office in the order you prefer them — as many or as few as you like. This is known as having one transferable vote. If one person gets 50% of the vote, no further action is necessary, and the winner is chosen the same way they are now. If no candidate gets 50% or more of first-choice votes, then the last-place candidate is eliminated. People who voted for the eliminated candidate have their vote transferred to their second choice. This process continues until one candidate has 50% + 1 vote and is declared the winner.

What are the benefits?

  • It ensures that whoever wins has the support of the majority of voters and not just an electoral plurality
  • It expands voter choice and makes lesser-known candidates more viable
  • It encourages candidates to run for office without fear of vote-splitting
  • It encourages candidates to find common ground with more voters so that they become one of the choices

Where is RCV currently used?

 Ranked choice voting is used in some form in 26 states and across the political spectrum. RCV is also used in parliamentary elections in Australia and Ireland.

To which elections will RCV apply?

Ranked-choice voting would be used in primary and general elections for all Massachusetts statewide offices, state legislative offices, federal Congressional and Senate seats, and certain other offices beginning January 1, 2022. RCV would not be used in elections for president, county commissioner, regional district school committee member, or in city or town elections.

Who endorses RCV?

  • Several Boston Globe editorials and op-ed pieces between August 2018 and September 18, 2020 have supported RCV.
  • Nongovernmental organizations (a broad cross-section of organizations such as Common Cause, the League of Women voters, and Voter Choice Massachusetts)
  • Academics across the state scholars in many of our state’s colleges and universities
  • Elected officials (Attorney General Maura Healey, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Representatives Katherine Clark, Seth Moulton, and Ayanna Pressley all support RCV)
  • The Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship appointed by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in its report released June 2020.

Lincoln residents are proud of their grassroots politics, cherish their Town Meeting, and treasure their civic activism. We believe that our democracy will be strengthened if we make sure everyone’s vote counts and if winning candidates have the support of the majority of voters. We intend to vote “yes” on ballot question #2. We hope you will too.

Tim Barclay
Laura Berland
Penny Billings
Cathie Bitter
Hans Bitter
Pam Boardman
Irene Briedis
Susan Brooks
Gus Browne
Michael Cameron
Lindsay Clemens
Marshall Clemens
Jane Cooper
Gary Davis
Rosamond Delori
Andy Falender
Lorraine Fiore
Jerry Gechter
Andrew Glass
Jennifer Glass
Roy Harvey
Emily Haslett
Tom Haslett
Paula Johnson
Steve Johnson
Joan Kimball
Steve Kropper
Jackie Lenth
Connie Lewis
Gwyn Loud
Sara Mattes
Margaret McLaughlin
Carolyn Montie
Eve Montie
Paul Montie
Brooks Mostue
Patty Mostue
Terry Perlmutter
Camie Petri
Al Rossiter
Selina Rossiter
Jena Salon
Laura Sander
Tom Sander
George Seeley
Susan Seeley
Ellen Shorb
Paul Shorb
Barbara Slayter
Diana Smith
Jay Soucy
Bill Stason
Dilla Tingley
Katy Walker
Tom Walker
Irene Weigel
Jean Welsh
 

”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.

Lincoln police dispatcher arrested on child pornography charge

Lincoln Police Department Dispatcher Spencer Hughes was arrested on October 13 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations for one count of possession of child pornography in violation of Title 18 USC 2252(a)(4)(B).

Hughes has been placed on administrative leave without pay. The town will conduct its own internal investigation and will take appropriate action, Police Chief Kevin Kennedy said in a statement, adding, “the crime alleged is very concerning and we will continue to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.”

The specific statute in question concerns possession and/or distribution of visual depictions involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, or up to 20 years if the visual depiction involves a minor under 12 or if the defendant has a prior conviction for sexual abuse or child pornography.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations has broad legal authority to enforce a diverse array of federal statutes and investigates all types of cross-border criminal activity, including cybercrime and human rights violations.

Kennedy would not comment further on Hughes as it involves an ongoing personnel matter. He referred questions to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston, which did not immediately return a phone call on Wednesday. Further information on Hughes was unavailable, though a Google search revealed that in 2019, he participated in a Cops for Kids with Cancer donation to a Burlington boy suffering from cancer.

Harold Hallstein, 1950–2020

Harold Hallstein

Harold A. Hallstein III died on October 7 at age 70 of heart failure after a period of declining health. An owner’s representative in construction, he had a long career managing projects in a variety of venues throughout New England. 

Hallstein was born on May 6, 1950 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the son of Harold Hallstein Jr., a sales manager with TRW, Inc., and Sue Palmer Hallstein, homemaker and golf champion. He was the third of four siblings (Sue of Willoughby, Ohio; Ann Lee of Easthampton, Mass.; and Robert, deceased. Known as Joe to his friends, Hallstein attended both public school and Hawken School in Gates Mills, Ohio. He went to Carnegie Mellon University and graduated in 1972 with a BFA in sculpture. He married artist and classmate Susan Richards in 1973. 

Hallstein’s talents led him to create his own construction business after moving to Brookline, Mass. in 1974. Prior to founding the Hallstein Company Inc., Joe worked for the town of Brookline and later for Parencorp Inc. a real estate development firm. He and Susan moved to Lincoln in 1993 after renovating two homes in Brookline.

In Lincoln, he was involved with charitable projects at Codman Community Farms and served on their board of directors. He was also on the board of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center and acted as a construction advisor for the First Parish Church in Lincoln. One of his favorite projects was the award-winning Forest Refuge in Barre, Mass., where he met and became friends with many respected teachers in Buddhism. 

Hallstein was an avid fly fisherman, enjoying yearly trips to the Miramichi river in Canada to fish for Atlantic salmon. He built his family home in Lincoln and continued to hold conference calls with clients until a few days before his death. 

Hallstein is survived by his wife, Susan; two children, Harold A. Hallstein IV of Boulder, Colo., and Jocelyn Adams; and his son-in-law Trevor Wissink-Adams of Jamaica Plain. A memorial service and celebration is being planned for spring of 2021. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in his memory to the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust at www.lincolnconservation.org. Proceeds will benefit the Flint’s Farm field heritage, which abuts his resting place in the Lincoln Cemetery. 

Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.

Walter Bossert, 1932–2020

Walter Bossert

Walter A. Bossert Jr., an 11-year resident of Lincoln, died peacefully at home on October 10.

Bossert was born in Manhattan on October 5, 1932 to Christina and Walter A. Bossert Sr. He graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and has been a member of the John Jay Society for over 40 years. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1954-1957 where he was lieutenant commander and top secret security officer during the Korean War, most notably at Mt. Rushmore’s Strategic Air Command Base during the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. 

After his service, Bossert attended the University of Virginia Law School and graduated in 1960. Walter joined the Wall Street law firm of Gould & Wilkie serving 34 years, 19 of them as senior partner. Gould & Wilkie, founded in 1892, was perhaps best known as the firm where Judge Learned Hand practiced before his appointment to the federal bench. During Bossert’s tenure, he was general counsel to several well-known corporations including Associated Dry Goods and their principal division, Lord & Taylor, Tiffany & Co., and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Co.

In 1980, Bossert, along with his partner Davison Grant and renowned lawyer Telford Taylor, chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials, successfully argued before the Supreme Court Central Hudson Gas & Electric vs. Public Service Commission (447 U.S. 557). This landmark case is still studied in law schools today in regard to First Amendment rights.  

Until the day he passed away at age 88, Bossert remained an active member of both the New York City and SCOTUS Bar Associations as well as “of counsel” to Thompson & Hine, Gould & Wilkie’s successor. He was an avid music lover and historian who was instrumental in establishing Lyrica Chamber Music with his wife, classical pianist Mariel Bossert. The award-winning series included collaborations with the Emerson, Lark and Muir String Quartets and presidential “musical playlets” authored by Bossert.

Bossert is survived by his wife, Mariel; son William; daughters Ellen and Laura; daughters in law Barbara Bossert and Suzanne Woolston Bossert; son in law Terry King, grandson Christopher; granddaughters Brooke and Kaitlin’ nieces Elizabeth Ahner, Rebecca Bossert, and Carey Ahner; grandnieces Olivia and Cordelia; cousins Alice and Joyce; and three beloved family dogs, Buddy, Maestro, and Mama Chia.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be sent to Lyrica Boston Inc. a 501(c)(3) non- profit musical, educational and outreach organization at https://www.lyricafest.org/make-a-donation or by check to Lyrica Boston Inc. 53 South Great Rd., Lincoln, MA  01773. Services will be private. Visitors may post on an online memory wall at walter-albert-bossert.forevermissed.com.

Police log for October 2–8, 2020

Police received reports this week of unemployment claims that were fraudulently filed in the name of Lincoln residents on Concord Road, Conant Road, Trapelo Road, Wells Road, Twin Pond Lane, and Huckleberry Hill.

October 2

Silver Hill Road (5:52 p.m.) — Caller reported seeing a child walking barefoot in the roadway.. Area checked but no sign of a child walking in the area.

Brooks Hill Road (6:09 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone called him looking for iCloud account information. No information was given to the apparent scammer.

October 3

Bedford Road (1:54 a.m.) — Caller reported the sound of a female scream in the area of Bemis Hall. Office checked the area but were unable to locate anything amiss.

Bedford Road (3:25 a.m.) — Kelvin Ko, 23, of Ayer was stopped on Bedford Road and later arrested for OUI/liquor and speeding.

Winter Street (6:02 p.m.) — Caller complained about tree work being done at a neighbor’s house. An officer spoke to the resident, who said the work would be done by 7 p.m.

Tower Road (6:42 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving a call asking them to purchase American Express gift cards as payment.

Old Concord Road (1:13 a.m.) — Caller requested information regarding a civil matter. Officer spoke to the caller and gave them given all legal options.

October 4

Mt. Misery parking lot, South Great Road (12:08 p.m.) — Caller complained about horses running on the trails and people not wearing masks at an annual event. An officer spoke to the coordinator of the event and advised all riders to wear masks.

North Great Road (12:08 p.m.) — Police received a 911 call about a child found in the National Park. The parents reported the child at the same time to the National Park staff. Officer responded to assist and helped reunite the child with the parents.

Drumlin Farm, South Great Road (3:07 p.m.) — Caller reported a dog being locked in a vehicle. Officer responded; the car’s window was partially open, it wasn’t hot out, and the dog appeared to be fine.

Trapelo Road (3:35 p.m.) — Police stopped a bicyclist for running the stop sign and gave them a verbal warning.

October 5

North Great Road (5:43 p.m.) — A bicyclist riding behind another person walking called out that he was going to pass on the left, at which point the walker took out a box cutter. There were words from the suspect about a friend getting knocked over by a bicycle. The suspect also allegedly made a statement that the bicyclist wasn’t wearing a mask. No arrests were made.

South Great Road (8:21 a.m.) — Caller reported someone was at his house who claimed to be from Dig Safe. Officer responded; the worker was at the wrong house.

North Commons (10:22 a.m.) — Caller reported an injured hawk in the area. The animal control officer was contacted to handle the matter.

Tower Road (3:29 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving a call from Publishers Clearinghouse stating they had won some money. No personal information was given over the phone.

October 6

Old County Road (2:05 a.m.) — A stop sign was vandalized with spray paint.

Morningside Lane (9:46 p.m.) — Caller reported a car parked outside their house for a while. Officer checked the area; two neighbors were talking.

October 7

Huckleberry Hill (9:55 a.m.) — Caller reported they couldn’t get in touch with a relative. An officer spoke to the homeowner and advised them to call the reporting party.

Tower Road (10:12 a.m.) — Caller reported an odor of natural gas outside their house. Fire Department responded and shut off the propane tank. Propane company responded. No gas readings inside the house.

Old Concord Road (1:48 p.m.) — Caller wanted to report their vehicle was stolen but was advised that it was a civil matter.

Old Lexington Road (4:05 p.m.) — Caller reported being possibly scammed by someone who claimed to be tech support staff who gained access to their computer.

Police received reports of trees and branches down starting at 5:51 p.m. until 2:41 a.m. on October 8 on Concord Road, Bedford Road, Lincoln Road, Trapelo Road, Weston Road, Sandy Pond Road, Codman Road, South Great Road, Mill Street, Bypass Road, Old Lexington Road, Brooks Road, Blueberry Lane, Tabor Hill Road, Meadow Dam Road, Todd Pond Road, Baker Bridge Road, Page Road, Conant Road, Grasshopper Lane, Granville Road, Meadowbrook Road, North Great Road, and Windingwood Lane.

North Great Road (5:50 p.m.) — A large tree fell on a passing car. No injuries but road was closed temporarily.

Lincoln Road (6:05 p.m.) — A tree fell on a vehicle; no injuries.

Doherty’s Garage, Lincoln Road (7:32 p.m.) — A vehicle drove off with the pump hose still attached. The hose was reattached to the pump.

Oak Knoll Road (7:35 p.m.) — Fire Department assisted a homeowner who was locked out of their house.

Todd Pond Road (9:24 p.m.) — Caller reported suspicious activity and possible scam by door-to-door solicitors.

South Great Road (11:30 p.m.) — Two-car crash, no injuries.

October 8

Todd Pond Road (9:15 a.m.) — Caller reported that a tree fell on their two cars parked in their driveway.

Concord Road (3:02 p.m.) — A car hit a tree. One party was transported to Emerson Hospital.

Hawk Hill Road (4:07 p.m.) — Caller reported being bitten by a dog earlier. Animal control officer will handle.

Sunnyside Lane (7:48 p.m.) — Caller requesting a well-being check on a resident. Resident was fine and will contact the reporting party.

Lexington Road (7:01 p.m.) — The Council on Aging requested a well-being check on a resident. An officer checked and found that resident was fine and has power restored.

Lincoln Road (7:12 p.m.) — A police cruiser stuck a deer but sustained no damage. The deer ran off into the woods.

News acorns

Guidelines issued for trick-or-treating

Lincoln will continue the tradition of trick-or-treating on Halloween night (Saturday, Oct. 31), but residents are being asked to follow state public health protocols to minimize the spread of Covid-19.

For children and families: 

  • Trick-or-treat in small groups
  • Maintain social distancing as per guidelines and do not crowd doorways
  • Wear masks (costume masks are not a substitute!)

For those passing out candy:

  • Consider “one-way” trick-or-treating — leave treats on trays (not bowls) on porches/front stairs
  • If you greet people at the door, wear a mask and social distance
  • Pre-wrapped treats ONLY – no homemade goodies or items wrapped at home
  • Indoor parties are discouraged and maximum gathering sizes must be maintained

Presentation on saving Lincoln’s twisting catalpa tree

Sean Halloran of Arnold Arboretum with a cutting from Lincoln’s twisted tree.

The Lincoln Garden Club is sponsoring a virtual talk by Sean Halloran, Arnold Arboretum’s plant propagator, on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1:30 p.m. Sean has been instrumental in efforts by the Garden Club and the Lincoln Public Library to preserve Lincoln’s iconic twisting catalpa tree. As the tree is well beyond its expected life span, he is also working with a community group trying to produce a twisting clone of the tree for the library. He will be speaking about those efforts as well as the biology of twisting characteristics in trees. He will also discuss the latest research into tree planting. This topic relates to a proposed community effort to raise a twisted tree from the cloned seedlings. Click here to register for the meeting on Zoom; you’ll then receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.

Middle-school book group forming

A new book share for children in seventh grade and above will met on the third Wednesday of each month starting on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. We’ll share what we’re reading, what we’re making, and how we’re changing the world. Please email sfeather@minlib.net to register or for more information.

Pandemic increases need for diaper donations

The annual Metro-Boston Diaper Drive has begun, and the need is greater than ever due to families affected by Covid-19. The diaper drive, which runs through October 25, is organized by Lincoln mothers Kerstin Sinkevicius and Kim Jalet. All diapers will be donated to the Somerville WIC office, which serves Lincoln as well as Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Watertown, Belmont, Bedford, and Lexington. Donors can visit the diaper drive’s website at mbdiapers.org for links to Amazon and Target registries to send donations directly to the WIC office. They also have a Facebook page.

“In normal times, we have about 40 collection sites for diapers in the Metro-Boston area, and we are able to take opened packages of diapers,” Jalet said. “However, the drive has to be entirely virtual this year, so we worry that donations may be down even though need is higher than at any time since the drive started nine years ago.” WIC reports that, due to Covid-19, many income earners in families served by WIC have lost jobs but did not qualify for relief benefits, resulting in difficult decisions between food, diapers, and other needs, as diapers are not covered by WIC and SNAP benefits.

Cultural council invites grant applications

The Lincoln Cultural Council (LCC) is accepting grant proposals until November 15. Submit your request via this link. Based on community input, the LCC gives priority to projects that provide work for performing artists severely impacted by the pandemic, show an ability to successfully present a virtual experience or have secured a local venue, serve families and/or the elderly, or focus on local history, environmental issues, and the natural world. Questions? Please contact Meg Ramsey at meg.ramsey@verizon.net.

Clarification

The October 12 story headlined “Septic treatment becoming an issue for mall and South Lincoln” may have implied that the four-member South Lincoln Planning Advisory Committee will not have any presence from the Finance Committee. While he will not be a voting member, FinCom member Tom Sander will act as liaison to SLPAC. The article also said that the FinCom was short by two members, but it is now back at full strength with the addition of new members Deb Wallace and Rich Rosenbaum.

Septic treatment becoming an issue for mall and South Lincoln

A aerial view from Google Maps of the Mall at Lincoln Station and Lincoln Woods (click to enlarge).

(Editor’s note: this article was updated on October 13.)

To remain economically viable, the Mall at Lincoln Station needs an upgrade to the septic treatment facility for the entire area, according to the Rural Land Foundation, which owns the mall.

Last winter, officials proposed rezoning parts of South Lincoln to create more incentives for businesses and moderate-income housing, but the idea met with opposition from residents and was shelved. However, it appears that even if the town did vote to loosen some restrictions on commercial and residential density in the area, the bigger infrastructure issue remains, even in the shorter term.

Michelle Barnes, chair of the RLF and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, thanked town officials for this “unexpected and welcome opportunity to consider redevelopment” of the mall in a letter to the Board of Selectmen last spring. However, “in considering this opportunity, it has become apparent to us that there is no real feasible way to redevelop the Mall at Lincoln Station, nor the wider area beyond the mall, without first solving the problem of creating a viable septic solution supportive of such development.”

Barnes reiterated the message in a meeting with the Board of Selectmen on October 5 that was also attended by Planning Board members. Given the ongoing decline of smaller brick-and-mortar stores and malls as well as added financial stresses caused by the pandemic, “the belief that the RLF could preserve the mall in its current state is untenable,” she said.

Much of the South Lincoln area is in the same boat when it comes to expanding property use, Barnes added. “If every Lincoln Station landowner who wanted to develop their property in the future satisfied their sewage treatment needs on their own premises, there would be significant economic and operational challenges that would impede such development, and important economies of scale would be lost by trying to do it piecemeal.”

Community Builders (TCB), which owns the Lincoln Woods apartment complex, operates a septic treatment facility on land northwest of the mall adjacent to the train tracks and leases the use of some of its capacity to the RLF. Before it was built, the mall had its own septic system, “which too frequently failed,” Barnes said. A solution to the septic issue is “a crucial first step to any redevelopment.”

About a decade ago, the town commissioned a study by Camp, Dresser & McKee into the future viability and potential expansion of the plant, which has been operating since 1976. At the time of the consultant’s report, the plant was operating at about 50% capacity, processing 12,900 gallons per day (gpd) of wastewater. It was designed to receive an average of 30,000 gpd and was permitted for 26,000 gpd, the report said.

The report outlined three possible upgrade scenarios and cost estimates:

  • Make minor modifications and increase the plant’s usage to 17,300 gpd ($2.03 million)
  • Do a process upgrade to increase the average daily flow to 26,000 gpd ($2.49 million)
  • Replace the existing facility with a plant that could serve the entire South Lincoln Sewer District, including Lewis Street and the Lincoln School, treating 45,000 gpd ($5.8 million).

A more pressing issue is the current state of the facility. If its single-walled steel tank were to fail, the plant would be inoperable and it would cost TCB $14,000 a week to truck wastewater away for off-site treatment while repairs were being made, the 10-year0old report said. When the report was written, the tank had already exceeded its 20-year expected lifespan.

Selectmen and others at this month’s meeting acknowledged that any upgrade to allow more development would be very costly for TCB, so the town would have to provide “some sort of incentive or support for them,” said Planning Board member Gary Taylor. “TCB may not be amenable to going forward with this… we may have to look at other options.”

Among the options that could be explored are using some of the town’s conservation land in the area for additional wastewater treatment, which would require an equal amount of land elsewhere in town to be put into conservation status.

“It’s a very complicated problem, but it’s fundamental to any kind of development at the mall,” Taylor said.

“This septic question has to be addressed at the outset of any SLPAC work,” said Selectman James Craig. “If we don’t solve it, we’ll be constrained to something not very different from what we have right now.”

SLPAC is the South Lincoln Planning and Advisory Committee, a retooled version of the former 12-member SLPIC (where the “I” stood for “implementation”). SLPIC spearheaded several projects to revitalize South Lincoln, and the rezoning proposal came from one of its subcommittees. SLPAC was created in June and expected to have five members, but it’s now down to four because the Finance Committee will be represented by a liaison (Tom Sander) rather than a full voting member who would be expected to attend all meetings.

Town Administrator Tim Higgins suggested creating a group with members from the Planning Board, SLPAC, and the Board of Health as well as TCB to scope out a new town-funded study of septic treatment options. SLPAC has already been talking to Camp, Dresser & McKee about updating their study and researching grant funding for it.

Even before its first meeting, SLPAC was already generating controversy — this time about whether it should hold morning or evening meetings. At the Planning Board’s July 28 meeting, Bob Domnitz moved that it meet no earlier than 7 p.m., but after lengthy discussion, the motion failed by a 3–2 vote. However, a second vote to “encourage SLPAC to meet in the evening whenever possible” passed unanimously.

The Planning Board is scheduled to discuss the South Lincoln septic issues at its October 13 meeting. Selectmen will also discuss it further at their next meeting to “hammer out a path forward,” Craig said.