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

Police log for May 11–17, 2020

May 11

Tower Road (10:21 a.m.) — Resident reported receiving a suspicious text message from a bank looking to verify their Social Security number. There’s been no financial loss, a fraud alert and credit check/monitoring was suggested

Beaver Pond Road (11:31 a.m.) — Caller reported an animal was injured in the area. Officer located and animal and found that it appears to be slightly injured and should be left on its own; no further action to be taken.

Salem Street, Reading (4:05 p.m.) — Detective was involved in a minor crash (rear-ended). Neither party was injured; Car 3 was towed from the scene.

May 12

Lexington Road (2:54 p.m.) — Caller reported a power outage; was advised to contact Eversource.

Concord Road (7:52 p.m.) — Caller reported broken glass on Concord Road. Officer checked the area but was unable to locate.

Lincoln Police Dept. (11:38 p.m.) — Bolton Police Dept. called regarding to threatening comments that were made to a Bolton teenager regarding Minuteman High School. Call came from Canada. Bolton police are investigating.

North Great Road (5:57 a.m.) — Caller reported hitting a deer on Rte. 2A near Sunnyside Lane. Report taken, no injuries.

May 13

Lincoln Road (12:11 p.m.) — Multiple calls that the railroad gates were stuck down. Officers responded to assist with traffic. MBTA crew responded to fix the gates.

Blackburnian Road (2:42 p.m.) — Caller reported that the water meter is leaking in their basement. Water Dept. on-call employee was contacted.

Round Hill Road (4:08 p.m.) — Neighbor called about the noise from landscapers mowing the lawn. Officer talked to the reporting party and the landscapers; no problem found.

South Great Road (6:08 p.m.) — Weston Police Dept. called reporting smoke in the area. Area checked; unable to locate anything in Lincoln.

Birchwood Lane (6:11 p.m.) — Caller reported possibly leaving a cell phone in the ambulance earlier in the day. Fire Dept. will check.

May 14

Aspen Circle (3:19 a.m.) — Resident reported receiving three suspicious phone calls from a party looking for a resident who no longer lives at the home. Officer responded and spoke to the reporting party.

Old Sudbury Road (10:42 a.m.) — Caller reported a party is pulled over on the side of the road and is concerned because they’re counting a lot of money. Officer checked but did not locate anyone.

Donelan’s Supermarket, Lincoln Road (2:28 p.m.) — Donelan’s called reported a patron causing a disturbance. Officer spoke to the involved party and they were given a no-trespass order from the manager. The party has had similar incidents in the past.

Stonehedge Road  (8:59 p.m.) — Caller reported earlier in the day an aggressive dog following her daughter. There was no bite; they wanted to make us and Animal Control aware.

May 15

Trapelo Road (4:18 p.m.) — Caller reported kids fishing at the Cambridge Reservoir. Officer spoke to the group and moved them along.

Baker Bridge Road (7:11 p.m.) — Concord Police Dept. requested that we check the residence for a missing juvenile. Officer spoke to a relative of the juvenile at the residence and they’ve had no contact with the missing juvenile.

Weston Road (9:08 p.m.) — Large tree came down across Weston Road, taking down the utilities. Verizon and Eversource were contacted. The road was closed while repairs were conducted.

May 16

Sandy Pond Road (11:10 a.m.) — Water Department couldn’t get in touch with an employee. Officer went and made contact and everything was fine; called the reporting party back.

Lincoln Road (1:58 p.m.) — Resident found a wallet. Police contacted the owner, who came and retrieved the wallet.

Sandy Pond Road (4:02 p.m.) — Caller reported kids fishing in Flint’s Pond. Officer spoke to the group and moved them along.

Trapelo Road (6:20 p.m.) — Caller reports kids fishing in the reservoir. Officer responded and moved the kids along.

May 17

Sandy Pond Road (10:45 a.m.) — Caller reported that a few hours prior, a vehicle was parked along Sandy Pond Road and the party was seen going into the trails with a fishing rod.

Sandy Pond Road (2:24 p.m.) — Caller reported a paddle boarder on Flint’s Pond closer to the Rte. 2 side of the pond. Officer responded and was unable to see anyone on the pond.

Ballfield Road (5:17 p.m.) — Caller reported two juveniles on the roof of the school. Officer responded and found one party and a second party ran from the area. Officers located the party who ran off and are following up with the parents.

Drumlin Farm, South Great Road (6:41 p.m.) — Staff reported that a vehicle had passed barriers that had been placed in roadway to close the lot. Officer responded; the vehicle had left prior to his arrival.

DeCordova Museum, Sandy Pond Road (7:16 p.m.) — Vehicle found parked on the grass; no one around the vehicle.

Drumlin Farm, South Great Road — Officer checked on a vehicle parked at Drumlin. Everything was fine and they were sent on their way.

Letter to the editor: Any day is a good day for a parade

(Editor’s note: scroll down to see photos from the parade.)

To the editor:

There’s something about a parade on a beautiful day that brings joy to everyone along its path. It doesn’t have to be a holiday; it just has to be a time set aside. And once the parade participants gather, the excitement and the sense of community grow.

So it was on Thursday, May 14,  when more than 20 cars lined up along the side of Sandy Pond Road with balloons, signs, banners, flags, horns, and cow bells. Tucker Smith, part of the First Parish Church’s Community Engagement Task Force that was formed to help during the Covid-19 crisis, conceived a plan to bring cheer to seniors and caregivers at two local senior residences, and their activity directors enthusiastically agreed to the plan.

We went first to The Commons, where we kept in our bumper-to-bumper lineup and wove our way around circles, between rows of houses, up and down hills, and back around again. Residents and caregivers, all masked, basked in the sunlight and waved. Smiles and tears were in their eyes. Joy and gratitude were both given and received by everyone. I wondered how long it had been since there had been a day warm enough for the residents to spend time outside. Everyone applauded the caravan, the honking horns, and the music. Any day is a good day for a parade.

From The Commons, the parade made its way west on Rte. 2 to Newbury Court in Concord. As we traveled along our route, cars honked and waved at us. A fire truck sounded its siren, a police officer and others waved. Everyone enjoys a parade. As we circled through Newbury Court, including Rivercrest and The Gardens, the residents and the staff were delighted with the many expressions of caring, love and appreciation that the band of colorfully masked Lincolnites delivered to their doorways. Our signs conveyed our messages: “Love,” “We Are In This Together,” “Lincoln Strong,”” Love Thy Neighbor,” “Hugs And Kisses,” “Caregivers Rock,” and “Keep Calm And Carry On.”

We were not celebrating a holiday; we were celebrating life and community and caring for each other. My eyes filled with tears as I realized the joy that our caravan delivered to unexpecting audiences. It felt like a first step back into reality and into the spirit of community that we crave. The sun and the balloons and even the masks were there to remind all of us that we are one. We are all in this together. The parade could have been for anyone and everyone. And maybe it was.

Sincerely,

Sarah Cannon Holden
Weston Road

Click images below for larger versions and captions:

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”137″ gal_title=”Covid parade – May 2020″]

 

Letter to the editor: Farrington Nature Linc land closed except by appointment

Dear Lincoln neighbors,

We understand that during these stressful times, access to green spaces is more important than ever. In the past few months, we’ve noticed an increasing number of neighbors using our private property for their walks, hikes, and runs as other town and state properties have closed.

Although we are always happy to provide a connection to nature for our neighbors, several recent incidents have created an unsafe environment for both our staff and tenants. As a result, it is with heavy hearts that we, the Farrington Nature Linc  staff and trustees, have decided we must formally close our property to anyone without explicit permission.

Signs will be posted at the entrance and where our property meets the LLCT trail head by Page Road. Please contact me at the phone number or email address below 24 hours before you would like access to our trails or land. We know that this is a change, and we appreciate your cooperation. We hope that this will only be temporary, but the safety of our staff and tenants is paramount.

Please share this information with anyone you know that uses our property and may not have seen this notice. Thank you for your help in keeping our property safe and sustainable! We hope to welcome you back to a Farrington event soon.

Sincerely,

Wendy S. Matusovich
Executive Director, Farrington Nature Linc
781-888-0868
wendy@naturelinc.org

News acorns

DeCordova set to reopen this week

The deCordova Sculpture Park (though not the indoor museum) expects to open on Tuesday, May 19, but visitors must reserve a parking permit for a specific time slot in advance, even if they arrive on foot or by bike.

The Trustees of Reservations is opening two other properties (Naumkeag and World’s End) using the same system. Fruitlands and Crane Beach will offer parking passes for the day, also available online only. Parking for Trustees members is free or discounted for all five sites.

For Lincoln residents visiting deCordova, there is a special ticket type that allows for continued free access. During the checkout process, you’ll be asked to enter your Lincoln street address to verify residence. Other things to know:

  • The Trustees are limiting capacity to 50% at its parking lots at these sites.
  • Any visitors who do not have proof of a parking pass will not be allowed to enter. No transactions will occur at the sites.
  • In keeping with the governor’s recent order, all visitors over age 2 will be required to wear a face covering at all our properties.
  • The Café at deCordova will remain closed. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and drink for consumption on site, but alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

Click below for:

First Parish teams up with Lincoln MCC

In partnership with the First Parish Church, the Lincoln METCO Coordinating Committee is accepting financial donations to support the families of the Lincoln Schools’ Boston-based families with unforeseen financial needs. Donations to the Lincoln MCC before September 1 will be administered by school administration and the Lincoln METCO director to support individual Boston families with critical financial requests. You can make donations via PayPal, or send a check made checks payable to: Lincoln MCC, P.O. BOX 393, Lincoln, MA 01773.

Friday book group meets on May 22

The Lincoln Public Library’s Friday Morning Book Group will meet via Zoom on Friday, May 22 at  9:30 a.m. to discuss The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. If you have never attended this group on Zoom before and you’d like to join the session please email lincoln@minlib.net and we will invite you to the meeting. Copies of the book will be available for download in eBook or audiobook formats. Go to www.hoopladigital.com or email lincoln@minlib.net for assistance.

Clarification

School Building Committee member Peter Sugar has requested a clarification to his remarks in the May 14 article headlined “SBC to make reduced request for school items at June Town Meeting.” At the SBC meeting, he was expressing the sentiment that the committee should assure the inclusion of the previously trimmed items by electing to pay for them using the construction contingency fund, rather than facing the uncertainty of voter sentiment at the Town Meeting on June 13 and/or a Special Town Meeting in the fall. The contingency fund could be replenished if it runs out later in the project, he noted.)

Sugar also said that, because of the construction schedule, the items totaling $828,945 will cost more if they are not approved in June, even if voters decide to add them back later. (The deadlines vary; for the louvers and the auditorium divider, it’s July 1, and for the glass wall and seat, it’s September 1.)

The Chipmunk is coming, the Chipmunk is coming!

Dear Lincoln Squirrel readers,

The long-awaited Lincoln Chipmunk is finally in sight after some software and Covid-related delays. We’re shooting for Monday, June 1 as the launch date. Many thanks to people who submitted materials over the past few months.

Meanwhile, if you’d still like to submit something for the inaugural issue (or you’ve already done so but would like to replace your submission with something newer), please send it along to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com no later than Friday, May 22. You may address any questions to the same email address or call 617-710-5542. Thanks for your patience.

Sincerely,

Alice Waugh
Editor, The Lincoln Squirrel and The Lincoln Chipmunk

Deadline is Friday to apply for agricultural water rates

The deadline for applying for agricultural water rates is Friday, May 15, but many eligible customers in town still haven’t applied.Under a new Water Commission policy, Lincoln farming and agricultural operations are eligible for Tier 1 water rates of $6.52 per 1,000 gallons of water, but they must apply to the commission in order to qualify.

The new requirement came after the commission ended an informal policy of charging the lowest rate for farms regardless of how much water they used. But the sudden rate hike late last year resulted in protests from farmers and a second attempt to craft a new policy.

The original application deadline was April 1, but because of the pandemic, “many of the farmers lost sight of the fact that the deadline was coming up. We are doing our best to reach out to everyone we know of who is farming, but we can’t be sure that we know about everyone who might benefit from this lower rate,” commission member Ruth Ann Hendrickson said.

Click here to download the agricultural-rate policy and application form. Anyone who has not filed before May 15 will revert to the regular tiered residential rates.

SBC to make reduced request for school items at June Town Meeting

Back before the coronavirus hit, the School Building Committee was planning to ask voters at a Special Town Meeting in March for up to $2.08 million to partially offset items it had to cut from the school project. Now it plans to ask for less than half of that amount at a stripped-down Annual Town Meeting now scheduled for June 13. However, depending on economic conditions, the SBC will almost certainly seek more additional funding at a Special Town Meeting in the fall.

The SBC settled on a list of cuts in February after construction bids totaled $3.5 million more than the project’s budget. The hope then was that $1.5 million in free cash that was originally recommended for a new public safety radio system could be used to restore the first two “buckets” of items the SBC prioritized. But now, with all the financial uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, the SBC was unsure about how much to ask for in this new environment.

After meeting with the Finance Committee, the SBC voted on May 13 to make a two-part funding request totaling $828,945. The first question will ask for $628,945 for seven items. If approved, they’ll then ask for the other $200,000 to pay for furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E).

The first appropriation would fund the following items:

  • Restore the glass wall between the K-4 Science area and hallway ($26,666)
  • Interior lite and built-in bench at K-4 Art Room ($11,291)
  • Sun shades on the building’s exterior ($285,709)
  • A new auditorium divider ($279,400)
  • Concrete pavement in front of Reed/Brooks ($9,435)
  • A concrete walkway up to the main entrance ($13,799)
  • Concrete on the CASE (special education) driveway ($2,645)

The “first priority” list identified in February mostly matches these seven items but does not include $451,000 for FF&E, which includes crucial technology hardware and systems as well as some furniture. If approved, the second $200,000 request would restore some of that.

After reviewing the town’s budget situation, the Finance Committee this week recommended that the SBC “think of an outer limit of about $840,000 in free cash” that could be available for the school project, FinCom Chair Andy Payne said at the SBC meeting. Current estimates show a town budget deficit of about $800,000 over two fiscal years due to a drop in state and federal revue and added expenses from the pandemic. In a bit of good news, the mild winter resulted in savings on snow removal that can be applied to offset this year’s shortfall.

Payne emphasized that the FinCom was not recommending spending $840,000 from free cash on the school — rather, it’s the maximum amount that the board felt comfortable making available for discussion and voting.

Other sources that could be tapped include some of the stabilization fund, which currently stands at $2.2 million, or deferring some or all of the town’s planned $550,000 contribution to its OPEB (other post-employment benefits) fund. OPEB covers non-pension costs for retired town employees such as healthcare premiums. Dipping into the stabilization fund would require a two-thirds majority of votes at Town Meeting.

Given the uncertainty of getting voter approval for more money now or in the fall, SBC member Peter Sugar suggested using part of the construction contingency fund for some of the trimmed items instead. “We don’t know what people’s financial situation is,” he said. “I don’t want to have animosity build up in this town for this project, even from a minority. I think that would be a mistake.”

But others didn’t support that idea. If the contingency fund runs dry later on, “we’ll have to go back to the town [anyway] and tell them they have no choice” but to appropriate more money, SBC member Tim Christenfeld said.

“I’m concerned about eating into our contingency too much even before we’ve technically broken ground,” Selectman Jennifer Glass said. “Let’s put the information before the town so the town can make the best-informed choice about how the project will unfold.”

Some SBC members worried that residents would not be receptive to another “ask” in the fall and that the June request should therefore be larger. But the FinCom encouraged the SBC to keep their request lower for now and defer seeking money for items that don’t need to be committed to at this early stage of the project.

“I’m not trying to discourage you from coming back in the fall,” FinCom member Jim Hutchinson said. “It’s obvious to me that some of the FF&E is needed in this project, but it also doesn’t need to be decided right now.”

“If the SBC is heading down a path of a phased-request approach, I would encourage the SBC to share as much visibility as possible into these future requests with the FinCom and ultimately the residents,” Payne said.

Asking for less than the full amount suggested by the FinCom now might be more politically palatable. “I’m not sure we would get support for [all of] the $840,000. My sense is more like $500,000 to $600,000,” School Committee member Tara Mitchell said.

“My sense is that the more we ask for, the thinner the support might be,” agreed FinCom member Gina Halsted.

Town Meeting plans

The current plan is to hold the June 13 Town Meeting outdoors under a large tent and lawn seating in the central ballfield on the school campus. This location provides easy access to electricity from the portable classrooms and the temporarily paved areas offer better footing than the grass in Codman Field, which was also considered as a site.

The Town Meeting will feature an expanded consent calendar of financial items that can be voted on in a bloc (though residents have the right to “hold out” any items for separate discussion and voting). There will also be separate votes for the school funding question and a Water Commission capital request. The commission voted in January to seek another $250,000 to replace aging equipment in the town’s water system.

If the Town Meeting still can’t happen on June 13 for public health reasons, the town (and the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School district) will open the new fiscal year on July 1 using monthly budgets based on 1/12 of their fiscal 2020 budgets for as long as necessary.

Letter to the editor: Candidate DeLisi encourages all to vote in town election

Editor’s note: The Lincoln Squirrel collected and had begun publishing statements by the candidates for town office before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. A roundup for Planning Board candidates ran on March 5 and Water Commission candidates on March 8. The Squirrel will publish statements we received from other candidates in the coming weeks. The town election is now scheduled for Monday, June 15. See the penultimate paragraph of DeLisi’s letter for details on early voting and absentee ballots (the accuracy of this information has been verified by Town Clerk Valerie Fox).

To the editor:

It was just two short months ago that I was enthusiastically printing off flyers with my picture, creating posters to display at intersections, and sitting in the Twisted Tree speaking to residents — all to campaign for reelection to my seat on the Lincoln Planning Board.

As I now look back on those days and how life was filled with such “usual” daily activity and joys, the competition that I was about to enter seems so long past. We all struggle to make sense of how quickly life changed. Since that day in mid-March when I obtained special permission from my hospital to work remotely by seeing patients on Google Meets daily and taking care of all kinds of medical emergencies from the safety of my home office, I have had no time until now to reflect on past priorities. I now helplessly watch friends of relatives, some colleagues, and my own 97-year-old mother’s companions at The Commons pass away suddenly of  this new nightmarish illness called Covid-19, and I am trying to put it all in perspective.

Despite all that is happening around me, I still find happiness living in Lincoln. It is a beautiful, peaceful town with stars in night skies and wildlife, from birds to red foxes, roaming in open spaces. I have wonderful friends and neighbors here. We have great schools that we all care about, a historical center dating back further than the Revolutionary War, a national park, an art museum, well-marked nature trails, a nature center, several farms, and much more. Surely this viral epidemic will subside, although it will take time and leave behind many mental health sequelae for us all. Regardless, we will still have this unique town to live in and maintain.

This is all to say that I would truly like to remain on the Planning Board of Lincoln for another term in order to continue to contribute to the town in the best way I can. While I am not an architect by training nor a civil engineer, I do understand people and neighbors and neighborhoods. I believe the Planning Board needs people such as myself who will represent the interests of neighborhoods in whatever new developments are proposed and not simply be a proponent for his or her own preferences. I can promise you, if re-elected, I will support your interests above my own.

Please do vote in the upcoming Lincoln local election. You can vote early by mail using a two-step process. First, apply by downloading and completing this early voting application and send it to Town Clerk Valerie Fox at at 16 Lincoln Rd. or foxv@lincolntown.org. She will then mail you a ballot which you should complete and seal in the enclosed envelope provided, sign the affidavit on the envelope, and mail it back so that it’s received by the June 15 deadline. You can return it by U.S. mail, or put it in the mailbox outside the front door of Town Offices. You can also apply for an absentee ballot here and follow the same procedure for completing and returning it. Ballots will be counted on Election Day if they’re received by the time the polls close. 

If you have questions about any of my views or would like to discuss your concerns, I am available at delisi76@aol.com or 516-528-5366. Stay safe and healthy during these difficult days ahead and remember that times will be better.

Sincerely,

Lynn DeLisi
125 South Great Rd., Lincoln

Police log for week of May 4, 2020

May 4

Wells Road (8:43 p.m.) — Caller reporting a party yelling on Wells Road. Officer responded and found a person praying out loud.

May 5

Morningside Lane (1:35 p.m.) — Resident called regarding a disturbing voicemail from a former client. Officers took the report and contacted Melrose police to follow up with the involved party.
Morningside Lane (2:10 p.m.) — Caller requested a check on the resident who isn’t feeling well. Police and Fire Departments responded and everything was fine.
Harvest Circle (3:39 p.m.) — Resident reported someone gained unauthorized access to their bank account. Investigation is ongoing.
Old County Road (7:03 p.m.) — Resident reported cars parked on the roadway. Officer checked and they’re parked off to the side of the roadway, creating no hazard.
Woods End Road (7:06 p.m.) — Resident turned in old firearms
Parking lot, Ballfield Road (9:05 p.m.) — Officer checked on a party parked in the Hartwell lot. Everything was fine and they were sent on their way.

May 6

Winter Street (3:31 p.m.) — Caller reported seeing an increase in foxes in the area. They’re not bothering anyone; log entry made.
South Great Road (3:44 p.m.) — Caller reports kids playing near the railroad tracks. Officers located the kids; they were spoken to and sent on their way.
Oxbow Road (6:20 p.m.) — Caller reported two vehicles turned around in his driveway, one driving on his lawn. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate.
Lincoln Road 9:53 a.m.) — Officer checking on two suspicious people in the area. Everything was fine.

May 7

Hanscom Air Force Base, Vandenberg gate (12:24 p.m.) — Hansom Security Forces reported possible warrant on a party at the gate. A check found an old warrant for a misdemeanor. The party was advised to contact the court.
Windingwood Lane (2:00 p.m.) — Party requested assistance in getting an elder into the car for a doctor’s appointment. Fire Department assisted the party.
Concord Road (10:45 p.m.) — MBTA called reporting kids on the railroad tracks. Officers located two cars parked near the Food Project, spoke to parties in regards to trespassing, and sent them on their way.
Lincoln Road (11:37 p.m.) — Caller reported that the railroad gates stuck down. MBTA was already on scene.

May 8

South Great Road (1:04 a.m.) — Officer checked on two bicyclists riding on Rte. 117 with no lights. Officer spoke to parties and sent them on their way.
Lincoln Road, Country Pizza (3:14 p.m.) — Shop owner reported kids creating a problem inside the shop, harassing people and not wearing masks. Officers responded but they were gone on arrival.
Sandy Pond Road (10:30 a.m.) — Brush fire; Fire Department extinguished.
Trapelo Road (3:57 p.m.) — People fishing at the Cambridge Reservoir. They were sent on their way.
Lincoln Road (6:54 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle hit a stone wall in his driveway while turning around. Report taken.
Pierce House, Weston Road (7:09 p.m.) — Report of a broken window in the basement. Officers responded; no sign of entry.
Old Concord Road (8:05 a.m.) — Caller reported what appeared to be a party with a dog lost in the woods near Mt. Misery. Officers located the party and brought him back to his vehicle.
Wells Road (8:18 a.m.) — Caller reported people not social-distancing or wearing face masks on Wells Road.
South Great Road (9:17 p.m.) — One-car crash into a pole on Rte. 117. No injuries; report taken.

May 9

Minute Man National Historic Park Visitor’s Center, North Great Road (1:11 p.m.) — State Police requested an officer to assist two parties with exchanging paperwork after an accident on Rte. 128.
Old County Road (1:25 p.m.) — Tree down across the road involving power lines. Officers closed the roadway and notified the DPW and Eversource.
Baker Bridge Road (3:05 p.m.) — Caller reported a tree is leaning and in danger of falling. The tree is on private property and the owner will have to handle the matter.

May 10

Lincoln Road (3:00 p.m.) — MBTA reported a party near the railroad tracks. Officers later located him and brought him to Emerson Hospital.
Concord Road (3:19 p.m.) — Caller reported her cat was missing. She called back 30 minutes later reporting the cat had been located.