The April 10 News Acorns item about the “Rock the Vote” concert to raise awareness about the upcoming campus projects vote omitted the location (Bemis Hall). The original article has bene updated.
News acorns
Wine tasting benefits Domestic Violence Roundtable
Sudbury Wine and Spirits (410 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury) will host a complimentary wine tasting for the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable’s annual Shower for Shelters fundraiser on Friday, April 20 at 7 p.m. Please bring a new, unwrapped housewarming gift to the event.
New household items are vital for helping survivors of domestic violence establish new homes. Requested items include twin-size sheets and pillowcases, summer blankets, and comforters as well as bed pillows, crib sheets, bath towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses, and small kitchen appliances. Gift cards are also welcome. Donations also help the Shelters and Transitional Housing Programs of Reach Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence.
Learn about India’s golden period at daylong event
The India Discovery Center‘s next day-long on India’s cultural history will look at “The Golden Period of India: 200 BC to 500 AD” on Saturday, April 28 from 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. in Bemis Hall. There will be survey talks on various aspects of Indian life during the period, including art and culture, language and literature, politics, philosophy and religion, and participants will celebrate the era with a church choir, a Sanskrit song, and a grammar recitation. Organizers request a donation of $20 ($15 for Lincoln residents). For more information, contact India Discovery Center president and Lincoln resident Bijoy Misra at misra.bijoy@gmail.com or 781-259-0029.
Talk focuses on “deeper learning” in public schools
Harvard Graduate School of Education professor and Lincoln resident Jal Mehta will discuss findings from his forthcoming book, In Search of Deeper Learning: Inside the Effort to Remake the American High School, in a talk on Tuesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The talk, which is sponsored by the Lincoln School Foundation and the Bemis Trustees, will include audience interaction and Q&A.
Drawing on research in 30 schools across the nation, the talk will explore what it means to understand something deeply, why such learning is rare in American public schools, and how some teachers and schools manage to transcend these realities and create powerful, intellectually enlivening education. Mehta will suggest both reformist and radical ways to make the kind of powerful learning which is currently the exception in American public schools the rule.
Lecture series on FDR in May and June
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Lincoln Public Library and the Lincoln Council on Aging present a six-part lecture series on President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Great Depression and World War II on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room starting Thursday, May 3. The lecture series is presented by Gary Hylander, visiting professor at Framingham State University and the Boston University School of Education. Come to one session or all; no registration required. The schedule is as follows:
- May 3 — The Great Crash Turns into the Great Depression
- May 17 — 1932: The Worst Year of The Depression and the New Deal; Could Roosevelt Meet the Challenge?
- May 24 — The “100 Days” in Review
- May 31 — A Growing Threat in Europe
- June 7 — September 1, 1939: Hitler Invades Poland/the Arsenal of Democracy
- June 28 — War on Two Fronts
Concert to raise awareness about campus projects
The Lincoln-based cover band Dadda (Mike Killick, Doug Carson, Bryce Wells, and Andy Ory) is hosting a musical event to “rock the vote” on Saturday, May 5 from 7–10 p.m. in Bemis Hall to raise awareness about the campus project vote that will take place at a Special Town Meeting on June 9. The event is free for Lincoln residents. There will be speakers and information available about the school and community center projects now under consideration.
Marijuana Study Committee hosts panel
The town’s Marijuana Study Committee will host a panel discussion on Wednesday, April 25 from 7–9 p.m. in Town Hall to consider the implications of the state law that legalized the personal use, cultivation, processing, lab testing, and retail sale of recreational marijuana.
Before November 2018, when a temporary town moratorium on marijuana businesses is set to expire, Lincoln must vote on whether or not to allow recreational marijuana cultivation, processing, and retail dispensaries in town. The issue first came up for local discussion at the 2015 State of the Town meeting in the context of medical marijuana dispensaries.
For the April 25 event, the Board of Selectmen has assembled a panel of legal, public safety, agriculture, medical, and industry experts to help Lincoln explore the issues and help inform residents’ thinking about our public policy options. Come learn more about the law, ask questions, and voice your opinions. The committee will also post a comprehensive FAQ document on its web page before the discussion.
DeCordova hosts Park Fest in June
On Saturday, June 23 from 11 a.m.–5 p.m., the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum hosts its second annual Park Fest, a campus-wide celebration of art, nature, and creativity. The event kicks off with a 5K trail run in the morning, followed by a day-long festival for all ages. Visitors can enjoy live music and dance performances, art-making activities, a local artisan market, mini golf, and food and beer for sale.
“Not only will we offer some of deCordova’s signature outdoor activities, but we’re also piloting some fun new creative activities for our visitors,” said deCordova Executive Director John B. Ravenal. This year’s festival will feature an expanded program of activities, including:
- A 5K trail race through the Sculpture Park and surrounding conservation trails from 9:30–11 a.m. ($20 entry fee for deCordova members, $30 for non-members)
- Collaborative art-making activities inspired by special exhibitions “Sculpting with Air: Ian McMahon and Jong Oh,” and “Lived Space: Humans and Architecture,” including a giant parachute painting project
- The Sculpture Discovery Quest, a series of clues to explore, engage with, and learn about the artwork in the park
- A curated arts and crafts market with local artists, artisans, and vendors (contact Sarah Oh at soh@decordova.org if you’re interested in being a vendor of small artful or edible items priced under $100)
- Live music by the Crank-Tones and Melvern Taylor and His Fabulous Meltones
- A special dance performance by Somerville dance company Weber Dance, inspired by art in the park
- A mini golf course near Jim Dine’s iconic sculpture “Two Big Black Hearts“
- Ceramic studio demonstrations by resident artist Bruce Barry
- Food and drink for purchase, including Cambridge-based Compliments Food Truck, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and beer from Acton’s True West Brewery
All activities take place outdoors in the Sculpture Park (rain or shine). Additionally, visitors will have free access to the museum to view the “Sculpting with Air” and “Lived Space” exhibitions. Tickets for deCordova members are $10 for adults and $5 for children 6-17; nonmember tickets are $20 for adults (including Lincoln residents) and $10 for children. Seniors over $65 are $15. Active0duty military families with ID and all children 5 and under are free. Park Fest tickets and details are available at decordova.org/park-fest.
There will not be any public parking available at deCordova during Park Fest except for accessibility needs; parking will occur offsite with shuttle buses running all day. Shuttle service for the 5K run begins at 8 a.m., and Park Fest shuttle service begins at 10:45 a.m. and ends at 5:30 pm.
Sponsored by Boston Properties, Cambridge Savings Bank, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., and Lincoln Tree and Landscape.
Property sales in February
School options draw almost 100 comments; workshops next week
The three campus options that residents were asked to comment on via a sheet handed out at Town Meeting (click to enlarge).
The School Building Committee has compiled comments from dozens of residents who turned in a feedback sheet on three possible campus configurations at the March 24 Town Meeting and posted them here in advance of workshops next week. Those sessions on Tuesday, April 10 at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. in the Brooks gym will consider both the school and community center projects.
At Town Meeting, residents also saw drawings depicting the latest community center proposals. Many commenters referenced the six school options (R for repair only, L1, L2, L3, C and FPC or full program concept) in their campus comments.
One-third of respondents preferred option #1 (keeping the L-shaped school), and concern about cost was the most common theme in their comments. Comments by the other two-thirds who preferred campus plan 2 focused on educational quality, maintaining or adding playing fields, and sustainabilty. Several also asked for separate votes on the community center, with the school going first.
A basic repair and renovation project with no educational improvements is slated to cost $49 million. At the other end of the spectrum, an almost entirely new school concentrated on the north side of the ballfield would cost $95–$115 million. A community center on the Hartwell side of campus is estimated at $13–$16 million.
There will be a multiboard meeting on Monday, April 30 at 6 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room with an update on the Campus Projects Briefing Document and planning for the June 9 Special Town Meeting where residents will vote on the projects. Immediately afterwards at 7:30 p.m., the Finance and Capital Planning Committees will host a meeting in the same location to discuss project costs, touching on questions such as what those figures include and the current market conditions affecting building costs.
Residents are always welcome to send their thoughts to the SBC via its website contact page.
News acorns
Hazard Mitigation Plan approved
A summary of Lincoln’s existing hazard mitigation measures (click to enlarge).
The Lincoln Hazard Mitigation Plan has been approved by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and will go before the Board of Selectmen for adoption. The document was created as a useful guide for the town of Lincoln to meet the challenges of natural hazard events such as flooding, hurricanes and blizzards. Lincoln’s Plan will then be in effect for the next five years. Because the Town will now have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Town it is now eligible to apply for many state and federal grants.
DPW expands hours for brush disposal
To help with the cleanup from the March storms, the Highway Department yard at 30 Lewis St. will be open all four Saturdays in April to accept brush disposal from residents who have a Transfer Station sticker. The yard is normally available for brush disposal Monday through Friday and on the first Saturday of each month from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To limit the use of emergency brush disposal privileges solely to Lincoln residents, staff will be checking vehicles to ensure they have valid Transfer Station stickers. If you are hiring an individual or company to clear your brush, you must contact the Highway Department in advance and provide your address, the name of the individual or company you have hired, and the date when this individual or company is expected to dispose at the yard. Any individual or company who does not meet the above conditions will be denied access to the DPW brush disposal area. Please call the Lincoln Highway Department at 781-259-8999 for more information.
ZBA seeks members
The Zoning Board of Appeals is seeking new members for open seats on the board. The ZBA is a land use board that interprets and applies the town’s zoning bylaw, acting on requests for variances, special permits, and appeals of decisions by the Building Inspector, considering the impact on the town and neighborhoods and the requirements of the bylaws. The ZBA has five regular members and three associate members and generally meets one evening a month. For more information, call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601 or click here for a volunteer application.
Cultural Council session postponed
Due to a family emergency, the Lincoln Cultural Council introduction meeting scheduled for Saturday, April 7 has been postponed. Anyone interested in learning more about the council and becoming a member should contact Melinda Bruno-Smith at melindabruno@hotmail.com.
Gospel group coming to First Parish
Joyful Voices of Inspiration, a community gospel choir, will perform at the First Parish in Lincoln on Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m. in the Parish House Auditorium (14 Bedford Rd.) Joyful Voices of Inspiration is non-denominational and represents musicians from a wide range of religious backgrounds who find joy and power in the gospel’s music and message. They often donate their services at civic and fund-raising events in the Boston area. Suggested donation for the concert is $20 per person or $40 for a family. Children under 12 are free. Proceeds will benefit the First Parish in Lincoln.
Annual benefit gala at deCordova is May 12
Tickets are now available for the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum’s annual Party for the Park gala benefit on Saturday, May 12 from 6:30–10 p.m. The event honors Phyllis and Jerry Rappaport, who have been loyal supporters of deCordova for the past three decades, most notably by establishing and funding the prestigious $25,000 Rappaport Prize. Established in 2000, the Rappaport Prize celebrates contemporary artists with strong connections to New England and a strong record of achievement.
The gala will be chaired by Gerard Frank, a founding partner of Bechtel Frank Erickson Architects and former board president of deCordova. Joyce Kulhawik, the Emmy Award-winning longtime arts and entertainment critic for CBS-Boston, will be a special guest.
Individual tickets are $500 and tables start at $5,000. Proceeds support deCordova’s exhibitions, lectures, and programs, and can be reserved by emailing rsvp@decordova.org or online at decordova.org/party.
FoMA sponsors tour of Modern houses
Friends of Modern Architecture is sponsoring a tour of three Modern houses in the newly created Brown’s Wood Historic District on Saturday, April 29 from 3–5 p.m. Built in 1956, 1957, and 1959, each house has been updated and adapted to the needs of its current owners while successfully maintaining the spirit and intent of the original house. Cost is $35 for FoMA members and $45 for non-members. RSVP to fomalincoln@gmail.com.
Newly elected town officials sworn in
Town officials being sworn in by Town Clerk Susan Brooks are (left to right) Selectman Jennifer Glass, deCordova Trustee Jonathan Rapaport, Finance Committee members Elisa Sartori and Gina Halsted, Parks & Recreation Committee member Sarah Chester, School Committee members Al Schmertzler and Peter Borden, Bemis Trustee Mimi Borden, Registrar of Voters Margaret Flint, and Housing Commission member Even Gorman.
The induction ceremony for newly elected and appointed officers of the town took place on March 28, two days after the Lincoln election. The event is held annually and is meant to celebrate those who have stepped up to serve the town, and to acquaint them with one another and with the legal obligations of their public service. It culminates with the administration of the oath of office to the group and with each person signing a leather-bound registry of public service.
One of the new officials signs the Register of Oaths Sworn.
LLCT raises $360,000 during campaign
The Bob Davoli Band performs on January 6, 2018. (Photo by Ben Kingston)
The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) raised $360,000 from more than 300 donors during a matching campaign organized by Bob Davoli and Eileen McDonagh of Lincoln.
More than 150 LLCT members and friends enjoyed an evening of music and community at a benefit concert hosted by the couple on January 6 at Bemis Hall. LLCT raised $3,855 in ticket sales and $1,200 in raffle tickets, which were rolled up into the larger match.
The largest gift came from an anonymous donor who stepped forward with a check for $100,000. The donating couple had been considering a substantial gift for several years and the opportunity created by the matching campaign became the right moment.
“Many years ago, the conservation land and trails attracted us to Lincoln. Since then, the LLCT and the Rural Land Foundation have provided extensive benefits to us, from recreation, protection of surrounding lands, and a real conservation ethic throughout the community. We decided the least we could do was to return at least some of the benefit that has been provided to us,” the donors said.
LLCT’s trustees and membership base helped raise more than $71,600 during the matching campaign period, bringing the total raised to $176,655. Davoli and McDonagh generously increased their matched amount to bring the total raised to an even $360,000.
“We purchased our land in Lincoln over 25 years ago because Lincoln is a community that clearly shares our deeply held belief in the preservation of open space and in the protection of natural areas. And the LLCT and Rural Land Foundation are the organizations that have successfully secured for over 60 years Lincoln’s open, protected, and rural-feeling, despite Lincoln’s location in the midst of a major metropolitan area. It seemed to us that one way to express our appreciation of Lincoln and to support LLCT’s mission, was to give back,” they said.
The funds raised are already supporting a current acquisition project and are being earmarked for future projects. There are still more than 200 parcels in Lincoln that remain of conservation interest, ranging from less than 1 acre and up to 80 acres.
LLCT is putting some funds toward a Stewardship and Enforcement Defense Fund for protection. LLCT presently holds conservation restrictions and deeds on more than 1,000 acres. Property that the LLCT holds for conservation purposes is a permanent financial liability. Funds are needed to initiate management and later monitor, maintain and manage land.
This spring, LLCT is producing a customized naturalist guide that provides identification of and awareness about the diversity of wildlife and plant species that Lincoln’s natural areas and conservation land supports. The newly raised funds are paying for this new publication that will be distributed to faculty within the Lincoln Public Schools at no cost, as well as to other Lincoln-based schools and local organizations. The Lincoln Cultural Council and Lincoln School Foundation are also helping to fund this project.
Several additional projects are being vetted by the LLCT Board of Trustees that will impact on the organization’s immediate conservation, stewardship, and educational goals.
“We are humbled by the breadth and depth of support demonstrated by Bob and Eileen,” said Meghan Lytton, the board’s chair. “It was a very special moment for all of us at the LLCT to experience the overwhelming support we received from the Lincoln community at the benefit concert. And the success of the matching campaign is an extraordinary endorsement by our membership—the very roots of our organization. As we celebrate this awesome philanthropic success, we remain ever grateful to our many supporters, and grounded in our responsibilities to acquire and protect land of conservation value in Lincoln and to cultivate a conservation ethic among all.”
Poem to the editor: help clear branches from walking trails
You may have noticed the sun’s finally out
And that’s as good a reason as any to shout
Please get out on the trails of our fair city
If you are locked inside, that’s a terrible pity.
And while you are walking the trails with friend or dog
Whether you saunter, speed walk, run or jog,
Please help out your Conservation Department
On the hills and dales and occasional escarpment.
After you’ve managed your own back yard,
Help us with a job that has turned terribly hard—
To clear the trails of limbs and debris,
We need the help of the citizenry.
While walking along, please kick or toss aside
Those small branches we normally can’t abide.
Or perhaps reach down and pick up some wood
(The stretching does most of us good)
And throw it off to the side of the trail
To clear away the residue of last winter’s gale.
We will get the big logs with our hearty crew,
Please have patience—there are more than a few.
Email us please to let us know where they are
And how to get to them by foot or by car.
Do use and enjoy our shared beautiful land
And many thanks for lending a hand.
Send reports of downed trees to Tim Belivieu (beliveaut@lincolntown.org) or Stacy Carter (stacyc@lincolntown.org).
Sincerely,
Peter von Mertens (chair, Conservation Commission)
16 Tower Rd.