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

L-S welcomes German government delegation

Left to right: Joan Campbell, L-S German faculty; Heidrun Tempel, German Foreign Office; student Caitlin Kenney; Rolf Horlemann, New England German consul general; students Audrey Bauer and Cal Hamandi; and Liz Von Wagner, consular cultural and press affairs officer.

A German government delegation visited Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on March 20 in connection with the L-S World Language Department’s participation in the PASCH program, which is supported by the German government.

PASCH (“Schools: Partner for the Future Initiative” in German) is a global network of approximately 1,800 schools that place a high value on German language education. L-S was named a PASCH school in 2009 and is one of nine PASCH program schools in the United States.

The German visitors included Heidrun Tempel, director of research and academic relations policy and cultural relations policy for the German Foreign Office in Berlin, PASCH program overseer, and co-chair of the German Fulbright Commission. She was accompanied by Rolf Horlemann, New England consul general at the German Consulate in Boston, and Liz von Wagner, consular cultural and press affairs officer. Coincidentally, von Wagner was a judge in the World Language Declamation at L-S on March 16.

The delegation toured the high school with L-S German language students and heard about their experiences in the German exchange program. The trio also met with teachers Joan Campbell, World Language Department coordinator, and Sarah Farrell; Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong; Virginia Blake, director of curriculum and scheduling, and Nancy Marshall, L-S School Committee member and parent of two former L-S German language students. They concluded their morning by attending a German level 4 class taught by Farrell.

One offering of the PASCH program is a fully funded language and cultural immersion for two L-S students for three weeks every summer. In addition, through PASCH, L-S receives professional development support for teachers, teaching materials and technical equipment, opportunities for faculty visits to Germany, and exposure to German educational practices, student language and study abroad support, including secondary and college-level educational opportunities as well as cultural student exchange programs. The links between the PASCH schools around the world allow for networking and curriculum sharing.

Since 1983, L-S has had an annual three-week cultural exchange through the German American Partnership Program. L-S families host 20 students in the fall; the following summer, 20 L-S students go to Germany for home stays and to attend the Gymnasium Vilshofen in Bavaria. Additionally, one L-S student plans to attend a German secondary school through the AFS program in 2018-19.

“Foreign language is a critical tool for student growth in its exposure to—and empathy for—other cultures and differing world perspectives,” Blake said.

Many universities are pairing of German and engineering majors, resulting in a broad array of job opportunities for students after graduation.  “Speaking German sets you apart… there are lots of business and scientific opportunities,” Campbell told the Sudbury Town Crier in 2009. L-S has 190 students enrolled in German in 2017-18.

In 2009, Campbell was recognized by the American Association of Teachers of German and the Massachusetts Association of Teachers of German as Massachusetts German Teacher of the Year.

Letter to the editor: inclusion means listening for the sake of learning

To the editor:

Many in our community have shared with me their feelings and reactions coming out of Lincoln’s recent annual Town Meeting—reactions which have included sadness, anger, frustration, and confusion, to name a few. We in Lincoln hold as a community value the inclusion of all, and yet many neighbors in town experienced that value tested against publicly expressed perspectives that felt elitist, classist, and/or racist. In turn, that experience sits side by side with a desire to not “other-ize” those we may disagree with, those who might otherize us, even those who we might experience as offensive.

In the midst of so much division that already exists in our country, how do we navigate divisiveness in a loving and even healing way? How do we actually live into the values that our community holds, creating the inclusive environment we all seek?  There are no “perfect” answers to these questions, but I’d like to offer a few guiding principles.

First, we meet reality where it is. Lincoln is a great town, a “desirable” community. It has a rich history, beautiful natural environment, and guiding values that are worth taking the time to both understand and live into. And Lincoln exists within the United States of America—a nation that has been having very serious and socially divisive conversations on issues such as the increasing class divide in American society and structural barriers that help perpetuate endemic poverty and racial oppression.

We in Lincoln are a part of those national conversations; like every city, town, and village in America, we are a microcosm of the whole, with good people along the whole ideological spectrum, with good people who are struggling to figure out how to talk to one another, listen to one another, and leave that experience with a mutual sense of being valued and “seen.”  The struggles and needs that exist in our nation right now exist here in Lincoln.

As we navigate those conversations, we must be clear that “winning” is not the point. As an American people, we have learned to be satisfied if we feel that we have “won” on an issue, and dissatisfied—even angry and indignant—if we feel that we are on a “losing”’ side. Winning has become more important than relationship, more important than learning from one another, or collaboratively seeking a greater good. Bipartisanship is practically dead in Washington, D.C., and has been for some time now.

That national reality is mirrored at the local level throughout our country. We cheer on our favorite political orthodoxy, applauding ideological purity and entrenchment, while efforts at building cross-ideological bridges are deemed a waste of time. We are left in bubbles talking most regularly with others who think like us, stepping outside of those bubbles to be surprised that close by are neighbors who might hold a diametrically opposed view or life experience.

Our community and our nation need more from us than this, and I believe there is good cause to feel hopeful because we already hold as a town value, and in my congregation as a community value, one of the most important ingredients to a better future: the value we place on genuine inclusion and the understanding that Lincoln is a town where all are welcome and included. This is mirrored in the value that my congregation, the First Parish, is a religious community in which all are spiritually welcome and included. Living into that reality is quite hard, but also a beautiful and worthy aspiration.

It is more than just patiently listening to someone we disagree with or find disagreeable; it involves listening for the sake of learning. What does this other human being, my neighbor, this person who is inherently valuable, value? Why do they care about the things that they care about? How can I personally ensure that they know that I have “seen” and heard who they are and what they value? Ideally, building the world we yearn for needs all of us listening, doing, and acting in these life-affirming ways. But in the absence of that, we can trust that even one of us behaving in these ways can have ripples of impact that we cannot predict.  When we honor the light of others, our own light shines brighter, radiating out into the world in ways that will have a positive effect.

William Ellery Channing is credited with having said, “Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” May we each find ways to allow legitimate difference to help us grow more deeply in our relationships with one another. It is in this way that we hold the possibility of bringing alive peace, love, and hope for ourselves and our wider world.

Sincerely,

Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti
Senior Minister, First Parish in Lincoln

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

News acorns

Two Lincoln drives for Cradles to Crayons

Lincoln Girl Scout Troop 72886 and project 351 are collecting gently used and new children’s clothing for Cradles to Crayons from March 28 through April 11. Collection bins will be located in the Lincoln Library and the Stone Church at First Parish. Please note that pajamas, socks and underwear must be new. They accept any children’s clothing from birth to size adult medium, but the most-needed items include:

  • Boys’ and girls’ size 18-24 months shirts or onesies
  • Boys’ sweaters size 14/16
  • Boys’ pants size 4/5T to 18/20
  • Girls’ shirts size 2T to 7/8
  • Boys’ and girls’ spring jackets, all sizes up to 18/20 (adult medium)

Lincoln School eighth-grader Kiran Rajagopal is coordinating collections for Project 351, a youth-driven service organization that unites eighth-grade ambassadors from each of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts for a year of servic, leadership development, and enrichment.

Collection boxes for new or like-new children’s clothing, coats, and footwear will be in the Smith and Brooks entryway and the Lincoln preschool until the morning of April 6. Anyone with questions may email Kiran at kiranthant@gmail.com.

Cradles to Crayons provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need to thrive free of charge. Donated items are processed and packaged by volunteers and distributed to disadvantaged children across Massachusetts through a network of social service agencies and school partners.

L-S Jazz Night on April 5

The Lincoln-Sudbury Music Department presents Jazz Night 2018 on Thursday, April 5 at 7 p.m. in the L-S auditorium. The concert is open to the public and admission is free. April is Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), a global celebration to advance recognition of jazz as a historical and contemporary art form.

Jazz Night showcases talented student musicians performing jazz literature from the swing, funk, and Latin genres. L-S performing groups include the Symphonic and Concert Jazz Ensembles, the Sax Quartet, and the Select Jazz Combo. The groups are led by Thomas Grandprey, director of instrumental music and graduate of The Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music Collaborative Jazz Masters program.

Special guest groups include the Lincoln Middle School Jazz Band directed by Clayton DeWalt and the Curtis Middle School Select Jazz Band under the direction of Kevin Donegan. The middle school students will combine with the L-S groups for a joint performance of Paul Clark’s fiery Latin composition, “Dance Like No One’s Watching.” Sales of snacks and refreshments will benefit the L-S Friends of Music.

Film Society movies in April

The Lincoln Library Film Society continues its “Swinging London” series of movies in April. All screening are at 3 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room.

  • April 2 — “Alfie” (1966) starring Michael Caine and Shelley Winters. An unrepentant ladies’ man gradually begins to understand the consequences of his lifestyle.
  • April 9 — “Georgy Girl” (1966) starring Lynne Redgrave and Alan Bates. A homely but vivacious young woman dodges the amorous attentions of her father’s middle-aged employer while striving to capture some of the glamorous life of her swinging London roommate.
  • April 23 — “Morgan” (1966) starring Vanessa Redgrave and David Warner. After his wife leaves him for his former best friend, a failed London artist begins his descent into madness in trying to win her back.
  • April 30 — “Blow-up” (1966) starring Vanessa Redgrave and David Hemmings. A mod London photographer finds something very suspicious in the shots he has taken of a mysterious beauty in a desolate park.

Joachim wins second seat on L-S committee

Ellen Joachim of Sudbury has won the second write-in seat on the Lincoln-Sudbury District School Committee. She will join Lincoln’s Carol Kasper, who earned the most votes—and who had endorsed Joachim as her unofficial running mate.

In Sudbury, Joachim won by a margin of 866 to 677, according to Sudbury’s unofficial results posted Tuesday afternoon. She also won Lincoln by a whopping 712–16 margin. When adding in Lincoln’s official results (see table), Joachim had a two-town total of 1,578 votes compared to 693 for Hullinger. A third write-in candidate on the ballot, Cara Endyke-Doran of Sudbury, got 236 votes in Sudbury and two in Lincoln.

Kasper will take the seat of retiring Lincoln member Nancy Marshall. Committee member Gerald Quirk of Sudbury decided not to run again after the candidates’ filing deadline had passed, necessitating the write-in campaign. The race was the subject of vigorous campaigning by their supporters in both Lincoln and Sudbury, including numerous letters to the editor. 

The official results also correct an error in the unofficial results posted earlier today in the Squirrel, which mistakenly listed 366 write-in votes for Lincoln School Committee in Precinct 1 (they were actually blank ballots).

A squeaker for Parks and Rec; LSSC race still awaiting Sudbury totals

Sarah Chester narrowly defeated Adam Hogue for a seat on the Parks and Recreation Commission, 296–288, while Rey Romero finished third with 204 votes, according to unofficial results from the town election on March 26. Chester won Precinct 2 by a single cote, but it wasn’t enough for s town-wide victory. (Click here to see a map of Lincoln’s two voting precincts.)

Carol Kasper and write-in candidate Ellen Joachim of Sudbury won the most Lincoln votes for the two openings on the Lincoln-Sudbury District School Committee, but the Sudbury vote totals were still unavailable as of 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Sudbury’s Siobhan Hullinger also campaigned as a write-in candidate but won only 15 Lincoln votes vs. 711 for Joachim.

Check the Lincoln Squirrel later on Tuesday for final results of the L-S  race once Sudbury totals become available.

Unofficial results for the March 24, 2018 town election (click to enlarge).

Correction

An article headlined “Town Meeting 2018 roundup” incorrectly stated the number of homes in the new Brown’s Wood Historic District. That number is 11. The original article has bene updated to reflect this correction.

 

 

Blue Heron Organic Farm closes

A dumpster can be seen at the Blue Heron Organic Farm in February.

Ellery Kimball of Blue Heron Organic Farm on Rte. 117 announced on LincolnTalk today that she has closed the farm.

“We are sad to see Ellery go since she has done such a super job with Blue Heron Organic Farm,” said Conservation Director Tom Gumbart. “The Conservation Commission needs to determine the property’s future use, but it will certainly stay in agricultural production. Its long history as an organic farm certainly lends itself to continuing that use for organic food production. However, no determination has yet been made since we only recently found out about Ellery’s departure.”

When asked for further details about her plans or why she closed the farm, Kimball responded via email, “Thank you for your questions but I wrote everything I’d like to share in the letter.” Her announcement is reprinted here with her permission:

Dear Town of Lincoln,

After 17 years as the farmer at Blue Heron Organic Farm on Rt. 117, I have decided it is time for me to move on to new ventures. I will always treasure my time on this land and I have loved working in my home town, and, at the same time, I am excited about moving on to new opportunities.

I started working on the Umbrello parcel of conservation land in Lincoln, Massachusetts in 1993 when I was 17 and a senior in high school. The farm was then called Down to Earth Organic Farm (established in 1992) and I happily worked as an intern on the land in the summers from 93-98. I returned to the Umbrello Field in 2001 to start Blue Heron Organic Farm after Keith, of Down to Earth, left to begin a farm in western Massachusetts.

After running Blue Heron Organic Farm for two years in 2003 I applied for official Organic Certification and, in all, the land has been farmed organically since 1992. In 2005, after raising money through fundraisers held at the farm, I hired a company to dig a well and added electricity to the farm. Thanks to these generous donations irrigation and electricity is now available to the future farmers of the Umbrello Field. 

I have countless people to thank for helping me make this dream of running a small organic farm in my home town a reality. Thank you so much to the town and the Conservation Commission for their support and encouragement over the years. Thank you for believing in me and for giving me this opportunity. Many thanks to Keith for teaching me how to farm in the 90s and for encouraging me to start Blue Heron Organic Farm in 2001. Many thanks to my good friends who helped me on the farm harvesting pumpkins, picking up rocks and pounding in tomato stakes.

I wish to thank the customers who shopped at the farm stand, the organic plant sales, and at the farmers markets. There are so many people I will remember not only for their loyalty and for returning to buy vegetables, flowers and plants every year, but also for their positive words of encouragement, support and kindness. I am so glad I had the opportunity to grow vegetables and flowers for you. Thank you so much. I will miss seeing you all at the farm and at the farmers markets.

Thank you to the groups of farm camp kids who helped me on Fridays every summer, I could always count on them to put a smile on my face and they have given me hope for the future. Thank you to all the volunteers and interns who worked on the farm with me. Farming isn’t easy work, its long days in the sun and rain, with endless weeding and harvesting. I appreciate everyone who worked with me in the field growing vegetables and flowers.

Thank you to the Lincoln Farmers Market and the Davis Square Farmers Market and to all the people involved in making these markets thrive.

Thank you to all the wonderful chefs who placed orders twice a week throughout the growing season. I will miss bringing fresh vegetables to you in your kitchens, hearing about your recipes, seeing your smiles and feeling your appreciation for fresh local foods. Thank you for supporting local farmers.

Thank you to the Lincoln farmers who shared encouragement and equipment and support. And thank you to the town for encouraging farmers to continue Lincolns rich farming heritage.

And, last but not least, thank you to my family for believing in me and encouraging me to follow my dreams. Thanks to my brother for designing the farms website and for being a great sibling.

I am grateful that I have known this beautiful field in all weather and seasons for almost 25 years. Most of my adult memories were created on this land and I have learned so much by working with the soil, hoping for rain, picking up rocks, chasing deer, planting, harvesting and learning from others. I am comforted knowing this land is forever protected and will always remain an open field. Thank you to the Conservation Commission, the Rural Land Foundation, and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust for the important and incredible work you do in keeping Lincoln beautiful, wild, and green.

I am excited to move on and explore other dreams and opportunities in new locations. I am so grateful that I had this opportunity to farm these seven acres in Lincoln in my 20s and 30s.

Sincerely,

Ellery Kimball

School and campus ideas come into clearer focus

A feedback sheet handed out at Town Meeting asked residents which of these three campus configurations they preferred (click to enlarge).

Two-thirds of the 120 residents who responded to a short survey distributed at Town Meeting on March 24 said they preferred a campus layout where the school is concentrated on the north side of campus, freeing up the Smith site for another playing field or green space.

One-third of respondents preferred the current L-shaped configuration, while a single respondent chose the third option of putting the community center on the site of the older Smith wing rather than on the Hartwell side of campus.

Residents also saw the latest round of community center concepts, three of which call for replacing one or two of the pods with the new building and rearranging the parking in the Hartwell area. The fourth option, putting the community center on the west side of campus, preserves the historic Smith gym but would be the most expensive choice due to the cost of renovating all three Hartwell pods and a larger-than-needed community center in a renovated Smith wing. It would also require more parking and create more congestion on that side of campus.

The School Building Committee also presented its latest set of design ideas. Prices ranged from $49 million for Option R (repair only), to $109–$115 million for Option FPC (full project concept) with the optimal number of grade-level hubs and classrooms.

The school design that failed to garner a two-thirds majority in 2012 (click to enlarge).

The six school options and four community center options can be considered in various combinations, though if the community center is on the west side, a compact school design would have to be chosen rather than an L-shaped configuration.

Ironically, many who voted against the 2012 school proposal said they were unhappy with trading the L-shaped school for a more compact building on the north side of the ballfield—much like several of the options now under consideration.

Depending on which school and community center options are ultimately chosen, the total up-front cost for the school and community center projects range from $62 million all the way up to $122–$132 million.

“The sheer scale of these investments is, quite frankly, daunting,” said resident Adam Greenberg, adding that the costs have roughly doubled since the 2012 project was defeated, “far and away above rate of inflation.”

This chart offers a feature comparison of six school options plus cost estimates for a community center (click to enlarge).

Though the economy as a whole has seen low inflation in recent years, this is not the vase in construction, SBC Chair Chris Fasciano said, noting that building prices have been going up by 6–10 percent a year. Data presented in the warrant handbook at Town Meeting reveal that school construction costs in surrounding towns have ranged from $361 per square foot for Wayland High School in 2011, to $482 for the Field School in Weston in 2014, to $594 for the Hastings School in Lexington (completion expected in 2020). Also, unlike the 2012 proposals, the latest Lincoln estimates include costs for site work.

The Finance Committee has determined that the town can borrow up to $100 million without affecting its bond rating. State law limits the town to borrowing $97 million in addition to its current debt. Lincoln would need approval from a municipal oversight board to exceed that limit; the town’s bond advisor said “we would have a reasonable case” for exceeding the limit for a school building project but only if there was “strong consensus among the town,” said FinCom chair Jim Hutchinson.

In 2012, “a lot of people didn’t understand that $29 million from the state was not going to be available again,” said resident Maggy Pietropaolo. “The question is not whether we’re going to  spend at least $50 million on a school. The question is, what do you want to get for your money?”

The SBC will hold another pair of community workshops on Tuesday, April 10 at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. in the Reed Gym, as well as an update for the Council in Aging on Friday, March 30 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall. There will also be a multi-board meeting on the campus projects on Monday, April 30. Meanwhile, those who did not attend Town Meeting or turn in the short campus survey may send comments via email to the SBC. A special Town Meeting to choose a school option will take place on June 9.

Town Meeting 2018 roundup

Here is a roundup of selected items from Town Meeting. You can also read stories about the Oriole Landing vote and the “Welcoming, Safe Community” resolution. Tomorrow we’ll have a story on the school and community center updates. For background, see the roundup of links to relevant Lincoln Squirrel stories on various topics, as well as the full warrant.

Town budget

Voters unanimously approved a fiscal year 2019 budget of $37.68 million. The town portion represented an increase of 3.5 percent over the current budget. Almost 11 percent of revenue ($4/1 million) in the new budget comes from free cash (money appropriated but not spent last year). Click here for a summary of the fiscal 2018 budget, valuation and taxation provided by the Assessor’s Office.

Education — The Lincoln Public Schools portion of the budget was up 2.5 percent at $11.46 million. Lincoln’s share of the Lincoln‐Sudbury Regional High School ($3.8 million) represents a 9 percent decrease from the fiscal 2018 approved budget but a 3 percent increase over the actual expenditures this year. Lincoln’s share based on enrollment at the high school is dropping from 13.5 percent to 13.0 percent.

Capital items — Sixteen purchases recommended by the Capital Planning Committee totaling $687,070 were approved. The largest single dollar amount was for the Lincoln Public Library, which asked for $305,000 for a new air conditioning system that suffered repeated failures last summer, necessitating closing the library on some hot days.

Fire engine — Town Meeting also approved spending $600,000 on a new fire engine, though this is also subject to ballot approval in the town election on March 26. The 10-year-old vehicle, the town’s primary fire engine, was found to be unsafe to drive due to chassis failure caused by road chemicals. “This corrosion accelerated greatly beyond anyone expectations,” and other towns are having similar issues, said Fire Chief Steve Carter. The Fire Department is working on a new preventative maintenance program and will have all new vehicles inspected annually by the vendor.

Debt stabilization fund — Voters approved adding $771,977 to the debt stabilization fund, bringing it to a total of $5.52 million, some of which will be used to soften the impact of upcoming bonding for a school and community center.

Community Preservation Act items — CPA spending for historic preservation, open space, recreation and housing items totaled $1.07 million. This includes $100,000 for a conservation restriction on the adjacent Boquist properties at 241 and 247 Old Concord Rd. which border Fairhaven Bay and have conservation land on either side. The arrangement includes a potential trail easement to the water as well as preservation of the Modernist house at 241 Old Concord Rd.

Historic Districts

Seventeen Modern homes have joined the Lincoln existing Historic District in various parts of town, and another 11 comprise a new Brown’s Wood Historic District on Laurel Drive. Adding one’s home to a Historic District is voluntary, but provides some measure of protection for the essential character of the exterior appearance of the house that might otherwise involve creating an expensive deed restriction. Click here to see a map and list of addresses in the districts.

Site plan review

Under the “big house” rule, properties had to undergo site plan review if the buildings on the lot (including the garage) exceeded 6,500 square feet—and the requirement was permanent, meaning any future work such as landscaping, minor additions, fire or tree damage had to come back to the Planning Board for approval. This created two classes of properties: one subject to site plan review and others not, if they were built before the law was passed in the early 2000s, even if they include more than 6,500 square feet.

“The Planning Board sees a steady stream of things that are very minor,” said board chair Margaret Olson. “This chews up immense amount of planning staff time with zero value to the town.” Voters approved a zoning bylaw change that would “sunset” the ongoing site plan review requirement after five years.

For properties that undergo site plan review, the measure removes the requirement that the public hearing be advertised in a newspaper, which adds weeks of delay (though all abutters are still notified by mail). The homeowner also does not have to have a preliminary meeting with the Planning Board before the public hearing in most cases, as “these are 100 percent duplicative,” Olson said.

Three former Planning Board members had concerns about the sunset provision. The language “is much too broad and could lead to many unintended consequences,” said Bob Domnitz. He urged the board to rework it for a vote at the special Town Meeting on June 9 because “once we open that door, we won’t be able to close it.” Nonetheless, the measure passed with only a handful of nay votes.

Plastic grocery bags

Stan Solomon argued that the measure to ban retail distribution of plastic grocery bags was “misaimed” because grocery stores take back plastic bags, and those that are discarded are burned for electricity at a trash-to-energy plant along with the rest of the trash. “There is not one piece of plastic in Lincoln that is wasted,” he said. However, Bob Schudy responded that “it’s not trash to energy, it’s trash to carbon dioxide.” Another resident said she would stop shopping at Donelan’s if the ban passed, but it did so easily. The rule does not apply to plastic bags for dry cleaning, meat, produce, or newspapers.

Plastic bottles

The Lincoln-Sudbury Environmental Club returned with last year’s proposal to ban retail sale of single-serving plastic water bottles in town, following the example of Sudbury and Concord. The Board of Selectmen were split 2-1 on endorsing the measure, with Selectman James Craig worried about the financial impact on Donelan’s.

“I consider this as a matter of intergenerational responsibility,” said Alex Chatfield. “Reducing and eliminating consumption [of plastics] is the solution, not recycling.” Another resident proposed an amendment that would change the focus of the ban from plastic bottles containing water to those for sugary drinks, but her motion was defeated and the ban passed. Residents voted to pass over an alternative ban proposed by Lincoln Kitchen co-owner Jim White that would have prohibited bringing single-use water bottles onto town property.

Community choice aggregation

Residents approved a measure proposed by the Green Energy Committee that will enable the Board of Selectmen to pursue a contract that would aggregate the electricity load of Lincoln homes and businesses. Eversource is required by law to go out to bid for electricity suppliers twice a year on fixed dates, so contracts are short and not necessarily favorable to customers. Under an aggregation program, the town (alone or with other towns) could vary the length and timing of contracts with electricity suppliers with an eye for more favorable conditions and longer-term price stability. Several towns including Lexington, Acton, and Arlington offer this option. Eversource would still transmit and bill for electricity, and individual residents can opt out of the aggregation program any time.

Gas leaks

Voters approved a citizen’s petition sponsored by Mothers Out Front aimed at persuading utilities to fix leaks of natural gas, a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Utilities pass on the cost of unaccounted-for gas to consumers, but the citizens’ petition directs the Board of Selectmen to endorse House Bill 2683/Senate Bill 1845, which would provide an economic incentive to gas providers to develop improved technologies and practices for transportation, distribution, and storage. The long-term goal of Mothers Out Front is to “ensure a swift, complete, and just transition away from fossil fuels.”