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

Letter to the editor: Hullinger seeks write-in votes for LSSC

To the editor,

My name is Siobhan Hullinger and I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the write-in candidate opening for the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee (LSSC) in the upcoming election on Monday, March 26.

I respectfully ask for your vote because as a 27-year resident with three children who have attended and are attending L-S, I am grateful for and understand the importance to our children and town of L-S’s national reputation among colleges and universities, and the diversity of its academic and extracurricular offerings.

I have spent 27 years in Sudbury devoted to efforts to support our community and schools.   My volunteer efforts include board memberships with HOPEsudbury, the Lincoln-Sudbury Scholarship Fund, and the LSPO as well as L-S School Council member, Sudbury eown election officer, CERT volunteer, parent coordinator for the Kicks for Cancer Soccer Tournament, youth sports age group coordinator, and a participant in the Sudbury Listening Project.

My civic involvement is at the core of who I am and aligns with L-S’s core values of “fostering caring and cooperating relationships, respecting human differences, pursuing academic excellence and cultivating community.” As a longtime participant in local town issues, I understand the essential importance to continually take a fresh look at how we operate our local town organizations, including L-S. Among the key issues I would pursue are:

  • Build a stronger collaboration between L-S, Sudbury, Lincoln, and the METCO program to facilitate open, collaborative, and thoughtful discussions that will improve coordination of academic and social transitions into our high school, identify areas of operating redundancies and inefficiencies, and support reasonable class sizes.
  • Review safety measures to ensure they align with current trends and research while preserving the benefits of an open campus.
  • Enact a policy of periodic reviews of the Regional Agreement, originally enacted in 1954, to ensure it provides an effective and equitable framework reflecting the current and future public education conditions and needs for L-S to thrive.
  • Pursue the start time recommendations of the separate L-S/Sudbury Public Schools (SPS) subcommittees. We must put in the hard work to see whether adjusting our schedule is feasible and tackle obstacles that hinder student growth. Unlike past efforts, we must tackle this task collaboratively with L-S, SPS, and the METCO program.
  • Our music and arts programs currently find themselves under threat of elimination or reduction. We should instead see a growing commitment to these programs which have been proven to boost academic and social/emotional outcomes.

LSSC needs to proactively consider whether the current leadership structure of separate superintendents and administrations from SPS is the most desirable for attracting top-tier leadership at both L-S and SPS for the long term.

I will work tirelessly to represent the interests of taxpayers, families, students, faculty, staff and administration to enhance, support and foster open and constructive dialogue among our partners in education. Please contact me with any thoughts and/or questions at sioforls@gmail.com. I humbly ask for your support by writing in “Siobhan Hullinger” under L-S School Committee on March 26. 

Sincerely,

Siobhan Hullinger
55 Washington Drive, Sudbury

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.

Most Lincolnites have power back after strong nor’easter

Several roads in town were closed due to falling trees or utility poles from Friday’s nor’easter, but as of Sunday evening, all roads had reopened except for Hilliard Road.

Lincoln Road residents Wendy and Lem Kusik had a close call as an 80-foot spruce crashed down right next to their house, tearing out utility lines. Weston Road was also closed after a pole snapped in front of the Pierce House. Dozens of residents lost power because of the storm, notably in the Tower Road/Pierce Hill Road and Silver Hill Road areas, but only 15 customers were still without electricity as of Sunday evening, according to Eversource’s outage map.

The utility said most of its customers in the greater Boston and MetroWest area would have power restored by Sunday night, but those on the south shore may have to wait until Monday or Tuesday night. More than 50,000 customers on the South Shore and Cape Cod were still without power last night, but Eversource said they should be back on line by Wednesday night.

Click on a photo to enlarge:

storm-allen
storm-pole-lg
storm-branch
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storm-house-lg
storm-spruce-lem

 

Town Meeting warrant articles published

A total of 36 warrant articles (13 of which will be considered as a group on the consent calendar) will be presented to residents for votes at the Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, March 24. The full warrant is online here. Articles include:

  • Customary financial articles
    • The town budget (including the Lincoln School and Lincoln-Sudbury High School budgets)
    • Capital expenditures, including a new fire engine
    • Funds for routine maintenance of town facilities
    • Appropriations to a retiree health insurance trust fund, and to a debt stabilization fund
    • A variety of other smaller appropriations
  • Campus building projects — Lincoln School and community center
  • Bylaw proposals
    • Mary’s Way proposed zoning overlay (allowing planning for the Oriole Landing mixed-income housing development to move forward)
    • Historic District expansion to include modernist homes (voluntary on the part of homeowners)
    • Site plan sunset provision
  • Green initiatives
    • Vote to initiate the “electricity aggregation” process
  • Citizens’ petitions
    • A ban on the retail use of plastic bags
    • A ban on the retail sale of individual plastic water bottles
    • An alternative ban on the retail sale of individual plastic water bottles that bans the use of such bottles on town property
    • A resolution to support tighter regulation of natural gas leaks
    • A resolution to designate Lincoln as a “safe and welcoming” town; and

The Board of Selectmen is meeting with residents who submitted citizen’s petitions. They voted last week to endorse retail bans on plastic water bottles and grocery bags while removing from the warrant a petition asking for reimbursements for residents’ legal fees.

On Monday, March 5, the board will meet with Mothers Out Front, the proponents of the gas leak resolution, and on Monday, March 19, the board will meet with the proponents of the “safe and welcoming town” resolution.

Selectmen split on water bottle ban but reject legal-fee petition

The Board of Selectmen voted 2-1 to endorse a plastic water bottle measure that will be up for a Town Meeting vote on March 24. They also voted unanimously to remove a citizens’ petition seeking reimbursement for legal costs incurred by a group of residents fighting the McLean Hospital proposal on Bypass Road.

In November 2016, the Zoning Board of Appeals denied McLean’s request to use a single-family house for an outpatient facility, saying it did not meet the criteria for an educational use, which would have been permitted under the state’s Dover amendment. McLean filed suit in state land court against the town and the ZBA, and a group of residents represented by attorney Michael Fee petitioned to intervene as co-defendants. Some of those residents recently submitted a Town Meeting citizen’s petition asking the town to reimburse them for $112,000 in legal fees incurred in the court battle.

The residents originally intervened because they felt the town would not adequately represent their interests, which were more specific than those of the town—thwarting McLean Hospital’s plans for a specific property, as opposed to merely upholding the authority of the ZBA and town town’s zoning bylaws in general. They argued at last week’s Board of Selectmen meeting that the residents’ and town’s interests were identical once the trial had begun, but selectmen and special counsel Jason Talerman disagreed.

Talerman also told the board that the state’s anti-aid amendment prohibits public funding for private individuals and organizations that are not working under town control. If a town hires a private contractor for something like snow plowing, “you as community have to be able to control those services,” he said. In the McLean case, the town can’t be responsible for covering the cost of an attorney who reports only to private residents and not the town, he added.

Although the town has received some “incidental benefit” from the work of the residents’ attorney, the funding issue is “fairly clear because of the lack of [town] control,” Selectman James Craig said. “I feel the neighborhood is going to crucify me for this, but it’s more the duty I feel to the town as a whole.”

Selectman Jennifer Glass worried about setting a precedent if the funding request were allowed to go forward. Selectman James Dwyer agreed, saying, “I just think our hands are tied.”

Plastic bags and bottles

Selectmen voted unanimously to endorse a citizen’s petition to ban retail distribution of thin-film plastic grocery bags but were divided over sales of single-serving plastic water bottles.

There are actually two Town Meeting articles relating to the bottles—one submitted by the Lincoln-Sudbury Environmental Club and the second by resident Jim White, co-owner of Lincoln Kitchen and the recently closed Trail’s End Cafe. White’s measure is more far-reaching as it would prohibit use of the disposable bottles anywhere on town property in addition to banning their sale.

Although he was “fully supportive” of restricting bottle sales in general, “I was struck by the overwhelming sense of a fair playing field for our businesses,” especially Donelan’s, “our most critical [Lincoln mall] anchor tenant operating on such thin margins,” Craig said.

Glass and Dwyer supported the measure, however. “I hope this will spread geographically and give retailers cover,” eliminating the advantage of driving to a neighboring town to buy disposal water bottles, Dwyer said. He acknowledged that Donelan’s is “a huge benefactor to this town,” especially with contributions to the July Fourth celebration, “and I’m hoping this is not going to adversely affect them.”

Selectmen voiced doubts about how White’s measure would be enforced if approved. After voting 2-1 to endorse the students’ proposal, White asked the board not to take a formal position on his alternative measure.

News acorns

Write-in candidate to join LSSC info sessions

Ellen Joachim of Sudbury will join Lincoln resident Carole Kasper at three previously announced L-S School Committee candidate forums in Lincoln. Kasper is running for the seat being vacated by Nancy Marshall. Joachim is one of three declared write-in candidates from Sudbury for the seat of Sudbury’s Gerald Quirk, who only recently announced he was not running for reelection. Forum dates and times are:

  • Friday, March 9 — Lincoln Woods Community Room, 9:30–11 a.m.
  • Wednesday, March 14 — Lincoln Library Tarbell Room, 9:30–11 a.m., and Bemis Hall, 1:30–3 p.m.

Thompson paintings on view at library

© Nancy L. Thompson

Paintings by Lincoln artist Nancy Leigh Thompson are on the view at the Lincoln Public Library through March 30. Her work also appeared recently in “Different Strokes,” a juried group exhibit at Fort Point Arts Community Gallery in Boston. See her website for more information.

Letter to the editor: Joachim runs as write-in candidate for L-S panel

(Editor’s note: L-S School Committee Gerald Quirk of Sudbury had planned to run for reelection but subsequently withdrew his name after the deadline for others to get on the ballot had passed.)

To the editor:

I am happy to announce that I am running as a write-in candidate for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District Committee. I welcome your support on Monday, March 26.

I know first-hand the unique qualities of L-S as I myself am an L-S graduate. I have had children enrolled at L-S since 2010. Two have graduated, and my youngest is currently a junior. I understand L-S: its breadth of classes, its emphasis on learning, and its focus on building student independence.

After L-S, I went to Columbia College and Harvard Law School. I served on the Sudbury School Committee for six years, including one year as chair and two as vice chair. I will bring my knowledge of L-S, my legal training, and my School Committee experience to the L-S School Committee.

If elected, I will put students first. I will listen to and consider all perspectives before making decisions. I will collaborate with staff, parents from Boston, Lincoln, and Sudbury, and students to ensure that L-S is providing the best education possible to all students. We must ensure that students feel safe and welcome at L-S, that they are offered a broad array of classes in core subjects and the arts, and are challenged to learn and grow in each of these classes, and that they are well-prepared for their chosen path upon graduation.

I believe we need to explore options for further collaboration and sharing between L-S and the Lincoln and Sudbury public schools. Such work can only be done with interest and participation from members of both the Lincoln and Sudbury communities. We have a shared goal of ensuring that L-S provides an excellent learning experience for our students in a supportive environment, and we must partner to move forward. My six years on the Sudbury School Committee will be valuable in these discussions.

I believe that we need to continue exploring school start times for our teens. There are logistical challenges to implementing a later start time, but given the overwhelming evidence of improvements to student health, well-being, and academic performance, we must continue to focus on this issue. Finally, L-S must review its safety protocols to ensure that they address the current environment and follow best practices.

I look forward to meeting you and discussing L-S in the coming weeks and ask you to write my name on the Lincoln and Sudbury ballots on Monday, March 26.

Sincerely,

Ellen Winer Joachim
6 Craig Lane, Sudbury

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.

Obituaries

 

Enid C. Winchell

Enid Clarke Winchell, 93 (January 31) — former head of First Parish church school, president of Lincoln Garden Club.

Addison Cole, 98 (January 19) — founder of Adcole Corp.

Addison Cole

 

News acorns

Mindfulness walk with John Calabria at Adams Woods

Join us for the next outing in the mindfulness walk series sponsored by the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and Council on Aging on Tuesday, March 6 from 1–2:30 p.m. Park along the roadside next to Lindentree Farm on Old Concord Road off Route 126; meet at the chain-linked posts. Unplug, disconnect from the world and let your senses come alive in nature. Free. The series is organized for 55+, but all are welcome. In case of inclement weather, call the LLCT’s general line at 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. the morning of the walk.

Sap-to-syrup time at Drumlin Farm

The annual Sap-to-Syrup Farmer’s Breakfast weekend takes place at Drumlin Farm Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11. From 9 a.m.–1 p.m. each day, visitors of all ages can feast on hearty pancakes with real maple syrup as well as Drumlin Farm sausage and roasted potatoes. Diners are welcome to stay and enjoy special maple-themed activities:

  • See how sap is collected from the wildlife sanctuary’s own sugar maples.
  • Explore the natural history of trees as you learn about the distinctly “Northwoods” product of maple syrup.
  • Learn about Native American sap-to-syrup techniques.
  • Purchase maple syrup made at Drumlin Farm to take home.

Tickets are $15 for Mass Audubon members, $17 for nonmembers. Children under 2 are free. Register online or by calling 781-259-2200.

Take an adult-ed class at L-S

Registration is now open for Lincoln-Sudbury Adult Education spring classes, which include “Learn to Paint: Classical to Contemporary Oil Painting” with artist Joanne Tarlin and “Beaded Herringbone Ropes” with Susan St. Maurice. See the full brochure and register online at www.lsrhs.net/sites/adulted.

Talk on reviving the woolly mammoth

Justin Quinn of Dr. George Church’s Harvard University lab will speak on the Woolly Mammoth Revive & Restore Project on Thursday, March 22 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library Tarbell Room. This work is the subject of Ben Mezrich’s book Woolly: The True Story of the Quest to Revive One of History’s Most Iconic Extinct Creatures. The program is funded by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library, Inc.

Film series looks at “swinging London”

“Swinging London” is the theme for the March films being screened by the Lincoln Library Film Society. All movies start at 3 p.m. in the Tarbell Room.

  • March 5 — “Darling” (1965) starring Julie Christie and Dirk Bogarde. A beautiful but amoral model sleeps her way to the top of the London fashion scene at the height of the Swinging Sixties.
  • March 12 — “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1971) starring Peter Finch and Glenda Jackson. Divorced working woman Alex and well-to-do Jewish family doctor Daniel Hirsh share not only the same answering service but also the favors of young Bob Elkin, who bed-hops between them as the mood takes him.
  • March 19 — “Fish Tank” (2009) directed by Andrew Arnold. Mia, an aggressive 15-year-old, lives on an Essex estate with her tarty mother Joanne and precocious little sister Tyler. She begins an uneasy friendship with Joanne’s slick boyfriend, Connor, who encourages her one interest: dancing.
  • March 26 — “Wonderland” (1999) starring Ian Hart and Shirley Henderson. A series of vignettes focus on three sisters’ dreams, conflicts and weekend escapades, all beautifully interwoven into a single tapestry of love, pain and joy.

Correction

In the February 22 articles headlined “Property sales in January,” an incorrect sales price was given for three parcels on Huckleberry Hill sold to Ramana Lagemann. The total price was $2.1 million. The article has been updated to reflect this correction.

Lincoln joins program to promote greener heating systems

As part of a three-town coalition with Concord and Carlisle, Lincoln has been accepted into the state-sponsored HeatSmart program. From March through July, residents can purchase advanced air-source and ground-source heat pumps and wood pellet heating systems from installers selected for their high-quality work and competitive pricing. These clean heating and cooling technologies can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce your energy costs, and improve the comfort of homes.

There will be an information session on Wednesday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall where residents can learn about the program and meet selected installers. There will also be sessions on Sunday, March 11 at 1:30 p.m. at Concord-Carlisle High School and Wednesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. in Carlisle Town Hall. Anyone with questions may email HeatSmartLincoln@gmail.com. For more information about HeatSmart or to sign up for program notices, visit HeatSmartCCL.org.

HeatSmart is similar to Solarize Mass in that it’s designed to educate and promote greener heating and cooling options. Lincoln previously joined Sudbury and Wayland in Solarize LSW to get discounts on installations of solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar hot water systems.

HeatSmart Carlisle/Concord/Lincoln is supported by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center; the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources; and volunteers and staff from the towns of Carlisle, Concord and Lincoln.