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

Dominick “Jim” Arena, 1929–2019

Dominick “Jim” Arena

Dominick “Jim” Arena of Hudson, police and fire chief in Lincoln from 1976–1994, died on March 3 at age 89. He began his career with the Massachusetts State Police in Walpole and later served as the chief of police in Essex Junction, Vt., Edgartown, Mass., and Lincoln, where he also served as the fire chief. Calling hours and funeral starting at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 9 at the Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home (50 Central St., Hudson). Click here for full obituary.

Residents debate pros and cons of leaf blower restrictions

Following suggestions at a February 28 public forum, the Leaf Blower Study Committee has drafted amendments to its proposed bylaw such as expanded fall and spring periods when gas-powered machines can be used.

The group this week presented a revised draft to the Board of Selectmen that would add a couple of weeks in March and December, would also allow electric and battery-powered leaf blowers to be used year-round and would grant a grace period in the fall before the bylaw is enforced. “Additional changes are under consideration as well,” said committee chair Jamie Banks.

Under the original bylaw proposal, leaf blowers of any kind could not be used from December 16 through April 14. All types would be permitted during certain hours of the day in the fall and spring (October 1 through December 15, and April 15 through May 31). From June 1 to September 30, one electric or battery-powered leaf blower per lot could be used at a time.

The committee first proposed rules limiting leaf blower use in 2014 but “got shot down pretty substantially” after a public forum (the measure was ultimately passed over at Town Meeting that year), so “we went back to the drawing board” in terms of education around the issue, committee vice chair John Koenig said.

Over the past five years, the Rural Land Foundation (RLF), which owns the Lincoln Mall property, no longer allows its landscaping contractors to use gas-powered leaf blowers except during fall and spring cleanup, which is more or less in keeping with what the bylaw proposes. The same is true for workers on town-owned properties including cemeteries, roadsides, Bemis Hall, the library, the Lincoln School, and Pierce Park, said Dan Pereira, who handles the town mowing and maintenance contract in his capacity as director of the Parks and Recreation Department.

Some were skeptical when the change was first proposed, “but we really never looked back,” he said.

Under the bylaw, gas-powered machines could be used even at normally prohibited times for special events and circumstances with permission of the building inspector, committee members emphasized. Such situations could include clearing lawn debris after the recent wind storm, before a wedding on a resident’s property, or at the start of the academic year on the Lincoln School campus.

But some residents at the forum bristled at the idea of any limits on using their gas-powered leaf blowers. “A lot of people are trying to do the right thing” by buying hybrid vehicles and installing solar panels, “but instead you feel somehow compelled to take the extra step and ban it,” said Mark Deck. He suggested first instituting voluntary guidelines without penalties.

“I really believe you would make more headway with a carrot than a stick. I fear if you take the stick to Town Meeting, you’ll just get shot down again,” he said.

Committee chair Jamie Banks replied that the group, working with the Board of Health, sent letters with guidelines for responsible gas-powered leaf blower use, especially on paved surfaces in South Lincoln, “but it hasn’t worked” with property owners and managers except the RLF.

Part of the problem town-wide is that property owners often aren’t home when their lawn maintenance crews appear during the day with their machines. “People go to work and their contractors come in, so they’re not victimized by the noise they way their neighbors might be,” Banks said. “It’s very hard to build consensus on a problem that a lot of people aren’t exposed to.”

Lincoln’s rural character makes the bylaw impractical, said resident Cricket Kerrebrock. “The towns that have approved this are high-density towns, not two-acre zoning. It’s a density than virtually doesn’t exist in this town except around the mall.”

Resident Len Darling noted that he and others use their gas-powered leaf blowers in the summer to blow grass clippings off his patio, which would not be allowed under the proposed bylaw.

“What you’re saying is ‘go buy an electric one’,” Deck said.

Improved technology

However, electric and battery-powered leaf blowers have improved dramatically in recent years in terms of power, battery life and price, and are quite adequate for that sort of light-duty work, said George Carrette, owner of EcoQuiet Lawn Care in Concord, which uses only electric and manual tools to clear debris. The Conservation Commission also now uses only battery-powered chainsaws for trail maintenance, ConComm chair Peter von Mertens noted.

Electric leaf blowers have other advantages over the gas-powered versions: they last longer, require little or no maintenance, don’t require gasoline and oil, can use the same batteries as other machines such as chainsaws, and are easier to start, noted resident Alex Chatfield.

Restricting use of gas-powered leaf blowers to certain times of year for the sake of public health is comparable to restrictions on outdoor fires, he added. “Libertarian arguments have been around for decades to object to environmental laws. It would be great to live in a world where everyone is sensitive to the environment and impacts on their neighbors and don’t do stuff that’s harmful.”

“There are a lot of people who would like to see no leaf blowers ever, and at the other extreme, no regulation at all,” said committee member Robin Wilkerson. “Over five years we’ve tried to hammer something together that accommodates as many people as possible. We feel like this is a very liberal interpretation of what people can do.”

News acorns

Purcell group performs “The Tempest”

The Purcell Society performs “The Tempest.”

“Live in Lincoln Center” proudly presents the Henry Purcell Society of Boston and the Poets’ Theatre in an original adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest at the First Parish in Lincoln’s stone church on Sunday, March 24 at 3 p.m. Suggested donation of $40 payable at the door, though any amount is appreciated

John Dryden and William Davenant’s 1667 version for the London stage was the inspiration for the music by Baroque-era composers Matthew Locke, John Banister, and Pelham Humfrey. This presentation, produced by Jessica Cooper and music-directed by conductor and harpsichordist Ian Watson (music director at the First Parish in Lincoln) has added selections from Purcell’s incidental theater music. The score will be performed on historical instruments alongside newly created narration by renowned scholar and poet Laurence Senelick.

Lenten events at local churches

St. Julia/St. Joseph

  • Lecture series — “Themes of Sacred Scripture” with Fr. Bob Branreuther from March 13 to April 17 from 10–11:30 a.m. in the St. Julia/St. Joseph Parish Center (374 Boston Post Rd., Weston).
  • Book discussion — The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity by Matthew Kelly on Wednesday, March 13 from 7:30–8:30 p.m. in the Parish Center.
  • “The Light Is On” — Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday evenings, March 13 to April 10 from 6:30–8:00pm in St. Julia Church.
  • Lenten prayer circle — prayer baskets are located in both St. Julia Church and St. Joseph Church in Lincoln. You can also sign up for a day to pray for these intentions.   

First Parish in Lincoln

The First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) is offering a five-week Adult Learning Program for Lent on Thursdays, March 14, 21, 28, April 4 ,and 11 from 12:30–2 p.m. in the FPL Garrison Room (14 Bedford Rd.) Join Rev. Jenny Rankin, interim minister, for “Lenten Journey,” a faith sharing group for a pilgrimage through Lent. Each class will be structured with some “solo time” and some group sharing, as we spend time with different contemplative practices (prayer, meditation, Bible study, lectio divina, silence, writing).  We will also be reading selections from Pilgrim Road: A Benedictine Journey through Lent by Albert Holtz.

Please call the church office by Wednesday, March 6 to sign up for all dates (781-259-8118 x110 and leave a message with your name, email address, and phone number) or email gert@fplincoln.org. You will be notified by March 11 as to whether there are enough participants for the class to run. Attendance at each meeting is expected, but please e-mail jenny@fplincoln.org if this is not possible. You do not have to be a member of First Parish in Lincoln to join; all are welcome.

St. Anne’s

Please see the February 25 edition of News acorns.

LOMA night features Decatur Creek

Friends of the Lincoln Public Library and LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mic Night) present Decatur Creek on Monday, March 11 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Decatur Creek will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. The New Hampshire-based combo regularly appears at music festivals such as Keene and Antrim, coffeehouses and markets.

Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

Lincoln Quilters display their work

There will be an opening reception for “A Quilted Look at Lincoln,” a quilt show by the Lincoln Quilters running through April, on Tuesday, March 5 at 2:15 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The Lincoln Quilters are a group of nine Lincoln women (Anne Crosby, Nancy Constable, Tricia Deck, Linda MacNeil, Margaret Olson, Lucy Sachs, Kate Sacknoff, Jane Solar, and Dilla Tingley) who began meeting five years ago to inspire each other, share their creations, and develop new pieces as a group.

Quilts in this show were created from Lincoln scenes that each artist chose to represent. Proceeds from the sale of the quilts will be donated to the Lincoln Food Bank. The group has made quilts for organizations such as Camp Sunshine, a Maine camp for children affected by life-threatening illnesses, as well as fund-raising events. After a recent show at the Lincoln Public Library, eight quilts were auctioned to benefit charities chosen by the successful bidders.

Correction

The February 27 story headlined “Leaf blower forum on Thursday” inaccurately said that the First Parish in Lincoln had endorsed a proposed bylaw placing limits on leaf blower use. The Leaf Blower Study Committee on Thursday clarified that, contrary to their statement at a February 25 Board of Selectman’s meeting, the church as a whole has not taken a position, although some church members have expressed support for the measure. The story has been updated to reflect this correction.

FinCom releases tax hike figures for school project

A table showing the tax increase for the median taxpayer with a tax bill of $14,008 in fiscal 2019, compared to earlier projections (click any image to enlarge).

The tax impact until fiscal 2024 under three borrowing scenarios.

The tax impact of all the borrowing for six different property values.

Once all the borrowing for the school project is done, Lincoln property owners will see a tax increase of 14.5% compared to fiscal 2019—significantly less than the 20% that some had feared.

As announced on February 26, winning bidder Citibank offered an interest rate of 3.379% on the $80 million bond. The Finance Committee had been using sample interest rates of 4% and 5% in projecting the tax increases from the $93.9 million school project. But as the town solicited bids on the bond, “we definitely benefited from the equity market volatility that happened in December,” FinCom chair Chair Jim Hutchinson said at Wednesday’s School Building Committee meeting.

From this $80 million bond alone, the median property tax bill would have increased by 14.5% next year. But the fiscal 2020 budget coming up for a vote at Town Meeting is “lean and mean” and, if there were no borrowing, would actually result in a 1.7% tax decrease, Hutchinson said. Taken together, the bond and the budget decrease will mean a $1,780 tax increase (12.7%) tax on the median tax bill.

In about two years, the town will do a “cleanup” bond of up to $8.5 million for the remaining expenses. That will mean another tax increase of about 1.8%, for a grand total increase of about $2,000 or 14.5% compared to the bill for fiscal 2019, Hutchinson said. 

Leaf blower forum on Thursday

Residents can make their feelings known about the proposed leaf blower bylaw ahead of Town Meeting at a public forum on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Town Office Building.

The Leaf Blower Study Committee (a subcommittee of the Conservation Commission) wants to limit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers because research has shown they can cause health problems from their noise, exhaust, and the airborne pollutants they stir up.

If approved on March 23, the bylaw proposed by the Leaf Blower Study Committee (LBSC) would regulate the use of leaf blowers as follows:

  • Gas-powered leaf blowers may be used during specified weeks and times of day for spring and fall cleanups.
  • Electric leaf blowers may be used during the spring, summer, and fall.
  • No leaf blowers may be used during the winter.

After the Board of Selectmen urged the group to do more public outreach, members gathered signatures at the transfer station and Donelan’s on a petition supporting the measure, as well as an online petition that had been signed by 203 people as of February 27. Town groups including Mothers Out Front and the Green Energy Commission have also endorsed it, LBSC member Robin Wilkerson said.

At the selectman’s meeting on February 25, residents asked questions about the exact definition of a leaf blower and whether the measure would apply to tractors or lawnmowers used to mulch and blow leaves, or machine that vacuum up leaves rather than blow them.

“You’re going to get more questions than we can think of” at Town Meeting, Selectman Jonathan Dwyer said.

LBSC members assured selectmen that the group would not be returning later with more proposals for leaf blowers or other types of noisy yard equipment. 

“People are very worried that we’re going to take away their lawnmowers and chainsaws. We have no designs on other equipment at all,” Wilkerson said. 

“Is the ultimate goal of this committee to ban leaf blowing, period, and this is sort of the first stage of that?” Selectman James Craig asked.

“Not at all,” Wilkerson said. “This is a group that will not be continuing to meet after Town Meeting.”

Addendum

Background information on funding for the school project has been added to the February 26 story headlined “Town gets good news on school borrowing costs“:

Voters in December approved borrowing a total of $88.5 million for the school project, which will cost a total of $93.9 million. The initial bond is for $80 million; the rest of the funding includes $4.4 million from the town’s debt stabilization fund and $1 million from free cash.

Council on Aging activities in March

Trad jazz concert
March 1 at 12:30 p.m.
No need to travel to New Orleans or New York when what you’re looking for is to be found right here when the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band is in the house at Bemis Hall on Friday, March 1 from 12:30–1:30.

Lincoln Academy with Bijoy Misra: nature and spirituality
March 4 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, March 4 at 12:30 p.m. when Bijoy Misra discusses “Nature and Spirituality.” Is nature spiritual? Does nature thrive on struggle for existence or provide a room for all? Are all objects equal in their existence? If an object in nature is equal to another object, then why does one survive not the other? Misra will examine these age-old questions from the perspectives of our own life and experiences. He will examine traits in humans as to our own nature and our own built-in spirituality. He will look through the philosophers and the scriptures for their insight into equality. He will examine whether spirituality lives in our own perception of the other object. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Artists’ coffee with the Lincoln Quilters
March 5 at 2:30 p.m.
Join the Lincoln Quilters on Tuesday, March 5 at 2:30 to celebrate their exhibit in the Bemis Hall Gallery in March and April. The Lincoln Quilters are nine Lincoln women including Anne Crosby, Nancy Constable, Tricia Deck, Linda MacNeil, Lucy Sachs, Kate Sacknoff, Jane Solar, and Dilla Tingley. Drawn together by their shared interest in quilting and fiber arts, they began meeting monthly five years ago to inspire each other, share their creations, share suggestions on personal projects, and develop new pieces as a group. They generally have a group project going that stimulates and challenges each member and her creativity. Besides donating quilts for fundraising events, they have made quilts for organizations in need such as Camp Sunshine. They recently had a show at the Lincoln Library gallery where eight quilts were auctioned to benefit the charity of choice of the successful bidder. Many of the pieces in the show at Bemis will have Lincoln themes. Proceeds from the sale of these quilts will be donated to the Lincoln Food Pantry.

The many faces of sadness
March 7 at 10 a.m.
As we age, we may experience sadness in many forms. It may be due to the loss of loved ones, changes in our activity patterns, and for some, isolation which can increase our vulnerability to depression. Claire Gerstein, LICSW, will facilitate a group to give people the opportunity to talk about these issues in a supportive environment. The free six-week group will meet Thursdays 10-11:30 starting March 7 at Bemis Hall. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in March

Town gets good news on school borrowing costs

The stack of bonds awaiting selectmen’s signatures at their meeting on Monday.

The impact on property taxes from the school project won’t be quite as bad as many had feared. The interest rate for the lion’s share of the bonds that the town will issue to fund the project is 3.379%, compared to the 4% and 5% projections outlined by the Finance Committee in November.

The town received eight competitive bids and a glowing bond-rating report, Town Administrator Tim Huggins reported to the Board of Selectmen on Monday night. The town will also retain its AAA bond rating, which he added is unusual for a town taking on this level of debt.

“The property tax impact will be significantly lower than the most conservative of our forecasts were showing,” Higgins said. Officials had been predicting a tax hike of 18–20%, but it now looks like it will be more in the 14–16% range, depending on the interest rate for a second, relatively small “cleanup” bond that will be issued towards the end of construction once the exact final costs are known.

Voters in December approved borrowing a total of $88.5 million for the school project, which will cost a total of $93.9 million. The initial bond is for $80 million; the rest of the funding includes $4.4 million from the town’s debt stabilization fund and $1 million from free cash.

A back-of-the-envelope calculation by Selectman Jonathan Dwyer indicated that the 3.379% interest rate could save the town half a million dollars a year compared to the higher rates that were projected earlier.

The favorable interest rate is largely due to the prudent financial management and planning efforts of current and former town officials, selectmen agreed. “We know [the debt is] going to be burden that all of us have to take on, but it could have been a whole lot more painful. Kudos to all those before us who paved the way,” Selectman James Craig said.

The Finance Committee will present revised tax-impact figures at the School Building Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room.  

Letter to the editor: come to Saturday event on climate action

To the editor:

Climate change is a matter of grave concern. I applaud the work of Sen. Markey and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in their efforts to jump-start a bold response to global warming with their Green New Deal. The proposal still lacks metrics and clarity and is not likely to be approved by this Congress, but it’s making an important contribution by bringing climate change — as if wildfires, hurricanes, drought, and rising sea water are not enough — into the public discussion.  

We citizens need to put pressure on our president and our Congress for effective action in reducing carbon and creating a clean energy economy. We also need to focus on what we can do within our own local communities and in our own state. What steps will enable Massachusetts to have a green, carbon-neutral energy system? What organizations can we work with to increase our knowledge and our effective advocacy in regard to climate change?

350 Mass is a Massachusetts-based, grassroots climate movement supported by the Better Future Project, a Cambridge-based nonprofit organization. It aims to address problems of climate change in the context of creating a more live-able world for all of us. 350 Mass engages in political advocacy, direct action, and creating alliances. It is gaining widespread recognition throughout the state for its work addressing climate issues.

This Saturday, March 2 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall, the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee has invited Andrew Gordon, the legislative coordinator with 350 Mass, to lead us in considering how we can most effectively amplify our voices to support effective policies on global warming. Lincoln, with its approved plan for construction of a net-zero school, is in the vanguard of effective community action. Let’s find out what else we can be doing at the state and local levels, as well as to support our legislators in key national policy decisions. We invite you to join us for this discussion on Saturday.

Sincerely,

Barbara Slayter
Co-chair, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee

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.