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

School Committee selects dual-firm design partnership

By Kim Bodnar, SBC member

The School Committee voted last week to approve the School Building Committee’s recommendation to enter into negotiations with Symmes, Maini and McKee Associates (SMMA) of Cambridge, which has entered into a collaborative partnership with EwingCole for the purposes of designing a Lincoln School project.

SMMA has extensive knowledge of the Ballfield Road campus, having completed a conditions analysis of the Lincoln School and Hartwell buildings in 2006-07. For this project, the firm is teaming up with Philadelphia-based EwingCole, which designed the new Hanscom Middle School (which opened in April 2016) and the new Hanscom Primary School (currently under construction). The start of SMMA/EwingCole’s work on the Lincoln School project is subject to the successful negotiation of a contract.

The interview and selection process for the five finalists took many hours over two evenings. The School Building Committee (SBC) thanks all the community members who attended the sessions and provided invaluable input. Their involvement in the process and candid feedback was greatly appreciated.

Earlier this summer, the SBC asked residents to complete a survey entitled “Shaping our Town’s Evaluation Criteria” and received 364 responses. Below is a summary of those responses.

1.  “We should maintain the current L-shaped footprint of school.”
  • 64% neutral, 15% disagree/strongly disagree, 12% agree,  9% strongly agree
2.  “We should take a blank-slate approach to the design.”
  • 33% strongly agree, 32% agree, 20% neutral, 15% disagree/strongly disagree
3.  “We should consider all new construction.”
  • 33% agree, 26% strongly agree, 21% neutral, 20% disagree/strongly disagree
4.  “The primary focus of the project is a design that focuses on our educational vision.”
  • 48% strongly agree, 35% agree, 12% neutral, 5% disagree/strongly disagree
5.  “The primary focus of the project is to make repairs and meet code.”
  • 27% disagree, 23% strongly disagree, 19% agree, 16% neutral, 15% strongly agree
6.  “The project should reach high energy efficiency standards.”
  • 42% agree, 39% strongly agree, 13% neutral, 6% disagree/strongly disagree
7.  “Adding additional recreation fields is important.”
  • 38% neutral, 33% agree, 15% strongly agree, 10% disagree, 4% strongly disagree
8.  “Building safety and security are a primary consideration.”
  • 41% agree, 26% neutral, 25% strongly agree, 8% disagree/strongly disagree
9.  “We need to minimize construction time.”
  • 42% neutral, 27% agree, 15% disagree, 12% strongly agree, 4% strongly disagree

When respondents were asked to rank the criteria mentioned in Questions 1-9 in order of importance, educational vision was #1, energy efficiency was #2, and building safety and security was #3.

The next School Building Committee will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room (click heree for the agenda). All are welcome to attend. Anyone with questions or comments may email sbc@lincnet.org.

Letter to the editor: DPW proposal generates important questions

letter

To the editor:

I was heartened to read the story (“Residents wary of planned study on relocation of DPW,” August 14, 2017) about the July 31 Board of Selectmen meeting where several Lincoln residents voiced strong objections to the proposal within the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee (SLPIC) to relocate the DPW facility to the undeveloped 37-acre parcel on Mill Street that houses the transfer station.

I spoke in opposition to the proposal, noting that the 37-acre Mill Street parcel is an environmentally sensitive site. Although some have referred to the parcel as the “transfer station site,” the transfer station actually takes up a very small portion of the parcel. The vast majority of the 37 acres are in a natural state and could easily be mistaken for Lincoln conservation land. The area is residential. Moreover, the Mill Street parcel sits well within the Cambridge Reservoir watershed.

Almost all of the many residents living near the Mill Street parcel are on well water. The activities of the DPW facility, fueling and maintenance of heavy equipment and storage of hazardous waste, would impose a risk to the water sources of homeowners in the vicinity of the parcel if the DPW were to be relocated there. In addition, the DPW activities would impose a risk of contamination to an important source of Cambridge’s water.

As a town, we owe a duty to our own residents to avoid subjecting any group of them to a substantial risk of harm through the actions of our elected officials. In addition, we owe a duty to the people of Cambridge to protect their water sources from contamination by pollutants.

Although I spoke of the Mill Street area at the meeting, the point I urged on the Board of Selectmen applies with equal force to every community in the town. The DPW facility has proven itself to be environmentally harmful. I asked the selectmen to adopt a resolution either prohibiting or strongly discouraging the relocation of the DPW to any area within the town that is substantially more environmentally sensitive than its current location. I happen to be aware of the sensitivity of the Mill Street parcel, but there may be other areas under consideration by SLPIC that are also sensitive (e.g., because of similar well water dependency). So far, SLPIC has not revealed any other alternative sites under consideration.

There are many other issues noted by North Lincoln residents who attended the Board of Selectmen meeting (a video recording can be found here).

One such issue is the enormous price tag of the proposal. Weston recently constructed a new DPW facility at a cost of $15 million. The remediation costs (at the current site) alone would run into the millions, and cannot be estimated precisely until the current facility is destroyed and remediation requirements fully evaluated. The overall expense would contribute to an inordinate tax burden and could crowd out other projects such as the new school building or the community center.

The enormous relocation costs (to any area) might be acceptable if all town residents would benefit greatly from adopting the proposal. However, the goal of the relocation proposal is inconsistent with the town’s history of development—as a zero-sum scheme, it would disadvantage one part of town to offer a phantom benefit to another part. In addition, the proposal would result in the taxpayer subsidization of a private commercial developer. Why should Lincoln residents incur a burden of tens of millions of dollars to subsidize a private developer?

I hope town residents will urge SLPIC to present a careful and thorough examination of the costs and benefits of the relocation proposal before asking the town to give $9,800 to a consulting firm to study the feasibility of relocation. The current request for funds from SLPIC—a vague, one-page letter that appears to assume that the selectmen are all on board—is completely silent on the potential taxpayer costs of the proposal, the potential for environmental harm, and even a justification for the ultimate goal. Why spend scarce public resources studying the feasibility of a proposal that has not been adequately justified and most likely would be harmful to the town if implemented?

Sincerely,

Keith Hylton
5 Oakdale Lane

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

Clarification on Elizabeth Warren town hall location

Due to the editor’s oversight, the location for the August 25 town hall with Sen. Elizabeth Warren was omitted from the August 22 edition of News Acorns. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Concord-Carlisle High School (500 Walden St., Concord). Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

School Council seeks new member from the community

The Lincoln School Council is an advisory body to the school principals that includes parents, teachers and a community member. Due to a resignation, the group is seeking a new community member to serve. The council meets on a monthly basis, typically during the school day. Recent School Council work includes supporting goals in areas of homework, community building, and technology. Anyone who has questions or is interested in participating may contact one of the Lincoln School principals:

FOLL book sale seeks volunteers

The Friends of Lincoln Library Book sale is looking for additional volunteer help, The group meets on Tuesday afternoons from 1–3 p.m. to sort and cull donations of used books and other materials. The book sale takes place on the second Saturday of the month in the Bemis Hall basement from 9 a.m.–noon. Getting involved is a great way to get first dibs on books for yourself and family, or just to meet with like-minded bibliophiles. For more information, contact Susan Hallstein at reerichards1@gmail.com or 781-259-1023.

L-S Boosters membership now open

L-S All Sports Boosters membership is now open. Your $85 donation gets each family member an L-S Boosters card to use for admission to all home games (excluding playoffs). Get your card now and join us for the first home football game on Friday, Sept. 8. To purchase a membership or find more information, go to www.lsboosters.org.

News acorns

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Sen. Warren to hold town hall in Concord

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren will be hosting a town hall in Concord on Friday, Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m. and all are invited. She will be making remarks and answering questions about what’s happening in the Senate and how she’s fighting for Massachusetts families. This is also a chance to talk with her staff about any questions or concerns you might have, or assistance you may need. Doors open for the event at 5:30 p.m.

West Bank/Gaza movie rescheduled for Aug. 27

The date for a second screening of The Law in These Parts sponsored by the GRALTA Foundation has been changed from August 20 to Sunday, Aug. 27 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Click here for details.

Solar home tour reminder

Four homes in Lincoln will offer tours and Q&As about their solar installations on Sunday, Aug. 27 from 13 p.m. Additional details about the homes can be found here. Lincoln residents are also welcome to tour similar homes in Wayland on Saturday, Sept. 23 as part of the three-town Solarize Massachusetts PLUS program.

Art and Ales at the deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will host Art and Ales with Aeronaut Brewing Company on Thursday, Sept. 7 from 5–8 p.m. The event features beer tastings matched with sculptures in the park, plus live music and a food truck. Tickets (buy online here or in person on the day of the event) are $20 for deCordova members and $30 for nonmembers, and free for children 12 and under.

Lincoln property sales in July

  • 140 Lincoln Rd. (a Ryan Estate unit) — Daniel Hertzel to Robert L. and Ruth Mozzi for $463,000 (July 31)
  • 29 Lincoln Rd. — Paul M. Blanchfield to Jane K. O’Rourke and Ursula A. Matulonis for $1,325,000 (July 27)
  • 3B South Commons — John C. Hessler to Abbey B. Salon for $360,000 (July 19)
  • 65 Winter St. — Darlene Mula Trust to David Johnston for $992,000 (July 17)
  • 140 Lincoln Rd. (a Ryan Estate unit) — Robert T. Ferguson Sr. to William N. and Haekyung K. Weir for $475,000 (July 13)
  • 263 Concord Rd. — Paul C.R. Edwards to Nicholas and Gretchen Covino for $920,000 (July 13)
  • 8 Boyce Farm Rd. — Ren Dahai to James C. Anson for $850,000 (July 12)
  • 20 Birchwood Lane — Myrna J. Beecher Trust to Sharla F. Levine for $599,000 (July 6)

News acorns

Visit local homes with solar installations

Lincoln residents are invited to get an up-close view of some of their neighbors’ solar photovoltaic (traditional solar) and solar hot water arrays on Sunday, Aug. 27 from 1–3 p.m. (rain or shine).

Sponsored by Solarize Mass, a program of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center and a joint effort by the towns of Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland, the Solarize Tour of Lincoln includes four host residences featuring different styles of solar arrays. Residents of all three towns are encouraged to visit as many homes as they’d like, enjoy refreshments, gather resources, and chat with homeowners about their experiences with the installation process. The homes on the tour are:

  • Ron MacNeal, 247 Concord Road
  • Bob Schudy and Liz Watson, 131 Trapelo Rd.
  • Jim and Ann Hutchinson, 53 Stonehedge Rd.
  • Belinda and Paul Gingrich, 146 Bedford Rd.

More information on each house’s unique solar array can be found at www.lincolngreenenergy.org. There are also solar open house events in Wayland on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 1–4 p.m. and in Sudbury on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 2–4 p.m. More details about these events will be available on www.solarizeLSW.org. All Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland residents are welcome.

Sign up or verify your data in the L-S directory

The deadline to be included in the printed version of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School directory is Monday, Aug. 21. Many Lincoln families of incoming freshman are still missing. To register, log in the the directory, select “Schools”, then select “Sign up now” at the bottom of the page, and follow the instructions to set up your family, households, and students.

If your email address has changed since last year, please log in to your account and verify that it is correct. If the directory does not have your correct email address, you will not receive communications including password reset requests and are at risk of being left out of the directory. Anyone with questions may click here or email LSRHSdirectory@gmail.com.

September movies announced

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen movies at the Lincoln Public Library at 3 p.m. on three Mondays in September:

  • September 11—La Notte (1961) starring Jeanne Moreau and Marcello Mastroianni, directed by Michelango Antonioni.
  • September 18—The Lovers (1958) starring Jeanne Moreau, Jose Luis de Villalonga, and Alain Cuny, directed by Louis Malle.
  • September 25—Cet amour-la (2001) starring Jeanne Moreau and Aynmeric Demarigny, directed by Josee Dayan

Refreshments will be served.

Free course on 20th-century art

“Christina’s World” by Andrew Wyeth (1948)

A free five-week course on “Great Artworks of the 20th Century” will be offered in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room from 3–4:30 p.m. stating on Saturday, Sept. 23 and continuing on Oct. 7, 21, and 28, and Nov. 4. The genius behind various 20th-century artworks and artists from Picasso to Pollack and beyond will be revealed, and the group will discuss their own thoughts and reactions to each piece. This program is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library and the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging. It is open to adults of all ages. Preference will be given to Lincoln residents. Class size is limited to 35. Sign up for one session or all five. For more information or to register, contact Lisa Rothenberg at 781-259-8465 or lrothenberg@minlib.net.

Pelland to perform at LOMA

Steven Pelland

Steven Pelland is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, Sept. 11. The event runs from 7-10 p.m., and Pelland will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. He’s been aired on live radio and performed at premiere East Coast folk venues including Passim and Bull Run. Pelland released his first major CD, These Days, last year. A video of the first cut, California, highlights his finger-picking style and strong lyric sensibility.

LOMA is a monthly event. 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.

Fall series on “Embracing Change”

Embrace Change is offering a free fall series for parents embracing the transition period they encounter as children leave the nest. Parents will connect with others experiencing the same transition, explore what’s next, and have opportunities to design their personal path for this new stage of life. See the Embrace Change website for program details.

All six events run from 1:30–3 p.m. The first three will be held at the Lincoln Public Library:

  • September 13 — “Promoting Productive Communication with Adult Children” with Teresa Simonelli, PsyaD
  • September 20 — “What’s Next? Finding Purpose” with Deb Elbaum, MD, career and life coach
  • September 27 — “Navigating Transitions with Self-Care” with Charlotte Sahyoun, yoga therapeutics specialist

The second set of programs will take place at the Pierce House:

  • October 4 — “Expanding Your Horizons: Delving into New Activities and Careers”
  • October 11 — “Balancing College Students Needs with Your Own Personal Opportunities for Growth” with Michelle Silbert, career and life coach
  • October 18 — “Ready, Set, Go!” with the Embrace Change team

Police want to hear from credit card fraud victims

In the past three months, have you been notified by a credit card company or bank that a credit card had been fraudulently opened in your name? If so, the Lincoln Police Department would like to know about it. Police department in Lincoln and other towns are investigating a substantial credit card fraud ring where credit cards have been opened up in residents’ names and used locally. There are likely additional victims who did not report this to police because the credit card company or bank assumed the loss. If you’ve been notified of this type of fraud, please call the Lincoln Police Department at 781-259-8113.

Conservation land manager sought

The town of Lincoln seeks a full-time land manager to work under the direction of the Conservation Director and the Conservation Commission. This is primarily a field position with some office responsibilities. Duties include managing and monitoring conservation land and trails, public outreach and education, enforcing regulations, and oversight of town-licensed agricultural properties. For details on duties and qualifications and how to apply, click here or email or jobs@lincolntown.org by Friday, Sept. 8.

Residents wary of planned study on location of DPW

Several residents at a recent Board of Selectmen meeting protested the notion of moving the Department of Public Works to the transfer station area, but planning officials stressed that they intend to study a range of options for the DPW site.

The South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee (SLPIC) plans to ask the Board of Selectmen for about $9,000 to pay a consultant to study the DPW site on Lewis Street. SLPIC and others are interested in the possibility of using part or all of that property as part of a larger effort to revitalize the South Lincoln area centering on the train station and surrounding commercial area. Moving the DPW elsewhere would free up valuable land that could be put to commercial, residential, and/or municipal use.

The issue arose at a selectmen’s meeting in June and again on July 31, although SLPIC postponed a planned appearance at that meeting. Nevertheless, several residents spoke in opposition to the idea of moving the DPW to the transfer station.

“That’s probably one of the most environmentally sensitive sites you could find in this town,” said Oakdale Lane resident Keith Hylton, noting that the DPW’s work involved diesel fuel and other chemicals and the transfer station lies within the Cambridge reservoir watershed. Some houses in the area also use well water, he added. In addition, there could be contamination in the soil at the Lewis Street site that could cost “millions” to remediate if the town planned to convert it to some otherl use, Hylton said.

If the Lewis Street study does show environmental issues that need to be addressed, “you can’t ignore it,” said former Planning Board member Robert Domnitz, a Mill Street resident. “If you start walking down this path, you may find yourself locked into a cleanup that not only costs a lot of money but impairs the forward-looking value of that parcel.”

“We understand that this is a sensitive issue,” Lynn DeLisi of SLPIC, who is also a member of the Planning Board, said on Sunday. Some years ago, a different study apparently recommended moving the DPW to the transfer station site, “but we don’t know details; that’s partly why were having another meeting” before going before selectmen with a budget request, she said.

There is no language in the draft charge for the yet-to-be hired consultant about the transfer station, and SLPIC will look at a variety of options for the DPW site, including moving some functions to a neighboring town or simply preserving the status quo, DeLisi said. Also, if the consultant makes a recommendation that SPLIC or a majority of residents are opposed to, “we don’t have to pay attention to it.”

However, if the new study does show potential hazards from environmental contamination on Lewis Street that must be rectified, “we have a right to know about it—it’s right in the center of town,” DeLisi said.

Also at the July 31 Board of Selectmen meeting (as summarized by former Selectman Peter Braun), the board:

  • Accepted a plaque presented by members of the Donaldson family to rededicate the Donaldson Room and to honor Robert Donaldson (1870-1964), who was a selectman for 28 years and builder of some 80 Lincoln houses and the original town office building.
  • Met with Mothers Out Front, an organization that includes Lincoln residents, that is focused on natural gas leaks and other environmental issues.
  • Approved a curb cut requested for 19 Granville Rd., following a recommendation by the Planning Board.
  • Discussed concerns raised by abutters with respect to a new Wayland soccer field to be located in a meadow close to the Lincoln town line in the Oxbow Road area.
  • Heard reports from Town Administrator Tim Higgins regarding:
    • Questions raised by several residents about compliance of the June 19 Board meeting with the Open Meeting Law.
    • Requests by wireless carriers for installation of repeaters on utility poles.
    • Initial activities of the Community Center committee.
  • Scheduled further discussion of Old Winter Street traffic questions for September 25.
  • Scheduled the State of the Town Meeting for November 4 and had an initial discussion about the agenda.
  • Discussed its continuing efforts to coordinate with the Housing Commission and other boards regarding the town’s affordable housing strategy.
  • Discussed proposed content for its next newsletter.
  • Heard liaison reports from:
    • Selectman Jennifer Glass on the School Building Committee’s activities, including its engagement of an Owner’s Project Manager and its process for considering an architectural firm.
    • Selectman James Craig on highlights of a report from a consultant by the Cycling Safety Committee on ideas for accommodating cycling on roadways.

Trapelo Rd. cobblestones removed for safety reasons

Dark areas of pavement are all that’s left of the cobblestone arrays that once graced the intersection of Trapelo and Old County Roads.

The gray granite cobblestones that were installed at the intersection of Trapelo and Old County Roads several years ago have been removed after they were deemed a safety risk.

The cobblestones were set into the pavement at the intersection as a traffic calming measure as part of a $5.5 million package of roadway improvements approved at Town Meeting in 2008. “As part of that project, the committee that helped us develop roadway design standards expressed a desire to create gateway treatments that would help drivers recognize that they are entering Lincoln and to help signal that our roads have their own character,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said this week.

However, over time, the stones began popping out of place and perhaps slowed down cars a bit more than intended. “We had a few people get flat tires because of them—it was becoming a safety hazard,” said Chris Bibbo, superintendent of the Department of Public Works. After consultation with the Roadway and Traffic Committee and other officials, the DPW finally removed them last week and paved over the holes, returning the intersection to its original state.

Watering now allowed two days a week

The Lincoln Board of Water Commissioners voted on Wednesday to relax water restrictions to allow outdoor watering two days a week.

The water level in Flint’s Pond has been holding steady at one foot below normal, “but that is very close to the level that we consider acceptable in mid-August,” Water Commission member Ruth Ann Hendrickson wrote in a LincolnTalk post.

Watering may now be done on one weekend day in addition to a weekday, so the allowed days now are Wednesday/Thursday and Saturday/Sunday.

“If we have a very dry August, as is possible, we may have to revisit this decision in September,” Hendrickson wrote. “Given that the pond is still 1 foot below normal, we encourage our customers to water sparingly.”