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

Town Meeting reminders, and an addition

The eighth-grade warrant article group, left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

ADDITION: The Lincoln Squirrel received this photo too late to include with the March 26 story on the Lincoln School eighth-graders’ warrant article. Left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

Shuttle service offered

Due to the expected turnout for Town Meeting and the limited parking spaces available at the school complex, the town is asking residents to carpool. Also, the town is offering a shuttle service from the Lincoln commuter lot (non-resident paved lot) to the school complex from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shuttle will run continuously throughout Town Meeting.

Overflow seating in Reed Gym

In the event that attendance at Town Meeting exceeds the capacity of the Brooks auditorium, overflow seating will be available in the Reed Gym, with audio feeds and other accommodations to allow full participation.

Town Meeting may continue Tuesday night

If necessary, Town Meeting will be paused on Saturday and resume on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. in Brooks auditorium.

Food and beverages for sale

Lincoln’s third-grade Girl Scouts will be selling hot coffee, tea and a limited supply of homemade baked goods at Town Meeting from 9-11 a.m. Everything is $1. The sixth-grade Girl Scouts also will be selling boxed lunches for $10 apiece.

Polls open at 7:30 on Monday

Don’t forget to vote in the town election on Monday, March 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Smith gym (not starting at 7 a.m. as previously reported). Voters will be asked to approve spending for a school renovation feasibility study and a school campus master plan. Many town offices are also on the ballot, including contested races for Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee and Planning Board. See this Lincoln Squirrel article for a sample ballot and summary of letters to the editor about the contested races.

Babysitting available during Town Meeting

Lincoln’s eighth-grade Girl Scouts are offering babysitting in Hartwell Pod B from 12:45-5 p.m. These hours were chosen to coincide with discussion of the school building and community center issues in which many young families have expressed interest. The Girl Scouts are Red Cross trained in babysitting, and adults will also be on duty to help supervise. The children will be located in two rooms, one for the preschoolers and another for elementary school children. Advance registration is preferred; please email Linda Hammett Ory at LHamme@aol.com. Babysitting is offered at no charge, but donations are encouraged to help support the eighth-grade Cadettes’ service projects.

Summary of “warrant pieces”

Here are links to Lincoln Squirrel news stories about some of the warrant articles.

Town boards come together on revised school warrant article

A diagram of the choices facing Lincoln voters in Town Meeting warrant articles 30, 31 and 32 (click to enlarge).

A diagram of the choices facing Lincoln voters in Town Meeting warrant articles 30, 31 and 32 (click to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

With a last-minute change to the wording of a Town Meeting motion, town officials are doubling down on their support for seeking state funding for a comprehensive school renovation project in the hope that a large majority of voters feel the same way.

[Read more…] about Town boards come together on revised school warrant article

Town election is on Monday

Screen Shot 2015-03-26 at 12.46.23 PMOn Monday, March 30, polls will be open in the Smith gym from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the town election, which includes numerous town office races and two ballot questions (see sample ballot at right; click to enlarge).

Two of the races (Planning Board and Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee) are contested. Below are links to letters to the editor in the Lincoln Squirrel about these races, listed in chronological order.

Planning Board
Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee

(Editor’s note: residents may vote for two of three names on the ballot. The Lincoln Squirrel has not received any letters to the editor from candidate Robert G. Stein of Sudbury, although he is mentioned in Eric Harris’s letter on March 23).

Students’ Town Meeting article seeks funds for field work

The eighth-grade warrant article group, left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

The eighth-grade warrant article group, left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

Six Lincoln School eighth-graders are hoping voters at Saturday’s Town Meeting approve a citizens’ petition for funding to clear the edges of one of the school playing fields.

Elena Christenfeld, Colin Christian, Allie Dwyer, Greer Harden, Amalia Munn and Irene Terpstra have been meeting every Monday since September withTown Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden and Town Clerk Susan Brooks to experience the process for getting an issue before Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting.

After conversations with the Parks and Recreation Department, the students first came up with the idea to clear the edges of the playing fields next to Codman Pool, the Smith school building and the Town Office Building where brush is growing into the playing area. They eventually settled for just the Smith field as well as an adjacent student emergency evacuation area.

[Read more…] about Students’ Town Meeting article seeks funds for field work

Community center on Hartwell campus would cost $13 million, panel says

The Community Center Study Committee's "preferred option." Click on the image for more options and interior design ideas.

The Community Center Study Committee’s “preferred option.” Click on the image for more exterior and interior design ideas.

By Alice Waugh

Residents on Saturday will have the chance to hear the final report of the Community Center Study Committee (CCSC), which proposes a community center to be built on the Hartwell campus at a total cost of about $13 million, including roads and other site work.

[Read more…] about Community center on Hartwell campus would cost $13 million, panel says

Carvings reflect conservation ranger’s love of birds

A montage of Jane Layton's bird carvings (click to enlarge).

A montage of Jane Layton’s bird carvings (click to enlarge).

One of the exhibits at the Town Office Building looks like it could almost take flight.

Jane Layton has been carving birds and working part-time for the Lincoln Conservation Department for 26 years. Her carvings at the library, which are on display until April 1, include local favorites such as the white-breasted nuthatch and the chickadee as well as puffins, a golden-crowned kinglet and more. [Read more…] about Carvings reflect conservation ranger’s love of birds