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

Letter to the editor: agrees with earlier leaf-blower letter on “shared commons”

March 23, 2015

To the editor:

In a letter posted March 13, David O’Neil recognized the efforts of the Leaf Blower Study Committee to reverse our ever-heavier reliance upon leaf blowers in prettying our patches, public and private, big and little. O’Neil connected the unconstrained use of leaf blowers to the problem of “the commons” to which Garrett Hardin drew wide attention almost 50 years ago, in the springtime of the American environmental movement. O’Neil closed his letter by urging us all to acknowledge “that our shared commons are more valuable to our well-being, and to our survival, than anything that we may own as individuals.”

Letter to the editor: vote for state-assisted school building project

March 23, 2015

Editor’s note: Town Meeting Warrant Articles 30 and 31 are explained in this letter to the editor by School Committee chair Jennifer Glass.

To the editor:

I am concerned that many residents of Lincoln are unaware that the vote to determine how Lincoln will address the needs of its school building will take place on March 28. If those of us who believe it important to do more for our school building than just fix the most urgently needed repairs don’t show up at Town Meeting and vote “yes” on Articles 30 and 31, those improvements won’t happen.

Letter to the editor: vote “yes” on Articles 30 and 31

March 23, 2015

Editor’s note: This letter has been amended after publication to reflect a correction in the writer’s name. Town Meeting Warrant Articles 30 and 31 are explained in this earlier letter to the editor by School Committee chair Jennifer Glass.

To the editor:

At this Town Meeting, Lincoln’s citizens are challenged to join in constructing a renovated school building so it may engage new educational initiatives. Broad support will strengthen us in many ways, so for us all, an Alpine winter may be displaced by spring action.

I write to engage your collective support so that this spring we will be well served to support the school committee motions to (1) Spend more than $30 million on a school renovation (not repair), and to also (2) to seek to be accepted again by the MSBA [Massachusetts School Building Authority] to seek state funding support for Lincoln’s school renovation.

Letter to the editor: support Domnitz for reelection

March 23, 2015

To the editor:

I am writing in support of Robert Domnitz for reelection to the Planning Board.

Bob brings a wealth of experience to the table from his many volunteer years serving the residents of Lincoln in several important planning capacities and, even prior to that, as a member of the Lexington Planning Board. He has a proven track record of both caring for residents and for carefully measuring the impact and precedence of Planning Board decisions on the long-term health and landscape of our town. His duel training as an engineer and an attorney—an unusual and useful combination—are critical components of his skill set.

Moreover, Bob is modest and extremely hardworking. His unaffected personality and sense of humor contribute to the positive dynamic among and with his fellow Planning Board members, which is an important factor in our volunteer system of town government.

Bob deserves our vote, and I hope that you will join with me in supporting him.

Sincerely,

Penny Billings
Lincoln Road

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, 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.

Letter to the editor: Taylor asks for your vote

March 23, 2015

Editor’s note: The salutation in Taylor’s letter was originally “Fellow Lincoln residents.” He is running against incumbent Robert Domnitz.

To the editor:

I ask your support as I run for the Planning Board. I am challenging an incumbent, so it will be an uphill battle, but it is time for a change in the orientation of the board. Here’s why.

Lincoln has preserved its character by anticipating and responding proactively to challenges. When Rte. 128 was built, Lincoln rezoned creatively to shape development, and when Chapter 40B was enacted, we developed affordable housing on our own terms rather than allowing developers to override our zoning. We face similar challenges now in serving the needs of our schools, our seniors and in keeping our commercial center vital. Weighing and helping to coordinate responses to such concerns should be the Board’s role.

Right now the board spends the vast majority of its time considering site plans or minor changes sought by Lincoln landowners. We must focus more time and attention on real planning matters such as implementation of the Comprehensive Long Range Plan adopted with widespread public participation in 2009, and to developing consensus around a strategy for the Lincoln Station (Mall) area, a critical priority for the town.

Furthermore, many people with whom I have talked believe the permitting process could be much more efficient and user-friendly. Most applicants before the board are residents seeking reasonable changes to their properties. The objective should be to help achieve their goals within Lincoln’s bylaws as efficiently as possible. But applicants often find the permitting path unclear and directions from the staff and board unhelpful and inconsistent. Numerous appearances before the board may be required to gain approval. Better coordination among the permitting boards and leveraging the staff to resolve issues in advance of hearings are much needed improvements.

I believe I can address these issues. I have a useful skill set with degrees in law and management and a record of getting things done in Lincoln. During my tenure on the Finance Committee we computerized the town’s accounting system and integrated it with the schools. On the Housing Commission and Housing Trust I helped add 50 affordable housing units. As a selectman, I played key roles in the development of The Groves (now The Commons), in the protection of land for open space and in capital planning.

I would appreciate your vote on March 30.

Gary Taylor
2 Beaver Pond Road

Letter to the editor: group of residents supports Gary Taylor

March 23, 2015

Editor’s note: The salutation in this letter was originally “Dear Lincoln residents, neighbors and friends.”

To the editor:

We are supporting Gary Taylor for the Planning Board because he has proven over two decades as a town leader that he can help the board provide a permitting process that is efficient and helpful to residents while focusing attention on its central and vital mission as the town’s primary planning organization.

Minuteman High School seeks input on building project

March 20, 2015

Officials at Minuteman High School are seeking feedback from area residents about several options they’re considering to improve or replace the existing school facilities.

“The purpose of these meetings is to inform people about the available options and ask them what they think,” said Ford Spalding, chair of the School Building Committee.

Cost estimates for five repair/renovation options being considered by Minuteman High School (click to enlarge).

Over the next two months, Spalding said the School Building Committee is planning to make presentations in all 16 member towns to outline the options and to gather feedback. The first presentations were held in Acton on March 11 and in Dover on March 17. The presentation in Lincoln is tentatively scheduled for Monday, April 27. The location and time have not been determined.

Spalding said the School Building Committee is also looking for written comments from the public. It will gather comments at the community presentations and accept comments by email at SchoolBuildingCommittee@minuteman.org.

The committee also designed a brief online survey to gather input. Results of the survey will be used by the School Building Committee and the District School Committee to help decide on a preferred option. That option, in turn, will be reviewed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The School Building Committee has been working on a feasibility study with the MSBA since 2009. It has also examined other options in the event MSBA state-supported options are rejected.

Total costs for the five project options under consideration range from $100.4 million to $176.5 million. The cost for any of the three higher-end options would be partially offset by funding from the state, so those projects would then cost the district towns a net total of $87 million to $106 million.

School warrant articles discussed at multiboard meeting

March 20, 2015

By Alice Waugh

In the last public information session about the Lincoln School before Town Meeting, officials from severals board and commissions discussed the three different warrant articles that will be presented for a Town Meeting vote on March 28 and at the ballot box on March 30

School Committee chair Jennifer Glass walked everyone through the warrant articles, which she outlined in detail in this letter to the editor in the Lincoln Squirrel. Since the town will almost certainly have to borrow money to finance repairs or renovations, Finance Commission chair Peyton Marshall also commented on the tax and bond-rating implications of various levels of borrowing.

Town Meeting notes

March 19, 2015

Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting will take place on Saturday, March 28 starting at 9:30 a.m.in the Brooks Auditorium. Click here for more information about Town Meeting or call the Board of Selectmen’s office at 781-259-2601.

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.

Babysitting available during Town Meeting

Lincoln’s 8th-grade Girl Scouts are offering babysitting in Hartwell Pod B during the March 28 Town Meeting 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 required; the deadline for signup is Monday, March 23. Please email Linda Hammett Ory at LHamme@aol.com and let her know how many children you’ll be bringing, their names and ages, and what hours they need supervision. Babysitting is offered at no charge, but donations are encouraged to help support the 8th-grade Cadettes’ service projects. They have been working all year with homeless children at a Waltham family homeless shelter, and are traveling to Puerto Rico in June, where they will work at the Ronald MacDonald House.

Workshop on We the People Act this Saturday

March 18, 2015

Greater Boston Move To Amend is sponsoring a workshop in Lincoln, “Fixing Our Broken Democracy, the Need for a Constitutional Amendment,” on Saturday, March 21 in Bemis Hall. There will be a reception from 9–9:30 a.m. and the program will run from 9:30–11 a.m.

The workshop will describe the bill and its background as part of a national initiative to overturn the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission. It takes place a week before Town Meeting, when Warrant Article 44 will ask Lincoln residents whether they support the We the People Act (Massachusetts Bill HD3127), which calls for a U.S. Constitutional Amendment and Amendments Convention. The proposed constitutional amendment will state that a) U. S. Constitutional rights are the rights of natural persons, i.e. human individuals, only, and b) Congress and the states shall place limits on political contributions and expenditures to ensure that all citizens have access to the political process, and recognize that the spending of money to influence elections is not protected free speech under the First Amendment.

For more information on the workshop, contact Gary Davis at (781) 259-0318 or garyddavis04@gmail.com.