Top of the Town postponed
Due to the snowstorm predicted for tomorrow, the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging’s Top of the Town Winter Gala has been rescheduled for Sunday, Jan. 25 from 5-8 p.m. at the deCordova Museum.
Letter to the editor: gas pipeline concerns
To the editor:
I went to a meeting this week (“The Kinder Morgan Natural Gas Pipeline: Do We Really Need It?” sponsored by the Concord Climate Action Network) about the Kinder Morgan Gas Co., a Texas company that is working very hard to bring as many bigger natural gas pipelines into Massachusetts as it can.
[Read more…] about Letter to the editor: gas pipeline concerns
News acorns – 1/23/15
Hear about Lincoln’s aluminum house, and the town during World War II
Did you know that Lincoln is home to one of the rare Alcoa aluminum houses that were built in 1957 to showcase aluminum building materials? On Thursday, Jan. 29 from 7-9 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library, Katherine Mierzwa of Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln will give a fast-paced, illustrated photo tour of this significant house, the history of aluminum in 20th-century architecture, and an update on how this house has recently been renovated.
What was life like on the World War II home front? How fast did Lincoln mobilize? How did it respond to all the major war challenges such as rationing, training for evacuation, and sustaining morale? Come to a session sponsored by the Lincoln Historical Society on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall for an afternoon of reminiscences about “Lincoln During World War II.” Hear reminiscences of wartime Lincoln elementary school students, share your own personal recollections whether or not you grew up in Lincoln, and capture the spirit of the times. “Victory Cake” and other popular foods from the period will be served. All ages welcome.
Both events are part of the Lincoln Winter Carnival.
New book club kicks off
The Lincoln Library is pleased to offer a new book group called the “Who Picked This Book?” club. The first meeting is Monday, Feb. 2 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the library, when we will talk about One Day by David Nicholls. The club will meet on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. to read fairly current fiction (maybe even nonfiction) that’s entertaining and well written. Copies in various formats will be available two weeks prior to each meeting. Refreshments will be served. Bring a list of possible books that you’ve always wanted to read to the first meeting maybe we can all pick the next one together. For more information, please contact Lisa Rothenberg at lrothenberg@minlib.net.
“Voices from the Back Stairs: Domestic Servants in 19th- and 20th-century New England”
Although domestic servants made everyday life in grand houses possible, their identities and roles within the household have long been ignored. On Sunday, Feb. 8 from 2-4 p.m., Dr. Jennifer Pustz of Historic New England will shed light on the role of servants and their relationship to their employers. This illustrated lecture will focus on three Historic New England properties, including Lincoln’s own Codman Estate.
Winter Carnival kicks off next Thursday
The Lincoln Winter Carnival, an annual event sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Committee, starts on January 29 and features a pancake breakfast, a snow sculpture contest, poetry, bingo, and lots of other events for both adults and kids.
The carnival is designed to foster a sense of community throughout the town of Lincoln, and all events are sponsored by Lincoln-based organizations. Please check individual event details for age limits, admission fees, pre-registration information, etc.
Weeklong events
News acorns – 1/20/15
Route 128 to be topic of HATS forum
The Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS) will have a roundtable meeting about concerns relating to Route 128 on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Town Office Building.
Among those invited are Alyssa Sandoval, Bedford’s economic development coordinator; Stephanie Cronin, executive director of the Middlesex 3 Transportation Management Association; a Middlesex 3 Shuttle Service representative; Melisa Tintocalis, Lexington’s economic development director; area legislators including Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy and State Reps. Tom Stanley and Ken Gordon; commuter program leaders from Hanscom Air Force Base; and representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the 128 Business Council.
Although HATS (which is chaired by Lincoln Selectman Peter Braun) focuses primarily on the Hanscom Air Force Base and MassPort-operated Hanscom Air Field, it also focuses sometimes on other regional concerns such as 128 traffic and development that impacts the area. HATS. Recent articles on the subject can be found here, here and here.
Founder of “Frontline” to speak at Bemis
David Fanning, creator of the acclaimed PBS series Frontline, will speak at Bemis Hall on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. His talk, entitled “The Making of Frontline,” will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the series—how it came to be, the battles fought, the controversies stirred, high points and low, and prospects for the future in a rapidly changing media landscape.
Fanning launched Frontline at host station WGBH in 1983 and has been its executive producer and guiding hand ever since. Under his care, Frontline has become the most enduring and honored investigative documentary series on American television, and Fanning himself was recently honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
The event is part of the Bemis Free Lecture Series. For more information, email bemislectures@gmail.
Multi-sport court proposed for school campus
The proposed sports court would go in the blue area next to the tot playground behind the Codman Pool parking lot (click to enlarge).
By Alice Waugh
Lincoln will have a new outdoor court with lighting for basketball, tennis, street hockey and other sports by late summer if officials and voters give a funding thumbs-up.
The proposal by the Parks and Recreation Committee (PRC) calls for a $146,000 multi-sport moveable court to be installed next to the playground at the rear of the Codman Pool parking lot. The court surface, which would be made of perforated plastic and surrounded by netting, could be taken up and relocated if staging space is required during a school building project.
Although Lincoln has recreational facilities for children and town tennis courts, “what we really have is a big gap in the sixth-to-eighth-grade, high school and college-age folks,” said PRC chair Jonathan Dwyer in a January 8 presentation to the School Committee, which oversees use of school property.
The court could serve as an outdoor drop-in sports facility for teenagers and others in the afternoon, early evening and weekends all year round, since it could also work as an ice-skating rink, Dwyer said. “This brings them back to the [Lincoln School] campus and connects them more to the town as they [remember] hanging out at the playground, at the pool and on the fields,” he said.
The location also has the advantage of easy access and parking next to the existing lot and its streetlights, “so we’re not creating a new lit area located in the middle of nowhere—we’re just augmenting what’s already there,” said Dan Pereira, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.
The court would also expand the town’s after-school tennis program, which usually can’t start until after April school vacation because the clay courts need more time to recover from the winter snow and ice.
The PRC estimates that the facility would cost $146,000, including lighting and a water line extension. A traditional court with a poured concrete base would cost about $20,000 less, but it would not have the advantage of being movable and water-permeable, Pereira noted. The Community Preservation Committee has determined that the project qualifies for Community Preservation Act funding and is considering the proposal for recommendation as part of its funding request at Town Meeting in March, Dwyer said in his written proposal to the School Committee.
If funding is approved at Town Meeting, installation could begin in early August and would take about a week, making it ready for use by August 30.
“This sounds like a fun thing to bring forward and could be a real benefit to students,” said Jennifer Glass, chair of the School Committee, which voted unanimously to support the PRC’s request.
Lincoln’s Sajer honored for oncology care at Emerson
Dr. Susan Sajer (center), an oncologist at Mass General Cancer Center at Emerson Hospital–Bethke, is honored for her 20 years of service to patients during the Emerson Hospital physician recognition dinner held recently at the Nashawtuc Country Club. With her are (left) Dr. James Street, president of the medical staff at Emerson Hospital, and Christine Schuster, president and CEO of Emerson Hospital.
Lincoln resident Susan Sajer, M.D., was honored for her 20 years of service to patients at Emerson Hospital at its annual Physician Recognition Dinner. An oncologist at Mass General Cancer Center at Emerson Hospital–Bethke, Sajer has cared for thousands of patients facing a cancer diagnosis.
In addition to her work with patients, Sajer is the principal investigator for cancer clinical trials at the cancer center.
“Twenty years ago was the start of the human genome project, which was followed by the cancer genome project that is still ongoing. The outgrowth of work from these projects has enormously changed what I can do for patients and their families. I am now able to treat patients with early-stage disease with exceptional cure rates,” Sajer said. “I tailor care by understanding who the person is, their support systems and their preferences for medical care. I have the privilege of being part of new advances in cancer care and look forward to bringing these treatments to patients in the community.”
Sajer is featured in this video of Emerson physicians discussing the biggest changes in health care during their tenure (her portion starts at the 1:08 time mark).
“Susan is an amazing physician whose dedication to her patients and to the field of oncology is unparalleled,” said Christine Schuster, president and CEO of Emerson Hospital. “We are very proud to have her on our team treating patients who live in the community.”
Sajer received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and completed a residency at the Medical College of Virginia and a fellowship in hematology/oncology at New England Medical Center. She is board-certified in hematology, internal medicine and medical oncology.
Letter to the editor: Fredriksen running again
To the editor:
I am writing to announce my candidacy for reelection to a second term on the Board of Selectmen. It has been an interesting three years and an exciting time to be on the board.
The primary role of the Selectmen is to carry out the will of the town. We do not set policy, but rather assist the town in making informed decisions, as well as assuring that these decisions are carried out. I find all of this to be challenging and, when we get it right, very rewarding. This is not to say that the board does not make decisions throughout the year; of course we do. But these decisions are often in the details: committee appointments, public safety, and how to best present choices to the town.
During these three years, I have been involved in the development of the new town web site, I serve on the Community Center Study Committee, and I am liaison to the land use boards as well as the Council on Aging, School Building Advisory Committee, and others This has given me a great deal of perspective about the many faces of Lincoln.
Major challenges facing Lincoln in the short term include potential changes to the school campus. Will we begin to renovate or rebuild our K-8 school soon? Will we design and build a new community center? Is a campus master plan a good first step? Some of these questions will be put to you at our March Town Meeting. Whatever direction Town Meeting takes us in, I hope to continue to be part of that process as your Selectman.
We are all in this together; it is everyone’s responsibility to be informed and participate in the process, with your voice and with your vote. With your support, I will continue to listen, and to use my best judgement in making decisions placed before the board and representing the residents of Lincoln.
Sincerely,
Renel Fredriksen
Trapelo Rd.
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrrel.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.
Ms. G, Drumlin’s weather-savvy groundhog, pops up on Feb. 2
Drumlin Farm’s Ms. G, the official state groundhog of Massachusetts.
Will Ms. G predict an extended winter or an early spring? Come see Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary’s famous groundhog decipher the weather clues and deliver her forecast on Monday, Feb. 2 starting at 10 a.m.
Drumlin Farm’s own resident groundhog, Ms. G, will make her first major public appearance since being designated “Official State Groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Ms. G will give her live forecast at 10 a.m., followed by fun winter activities to celebrate this festive day. Learn about hibernation, winter wildlife, and how to identify animal tracks in the snow, accompanied by children’s crafts and hot cocoa by the fire.
Drumlin Farm will be open for special holiday hours on February 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This special event is free with paid admission to the wildlife sanctuary of $8 adults and teens; $6 children 2-12 and seniors, and free for Mass Audubon members. Featured programs:
- Learn the forecast for spring’s arrival from our woodchuck weather expert
- Visit with more of our resident wildlife and farm animals, and explore the trails
- Attend special nature and farm programs
- Warm up by the fire with a story and make some winter crafts to take home
Former WBZ-TV weather personality Mish Michaels will be on hand to share the story of the Wellesley school students who joined Mass Audubon in submitting the bill to the Massachusetts state legislature to declare Ms. G the Official State Groundhog. The bill was successfully enacted into law and signed by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick on July 13, 2014.
School architects present final report; warrant articles mulled
B
y Alice Waugh
Reporting on results from previous school building forums, architects noted that residents seem to be converging on a “price point” of $35 million to $40 million for the town’s net spending on a school project.
At the fourth and final School Building Advisory Committee public forum on the school building project on January 12, consultants from Dore & Whittier recapped the previously presented three families of renovation and construction options and their estimated prices (see the Lincoln Squirrel, Dec. 8, 2014):
- Option 1 – facilities needs only: $12–$29 million
- Option 2 – facilities needs plus “a la carte” educational enhancements: $29–$47 million
- Option 3 – facilities needs plus comprehensive educational enhancements: $54–$66 million
The architects added a seventh choice to the Option 2 family called Option 2G, which is the same as 2F but without $7.7 million in deferred facilities work such as a girls’ locker room in Reed Gym, improvements to playing fields, paving and curbing, etc. Option 2G would cost an estimated $39.9 million, said Jason Boone of Dore and Whittier.
At the State of the Town meeting in November and again this week, architects and school officials explained that Lincoln could apply to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for funding to offset some of the project’s cost. The town could be eligible for a reimbursement of 35 to 40 percent, but only for a project that was approved and overseen by the MSBA. The agency will support only projects that meet all of a school’s demonstrated educational needs, which for Lincoln would mean one of the choices from Option 3 or perhaps an upper-end Option 2.
More than 76 percent of residents at the State of the Town expressed a preference for the Option 3 family, while 20 percent voted for Option 2 and 4 percent for Option 1.
Applying again for MSBA funding would also add at least 18 months to the project timeline and about $3.3 million in cost escalation associated with that delay, as well as a requirement to conform to the state’s requirements and procedures. The MSBA would also require another feasibility study as well as a “clear distinction” between the school project and a community center that might be built, said Jon Richardson of Dore & Whittier.
Homing in on options
Since state funding is far from certain, residents at the third SBAC forum in December were asked which specific project options they would support, depending on the MSBA situation. The options that received the most votes, along with the net costs to the town after a state reimbursement of 40 percent, were:
- 2E—without state funding ($36.9 million), 17 votes
- 2F—without state funding ($47.6 million), 17 votes; with state funding (Lincoln’s share would be $28.6 million), 7 votes
- 3B—without state funding ($55.8 million), 19 votes; with state funding (Lincoln’s share would be $33.5 million), 10 votes
- 3C—with state funding (Lincoln’s share would be $35.3 million), 44 votes
Option 2G, which was not one of the voting options at that forum but was discussed verbally, would cost about $39.9 million overall, or $23.9 million with state funding.
“What we came to realize is that there is a price point the town is maybe organizing around” of $35 to $40 million as the town’s net cost for a project, Boone said.
What will the MSBA say?
Although there is some uncertainty as to the state’s willingness to fund a project , “we feel that a well-crafted statement of interest and strong support from the town would lead the MSBA to reengage,” Richardson said. “Their primary interest is in successful projects. They would love to take what at the moment is an unsuccessful project and turn it back into a successful project.”
In 2013, the MSBA approved a reimbursement of $21 million for a $49 million project, but the pledge was withdrawn after voters failed to approve the project by a two-thirds majority at Town Meeting.
Applying for state funding “is not just filling out a form and hoping for the best. Lincoln has to find a way to demonstrate its support for an MSBA project,” said School Committee chair Jennifer Glass. The committee would therefore seek a two-thirds majority at Town Meeting this March and a simple majority at the ballot box on the question of whether to apply, as well as support from all town boards and commissions.
To submit a statement of interest to the MSBA, the School Committee and Board of Selectmen are not required to gather a two-thirds voter majority or have any town-wide vote at all, “but that’s not how we want to do this.” Glass said. “If we can’t get two-thirds now, when there isn’t any money on the table,” it will be even harder to do so once voters are asked to approve a specific expenditure, she added. “It is a risk but, it’s a self-imposed risk.”
Deciding on the questions
The School Committee must now come up with wording for Town Meeting warrant articles to find out whether voters want to (1) support a project with a net cost to the town of $30 million to $48 million, (2) reapply for MSBA funding, and (3) approve spending for a feasibility study. The cost of that study would depend on the results of the first two votes. Glass presented three possible ways to frame these questions. Her full presentation also included potential construction timelines that would vary according to the various voting outcomes, with construction beginning anywhere from fall 2016 to mid-2018.
Some residents at this week’s forum worried that the price range voters might be asked about ($30 to $45 million) is too broad, or that multiple questions would be too confusing.
Resident Sara Mattes suggested dividing the various questions between the regular Town Meeting in March and a special Town Meeting in June. “You’re going to really jam a Town Meeting, and it will be very complicated and people may get frustrated,” she said.
Asked about the impact on homeowners’ tax bills of the various options, Glass said that the Finance Committee was working on estimates. At the State of the Town meeting, the FinCom offered figures for estimated property tax increases ranging from 2.5 to 7.3 percent, or $321 to $2,254, based on the median tax bill of $12,503 in fiscal 2015. The estimates assumed different scenarios such as the amount borrowed ($10 million to $50 million), the interest rate (3.6 percent or 4.6 percent) and the time span of the bond (20 or 30 years).