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

SBAC working on hiring a design consultant

schoolA subgroup of the reconstituted School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC) is in the process of selecting a school design consultant, and the School Committee is tentatively scheduled to award a contract on July 23.

At Town Meeting in March, Lincoln voters approved spending up to $250,000 to hire a consultant who would define renovation solutions for the Lincoln School and prepare cost estimates for a range of possible projects. Residents asked to see these estimates for “Lincoln only” repair and renovation options before deciding whether to reapply to the state for partial funding for a comprehensive school project (see the Lincoln Squirrel, April 3, 2014).

The SBAC meets every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Hartwell Multipurpose Room. All meetings are open to the public. Community attendance is especially encouraged at the following upcoming meetings:

  • June 23 — Designer selection committee will select designer finalists
  • June 25 — Designer selection committee recommends designer finalists to the SBAC for approval
  • July 14-16 — Designer finalist interviews
  • July 23 — School Committee meeting to award contract (date and time of this meeting to be confirmed)

Groups appeal Jet Aviation decision

Jet_PlaneTwo nonprofit preservation groups have filed an appeal with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in an attempt to block construction of a new hangar and parking.at Hanscom Field.

Jet Aviation, a commercial firm that leases land at Hanscom owned by Massport, applied to the Lincoln Conservation Commission under the state Wetlands Protection Act for permission to encroach on a wetlands buffer zone for its project. The company  declined to apply under the local Lincoln wetlands bylaw, saying that Massport as a state agency is exempt from non-zoning local regulations and that this exemption extends to anyone who leases land from Massport. After five public hearings, the commission approved Jet Aviation’s application with conditions under the state provisions by a 5-2 vote, noting that the proposed work is in fact subject to review under the town of Lincoln’s Wetlands Protection By-law.

Save Our Heritage and ShhAir (Safeguarding the Historic Hanscom Area’s Irreplaceable Resources) filed an appeal with the DEP on May 27, arguing that Massport and its tenant, Jet Aviation, should be required to adhere to local wetlands regulations. Lincoln resident Kati Winchell of Save Our Heritage noted that while the groups want to protect wetlands and forestall increases in traffic, jet noise and air pollution that could accompany Hanscom’s growth, they’re also worried that the case could have much wider ramifications.

“This is a precedent-setting case extending beyond wetlands issues,” the groups said in a press release. In challenging Massport’s claims to exemption from local regulations, a successful appeal “may open new doors for Hanscom-area town boards who until now have worked under the long-held assumption that their hands were tied in matters concerning Hanscom Field development.” This assumption that local boards have no jurisdiction over Hanscom other than zoning has left Massport “free from meaningful local control and [provided] businesses who lease land from Massport with special privileges and immunities not available to other area businesses that play by local rules. Now, for the first time in decades, this may change with regard to non-zoning matters, pending the outcome of this case.”

“This case is lifting the curtain on Massport’s presumed freedoms and local boards’ presumed limitations,” Winchell said on Tuesday.

“This appeal… challenges Jet Aviation’s casual invocation of a claimed Massport exemption without factual demonstration, recent legal authority, or Massport even being an applicant here,” said Greg McGregor, an attorney with the firm hired by Save Our Heritage and ShhAir.

The appeal asks the DEP to either send the application the project back to the Lincoln Conservation Commission with directions that Jet Aviation is required to file under the local bylaw (under which the ConCom could theoretically insist that no part of the project be built on the wetlands buffer zones in question), or to overturn the approval because it allegedly did not, in fact, conform with state wetlands regulations.

The DEP has scheduled a site visit for June 24 as part of the appeal process.

Letter to the editor: Uphold First Parish decision

letter

(Editor’s note: The First Parish Church will go before the Zoning Board of Appeals on June 19 to appeal the Planning Board’s denial of the its request to extend one side of the Stearns Room—see the Lincoln Squirrel, May 15, 2014.)

To the editor:

Ever since the 1700s, Lincoln residents have been concerned about development pressures and carefully crafted thoughtful mechanisms to preserve their beloved agrarian community. In the 1730s, area farmers led by the Flint family began a lengthy effort to separate and remain agrarian. The first step was to convince the Great and General Court that there was a need to be a distinct, self-governing community. The key lay in establishing that travel to existing parishes was prohibitive during certain seasons. Thus, they should be able to create their own parish, easily accessible to area farmers. Land was donated by the Flint family for both a parish building and for a cemetery.

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News acorns

Town Clerk intern sought

Massport is sponsoring a paid summer internship in the Town Clerk’s office this summer for a period of six weeks starting July 7. Qualified candidates should be 16 or older, computer adept, and able and willing to work independently. The position is for 20 hours per week and must be filled by or before Friday, June 27. If interested, please call the Town Clerk’s office at 781-259-2607.

 Self-defense class for teen girls

The Lincoln Police will be hosting a teen female self-defense class on August 9 and 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Carroll School on Baker Bridge Road. The class is primarily aimed at girls who are about to start college, but others are welcome as long as space is available. As of today, there are four spaces left. Anyone interested in participating should contact Jena Salon at 215-514-5963 or jenasalon@gmail.com.

bjork plaque

The plaque commemorating Betty Bjork outside the Lincoln School’s computer lab (click to enlarge).

Former teachers makes the Hall of Fame

Former Lincoln teacher Betty Bjork will be inducted into the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Massachusetts (ATMIM) Hall of Fame. Betty’s husband Al will accept the award on Betty’s behalf. Superintendent Becky McFall will represent the Lincoln Public Schools at the ceremony on June 30.

At the Lincoln School, Bjork served as assistant principal, mathematics supervisor and computer coordinator. From 1964-1974, Bjork worked with Robert B. Davis, a renowned mathematics educator, on the innovative Madison Project curriculum. As reported in her obituary in the Lincoln (Maine) County News, she was a leader in the 1908s in implementation of computer technology in the classroom. In 1985, she founded and directed the EdCo Computer Center, a resource center for teachers and administrators in the Boston area. She was also a partner in the Education Technology Center at Harvard University.

Bjork and her husband moved to Lincoln in 1967 and later lived in New Harbor, Maine. She died in 2007 at age 70.

 

Sharon Antia.

Sharon Antia

Meet state rep candidate Sharon Antia on June 27

Lincoln resident and candidate for State Representative Sharon Antia is hosting a Listen and Learn session at the Whistle Stop on Friday, June 27 from 12-1:30 p.m (See the profile of Antia in the Lincoln Squirrel, June 10, 2014.)

 

 

 

Ise Gropius

Ise Gropius

See and learn about Gropius jewelry

Historic New England associate curator Laura Johnson will give a talk on “Small But Perfect Things: The Style and Jewelry Collection of Ise Gropius” on Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28 from 7-9 p.m. at the Gropius House (68 Baker Bridge Rd.). the talk will touch on Ise Gropius’s stylistic trendsetting and collection of unique designs using intriguing modern materials. Join an intimate gathering on a summer evening at the Gropius House for light refreshments, a talk, and evening house tour with special examples of jewelry on view.

Tickets are $25 for Historic New England members and $35 for nonmembers. Space is limited and registration is required. Please call 781-259-8098 for more information or buy tickets online at www.historicnewengland.org.

 

Community Center exploration moves forward

communitySix residents and three town officials have been named to the new Community Center Study Committee, and the town is advertising for a consultant to look at various options for a facility to house groups including the Council on Aging and the Parks and Recreation Department.

The request for proposals from consultants is the next step in a process that began with a study and report by the Community Center Feasibility Study Committee in 2012 and a discussion at the State of the Town meeting in fall 2013 (see the Lincoln Squirrel, November 3, 2012).

While Park and Rec is satisfied with its current location in the pods, the buildings are getting old and will need repairs soon. The Council on Aging has outgrown its Bemis Hall headquarters, which also lack private consultation areas. There are also parking and safety issues, since visitors who park across the street in the church lot must cross Bedford Road to enter Bemis

The committee’s report looked at several possible sites for a community center, though it did not evaluate them in detail. Those sites are the administration building and pods in the Hartwell side of the school campus, the Smith school building, the Pierce House, The Groves (now The Commons), Farrington Memorial, the First Parish Church, Lincoln Woods on Wells Road, the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and Lewis Street.

For a base price of $55,000, the town is looking for a consultant to do a “detailed evaluation of the benefits, challenges, and costs of the options” as well as any other options they might identify, according to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) published by the Board of Selectmen on June 11. Firms have until June 30 to submit proposals.

Town officials hope to have “concept-level plans/options” to present to the community at the State of the Town Meeting in the fall. The consultant will develop schematic design and cost estimates for “the option(s) deemed by the Selectmen based on feedback from the community, to be the most viable and attractive options” to be presented for discussion at the Annual Town Meeting in March 2015. The consultant is also responsible for helping the new committee hold public workshops and hearings as necessary.

Film group offers movies about bicycles

movie reelDuring June and July, the Lincoln Library Film Society will present “Wheels on Reels: A Festival of Films About Bicycling.” Bikes are not just a means of transportation; they can also signify a livelihood, an identity, a way of life, and the empowerment of the human body. Hop on your slick road racer or dust off the old commuter and come for a ride through the many characters of the bicycle.

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Residents invited to join Fourth of July parade

flagThe Parks and Recreation Department’s 2o14 Events Subcommittee Parade Crew is inviting all Lincolnites to participate in the annual July 4 parade. This year’s parade theme is “Lincoln: Something to Crow About!” to celebrate Lincoln’s pride in its agricultural heritage that continues today with numerous farms and hundreds of farm animals.

The parade marshal will be retiring Police Chief Kevin Mooney. After 36 years of service, Chief Mooney is stepping down on June 30, but he’ll make one last appearance in uniform for the town during the parade, when spectators will have the chance to salute his service to Lincoln.

Residents are also invited to create a float or creative entry that has some fun with the parade theme theme or our marshal. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative floats as participants march in the parade. Download a parade application here and email the completed form to eventssubcommittee@gmail.com or mail it to the Parks and Recreation Department, 16 Lincoln Rd. On the morning of July 4, please meet on Ballfield Road before 9:45 a.m.

Parade organizers remind paraders that  throwing candy along the route is not allowed, because children are prone to running into harm’s way in pursuit of treats. Handing candy out alongside your float will be just as appreciated and much safer for all.

Parade subcommittee members are Maggie Dwyer, Michela Eckhouse, Sam Kupperstein, Riley McCabe, Eve Montie and Nick Virkler.

Letter to the editor: Thanks for car wash help

letter

Dear Lincolnites,

On behalf of the Lincoln School 8th-grade class and the parent committee working with them to plan graduation activities, I want to thank you for your incredible generosity at last weekend’s car wash at Town Offices. The students were able to raise a record $1,900! This money will be used to purchase spectator benches that will go on the Codman and Smith Fields, where at present there is no place for fans to sit. Any money that is left over will be donated to the Legacy Fund, which helps to ensure that all children, regardless of financial circumstance, are to go on class field trips to the Museum of Science and Washington, D.C.

Thank you for getting your cars washed, buying our baked goods and simply making donations.

Sincerely,

Julie Dobrow
103 Conant Rd.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.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.

Intergenerational crafts workshops in July

palette-smThe Old Town Hall Exchange is offering four intergenerational crafts workshops at Bemis Hall featuring artists associated with the Exchange. The workshops are for middle or high school students and adults. Each workshop costs $15 per person. Please sign up by calling the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

Precious Metal Clay Jewelry — Join Hilary Taylor of Merlin’s Silver Star Studio on Wednesday, July 2 from 1- 2:30 p.m. to make a pendant or pair of earrings using clay embedded with fine silver. After firing, the clay burns off, leaving the piece in silver. Bring items with texture (bits of nature, lace fabric, a piece of metal with a texture) to use in your piece. No experience is needed and we are sure you will enjoy your finished piece! You’ll receive your piece 10 days later.

Mixed Media Collage — Learn to make a mixed media collage with artist Laurie Bogdan on Wednesday, July 9 from 1-2:30 p.m. Laurie will show you how to take everyday objects—game set pieces, magazine and catalog pictures, fabric, photos, and more—and combine them into a beautiful, sometimes whimsical collage using glue, paint, markers, and anything else you can imagine.

Chain Maille Jewelry — On Wednesday, July 16 at 1 p.m., Shing Hsieh will show you how to create chain maille jewelry by weaving together metal jump rings in a 2-1/2 hour workshop. She will demonstrate two different techniques: the byzantine and mobius weaves. Participants will leave class with a pair of earrings and, time permitting, the option to start a bracelet. Participants should bring two pairs of flat nose or needle nose pliers, preferably without teeth, but bring what you have and we can modify at workshop.

Instant Books — Learn how to make a book out of one piece of paper in a matter of minutes with Suzette Durso on Wednesday, July 23 from 1-2:30 p.m. Each page of this book will have a pocket where small photographs or business cards can be stored. This book is small enough to fit in a pocketbook or a back pocket. Books can be decorated with flowers and ribbon.

These workshops are supported in part by a grant from the Lincoln Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.