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

Lincoln Gearticks earn top award at state competition

The Lincoln Gearticks earned the top award at the state championship at Bridgewater State University on March 8. Front row, left to right: Evan Glenn, Caleb Sander, Irene Terpstra, Calvin Terpstra, Dante Muzila, Claire Telfer and Catherine Appleby. Back row, left to right: Thom Quirk, Andrew Lee, Amelia Brown, Jack Hutchinson, Austin Brown, Logan Engstrom Abby Payne. Photo by Victor Terpstra

The Lincoln Gearticks earned the top award at the state championship at Bridgewater State University on March 8. Front row, left to right: Evan Glenn, Caleb Sander, Irene Terpstra, Calvin Terpstra, Dante Muzila, Claire Telfer and Catherine Appleby. Back row, left to right: Thom Quirk, Andrew Lee, Amelia Brown, Jack Hutchinson, Austin Brown, Logan Engstrom Abby Payne. Photo by Victor Terpstra

By Caleb Sander, Claire Telfer, Abby Payne and Irene Terpstra
Lincoln Gearticks team members

The Lincoln Gearticks robotics team of 14 middle and high school students from Lincoln and Westwood took the top award at the Massachusetts FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Championships on March 8 and will be heading to the Eastern Super-Regional in Pennsylvania next month along with five other teams from Massachusetts.

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News acorns

Henry David Thoreau (WIkimedia Commons photo)

Henry David Thoreau (Wikimedia Commons photo)

Hear Thoreau’s perspective on self and community

The Lincoln Public Library and Healthy Communities invite you to “Thoreau’s Perspective” on Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Jeff Cramer, curator of the Thoreau Institute, will offer Henry David Thoreau’s perspectives about self and community reliance and how they improve self and community resilience. He’ll also tell us what he thinks Thoreau would say today about improving our responses to human and natural disasters.

Badminton class has openings

The evening badminton class at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School still has space available for adults of all ages and skill levels. Come find out why badminton is the most popular racquet sport in the world.  The class meets Wednesday nights from 7-9 p.m. in L-S Gym 1. Bring your racket; birdies are provided. The class started on March 5 and runs for 10 weeks. The full fee was $120 but will be prorated for those who join now.

Town meeting notice

The Town of Lincoln Annual Town Meeting will take place Saturday, March 29 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Brooks School auditorium on Ballfield Road in Lincoln, Mass. As an open town meeting, all Lincoln citizens are encouraged to attend and participate. Lincoln residents should receive their Town Meeting packets, including the Town Report and the Financial Section and Warrant, on or about March 19. Lunch will be available for $10. For more information, visit the Town Meeting website.

Scholarships available for Lincoln high school seniors

The Lincoln Scholarship Committee is accepting applications for the Sumner Smith Community Service Award, Fannie Campbell Academic Award, need-based scholarships, the Ogden Codman Scholarship (four years) and the Codman Opportunity Scholarship (four years). The Committee is also accepting nominations for the Rosemary Fichera Kennedy Nadolski Award. High school seniors who are Lincoln residents are eligible to apply or to be nominated. Peers, teachers, neighbors and employers are all welcome to nominate students for the Nadolski Award. The Scholarship Committee is able to fund these awards thanks to the generosity of the residents of Lincoln and the Ogden Codman Trust.

Application information and instructions can be found on this page of the Town of Lincoln website. The deadline for applications is Thursday, April 17 at 3 p.m., either by mail to the address listed on the application forms or hand-delivered to the office of the Superintendent Principal at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. For more information, please contact Nancy Marshall at 781-259-9471 or nfmarshall23@gmail.com.

Spring wellness clinics for all ages

Lincoln residents of all ages are invited to meet with a nurse through a free town service. Come to get your blood pressure and/or Body Mass Index checked, ask questions, or learn about wellness resources. Clinics will be held at the Community Building at Lincoln Woods at 50 Wells Road from 10 a.m. to noon on three Fridays: April 11, May 2, and June 13. These clinics are funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. For more information, call the Lincoln Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

Letter to the editor: Henry Francis on “irresponsible” Jet Aviation plan

letterTo the editor:

I attended the February 19 and March 12 public hearings on Jet Aviation’s proposal to expand its Hanscom hanger facilities, which were sponsored by the Lincoln Conservation Commission. These were working business meetings of the commission to which the public were invited.

The commission is concerned with the issue of proposed Jet Aviation construction encroaching on a few acres of Lincoln wetlands. It appears that Jet Aviation will successfully conform to the commission’s requirements, and will therefore be permitted to proceed with their project. However, this is not the issue of importance to most citizens. We the people feel strongly that increasing Hanscom’s total hangar area, in order to house and service more of the dirtiest type of aircraft (as measured by amount of fuel burned and carbon emitted per passenger-mile), is totally irresponsible by any conceivable standard.

There is a striking dichotomy here between the will of the people and the presumed approval of this project, and I am deeply disappointed that the commission  members all were excessively deferential and accommodating to the Jet Aviation representatives and their proposal, in spite of the totally obvious fact that the many citizens in attendance unanimously and angrily oppose the project—there was not one comment from the invited public in support of Jet Aviation.

At what level of environmental pollution (both chemical and acoustic) do we draw the line? The line should be drawn right now—Jet Aviation should not be permitted to expand their Hanscom facilities to accommodate more jets, and we, the people, expect the (our?) Lincoln Conservation Commission to recognize and support this position. This project, and indeed the entire Hanscom expansion juggernaut, should be axed as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Henry Francis
Sunnyside 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 must be about a Lincoln-specific topic. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published. Letters may be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Letter to the editor: Cannistraro emphasizes construction experience

letterTo the editor:

Please know that I, and many others in town, completely admire (or we should!) the hard work that ALL of the town volunteers do day in and day out, and year after year. I do understand though, that these dedicated people can often feel underappreciated and not supported, and this is a very unfortunate thing. Also, I understand that experience is certainly valuable—especially when needed most. Towards this end, here’s one thing that I respectfully ask people to reflect upon:

It appears as if many of the biggest concerns of the town (Route 2, Council on Aging, schools, community center) in the near to mid-future are directly construction-related. Perhaps the town could benefit from an experienced hand and a capable leader in this area to help guide a collaborative, thoughtful process.

I may have mentioned that I have over 25 years in extremely complex construction projects, often working directly with the highest levels within countless state, public, and private entities and corporations. I have extensive knowledge and leadership experience in all phases of the construction process including contract review and negotiation, budgeting and cost control, design and scheduling, quality control and contract conflict resolution. My past projects include work in virtually every academic institution in the Boston area, numerous public school projects, community and student centers, mixed use, and affordable housing. But of all the projects that I’ve been involved with over my career, my favorite remains the Boston Convention Center, because not only was it a high-profile, challenging project, but to me, it also continues to symbolize bringing people together to share different perspectives.

Lincoln residents, I appreciate your consideration in this upcoming election. I believe my vast experience in this area can help Lincoln bring a new perspective to its town leadership, and help successfully navigate these challenges.

Sincerely,

Vin Cannistraro
15 Deer Run Road

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. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published. Letters may be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Letter to the editor from Gay Anderson

letter

To the editor:

I am writing in support of the re-election of Peter Braun for Selectman. When choosing a town officer, politically based relationships and bonds of friendship are certainly the starting point from which a voter determines which candidate to support. These are followed by knowledge of a candidate’s character, experience and accomplishments, along with his ability to work effectively with others.

The tree cutting issue associated with the Route 2 project is being misconstrued in this election in an attempt to diminish the importance of the letters of support which Selectman Braun has received from friends, neighbors and committee members who endorse his re-election.

An accurate account of the Route 2 project has been clearly presented by Dan Boynton in his letter of support for Peter. This project has spanned many decades, providing excellent opportunities for abutters to present their concerns to the town and to be heard. Peter Braun and Town Administrator Tim Higgins continue to work together with the abutters and the MassDOT, ensuring the best possible outcome for residents and commuters alike.

There are reasons why Peter Braun’s friends and committee members applaud his work and support his re-election. His dedication, attention to detail and capable leadership have been proven effective on the Route 2 project, as well as many other complex issues.

Peter Braun is a vital member of our team of town volunteers. He works diligently to provide us with the best representation possible while maintaining a steady, calm demeanor and ready wit. Please join me in supporting his re-election on March 31.

Sincerely,

Gay Anderson
42 Todd Pond 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. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published. Letters may be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Letter to the editor from Dan Boynton

letter

To the editor:

It seems that local oversight of the Route 2 safety upgrade has become a key issue in this year’s election campaign for a selectman. Accusations are being made that “hundreds (or was it thousands)” of trees were needlessly cut down while Lincoln’s selectmen looked the other way. This is an absurd claim.

My driveway exits onto Route 2 and many of the trees that came down were screening my view of the highway, so I have been personally affected by the tree cutting. I could identify at least a dozen large trees in front of my house that could have been saved. My wife and I are very unhappy about this. Other residents living along Route 2 could probably identify a few favorite trees that could have been saved as well. However, while the unnecessary removal of a small number of trees that could have been saved is highly regrettable, we need to acknowledge that the majority of the trees that came down had to go.

There were many valid reasons why such tree removal was necessary. Breakdown lanes and service roads will be constructed on both sides of the highway, requiring the clearing of long strips of land. In addition, the state was granted five-year “construction easements” which have substantially greater dimensions than the actual roadways. The contractor had the legal right to clear the land up to the limits of these easements if this area was needed to accommodate their machinery.

The backhoes they use are huge and they need to have a cleared area where they can turn.  There also has to be open land where the excavated soil and rocks can be piled up.  A lot of the trees needed to be removed in order to accommodate these practical needs.

However, every tree was removed in all areas up to the boundaries of the easements despite contract documents specifying the process of determining which trees should be saved. The universal tree clearing also included wetland replication areas where it was mandatory for trees over 10 inches in diameter to be examined by an arborist and kept if possible. It is obvious that this process wasn’t followed, because not a single tree was saved. This has been the only apparent violation of the contract terms.

It has been suggested that the Lincoln Selectmen could have prevented the wholesale tree removal from happening, but the Selectmen did not have any legal authority over the tree-cutting issue. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is solely responsible for providing the monitoring and oversight of all construction activity. Town officials can only make recommendations and must depend upon the good will of MassDOT in responding to their proposals.

Fortunately, MassDOT has been quite cooperative in considering remediation proposals. A plan which adds 176 new trees to the landscape design will likely be approved and a request for stockade fences in key areas is currently being reviewed as well. A requested change in the grading of the Brooks Road intersection is underway and the originally specified retaining wall adjacent to The Commons will probably be eliminated. So, as a result of intensive advocacy by abutters, the town’s landscape consultant, the town’s Oversight Committee, and most especially by Peter Braun and [town administrator] Tim Higgins, steps are being taken to restore the landscape to its former forested appearance.

Sincerely,

Dan Boynton
34 Cambridge Turnpike

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. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published. Letters may be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Letter to the editor from Jim Henderson

letter

To the editor:

I have worked with Peter on the Capital Planning Committee for the past three years and on the Route 2 Oversight Committee this past year. I have found he is very committed to this work, with solid knowledge and experience of Town policies and process. His ability to understand and clearly articulate the big picture context and subtler side issues, is extremely valuable in enhancing our discussions and getting committee work done.

His focus is on making good decisions based on the best information and evaluation of alternatives, to determine the best course of action. He brings a robust capacity to engage people and their diverse agendas, clarify issues, hear concerns of others, promote new ideas, then works to develop and implement the best solution. I find him collegial, passionate about fairness, working to lead a governance process that gets results.

Peter has been an articulate spokesman for the town in HATS [Hanscom Area Town Selectmen] and HFAC [Hanscom Field Advisory Committee] where he acts as the primary link to our state and federal legislative delegation on Hanscom-related matters for preserving the Air Force base’s continuing role in our local economy. These efforts focus on a critical area of concern for Lincoln’s future where continuing incremental development and changes in use at these facilities could be a major factor in forever shaping Lincoln’s future.

These issues, as well as a heavy list of pending Lincoln town projects, including the Lincoln School campus, study of Community Center needs, development activities on Winter Street, a new Minuteman High School building and a South Lincoln Planning study, require a thoughtful approach and an experienced hand. This is why we need to re-elect Peter Braun as Selectman on Monday, March 31 to help us successfully work through these challenges.

Sincerely,

Jim Henderson
Giles Road

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. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published. Letters may be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Letter to the editor from Vin Cannistraro

letter

To the editor:

The Squirrel has posted several letters written by me, and I hope that what I have to say resonates in some way with what residents may be thinking and/or feeling. If you are curious to learn more about me or share your thoughts, you are always welcome to email me at vincentcann@gmail.com, or call me at 781-259-1726. I also encourage you to watch the recording of the March 15 town candidate forum [editor’s note: soon to be posted on lincolntv.pegcentral.com] so you can form your own opinion—be it good, bad, or other.

I would also like to take a moment to share why I have come to embrace a fundamental belief in the power of inclusion and deep appreciation for different perspectives.

Over 25 years of my professional career is in the area of mechanical construction. My dad started the business from my bedroom, and the company has grown to be one of the largest of its kind in the nation. What was our family’s secret? In short, it was a philosophy of fostering inclusion and diversity of perspectives. We were the only firm to be started by someone who had never worked in the trades, the first to hire non-construction personnel in key management positions, the first to hire women in a traditionally “men’s” business at all levels, and the first to establish a program for inner-city youth to start in our shop, leading to sponsorship into the notoriously “tight-knit” labor unions.

Whether it has been in my academic, business or personal life, I’ve been so very fortunate to benefit from the different experiences of virtually anyone I meet.  If any of you feel the same way, I would certainly welcome your consideration of me as a Selectman for this amazing community.

Sincerely,

Vin Cannistraro
15 Deer Run Road

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. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published. Letters may be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Letter to the editor: Support reelection of Peter Braun

letter

Received March 16

To the Editor:

Along with many other Lincoln residents, we urge Lincoln voters to support Peter Braun for reelection to the Board of Selectmen. We have known Peter as a respected neighbor and a trusted friend for almost thirty years, and we appreciate his willingness to devote another three years of wholehearted service to the town.

Peter’s experience as an attorney, as a member of the Lincoln Finance Committee, and now as a diligent and dedicated Selectman make him thoroughly qualified for a second term.

Importantly, Peter has established substantial credibility with Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS) members and with Air Force and state officials, which makes him an indispensable representative during ongoing discussions about the future of Hanscom Air Force Base. His thoughtful perspective in managing the effects of the Route 2 flyover project has also upheld the best interests of the town.

Please vote to re-elect Peter Braun on March 31.

Sincerely,

Gus Browne and Lorraine Fiore
11 Trapelo Road

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. They may be edited for length, grammar/punctuation, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor.

Letter to the editor: Five residents write in support Braun

Received March 16

letter

To the editor:

We are writing this letter to urge all Lincoln citizens to vote in the upcoming town elections and to support Peter Braun for re-election as Lincoln selectman. These are difficult times politically which call for experienced hands to guide us through. Over the next several years, there will be need for large capital expenditures for the Lincoln schools, for a community center to serve the needs of Lincoln’s older citizens, and for anticipated conservation purchases. With reduced national military expenditures, the specter of Hanscom’s closing is again on the political horizon.

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