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

Police log for January 13-26, 2025

January 13
 
Bedford Road (6:34am) — A caller reported that they were involved in a minor traffic accident. The other involved vehicle fled the scene. An officer responded to the area.
 
Tabor Hill Road (8:27am) — A caller reported their dog was missing. The Animal Control Officer was notified.
 
Trapelo Road (8:31am) — A caller reported possible vandalism to their lawn. After speaking with other family members, it appears the damage was caused by one of them using an ATV.
 
January 14
 
Stratford Way (7:56am) — A resident spoke with an officer regarding fraudulent credit card purchases.
 
Old County Road (9:04am) — An officer spoke with a person regarding a Medicare scam.
 
Wells Road (1:36pm) — A person spoke with an officer regarding an ongoing civil matter.
 
January 15
 
Harvest Circle (10:05am) — An officer spoke with a person regarding a civil matter.
 
Harvest Circle (12:10pm) — A utility truck was struck while parked at The Commons. An officer checked the area but was unable to locate the vehicle that struck the truck.
 
Oriole Landing (4:06pm) — An officer checked the area for a dog that appeared to be wandering without its owner.
 
January 16
 
Winter Street (9:43am) — A person reported their dog missing. While speaking with Animal Control, another resident reported finding the lost dog.
 
South Great Road (2:30pm) — A caller reported seeing someone walking on the ice near an open section of water. The individual then walked toward the shore. The area was checked but no one was found.
 
Lincoln Road (4:15pm) — A caller reported observing vehicles not stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk. An officer responded to the area to monitor.
 
Donelan’s Supermarket (4:34pm) — A child was located in the store and reunited a short time later with their parent.
 
Sunnyside Lane (7:32pm) — A student was located at the Lincoln School after not returning home at the expected time.
 
January 17
 
Tower Road (8:42am) — An officer performed a well-being check.
 
North Great Road (7:45pm) — A motorist struck a deer. The vehicle sustained significant damage and required towing, though there were no injuries.
 
January 18
 
Lincoln Police Department (1:36pm) — A person turned in an item to be destroyed.
 
Conant Road (4:41pm) — A caller reported a suspicious vehicle had pulled into their driveway. An officer checked the vehicle but was unable to locate it.
 
South Great Road (4:49pm) — An officer helped the DPW remove a sign stuck to a utility pole.
 
January 19
 
Lincoln Police Department (3:51pm) — A person turned in an item for destruction.
 
January 20
 
Scott Circle, Hanscom AFB (10:34am) — A person turned in an item for destruction.
 
South Great Road (10:45am) — Multiple calls were received for the railroad gates on Lincoln Road and Old Sudbury Road stuck in the down position. Officers responded to each crossing and Keolis was notified.
 
Lincoln Woods (5:29pm) — The Fire Department checked on an interior odor of gas. There were no measurable readings.
 
Codman Road (7:58pm) — A caller reported seeing a transformer fire on a utility pole. Police and fire units responded to the scene. Eversource was notified.
 
Patterson Road, Hanscom AFB (10:15pm) — Officers responded to assist Hanscom Air Force Security Forces and Action Ambulance.
 
January 21
 
Old Sudbury Road (1:28am) — An officer responded to railroad crossing gates for the report of the gate being stuck in the down position. Keolis was notified and responded a short time thereafter.
 
South Great Road (1:17pm) — A caller reported two dogs were missing. A short time later, they notified the police that the dogs had been located.
 
Tabor Hill Road (5:14pm) — A caller reported that their mailbox had been hit by a vehicle and there appeared to be debris from the crash still on the ground. An officer responded to the residence.
 
January 22
 
North Commons (12:10am) — An officer responded to a residence for an ongoing civil matter.
 
Red Rail Farm (9:12am) — A caller spoke with an officer regarding possible bank fraud.
 
Harvest Circle (1:38am) — A caller reported the possible theft of an electronic device. An investigation is ongoing.
 
Mary’s Way (2:15pm) — A caller reported an unleashed dog in the area. The Animal Control Officer was notified.
 
DeCordova Museum (2:34pm) — Several individuals were ice fishing on Sand Pond. The Environmental Police responded along with the Lincoln Police and cited the individuals.
 
January 23
 
Lexington Road (3:39pm) — Lincoln and Concord police searched the area for a report of a dog that appeared in distress but couldn’t find it.
 
Ridge Road (4:31pm) — A resident spoke with an officer regarding a possible theft from their residence.
 
Lincoln Gas and Auto (8:38pm) — An officer helped a large truck reverse direction in the parking lot.
 
Lexington Road (8:40pm) — The Fire Department responded to a residence for a broken water pipe. The Water Department was notified.
 
Wells Road (11:21pm) — An officer responded to a residence to address a noise complaint.
 
January 24
 
North Great Road (5:48pm) — A motorist reported striking a deer. The deer ran off into the woods and the vehicle was able to be driven from the scene.
 
North Commons (6:10am) — Officers responded to a residence for an ongoing civil matter.
 
Lincoln Public Library (3:43pm) — A caller reported seeing a dog wandering without their owner near the library. The Animal Control Officer was notified.
 
Lincoln Road (3:52pm) — An officer served court paperwork to a resident.
 
Old County Road (5:26pm) — Several calls were received about a two-vehicle crash on Old County Road at Trapelo Road. One of the vehicles failed to stop at the stop sign. There were no injuries reported and both vehicles were towed from the scene. The operator who failed to stop was cited.
 
Lincoln Woods (11:42pm) — Officers responded to a residence for a noise complaint.
 
January 25
 
Nothing of note.
 
January 26
 
Oriole Landing (4:26pm) — A caller spoke with an officer regarding possible threatening phone calls.
 
Silver Birch Lane (8:11pm) — An officer monitored an area for a complaint about a barking dog.

Property sales in December 2024

140 Lincoln Rd. #117 — Cambridge Trust Co. Trust to Martin and Nancy Robb for $741,000 (December 27)

68 Conant Rd. — Patricia F. Horwitz Trust to Olivia Pennock and Bjorn Slate for $1,365,000 (December 27)

285 South Great Rd. — Charles Peters III to Matthew Zbawiony and Hathairat Sawaengsri for $950,000 (December 23)

0 South Great Rd. — Virginia Steele Wood Trust to Krisha Kandarpa for $550,000 (December 20)

22 Old Cambridge Turnpike — Nicholas Konstandakis to Nicholas and Monique Nikolaou for $1,800,000 (December 16)

22 Goose Pond Rd. — Beverly Tomasic Bowman Trust to Jon and Nicola Sillari for $1,830,210 (December 4)

181 South Great Rd. — Diana Abrashkin to William and Katelyn Maronn for $699,000 (December 4)

43 Greenridge Lane — Robert Wadsworth to Mary Toland for $580,000 (December 2)

My Turn: Learn about sustainable aviation fuels

By Ann Sobol

Next Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m., the Massachusetts Sierra Club is conducting a webinar on sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs, pronounced “safes”). The issue is whether replacing current jet fuel with SAFs can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions sufficiently and quickly enough to meet our climate goals.
 
All of us who would like to get on a plane and go someplace for some reason important to us would like to think there’s some fix to deal with the huge amount of greenhouse gas emitted by jet planes. But is there? The Healey administration and Massport seem to be pinning their hopes on SAFs. Maybe it’s fairer to say they’re looking into it.
 
Under state law, Massachusetts has set goals of a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Every sector of the economy is expected to make reductions in GHG emissions. The transportation sector, which includes aviation, produces the largest amount of GHG — about 40% of the state’s total.
 
In January 2023, on her first day in office, Gov. Healey appointed Melissa Hoffer as her climate chief. In October 2023, Hoffer set out recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Regarding aviation, she recommended developing a plan to use alternative fuels and to replace short-hop flights where rail is an alternative.
 
In the March 2024 Massachusetts Priority Climate Action Plan, Hoffer and Monica Tibbets-Nutt (Healey’s secretary of transportation) set out specific goals for meeting statutory emissions reductions. The transportation section of the plan focuses on reducing emissions from cars and trucks. In 2035, Massachusetts will ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles and already supports the transition to electric vehicles through rebates, tax credits, and grants. But there is no element of the Priority Climate Action Plan pertaining to aviation.
 
In August 2024, the Massport Board appointed Rich Davey as its new chief executive officer. Consistent with the Healey administration’s focus on SAFs, the new CEO has stated he will examine the use of SAFs in reducing aviation emissions. In November, Gov. Healey signed into law an environmental bill which amended enabling legislation dating from the 1950s under which Massport has focused primarily on financial return with minimal regard to the GHG emissions of jet traffic out of the airports it administers (Logan, Hanscom, and Worcester). The legislative amendments require Massport to exercise its powers to promote commerce, economic prosperity, safety, security, environmental protection and resilience, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
 
The Sierra Club webinar features three speakers highly qualified to evaluate whether SAFs can solve the problem of aviation emissions. For more information, see the SPJE website (Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere), which includes a link to register for the webinar.

 “My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Police log for December 16–27, 2024

December 16

Greenridge Lane (1:33 p.m., 6:16 p.m., and 9:44 p.m.) — Attempts were made to serve court paperwork. The person was not at home.

December 17

Minuteman Technical High School (9:09 a.m.) — A faulty smoke detector resulted in a fire alarm.

Donelan’s Supermarket (6:36 p.m.) — A person in Donelan’s parking lot observed red and white lights in the sky. They thought it could be related to recent drone sightings.

December 18

Brooks Road (11:17 a.m.) — A caller reported a deer in their backyard that appeared injured. An officer arrived and the deer ran into the woods.

North Commons (2:17 p.m.) — A resident reported damage to several exterior holiday decorations.

Lincoln Road (10:27 p.m.) — A commuter had reported losing an item near the train platform. An officer checked the area but was unable to locate the item.

December 19

Lincoln Road (9:01 a.m.) — A person spoke with an officer regarding a letter they had received.

Carroll School (2:26 p.m.) — An officer spoke with a staff member at the school.

Brooks Hill Road (2:37 p.m.) — An officer spoke with a person regarding a possible internet fraud.

Birchwood Lane (4:40 p.m.) — A faulty smoke detector caused a fire alarm activation. Maintenance was notified.

Bypass Road (5:41 p.m.) — Several reports were received of a deceased deer in the roadway. The Mass. Highway Department was notified.

Route 2 Gas (5:55 p.m.) — The Lincoln Police and Fire Departments responded to assist the Massachusetts State Police with a two-vehicle crash.

December 20

South Great Road (2:03 a.m.) — An officer provided a courtesy transport.

Lincoln Road (8:23 a.m.) — A motorist reported the railroad gates were malfunctioning. An officer observed the gates for a cycle and reported no issues.

Weston Road I1:18 p.m.) — A vehicle struck a utility pole. The operator was not injured and the vehicle was towed from the scene.

North Great Road (5:38 p.m.) — A caller spoke to an officer after receiving an email demanding money.

Wells Road (6:16 p.m.) — A person spoke with an officer regarding an ongoing incident with another individual.

South Great Road (8:59 p.m.) — Several calls were received for a one-car crash near Bowles Terrace. Christopher Phillips, 36, of Winchendon was arrested for operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speed, and a marked lanes violation. He was later bailed and ordered to appear at Concord District Court on December 23.

Tower Road (9:57 p.m.) — A caller requested assistance with a residential lockout. The Fire Department responded and assisted.

December 21

Mill Street (9:59 a.m.) — A caller reported their water meter was leaking. The Water Department was notified.

Mackintosh Lane (2:16 p.m.) — A caller reported two young males were lighting a camp fire in the woods. The conservation ranger located them and advised them to put the fire out.

December 22

Lincoln Woods (2:55 p.m.) — A caller reported a water leak in their residence. Maintenance was notified.

Hillcrest Road (11:39 p.m.) — The town of Weston requested a mutual aid response for a working structure fire.

Sandy Pond Road (11:58 p.m.) — A caller reported hearing a noise outside their residence that they believed may have been coming from a drone. An officer checked the area and determined that the noise was most likely the result of a nearby airplane.

December 23

Lincoln Road (12:38 a.m.) — An Apple automatic crash activation was called in for Lincoln Road. The area was checked; a pedestrian reported a malfunctioning device.

Greenridge Lane (9:05 a.m.) — A caller reported that a delivery vehicle struck several pylons and left the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

December 24

Battle Road Farm (8:07 a.m.) — A caller spoke to an officer regarding an ongoing situation.

Mary’s Way (1:28 p.m.) — A caller reported a loose yellow Laborador retriever near the Commons that looked in distress. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Old Winter Street (4:35 p.m.) — A caller reported a past encounter with an aggressive dog. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Oak Meadow Road (7:14 p.m.) — A caller reported a water leak in their basement. The Water Department was notified.

Food Project field (11:59 p.m.) — A caller reported hearing banging noises and seeing lights in the area of the Food Project. Keolis was working in the area.

December 25

Concord Road (2:41 a.m.) — A caller reported hearing loud noises similar to gunshots. An officer checked and confirmed that Keolis was working in the area.

Old County Road (4:55 p.m.) — Police and fire units responded to a crash at Route 2 and Old County Road. The Massachusetts State Police booked the crash.

Sandy Pond Road (8:44 p.m.) — A one-car crash was reported on Sandy Pond Road. Upon arrival, the vehicle was unoccupied and on fire. An investigation is ongoing.

December 26

Lincoln Road (8:03 a.m.) — Police and fire units responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection with Codman Road. A vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign, resulting in the collision. Both operators were transported to the hospital and the vehicles were towed from the scene.

South Great Road (7:40 p.m.) — A crash occurred when a vehicle struck a utility pole. The operator refused medical attention. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

December 27

Bypass Road (5:45 a.m.) — A motorist reported striking a deer. The deer ran off and there was minimal damage to the vehicle.

Wells Road (11:44 a.m.) — An officer responded to a residence regarding a motor vehicle crash that occurred in another jurisdiction.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (12:39 p.m.) — Police assisted the Massachusetts State Police with a motor vehicle crash.

Bank of America (12:44 p.m.) — A caller reported losing an earring in the bank’s parking lot.

Mount Misery parking lot (2:36 p.m.) — A lost dog was reported.

Property sales in November 2024

140 Lincoln Rd. #217 — Marian E. Anderson Trust to Elaine Garnache for $568,830 (November 25)
 
243 Aspen Circle — G. Mitchell Eckel III Trust to Kelley Seelagy Trust and KS Trust for $817,000 (November 15)
 
10D North Commons — Wendy Jamieson to Mark Zielinski and Julia Pirvu for $770,000 (November 13)
 
77 Weston Rd. — John Peck to Benjamin Steele and Jane Zimmerman for $2,755,000 (November 12)
 
15 Hillside Rd. — Jonathan Wyman to Leah Rogoff and Jacob Mingolla for $1,450,000 (November 4)

Committee to study town-wide tree preservation

A new Lincoln Tree Preservation Study Group has been formed to address tree protection and preservation, and they want survey input from residents.

The group was created amid concern that the town’s current bylaws and regulations have fewer protections for trees than our neighboring towns, as outlined with information and links in this handout and information table at the recent State of the Town Meeting. “While trees in the public right of way and in wetlands and buffer zones have some protections, other trees in Lincoln have virtually none,” the handout notes — a shortcoming for a town that prides itself on its rural and agricultural character.

Members launched this survey to learn what issues relating to Lincoln’s trees are of interest and/or concern to residents, and they plan educational events starting in early 2025.

In recent weeks, several large trees along roadways close to power lines have been cut down by Eversource in a project that was announced last spring. Those trees were identified in a list from the Department of Public Works and highlighted with tape and explanatory tags. “We spent a lot of time in the public hearing process and then meeting with residents on specific trees they wanted to talk about,” said Tree Warden Ken Bassett, adding that “quite a few” were spared.

Among the trees that have already fallen to the chainsaw are aged Norway maples in Pierce Park close to Weston Road. In the past, “there have been pretty significant power outages from tress coming down into the road” in that area, and the Conservation Department has been planting new ones that are farther away from the road.

Bassett also noted that many of the town’s ash trees have been killed by the emerald ash borer and also need to come down if they endanger power lines.

Family to fund awards honoring Lincoln woman

The giving spirit is certainly in evidence at this time of year. A new town committee backed by a Lincoln family who wants to remain anonymous will award grants to charities every month to recognize women — and in an unrelated development, another family has donated a piece of property to the town for conservation purposes.

In its first year, the Women Positively Impacting Lincoln Lives program, known as WILL, will honor “women who have lived or worked in Lincoln and whose contributions have benefited the town of Lincoln, the local area, or society at large,” said Select Board Chair Kim Bodnar. The group will seek nominations of “women of today” and will award 12 monthly grants of $2,500 to the organization of the winning nominee’s choice. Once a year, it will also select women from history who have had an impact on Lincoln and award $2,500 in her name. 

The family initially offered to appoint and run the committee to spare the town the administrative work that accompanies an official committee. But the Select Board ultimately decided that such a group should be operated by the town under its usual procedures, even though it’s administering private funds, much as the Lincoln Scholarship Committee does.

The identity of the philanthropic family is still a mystery, but that may change at some point. “The donor family would like to remain anonymous but recognize that it might be challenging should they participate in the committee’s meetings, which are subject to the requirements of Open Meeting Law,” Bodnar said. 

The parcel abutting Trapelo Road and the Cambridge Water Dept. land that will be known as “Le Champ du Maroni.”

New town-owned parcel

The parcel of vacant land being donated to the town is on the south side of Trapelo Road abutting the Cambridge Water Department’s land abutting the reservoir (see map at right). It’s one of two adjoining parcels that were once owned by the parents of Kevin Maroni (the second lot abutting Huckleberry Hill includes a home and has been sold). The lot will be left in a natural state as a memorial to his parents and will eventually bear a sign marking it as “Le Champ du Maroni,” said Conservation Director Michele Grzenda. 

My Turn: Salon appointed to School Committee

By Susan Taylor on behalf of the Lincoln School Committee

The Lincoln School Committee is happy to announce that Abbey Salon will join the Committee as an interim member to fill the unexpired term of Yonca Heyse until the town election in March. Abbey was appointed by majority vote of a joint meeting on December 12th of the School Committee and the Select Board as required by state law.

Candidates were interviewed at an open meeting that was recorded. Select Board and School Committee members were all thrilled by the caliber of candidates who submitted statements of interest. While only one person could be selected for this interim position, we are hopeful that all candidates will continue to seek opportunities to be involved and to add their voices and perspectives as we progress along our journey to meet our strategic objectives.

In selecting Abbey Salon, we considered that her deep experience in education could help her acclimate quickly for this short window until the next election. Additionally, the School Committee’s goals for this year include developing standardized reporting around school performance using qualitative and quantitative metrics while maintaining alignment with our AIDE Guide principals. Abbey’s experience with data-driven education goals, her commitment to AIDE work, and the skills she learned earning her master’s in administration will be an asset to the committee and will help propel this work forward.

We are looking forward to having her join our committee. Below is her Statement of Interest if you would like to learn more about her background.

To the Lincoln School Committee:

I am writing to express my interest in the interim vacancy on the Lincoln School Committee.
Besides being the parent of a student of color who will be attending school beginning in the year 2026-27, I care deeply about education for all students. As an elementary and secondary educator for the last 21 years I have a long-standing commitment to education. I currently teach ELA in the Sudbury Public Schools where I have worked for the past 11 years in a variety of teaching roles. I have also worked on numerous committees (such as homework, curriculum, professional development, book groups and grading for equity) both within the district and within the schools in order to help ensure that we were working towards providing the best education possible for our students.

I feel that my work as an educator has afforded me the opportunities to learn many skills that are helpful in aiding the School Committee in their first goal. As a teacher we write and complete SMART goals which are data-driven and guided by qualitative and quantitative metrics. I have also spent a lot of time evaluating curriculum, instruction and grading practices through an AIDE lens within my own department and for my own teaching practice. While I know I will not be directly engaged in these activities as a School Committee member, I know what it takes to execute them well at a staff level.

I believe my organization skills, the skills gained while earning my master’s in administration, as well as my time spent working with various stakeholders would also help me to support the School Committee in the final goals of securing a new DoDEA contract, updating meeting procedures, the policy manual, and community outreach. I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about the possibility of joining the School Committee for the remainder of this year and answering questions that you may have.

Thank you,
Abbey Salon

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Police log for December 8–15, 2024

December 8

Twin Pond Lane (7:23 a.m.) — Officers responded to a residence to investigate tire tracks left in the snow.

Lincoln Road (7:31 p.m.) — An officer noticed the railroad crossing gates appeared to be malfunctioning. The officer remained on scene for a cycle and the MBTA was notified.

December 9

Weston Road (6:47 p.m.) — A person reported being the possible victim of a fraud.

Harvest Circle (11:10 p.m.) — An officer helped a family member contact a relative in Lincoln.

December 10

Ent Road, Hanscom AFB (2:20 a.m.) — Officer assisted Hanscom Air Force Base Security Forces with a well-being check on a juvenile.

North Great Road (7:25 a.m.) — A two vehicle crash occurred at the intersection of Hanscom Drive when a vehicle traveling east lost control and struck an oncoming vehicle. One of the operators was transported to the hospital. The operator who lost control was cited for a marked lanes violation. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.

Lexington Road (11:54 a.m.) — A person reported a missing or stolen item from their entryway.

Lincoln Road 4:59 p.m.) — Officers responded to the intersection of Lincoln Road and Route 117 for a three-vehicle crash after one vehicle failed to yield at the intersection, ultimately striking two others. One of the drivers was transported to the hospital and two of the three vehicles were towed from the scene. The driver that caused the crash was cited for failure to yield.

North Great Road (6:21 p.m.) — A dead deer was reported in a travel lane. The Mass. Highway Department was alerted.

December 11

Lincoln Road (7:32 a.m.) — A motorist reported a possible malfunction with the railroad crossing gates. An officer responded and monitored the gates; there appeared to be no issue.

Tower Road (12:32 p.m.) — An officer spoke to a person regarding an ongoing situation.

Wells Road (7:56 p.m.) — The Fire Department responded for the odor of smoke in an office that turned out to be coming from a malfunctioning dryer.

December 12

Weston Road (8:31 a.m.) — An officer served court paperwork.

Windingwood Lane (12:53 p.m.) — An officer spoke to a person regarding possible threatening text messages.

Lincoln Road (3:57 p.m.) — A person turned in several items marked for destruction.

Old Winter Street (4:50 p.m.) — A caller reported a malfunctioning streetlight. The DPW was notified.

Page Road (6:10 p.m.) — An officer performed a wellness check on a person they encountered.

Bedford Road (6:49 p.m.) — Officers were called to a residence for a vehicle stopped in the driveway. They encountered the operator, identified as John O’Donovan, 68, from Brookfield, Conn., and arrested him for operating under the influence of alcohol. He was briefly transported to the hospital prior to being booked at the station and was later bailed and ordered to appear at Concord District Court the following day.

December 13

Autumn Lane (3:48 p.m.) — An officer helped a person retrieve some items from a residence.

Huckleberry Hill (5:24 p.m.) — An officer investigated a parking complaint on Huckleberry Hill. The vehicle in question was gone on arrival.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (6:19 p.m.) — An officer helped a motorist with a flat tire.

December 14

North Great Road (9:41 a.m.) — The Fire Department investigated a report about an odor of natural gas inside a structure. The area was metered with negative findings.

Wells Road (12:16 p.m.) — An officer assisted a motorist with an issue related to their vehicle.

Page Road (12:30 p.m.) — An officer assisted a person with an ongoing matter.

Tower Road (4:25 p.m.) — A person reported stolen packages.

Baker Bridge Road (4:55 p.m.) — A caller reported a suspicious object in the sky. An officer responded and confirmed the object was most likely a planet.

Old Sudbury Road (9:00 p.m.) — An officer made a notification at the request of an outside agency.

December 15

Ridge Road (2:24 p.m.) — A caller reported a missing cat. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Residents hear about finances, zoning, Lincoln250, and more

Six organizations offered updates and a look ahead at the State of the Town meeting on December 7. There are links to each group’s presentation on the SOTT web page. Some highlights discussed on Saturday:

Finance Committee

“Lincoln’s financials remain incredibly strong,” said FinCom chair Paul Blanchfield. His presentation included a summary of revenue and expenses in the current fiscal year, a budget process timetable for fiscal 2026, tax comparisons to other area towns, and some possible future capital projects. The closest in expected timeframe is roadway improvements, which will be needed in the next 3–5 years for approximately $15 million, he said. 

Community center

The detailed design for the building is now being produced and the $24.02 million project is expected to break ground in July 2025, with completion by late fall 2026, said Community Center Building Committee co-chair Sarah Chester. The town has already made a $6.7 million “down payment” from free cash, the stabilization fund, and donations; the remaining $15.8 million will be bonded next fall. The borrowing amount may be slightly less than originally expected because “interest rates are moving in our favor — we’re in a much better position than we expected to be,” Blanchfield said.

Initial plans were based on a 4.5% projected interest rate, but the current rate is about 3.8%, so officials are now factoring a rate of 4.25% into the borrowing estimate. As a result, the FinCom hopes to offset the previously expected tax increase associated with the project for the next fiscal year. The town has $40 million of debt capacity and will have $23 million remaining after the bonding, Blanchfield said.

Ned Collier of ICON Architects showed the latest renderings of what the inside and outside of the building will look. 

Planning Board

In March 2025, residents will be asked to vote on two zoning updates, both of which are required in order to have the town bylaw reflect associated changes in state or federal law. One of those changes was an update to FEMA’s flood plain maps, which means Lincoln has to update wording in the flood plain overlay district section of the zoning bylaw in order to have residents qualify for flood insurance.

At the state level, the legislature recently made changes to its accessory dwelling unit rules. These changes apply to ADUs of up to 900 square feet, so for units up to that size, the town may not require more than one parking spot, may not require any parking if the unit is within half a mile of the train station, and ma not require owner occupancy of the overall structure.

Lincoln allows ADUs of up to 1,200 square feet with certain restrictions, but the state law applies only to ADUs of up to 900 square feet, so local rules for units of 900–1,200 square feet will not change, said Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson. Property owners also won’t require a special permit for ADUs that are part of an existing dwelling as opposed to a separate building (see page 4 of Olson’s presentation).

She also outlined the various updates to ADU rules in recent years and noted that since 2021, there have been an average of 2.75 ADUs built annually in town.

Dark Skies

A subcommittee of the Planning Board is working on updates to the rules around outdoor lighting. Currently, regulations are found only in the zoning bylaw, which applies only to new construction, so the group is planning to propose changes to the general bylaw as well, which would affect existing outdoor lighting. The goal is to have limits on the brightness, illumination direction and color temperature of outside lights to minimize disruption for animals and insects, and to encourage timers and motion activators on lights that stay on all night.

IDEA

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Antiracism Committee has done an equity audit and a gap analysis of town policies as part of its mission to foster racial, age ethnic and economic diversity in Lincoln, said IDEA Committee Chair Rob Stringer. The resulting action plan calls for collaboration with boards and committees in applying DEI tools in recruiting, meeting management, and policy making.

Also on tap: A Newcomers/Get to Know Lincoln event on January 26, 2025 and more future occasions “to support our mission and to ensure residents see themselves in town events,” Stringer said.

Lincoln250

The 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord will be observed in an array of events in those towns as well as Lincoln and Arlington. Here in Lincoln, the kickoff starts on January 30 with a library-sponsored webinar on “Causes of the American Revolution.” February will see a dance party in the style of 1775 and a virtual talk by Lincoln historian Don Hafner on “Entangled Lives, Black and White, Enslaved and Free, in 18th-century Lincoln.”

 

The bulk of the action takes place in April; on Saturday, April 19, there could well be 150,000 people in Lexington, Lincoln and Concord, said Police Chief Sean Kennedy. As a result, Route 2A and Hanscom Drive will be closed to all vehicles that day (causing a feigned groan of dismay from the audience at the prospect of the planned transfer station closure) so Route 2A can be used as a transportation corridor for buses, event staff, and visiting dignitaries.

In addition, numerous other roads in the area of Minute Man National Historic Park will be closed to all but residents of those roads, who will be issued vehicle passes in advance — see the Lincoln250 presentation starting on page 6.

 

Most of the events within Lincoln will take place from April 12–27 but there will also be a townwide Lincoln250 Fair and Feast on June 14 in Pierce Park. For more information on the months-long observances see the Lincoln25 Planning Committee web page.