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

Corrections

There were several errors in the March 26 story headlined “Annual Town Meeting is (mostly) controversy-free” (the video of the entire meeting is available here):

  • The description of the Housing Commission incorrectly implied that all five members currently serve five-year terms. In fact, three members are elected to three year terms and two members are appointed to five-year terms.
  • In that same section, a quote about how running for election to a town board or commission “is not for everyone” was misattributed to Select Board member Jim Hutchinson. It was actually Select Board member Jonathan Dwyer who made the remark.
  • Also, the description of how the proposed amendment to the motion came into being was not sufficiently detailed. In a March 27 email to the Squirrel, Housing Commisson member Allen Vander Meulen wrote that Town Counsel Joel Bard “proposed we craft an amendment that addressed Sara [Mattes’s] concerns — and he did so with my thanks and approval. My intent was to propose the amendment should Sara’s concerns be raised and an amendment actually proposed, while making it clear I personally did not support it, which is exactly what I did.” That paragraph has been reworded in the original article.
  • The paragraph on accessory apartments mischaracterized the differing requirements for apartments within the main dwelling vs. in a separate accessory structure. The change approved at Town Meeting allows homeowners to create an accessory apartment by right within the main dwelling as long as they follow the rest of the bylaw’s requirements. Accessory apartments in accessory buildings (a small separate building) do still require a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
  • In the paragraph after the “Fond farewells” subhead, the name of Bobbie Miles, who is retiring as longtime director of the Lincoln Public Library, was omitted.
In the March 25 “News Acorns,” the wrong link to register for the talk on vegetable gardening in containers was given. The correct link is lincolngardenclub.org.
 
 

Annual Town Meeting is (mostly) controversy-free

(Editor’s note: This article was updated on March 27 to reflect several corrections.)

Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting on March 25 sailed along with little discussion and quick approvals of dozens of warrant articles — until the very last one.

Article 31 asked voters to approve a petition to the state legislature to change the Housing Commission makeup from five members to seven, all of whom would be appointed by the Select Board. Currently the commission has five members — three elected and two appointed as non-voting liaisons from the Council on Aging & Human Services and the cohort of affordable housing residents. The measure also sought to change the term of office from the current five years to rotating three-year terms.

  • Town Meeting links including article list, warrant, consent calendar, motions, annual report

Running for election to a town board or commission “is not for everyone,” Select Board member Jonathan Dwyer said. Making all members appointed rather than elected and shortening the term of office would “make the on-ramp easier for people to participate.”

The measure “doesn’t take the people’s voice out of peoples hands” because any housing policy changes would still need Town Meeting approval, Housing Commission Chair Rachel Drew said. But several residents spoke out against the idea of having the entire commission appointed. “I would be a lot more comfortable” in keeping some members elected,” Barbara Low said. 

“It’s sending a message that we do not trust the voters, though I do not think that was intentional at all and not what was compelling this,” said Sara Mattes. She proposed an amendment increasing the membership to nine, with seven appointed and two elected. Vander Meulen responded by saying that Mattes had spoken with him and Rachel Drew before the meeting and thanked her. He added that he had worked with Town Counsel Joel Bard to draw up an amendment that addressed Mattes’s concerns, calling for a group of up to seven members (four appointed and three elected). Mattes agreed to use the proposed language in place of her own amendment’s wording.

However, more disagreement arose because the bylaw would still specify the old composition of the board, and the Town Meeting measure would have only authorized the Select Board to work with the legislature to amend the law. “That takes it very far from the voters,” said Bob Domnitz.

“We should go to the legislature with the bylaw we want to submit, not one that needs to be fixed. This feels like it’s getting a little lazy here,” said Stephen Binder. A voice vote on whether to accept the amendment was inconclusive, leading to a standing vote. Residents in the auditorium and gum rejected the amendment by a margin of three votes, and the original motion passed with about a dozen “no” votes.

Fond farewells

Before that final article, the most notable aspect of the Town Meeting was acknowledging the retirements of several fixtures among town officialdom: Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall, Town Counsel Joel Bard, Lincoln-Sudbury Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong, Lincoln Public Library Director Barbara Myles, and longtime Water Commission member Ruth Ann Hendrickson, who also received the annual Bright Light Award.

Hutchinson praised Hendrickson’s “ability to calmly and reassuringly give not great news to the public” during a time of Water Department turmoil and rate hikes, as well as her “scientific background, curiosity, and devotion to public service, which included memberships on several other boards in past years. Hendrickson donated the $500 stipend to the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry.

An emotional McFall thanked the many School Committee members, faculty, and teacher’s union representatives she worked with over the past 11 years. “I can honestly say that working here in Lincoln is the greatest honor and privilege of my career,” she said. “I will forever consider myself part of Lincoln and am just grateful for the opportunities I’ve had.”

Other Town Meeting highlights
  • Every spending measure was unanimously approved, as was a larger-than-usual transfer from free cash to the debt stabilization fund of $1.64 million, bringing the fund to a new total of more than $5 million. The fund will play an important part in defraying the cost of a future community center. “This is the most exciting item on the consent calendar,” said former Finance Committee Chair Peyton Marshall. “$1.6 million is not trivial.”
  • Voters approved adopting the Specialized Energy Code (Article 29), which goes further than the current “stretch code” for environmentally friendly construction, and adopted rules (Article 30) that prohibit new buildings and major renovation projects that are not fossil fuel-free, with some exceptions. The second measure makes Lincoln one of 10 “demonstration” towns in Massachusetts designated by the legislature. Click here for links to more information about Articles 29 and 30.
  • Changes intended to encourage more accessory apartments were approved. Residents may now create accessory apartments within their main dwelling by right as long as they follow the rest of the bylaw’s rules. Accessory apartments in small separate buildings still require approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals. The amended law also requires a parking space for the apartment and prohibits split ownership of the property to prevent condo conversion.
  • Several articles on the warrant were passed over:
    • Article 23 — motion to rescind a Water Department bond authorization,
    • Article 25 — motion to amend the wording about cluster development proponents being required to give the town and/or the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust interests in land as part of the approval process. “We decided law was adequate and no changes are needed,” Planning Board Chair Bob Domnitz said.
    • Article 27 — motion to amend zoning rules to allow certain residential, business and mixed uses by right in the Lewis Street/Doherty’s area. “The Planning Board has recognized for some time that the zoning for the B2 business district needs updating,” Domnitz said. However, in August the state issued revised guidelines to the Housing Choice Act that could affect that area, so the Planning Board will wait until the town has an “integrated plan” for whether it will comply with the HCA and whether the B2 district will be part of that plan. 
    • Article 32 — motion regarding the proposed property tax circuit breaker that requires authorization from the legislature,

Police log for March 10–18, 2023

March 10

Lincoln MBTA station (5:39 p.m.) — An individual reported seeing someone deflating a vehicle’s tires at the commuter lot. An officer is investigating.

Bradyll Road, Weston (6:35 p.m.) —Lincoln Police responded to a request for mutual aid for an incident in their jurisdiction.

Old Road, Weston (6:47 p.m.) — The Weston Fire Department requested a mutual aid ambulance.

Lexington Road (8:52 p.m.) — A caller reported hearing a vehicle revving its engine on Lexington Road and in the cemetery. Police responded but were unable to locate the vehicle.

Cherry Brook Road, Weston (10:03 p.m.) —Weston Police requested a mutual aid response for an additional Lincoln officer to assist with a residential burglar alarm.

March 11

North Avenue (1:20 a.m.) — A caller requested a tow company’s information.

Newbury Court, Concord (9:41 a.m.) — A Lifeline activation was received for an individual no longer living in Lincoln.

South Great Road (3:15 p.m.) — A caller reported a possible abandoned vehicle. An officer checked the area but discovered no vehicles parked or abandoned.

Weston Road (8:28 p.m.) — A resident reported that their doorbell was rung multiple times but no one was present when the resident answered. The area was checked but nothing was found.

March 12

Old Sudbury Road (3:33 a.m.) — An officer discovered the railroad gates at Old Sudbury Road were stuck in the “down” position. An officer remained on scene until Keolis arrived at 5:24 a.m.

Weston Road (5:14 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing several children gathered in the roadway. The area was checked but no children were found.

March 13

Bemis Hall (4:23 p.m.) — Several residents reported a Verizon outage. Verizon was notified and worked on the issue.

Old Sudbury Road (7:41 p.m.) — A caller reported the railroad gates at Old Sudbury Road were stuck in the “down” position. An officer remained on scene until 8:34 p.m. when the gates returned to a normal working order. The MBTA was notified to follow up with the ongoing issue.

March 14

Bedford Road (8:07 a.m.) — Minor motor vehicle crash. An officer responded and assisted the parties with exchanging papers.

South Great Road (11:46 a.m.) — Multiple 911 callers reported a two-car motor vehicle crash. Two occupants were transported to Emerson Hospital and both vehicles were towed from the scene.

Concord Road (12:17 p.m.) — The Police and Fire Departments were dispatched for a report of an elderly man who had fallen. The entire length of the roadway was checked but no injured parties were located.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (12:29 p.m.) — Two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Bedford Road. The occupant of one of the vehicles was transported to Lahey Clinic with minor injuries.

South Great Road (12:43p.m.) — Multiple calls were received for a vehicle that had run off the roadway. A tow truck was summoned to remove the vehicle.

Weston Road (1:05 p.m.) — A well-being check was requested by the Council on Aging. The individual was apparently having trouble with their telephone.

South Great Road (2:59 p.m.) — Multiple calls were received for the railroad gates malfunctioning in the “down” position. Officers responded and remained on scene for approximately 15 minutes until Keolis arrived and returned the gates to normal working order.

105 Offutt Road, Hanscom AFB (4:05 p.m.) — A caller reported a missing item.

Linway Road (7:03 p.m.) — The Fire Department responded for a tree that was on fire due to an electrical malfunction and remained on scene until Eversource arrived.

March 15

Deaconess Road, Concord (8:25 am.) — The Lincoln Fire Department responded for mutual aid coverage related to a gas leak. An engine was staged near the scene and was cleared from Concord several hours later.

Old Cambridge Turnpike (9:32 a.m.) — A lost item was recovered by Lexington police. A Lincoln resident was notified that their item was at the Lexington Police Station.

South Commons (11:52 a.m.) — An officer was called to a home to assist a resident with a request from an outside agency.

Sandy Pond Road (12:24 p.m.) — A caller reported past damage to their mailbox.

Wells Road (4:43 p.m.) — Court paperwork was served.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (6:47 p.m.) — State Police reported a wrong-way driver traveling west in the eastbound lanes of Route 2. The vehicle was subsequently stopped by State Police, who asked the Lincoln Fire Department to respond.

March 16

Acorn Lane (11:58 am.) — A caller reported a motor vehicle blocking access to a fire hydrant on Acorn Lane. Police checked the area and found no such vehicle.

Concord Road (5:54 p.m.) — A motorist reported seeing a vehicle possibly strike a wooden pylon near Walden Pond. The area was checked but no new damage was observed.

Trapelo Road (7:17 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing an injured deer in the area. The deer was nowhere to be found when police arrived.

March 17

South Commons (11:12 a.m.) — A caller spoke to an officer about possibly having their personal information compromised.

Ent Road (5:20 p.m.) — Police were requested to perform a well-being check from an outside agency. Everything was fine.

Hanscom Drive (10:40 p.m.) — A deer in the roadway was struck and injured by a vehicle. An officer responded and dispatched the deer. MassDOT was notified to remove the deceased animal.

March 18

Lexington Road (1:08 a.m.) — A caller reported individuals appeared to be attempting to gain entry into a barn. Officers were able to speak with individuals in the area. No further action was required.

Juniper Ridge Road (3:08 a.m.) — A motor vehicle was stopped for being unregistered and uninsured. The vehicle was towed and the owner was issued with a criminal complaint.

Indian Camp Lane (2:05 p.m.) — A resident reported being the victim of identity fraud.

News acorns

L-S superintendent finalists named

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee unanimously approved three local educational leaders as finalists for the position of superintendent/principal to succeed Bella Wong. The school committee took its vote after receiving a report and recommendations from its 11-member initial screening and interview committee. The candidates are Jamie Chisum, principal of Wellesley High School since 1999; Allyson Mizoguchi, who started teaching at Wayland High School in 1997 and has been principal for seven years; and Andrew Stephens, principal of Lexington High School since 2017.

“We were fortunate to have a great pool of applicants and a very hard working search committee,” said School Committee member Kevin Matthews who chaired the screening panel. “Each is an experienced building leader and school administrator.” During the last week in March, the candidates will spend a day at L-S meeting with faculty, students, and parents right through the evening session. The candidates will follow up with a formal public interview with the School Committee.

Learn how to “green up” older houses

“Case Studies in Retrofitting Your Older House” is the next event in the Lincoln Green Energy Committee’s “Getting to Zero” series on Thursday, March 30 from 7–9 p.m. on Zoom. Join CFREE and FoMA, and our panel of homeowners, builders, and architects, who will share their experiences with retrofitting their older houses and offer ideas on where to start and how to sequence renovation work. CFREE (Carbon Free Residential, Everything Electric) is a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee dedicated to assisting homeowners work toward net-zero, all electric houses. Co-sponsored by FoMA (Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln). Click here to register.

“Breathe-Move-Pray” at St. Anne’s

St Anne’s St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church will host “Breathe-Move-Pray” sessions on Sundays, April 2 and 16 at 4:30 p.m. by the font as we prepare for the quiet of the Contemplative Compline service with a guided practice of classic breath and movement patterns. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a mat if you’d like. For more information, visit StAnnesLincoln.org or the event calendar for additional dates.

Talk on vegetable gardening in containers

The Lincoln Garden Club invites the public to a lecture on vegetable gardening in containers with Sara Rostampour, director of horticulture at Green City Growers, on Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m. The lecture will be in person at Bemis Hall as well as on Zoom.  She will cover the basics of container growing such as location, design, and soil while considering garden goals. She will also talk about crop planning and show how to make a crop map for a successful experience. Click here for more information and to register. Click here to register.

Writers share their stuff
Saturday, April 22 at 2 p.m. (in person)
Lincoln’s literary talent will be center stage in the Tarbell Room at the library on Saturday, April 22 to read their own material in genres including memoir, poetry, essay, and fiction. Writers will comment on their selections, answer questions, and generally remove the mystery from how to take the first steps toward being an author. Among these is joining them by becoming a member of The Write Stuff, an accomplished but warmly collegial group that’s sponsoring this event jointly with the library staff.  

Intergenerational book/ice cream event at Bemis

Are you thinking about what to do over school vacation with the grandkids? Bring them to this intergenerational book intro, meet Lincoln resident Ruth Mendelson (author of The Water Tree Way), and enjoy ice cream sundae cups on Friday, April 21 at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall. There will also be a short video of Jane Goodall, who volunteered to write the preface for the book. RSVP to reserve a free signed copy of the book by calling 781-259-8811 (limited to the first 20 callers; limit one book per household). Sponsored by the Council on Aging & Human Services and the Friends of the Lincoln Library.

St. Anne’s lecture series on encountering the divine

How might we encounter Jesus, and/or the divine more broadly, through faiths beyond Christianity? In this multi-week series, three religious scholars from Boston College will lead us in an exploration of how Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam might help us engage spiritual resources, in a responsible way, beyond the traditional boundaries of Christianity. All sessions are free and meet in Flint Hall at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church from 6:30–8 p.m. The schedule is as follows:

  • Thursday, April 13 — “Encountering the Divine through Buddhism” with Yonder Gillihan, Associate Professor of Theology 
  • Thursday, April 27 — “Encountering the Divine through Judaism” with Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, director of the BC Center for Christian-Jewish Learning 
  • Thursday, May 4 — “Encountering the Divine through Islam” with Natana DeLong-Bas, Associate Professor of the Practice 

My Turn: Buchthal on why he should be elected to School Committee

By Peter Buchthal

My name is Peter Buchthal and I am running for the Lincoln School Committee.

I am a huge supporter of public education. I attended an excellent public school in Scarsdale and was excited for the opportunity to enroll my three young children in the Lincoln Public School system (LPS) when we moved to town in 2013 (even though none were born yet!). I was thrilled with LPS during the pandemic when classrooms opened early for the lower grades, since remote work is more challenging with younger kids. However, over the past year, I have become concerned about our educational standards as I have learned more about the programs for older kids.

The school administration recently released an iReady report that showed that 38% of Lincoln School students (close to 200 out of 515 students) are one or more grades behind in their studies. At first, I wondered if we were just suffering long-term academic effects from the pandemic. Our average 2022 MCAS result is 510.05 vs. 2019 MCAS of 510.79. The results are so close that we can’t ignore our poor results and blame them on the pandemic.

In 2012, LPS’s #1 goal was “striving for academic excellence.” Over the past ten years, the academic goals and expectations have continually weakened. Now in 2023, only one of the school’s “high-priority goals” (see page 27 of the Financial Section and Warrant for the 2023 Annual Town Meeting) that talks about academics and just states: “Improve student investment, academic outcomes…” If elected to the School Committee, I will work with my fellow School Committee members to refocus our academic goals and devote more time in the classroom to foundational skills in reading, writing, and math to make sure all students are meeting grade-level proficiency standards in these subjects. This may involve reevaluating our current curriculum, after school and investing in additional resources to support struggling students.

Additionally, we spend 20% to 30% more per student than most of our peer towns. Yet all our academic test scores are middle of the pack. If more students were at grade level, we might free up budget money to expand our academic and athletic offerings. We might even be able to save a little money and reduce the burden on the Lincoln taxpayer.

I propose that we add additional learning opportunities to the Lincoln campus after school. I understand that many families supplement their child’s reading and math with Russian Math, Kumon, Beast Academy, etc. From an equity view, it is unfair that many students in our school do not have sufficient resources to attend these helpful programs. As a member of the School Committee, I would work with the administration and teachers to explore creating various additional extra academic offerings on campus so all of our students can get the benefits of these courses without leaving Lincoln.

I proposed during a PTO meeting that we look into an intensive six-week summer school program to get all of our students back to grade level. With the support of participating staff, parents, and students, I look forward to trying to make this happen next year. We could also consider adding academic special weeks during some vacations to further support the academics of our students. We need to solve this problem and I will reach out to all groups (teachers, parents, administrators) to explore all the different and creative ways we can work together.

A student survey from this past spring showed that only 24 percent of our middle school students felt engaged in the classroom. It is not difficult to understand a student’s lack of engagement when 38% of the class is behind one or more grades. I believe If more students were at grade level, the pace and content of our classes would be more challenging, more engaging, and academ

As a member of the School Committee, I will work tirelessly to support the new superintendent’s effort in doing a top to bottom review of our school system. I look forward to learning how we can improve our school with new offerings, initiatives and maybe even some cost savings. Many of my concerns and supporting information have been previously shared on LincolnTalk. Please check the archives for more information or email me directly.

Please give me a chance to help improve our school for everyone and support our new superintendent. Vote Peter Buchthal for Lincoln School Committee on March 27.

Sincerely,

Peter Buchthal (pbuchthal@gmail.com)

“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.

Candidates offer differing views on issues at forum

Five of the seven candidates in the contested School Committee and Planning Board races shared their views on issues including class size and the Housing Choice Act at a March 21 forum. A recording of the event is available here for viewing in advance of the election on Monday, March 27.

School Committee

Candidates for the two seats: Peter Buchthal, Adam Hogue (two-term incumbent), Matina Madrick, and Jake Lehrhoff, who was not present. 

Buchthal has been posting pieces on LincolnTalk about student attrition at the Lincoln School, what he termed an “achievement gap,” and funding, saying that Lincoln “spends substantially more per student than peer towns.”

“We need a new set of eyes, not a rubber stamp,” he said.

While Hogue touted his record of helping negotiate past teacher contracts and fighting to keep the Lincoln Public School open during the pandemic, Madrick said that “educators and administrators have also gone through a big mental health crisis” during that time, and the School Committee “could look at aligning the budget to provide services for our educators.”

The candidates had different takes on the issue of diversity work in the schools. “The AIDE [access, inclusion, diversity, and equity] work I think has been terrific,” particularly the recent 21-day AIDE Challenge, said Madrick, who also lauded the schools’ Portrait of a Learner initiative.

“I really support the AIDE stuff but these are really difficult conversations, Hogue said. When the issue was first being discussed in depth on the School Committee, “everyone was kind of singing ‘Kumbaya’ but not talking. When we had to start debating issues, it was tough — we butted heads. We disagreed but it was actually a good thing [because] we went through the issues.” He said some committee members initially wanted to focus on issues surrounding Black and Indigenous students, “but I said I disagree with this” because he wanted to include LGBTQ students and “Asian hate” in the conversation. “I got some nasty emails about that,” he said.

Buchthal said “really didn’t know the details” about the AIDE and Portrait of a Learner work. “We need to focus on what they’re behind in, and that’s reading, writing, and arithmetic,” he said. He claimed that a recent assessment showed that 38% of Lincoln School students are one or more grades behind where they should be, “and we should start looking at what we should do in terms of an action plan.”

Regarding the METCO program, Madrick advocated having more activities involving Lincoln students and parents in Boston. Buchthal again brought up the achievement gap during the METCO discussion, saying that “the program has enormous potential but we haven’t achieved it yet… I’m all for the social aspects but [METCO kids] spend two hours a day coming and going from here, and we have to make sure they get the best education possible. With this kind of gap we’re not doing what we need to do.”

All three School Committee candidates welcomed the hire of Superintendent of Schools Parry Graham and vowed to support him as much as possible. “I’d give him super carte blanche to put everything on the table — this is his regime,” Buchthal said. Also on deck is a new middle school principal. “They handle disciplinary issues [and] and we need clearer, more defined disciplinary rules,” he added. If there’s instances of bullying or “a kid says he doesn’t want to do his homework, what happens to them? I don’t know.”

The candidates diverged on the issue of class sizes. Research showing the benefits of smaller classes has been “debunked” by the Department of Education, Buchthal said. Some middle school classes have been as small as 15 students (largely due to students leaving the district, he said)., adding that larger classes offer “social benefits as well as little bit of competition.”

But Madrick disagreed, noting that her daughter was in a 32-student class in kindergarten in another town “and it was chaos — she spent the year doing worksheets.” Although “I’m sure in some cases we could add students” to a class, “this is kind of more complicated for a small district. It’s a big privilege to have that problem and I’m happy to have it and happy to have discussions about it, but I’m not sure it’s such a high priority for our district right now.”

Planning Board

Candidates: Craig Nicholson and Mark Levinson (incumbent Lynn DeLisi was not present).

The two biggest planning issues facing Lincoln at the moment are the proposed expansions of Hanscom Field and The Commons in Lincoln, and the Housing Choice Act (HCA), which requires “MBTA communities” including Lincoln to allow more multifamily housing by right. “The initial proposal sprung on the [Commons] residents didn’t seem to protect their interests very much,” Levinson said. As for the Hanscom proposal, “it’s a really bad idea for all sorts of reasons,” including increased air and road traffic and noise,” he added.

The idea has attracted protests from hundreds of area residents, and developers must now submit a detailed environmental impact report. Nevertheless, “Massport has made it clear they want to do something there. It would be foolish to think that pressure is going to go away,” Nicholson said. “The town doesn’t have direct control, but we have to do as much as we can as a town to apply political pressure on our state and federal legislators.”

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office recently ratcheted up the pressure on towns by making it clear that compliance with the HCA is not optional. Lincoln’s HCA Working Group is working to figure out how the rules apply specifically to Lincoln. A Town Meeting vote on zoning amendments is expected in March 2024.

“It has to start with a tremendous amount of outreach,” Nicholson said. As the working group looks at what areas of town could be subject to rezoning, “it may not necessarily all be negative impacts.”

The two candidates were also asked about how to make it easier for families and others (even if they are not technically low-income) to afford a home in Lincoln. Nicholson noted that this is a regional problem that is driven largely by supply and demand. 

As Levinson noted, the town is again proposing to amend zoning rules in order to encourage more accessory apartments. If approved, Article 26 will allow accessory apartments by right within the principal dwelling unit and would streamline the permitting process for an unit in an accessory structure by deleting the requirement of a Planning Board recommendation to the Zoning Board of Appeals. This would hopefully create more housing that is “relatively affordable,” he said.

My Turn: In support of DeLisi and Levinson for Planning Board

The town of Lincoln is facing significant decisions that will impact its future, among them: responding to the Massachusetts Housing Choice Act, supporting the commercial success of our Mall area, and responding to the possible expansion of Hanscom Field.

To ensure that the town can respond successfully to these issues, Lynn DeLisi and Mark Levinson advocate for:

  • Broad engagement with all residents to define a clear set of common town goals
  • A planning process that requires thorough research to quantify the benefits, costs, and impacts of our shared goals
  • Providing residents with a clear picture of the financial, environmental, and social impacts of any proposed changes BEFORE taking action or asking residents to vote.
  • Protecting and preserving our current properties of affordably-priced multi-family housing options.

While planning is not an exact science, both Mark and Lynn have scientific backgrounds that ground them in doing the essential work to prepare us for making responsible and informed decisions. They do not bring a bias toward (or against) development based on their professional backgrounds. They do bring years of Planning Board experience (board member, resident liaison) and decades of residence in, and commitment to, the town of Lincoln.

If an unbiased, research-fueled, fiscally-sound, resident-engaging approach to navigating these important changes makes sense to you, please join us in voting for Lynn DeLisi and Mark Levinson.

Mark Ahern
Diana Bercel
Andy Cole
David Cuetos
Mark Damico
Bob Domnitz
John C. Dorr
Denise Gieseke
Eric Gieseke
Jean Granick
Karla Gravis

Susan Holland
Jennifer Lau
Linda Lauffer
Ada Lee
Isabel Lee
Mark Mackey
Stacey Sawyer-Mackie
June Matthews
Tom Moran
Connie Ohlsten
Richard Ohlsten
Barbara Peskin
Dennis Picker
Mary Rosenfeld
Bill Schiano
Melissa Shea
Peggy Shea
Stephen Smith
Stephanie Stathos
Deborah Wallace
Michael F. Welch

“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.

My Turn: Re-elect DeLisi to Planning Board

By Deborah Wallace

I am writing in support of Lynn DeLisi’s re-election to the Lincoln Planning Board.

I worked closely with Lynn on the Marijuana Study Committee established to address the (then) new state law legalizing recreational marijuana in the Commonwealth. Our charge was to educate and inform Lincoln voters about the policies, regulations, and implications associated with legalization of recreational marijuana, a highly charged and controversial subject. Lynn was always clear-minded, thoughtful, and extremely well informed, in large part due to her medical expertise on substance abuse, but also due to her ability to entertain different points of view.

Lynn’s familiarity with the subject of Lincoln’s compliance with the Housing Choice Act, also a highly charged and controversial issue, is another key asset she will bring to the Planning Board. Her familiarity will allow her to immediately contribute to decisions that will need to be made and provide a knowledge base for future discussions and outreach to residents with concerns, as well as support a potentially steep learning curve for new members less familiar with the HCA. I am confident that she will do this in the same clear-minded and well-informed manner that she did when serving on the Marijuana Study Committee.

Lynn cares deeply about Lincoln’s neighborhoods, the people who live in them, and the impact that housing changes could bring to so many fundamental aspects of their lives. As such, I know she will consistently encourage and seek their input and consider it carefully as plans emerge, change and re-emerge.

Please join me in voting for Lynn for re-election to the Lincoln Planning Board.

Sincerely,

Deborah Wallace

“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.

My Turn: Hogue makes his case for reelection to School Committee

Many thanks to the PTO for putting on last night’s candidate forum. It was great to see such a good turnout at the event in-person and virtually to discuss some of the important issues facing our town. I believe the forum was recorded and will be posted. I encourage those who were unable to attend last night to watch it. In addition, I would like to ask for your vote on Monday, March 27 for the following reasons.

With all the work the schools are currently engaged in, and especially with the hire of a new superintendent in Lincoln, we need experience on the Lincoln School Committee, and I bring that with five years of experience. I helped navigate us through the pandemic and was the first one to say the schools needed to be open. I collaborated with my colleagues, the administrative team, parents, the town, and the teacher’s union to get the schools opened safely.

I have helped negotiate multiple contracts with union leadership and have built a collaborative relationship with our teachers. I am currently in the middle of negotiations with our teacher’s union for their next contract.

Since joining the School Committee, I have pushed for a data-focused approach while also supporting the development of a Portrait of a Learner so that we can monitor our achievement gaps and allocate resources to close them.

I hope I have earned your vote on March 27. Please reach out to me if you have any questions regarding my candidacy.

Respectfully,

Adam Hogue, 50 Lincoln Rd.
978-828-6184 (cell)

“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.

Spending requests detailed in Town Meeting warrant

The FY 2024 total proposed budget for the town is up by 2.7% over this year’s figure, though the final amount for Lincoln School spending won’t be publicly known until the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) on Saturday, March 25.

Voter check-in for the ATM begins at 8:30 a.m. and the meeting will start at 9:30 a.m. in the Donaldson Auditorium and Todd Lecture Hall. Masks are optional in those areas, though they will be required for those who wish to sit in the nearby Reed Gym. For the first time this year, attendees may ask questions and vote from the gym in addition to seeing a livestream of the proceedings. Lunches prepared by Twisted Tree will be available for purchase in the Dining Commons.

According to the ATM Financial Section and Warrant posted on the town website and mailed to residents, the original K-8 education budget called for an increase of $692,301 or 5.5%. That request included “a new level service to address the needs of students post pandemic” — hiring 3.5 FTE (full-time equivalent) instructional coaches at the Lincoln and Hanscom Schools.

However, after the warrant was printed, Lincoln Public Schools revised its budget request downward by $194,000. The warrant notes on page 26 that since the hiring of incoming Superintendent of Schools Parry Graham, retiring Superintendent Becky McFall had withdrawn the request for the new coaches. The Finance Committee will recommend that the $194,000 be added to this year’s contribution to the town’s debt stabilization fund instead.

The School Committee also included an added 1% in its budget request for contract negotiations with the teachers’ union, but the actual cost won’t be known until a new contract is signed.

The public hearing on the budget held in February can be viewed here (the presentation starts at around 56:00) and a March 20 online Q&A session with the FinCom can be viewed here.

Cash capital

The FinCom is proposing cash capital expenditures totaling $661,376, plus $138,705 for town and school maintenance (Articles, 15, and 16 on page 10-11 of the warrant). In a separate measure, voters will be asked to add $520,000 to a revolving fund to enable the town to purchase a new ambulance. The cash capital items include a new police car, a DPW pickup truck and trash compactor, and school emergency radios.

Community Preservation Committee

The Community Preservation Committee is requesting $856,353 in Article 10 (page 14), down from $1.18 million in this year’s budget. Debt service for the town office building renovation and the Wang property and athletic field account for almost half that figure, while repairs and upgrades on properties owned by the Housing Commission total $245,500.

Water Department

The Water Department has benefited from federal ARPA (Covid-19 relief) funding and is planning to stay within the 2.5% annual budget increase as recommended by the FinCom. The department is requesting $278,411 for capital expenses in Article 22. Of that, $210,411 would come from bonding and the rest from retained earnings.

Projects that were previously funded but are still in process include replacing the Tower Road well, repairing the Bedford Road storage tank cover, and evaluating the emergency interconnect with Wayland. Bidding for the first two projects will take place this spring.