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

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Lincolnites to join rally on Saturday

Lincolnites are invited to join a group of Lincoln Democrats and friends plan to attend the Rally for Democracy on the Boston Common on Saturday, March 15 from noon–3:00pm. They will meet at Lincoln Station at 11:00am to catch the 11:21am commuter rail. More information on speakers and themes here.

Get ready for the town election

The Annual Town Election is coming up on Monday, March 31. There are two contested races on the ballot in which there are three candidates for two open positions: the Planning Board and the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School District Committee. Click here for a sample ballot.

For a municipal election, the state does not send out postcards that you can fill out to request a ballot. Therefore, if you wish to vote by mail, please complete a Vote by Mail application form and return it to the Town Clerk’s office. Please note that, under state law, typed signatures on applications are not permitted. The last day to request to vote by mail is Monday, March 24, 2025 by 5:00pm.

Early voting in person starts on Saturday, March 22 and continues on Monday, March 24 through Thursday, March 27 from 10:00am–3:00pm each day in the Donaldson Room in Town Hall. On Election Day, the polls are open from 7:30am–8:00pm in the Reed Gym on Ballfield Road. Click here for more information.

Parks & Rec seeks new member

The Parks & Recreation Committee is seeking applicants to fill a vacancy to serve a three-year appointed term that will expire in Marcf 2028, at which point the person will then need to stand for election. The committee supports the Parks and Recreation Department in providing affordable and diverse wellness and enrichment opportunities, community-based special events, and safe recreational facilities to residents of all ages. The committee sets policy and oversees all facets of the department as well as strategic planning and development.

For more information, visit the Parks & Recreation Committee web site. Volunteer forms and letters of interest should be sent to Peggy Elder, administrative assistant in the Select Board’s Office, at elderp@lincolntown.org. Questions? Call 781-259-2601.

Sign up for summer softball

Sign up now for the Lincoln Co-ed Softball League with player of all skill levels (21+). Teams play July once or twice a week from May to July on Sundays at 5:00pm and Tuesdays and Thursday at 6:00pm at Codman Field behind the pool. For more information, click here or email lincolnsoftball01773@gmail.com.

Lincoln author wins award

The Independent Publishers of New England has awarded Polly Sumner: Witness to the Boston Tea Party a Bronze Medal for Children’s Books in their 2024 Book Awards competition to Lincoln historian Rick Wiggin, illustrated by Keith Favazza. The book tells the story of a doll from England who lands in Boston on a ship loaded with tea and has a front row seat for the Boston Tea Party and events that followed.

My Turn: L-S School Committee candidate Morton seeks support

By Charles I. Morton, IV

I am a candidate for one of two open seats on the L-S School Committee. I am running to bring my experience as a teacher, coach, tutor, and mentor to an oversight body tasked with fielding questions and concerns from community members and collaborating with administrators and teachers to solve problems arising from budget uncertainty and shifting demands for academic, extracurricular, and support services.  

We are fortunate to live where we can be confident that a public high school education provides elite preparation for our children to pursue their future endeavors. In Fall 2026, my wife and I will begin a full decade as L-S parents as our four children progress through the ranks.  

I have been on the faculty of the Chemistry Department at Brown University since 2016, teaching general and organic chemistry classes to 150–600 students who are primarily pre-med and/or STEM concentrators. I have observed, particularly since Covid, that instructors have to be far more adaptable than ever before to best serve each cohort of students coming in with different high school experiences: what worked as recently as 2022 still requires significant updating in 2025. While the subject matter I teach barely changes from year to year, the opportunities for innovation and renewal help me thrive — a spirit that I admire in L-S’s community of educators as well.

After nearly two decades as an assistant coach for MIT volleyball, I took on much younger clientele by coaching 15 (and counting) seasons of Sudbury Youth Soccer and co-founding Sudbury Youth Volleyball. After grad school I was a master tutor and tutor coordinator for Signet Education, designing custom curricula for students needing enrichment or alternative programs and offering mentorship far beyond homework help or test prep.

With four kids ages 7–12 plus students and advisees ages 17–22, every day crystallizes the importance of the high school years as a crucial developmental stage. This in-between phase of ever-accelerating academic intensity and social pressure requires expert mentorship. Our faculty at L-S deliver an outstanding product year after year, but there are always new challenges that can be solved with the support of a collaborative and collegial committee when the membership is committed to and invested in the future of L-S for decades to come.  

I look forward to doing everything I can to bring our two communities even closer together. I ask for your support on March 31 and invite you to read more about me and check my calendar of events at charlesmorton.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.

Legal notice: Water Main Replacement – Phase 1 (notice #2 of 2)

The Town of Lincoln, MA (owner) invites sealed bids for Bedford Road and Lincoln Road Water Main Replacement – Phase 1 for replacement of approximately 5,050 linear feet of 12-inch water main to replace the existing 10-inch and 12-inch mains. Substantial completion: November 14, 2025. Final completion: May 29, 2026.

[Read more…] about Legal notice: Water Main Replacement – Phase 1 (notice #2 of 2)

My Turn: A swimmable Charles River? Yes we can!

By Emily Norton

Forty years after the cleanup of the Charles River began, we still cannot safely swim in its waters.

The only swimming that takes place in the Charles’ lower basin — the area between Watertown and Boston Harbor — is via special permit, and those events are frequently cancelled due to poor water quality. But now we have an opportunity to change that.

In October 2024, the U.S. EPA released a draft permit requiring commercial properties with an acre or more of “impervious surfaces” — surfaces such as pavement and roofs that cannot absorb water — to better control the stormwater pollution coming from their land. This is a big deal, because stormwater is the main source of pollution that’s degrading water quality in the Charles, as well as in the Mystic and the Neponset Rivers.

When it rains, water passes down roofs and across parking lots, sidewalks and streets, collecting organic material, pathogens and other pollutants in its path. All that untreated water then goes into storm drains and is dumped directly into our rivers. This polluted stormwater runoff fuels toxic algal blooms, feeds invasive plants (which crowd out native species) and degrades habitat, harming the river and making it less safe for recreation.

As climate change brings more intense rainstorms, we are only seeing the volume of polluted water in our rivers increasing. That’s where this new draft permit comes in.

Currently, a disproportionate amount of stormwater pollution comes from land owned by large commercial businesses, industrial sites, and universities. EPA’s proposal would require these private property owners to rein in their dirty water runoff, either by reducing the total amount of the impervious surface on their land that the rain passes across, or by implementing different types of eco-friendly infrastructure such as green roofs, underground holding tanks, or vegetated ditches called bioswales. These new requirements have the added benefit of reducing inland flooding, as more green infrastructure and less pavement means stormwater will be stored in tanks or infiltrated into the ground rather than flowing into storm drains.

This will also benefit Lincoln taxpayers, as municipalities are required to reduce stormwater pollution within their borders, placing the financial burden entirely on residents. This new permit will force those who are contributing most significantly to the problem to pay their fair share to address it.

These requirements are not yet set in stone, and public support is needed to get them across the finish line. EPA is accepting written comments on this new regulatory approach through March 17. If you care about achieving a swimmable Charles, and a safe healthy environment, your voice matters. Tell the EPA and the incoming administration that we need a clean Charles River now. More information on submitting written comments can be found at crwa.org/advocacy-center.

In the early 20th century, public beaches lined the Charles in Boston and Cambridge. Let’s re-commit to reopening Magazine Beach, Havey Beach, Charlesbank Beach, and Gerry’s Landing Beach, so that on a hot summer day we can all cool off with a jump into the refreshing, clean water of the Charles River.

Emily Norton is the executive director of the Charles River Watershed Association.

“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.

Get creative — submit your stuff to the Lincoln Review!

Now that the Lincoln Squirrel website is back in action, it’s time to add Lincoln arts to your day. The deadline for submitting stories, poetry artwork, photos, and other creative work for the next issue of the Lincoln Review is April 4, 2025. Anyone who has a Lincoln connection (current or former residents, extended family, employees, etc.) is eligible. Share your work and have it preserved online in the Lincoln Review!

See the most recent issue here. For more information on submitting your work, click here or just email it to lincolnmareview@gmail.com or lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. We’e shooting for a publication date of May 5, 2025. Don’t be shy — show us your creative chops!

Barb Rhines, editor
Alice Waugh, publisher (also editor of the Lincoln Squirrel)

Water rates to rise by 10%; bonding sought for water main project

A screenshot from the March 4 hearing showing water rates in Lincoln and other towns (click to enlarge).

Lincoln water rates are expected to rise by 10% in each of the next four years as the town embarks on a project to replace aging water mains. Voters will also be asked to approve an additional $6.79 million in capital spending in fiscal 2026.

This summer, the town will start a multi-year project to replace the water main that runs from the top of the hill on Bedford Road just south of Hilliard Road down to Five Corners and then under Lincoln Road to Route 117, although water flow rates south of Codman Road are currently acceptable, Water Superintendent Darin LaFalam said in the March 4 public hearing on water rates (video here; passcode is s+=p.5&u).

The existing cast-iron main under Lincoln Road dating from 1927 has significant mineral deposits inside it, with the result that water flow through the center of town is “greatly reduced,” and booster pumps had to be installed as part of the Lincoln School renovation project to achieve acceptable fire protection, he said. The new pipes will be made of cement-lined ductile iron, which will not accumulate deposits.

Most of the $6.79 million will have to come from bonding, assuming that two-thirds of residents approve at Town Meeting on March 29. The town recently learned it will get $430,000 for the project through a state Catalyst Communities grant for which Lincoln qualified by rezoning last year to comply with the Housing Choice Act. The town will apply for another grant in FY2026.

A year ago, voters approved $2.2 million in borrowing for the first pipe segment down to Five Corners, which is out to bid now. The original plan was to spread the work over four years, but the Water Department reconsidered and now hopes to do all the work in the summers of 2025 and 2026 (the least disruptive time of year since school is out and traffic is lighter overall).

“We were going to break down the project into what I guess at the time I found were emotionally tolerable bite-size pieces of $2.2 million, but we realized we would continue to interfere with the towns’ traffic right up Lincoln Road for four summers in a row,” LaFalam said.

The public hearing will conclude at the next Water Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 11 at 8:00am. Click here to join via Zoom.

While the annual rate increases will undoubtedly make many customers unhappy, LaFalam noted that other towns in the area have it even worse. Rates are also going up this year by 10% in Bedford and Maynard, 10.6% in Littleton, and 12.5% in Concord. Lincoln was required by the state DEP to raise rates by 3% last year, but rates did not go up in the three years before that.

A fairer comparison would be to towns that are the same size as Lincoln, since the larger the town, the greater the economy of scale, he said. By that measure, a Lincoln household water bill for using 70,000 gallons per year ($676 now vs. $744 proposed) is on the lower end of the list, whereas it’s $1,058 in Dover and a whopping $1,536 in Topsfield.

Water costs are rising everywhere due to “ever-tightening regulations,” especially with the recent issue of PFAS in drinking water, as well as “the challenge of unaddressed or deferred maintenance,” he said.

Almost 14% of Lincoln’s water distribution system is past its expected useful life; in 10 years that figure will be 36%, according to LaFalam. “We really need to get started,” he said. “It might be 10 years before can afford another water main project. If we do 2.5 miles every 10 years, we’re looking at over 200 years to replace all the water mains in town.”

High winds create havoc on town roads

Crews work to clear tree debris on Lincoln Road Friday morning. Police Chief Sean Kennedy is directing traffic at far right. (Photo by Alice Waugh — click to enlarge)

High winds sent dozens of tree limbs crashing to the ground on Friday, March 7, causing a busy day for police, the DPW, and Eversource.

The first of more than 20 calls to police about downed trees and/or power lines came Friday morning at 6:46am. Crews with chainsaws and a wood chipper leaped into action, but by 10:00am, Lincoln Road next to Pierce Park was still partially obstructed. Page Road was also completely blocked its intersection with Trapelo Road with downed power lines as well as a tree.

Reports also came in for Deerhaven Road, Old Sudbury Road, Beaver Pond Road, Giles Road, Old County Road, Boyce Farm Road, Concord Road, Weston Road, Baker Bridge Road, Old Farm Road, Davison Drive, and Sandy Pond Road.

“It was all kind of happening at once,” Lincoln Police Sgt. Matthew Armata said about Friday’s problems, which happened mostly without warning.

A National Weather Service wind advisory early Friday morning for most of Massachusetts warned of winds gusting up to 50-60mph. Another advisory for winds 15-30 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph was issued for Saturday.

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My Turn: Susan Hall Mygatt makes her case for Planning Board

By Susan Hall Mygatt

I am running for one of the two open positions on Lincoln’s Planning Board. As a resident of Lincoln since 1977, I care deeply about the town and hope you will consider voting for me.

My experience and why I am running

I have been thinking about taking this step for more than a year. For the past 18 months, I have attended a majority of the Planning Board meetings. I am very familiar with Lincoln’s zoning bylaw, the Planning Board’s regulations, and the issues and requests which the board addresses, particularly those which have come before the Board since the Fall of 2023. I served on Lincoln’s Zoning Board of Appeal for eight years, and since 2019 have served on Lincoln’s Conservation Commission, of which I am currently co-chair.

As a retired real estate lawyer, I understand the limits and opportunities inherent in Massachusetts’ zoning statute, which establishes the powers of Lincoln’s Planning Board. This professional experience allows me to interpret state and municipal legal requirements quickly and accurately.

Susan Hall Mygatt

I am a keen seeker of the facts and am comfortable asking uncomfortable questions, always with respect. This approach leads to better decisions. I believe that my presence on the board will have a positive impact on the town.

My values

I value Lincoln’s rural character while recognizing the statewide need for more housing. We need to arrive at a comfortable balance between nature and the built environment, a balance which protects the aspects of Lincoln that the town values and at the same time carefully plans for inevitable change.

I value meaningful community input on important local decisions and will strive to create a welcome atmosphere for the opinions of our engaged residents. I may not always agree with you, but I will always listen to you!

I value a clear and open public process, where decisions are made in full view of the public, and important information is shared with the public on a timely basis. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact me at susanhallmygatt@comcast.net. I would like to know your position on the local issues which concern you.

“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: Planning Board candidate Rob Ahlert to host virtual meet and greet

Editor’s note: Planning Board member Ephraim Flint is not running for another term on the board. Three candidates — incumbent chair Margaret Olson, Ahlert, and Susan Hall Mygatt — are running for two open seats. Suzanne Parker also filed papers to run but has decided to drop out.

By Rob Ahlert

My name is Rob Ahlert, and I will be hosting a virtual meet and greet to discuss my background, why I think I’m a good candidate for Planning Board and to have a discussion on key planning and development issues with those who join. This first virtual meet and greet will be on Thursday, March 13 at noon (optional registration here; Google Meet link here).

I am a 10+ year resident of Lincoln and live in the Lincoln Station area. My goal is to bring a new energy and perspective to the Planning Board along with my leadership, analysis and engineering skills. I very much appreciate the support already given to me by Eph Flint and his suggestion that I would be a good candidate for this role. I am starting the process of learning what is important to folks in town and will look forward to continuing that journey should I be elected. I believe it is important to move forward with collaboration, compromise, and fact-based decision making, and to leave the “us vs. them” mentality in the past.

Rob Ahlert

Please join this virtual meet and greet to:

  • Get to know me as a person
  • Understand my background, skills, and ideas for Lincoln
  • Ask questions and make comments
  • Discuss your concerns for future town planning and development

I’ll do a ~10-minute introduction and then spend the rest of the time in Q&A and discussion I particularly encourage people to attend who may not agree with me on planning and development topics so I can learn about different perspectives before potentially taking on this role for the town. If this format seems to be useful, I’ll set up follow-up sessions.

Please mark your calendars, store this Google Meet link, and join the meeting on March 13. Also, please visit my website at www.lincolnforward.org to learn more about me and my positions ahead of time, or to provide your written thoughts on the challenges facing Lincoln as it relates to planning and development. The Google Meet link is also on my website, and I will forward to LincolnTalk as well. Once you join via the link, I will admit you to the meeting. Please plan to include your full name when you join.

Also, if you see me around at Donelan’s or the transfer station or elsewhere, please say hi.

Rob Ahlert, 185 Lincoln Rd.
www.lincolnforward.org 

“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” 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: Olson touts experience on Planning Board

By Margaret Olson

I am Margaret Olson, and I am asking for your vote in the upcoming town elections for Planning Board. I have lived in our beautiful town for 27 years and have served on the Planning Board for over ten years, working to make everything we love about this town even better. During my tenure on the board, we have:

  • Instituted Lincoln’s first Dark Sky lighting regulations
  • Worked with town staff to streamline and formalize the site plan review process
  • Incrementally relaxed the accessory apartment unit zoning
  • Passed the Housing Choice Act zoning, securing our state funding and enabling the town to qualify for a $430,000 grant through the MBTA Communities Catalyst Fund to replace the water main on Lincoln Road.

I believe in an open and collaborative approach to solving problems. I also encourage incremental changes. When I joined the board, the zoning requirements for accessory apartments made it difficult and, in some cases, impossible for residents to create an apartment that was usually needed immediately for a family member or caregiver. When an application complied with the zoning, it was never denied. We were overregulating to the detriment of the town. The board relaxed the requirements in 2021. When those changes created no issues, the board further relaxed the requirements in 2023. When the state mandated that towns permit accessory apartments (or accessory dwelling units, to use the state’s term) under 900 square feet this past summer, we were ready. We are currently crafting a bylaw that complies with state law and works for Lincoln.

This is a small town — overregulation costs everyone money. From staff time to individual’s costs to get projects through permitting, I do my best to make good use of those dollars. If we are adding regulations, we need to be clear on what problem we are solving and that we do so efficiently. Planning Board reviews should focus on being thorough, fair, consistent, and predictable.

The state is continuing to create pressure on single-family zoning. Until the housing crisis significantly abates, I expect we will see continuing regulatory pressure from the state. I believe it is the Planning Board’s job to craft zoning that implements the requirements of state legislation while ensuring protections are in place to safeguard our community.

Along with many other Lincolnites, I deeply value Lincoln’s open spaces, our tree-dominated landscapes, and our roadsides. We will need to continue to work together to preserve our landscape while doing our part to ease the housing crisis.

As the Planning Board’s member of Lincoln’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Roadside and Traffic Committee, and the Transportation Coalition, I continue my commitment to policies that promote sustainability, mobility, and safety. Join me in making Lincoln safe for everyone and all modes of transportation: for our health, for our enjoyment, and for the environment. You can learn more about me at margaretolson.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.