News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.
To the editor, In early December, a letter was published in the Lincoln Squirrel highly critical of Sen. Michael Barrett’s legislative bill S1747–An Act Combating Climate Change. The goal of this bill is to reduce the use of fossil fuels understood by the vast majority of citizens and scientists around the world to be a…
By Alice Waugh Town officials offered a preview Monday night of vocational-technical costs and options for Lincoln students in advance of a February 11 public forum at 7 p.m in the Hartwell multipurpose room and a Special Town Meeting later this month. On February 23, Lincoln voters will be asked if the town should withdraw…
By Alice Waugh
Hundreds of Lincoln residents shivered through extended power outages resulting from the February 5 snowstorm, but many of them shared updates, advice and even offers of hospitality online, even as another snowstorm approached.
By Alice Waugh A cost-estimate comparison by the Vocational Education Options Working Group (VEOWG) shows that Lincoln would pay considerably more to send students to Minuteman High School than to any of three other area technical schools, even if Lincoln withdraws from the Minuteman school district. According to an analysis for fiscal year 2020 by the VEOWG (see below),…
To the editor: Amidst all the information being distributed regarding the upcoming votes that Lincoln will take regarding Minuteman High School, the Lincoln Vocational Education Options Working Group (VEOWG) wants to ensure that accurate and consistent data is provided to the public. To that end, the VEOWG has reviewed Sharon Antia’s recent letter and the accompanying…
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of letters about Minuteman Regional Vocational School District from Sharon Antia, Lincoln’s representative on the Minuteman School Committee. The previous letters were published on January 4, January 14, and January 24. She invites readers with questions to email her at Sharon.antia@gmail.com.
To the editor:
On February 23, Lincoln will hold a Special Town Meeting at which we will be asked to vote on two things: whether to approve the amended Minuteman school district’s regional agreement, and whether to withdraw from the Minuteman school district.
Massachusetts evaluates a town’s ability to pay for public education based on property values and personal income (“wealth factors”). Using this information, the state determines the fair and equitable distribution of state funds for education by subsidizing schools serving communities with low wealth factors at a higher rate than schools serving towns such as Lincoln where wealth is determined to be high. This matter is determined by the state and is not something that can be controlled at the local level.
Jennifer Burney
By Alice Waugh
Jennifer Burney’s opinion after a week in Lincoln? “I love it!”
Burney is starting her second week as Lincoln’s new director of planning and land use, was director of planning in Southborough for three years. Before that, she held the same post in Bolton for six years, and assistant town planner and director of community development in Sudbury from 2006-07. Burney succeeds Chris Reilly, who held the position for five years until becoming planning director in Billerica in late 2015.
Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of letters about Minuteman High School from Sharon Antia, Lincoln’s representative on the Minuteman School Committee. The previous letters were published on January 4 and January 14. She invites readers with questions to email her at Sharon.antia@gmail.com. To the editor: On February 23, Lincoln will hold…
Residents are invited to learn about gun safety and a pending Lincoln Town Meeting resolution advocating a national gun safety law on Saturday, Jan. 23 starting with a reception at 9:30 a.m. in Bemis Hall. Lincoln Police Chief Kevin Kennedy and Sgt. Paul Westlund will speak at 10 a.m. about gun law differences in neighboring states and how…
To the editor:
Last fall, the Leaf Blower Study Committee spent $829.81 of the taxpayers’ money to mail a flyer to every postal patron in Lincoln, describing the alleged risks of leaf blowers. The flyer said nothing of the benefits of leaf blowers or costs of restricting their use. The money was taken from the Selectmen’s printing budget and categorized as “educational.” Town taxpayers also paid to obtain an Internet domain name for the Leaf Blower Study Committee.