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Ed Rolfe resigns planning board
Having completed just two years of his first 5-year term, planning
board member Ed Rolfe has announced that he is stepping down. Town
Clerk Nancy Zuelke said that the
remainder of Rolfe's term will be filled in a second race for that position
at the upcoming March elections. The two people who pulled papers for
the seat currently held by Dennis Picker (see story below) have been
offered the opportunity to run for Rolfe's seat instead.
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update
Flint, Domnitz running for Planning Board seats
North Lincoln resident Bob Domnitz, who had previously taken out
papers to run for the planning board seat being vacated by Dennis Picker,
has decided to run for the seat being vacated by Ed Rolfe instead.
Domnitz is a lawyer, an engineer, a former planning board member in
Lexington, an inventor, an entrepreneur and he lives in North Lincoln. Ephraim
Flint still plans to run for the Picker seat..
Click Here to
read Bob Domnitz's bio
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in previous news:
Fincom proposes $350,000 override budget
The finance committee unanimously approved a $350,000 override
for the town's $22 million budget for fiscal year '04, which begins in July.
The new override budget will result in a 6.2% property tax increase, or $531
(plus another $107 for the CPA) on the average home. The new budget
would restore a number of positions and programs to the schools and allow
the town to hire a new full-time land use coordinator.
Click Here
to read the school superintendent's recommendations
on new/restored positions and programs.
(requires AdobeAcrobat pdf reader).
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Conscom proposing warrant articles
The Lincoln Conservation Commission is proposing changes to the
town's bylaws
Click Here
to read all about them.
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Two running for DeCordova Trustee
It looks like they'll be a race for a position as trustee on the
DeCordova Museum board. Two seasoned veterans of Lincoln politics have
taken out papers for the seat currently held by Bob Franks.
Laurie Dewey, former selectmen appointee to that board has taken out
nomination papers, and former selectman Peter Sugar is also running,
according to records in the Town Clerk's office.
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Doyle stepping down from school committee
Anne Doyle announced today that she is stepping down from the
school committee at the end of her term next March. Doyle was
chairperson during the school budget crisis last year.
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A Letter to the Editor
I write to thank the residents of Lincoln for
supporting me during the last three years that I have served on the
School Committee. As my term comes to a close, I have decided not to
run again in order to spend more time with my family. These last few
years have been challenging and momentous ones for the Lincoln School
district. I leave pleased and proud of the progress the School
Committee and the school community has achieved with the backing of the
greater Lincoln community.
This year we have made strides based on the
exceptional work of the K-8 Task Force, the leadership of our capable
and energetic new Superintendent and open and supportive dialogue with
the Town Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen. These efforts,
together with the talented employees and volunteers inside and outside
of our schools, have helped to propel our schools ahead. Ultimately, I
believe that the trials of the last few years will help to improve the
Lincoln schools. I am hopeful that the district’s goals, which include
renewed efforts to ensure rigorous curriculum and learning, will help to
focus on what we all care most about: a superlative education for the
nearly 1,400 children in our district.
I look forward to supporting the next School
Committee member and encourage those of you with a devotion to strong
education to consider running for the position I will vacate.
Sincerely,
Anne Doyle |
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Timmer
to run for school committee
Former K-8 Task Force member, Jurrien Timmer,
has pulled nomination papers from the town clerk's office in anticipation of
a run for a seat on the school committee.
To the editor-
I am writing to ask for your support for my candidacy for the Lincoln
K-8 School Committee.
I have two young children, with the youngest attending the Magic Garden
pre-school (where I have enjoyed serving on the board for the last three
years), and the oldest in kindergarten. As both a parent and taxpayer,
it is my goal to help the school bridge the gap between its
long-standing tradition of academic excellence and the challenging
fiscal realities of ourtime.
I was one of the seven members of the K-8 Task Force last year, and I
believe my work qualifies me to effectively serve on the school
committee. As a Task Force member, I have worked extensively with the
school administration as well as some of the school committee members,
and this experience will enable me to hit the ground running if
elected. I am encouraged by the quality and dedication of both teams,
and I am interested in doing my part as we navigate the challenges that
still lie ahead.
I believe I would make an effective addition to the school committee. I
am an independent thinker and I can offer my analytical skills to help
the school deal with the challenges that lie ahead. I ask for your
support.
Sincerely,
Jurrien Timmer |
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Picker stepping down from Planning Board
Dennis Picker, current chairman of the planning board, has
announced that he will not seek re-election to a full five-year term on that
board in next March's town elections. Picker was appointed two years
ago to fill the seat of Alex MacLean. He ran for the balance of
that term last year and had been expected to seek a full term
this year.
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Police Chief Bowles announces his
retirement
Just a week or so after his wife won $1 million on a scratch
ticket (see story below), Chief Bowles officially notified the
selectmen that he will be retiring effective June 30. As the letter
indicates, Chief Bowles had been planning to retire later this year for some
time.
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Chief Bowles' wife wins $1 million on scratch ticket
Click Here to read the MetroWest
Daily West news article
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Friends of Library opposed to changes in
Bemis Hall construction plans
The Friends of the Library has written to the selectmen to note that group's
opposition to any changes in plans to build a full-service, commercial-grade
elevator as part of the Bemis Hall renovations. The recent
pre-construction estimate came in significantly over budget, forcing the
Bemis Hall Restoration Committee to consider cuts in the scope of the
proposed work. One change would involve replacing a
basement-to-second-floor elevator with a smaller unit that would only run
between the first and second floor.
Click on the images
below to read the Friends' letter:
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Conscom puts 40B developer on notice
Even 40B developers can't ignore environmental
laws. That's the message sent to the prospective developer of the Aunt
Sadie's site on Rt. 117 by conservation commission administrator Tom
Gumbart.
Click on the image below to read the letter:
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N. Lincoln residents propose Open Meeting warrant article
Residents of North Lincoln, unhappy with the
archaic and inaccessible way in which public meetings are currently posted,
is proposing a citizens' petition warrant article that would, among other
things, require all town committees to post their meetings on the town's
website.
Click on the images
below to read the petition.
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Mattes running for re-election
Current board of selectman chairman Sara Mattes
announced that she is running for re-election. Here's her letter:
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To the Editor,
I am writing this letter to announce my candidacy for reelection to the
Lincoln Board of Selectmen.
It has been a great privilege to serve these past 2 1/2 years, the past
year as Chair. The privilege is not only doing the work of the town,
but also serving with other talented and dedicated individuals, and our
extremely hard working town employees. No success can be claimed
without recognizing that all town business has depended on great team
efforts, both past and present.
Lincoln is faced with significant challenges this year and the years to
come. The most obvious challenge is budgetary. The Board of Selectmen,
working with Town Administrator Tim Higgins, is preparing a budget
sensitive to the increasing property tax burden and has developed a
“no-growth” budget to that end. In addition, we will be working with
the Tax Relief Implementation Committee to propose expanding our
existing program for meaningful tax relief for those hit hardest by
rising property taxes.
But, perhaps, the greatest challenge we face is to our unique community
character. This challenge is brought on by the increasing
commercialization of our neighborhoods through exploitive speculative
land development, including, but not limited to 40b development. How we
rise to this challenge and shape our future, rather than letting outside
forces foist a future on us, will be a serious test to our boards,
committees, and the citizens of Lincoln.
I would like to continue the work I have been doing to meet these
challenges. I would be honored and humbled to have the citizens of
Lincoln support me by reelecting me as Selectman for the town of
Lincoln.
I will publish a series of neighborhood coffees in the coming weeks. If
you would like me to meet with you, or have me come to your
neighborhood, please let me know.
Again, I ask for your support and your vote.
Thank you,
Sara Mattes
Candidate for Reelection to the Lincoln Board of Selectmen
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