>From 2012, when the town declined to move forward: On June 5, 2012, the OPM presented the final project budget to the School Building Committee and School Committee, in the amount of $49,956,540, which included another update from MSBA that increased the maintenance incentive points from 1 to 1.82 resulting in the Town of Lincoln share of $28,967,568. On June 5, 2012, the School Building Committee approved the final project scope and budget for the Lincoln School project in the amount of $49,956,540 and recommended approval to the Lincoln School Committee, which also approved the project scope and budget.
So $49M -- of which $29M would be paid for by the town -- became $94M. Maybe more accurate to say that in fact Lincoln's share of the bill tripled? My point, and I promise this is the last time I am going to make it, is this: An $11M "luxury" project was set aside not even 5 years ago, and is now being considered for $25M. Somehow, a number of people have landed on $15M or somewhere in that range as the target for a stripped down version of the same project. Maybe that's the answer that everybody can agree on. What seems clear as a bell from the last 10 years of working towards both the school and the Community Center, is that if the process is stopped, and started again -- for the sake of considering Lincoln Station, or some atomized version of town services, or whatever people throw at the wall -- we may get very little for a whole lot more. On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 11:23 AM Carol Ryan <urch...@comcast.net> wrote: > I think the cost of the school ultimately doubled because the town lost > the offer of state funding. > > Carol R > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 30, 2022, at 11:11 AM, Lis Herbert <lisherb...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Sara: > > Do not try to contort the meaning of my words and frame me as insensitive. > Don’t. > > I didn’t say that I think $25 million is something to sneeze at. I said it > will seem like peanuts if we delay, ie when the town is presented with a > 40M price tag down the road. > > The history of these projects has shown that 11M can balloon to 25. The > first school vote was for roughly half what the new school ultimately cost. > That’s mostly the result of waiting, and little else. > > Lis > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 30, 2022, at 9:19 AM, Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Calling $25 million “peanuts” is a bit much. > While it may be “ peanuts” to you, a significant portion of our population > would find it otherwise. > And, to date, no one is talking about the Town operating budgets and what > they will look like, going forward- after we address teachers contract, the > hiring a new Superintendent, changes in Town Office staffing and the > impacts of inflation across the board. > > I suspect we will see the need for an override to support the staffing > needs. > > That is part of the total tax package that has an impact on individual > households. > > So, what may be “ peanuts” to you, may have serious and crushing impacts > on others. > > We need to be mindful and sensitive to that reality. > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 30, 2022, at 9:05 AM, Lis Herbert <lisherb...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Sara: > If this process is delayed or stopped entirely, again, the price tag for > needs may well exceed current “wants” — many of which, judging by the > survey results the CCBC circulated yesterday, are pragmatic, and reflect a > community’s needs in 2022, not 2012. > $25 million will seem like peanuts when it’s time to vote on whatever the > next iteration of this process is 5 or 10 years down the line. And people > will surely wonder then, if the vote is for a center in some unknown > location near Donelan’s, why it isn’t sited at Hartwell? > And around and around and around we can go, forever. > Lis > > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 30, 2022, at 8:51 AM, Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > That was then, this is now. > We have gone through some radical changes in the last several years. > Our economy is volatile. > Our work lives have changed, as have commuting patterns. > > Should put our fingers in our ears, hands over our eyes and act as if it > is 2012 all over again ? > > We need to be more flexible and creative to meet the needs ( and be > careful about “ wants”) of the town in 2022 and beyond. > > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 30, 2022, at 8:41 AM, Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Times have changed, and so must we. > > There is an opportunity tonight to be more creative. > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 30, 2022, at 8:26 AM, DJCP <djcp0...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Oh great, let's wash 10 years of work down the tube so we can start on a > new project. > Diana > Giles Rd > > On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 8:16 AM <jrob...@comcast.net> wrote: > >> Hello friends, I will *not *be voting in favor of the community center >> project now… for several reasons explained below. If these considerations >> and others you have give you pause, I hope you will join those of us who >> are interested in further discussion. >> >> >> >> First, Lincoln’s once in a generation Comprehensive Plan, approved at >> Town Meeting ~ten years ago prioritized revitalizing our South Lincoln >> commercial center. *Without a vibrant place to gather, we risk becoming >> an inert, mono-culture suburb,* of increasingly high priced single >> family homes and residents who can afford them. A vital Mall at our center >> would be a place to gather, meet with friends, and exchange ideas with >> others who have diverse backgrounds and views. Before locating a COA or >> Community Center building at the school property we should evaluate its >> potential to jump-start and support commercial and civic growth at the mall >> and help Lincoln slowly and steadily transition into the dynamic community >> we can be. It’s time. >> >> >> >> We haven’t had a thorough review of town goals or prioritized them since >> the Comprehensive Plan. If we choose to ignore the last Comprehensive Plan, >> let’s plan again. Let’s agree on priorities. >> >> >> >> There seems to be an ongoing, important, and complex discussion re the >> distinctions and requirements of a community center vs. a facility for our >> Council on Aging program….prudence dictates these be thoroughly studied >> and resolved before being considered for funding by town meeting. >> >> >> >> And this project will cause real estate taxes to increase above the rate >> of inflation, again. It will be particularly troubling now for seniors >> living on a fixed income >> >> >> >> >> >> Let’s consider/reconsider these matters fully before we vote for a >> community center or a COA facility at school property. Let’s get this >> right. Please consider voting No. >> >> >> >> Best, Joe >> >> Joe Robbat >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
-- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
