Hi Lis, I think it's a very fair point - if we do not build the $25M community center as currently conceived, the cost to build it may rise. I even think it's fair to say the cost almost certainly will rise, since inflation is likely to persist.
However, I don't believe the "no" voters are concerned about that risk. Speaking only for myself as one of the "no" voters.... I'm far more concerned that we will build something very expensive that isn't actually responsive to a realistic needs assessment, using money we simply do not have. I'm also cognizant of the fact that we will live with the impact of that decision for a very long time. The debt service and maintenance bills will keep showing up in our mailbox for 30 years. And when the bills for other objectively pressing and reasonably foreseeable needs show up (DPW, teacher salaries, etc) we will have to also pay those. And I don't think the taxpayers are going to like what the total bills add up to. It's really quite sobering. I understand other neighbors feel that we do need it, that the needs have been identified and scoped accurately, and that the proposal to spend stabilization funds to develop the existing concepts is warranted. I respect those opinions, but I also respectfully disagree. Just one voter's opinion... Seth Seth I Rosen Cell: 617-771-5602 Email: [email protected] On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 1:28 PM Lis Herbert <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 <[email protected]> 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 [email protected]. >>> 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 [email protected]. >> 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 [email protected]. >> 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 [email protected]. >> 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 [email protected]. > 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. > >
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