I would like to address this statement in the email below: “The facts are that the Mall needs help to remain viable”
Let's not conflate the RLF finances with the Mall finances. The 990 filings indicate that the Mall itself has been consistently profitable over the last five years <https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/46132391/202222509349300837/full> : - 2018: $80,399 - 2019: $191,279 - 2020: $122,519 - 2021: $111,795 - 2022: $164,571 Now, in terms of the RLF finances, if there is a concern about its sustainability, perhaps there should be a reflection about its cost structure. The Concord Land Conservation Trust, which oversees double the acreage (more than 1,000 vs more than 500 acres in Lincoln), has expenses of $187K versus $334K for the RLF/LLCT <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rFLf4j0m6zzM3qOox3b_I0xDz2RCX0Bxxw_W8msll_A/edit> . > *Allen Vander Meulen* pastorallenv at gmail.com > <lincoln%40lincolntalk.org?Subject=Re%3A%20%5BLincolnTalk%5D%20Retail/%20mall&In-Reply-To=%3CB749642D-96C6-4B65-8AF2-6D2626838D13%40gmail.com%3E> > *Sat Dec 16 13:57:12 EST 2023* > > The claim that the town leadership is "pro development and are reaching for > max density” - as well as implying illegal favoritism - departs very far from > reality, re-casting a very complicated and nuanced landscape with a trite and > false generalization. > > We have a very diverse group of people in leadership in town, with an even > wider range of opinions and perspectives. The one consistent trait I have > seen in all of the town’s leadership - whether we’re talking of those in > volunteer positions on the town’s many committees, boards, commissions and > task forces, or those who are Town employees, is a deep devotion to the long > term best interests of the town and its residents, and a determination to > navigate an incredibly complex legal, economic, administrative, regulatory, > and political landscape to do all they can in service to the town. > > We certainly disagree on many aspects of what “best interests of the town” > means, exactly, but I deeply believe that we are far stronger and more > effective for having such a wide range of voices engaged in service to > Lincoln and its residents. And, I am grateful that whether they are > volunteers, or paid staff, for the huge amounts of effort they all invest > into making this community what it is, and that they are always striving to > make it ever better. > > The facts are that the Mall needs help to remain viable; and that the HCA > requires the town to adopt "by right” zoning for higher density housing, with > a large set of detailed parameters to define the expectations of what that > means. There are a very wide range of options as to how to accomplish that, > even within the HCAWG and town leadership itself. What we’ve seen over the > last year or so is a prolonged discussion as to how best to address these two > issues. > > The current direction - confirmed by a vote at the recent town meeting - is a > consensus view arrived-at through that long and intense process of research, > discussion, vetting, and negotiation with many parties - including the State. > It is not ideal from my point of view, but given all of the work that has > gone into it, I am certain it is a solid consensus view that does a good job > of finding a middle ground that most Lincoln residents will accept. > > We will see how the Planning Board turns that statement of direction into an > actionable Zoning Bylaw for presentation and (hopefully) approval at our Town > Meeting in March. > > - Allen Vander Meulen > >
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