Lincoln Select Board hears water main progress, ICE response plan

LINCOLN — September 8, 2025 — Lincoln Select Board hears $8 million water main is on track, but drainage failure could add seven figures. Water Superintendent Rick Nolly told the board Monday that Phase 1 is on budget at $2.2 million and on schedule to wrap by the first week of November, with Phase 2 to Route 117 bidding in February at an estimated $5 million. But Director of Public Works Steve Olsen said excavation revealed three sections of failing drain pipe on Bedford Road; early estimates from consultant John Bancourt suggest cleaning and lining would cost about $300,000, while full replacement could run "four or five times" that. Town Administrator Tim Higgins said Finance Director Colleen has spent a month working with the state Department of Revenue on funding. The board also heard from Lincoln Witness co-founder Kim Gillette, who asked the board to approve a residents' rights FAQ and sponsor a community forum on immigration enforcement, citing 2,782 ICE arrests in Massachusetts through July 29 and a Lincoln resident detained in May who remains in custody in Texas. The board unanimously appointed Scott Rodman to the Capital Planning Committee.