Lincoln selectmen vote to seek title to Crosby's Corner conservation land

LINCOLN -- March 22, 2010, Lincoln selectmen vote to pursue town ownership of 15 acres at Crosby's Corner. The Board of Selectmen on March 22 unanimously authorized Chair Sarah Cannon-Holden to send MassDOT a letter expressing interest in taking title to wetland and upland parcels from nine state-acquired properties on the northwest quadrant of the $100 million Route 2 flyover project, contingent on completion of demolition, restoration and three to five years of state maintenance. Conservation Commission member Peter Von Mertens argued the town would manage the land better than the state and pitched a future trail link from North Lincoln to Walden Pond. Member Sarah Mattis pressed back on staff capacity: "I've just heard repeated pleas that there's not enough staff to manage this large amount of land." Planning Board member Dan Boynton said 100 percent design is on track for August, roughly six months ahead of the fall 2011 readiness deadline. Police and fire chiefs separately reported roughly 500 storm-related calls, 50-plus homes pumped, and a townwide cost estimate near $100,000 submitted to MEMA. It was Cannon-Holden's last seated meeting as chair.