In spring 2024, the Lincoln Green Team worked in partnership with the Director of Parks and Open Spaces and the School Committee to get Lincoln's grounds added to the Town's Capital Improvement Plan.

The Town accepted the recommendations of the Parks and Open Spaces team, with support from the School Committee, and added the Lincoln project to the annual budget. Specifically they added a budget line item to fund a redesign effort to create a new master plan for all outdoor spaces surrounding Lincoln School. This plan would address the long-term water management issues and the accessibility, safety, and equity issues of our outdoor the spaces. This funding went into the Town's FY 26 budget.

The town wide School budget crisis prompted changes to the already approved funding. The Lincoln grounds redesign project funding was reallocated to the School committee to meet the school budget gap.

The FY 26 funds were spent on snow removal after roughly 60 inches of snow fell in the winter of 2025/26. 

• the Schools closed their budget gap without using the Lincoln funds

• but because we were hit with a proper Boston winter, the funds went to fund the snow removal budget 

• The Override was passed!

The FY 27 funds are in the proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that will go to Town Meeting for a vote on Tue, May 26. The proposal includes:

• New Lincoln School Grounds Design (revenue financed) 970,000