Monthly Archives: December 2016

BoS – 1/3/2017

Happy New Year to all!!!

DAY, DATE, AND TIME Town Hall, Chenery Meeting Room 2nd floor Tuesday January 3, 2017 @ 7:00 PM AGENDA (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) 7:00 PM Louis Pelini Recognition for his services to the Town 7:15 PM Steve Nolan, State Hospital Master Planning Committee Chairman General update; discuss contract for professional services with McCabe Enterprises 7:30 PM Medfield Housing Authority, Candace Loewen, Director Update on Tilden Village expansion NEW BUSINESS Selectmen are requested to vote to sign BETA Group, Inc., Norwood, MA Contract for Engineering Consulting Services regarding Planning Board On-Call Peer Engineer Town Wide Master Planning Steering Committee, Mike Quinlan Chair request the Selectmen vote to appoint resident Jay Duncan to their committee PENDING Selectmen' s to do list Other business that may arise

RESOLVE TO MAKE A NOMINATION

MEDFIELD FOUNDATION VOLUNTEER AWARDS NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN

Nominate that extraordinary volunteer you know who devotes countless time and energy to worthy community causes for the Medfield Foundation Volunteer Awards.

Submit a nomination for one of the 2017 Medfield Foundation volunteer awards by downloading the form at www.MedfieldFoundation.org.  Completed forms should be submitted no later than January 31, 2017.

The  MFi’s 2017 volunteer recognition reception is scheduled for 3 -5 PM on Sunday, March 19, and the public is invited.

In 2013, these individuals were nominated:

voty-2013-all
Youth Volunteer of the Year:
•    Greg Lyons for his tutoring work at the Medfield High School math lab
•    Emily Monac for her therapeutic horseback riding work at BiNA Farm
•    Katrina Simon for her work with the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Association

Volunteer of the Year:
•    Rick Abecunas for his work with the Lowell Mason Foundation
•    Michelle Doucette for her work with the American Legion Auxiliary
•    Beth Eby for her work with the Medfield Food Cupboard
•    Cynthia Greene for her work with the Medfield Energy Committee
•    Rick McKinney for his work as scoutmaster of Troop 89 and Cub Scout Pack 200

Lifetime Achievement Award:
•    Albert Manganello, Jr. for his work with veterans
•    Ann Thompson for her work in town government

The Medfield Foundation, Inc. is a volunteer-run private nonprofit, tax deductible 501(c)(3) corporation created in 2001 to raises private monies for public purposes in the Town of Medfield.  The MFi allows donors to designate their donations for particular purposes.  The MFi also allows motivated groups to raise monies for Medfield purposes under the rubric of the Medfield Foundation.  To date, the MFi has raised over $1,800,000.00 for the Town of Medfield and celebrated over one hundred volunteers.

Medfield Foundation Volunteer Awards – nominate by 1/31, celebrate 3/19

mfi-volunteer-awards

EXTRAORDINARY VOLUNTEERS RECOGNIZED

The Medfield Foundation (MFi) annually celebrates at its Volunteer Awards those individuals whose extraordinary efforts and activities have made a special marked difference in the quality of life in Medfield.  At a reception on March 19  the town will celebrate all the nominated individuals, and the MFi names its Volunteer of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for 2017.  Nominations must be received by January 31.

The Volunteers Awards are based entirely on nominations submitted by the public, and solely on the information submitted.  Recognize your special volunteer on the form at www.medfieldfoundation.org.

Brothers Marketplace is generously sponsoring the 2017 Volunteer Awards, with additional support from The Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation.

Enough football?

Then take some time to nominate that special volunteer you always admired for the Medfield Foundation volunteer of the year awards – get the nomination form at www.MedfieldFoundation.org. Nominations are due by January 31.

These were the people nominated by their fellow Medfield residents in 2013.

20130224-poster-nominees

This year the Volunteer Awards are sponsored by Brothers Marketplace

brothers-marketplace-jgp

Now that the presents are opened . . .

Take some time to nominate that special volunteer you always admired for the Medfield Foundation volunteer of the year awards – get the nomination form at www.MedfieldFoundation.org.  Nominations are due by January 31.

These were the people nominated by their fellow Medfield residents in 2014.

all-nominees-colleen-sullivan

That year Andres Nevins was the Youth Volunteer of the Year, John Thompson the Volunteer of the Year, and Barbara Gips accepted her father, Andy Thompson’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

This year the Volunteer Awards are sponsored by Brothers Marketplace

brothers-marketplace-jgp

PB vacancy- corrected – submit by 1/11/17

The prior posting about the planning board vacancy had an error about the deadline date to submit, so please be guided by this one noting the 1/11/2017 deadline.

planning

 

Medfield Planning Board Vacancy – Associate Member

The Town of Medfield Planning Board is seeking to fill a vacant Associate Member position.  Anyone who may be interested should submit a letter of interest to Evelyn Clarke at eclarke@medfield.net in the Board of Selectmen’s office by January 11, 2017.  For questions regarding the Planning Board or this specific position please contact Sarah Raposa, Town Planner at sraposa@medfield.net.

The Planning Board is an elected town board of five members, each with a five year term. The purpose of the Planning Board is to guide the development of the Town in the best interests of all its residents. The Board has very specific responsibilities and authorities as granted by Massachusetts General Laws and the Medfield Zoning By-Laws.

The Planning Board generally meets in the evening 2-3 times per month. Regular meetings are scheduled for the first and third Monday and there is usually an additional work session scheduled.

The Planning Board is responsible for the review and approval of all subdivisions (the division of a tract of land into two or more lots) through a comprehensive process involving review by relevant regulatory agencies, public hearings, covenants with developers, performance bonding, and ongoing compliance monitoring.

Under “Site Plan Approval,” in the Zoning By-Laws, the Board also has the responsibility to assure that prior to any new construction or significant changes to an existing structure, other than single family dwellings, such factors as community needs, abutters’ concerns, visual amenities, safety issues, and environmental and historic features on the site and in adjacent areas are considered.

Any requests for Zoning By-Law changes or amendments are also reviewed by the Board. Public hearings are held to allow input from any abutters or other interested citizens. The Board is required to provide a recommendation on any Zoning By-Law amendment at Town Meeting, where a two-thirds vote is required to approve the change.

The Planning Board serves as a resource to assist interested individuals with the process of proposing plans or projects under the Zoning By-Laws. Communications are maintained on an ongoing basis with related Town agencies including the Zoning Board of Appeals and other planning groups within the Town such as the Medfield State Hospital Master Planning Committee.

Letters should describe your interest in the Planning Board as well as any professional experience or other qualifications that will complement the Board. Additionally, please contemplate the following in your letter of interest:

  • Do you have ideas about the direction the Board should be headed? If so, have you thought about integration of those ideas (meaning how the idea coalesces into existing regulations or whether new regulations would need to be created)?

 

  • Land use boards such as the Planning Board, do not always have the kind of discretion to approve or deny a specific project that residents often think they have. It is important to recognize and avoid any conflict of interest; not to pursue special privileges, and maintain confidentiality. Are you prepared for being thought of as a villain by some and a hero by others?
  • Planning Boards wear two hats, proactive and reactive, and the schedule is robust. The proactive hat is devoted to long-range planning and is often difficult to quantify as the effects aren’t recognized for several years, if at all. The reactive hat focuses on subdivisions and site plan review and the effects are more immediately seen and felt in the community. How would you rationalize your reactive hat with your proactive hat? Do you see an overlap?

 

ZBA & PB vacancies

This Christmas, give our town the gift of your services.  This from Town Planner, Sarah Raposa –

planning

Medfield Planning Board Vacancy

The Town of Medfield Planning Board is seeking to fill a vacant Associate Member position.  Anyone who may be interested should submit a letter of interest to Evelyn Clarke at eclarke@medfield.net in the Board of Selectmen’s office by October 1, 2015.  For questions regarding the Planning Board or this specific position please contact Sarah Raposa, Town Planner at sraposa@medfield.net.

The Planning Board is an elected town board of five members, each with a five year term. The purpose of the Planning Board is to guide the development of the Town in the best interests of all its residents. The Board has very specific responsibilities and authorities as granted by Massachusetts General Laws and the Medfield Zoning By-Laws.

The Planning Board is responsible for the review and approval of all subdivisions (the division of a tract of land into two or more lots) through a comprehensive process involving review by relevant regulatory agencies, public hearings, covenants with developers, performance bonding, and ongoing compliance monitoring.

Under “Site Plan Approval”, in the Zoning By-Laws, the Board also has the responsibility to assure that prior to any new construction or significant changes to an existing structure, other than single family dwellings, such factors as community needs, abutters’ concerns, visual amenities, safety issues, and environmental and historic features on the site and in adjacent areas are considered.

Any requests for Zoning By-Law changes or amendments are also reviewed by the Board. Public hearings are held to allow input from any abutters or other interested citizens. The Board is required to provide a recommendation on any Zoning By-Law amendment at Town Meeting, where a two-thirds vote is required to approve the change.

The Planning Board serves as a resource to assist interested individuals with the process of proposing plans or projects under the Zoning By-Laws. Communications are maintained on an ongoing basis with related Town agencies including the Zoning Board of Appeals and other planning groups within the Town such as the Medfield State Hospital Master Planning Committee.

Letters should describe your interest in the Planning Board as well as any professional experience or other qualifications that will complement the Board. Additionally, please contemplate the following  in your letter of interest:

  • Do you have ideas about the direction the Board should be headed? If so, have you thought about integration of those ideas (meaning how the idea coalesces into existing regulations or whether new regulations would need to be created)?

 

  • Land use boards such as the Planning Board or ZBA do not always have the kind of discretion to approve or deny a specific project that residents often think they have. It is important to recognize and avoid any conflict of interest; not to pursue special privileges, and maintain confidentiality. Are you prepared for being thought of as a villain by some and a hero by others?
  • Planning Boards wear two hats, proactive and reactive, and the schedule is robust. The proactive hat is devoted to long-range planning and is often difficult to quantify as the effects aren’t recognized for several years, if at all. The reactive hat focuses on subdivisions and site plan review and the effects are more immediately seen and felt in the community. How would you rationalize your reactive hat with your proactive hat? Do you see an overlap?

 

 

Medfield Zoning Board of Appeals Vacancy

The Town of Medfield Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is seeking to fill a vacant Associate Member position.  Anyone who may be interested should submit a letter of interest to Evelyn Clark at eclark@medfield.net in the Board of Selectmen’s office by March 1, 2017.   For questions regarding the ZBA or this specific position please contact Sarah Raposa, Town Planner at sraposa@medfield.net.

The Zoning Board of Appeals is an appointed board and acts as a quasi-judicial body deciding whether or not to vary from the Zoning By-Laws. The Zoning Board is empowered to act on appeals, special permits, variances, modifications and comprehensive permits, in accordance with applicable sections of Massachusetts General Laws and the Town of Medfield Zoning By-Laws.

Virtually all matters which come before the Board are initiated by residents or businesses seeking relief from the Zoning By-Law. Each application is processed in accordance with the legal requirements and timetables established under the Massachusetts Zoning Act, the ZBA Rules and Regulations and the Medfield Zoning By-Laws.

The Zoning Board of Appeals holds public hearings on applications for zoning variances, special permits and decides appeals of administrative decisions of the Building Commissioner. Hearings are generally held on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm in the Chenery Room in Town Hall, 459 Main Street.

Letters should describe your interest in the ZBA as well as any professional experience or other qualifications that will complement the Board. Additionally, please contemplate the following in your letter of interest:

  • Land use boards such as the ZBA do not always have the kind of discretion to approve or deny a specific project that residents often think they have. It is important to recognize and avoid any conflict of interest; not to pursue special privileges, and maintain confidentiality. Are you prepared for being thought of as a villain by some and a hero by others?

BOTS Act

Who says Congress can’t get anything done – this both fills someone’s real need, plus has a good acronym.  This is from my Thompson-Reuters newsletter.


Congress Restricts Ticket-Buying “Bots”

December 19, 2016

Money, keyboard and hand on computer mouseThe United States Congress recently passed the “Better Online Ticket Sales Act” (BOTS Act).  The new law, which President Obama is expected to sign, makes it illegal to use automated software (“bots”) to circumvent security systems that are designed to restrict purchases of tickets to public events, such as concerts and athletic events.

Currently, a variety of companies that sell event tickets use bots to make mass ticket purchases immediately after event tickets go on sale to the public.  In some instances, the bots are designed to circumvent computer systems that are intended to limit the number of tickets that can be purchased by a single buyer.

These mass purchases sometimes result in extremely rapid ticket sell-outs, frustrating individual ticket buyers.  Often, the tickets purchased using bots are re-sold to the public.  The re-sale price for the tickets is generally higher than face value.  This process thus generally results in greater costs to consumers.

The BOTS Act makes it illegal to bypass computer security measures in order to make mass purchases of tickets for events with a capacity of more than 200 attendees.  Under the terms of the Act, bypassing the computer security measures is characterized as an “unfair or deceptive act” and is thus within the regulatory jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission.

The goals of the BOTS Act are sensible and useful.  It is uncertain, however, that specific federal legislation was necessary in order to accomplish the objective of limiting computer security circumvention.  It seems that existing federal laws, such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, provide adequate authority to support legal action against parties who engage in circumvention of computer systems that are engaged in interstate commerce.

One noteworthy apparent consequence of the BOTS Act is the formal expansion of the FTC’s role in regulation of online transactions and activities.  The BOTS Act characterizes efforts to circumvent computer security systems as illegal commercial trade practices.  This appears to grant to the FTC the lead role in regulating U.S. computer security.

With the implementation of the BOTS Act, it seems that the FTC has joined law enforcement authorities at the leading edge of computer security enforcement in the United States.  That role will likely require significant resources for the FTC.  In order to execute this mission effectively, the FTC must receive substantial additional resources.

ALS cost estimate

mfd

At the Board of Selectmen last night Chef Kingsbury handed out the attached estimate of what it would cost the town to hire eight new paramedics, such that the Medfield Fire Department would be staffed by four full time firefighters on duty, 24/7.  Under this scenario, the Medfield Fire Department staffing would double from eight full time firefighters to sixteen firefighters, with half of the employees being paramedics, and half EMT’s.

Since 2000 we have provided EMT intermediate ambulance services, and we employ eight full time EMT’s to do so.  We are staffed by two EMT’s per shift, 24/7.

I believe that the major treatment difference between EMT and paramedic services is the ability of the latter to administer medication and insert IV’s.  I also understand that paramedics have about 1,640 hours of training beyond EMT’s.

At the meeting, ALS services were estimated to be used on 80% of the current runs, needed on maybe 60%, and currently ALS services are provided by ALS intercepts, if available, as the result of a ten year old agreement with the towns of Westwood, Walpole, and Norfolk.  We split any fees received for runs with ALS intercepts with the other towns on a 50/50 basis.

The data that especially interested me was that the Medfield Fire Department does about 650 ambulance runs per year, or about two per day on average, and that each run takes up to an hour and a half.  That would appear to mean that there is a lot of capacity for which we are staffed, to do more runs.  When figured on a yearly average, if the two runs take about three hours, there is about twenty hours per day of non-run time.  If all the departments in surrounding towns have the same issue, it seems that it cries out for a regional solution by which all departments are using more of that currently underutilized capacity.

There were several comments made about the safety issues of being properly staffed with employees who have the proper training, both for the safety of the firefighters themselves and for the safety of the public.  One call firefighter assured that no apparatus ever leaves the station without being fully and properly staffed.

Alternatives that were also mentioned included:

 

  • converting to a paramedic service slowly over time by requiring any new hire to be a paramedic
  • hiring a company to provide the ALS service on an intercept basis, which was estimated to cost $600,000/year,plus a charge per run, for three towns;
  • starting a regional ALS service shared with other towns that do not currently have ALS (i.e. Millis, Dover, Sherborn, and one other, Holliston maybe), but it was reported that there appears to be no interest in those other towns per the Chief in doing a regional service; and
  • NB, it was stated that there was felt to be little interest among our current EMT’s in their becoming paramedics.

 

Another alternative, that was not discussed, is whether the Medfield Fire Department could just be converted to an all paramedic service by requiring current employees to become paramedics within a set amount of time, say within the next three years.  In the past the Chief has opined that was not possible.

The more I learn about ALS services, the more uncertain of the right solution I become.  What is the proper balance between services and costs?  I still need a lot of education, so I hope the selectmen get a lot more input.  Today in follow up discussions with one of the meeting participants I was provided the Massachusetts EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PRE-HOSPITAL STATEWIDE TREATMENT PROTOCOLS, all 176 pages of it – so I have some homework to get me started.

*]])RAJF'Ir* ALS Paramedic Budget Proposal (Estimated) Based on hiring 8 Firefighter Paramedics (Step 4) 2184 hrs (42per wk x 52) x $25.62 = $55,954 per $55,954 x 8 = $44 7 ,632 Additional annual personnel costs: Medic Stipend - $6000 x 8 = $48,000 Vacation-96hrs x 8 x $38.50 = $29,568 Sick Time-72hrs x 8 x $38.50 = $22,176 Holidays-11x8 x 10.5 x $26.62 = $23,673 Personal Time - 31.5hrs x 8 x $38.50 = $9702 Clothing - $600 x 8 = $4800 Cleaning - $300 x 8 = $2400 Town share health care - $50,000 Town share Medicare - $6500 Annual Estimated costs - $644,451 One time startup costs: Protective Clothing- 8 x $3200 = $25,600 Uniforms: - 8 x $600 - $4800 Medical Equip - $60,000 Estimated startup costs - $90,400 Year one estimate - $734,851 Annual Medical Control Fee $10,000 - Revolving Acct (pay $5000 now)

BoS calendar to ATM

Mike Sullivan handed out the attached calendar that he put together for our meetings up through the annual town meeting (ATM) at the end of April.  Plus, Mike included a 2017 Board of Selectmen meeting dates calendar suitable for mounting on each bulletin board and/or desk in town.

draft Calendar for Board of Selectmen January 1, 2017 to April 30, 2017 Selectmen's Meeting Dates: January 3rd, 17th, 31st, February 7th, 21"d, March 7th, 21st, April 4th, 18th, 24th. January 3rd- Warrant Articles Due needing Legal Review, Budget Meetings, Housing Authority January 15, 2017 - Annual Reports are due to the Board of Selectmen. This date is a Town By-law voted at Town Meeting May4, 1981 January 17th - Budget Meetings, Preliminary review of Town Meeting Warrant Articles prior to closing of the Warrant, Budget update, Senior Housing Study Committee, Hospital Study Committee January 31st - Budget Meetings, Budget update, meet with Warrant Committee and Planning Board to discuss potential warrant article re recreational marijuana, senior housing, affordable housing, group homes, etc., Master Plan Committee, Capital Plan Committee and Facilities Manager. February 6th - Deadline for filing papers to run for Town Offices February 7th - Closing of the Town Meeting Warrant, Budget Meetings February 21st - School Committee, Budget Meetings, Review of Warrant Articles. March 7th - Sign Town Election Warrant for Posting, Budget Meetings, Review of Warrant Articles, March 21st - Budget Meetings, Review of Warrant Articles March 27th -Town Election April 4th - Reorganization of Board, Budget update, Budget Meetings, Review of Warrant Articles April 18th -Assignment of Budgets and Warrant Articles for Town Meeting, meet with Warrant Committee for update on Town Meeting Warrant & Budget April 24th - Selectmen and Warrant Committee meetings prior to Annual Town Meeting & Annual Town Meeting • I did not schedule meeting with Departments, Boards and Committees that have budgets since they will be before you to review their fy18 budgets and updates & items of interest would be included in those budget discussions. Board of Selectmen Meetings 2017 Januarv Februarv March s M T W T F s s M T w T F s s M T w T F s 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 26 27 28 26 . 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 Q TOWN ELECTIONS April Mav June s M T w T F s s M T w T F s s M T w T F s 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 23 . 25 26 27 28 29 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 I ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Ju ~ Auaust Seotember s M T w T F s s M T W T F s s M T w T F s 1 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 31 October November December s M T W T F s s M T w T F s s M T w T F s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 < Board of Selectmen • Annual Town Election & Annual Town Meeting Holiday - Town Offices Closed20161221-calendar-through-april_page_2