ATM

Posted on April 12, 2017 | Comments Off on ATM

This about the annual town meeting (ATM) at 7:30 PM on 4/24 from Scott McDermott, Moderator –

To my friends and neighbors in the Medfield community: As a sure sign of spring, it is my honor and pleasure to invite you to attend our Annual Town Meeting to be held on Monday evening April 24, 2017 at 7:30pm at the Amos Clark Kingsbury High School Gymnasium. Please join us and participate as a member of Medfield’s legislative branch. Our collective determinations on the 24th will become the laws, regulations, and budgets of the Town of Medfield. This April we have a particularly robust and weighty agenda of Warrant Articles. I have issued an ‘advisory’ to the Board of Selectmen and to the School Department declaring a reasonable chance we may not be able to conduct and complete all of the town's business in one evening. If that determination is made necessary because of time constraints, then the Annual Town Meeting will adjourn on Monday the 24th and reconvene on Tuesday evening, April 25, at 7:30pm. Every meeting I’ve moderated requires the balance of ‘due consideration’ with ‘due expedience.’ But this year the efficiency and pace of the meeting will need to be closely monitored to make sure that we are allowing for appropriate town dialogue, debate, and discussion on a range of important issues. Consistent with past practice, reasonable and necessary time limitations will be placed on certain discussions. In order to address the Articles in an expedient and well-ordered fashion, we have grouped the articles in eight (8) cohorts for consideration and action together: Standard Town Business (called first); Town Budgets; Zoning & Planning; former Medfield State Hospital property; Commercial Sale of Recreational Marijuana; Advanced Life Support; Affordable Housing; and Independent Articles. We will use our traditional lottery system to determine the timing and order of the treatment of the seven (7) groupings of Articles after conducting the referenced Standard Town Business (please see the preliminary meeting agenda (page 2) and meeting ‘architecture’ (page 3). Here in Medfield, we have a special place to call our home. We value education, community, open space, safe streets and homes, the well-being of the young and the old, quality municipal services, and the advancement of local commerce. But we’ve learned it takes hard work, open and active communication, and a deep commitment to the town’s best interests for us to achieve these common objectives. Our Annual Town Meeting, even with all of its imperfections, is the night we gather to speak with one another, deliberate as a law-making body, and demonstrate our pledge to balance and advance the forces which continue to make Medfield a ‘special place.’ We need a minimum quorum of 250 ‘citizen legislators’ -- please join us at town meeting and be a part of the dialogue, deliberations, and determinations. Engagement in this forum provides you with an important opportunity to contribute to the future of Medfield. It is an important time for Medfield. Change comes in waves – advances come in steps. It is easy to feel and appreciate the change and growth evidenced by: current and future change in key personnel and contributors; the current and future growth and development of town facilities and schools; the opportunity and challenges afforded by ownership of the former state hospital property; generational evolution; and evolving expectations of the residents of the town. These, and other forces and factors, tell me we are living in ‘transformative times’ in 2017 in Medfield. We are blessed by a very rich heritage reaching back for over three and a half centuries; and, going forward, our community will continue to benefit by thoughtful, informed, and clear thinking people engaging in open dialogue, meaningful discussion, and making sound decisions. As for procedures, the law of the Commonwealth provides: "The moderator shall preside and regulate the proceedings, decide all questions of order, and make public declaration of all votes." At the beginning of our meeting on the 24th, I will describe the guidelines for our dialogue and deliberations. My guidance at the meeting will come from the traditional blend of fairness, prudence, expedience, respectful communication, and consideration of the best interests of the community. In the weeks ahead, I ask that you review your Report on the 2017 Warrant (will arrive in the mail before the meeting). Please bring your copy with you to the Annual Town Meeting as a guide and “scorecard” as we address the warrant articles and the town’s operating and capital budgets. I look forward to seeing you on Monday evening, April 24. And please hold Tuesday evening April 25 on your calendar in the event we need part of a second evening to fully address the range of issues before the town. Respectfully, Scott Scott F. McDermott Town Moderator TOWN OF MEDFIELD Scott F. McDermott Town Moderator 1 2017 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Amos Clark Kingsbury High School Gymnasium Monday April 24 6:50 Medfield High School Musical Presentation 7:28 Quorum Announced (250 Registered Voters Required) 7:30 Welcome National Anthem & Pledge Moment of Silence Introductions Meeting Guidelines Highlighted Town Financial Snapshot Standard Town Business Consent Calendar Miscellaneous Business Personnel Matter Public Ways Water & Sewer Dept. Dept. of Public Works LOTTERY FOR DETERMINING ORDER OF CONSIDERATION OF GROUPED ARTICLES Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4 Block 5 Block 6 Block 7 Time Checks 10:00pm, 10:30pm and 10:45pm* *Moderator required determination of completion of all articles within 30 minutes DISSOLUTION OF MEETING [OR ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING IF REQUIRED]. If required, adjournment of Meeting will be to Tuesday April 25 at 7:30pm Moderator Advises Residents to Reserve this Date for Possible Meeting Continuation and Completion The schedule above and the grouping of articles on the following page are preliminary and may be subject to further refinement before town meeting. TOWN OF MEDFIELD Scott F. McDermott Town Moderator 2 Please see the Groupings of Articles on Page 3 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 2017 GROUPINGS OF ARTICLES FOR TOWN CONSIDERATION Former Medfield State Hospital Brief Update Presentation from MSH Master Planning Committee Article 18 Maintenance & Security Article 19 Consultants & Engineers Town Budgets Article 13 Operating Budget Article 14 Capital Budget Commercial Marijuana Article 48 Adopt New General Bylaw Article 49 Ament Zoning Bylaw Zoning & Planning Article 39 Article 40 Article 41 Article 42 Article 43 Article 44 Article 45 Article 46 Article 47 With reports from the Planning Board Advanced Life Support Article 15 Advanced Life Support Affordable Housing Article 16 Establish Trust Fund Article 17 Appropriate Funds for Trust Independent Articles Article 21 Downtown Improvement Article 24 Rail Trail Article 25 Street Lights Article 26 Beaver Dams Article 27 Bridge Naming Subject to Lottery Subject to Lottery (cont.) Article 50 Free Cash Consider Last Standard Town Business Consent Calendar: Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 28, 31, and 32 for passage. Articles 20, 22, and 23 for dismissal Miscellaneous: Articles 9, 10, 29 Personnel: Articles 11, 12 OPEB Trust: Article 30 Water & Sewer: Articles 33, 34, 35, 36 Public Works: Articles 37, 38 Considered First 320170411-SM-MEDMod 2017 Annual Town Meeting Moderator Announcement_Page_220170411-SM-MEDMod 2017 Annual Town Meeting Moderator Announcement_Page_3

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