From the Moderator, Scott McDermott, courtesy of Colleen Sullivan –
BEFORE Attending STM At Noon On 11/7, Read Info from Moderator
This is a REVIEW of all STM info provided by Scott McDermott,Town Moderator, please READ before attending on Sunday to be INFORMED …..

Review of all Special Town Meeting Information Provided by Scott McDermott,Town Moderator –
Please Read before attending on Sunday…..
Town Meeting Brief #1, by Town Moderator, Scott McDermott
This is the first in a series of Town Meeting Briefs to communicate key information in advance of our important November 7, 2021 Special Town Meeting. In this initial note, we focus on the who, what, where, and when of our upcoming municipal legislative session:
Who may participate in our legislative process?
Our Town Charter declares “The Legislative authority of the town shall be vested in the town meeting open to all registered voters.” The invitation to town meeting is extended to (i) all Medfield’s registered voters and (ii) visitors approved by a vote of the meeting to sit within
the session as non-voters. Medfield voters, as friends and neighbors, will come together as a legislative body to vote on an important and highly strategic appropriation. When we do come together, we will be ‘living’ the rare example of direct, democratic and participatory self-government. Medfield has approximately 9,320 registered voters. Our voters are active and engaged citizens with 8,384 voting in the last Presidential election, 528 participating as
legislators in the 2021 Annual Town Meeting, and 943 gathering for the 2019 Special Town Meeting to vote on MSH zoning.
WHAT is on the agenda? On October 19, 2021, the Board of Selectmen closed the Warrant. The Warrant is the notice to the voters of the subject matter of the meeting. We have only one ARTICLE on the Warrant and, therefore, the exclusive focus of the meeting will be the elementary school building project. The actual vote at the Special Town Meeting will be on a MOTION tracking the Article. The Motion is offered at the beginning of the meeting by the Warrant Committee or the Article’s sponsor.
WHERE is the meeting? The Special Town Meeting will take place at the Amos Clark Kingsbury High School in the gymnasium and in other venues established throughout the high school campus. Registration will be at the front entrance to the high school and more information on parking and logistics will be
provided before the meeting.https://d2ae9e3e3a69b3379688683e9d50fe3f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
WHEN is the meeting? The Special Town Meeting will begin at 12:00 noon on SUNDAY, November 7th (or as soon as quorum is present).
Town Meeting Brief from Moderator, Scott McDermott…
This is the second in a series of Town Meeting Briefs to communicate key information in advance of our important STM on Sunday, November 7, 2021
In this note, we focus on the Proceedings, including the actual agenda and sequence of the meeting:
Special Town Meeting Proceedings
11:00am – Check in – Registration Opens
12:00pm – Town Meeting Begins (or when the quorum is confirmed by Town Clerk)
- Welcome and National Anthem
- Moderator’s Review of Meeting Guidelines
- Making of the positive Main Motion
- Warrant Committee Reports (Majority and Minority reports as appropriate)
- Presentation by Article Sponsors – School Building Committee and School Committee
- Statements of Opposition from Keep Dale @ Dale Coalition
- Statement in Support from For Our Kids/For Our Town
- Brief Statements in Opposition and Support of Motion
- Moderator’s Inquiry of Readiness of Legislators
- Final Statement in Opposition and Support of Motion
- Moderator’s Motion to Call Question (no earlier than 1:30pm)
Registration Closes
Town Meeting Brief from Moderator, Scott McDermott…
This is the third in a series of Town Meeting Briefs to communicate key information in advance of our important STM on Sunday, November 7, 2021
Logistics and Safety Information
https://youtube.com/c/Medfield…
Town Meeting Brief #4 – Medfield’s Special Town Meeting on Sunday, Nov 7, 2021
An exercise in RESPECT and PATIENCE
Medfield is a community with a long heritage of respectful, civil, and thoughtful public dialogue. As the meeting unfolds, I will be leaning onthe watchwords – RESPECT and CIVILITY.
- Please stick to the facts,
- Agree to disagree,
- No personal attacks will be tolerated,
- There is NO hate in debate,
- And, As Mary J. Blige might say, “leave your ‘situations at the door.”
Please join us and be a CITIZEN LEGISLATOR.
It is time to turn away from the substantive debate still raging on Facebook, and the procedural positioning still being debated, and for all of us to focus on one key factor – Sunday is about the composition of the legislative body convening on the high school campus. Each registered voter sitting within the Special Town Meeting when the question is called (not earlier than 1:30pm) will have the exceptional opportunity, serving as a citizen legislator, to cast a vote on this very important and strategic decision for the Town of Medfield.
Medfield has over 9,300 registered voters invited to join us in a time proven exercise of direct, participatory self-government. Beyond a heavy dose of respect and civility, please bring your PATIENCE.
The meeting begins at 12:00pm and bear in mind we “fall back” Saturday night .
We will hear first from some of the town and community’s most committed citizens – almost all volunteers who have dedicated enormous time and efforts to this issue. Ultimately, we will call the vote, no earlier than 1:30pm. The vote will take time – please be patient. The counting of the vote will take time – please be patient. We have dedicated ourselves to a process that cannot be rushed. The Voting Cards are a new process being tested with very heavy volume. We will be deliberate, but neither the voting nor the count will be quick – PATIENCE. Legislators may leave after voting.
Now is the Time to Be Prepared, just by making a Couple of CLICKS.
CLICK HERE to READ THE MOTION we will be voting on. Please Read it. This is our proposition: One Special Town Meeting Article, one vote – YES or NO.
CLICK HERE to read the School Building Project Subcommittee of the Warrant Committee inventory of key information, documents, and videos.
This is a comprehensive inventory of important meetings, analysis, summaries, videos, and statements that was compiled through the dedicated effort of the Warrant Committee to provide the community with a central location for each Legislator to prepare for the meeting.
I look forward to a Civil and Respectful Special Town Meeting.
Scott McDermott, Town Moderator