1,118 YES 752 NO
However, a 2/3 vote of the special town meeting (STM) is required for passage.
The next step for the town will be to see if more than 50% of residents vote in favor of the new school on 11/15 at the ballot election, which would satisfy one of the two criteria required to move forward with the new school process.
If the 11/15 ballot succeeds, then, those in charge of the new school at Wheelock campus effort will need to decide whether they feel enough town residents want to hold a second special town meeting (STM), as the process allows, to see if at that second STM whether 2/3 of voters will both attend and support the new school. We had less than a 25% turn out of registered voters yesterday.
A large plurality favoring the new school at the 11/15 ballot would certainly send a strong message to the new school at the Wheelock campus leaders that residents want a second chance via a second STM.
Medfield02052's Blog 
Thank you for the detailed up to date information on the STM. You were the first to answer my questions. I was very impressed with how well run this meeting was organized. Also the special parking for we seniors. Much appreciated.
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The “Yes” proposal would have to change the minds of about 127 voters if the same number of townspeople showed up again. Personally I was on the fence before I voted and even after I voted I am still on the fence. The arguments made by the “Dale @ Dale” proponents and the new info related to the Newton school project would cause me to hesitate even more to vote “Yes” than this past Sunday.
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So glad the Dale at Dale campaign turned out! There really looks like a chance we can assert that the town should reuse the site of the current school and not abandon it for a massive construction on our beautiful conserved open space that would cost far more than the new high school did. I bet there are developers who are licking their lips in anticipation of building more condensed luxury housing if the Dale site is abandoned. We don’t need this expensive massive construction, we just need a functional and safe school.. and that shouldn’t cost us $86 million and anticipate an increase of children that is likely not to come. Additionally, if that many students in one location can be avoided, we should avoid it God forbid something tragic were to happen or a sickness to spread. That elm street bridge is hardly big enough for a bike and a car to cross at the same time, why would we want to increase traffic there? We’ve seen how long it has taken for any progress to happen at the hospital grounds, why would we the Dale location sit idle as well? It’s just more years of meetings and talks and choices the town has to face. We need to reuse our developed space. It is possible and it is the only sustainable option.
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Strongly suggest that, given the decision to move forward with the plan, that an equal effort be implement to identify commercial entities to defray the continuing reliance on property as source of capital funding. Such an approach is not sustainable as a long term strategy. As an example development of the Dale and hospital properties as business parks could be examplles.
Ideally, a detailed discussion of plans to attract commercial entities should have been done in parallel to the plans for the school and presented to the voters. Had that been done there is a likelyhood that stronger support for the school planning would have been achieved.
I would urge that, as a follow-up, there be an immediate discussion on plans to attract commerciial entities.
Additionally there should be clear communications on how inevitable cost overruns will be addressed.
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First, the vote did not pass the new school, as it needed a 2/3 majority to pass, and only got 60%. Second, typically, commercial uses do not want to locate in town where we are not on major roads. Also, the Town of Medfield is currently being offered $44m. for the Medfield State Hospital site by Pulte Homes with $3-4m. a year in extra property taxes, but the town does not seem interested in that offer, and is instead pursuing the Trinity Financial offer that pays $2m. and $1m per year in taxes. Just as most do not want the 702 units Pulte proposes at Medfield State Hospital, most commercial uses carry issues that many do not want next to their own homes, despite all of us wanting lower taxes.
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