Monthly Archives: March 2022

Office hours postpone a week to 4/8

Posted on March 31, 2022 | Comments Off on Office hours postpone a week to 4/8

NOT AN APRIL FOOLS DAY JOKE!

The Center is in the midst of preparing for the FOSI Yard Sale on this Saturday, and therefore my usual first Friday of the month office hours there will be postponed to April 8, a week from tomorrow.

FOSI Yard Sale, 8 AM to 2 PM.

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Posted in Events, Select Board matters, Seniors

Fairy House Walk and Live Music April 9

Posted on March 30, 2022 | 1 comment

From Jean Mineo –

The Cultural Alliance invites the public to kick off a season of live music outdoors at Bellforge, the newly named arts center planned at the former Medfield State Hospital. The inaugural free family-friendly event is Saturday, April 9 from 10 am – 3 pm (raindate is Sunday, April 10).

Visitors are invited to walk the grounds of the campus and the Chapel will be open for tours starting at 10 am. More than two dozen community groups have created fairy houses on display for the day, complete with photo opportunities and crafts for kids. Students from Pointe Premiere School of Dance take the stage at noon, and artists will be on site to sell their handcrafted pottery, jewelry and photography all day. Musicians Olivia Wendel and Ghost Grl perform live on the outdoor stage starting at 12:45 pm. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and enjoy treats from ThankQue Catering or Clarke’s Cakes and Cookies food trucks.

Additional live music events are planned most Saturdays through October. The schedule will be updated on Bellforge.org.

1 Comment

Posted in Art, Children, Cultural, Cultural Alliance of Medfield, Entertainment, Events, Medfield State Hospital

Hinkley Playground Rebuild Launch Event – 5/15, 11-2:30

Posted on March 30, 2022 | Comments Off on Hinkley Playground Rebuild Launch Event – 5/15, 11-2:30

Medfield Foundation supports new town initiative

Hinkley Helpers aims to improve playground at Hinkley Park, hosting launch event on May 15

Hinkley Helpers, an initiative of The Medfield Foundation, Inc. has announced it has launched. The group is raising funds to contribute to a rebuild of the Hinkley Playground in coordination with Medfield Parks and Rec. 

Hinkley Helpers was formed by a group of parents and residents to fundraise to create a best-in-class, new, safe and creative playground at the current Hinkley Park site. 

According to Kelly Fallon, Hinkley Helper’s Founding Chair,” We believe all children deserve a safe, clean and inclusive place to play.” 

 “The mission of Hinkley Helpers is vital to support the thriving town of Medfield and this initiative plans to raise private funds for public good and an improved playground at Hinkley Park”, said Kirsten Poler, president of Medfield Foundation.

Hinkley Helpers invites the public to attend the Hinkley Playground Rebuild Launch Event on Sunday May 15 from 11 AM – 2:30 PM at Hinkley Park, 51 Green Street Medfield featuring events for kids, face paint, and local food vendors Chubbs’ Ice Cream, Medfield House of Pizza, and The Hot Dog Wagon.

About Hinkley Helpers

The Hinkley Helpers are a group of passionate parents and frequent Hinkley Playground visitors who are eager to fundraise and design a new playground at Hinkley Park in Medfield, MA. The committee is open to all and actively seeking new members. 

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About The Medfield Foundation (MFi)

The Medfield Foundation (MFi) is a 100% volunteer run 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable corporation whose mission is to enrich the lives of Medfield residents, build a stronger community, and facilitate the raising and allocation of private funds for public needs in the town of Medfield. Its signature initiatives include the Angel Run, Volunteer Awards, Legacy Fund and Youth Leadership.

https://www.medfieldfoundation.org

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Posted in Charity, Children, Events, Medfield Foundation, Medfield Park & Recreation Commission, Recreation, Volunteers

27th Annual Student Faculty Show – 4/7 opening reception

Posted on March 29, 2022 | Comments Off on 27th Annual Student Faculty Show – 4/7 opening reception

From Kate Jones, K-12 Art Department Chair, Medfield Public Schools –

For the twenty-seventh year, the Zullo Gallery, in collaboration with the K-12 Visual Arts faculty of the Medfield Public Schools, is hosting its Annual Student-Faculty Art Exhibit. The Zullo Gallery offers a fantastic opportunity for deserving student artwork to receive special notice by our community in a professional gallery setting. The show is designed to highlight student work and pieces are chosen as examples of student learning within the art curriculum. This year’s exhibit will be held from April 2nd through April 24th.

We are excited for the return of the in-person reception on April 7th from 5-7pm. Please join us to celebrate these artists with their art teachers.

The Zullo Gallery is also open every Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon until 5 PM. Over the course of the exhibit, the Zullo Gallery is typically visited by hundreds of viewers, enjoying the display of our wonderful student artwork.

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Posted in Art, Downtown, Entertainment, Events, Medfield High School, Schools, Zullo Gallery

Election results – Knight & Kirkby win

Posted on March 28, 2022 | Comments Off on Election results – Knight & Kirkby win

878 Tim Knight
769 Michelle Kirkby
632 Flavia Benson
451 Lauren Liljegren

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Posted in Elections, Schools

Election today

Posted on March 28, 2022 | Comments Off on Election today

Vote today up to 8PM

Four candidates for two positions on the School Committee. Heavy activity at The Center an hour ago when I voted.

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Posted in Elections, Schools

5th New Life 5k Trail Run 5/7

Posted on March 25, 2022 | Comments Off on 5th New Life 5k Trail Run 5/7

From Tod Dimmick –

The 5th New Life 5k Trail Run hits the trails on May 7th

New Life is excited to host its 5th annual Trail Run on Saturday, May 7th on the Medfield State Hospital grounds (at Hospital Rd. & Service Dr., Medfield, MA). The route winds through the beautiful Charles River Reservation, and the event is open to runners, walkers and everyone in between.

To celebrate being back in person after two years of virtual runs, New Life has partnered with the Cultural Alliance of Medfield to provide live music on race day. Also, the Furniture Matters club of Medfield High School will introduce a Kids Fun Run for children 4-10 years old.

Trail Run registration is open at www.newlifefb.org/5ktrailrun. An “early bird” discount registration of $25 is available until April 23; after that registration will be $30 between April 24 to May 5; and $35 on race day. On-site Kids Fun Run registration will be $5 (cash or check). There is a $5 group discount for teams of four or more when the registrations are made at the same time.  On-site registration opens at 7:30 on race day. The Kids Fun Run starts at 9:00, and the Trail Run starts at 9:30, with live music to follow. The first 300 people to register will receive a t-shirt on race day.

The Trail Run benefits New Life Furniture Bank of MA and its mission to provide essential home furnishings to those in need. “The funds we raise go directly to helping those coming out of homelessness to furnish their new homes,” said Rich Purnell, Executive Director of the New Life Furniture Bank.

New Life Furniture Bank of MA collects high-quality gently-used furniture and household essentials that are made available at no cost to individuals and families in need. The Medfield-based not-for-profit organization operates a Walpole Donation Center, and serves the MetroWest and Greater Boston area. New Life provides a meaningful option for folks who are downsizing, renovating or disposing of a loved one’s property.

Those interested in being a sponsor, volunteering, donating home furnishings, or making a financial contribution are encouraged to visit www.newlifefb.org.

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Posted in Charity, Children, Entertainment, Events, health, MCAP - Medfeild Cares About Prevention, Medfield State Hospital, Open space, Sports

MMA on the state budget – more should be due towns

Posted on March 21, 2022 | Comments Off on MMA on the state budget – more should be due towns

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association this afternoon –

Please Urge Your Legislators to Support Key Local Government Priorities for Fiscal Year 2023  

Please Call Your Representatives and Senators Today and Ask Them To:  

• Increase UGGA by 7.3%, not 2.7%
• Increase Chapter 70 Aid Minimum Aid to $100/student
• Fully Fund School Transportation Accounts
• Fully Fund PILOT
• Pass a Multi-year $300M Chapter 90 Bond Bill  

Increase Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) by 7.3%

Please ask your legislators to provide a strong commitment to revenue sharing by increasing Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) by 7.3%, or $85.3 million, to bring the account up to $1.253 billion in FY23. State tax collections in FY23 are projected to grow by 7.3% above the revenue base that was used in the FY22 budget that the Legislature adopted last July. The budget filed by the Governor (House 2) only offers a far-too-low 2.7% increase, and does not reflect full revenue sharing.   Between FY15 and FY20, the state’s revenue-sharing calculation worked well, providing adequate and dependable increases for UGGA that kept pace with state revenue growth – UGGA and state revenues each increased by 19% over these years. But during the past two years, the state’s revenue forecasts have been far lower than actual collections, and this threatens to leave cities and towns behind. State tax revenues have grown by 22% in FY21 and 22, but UGGA has only increased by 3.5%.   By tying UGGA increases to the growth from the FY22 enacted budget to January’s FY23 revenue forecast, this adjustment could be made and the UGGA account would increase by a total of $85.3 million. This would more adequately reflect the last two years of unprecedented state revenue growth, while acknowledging that future year tax revenues may return to more modest growth patterns.   UGGA provides essential funding for municipalities, allowing communities to deliver core services to residents and businesses, while mitigating further overreliance on the property tax. As you know, discretionary local aid suffered disproportionately large cuts during the Great Recession, and is still nearly $150 million below fiscal 2008 levels, without adjusting for inflation.

For FY23, the MMA requests an 7.3% increase in UGGA funding levels, to a new total of $1.253 billion.  

Click Here to See the Impact that Adequately Funding UGGA with a 7.3% Increase Would Have on your City or Town  

Increase Chapter 70 minimum aid to $100 per student Please thank your legislators for their commitment to fund Chapter 70 School Aid and fulfill the promises made in the Student Opportunity Act. Because this reflects the implementation of the SOA’s foundation budget enhancements, the majority of the new funding in House 2 would go to expansion of the foundation budget, adding weight for low-income students, English Language Learners, special education costs, and school employee health benefits. Unfortunately, 135 of 318 operating districts (42%) would receive only the minimum $30 per-student increase in the Student Opportunity Act, providing Chapter 70 increases of 1% or less, far below inflation. These 135 districts would receive a total of $9.3 million in new aid, while the other districts would receive $475 million more.

Please ask your legislators to increase minimum aid to $100 per student to ensure that all districts can at least keep pace with inflation and maintain their school services.   Fully Fund School Transportation Accounts (various line items)

In mid-March, DESE will release the FY23 projected costs associated with school transportation. We know that the Governor’s budget would cut regional transportation reimbursements below FY22 levels and would significantly underfund out-of-district vocational transportation. Please ask the Legislature to use DESE’s projections when published, to fully fund these key accounts, as well as the McKinney-Vento account for transporting homeless students.

Please ask your legislators for full funding of all school transportation accounts.  

Fully Fund PILOT

MMA supports full funding of the Commonwealth’s obligations to the program for payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land (PILOT). The House 2 proposal would level fund this account at $35 million. A report completed by the state auditor in December 2020 found that this account has not met the state’s obligation in 20 years, and that the funding for fiscal 2020 should have been $45 million.   This is a particularly important program for the cities and towns that host and provide municipal services to state facilities that are exempt from the local property tax, and we applaud the Legislature’s fiscal 2022 increase, which initiated a path to phasing-in full funding. Unfortunately, H. 2 would stall that progress.  

Please ask your legislators to make an important investment in the PILOT program and continue the commitment to full funding.

When discussing the details, please ask them to support the auditor’s recommendation to fully fund this account based on the aggregate tax method, and ask for a “hold harmless” provision to protect municipalities with reduced land values and PILOT reimbursements.  

Pass a Multi-year $300M Chapter 90 Bond Bill & Support Supplemental Funding

While separate from the annual budget process, Chapter 90 funding for local roads and bridges is a key priority for municipalities. Chapter 90 is a critical program for all cities and towns across the Commonwealth, and it needs both short- and long-term support. Chapter 90 allocations have been generally flat at $200 million since fiscal 2012, and the purchasing power of that funding has been substantially diminished. Since fiscal 2012, the real value of Chapter 90 funding has dropped by at least 42% due to construction inflation.   The MMA estimates that the current Chapter 90 bond program ($200 million) is far short of the more than $600 million annual investment actually needed to maintain municipal roads. This figure was most recently calculated as of fall 2021, so the number today is likely even higher due to additional inflationary pressures and higher costs of supplies and materials.  

Please ask your legislators to pass a multi-year $300 million Chapter 90 bond bill by April 1, so municipalities can efficiently plan projects and take advantage of the construction season from the start. In addition, with a rapidly-growing need and many shovel-ready projects, we are requesting a separate, one-time $100 million supplemental appropriation, which was first proposed in the Governor’s FY22 supplemental budget.  

Click here to see MMA’s detailed testimony on key municipal budget priorities for FY23 Click here to see MMA’s detailed testimony on Chapter 90  

Please Contact Your Legislators Today!   Thank You Very Much!

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Posted in Budgets, Legislature, Massachusetts Municipal Association, State

Select Board 3/22/22

Posted on March 18, 2022 | Comments Off on Select Board 3/22/22
  1. To join online, use this link:
    https://medfield-net.zoom.us/j/81250089206?pwd=T0k3YzJzQWRoeDY5aS9HRUE1WC9mZz09
    a. Webinar ID: 812 5008 9206
    b. Password: 808096
  2. To join through a conference call, dial 929-436-2866 or 312-626-6799 or 253-215-8782
    or 301-715-8592 or 346-248-7799 or 669-900-6833
    a. Enter the Webinar ID: 812 5008 9206
    b. Enter the password: 808096
    The packet with meeting materials for this meeting is available at this link:
    https://www.town.medfield.net/DocumentCenter/View/5881/BOS-Meeting-Packet-March-22-2022

TOWN OF MEDFIELD MEETING NOTICE Posted in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. c. 30A, §§18-25 This meeting will be held in a hybrid format. The Board of Selectmen will attend in person and members of the public may attend in person. In addition, members of the public who wish to participate via Zoom may do so by joining by one of the following options: 1. To join online, use this link: https://medfield-net.zoom.us/j/81250089206?pwd=T0k3YzJzQWRoeDY5aS9HRUE1WC9mZz09 a. Webinar ID: 812 5008 9206 b. Password: 808096 2. To join through a conference call, dial 929-436-2866 or 312-626-6799 or 253-215-8782 or 301-715-8592 or 346-248-7799 or 669-900-6833 a. Enter the Webinar ID: 812 5008 9206 b. Enter the password: 808096 The packet with meeting materials for this meeting is available at this link: https://www.town.medfield.net/DocumentCenter/View/5881/BOS-Meeting-Packet-March-22-2022 Board of Selectmen Board or Committee PLACE OF MEETING DAY, DATE, AND TIME Chenery Hall, Medfield Town House Remote participation available through Zoom Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 7:00 pm Agenda (Subject to Change) Call to Order Disclosure of video recording We want to take a moment of appreciation for our Troops serving around the globe in defense of our country Executive Session at the conclusion of the regular meeting: ● Vote to enter Executive Session for the purpose of discussing the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property (Medfield State Hospital) Appointments 1. James Goldstein and Christian Donner, Bay Colony Rail Trail Association ○ Discuss safety improvements at the Rail Trail crossings and Rail Trail signage 2. Longmeadow Neighborhood Access to Medfield State Hospital Discussion Items (Potential Votes) 3. Discuss and potential vote to approve and sign the Provisional Designation Agreement with Trinity Acquisitions LLC ○ The Provisional Designation Agreement will start the due diligence period related to Trinity’s proposed redevelopment of the Medfield State Hospital 4. Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Update 5. Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Budget update 6. Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations from the Municipal Buildings Stabilization Fund Action Items 7. Authorize the Town Administrator to sign the Local Intel Order Summary for online Economic Development Tools for a lump sum of $9,600 for 3 years to be paid via the REDO Grant from Mass Office of Business Development and 495 MetroWest Partnership 8. Vote to appoint Clifford and Kenney, LLP for labor counsel services 9. Vote to increase the override for the Municipal Buildings Stabilization Fund in Fiscal Year 2023 by 2.5% to $1,103,812 Citizen Comment Consent Agenda 10. 5K Trail Run in support of New Life Furniture Bank of Massachusetts to be held on May 2, 2022 at the Medfield State Hospital 11. Zelus Beer Gardens series of one day beer/wine permits for Meetinghouse Park ○ Saturday April 2 ○ Saturday April 16 ○ Saturday April 23 ○ Saturday May 14 ○ Saturday May 21 ○ Sunday May 29 12. Zullo Gallery one day beer/wine permit for a Ukraine fundraising concert on Saturday March 26, 2022 13. Soles of Medfield to host the annual 10K road race on June 12, 2022 with the start and finish of the race to be located at the Medfield State Hospital Meeting Minutes June 2, 2020 June 9, 2020 June 22, 2020 July 7, 2020 November 10, 2020 November 17, 2020 December 1, 2020 at 7:00PM December 22, 2020 March 2, 2021 April 20, 2021 July 13, 2021 August 3, 2021 August 17, 2021 August 25, 2021 September 14, 2021 September 21, 2021 Town Administrator Updates Next Meeting Dates April 5, 2022 April 7, 2022 at 7:00 pm: Public Hearing with School Committee on Elementary School Selectmen Reports Informational ● Medfield Outreach’s Community Survey Flyer - Survey open through March 27, 2022 ● Medfield State Hospital Redevelopment Information and Listening Session: April 6, 2022 at 7 pm at the Medfield High School Library ● Weston & Sampson Letter re: Phase IV SPD Area Groundwater RIP Modification and Construction Notification ○ Charter Contracting Company to begin mobilization for Laundry Parcel remediation on March 21, 2022 ● April 13, 2022 ZBA Hearing Notice ● Letter from the Department of Telecommunications and Cable re: Comcast cable agreement

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Posted in Select Board matters

Medfield Outreach survey open to 3/27

Posted on March 18, 2022 | Comments Off on Medfield Outreach survey open to 3/27

From Medfield Outreach –

Medfield Outreach is seeking your input for a community survey.   Thanks to the generosity of the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund, we are working with a consultant and a group of community stakeholders to better understand the community’s needs and we’d love to hear from you!

YOUR OPINION MATTERS

If you are a Medfield resident, or work for the Town of Medfield, your opinion matters.  Please click this link to share your valuable input.  This survey is available in English, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish. This survey is anonymous and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.  The survey is live now and closes on Sunday, March 27th. 

The results of this survey will be made public following the analysis of the data.  Furthermore, the data collected will be important in helping consider future resources, services and programming in Medfield.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Medfieldoutreach@medfield.net

Thank you in advance for your participation.

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Posted in Medfield Outreach