Monthly Archives: May 2022

Bluebird today

Posted on May 28, 2022 | Comments Off

One of my favorite birds at one of the bluebird houses I built. Photo from our kitchen window. Unfortunately wrens were already in occupancy and unwilling to vacate. Still nice to see the bluebirds around the house.

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Time to visit the fringe tree at MSH

Posted on May 28, 2022 | Comments Off

Photos taken yesterday evening.

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“Heart of the Lion” Awarded to Medfield’s Kathy Thompson

Posted on May 28, 2022 | Comments Off

From Patch –

Community Corner

Medfield Lions Present “Heart of the Lion Award”

The “Heart of the Lion Award” presented to Kathleen Thompson, MS, RN, Nurse Leader, Medfield Public Schools.

Colleen M. Sullivan,Patch Mayor

Posted Wed, May 25, 2022 at 3:08 pm ET|Updated Wed, May 25, 2022 at 6:43 pm ETReply

Nurse Kathy Thompson and Lion Barbara Gips (Photo courtesy of Medfield Lions Club)
Heart of the Lion recipient, Kathy Thompson and Lion Barbara Gips (Photo courtesy of Medfield Lions Club)

Nurse Kathy Thompson and Lion Barbara Gips

Heart of the Lion recipient, Kathy Thompson and Lion Barbara Gips

“Heart of the Lion” Awarded to Medfield’s Kathy Thompson

At the Medfield Lions May dinner meeting, the “Heart of the Lion Award” was presented to Medfield resident, Board of Health member and Medfield Public Schools Nurse Leader, Kathy Thompson by Lion Barbara Gips.

Kathy and her husband, Newton were invited to this dinner meeting as guests of the Lions and Kathy was presented with this well-deserved award.

The letter of nomination stated the following:

“I nominate Kathy Thompson for the Medfield Lions Club Heart of a Lion Award 2022.

Find out what’s happening in Medfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Let’s go!

Kathy is the head nurse in the Medfield School District. In her free time, Kathy organized 9 vaccine clinics. Without Kathy’s vision and civic mindedness, these clinics would not have come about. Kathy asked for volunteers to help with the clinics and they happily gave up their time for Kathy’s mission of serving the community and making it as easy as possible to get children vaccinated. A local resident and owner of Birds Hill Pharmacy in Needham brought the vaccine to the clinics. It did take a village, and Kathy would be the first to thank everyone else, but the clinics would not have taken place without Kathy’s leadership.

Parents were so grateful they could bring their children 5 years and older to these clinics. The children would see familiar friendly faces, watch cartoons and be given drinks and snacks after their vaccine generously supplied by Kathy. Kathy’s wonderful husband worked at the entrance greeting and inputting the insurance information into the laptop. The most humble and community orientated couple I know.

It is thanks to Kathy organizing these clinics that Medfield has over 95% of 5 years old through High School kids vaccinated and gave out over 600 vaccines.”

Congratulations, Kathy Thompson!

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How to talk to children about the tragic event in Texas

Posted on May 26, 2022 | Comments Off

From Riverside Community Care –

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Message from the Superintendent- Reaction to Event in Texas

Posted on May 25, 2022 | Comments Off

Email last night from the Superintendent to parents about the shooting in Uvalde, TX and the Medfield Public School’s preparedness. Who would ever have imagined that in our small town we would ever need to be doing such planning. Medfield is about the same size as Uvalde. –

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From: Marsden, Jeffrey
Date: Tue, May 24, 2022 at 9:24 PM
Subject: Message from the Superintendent- Reaction to Today’s Event in Texas

Dear Medfield Families,

We are all devastated to learn about the latest senseless tragedy to happen in our country. The details that continue to emerge from the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas are absolutely heartbreaking. We will continue to keep the children, families, and entire Uvalde community in our thoughts during this unimaginable time.

The safety of our students and staff continues to be our top priority in the Medfield Public Schools. We have worked hard over the past several years to put safety measures in place. We have collaborated with the Medfield Police and Metro-LEC (Norfolk County’s SWAT team) to implement lockdown (safety) drills in each school. These drills have served as risk assessments and as a result, improvements have been made in each school. Window shades and interior locks have been added and replaced, shelter-in-place areas have been changed, and internal communication methods have been improved. Prior to the pandemic, all teachers and staff participated in a very intense (and uncomfortable) afternoon of active shooter training with Synergy Solutions and the Medfield Police. This training focused on keeping our students safe in the event of an active shooter in our schools. The very realistic training included “live” gunshots and a variety of scenarios for us to practice and react to in real-time. Although many teachers and staff were very anxious about the training, the feedback was positive as our teachers and staff now have new strategies to handle this type of situation. I review the strategies/plans with new teachers at every new teacher orientation in August.

Additional safety measures have been added throughout the district including a School Resource Officer, capital investment in security cameras, restricted access to buildings, and others that most people, by design, would not even notice. On the advice of law enforcement, we never share our plans publicly or post them on our website. Last summer, the Medfield School Committee and I met with Chief Guerette to review, assess, and update our emergency plans. The security in our district is always evolving and the “plan” is never complete.

In addition to security measures, our focus on social-emotional learning is equally important. Our schools have teams of counselors, teachers, and administrators in place that meet regularly to support students and work with families that need assistance. The addition of counseling at the elementary level, school adjustment counselors at the MS and HS, and a Director of Social Emotional Learning has helped us provide greater support to students and families. Our Social-Emotional Task Force has worked over the past several years to make recommendations for various improvements for the children and adults of our school district. Our new MHS schedule and revised homework policy are tangible improvements that emanated from this group.

The images and news reports over the next few days will be difficult for us to watch and hear. Even if your child does not watch the news, if they carry a smartphone, they could be inundated with information about this horrific event. Please refer to Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers and How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings to assist you with these difficult conversations. As always, our dedicated and talented staff is available to support your children during this difficult time. Please reach out to any of us if you need any support assisting your child with processing this event. Please remember the safety of our students and staff will always be our number one focus.

Sincerely,

Jeff Marsden

Jeffrey J. Marsden, Ed.D

Superintendent

Medfield Public Schools

508-359-2302

Follow me on Twitter @JeffreyJMarsden

#medfieldps #medfieldpln

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Racial injustice vigil – 7:30 PM Wednesday

Posted on May 24, 2022 | Comments Off

From Nicole Silvestri Hall –

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. Please join us as we honor his life, remember the grave injustices we witnessed that day, and acknowledge the many ways we continue to experience and/or witness racial injustice today. Show up to stand up against hate, intolerance, bias and racism in all forms.

Hope to see you there!

Candlelight Vigil

Wednesday May 25, 7:30pm

First Parish Church

26 North Street Medfield

See attached flyer for more details. Please forward this invitation to your personal networks if you can.

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MSH development FAQ – read up for STM

Posted on May 21, 2022 | Comments Off

Trinity Financial’s due diligence investigation is ongoing, as are the negotiations over the details of the terms. The plan is to have a special town meeting (STM) in June at which residents will decide whether they want the deal with Trinity and the development Trinity proposes. The Trinity proposal closely tracts the building reuse and housing numbers that our town study committee recommended.

From the Town of Medfield –

MSH Q&A

What is the status of the Medfield State Hospital redevelopment effort?
In November of 2021, the Board of Selectmen designated Trinity Financial’s proposal as the most advantageous response to the Request for Proposals issued in April, 2021. In March of this year, the Selectmen executed a Provisional Designation Agreement with Trinity Financial which outlines a potential sale of a portion of the property for purposes of redevelopment and initiated a formal “due diligence” period for Trinity to commission various technical studies and to further engage with Town representatives to refine their proposal for the property.

How can I find out more about the Medfield State Hospital and the proposed redevelopment?
There are many resources available to learn more about the Medfield State Hospital and the proposed redevelopment: Town of Medfield webpage on the Medfield State Hospital. The Request for Proposals for the Medfield State Hospital released in April 2021. Copies of the two proposals received and links to the interviews conducted with Trinity Financial and Pulte Homes. Meeting minutes of the Medfield State Hospital Development Committee –Sept, 2018 – present Video of the April 6 Listening Session Video of the May 18 Trinity Financial presentation at the Council of Aging Upcoming events, including: June 9 at 7 pm: Trinity Financial presentation; location TBD June 18 at 9 am: Trinity Financial open office hours at the Medfield Town House – all are welcome Additional sessions and/or committee meetings TBD

Will Medfield residents take a vote on whether to approve the sale?
Yes, any sale of Town-owned land at Medfield State Hospital is subject to state requirements governing disposition of municipal property. These requirements include a Town Meeting vote to approve any proposed sale of any portion of the property.

When is the Special Town Meeting?
The date for the Special Town Meeting has not been finalized but is anticipated to be scheduled for the week of June 20 at the Medfield High School.

What will we be voting on at Town Meeting?
The Town Meeting will be asked to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell portions of the Medfield State Hospital property in accordance with the Land Disposition Agreement negotiated by the Board of Selectmen with Trinity Financial. The proposed sale area of 45 acres is about 35% of the Medfield State Hospital land acquired by the Town in 2014. The Town would retain 65% of the property it acquired in 2014, including extensive open space and recreation areas north of Hospital Road and all of the 40 acres the Town bought south of Hospital Road.

What is the threshold needed to approve the proposed sale at the Town Meeting?
2/3 of Medfield voters in attendance at the Special Town Meeting need to vote to approve the sale of the property subject to the terms of the Land Disposition Agreement.

Will the proposed Land Disposition Agreement that the Town will sign with Trinity be available for review before the Special Town Meeting?
Yes, the Board of Selectmen will release the Land Disposition Agreement prior to the Special Town Meeting.

What is the Trinity Financial’s proposal? What type of housing is proposed?
Trinity Financial proposes to use federal and state historic tax credits and other resources to historically rehabilitate virtually all of the brick buildings on the site to create new rental apartments. The Land Disposition Agreement will cap the number of potential housing units at 334 units. For at least five years following construction, the property must remain rental apartments in accordance with requirements of the historic tax credit program. It is possible after that point that some or all of the units could be converted to homeownership, at the developer’s option.

The proposal includes a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments. During the formal due diligence period, Trinity is securing architectural and other reports regarding building conditions and capacity, and also meeting with Town boards and committees to refine the proposed unit mix. The final proposed unit mix will be established prior to Special Town Meeting.

What happened to the concept of including commercial space, stores and restaurants?
After the Town bought Medfield State Hospital lands from the Commonwealth in 2014, it initiated a strategic planning effort that culminated in the publication of the Medfield State Hospital Strategic Reuse Master Plan. Various scenarios were described in the Master Plan, and the Plan’s “preferred scenario” envisioned housing along with other uses such as limited commercial space and an assisted living facility. In 2019, the new zoning approved for the Medfield State Hospital (the “Medfield State Hospital District),” allowed for these uses by right.

The Master Plan was a conceptual document to identify potential uses of the site. When the Town released the Request for Proposals, it referenced the Strategic Reuse Master Plan but did not require respondents to adhere to the Master Plan or its “preferred scenario”. This was intended to ensure that any proposals received by the Town would reflect projects that developers saw as economically viable to construct and operate over the long term. Ultimately, none of the proposals submitted to the Town included any uses other than residential.

Are there any affordable housing units in the project?
25% of the units will be affordable and restricted to those earning less than 80% of the Area Median income in order to comply with the Town of Medfield’s Inclusionary Zoning bylaw. In addition, these units will count towards the Town’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) for compliance with the state law known as “Chapter 40B.”

40B requires that all communities have 10% of their housing be affordable and recorded on the SHI. If not, then developers are able to construct housing projects without needing to adhere to local zoning bylaws. With the approval of this project at 334 units, it is estimated that Medfield will move well over 10% on the SHI, thereby ensuring compliance with 40B for the foreseeable future and protecting the Town from hostile development proposals.

For more information on the Town’s housing objective, please see the updated Housing Production Plan, which was approved by the Planning Board on February 7, 2022 and by the Board of Selectmen on February 15, 2022. The document was sent to DHCD for final approval on February 22, 2022. View the plan HERE and DHCD approved Medfield’s Housing Production Plan valid through February 22, 2027.

What costs has the Town incurred since purchasing the Medfield State Hospital from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts? Has the Town generated revenue from leasing out the property?
Since the Town purchased 127 acres at Medfield State Hospital for $3.1 million in 2014, the Town has spent over one million dollars on costs associated with maintaining the structures, security, and performing landscaping activities. In addition, the Town has spent another million dollars on legal services, environmental consultants, planning, and other expenses related to the environmental remediation of the hospital and planning for the hospital’s future.

Beginning in Fiscal Year 2018, the Town began putting revenue from renting out the hospital in a revolving fund so they could be used for Medfield State Hospital maintenance expenses. Since FY2018, the Town has generated revenue from various activities at the hospital, including renting it out to production companies and to the Coolidge Corner Theater for drive-ins, which offsets certain maintenance expenses.

What are the projected revenues and expenses (fiscal impact) to the Town if the property is developed in accordance with Trinity’s proposal?
Trinity included an initial fiscal impact analysis in their proposal which is available on the Town website. The fiscal impact analysis estimated net revenues to the Town of $716,000 based on anticipated tax revenue and project related expenses, including the incremental cost of additional students generated by the development.

During due diligence, the Town and Trinity are further reviewing the fiscal impact to the Town in light of additional studies and refinement of Trinity’s proposal. Updated information and more in depth analysis could result in revised fiscal impact projections which will be reviewed by the Board of Selectmen, the Medfield State Hospital Development Committee, and several Town boards and committees, including the Warrant Committee, the School Committee, the Department of Public Works, and others.

What is the Trinity Financial’s proposed purchase price?
The proposed purchase price to the Town is $2 million. When the Town purchased the hospital from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2014, it agreed to share proceeds of a sale in accordance with a formula in the Land Disposition Agreement. The Town anticipates that it will receive approximately $1.6 million from the sale, excluding future benefits such as net real estate tax revenues received each year after the project is completed.

In addition to the $2 million purchase price, Trinity has made a $25,000 payment to the Town for costs incurred during the RFP development and evaluation process. Trinity is reimbursing the Town for its expenses (up to $525,000) associated with the development and construction of the project, for services such as legal counsel, construction oversight, and consulting costs.

Separate from the purchase price to the Town, Trinity is donating $1 million toward construction of the proposed Cultural Arts Center and additional $250,000 in programming funds for the Center.

What kind of public access will there be if the sale is approved?
Presently, the entire campus is open to the public as Town property. While Trinity will take ownership of approximately 45 acres to develop the brick buildings into apartment units (if Special Town Meeting approves), the Town will retain key parts of the campus which will ensure public access in and through the property and continued public enjoyment of open space and recreational areas.

The Town will still own the following areas totalling approximately 82 acres: The Green (the open green space leading up to the core campus) The Arboretum (the cottage area, near the Stonegate entrance) The North Field “unbuildable” area (the open space to the north of the core campus The Water Tower Parcel All of the former hospital land south of Hospital Road
The map below shows the parts of the Medfield State Hospital that Trinity would purchase with the yellow overlay.

Trinity is not constructing a gated community. The roads will remain public roads, like any other public way in Medfield. During due diligence and as part of the Land Disposition Agreement, the Town and Trinity will develop an easement plan to formalize how the public will be able to access amenities and parking on areas of the campus acquired by Trinity.

Will the North Field and trails remain open and be accessible to the public for both humans and canines?
The “unbuildable” section of the North Field (the 15 acres of land behind existing Building 13) will continue to be owned by the Town of Medfield and open to the public.

Most of the walking trails are on Commonwealth of Massachusetts property and are unaffected by the sale of the hospital campus; they will remain open to the public.

How will people park and access the Overlook and trails?
The Overlook and trails are on Commonwealth of Massachusetts property and have their own designated parking spots which are not included in the sale of the campus; they will remain open to the public.

How will this development affect the Town’ water and sewer systems? Do we have enough capacity to support this development?
When the Town was developing the State Hospital Master Reuse Plan and drafting new zoning for the hospital area, the Town retained Pare Corporation to develop a conceptual water and sewer infrastructure plan and to estimate water and sewer demand for a proposal envisioned by the master plan. Pare Corporation’s report and materials are available on the Town website.

After Pare Corporation completed their conceptual study, the Town’s consulting engineer Environmental Partners provided a peer review of the water and sewer infrastructure. Environmental Partners also analyzed the water and sewer usage information generated by Pare to determine whether the Town had sufficient capacity to absorb the potential new water and sewer demand. Environmental Partners’ report is available on the Town website.

Environmental Partners’ findings were that: MSH development’s estimated peak day water demands of 0.114 MGD could be accommodated under current authorized limits provided that the Town continues to be proactive with its water conservation programs. MSH development’s daily sewer flow of 96,910 GPD could be accommodated by the existing 8‐inch PVC sewer system from Hospital Road to West Mill Street based on the assumptions stated in the report.
Trinity Financial is not relying on these reports but rather commissioned its own studies as part of its due diligence. These studies will be shared with the Town and peer-reviewed by independent consultants retained by the Town. The findings will be discussed in meetings with the Board of Water and Sewerage that are open to the public.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Nicholas Milano, Assistant Town Administrator nmilano@medfield.net 781-856-5287

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Posted in Development, Medfield State Hospital

Select Board 5/24/2022

Posted on May 20, 2022 | Comments Off

To join online, use this link:
https://medfield-net.zoom.us/j/81250089206?pwd=T0k3YzJzQWRoeDY5aS9HRUE1WC9mZz09
a. Webinar ID: 812 5008 9206
b. Password: 808096
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/6167/BOS-Meeting-Packet-May-24-
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/6167/BOS-Meeting-Packet-May-24-
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, May 24, 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
Appointments
Discussion Items (Potential Votes)
1. Discuss Medfield State Hospital and potential vote to call a Special Town Meeting on
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Action Items
2. Vote to sign agreement with The Cambridge Public Health Commission for Federal
Public Health Emergency Preparedness Funds
3. Vote to sign contract with Equipment East for a new sidewalk tractor
4. Vote to accept the resignation of Greg Sandomirsky from the Medfield Affordable
Housing Trust effective July 31, 2022
5. Vote to approve agreements with Solect Energy Development for the Town Garage solar
project:
a. Power Purchase Agreement
b. Lease Agreement
c. Payment in Lieu of Taxes (“PILOT”) Agreement
Citizen Comment
Consent Agenda
6. Zelus Beer Gardens series of one day beer/wine permits for Meetinghouse Park from
12:00-8:30pm
a. Saturday, June 11
b. Saturday, June 25
c. Saturday, July 16
d. Saturday, August 6
e. Saturday, August 13
f. Sunday, August 27
g. Saturday, September 3
7. Council on Aging requests permission for a one day beer/wine permit for the following
monthly events:
a. Wednesday, June 8 for a Men’s Night 5:00-7:00pm
b. Wednesday, June 22 for our first summer cookout 4:30-7:00pm
Meeting Minutes
April 6, 2021
July 13, 2021
August 3, 2021
August 17, 2021
August 25, 2021
February 1, 2022
February 15, 2022
March 1, 2022
March 8, 2022
April 7, 2022
Town Administrator Updates
Next Meeting Dates
June 7, 2022
June 21, 2022
Selectmen Reports
Informational
● Xfinity notice of price increase for AMC + On Demand
● Eversource community scorecard

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Posted in Select Board matters

MMA on the Senate budget

Posted on May 19, 2022 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) with respect to the Senate taking up the state budget next week. 0

The Senate has already announced some increases in the budget as was proposed by the Governor and House. I especially hope that the legislature votes to continue remote municipal meetings, at least through 2023, and to eventually make them permanent.

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Senate to Begin FY23 State Budget Debate on Tuesday, 5/24

Lawmakers Will Decide All Municipal and School Amendments Next Week

Please Thank your Senators for Increases to UGGA, Charter School Mitigation Payments, PILOT, and Other Key Priorities and Ask for Their Support to Build on Impressive Investments

May 19, 2022

Dear Osler,

On Tuesday, May 24, the Senate is scheduled to start debating its version of the fiscal 2023 state budget (S. 4). During their deliberations, Senate members will consider more than 1,100 amendments, including many issues important to municipalities and school districts. Debate is expected to conclude by the end of next week. It is critically important that you connect with your Senators as soon as possible and ask them to support and co-sponsor key budget amendments to support municipalities.

When you talk with your legislators, please thank them for the many strong investments in the Senate Ways & Means budget, including doubling the increase in Unrestricted General Government Aid, doubling Chapter 70 minimum aid to $60 per student, fully funding the Student Opportunity Act, accelerating funding to fully implement the Student Opportunity Act’s charter school reimbursements a full year ahead of schedule, and increasing PILOT payments by 29%.

The MMA has sent a detailed letter to all Senators, advocating on all major local government amendments.

Please click here to download MMA’s letter as a PDF

A copy of the Senate Ways & Means budget (S. 4) and all proposed amendments can be found on the Legislature’s website:

https://malegislature.gov/Budget/SenateDebate

Please review the MMA’s Senate budget letter and call your Senators as soon as possible to let them know how these amendments would impact your community. This is the best time to influence their support for the issues and amendments that matter most. Please thank them for their important investments and encourage support for amendments that would further aid municipalities.

This is a quick reference to some of the many amendments highlighted in the MMA’s letter to all Senate members:

Regional School Transportation 100% Reimbursement (Amendment #647) – Please ask your Senators to support an increase to the Regional School Transportation account (7035-0006), which is critical to rural and smaller communities. Amendment #647, would fund 100% of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s fiscal 2023 projected claims, at $97 million.

Remote Meeting Extensions (Amendment #1114) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #1114, to extend provisions allowing for remote participation in open public meetings, as well as remote notarization, and remote town meetings, among others, from July 15, 2022, to December 15, 2023. Massachusetts is in the middle of another rise in COVID transmissions, and extending the option for remote meetings will provide resiliency for government operations during a time of ongoing uncertainty and public health concern. This is a highly time-sensitive measure, and it makes perfect sense to include it in legislation that will get to the Governor’s Desk before the current extension expires on July 15.

Rural School Aid and Regionalization Grant Program (Amendments #743, #704) – Please ask your Senators to support funding the Rural School Aid account (7010-0005) at $20 million, providing rural school assistance grants, with priority given to proposals that support schools and districts that have experienced significant enrollment losses, and Amendment #704, which provides $500,000 for school district regionalization grants to regional school districts, or school districts considering forming a regional school district or regionalizing services.

Early Voting Reimbursement (Amendment #127) – Please ask your Senators to support an appropriation to reimburse municipalities for the costs of implementing early voting for state elections. Amendment #127 includes a $6 million appropriation to fund this state mandate.

Local Opt-In for Permanent Outdoor Dining (Amendments #332) – Please ask your Senators to support this amendment to give municipalities the option to permanently extend outdoor dining options. Amendment #332 would allow restaurants to apply for local approval to expand outdoor table service.

Chapter 70 Minimum Aid (Amendments #630, 631) – The MMA deeply appreciates the Senate Ways & Means proposal to double per-pupil minimum aid to $60 per student. This was real progress for the 135 districts that are minimum-aid-only. As you know, the MMA has consistently advocated for $100 per-pupil minimum aid, and thus we certainly support consideration of Amendments #630 and #631, which would increase Chapter 70 minimum aid to $75 per pupil and $100 per pupil, respectively. Please talk to your Senators about minimum aid.

Community Preservation Act Surplus Funding (Amendment #834) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #834, which directs the Comptroller to transfer $20 million to the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund prior to sending the net surplus for fiscal 2022 to the Commonwealth’s stabilization fund. The number of CPA communities has reached 187, and this amendment would increase the state’s match from approximately 35% to 43%, about the same state match percentage as last year.

Flexibility in Municipal Broadband Spending (Amendment #856) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #856, which would allow funds appropriated for closing the digital divide to be granted to municipalities seeking relief from debt incurred for the construction of broadband networks. These communities were forced to step in when the private carriers ignored their regions and left their households and businesses behind in the broadband buildout, adding costly burdens on local taxpayers.

Shannon Grants (Amendments #942, #951) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #942 and Amendment #951, to increase funding for the Shannon Grant program (8100-0111). This anti-gang grant program helps cities and towns respond to and suppress gang-related activities.

Finally, the MMA has very strong concerns regarding Amendment #810, relative to retiree cost-of-living-adjustments, or COLAs. The amendment would authorize local and regional pension boards to award a COLA adjustment of up to 5.9% to retirees in fiscal 2023, above the current 3% cap. This would very likely increase the local unfunded pension liability, and drive up costs for taxpayers. Most communities in the state participate in regional pension systems, and do not have direct decision-making authority regarding adoption of a higher COLA, and we are aware of no system that has incorporated higher COLAs into their unfunded pension liability calculations. Adoption of a higher COLA, even if limited to one year, would permanently increase the pension obligations for all participating communities, requiring increased annual appropriations to fund the cost. Please reach out to your Senators to share what the financial impact would be to your municipality.

If you have any questions regarding any of these amendments, please contact MMA Legislative Director Dave Koffman at dkoffman@mma.org or MMA Senior Legislative Analyst Jackie Lavender Bird at jlavenderbird@mma.org.

Please Call Your Senators Today to Thank Them for the Municipal and School Funding in the Senator Ways & Means Budget, and Ask Them to Build on This Progress by Supporting Key Amendments for Cities and Towns.

Thank You!!

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Posted in Budgets, Massachusetts Municipal Association

TSARC monthly e-news

Posted on May 19, 2022 | Comments Off

From the Transfer Station and Recycling Committee (TSARC) –

NB, all residents should subscribe to get their own emailed copy, as I cannot make it look any near as attractive and high quality as it is in the email I get.

NB #2 – join the TOMCAP forum tonight at 7PM – see below.

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Open for the latest Transfer Station and Recycling information

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Posted in Recycling & Solid Waste

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Monthly Archives: May 2022

Bluebird today

Time to visit the fringe tree at MSH

“Heart of the Lion” Awarded to Medfield’s Kathy Thompson

Community Corner

Medfield Lions Present “Heart of the Lion Award”

The “Heart of the Lion Award” presented to Kathleen Thompson, MS, RN, Nurse Leader, Medfield Public Schools.

Colleen M. Sullivan,Patch Mayor

“Heart of the Lion” Awarded to Medfield’s Kathy Thompson

Find out what’s happening in Medfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

How to talk to children about the tragic event in Texas

Message from the Superintendent- Reaction to Event in Texas

Racial injustice vigil – 7:30 PM Wednesday

MSH development FAQ – read up for STM

Select Board 5/24/2022

MMA on the Senate budget

TSARC monthly e-news

Osler ”Pete” Peterson

Email Subscription

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