Monthly Archives: May 2022

Well #6 repair causes water use restrictions – nonessential outdoor water use prohibited

Water Conservation Restrictions

Current Water Conservation Status: Tier 4 – All nonessential outdoor water use is prohibited, effective May 5, 2022

Due to an emergency equipment repair at Well #6, we have had to take the well offline. As a result, the Department of Public Works has declared an immediate Tier 4 water restriction: nonessential outdoor water use, except by handheld hose, is prohibited. 

We anticipate completing the repairs within 2 to 4 weeks and will continue to provide updates. 
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. If you have any questions, please contact the Water Department at 508-906-3004 or by email to mgoulet@medfield.net 

The Town has five active water wells: 
Wells 1 and 2, located along the Charles River off Route 109
Wells 3 and 4, located off Elm Street, behind the Wheelock School. The Town is currently building a new water treatment plant to treat manganese at Wells 3 and 4. The project also includes establishing a new Well 3A to replace the existing Well 3 which is failing. 
Well 6, located off Route 27 near the Sherborn Town Line. Well 6 is the Town’s highest producing well

In 2021, Well 6 pumped approximately 53% of the Town’s total water supply. In 2020, it pumped approximately 55% of the total. 

Information about Water Restrictions:
When elevated restrictions are in place, nonessential outdoor water uses that are subject to mandatory restrictions include: 
Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems; 
Washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety; 
Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement. 
The following uses may be allowed when mandatory restrictions are in place: 
Irrigation to establish a new lawn and new plantings during the months of May and September;
Irrigation of public parks and recreational fields by means of automatic sprinklers outside the hours of 9am to 5pm; 
Irrigation of lawns, gardens, flowers and ornamental plants by means of a hand-held hose. 

Water uses not subject to mandatory restrictions are those required: 
For health or safety reasons; 
By regulation; 
For the production of food and fiber; 
For the maintenance of livestock; 
To meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).

Refi of Wilkins Glen assures it remains affordable

From the New England Real Estate Journal – Refi of Wilkins Glen assures it will remain affordable for 30 years – https://nerej.com/rockport-mortgage-closes-21-3-million-refinance-loan-for-103-unit-wilkins-glen

Rockport Mortgage closes $21.3 million refinance loan for 103-unit Wilkins Glen – a mixed-income housing community located in Medfield, MA

April 29, 2022 – Front Section

Medfield, MA Rockport Mortgage has closed a $21.3 million, HUD Section 223(f) refinance loan. The transaction will preserve affordability of 82 out of the 103 units at the rental housing development for 30 years.

Select Board office hours tomorrow, 5/6 at 9AM

Selectman Office Hours this Friday

I hold regular monthly office hours at The Center on the first Friday of every month from 9:00 to 10:00 AM.

Residents are welcome to stop by to talk in person about any town matters.

Residents can also have coffee and see the Council on Aging in action (a vibrant organization with lots going on).

Fun at the Forge – 5/14

From Stacey David of Bellforge Arts Center –

BELLFORGE PRESENTS FREE “FUN AT THE ‘FORGE” FESTIVAL ON MAY 14

Medfield, MA (May 3, 2022): The Bellforge Arts Center is pleased to present Fun at the ‘Forge, a free family festival on the grounds of the former Medfield State Hospital (MSH) on Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Bellforge’s third event in their summer series includes musical performances by Stacey Peasley and Wayne Potash; a puppet show by Rotem Goldenberg; arts and crafts with Kurt Jackson; science fun with The Inventor Mentor; and face painting and more with Raddo. In addition, attendees can help create a colorful on-site art installation with the PopUpCycler. The festival is free with registration at http://www.bellforge.org. A rain date has been scheduled for Sunday, May 15.

“Stacey Peasley’s cheerful, folksy, sing-along tunes have made her the Pied Piper of the under-10 crowd for years,” says Jean Mineo, the Executive Director of the Cultural Alliance of Medfield, who are currently working to build the Bellforge Arts Center at MSH. “She has quite the following in MetroWest, and we are thrilled to be able to have both Stacey and Wayne Potash perform at this event. Wayne has similar appeal, with his quirky, fast-paced and downright funny songs. I think the kids are going to be up and dancing all afternoon.”

In addition to the musical performances, Rotem Goldenberg will be delighting the audience with her tiny puppet theater. Goldenberg is a Community Creative Fellow, an initiative powered by the Jewish Arts Collaborative (JArts) and Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP). Her art is for audiences of all ages and exists between the spaces of visual theater, performance, storytelling, and clowning.

In between the performances, festival-goers can explore a variety of fun science projects with The Inventor Mentor, including bubbles, foam stations, rockets, parachutes, and more, or have children’s entertainer Raddo twist up a balloon hat, paint their face or airbrush a tattoo. Kurt Jackson from the Zullo Gallery will also be engaging the kids in a simple watercolor art project using a masking technique to create a beautiful landscape for them to make and take home. With Kim Bernard, from the PopUpCycler, attendees can use recycled plastic to create colorful disks to decorate the exterior of the Bellforge’s chapel in a unique crowd-sourced art installation.  

Food, drink, and Magic Tree Henna, who will have a booth providing beautiful henna designs, are the only fee-based activities at the festival.

Bellforge will host a variety of concerts, festivals, and fun family days on most Saturdays from May through October. The majority of events are free; schedules and registration information can be found at the Bellforge website at www.bellforge.org or by registering for their newsletter at https://bit.ly/newsletterBellforge.

Color Medfield net zero 2050

From Sustainable Medfield and TOMCAP –

Coloring…..
Send us your colored version of this Medfield scene!  We will be drawing two submissions to receive prizes of either a $50 or a $25 gift certificate.   

*No age restrictions, winner to be chosen at random, some additional rules apply, please see instructions on the coloring sheet.


Thank you to MEMO, the Medfield Employers & Merchants Organization, for the sponsorship of the insert in the Hometown Weekly on April 28th.  

If you missed it in the Hometown Weekly or need another one, you can download a Coloring Sheet and see the instructions for how to submit your coloring here.

Submissions must be received by May 15th.

TOMCAP release imminent – Workshop on 5/19

TOMCAP, the Town of Medfield Climate Action Plan, has been drafted & will be available for public comment soon.

A public workshop on TOMCAP will be facilitated by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council on May 19th at 7PM in the Dale Street School cafeteria.  All Medfield residents are invited to learn about the plan and comment on it before it is finalized.

ATM fails to gain quorum – town will try again next Monday

The annual town meeting (ATM) failed to achieve a quorum (250 voters) last night. As a result the town meeting was postponed to 7 PM next Monday at the Medfield High School gym. The attendance got to only about 200.

Dick Judge suggested that all in attendance be exempted from their property taxes, and all in attendance agreed.