Osler ”Pete” Peterson
Medfield Select Board member
I started this blog to share the interesting and useful information that I saw while doing my job as a Medfield select board member. I thought that my fellow Medfield residents would also find that information interesting and useful as well. This blog is my effort to assist in creating a system to push the information out from the Town House to residents. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how it can be done better.
For information on my other job as an attorney (personal injury, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, and real estate), please feel free to contact me at 617-969-1500 or Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
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Category Archives: Art
Culture and the arts are economic drivers
Jean Mineo both arranged for the town to participate in a study of the economics of arts in our community, attended a conference on the topic, and presented the results to the Select Board at our last meeting. The economic data was generated by seventeen Town of Medfield arts organizations separately inputting their data into the study.
In sum, the arts and cultural industry (defined as the organizations and their audiences combined) spend $3.1m per year in town, and support 125 jobs in town.
Per the study –
The Town of Medfield’s Participating Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations
This study could not have been completed without the cooperation of the 17 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in the Town of Medfield, listed below, that provided detailed financial and event attendance information about their organization.
Cultural Alliance Of Medfield; First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church; Friends of the Dwight-Derby House; Gazebo Players of Medfield; Lowell Mason House Inc; Medfield Community Cable Access Corp; Medfield Cultural Council; Medfield Employers and Merchants Organization; Medfield Garden Club; Medfield High School Theater Society; Medfield Historical Society; Medfield Music Association; Medfield Public Library; Norfolk Hunt Club; United Church Of Christ; Vine Lake Preservation Trust; and Zullo Gallery Center for the Arts.
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Posted in Art, Business, Cultural, Uncategorized
Votes needed for MSH
From Jean Mineo – her latest thing that helps us all.
Hello Medfield Friends,
The Cultural Alliance has submitted a video grant application and we need your vote.
If the video gets enough votes (i.e. lands in the top 10 of the category “arts and culture”), it advances to the next round of evaluation which will award one application in each category $100k and two applications $50k each. A lot of money!
The link to the 2:45 minute video is here:
http://act.usatoday.com/submit-an-idea/#/gallery/60445715
Click on the green vote button next to the video to cast your vote! You may vote once a day, every day through May 12. There are no forms to fill out. Then please share on Facebook or Twitter using the buttons under the video and help spread the word.
The grant addresses the renovation of key historic buildings at the former Medfield State Hospital into an arts and cultural center. The money would go toward hiring an expert to secure historic tax credits worth about $2 million – applicable to any project renovating the Chapel within historic guidelines, even if it doesn’t become a cultural center. This is a valuable asset to our town that does not commit us to a specific use!
Thanks for your help! Like us on Facebook for progress reports:
https://www.facebook.com/CulturalAllianceofMedfield/
Jean
C 617-877-5158
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Posted in Art, Cultural, Medfield State Hospital
DIF & TIF for MSH
The cultural arts center analysis recommends the use of district improvement financing (DIF) and tax increment financing (TIF) as mechanisms for financing the cultural arts center and the needed infrastructure. A DIF allows one to raise monies by issuing bonds that are paid back only out of property tax monies derived from the lands within the DIF boundaries, so the DIF could be the former Medfield State Hospital campus, and the rest of the town would not have to pay in. A TIF sounds like a straight tax break given to stimulate a particular result.
Interestingly, the DLS newsletter this month had the following article on those –
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Posted in Art, Cultural, Financial, Medfield State Hospital, Uncategorized
The revised Cultural Arts Facility Feasibility Study
I had not realized that Louise Stevens had done an updated revision to her financial analysis of a cultural arts center at the former Medfield State Hospital site, so I am posting a link to that updated report here –
20170406-ArtsMarket-Medfield Feasibility Report April REV
These renderings are from the DBVW Architects report –
20170406-DBVW Architrects-1624_Existing-Conditions-Report_17-0403-Email(1)
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Posted in Art, Cultural, Medfield State Hospital
MSH arts/cultural center financial analysis
Jean Mineo, Medfield’s arts and cultural guru, notes this morning my failure to include the Louise Stevens financial analysis of an arts/cultural center at the Medfield State Hospital site, when I posted a link to the DBVW Architects design concept report yesterday afternoon. So here is the link to Louise Stevens’ financial analysis of an arts/cultural center at the Medfield State Hospital site from last October, that was updated this month –
20170406-ArtsMarket-Medfield Feasibility Report April REV.pdf
I had intended to post it with the DBVW material, but ran short of time. The DBVW report has the stunning visuals with a new glass connector between the Lee Chapel and the Infirmary, while the Louise Stevens analysis says that it can work financially.
My major take away from hearing Louise Stevens present and reading her report last fall was that the arts/cultural center can be financially self-sustaining, mainly by means of rental income as a wedding location. However, the benefit to the town is having a robust arts/cultural center all the other days of the year.
These studies were spearheaded by Jean’s efforts, and were funded partly by monies voted at the annual town meeting a year ago and a state grant Jean secured for the town.
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Posted in Art, Cultural, Medfield State Hospital
Cultural/arts center proposal for MSH
At the Medfield State Hospital Master Planning Committee meeting last night, Douglas Brown of BDVW Architects from Providence presented his analysis of the potential for using the Lee Chapel and the adjoining Infirmary building as a cultural arts center. Mr. Brown indicated that those two buildings were in good condition. His plan has them being connected by a glass addition, which would become the entry way and also house the rest rooms. The written report is available via the link that follows.
20170406-DBVW Architrects-1624_Existing-Conditions-Report_17-0403-Email(1)
An earlier economic analysis found that such a proposal was generally close to being economically self-sustaining. Also, most of the construction costs appeared to be covered by selling the naming rights and fund raising.
One of the most intriguing suggestions was to have the new arts/cultural center be melded into and run as part of the Medfield Park & Recreation Commission, so that the town would have a Parks, Recreation, and Arts Commission. The Medfield Park & Recreation Commission members present last night wanted to get the results of their new building feasibility study this June before they consider any such change.
Posted in Art, Cultural, Medfield State Hospital
Jean Mineo, Medfield Foundation 2017 volunteer of the year
Jean Mineo – 2017 Medfield Foundation Volunteer of the Year
Jean Mineo was selected as the 2017 Medfield Foundation volunteer of the year just last month by the judges. Jean was nominated by both Chris McCue Potts and Minta Hissong, a first having the same person nominated more than once in one year. Jean and all the remarkable eight other Medfield volunteers who were nominated this year will be celebrated at the reception next Sunday, March 19 at 3PM at The Center. The public is invited to attend.
Brothers Marketplace generously sponsored the 2017 Medfield Foundation volunteer awards and support was also received from the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation.
Below in the order they were received are the nominations first by Chris McCue Potts, and then the one by Minta Hissong.
It is no secret that Jean Mineo is the “chief cultural Officer” for the town of Medfield — past, present and future! Her past work includes making possible innovative and visually interesting community art, including a sculpture trail at MSH site, power boxes painted with historical or other images relative to Medfield, and outdoor pianos for all to enjoy. Additionally, Jean founded the Cultural Alliance of Medfield so that the town would have an active cultural projects/events/advocacy organization to supplement the grant-making role of the Medfield Cultural Council. Her current work involves a number of initiatives, from making the vision of the Straw Hat Park and Holiday Stroll both a reality — and highly successful ones indeed evidenced by Town Meeting support for park funding, and the enormous turnout and positive feedback on the 2nd annual Stroll! For both endeavors, Jean had to oversee all aspects — from fundraising, volunteer and partner recruitment, political navigation, logistical details, publicity and so much more. Through it all, Jean always does it thoughtfully, with a calm and focused demeanor, and in a way that inspires others to get involved. Rarely does Jean get frustrated when confronted with a hurdle or challenge (which is sure to happen) — she just focuses on what needs to get done to keep things moving forward.
A hugely beneficial initiative that Jean led was the town matching initiative for Medfield Cultural Council funding for local nonprofits. For very little money (but big impact), Jean successfully made the case for the match, rallied residents to turn out for the Town Meeting vote (and speak up), and then played a role in making sure residents knew what kind of impact the doubling of available funding could have on local cultural groups and projects, including Zullo Gallery, Gazebo Players, Medfield Music Association, Medfield Public Library, and others.
Jean’s current efforts serving on the Medfield State Hospital Master Planning Committee, have the potential to provide future payoff with expansion of the town’s cultural offerings. She has spent countless hours pulling together local cultural groups and representatives who have a shared vision for the huge impact cultural initiatives/a cultural focus could have at the MSH site. Her work has required endless meetings, bringing in unpaid expertise for a visioning session, rallying the community to support the hiring of a paid consultant to conduct and report back on a feasibility study, and building relationships and navigating all levels of town politics, and the work is ongoing. Jean even launched an artistic competition for the creative reuse of the old waterworks gears from the MSH site!
Jean’s commitment to Medfield’s cultural vitality and overall town character, and the impact her time and energy has made on our community, is nothing short of amazing.
In terms of impact and results, consider this:
1) The thousands of people who have visited and enjoyed the Straw Hat Park so far…including all of the attractions that were in place prior to the official ribbon-cutting in the fall of 2016. This includes piano players, sidewalk chalk art viewers, and so many others wanting to envision the possibilities!
2) The thousands of people who have taken part in the Holiday Stroll for the past two years – whether volunteers, residents, out of town visitors, or artisans selling their works or providing services. The Stroll helped deepen the sense of community that is so strong in Medfield, and helped to lift so many spirits. The community-wide event also helps to support the livelihood of many artists, and also showcase Medfield’s own
artistic talents, including visual and musical.
3) The thousands of people who drive or walk by and appreciate all of the various community art Jean has made possible through the Art in Public Places initiative (via Medfield Foundation).
4) The tens of thousands of people who will benefit if MSH redevelopment includes one or more cultural components – this would include residents, visitors and contributing artists.
As a testament to Jean’s work as former head of the Medfield Cultural Council, the Massachusetts Cultural Council awarded her with a Leadership Circle Award in 2015, and the town recognized her contributions with a special event at the Zullo Gallery. https://www.mass-culture.org/lca_honorees.aspx
In addition to all of Jean’s cultural work, she served on the MAP board (including president) and has also been actively volunteering with community projects sponsored by United Church of Christ in Medfield (prior to and separate from working there).
Jean Mineo is long overdue for the Volunteer of the Year Award. Let’s make 2017 her year!
I am nominating Jean Mineo for the volunteer of the year award. Jean serves on many boards, organizations, and donates hours of her time to our town. I will focus on one of her big accomplishments of 2016, the Straw Hat Park. This park would not have been created but for Jean’s vision, drive, patience, knowledge and fortitude. I was lucky enough to be on the Straw Hat Park committee with Jean from the beginning when we first started meeting in December of 2013! Jean worked tirelessly from the beginning when in the summer of 2013 she started gathering ideas for the park with public art in the space. From there the selectman gave her permission to gather a team and see what could be done with the pocket park. Jean spent hours and hours on administration, attending meetings, meeting with key players in town, surveys, PR, social media guru, fundraising, speaking at town meetings, and finally working with the tradesman to get the work done. It was her project and she kept plugging away when politics and obstacles got in the way. I watched her work from behind the scenes and her dedication to our town is second to none. She always had a way to make it work. The Straw Hat Park is a beautiful new space in our town that is already getting a lot of use. This creation of this space from dirt/grass to our new park is because of Jean’s work and she deserves to be formally recognized. Thank you for the consideration.
-Minta Hissong
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Posted in Art, Charity, Cultural, Cultural Alliance of Medfield, Downtown, Events, Medfield Foundation, People, Volunteers
Holiday Stroll Dec. 2, 4-9PM
(Medfield MA) The Cultural Alliance of Medfield (CAM) announces its second annual Holiday Stroll on Dec. 2, 2016 from 4 – 9 pm in downtown Medfield. This is a festive family event that takes place at seven locations along Main Street (use 468 Main Street for your GPS). The Holiday Stroll includes cookie decorating, an outdoor ice sculpture, 40 juried artisans, roaming carolers and M.E.M.O.’s outdoor tree lighting ceremony. All events are within walking distance, free parking nearby at the Montrose School (29 North Street) and free admission. For complete details and a list of artisans, visit www.MedfieldCulture.org
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Posted in Art, Downtown, Entertainment, Events, Uncategorized
Praise for COA
Email received from renown Medfield basketball player Jerry Cianciolo –
An Open Letter to the Medfield Selectmen
It may be the best kept secret in Medfield. Certainly to many under the age of 65 it’s something unknown.
But more than nine-hundred older people and their families who use the facility daily, weekly, or monthly will tell you what a gem the town has in The Center at Medfield.
As one who offers a workshop for those with a touch of gray, I’m familiar with senior centers throughout the area. To their credit many are good, but only a handful are great. Ours falls into the latter category.
Walk into One Ice House Road, home to the Medfield Council on Aging, and what you feel at once is warmth. There’s not a bureaucrat in sight. Not only are you immediately at ease but intuitively you sense your needs will be addressed and your questions answered. What permeates is an atmosphere of competence and conviviality.
What I find equally striking about The Center is the bustle inside. I’ve visited senior centers in the early afternoon and found many to be strangely empty and quiet. In Medfield it’s the opposite. On any given day, The Center teems with exercise groups, enrichment classes, fashion shows, 12-piece swing bands, retirement seminars, ballroom dancing, card games, respite care activities, and a friendly gent or two eyeing the topography of a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle.
Many deserve credit for the success of The Center, among them Susan Bernstein, Cheryl Lavallee, Bill Pardi, Kathy Powers, and the unfailingly friendly receptionists at the front desk.
But it is director Roberta Lynch who is The Center’s fulcrum, the magnet that pulls everyone and everything together. I’ve known Roberta for only a short time, but up-close I’ve observed her unerring instincts for hiring the right people, setting the perfect tone, and experimenting with different, even novel approaches. All the while she makes the complexity of her job seem deceptively easy.
Oh yes, and Roberta listens. Walk in The Center and you’ll find her door always open – whether you simply want to share a funny story or need a compassionate ear to help you navigate a crisis.
Many older people have a bias against senior centers. I did. But take a step or two into The Center at Medfield and you’ll have that notion completely dispelled.
Jerry Cianciolo
Minds in Motion Workshop
Medfield
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Posted in Art, Council on Aging, Uncategorized