Posted onOctober 1, 2022|Comments Off on Medfield Rail Trail opening this afternoon
The Medfield Rail Trail, a Medfield Foundation initiative, was officially dedicated and opened at a ceremony at 2:00 PM this afternoon, with WCVB’s Ted Reinstein of Chronical officiating.
Speakers included:
Ted Reinstein
Abby Marble of the Medfield Foundation
Shawn Dooley with proclamations from the House of Representatives and the State Senate
Gus Murby with the Town of Medfield proclamation
Senator Becca Rausch
Christian Donner, the main moving force behind the over a decade long persistent planning and execution
Ted ReinsteinGus MurbyChristian Donner, Bobby Kennedy, Jr. (manning the town’s giant scissors), and Maurice GouletThe ribbon falling away to mark the official opening! Pamela Donner and Paula Crerar of the Medfield Rail Trail hold the ends of the ribbon.
The Town of Medfield DPW were instrumental in doing much of the construction of the Medfield Rail Trail.
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From skiing on 2/26/22, at the spot where the Medfield Rail Trail crosses the Pine Tree Curtain into Dover, looking both directions. New to me equipment so much better than the old gear.
Medfield Rail Trail in Medfield –
Bay Colony Rail Trail in Dover –
BTW, surprised to learn that it is uphill most of the way to Dover.
Below is an update on the Medfield Rail Trail from Rep. Denise Garlick’s newsletter “Fresh Garlick,” that contains a link to a video about the building of the Medfield Rail Trail that is really interesting and well done.
For details of how Christian Donner and the other Medfield volunteers moved material on his home made motorized RR handcart, see Christian’s FB posts. Sadly, Christian reported that someone swiped the handcart, which otherwise was destined for inclusion in the Medfield Historical Society museum.
In Medfield, R. Zoppo Corp has recently completed removal of rails and ties along the rail trail between Ice House Road and the Dover line. The next work on the trail will be performed by Medfield DPW who will install a new subsurface. To learn more about this project, click here.
Posted onNovember 20, 2020|Comments Off on CPA base state match at 28.6%
The Division of Local Services (DLS) newsletter had the following article about the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act (CPA) base state matching monies coming in this year at 28.6% for the 3% CPA communities.
Medfield residents continue to pay in to fund the state payments to other towns, because Medfield has not adopted the CPA – i.e Medfield is leaving free state monies on the table. See https://www.communitypreservation.org/ for information.
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The map below shows all the communities that have adopted the Community Preservation Act, including those recently adopted.
FY2021 Community Preservation State Match Distributed Donnette Benvenuto and Lisa Krzywicki – Data Analytics and Resources Bureau
On November 13th, the Data Analytics and Resources Bureau (DARB) distributed the FY2021 state match of Community Preservation (CPA) funds. The CPA trust fund receives revenues from surcharges on documents filed at the Registry of Deeds. Effective January 1, 2020 the registry of deeds increased fees on most documents from $20 to $50 and on municipal lien certificates from $10 to $25. In FY2021, there are 176 communities eligible for the CPA state match and as of November, the CPA state trust fund recorded revenues totaling $61.1 million.
Of the 176 communities eligible, 76 have adopted the surcharge at the maximum 3% making them eligible for base distribution match of 28.6% of the local CPA surcharge committed. They are also eligible for the 2nd round distribution (equity) and 3rd round distribution (surplus), which can result in an increased percentage match, up to 100%. The remaining 100 communities that did not adopt the CPA at 3% are only eligible for the first-round match of 28.6% of the local CPA surcharge committed.
Number of communities eligible for the FY2021 state match by percentage adopted:
The full distribution breakdown and decile ranking by community can be found here on the DLS website.
On the November 3rd ballot an additional 9 communities voted and approved the CPA and West Stockbridge adopted it earlier in the year. Municipal Clerks in these communities are reminded to send in the Specimen ballot, results and notification of acceptance form to DARB at databank@dor.state.ma.us as soon as possible.
List of additional communities and percentage adopted eligible for the FY2022 CPA state match in November of 2022:
For questions about the distribution or to notify us of local adoption, please email databank@dor.state.ma.us.
Project Title = Medfield Rail Trail Brief Project Description = The Medfield Rail Trail is a proposed shared use trail following the route of the MBTA rail bed in Medfield, running approximately 1.3 miles from Ice House Road to the Dover town line. The Trail will provide connections for residents throughout the region (particularly youth and seniors) for biking, walking, jogging, cross country skiing, and horseback riding. The rail trail will provide a direct connection to the planned mixed-use redevelopment of the 128-acre Medfield State Hospital; the planned Dover Greenway; the Bay Circuit Trail, an extensive regional trail system from Plum Island in the north to Kingston Bay in the south; as well as access to the Norfolk Hunt Club’s extensive regional trail network.
Project type = Construction
Trail use = Shared-Use Path
Award = $100,000
Match = $74,480
Baker-Polito Administration Announces $4 Million in MassTrails Grants
55 Local Projects Will Greatly Enhance State’s Network of Trails
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded $4 million in MassTrails Grants to 55 local trail projects throughout the Commonwealth. The grants will support the state’s vast network of trails with projects dedicated to the construction, maintenance, and improvements for a variety of public trails, including hiking trails, bikeways, and shared-use paths.
“Massachusetts has an extensive network of public trails connecting communities and regions while offering excellent recreational opportunities,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By supporting local trail projects, our Administration is dedicated to building on that network and ensuring residents and visitors can hike, bike and run on safe, well-maintained and accessible trails.”
“Trails are important resources that improve our quality of life by providing great access to parks, reservations, forests, and other public properties throughout Massachusetts,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “The MassTrails Grants Program serves as a critical funding source for our many local partners who are working to improve infrastructure, create new segments, and enhance existing trails for the public to enjoy.”
MassTrails Grants focus on the improvement of existing trails, the construction of new trails, and the maintenance of the statewide trail system. This year’s projects include:
The installation of trail facilities and amenities and facility landscaping;
The completion of trail design and engineering plans;
The installation and maintenance of directional and interpretive trail signage;
The development and creation of GIS mapping and trails guides;
The purchasing of trail maintenance equipment; and,
The upgrading of existing trails to accessible trail standards.
“Local trails are excellent resources that not only enrich our lives by providing increased opportunities to explore nature, but also enable us all to commit to healthy, active lifestyles,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “The MassTrails Grants Program is a great example of the Baker-Polito Administration’s dedication to investing and enhancing the Commonwealth’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources, and we look forward to celebrating the completion of these 55 projects.”
“The MassTrails Grant Program invests in path improvements and construction which allow for more access to important destinations, giving residents safe, healthy, and low carbon travel options as well as options for active recreational activities,” said Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “Now more than ever, the public is seeking transportation options due to the pandemic and this funding creates, enhances, and maintains networks of multimodal, shared-use pathways which help people get to where they need to go while reducing their carbon footprint and lowering pollution.”
Funding for MassTrails Grants comes from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) capital budget, and from the motor fuel excise tax on off-road vehicles including ATV’s and snowmobiles, which is provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Surface Transportation Act, in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). All MassTrails Grant applications have been reviewed in consultation with an inter-agency MassTrails Team and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB).
“The Baker-Polito Administration continues to foster public-private partnerships in an effort to attain mutual goals that directly benefit the public,” said DCR Commissioner Jim Montgomery. “The 2020 MassTrails Grants Program will assist our partners in protecting and enhancing many of the Commonwealth’s natural and recreational resources, including closing gaps within the state’s network of trails, strengthening infrastructure, and making significant improvements.”
“These grants support our tremendous inventory of remarkable open spaces and the communities that host them. North Reading now has significant state support to examine converting an abandoned rail-line into a rail trail,” said State Senator Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Funding from MassTrails not only advances this opportunity, but it also helps bring more recreational access for people across the state to enjoy outdoor spaces and improve our quality of life.”
“Visitors from all around the world come to Western Massachusetts for its beautiful outdoor recreational opportunities all of which improve our quality of life and are important parts of our communities,” said State Senator Adam Hinds (D-Pittsfield). “The MassTrails Grants Program provides critical funding for improving and supporting our public trails for all to enjoy.”
Additionally, each recipient matches awarded grants with a minimum of twenty percent in funding or in-kind services for the designated project. This year’s total investment, including matching funds, is approximately $7 million. In order to meet their funding obligation, an organization is able to utilize a variety of methods to fund at least twenty percent of the project’s total cost to receive the grant. Methods include in-kind labor and professional services, material donations, use of equipment, or a cash match. Funding is made available to registered non-profits and municipal, state, and federal agencies.
“I would like to thank the Baker-Polito Administration for supporting local trail programs through the 2020 MassTrails Grants Program,” said State Representative Frank Moran (D-Lawrence). “I am joyful to learn that Groundwork Lawrence has been awarded this grant which will allow them to continue their work in increasing access to the Merrimack River Trail for all residents of the Commonwealth. The 17th Essex District will benefit substantially from this grant, given that it will bring more connectivity to all three communities: Lawrence, Andover and Methuen.”
“Funding and maintaining our local trails and paths, especially at a time when it can be hard to get out of the house, is crucial to communities we serve,” said State Representative Josh Cutler (D-Pembroke). “Thanks to grants like MassTrails and the Baker Administration, Hanson can help foster outdoor recreation for its’ citizens to enjoy.”
“The people of Clinton take great pride in the town’s surrounding natural beauty,” said State Representative Harold Naughton (D-Clinton). “The parks and trails are treasured by locals and visitors alike, and I am thrilled that the Commonwealth is investing in the spaces that make our community such a special place to live.”
“I am excited to learn that Ashland has received a grant through the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s MassTrails program,” said State Representative Jack Patrick Lewis (D-Framingham). “I am grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration and Commissioner Montgomery for their further support to enhance and expand Ashland’s vibrant trails.”
MassTrails Grant projects are located within the following municipalities: Ashland, Adams, Arlington, Ashburnham, Athol, Barnstable, Becket, Belchertown, Bourne, Braintree, Brookline, Chelmsford, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Clinton, Concord, Dalton , Dartmouth, Egremont, Fitchburg, Florida, Franklin, Great Barrington, Greenfield, Groton, Hanson, Hatfield, Hawley, Hinsdale, Holyoke, Hopkinton, Lanesboro, Lawrence, Lee, Lenox, Lowell, Mattapoisett, Medfield, Monterey, Mount Washington, Natick, Needham, New Ashford, New Bedford, Newburyport, Newton, North Adams, North Reading, Northampton, Northfield, Peabody, Pittsfield, Plainfield, Plymouth, Sandisfield, Savoy, Sheffield, Southampton, Springfield, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Templeton, Townsend, Tyringham, Wareham, Washington , Williamstown, Windsor, and Yarmouth. A full list and brief description of each of the 55 projects receiving a grant can be found on the MassTrails Grants webpage.
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Posted onDecember 2, 2019|Comments Off on Inaugural MFi Legacy Fund grant wins MCAP a huge Federal grant
The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund Grant Presentation Ceremony (Pictured from left to right) Todd Trehubenko, MFi Legacy Fund Co-Chair; Christian Donner, Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail; Dawn Alcott, Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP); Jean Mineo of the Cultural Alliance of Medfield; Chris Cahill, MFi Legacy Fund Co-Chair
Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund Grant Pays Huge Dividends to Medfield
When the Medfield Youth Outreach team from Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP) submitted a grant request to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund team to hire Bright Solutions Consulting to review and assist with writing MCAP’s federal Drug Free Communities grant application, it seemed like a long shot. Those involved all believed that the goal of making Medfield a recognized Drug Free Community was worth pursuing.
The Legacy Fund team took a chance on MCAP and awarded it a $5,000 grant in November 2018 and MCAP immediately went to work with the consultant on their federal grant application. The grant request was submitted in early 2019 and the team waited for the big announcement. On November 6, 2019 it was announced that MCAP was awarded a FY 2019 Drug-Free Communities Support Program grant in the amount of $625,000 paid over five years by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, in cooperation with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This grant will allow the coalition to hire a full-time prevention coordinator who will carry out evidence-based strategies aimed at preventing youth substance use in the Medfield community, services that have been proven to reduce substance abuse in other towns.
“The MCAP coalition owes the success of the DFC grant application to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund grant, which allowed MCAP to hire an experienced grant writer,” said Chelsea Goldstein-Walsh LICSW, the Interim Director of Medfield Youth Outreach. “We are looking forward to launching a proactive and comprehensive effort to decrease youth substance use and promote wellness in the community.”
The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund is an endowment established for the long-term benefit of the Medfield community which will also engage in annual grant-making to support community-driven projects. “This is exactly how we see the funds from the Legacy Fund being used to benefit Medfield,” said Todd Trehubenko, co-chair of the MFi Legacy Fund. “We think of the grants we can provide to be like an accelerant, helping add fuel to help grow programs and services that benefit Medfield residents.”
The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund’s fundraising goal of $1,000,000 will enable the fund to grant annual funding requests. They are currently looking for founders/investors to help build the endowment which will enable this level of giving back to the community.
About Medfield Foundation
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. Since its inception in 2001, the Medfield Foundation has raised over $2,300,000 (Yes, two million three hundred thousand dollars!) to support community-wide initiatives in Medfield.
MFi was founded based on the realization that some residents were interested in contributing more than town taxes to support projects and services that would enrich life in Medfield. You are urged to go to http://medfieldfoundation.org to learn more.
For more information please contact:
Todd Trehubenko, MFi Legacy Fund Co-Chair
617-785-5619
legacyfund@medfieldfoundation.org
or
Evan Weisenfeld, MFi President
508-740-4367
evan@medfieldfoundation.org
Comments Off on Inaugural MFi Legacy Fund grant wins MCAP a huge Federal grant
The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund held a recent event to announce and celebrate its inaugural grant recipients.
Pictured below at the event are (L to R) Todd Trehubenko, Co-chair of the Legacy Fund Community Board, Christian Donner of the MRT, Dawn Alcott,Medfield Youth Outreach Director for the MCAP, Jean Mineo of the Medfield Cultural Alliance, and Chris Cahill, Co-chair of the Legacy Fund Community Board.
The following provided by Kerry McManama, Communications Director, MFi.
$20,000 in Grants Awarded by The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund
The Medfield Foundation (MFi) Legacy Fund Board of Directors is pleased to announce the donation of grants, totaling $20,000, to three non-profits serving the Medfield community. The Legacy Fund is an initiative of the Medfield Foundation that invests in local non-profits that build a strong and vibrant community.
The first grants awarded by the Legacy Fund, founded in 2016, were celebrated at a festive reception in late 2018. Grant recipients include:
the Cultural Alliance of Medfield
Friends of Medfield Rail Trail
Medfield Cares About Prevention.
Funds granted will help construct the Medfield Rail Trail, contribute to efforts to develop an arts center at at the former Medfield State Hospital property, and support community-based efforts to prevent youth substance abuse.
“We are honored to support these outstanding and committed Medfield organizations with grants made possible by the generosity of Medfield donors, in particular our Legacy Fund Founders,” says Christopher Cahill, Medfield resident since 1998 and Co-chair of the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund.
Medfield residents interested in giving where they live may make a tax-deductible donation to the Legacy Fund, or contact Info@MedfieldFoundation.org to explore joining its Board of Directors.
About Medfield Foundation (MFi) Legacy Fund
The Medfield Foundation (MFi) Legacy Fund, an endowed fund of the Foundation for MetroWest,was formed to support community-driven projects in Medfield, ensure a strong and vibrant community, and respond to diverse needs and voices into the future. The MFi Legacy Fund is a permanent, grant-making source of funding to support community needs and opportunities, and provide ways for donors to give back or leave a legacy to the community. For more information, visit www.foundationformetrowest.org/
About The Medfield Foundation (MFi)
The Medfield Foundation (MFi) is a volunteer-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable corporation. The Foundation facilitates the raising and allocation of private funds for public needs in the town of Medfield, with a mission to enrich the lives of residents and build a stronger community. Since 2001, the Foundation has raised over $2 million to benefit the Town of Medfield. To learn more about the Foundation and its initiatives, or how to volunteer or contribute, please visit www.MedfieldFoundation.org or email Info@MedfieldFoundation.org.
Posted onOctober 23, 2018|Comments Off on Medfield Rail Trail now a MFi initiative
Medfield Rail Trail now a Medfield Foundation initiative
Friends of Medfield Rail Trail becomes a MFi initiative
The Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail (FMRT) announced that they will be joining forces with the Medfield Foundation (MFi) to become MFi’s newest initiative! Established in 2001, MFi has enabled grass roots initiatives like the FMRT to raise private money for the benefit of all of Medfield.
Christian Donner, a longtime member of the FMRT said “we are raising monies for the construction and maintenance of the 1.3 mile stretch of the Bay Colony Rail Trail in Medfield, which will run from Ice House Road to the Dover line, along the former Bay Colony Railroad tracks, now owned by the MBTA.” The MBTA will lease the railroad right of way to the town without cost for 99 years. It is hoped that the FMRT can eventually run the full seven miles from Medfield to Newton, connecting all of the towns along the way. This fall, the Mass Department of Conservation and Recreation awarded Medfield with a $100,000 grant. FMRT needs the generosity of Medfield citizens in order to meet its goal of raising another $100,000.00 so that construction can commence in 2019!
Tax deductible donations can be made either on-line at Medfieldfoundation.org, or checks can be mailed to MFi, Medfield Town Hall, 459 Main St, Medfield, MA 02052. Please contact Abby Marble at (508) 359-5370 to learn more about the Medfield Foundation, or Michael Taylor at (508) 878-6599 to learn more about the Medfield Rail Trail.
MFi (www.MedfieldFoundation.org) is a volunteer-run private nonprofit, tax deductible 501(c)(3) corporation created specifically to raises private monies for public purposes in the Town of Medfield, Massachusetts. A variety of planned giving opportunities are available on our website.
NB – photo shows rail line several years ago, before the pine trees met in the middle.
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Posted onSeptember 6, 2018|Comments Off on BCRT gets $100K state grant
Photo shows the Bay Colony Rail Trail in Needham
From: Lewis, Amanda (DCR) <amanda.lewis@mass.gov>
Date: Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 1:57 PM
Subject: 2018 Recreational Trails Program/State Trails Grant Awards
To: Lewis, Amanda (DCR) <amanda.lewis@state.ma.us>
Hello RTP Grantees,
I am very pleased to inform you that your Recreational Trails Program Grant has successfully completed federal review and we can now move on to awarding your grant! I will be soon be sending out information regarding your projects and next steps, so please be on the lookout for an award package in the mail and a follow-up email with attachments. Please keep in mind that some projects will have conditions attached which will alter the specifications of your project. And, most importantly, remember that you cannot begin to spend money or accrue match until the contract documents have been signed and you have received a Notification to Proceed letter.
A few weeks ago, an event was scheduled and then postponed for the announcement of these RTP grants. I have not received any updates on a new event, but the press release found here was distributed on August 20th and, with federal approvals completed, I can now encourage you to share news of your grant award. A more detailed spreadsheet is also attached.
Again, please keep in mind that some details regarding your project may change, including building specifications and budgets, as we enter the award and contracting phase. It will be imperative that you read through the award package carefully so that you can plan for these changes and discuss adjustments with me before the contract gets finalized.
Thank you for applying to the Recreational Trails Program and for your dedication to enhancing trails in Massachusetts.
2018 Recreational Trails Program/Trail Grant Projects (75 Projects)
Grant ID
Community
Agency
Title
Description
Award Amount
Match
RTP18124
Medfield
Town of Medfield
Medfield Rail Trail
The Medfield Rail Trail is a proposed shared-use trail following the route of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) rail bed in Medfield, spanning approximately 1.3 miles. The Trail will connect residents through the Town by biking, walking, jogging, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. It will provide a direct connection to the Bay Circuit Trail, an extensive regional trail system as well as the access to the Norfolk Hunt Club’s regional trail network.
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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