Monies accumulate in this Fund to finance the purchase or debt payments on the Fire Department ambulance.

                                         WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Article 6.   To see if the Town will vote to re-authorize an Advanced Life Support Fund, pursuant to the provisions of G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53E ½ to be used for the payment of Advanced Life Support charges, funds not to exceed $75,000 to come from the users of said services or their insurers and to authorize the Fire Chief to expend from said funds, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

                                                                                                                          (Fire Chief)

                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Advanced life support services are contracted for use with our Town ambulance staff to provide a higher level of medical care during transport. The Town’s EMT’s provide basic life support service (BLS). The contract service meets or intercepts the Town ambulance to provide advanced life support service (ALS) when a higher level of medical care is required.

                                                   WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to re-authorize a Community Gardens Revolving Fund, pursuant to the provisions of G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53E ½ to be used for the payment of expenses for the operation of the Community Gardens Program, funds not to exceed $1,500 to come from registration fees paid by gardeners and to authorize the Town Administrator to expend from said funds, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Town Administrator)

See explanation for Article 4 above. Monies accumulate in this Fund to finance the purchase or debt payments on the Fire Department ambulance.

                                         WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to re-authorize a Rental Income Revolving Fund, pursuant to the provisions of G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53E ½ to be used for the processing of rental receipts and associated expenditures for the CENTER at Medfield, funds not to exceed $30,000 and to authorize the Council on Aging and/or its Executive Director to expend from said funds, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Council on Aging)

See explanation for Article 4 above. The funds charged for rental of the CENTER will be deposited in this fund and used to pay for utility, custodial, supervisory and administrative costs associated with the rental of the CENTER at Medfield.

                                         WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to re-authorize a Library Revolving Fund, pursuant to the provisions of G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53E ½ to be used for payment of costs associated with providing photocopier/printer services to library users, with costs associated with providing after hours use of public meeting space to community organizations and for payment of costs associated with replacing lost or damaged materials; funds not to exceed $5,000 to come from the fees charged for use of photocopiers/printers, from fees charged for use of meeting rooms after regular hours and from the fees charged for the replacement of lost or damaged materials; and to authorize the Library Director to expend from said funds, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Library Director)

                 The funds will be used for costs as detailed in Article 9 above.

                                         WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to re-authorize a Respite Care Revolving Fund, pursuant to the provisions of G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53E ½ to be used for the payment of costs associated with the operation of a respite care program at the Center at Medfield, funds not to exceed $50,000 to come from fees charged for participation in the program, grants, gifts or such other funds as might be made available for this purpose; and to authorize the Council on Aging and/or its Executive Director to expend from said funds, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

                                                                                                              (Council on Aging)

The Council on Aging offers a fee-based service three days a week to Medfield residents who need a safe place to leave a family member affected by memory-related impairments for short periods of time to attend to personal, family or other matters. This program is not intended to provide medical care. To date the program has been funded from fees, grants, gifts and bequests.

                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to accept for the fiscal year 2016 the provisions of section four of Chapter 73 of the Acts of 1986, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of said section four, providing for an additional exemption for a taxpayer who shall otherwise qualify for an exemption under clauses 17D, 22, 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 22E, 37A, 41C, 42 or 43 of section five of Chapter 59 of the General Laws, or do or act anything in relation thereto.                                                 (Board of Assessors)

This section of the Massachusetts General Laws authorized the Board of Assessors to increase the amount of property tax exemptions granted to certain eligible veterans, elderly, widows and disabled taxpayers by an amount not to exceed the exemption for which they are already entitled to receive. It must be voted each year by the Town Meeting.

                                             WARRANT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PASSAGE

Article 12.   To see if the Town will vote to fix the salary and compensation of the following elected officers: Moderator, Town Clerk, Selectmen, Assessors, School Committee, Trustees of the Public Library, Park and Recreation Commissioners, Planning Board, Housing Authority and Trust Fund Commissioners, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Board of Selectmen)

Section 9.3 of the Town Charter reads as follows: “Elected officers sh/all be compensated in an amount authorized by Town Meeting and provided for by a Town Meeting Appropriation”.

                                                       WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to amend the PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION PLAN and CLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS AND PAY SCHEDULE, effective July 1, 2015, as set out in the warrant, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

                                                                                                                (Personnel Board)

This article reflect the position classifications recommended by the Classification study recently completed by the Personnel Board. The cost of the ? percent increase, recommended by the Personnel Board, the Board of Selectmen and the Warrant Committee, is $. It is included in the various departmental budget recommendations in Article. 17 Operating Budget. By state statute, school department personnel are not covered by the Town’s Personnel Plan and Bylaw.  

                                                         WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 14. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer from available funds sums of money requested by the Selectmen or any other Town Officer, Board, Commission or Committee to defray operating expenses of the Town for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2015, or such other sums as the Town may determine, as required by General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 108, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Board of Selectmen)

This article requests appropriations for the operating budgets for the various town departments for fy16 (July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016).

Two-thirds vote required

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 15.   To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate from the Fiscal 2016 Tax Levy and or transfer from available funds and/or borrow for Capital Expenditures, including the following:

(Capital Budget Committee)

This article contains $ of departmental requests for various capital spending projects for fy16 and the recommendations of the Capital Budget Committee as to which of these projects should be funded. The Capital Budget Committee is recommending that $ be appropriated, with $ to be funded from                     and $ to be raised on the fy16 tax levy

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 16.   To see if the Town will vote to transfer $163.669.40 from sewer betterments paid-in-advance to the Sewer Stabilization Fund, established under Article 31 of the 2004 ATM in accordance with the provisions of G.L., Chapter 40, Section 5B as amended by Chapter 46 of the Acts of 2003, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Town Accountant)

The Town has borrowed funds for twenty years to construct sewers in various parts of the Town. Abutters to the sewer lines are assessed for this betterment and can pay this assessment all-at-once, or over five, ten or twenty years. Because of the low interest rates and the mortgage interest deductions, many have paid off the betterment in its entirety. To recapture the interest lost on these payoffs and to spread the repayment of sewer debt over the life of the issued bonds, the funds can be placed in an interest bearing stabilization fund and a portion appropriated annually as an offset to the principal and interest payments included in the operating budgets. The amount requested to be transferred to the Sewer Stabilization Fund this year is $163,669.40. The balance in this Fund as of December 31, 2014 was $__________. The operating budget recommendations propose to transfer $400,000 from this fund to help pay for the principal and interest costs on fy16 General Fund   sewer debt Unless new sewer projects are approved the last of these bonds will be paid off in fy22, after which this stabilization fund will be dissolved.

Two-thirds vote required

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 17. To see of the Town will vote to transfer $33,428 from the fy15 County Retirement Contribution Budget, account 01-911-2, to the Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust, appropriate to said fund from free cash or other sources, such other sum(s), as the Town deems appropriate for the purpose of setting aside monies to cover the unfunded retiree health insurance costs in accordance with the provisions of G.L., Chapter 40 Section 5B as amended by Chapter 46 of the Acts of 2003, or do or act anything in relation thereto and further, to transfer the balance of funds in the Unfunded Retiree Health Insurance Stabilization Fund to said OPEB Trust, which was authorized by vote of the 2014 Annual Town Meeting (Article 21).

                                                                                                         (Town Administrator)

A private rule-making body, the General Accounting Standards Board(GASB), issued a rule several years ago, that requires all state and municipal governments to record unfunded retiree health insurance liabilities on their financial statements starting in fy10. This article seeks to continue gradually ramp up a program, begun seven years ago, to set aside funds to cover this liability by taking the savings achieved by the Treasurer/Collector from paying the Norfolk County Pension assessment in one payment rather than two. The 2% discount for the current year(fy15) amounts to $33,428 and this article would appropriate those savings to the Other Post Employment Benefits Trust, which was authorized at last year’s annual Town Meeting                                           . In addition, the Warrant Committee is recommending that another $   be transferred from free cash and an additional $ be raised on the tax levy, bringing the total amount requested to $                     . The actuarial unfunded liability as of January 1, 2015 was $                         . In addition, all funds in the Unfunded Retiree Health Insurance Stabilization would be transferred to the OPEB Trust. The fund balance in the Unfunded Retiree Health Insurance Stabilization Fund as of December 31, 2014 was $­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_____________. Moving these funds from a stabilization fund to a trust fund assures that these funds will be used for the purpose intended and, consequently, lowers the Town’s unfunded OPEB liability, which helps to maintain the Town’s excellent credit rating.                                             .

Two-thirds vote required

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 18.   To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money and determine in what manner said sum shall be raised, including transferring unexpended bond funds balances available under Article 27 of the 2013 Annual Town Meeting (Town Garage), for the purpose of purchasing and installing new boilers to replace the existing boilers at the Wheelock School, and that to accomplish said purpose the School Committee, the Board of Selectmen and/or the Town Administrator be authorized to enter into contracts with federal, state or private parties, and to accept federal, state and/or private grants to accomplish said purpose, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(School Committee & Board of Selectmen)

The Massachusetts School Building Authority has approved an Accelerated School Repair Grant to replace the original boilers at the Wheelock School. The Town must appropriate funds to cover the total cost of the project and then apply for reimbursement of a portion of the cost (approximately 40%) upon completion of the work. These reimbursement funds will be deposited in the Town’s General Fund for future appropriation by the Town Meeting.

WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 19.   To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money from the Sewer Enterprise Fund for the purposes of conducting an Infiltration/Inflow (I/I) study and for inspecting, repairing and upgrading the sewer infrastructure, or do or act         anything in relation thereto.

(Water & Sewerage Commissioners)

As part of the requirements for the Town’s EPA sewer discharge permit, which must be renewed every five years and allows the Town to discharge treated effluent from the wastewater treatment plant into the Charles River, the Town is required to conduct an annual infiltration-inflow study to detect and repair leaks in the sewer collection system. In addition the Sewer Department must continually repair and upgrade equipment in the treatment plant and in the nine sewer pumping stations that are part of the sewer collection system.

                                                         WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 20.   To see if the Town will vote to transfer from Sewer Enterprise Fund Unreserved Fund Balance a sum of money to offset the operating cost of the Sewer Enterprise Fund for fy16, or do or take any action relating thereto.

The Water And Sewerage Board, after reviewing the fy14 closing balances in the Sewer Enterprise Fund, has determined that it can use a portion of the surplus funds to offset some of the Sewer Department’s fy16 operating costs and still maintain a healthy reserve balance in the Sewer Enterprise Fund. This is similar to the vote taken at the end of each town meeting to appropriate funds from free cash to the General Fund to offset that Fund’s operating expenses.  

Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money and determine in what manner said sum shall be raised, to provide funding to the Medfield Cultural Council to enable it to expend funds for public purposes including but not limited to organizing, presenting, sponsoring and supporting artistic and cultural exhibitions, performances and events and to authorize the Medfield Cultural Council to contract with individuals and organizations for any of said purposes and to create a new Town account with a separate line item in the Town’s annual operating budget to reflect this vote, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Board of Selectmen)

Each year the Medfield Cultural Council receives funding from Massachusetts Lottery proceeds to enable it to assist local arts and cultural groups with a variety of projects, ranging from concerts, art exhibits and classroom performances. Last year the Town Meeting appropriated $4,250 as a match for the state funds. With these additional Town funds, the Council was able to fund more of the requests submitted to it. They are asking the Town to continue to match the amount from the Lottery proceeds by appropriating $____________ for fy16.

                                                                   WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 22.   To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money and determine in what manner said sum shall be raised for the purpose of constructing a pocket park on a parcel of Town-owned land between Starbucks and Zebra’s, shown on the Board of Assessors’ maps as Map 43, Lot 022, said design and construction to be done under the direction of the Board of Selectmen or its designee, and to vote to officially designate the appellation by which said park will be known, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Medfield Cultural District Committee)

At the 2014 Annual Town Meeting an similar article was on the Warrant but was withdrawn because the design of the park had not been completed and fund raising for the private share had not begun. The design has now been finished and private funds to be used along with the funds requested in this article have been and are continuing to be raised. The Public works Department will assist with the construction and landscaping.

WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Code of the Town of Medfield, Chapter 110 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION by adding Article entitled “Stretch Energy Code”, for the purpose of regulating the design and construction of buildings for the effective use of energy, pursuant to Appendix 115.AA of the Massachusetts Building Code, 780 CMR , the Stretch Energy Code, including future editions, amendments or modifications thereto; with an effective date of July 1, 2015; a copy of which is on file in the office of the Town Clerk, and to authorize the Town Clerk to renumber or take any other action necessary to format this new bylaw to fit within the new codification of the Town’s existing bylaws if approved by this Town meeting, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Medfield Energy Committee & Board of Selectmen)

One of the five criteria for qualification as a Green Community is adoption of a so-called “Stretch Code”. It is an appendix to the Massachusetts 8^th Edition, Massachusetts State Building Code, which creates a higher tier of Energy Conservation. At the present time the Town’s building code is the same as the State’s Stretch Energy Code. If this is adopted by the Town, the Town’s Building Code would be modified by future changes to the State’s Stretch Energy Code.

                                                    WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 24.   To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money and determine in what manner said sum shall be raised for the purpose of hiring consultants, engineers and/or attorneys to assist the Town with the preparation of a master plan for reuse of the former hospital and surrounding areas and to advise the Town on matters concerning the site’s disposition, reuse and environmental remediation, said funds to be expended under the direction of the Board of Selectmen, with the understanding that the Board of Selectmen may authorize any other Town board, commission, committee or department to expend a portion of said funds for such purposes, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

                                                                                                             (Board of Selectmen)

For the past several years the Town Meeting has appropriated funds to pay for environmental and legal consultants to advise on the clean-up and disposition of the former state hospital property. The ground pollution clean-up should be completed in a few months, except for on-going inspection and monitoring. Last year (fy15) $100,000 was appropriated to prepare a master plan for development/preservation of the site, now that the Town Meeting has acquired the property from the Commonwealth. The funds requested this year (fy16) will be used along with last year’s appropriation to prepare that master plan and/or to prepare such other studies and/or tests, and/or inspections, as may be necessary to assist   in the Town’s deliberations.

                                                        WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 25.   To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money and determine in what manner said sum shall be raised for the purpose of providing ongoing maintenance and security at the site of the former state hospital, or do or take any action in relation thereto.

(Board of Selectmen)

Until the future of the former state hospital site is determined, the property must be maintained and kept secure. The requested funds will provide for mowing, snow plowing, securing buildings, providing security, and other essential services.

                                                          WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 26.   To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell, trade or otherwise convey surplus and/or obsolete equipment, furnishing and supplies, but not buildings or land, located on the grounds or in the buildings at the former state hospital site, provided that any funds received by the Town from such transactions, be deposited in a special state hospital maintenance and security Stabilization Fund, as provided under MGL, Chapter   , Section   , to be used to maintain and secure that property until such time as a determination and/or disposition of the property is made, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Town Administrator)

Since the Town took possession of the former state hospital property, town employees and residents have noticed that certain items of no use to the Town, but with some residual and/or scrap value, are located on the grounds or in buildings. If allowed to remain on the site their value may diminish and/or they could deteriorate to the point that it will cost the Town to remove them. Authorizing the Selectmen to dispose of such materials, and authorizing the Town Meeting to use any funds derived to maintain and secure the property would seem to makes sense.

                                                         WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 27. To see if the Town will vote to transfer care, custody and control of a parcel of land on the westerly side of Hospital Road, identified on the Medfield Board of Assessors’ maps as Lot 4, Map 63, commonly known as the Sledding Hill, to the Park and Recreation Commissioners, for recreational and agricultural use, provided that any use of said property by said Commissioners, be in accordance with the Land Disposition Agreement between the Town of Medfield and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset and Management, or do or take any other action in relation thereto.

(Park and Recreation Commission)

This 39 acre site adjacent to McCarthy Park, would be placed under the jurisdiction of the Park and Recreation Commission and could only be used for recreation and agricultural activities. The Disposition Agreement with The Commonwealth provides that only twelve acres may be used for recreation, with the remaining acres being reserved for agricultural use.

WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 28, To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen and/or the Conservation Commission to place a conservation restriction on a portion of the Holmquist Farm property off Plain Street, said portion to be determined jointly by the Selectmen and the Conservation Commission, in consultation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in satisfaction of a condition of the Land Disposition Agreement between the Town of Medfield and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) regarding the sale of the former state hospital property, or do or take any other action in relation thereto.

In return for allowing the Town of Medfield to convert 12 acres of the sledding hill site from agricultural to recreational use, the Commonwealth stipulated that the Town must place an agricultural restriction on a similarly sized parcel of land elsewhere in the Town. This is to maintain compliance with the Commonwealth’s policy of no net loss of agricultural land. The Holmquist Farm land is presently used for agriculture, so this seemed to be a likely parcel upon which to place an agricultural restriction.

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 29. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Code of the Town of Medfield, Chapter 180, NOISE by addiding Article IV Regulation of Noise in Residential Areas and at construction sites, a copy of which is available in the Town Clerks’s office and in the Planning and Zoning department Offices, or do or take any action relating thereto. (DRAFT = FINAL FORM TO BE SUMBITTED BY PLANNING AND ZONING).

Article 30. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Code of the Town of Medfield by deleting Chapter 100 ANIMALS and substituting in its place an new Chapter 100 ANIMAL CONTROL, a copy of which is available in the Town Clerk’s office and in the Medfield Memorial Library, of do or take any action relating thereto.

(Town Clerk and Animal Control Officer???)

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 31.   To see if the Town will vote to amend the Code of the Town of Medfield, by adopting Cemetery Regulations (?????) , or do or act anything in relation thereto.

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 32. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Code of the Town of Medfield Chapter 300 ZONING by   (??????) to authorize the Building commissioner to make certain fundings under MGL Chapter 40A, paragraph6. Or do or act anything in relation thereto.

Two-thirds vote required

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 33.    To see if the Town will vote to amend the Code of the Town of Medfield, Chapter 300 ZONING by (??????) to clarify the definition for half-story, or do or take any other action relating thereto.

Two-thirds vote required

                                                        WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 34.   To see if the Tow will vote to amend the Code of the Town of Medfield Chapter 300 ZONING by (???????) to change the lot coverage definition, Table of Area Regulations, and to allow for relief in the form of a special permit.

Two-thirds vote required

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 35.   To see if the Town will vote to appropriate a sum of money and determine in what manner said sum shall be raised, and to authorize the Treasurer-Collector, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen to borrow under the provisions of MGL, Chapter 44, Section     for the purpose of designing, construction and equipping a solar photovoltaic array at the wastewater treatment plant, and that the Board of Selectmen, the Water and Sewerage Board and/or the Superintendent of Public Works be authorized to expend said funds and to enter into contracts with the federal government, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and/or private contractors to accomplish said purposes, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Water and Sewerage Board and Medfield Energy Committee)

This past year the Medfield Energy Commissioned a study to evaluate the potential of three sites in the Town on which to locate a solar photovoltaic array (solar panels). Of the three sites, tow were deemed suitable, the wastewater treatment plant and the roof of the new town garage. The Energy Committee has decided to proceed with constructing a ground-mounted solar array at the treatment plant and has been working with the Water and Sewerage Board and the plant operator-in=charge to iron out the details. It has also obtained a grant form the Commonwealth Department of Energy Resources to cover 15% of the cost. The Committee will report further at the Town Meeting..

Two-thirds vote required

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 36.   To see if the Town will vote to allow a patient or authorized representative of the patient to designate which hospital the ambulance will transport that patient to, within a 15 mile radius of the location from which the patient is being transported from, or do or take any other action relating thereto.

(Citizen Petition)

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

Article 38. To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Assessors to use a sum of money from free cash in the Treasury for the reduction of the tax rate for the fiscal year 2016, or do or act anything in relation thereto.

(Board of Assessors)

At the close of the fiscal year, the Town Accountant submits financial statements to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, which then certifies the amount of free cash available to the Town as of June 30 2014. These funds are then available to be used for reduction of the fy16 tax rate, for emergency purposes or for avoiding temporary borrowing costs until tax and/or other Town revenues are collected. The Certified Free Cash as of June 30, 2014 is $2,426,282.

                                                           WARRANT COMMITTEE WILL BE HEARD

And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting an attested copy thereof, in the usual place for posting warrants in said Medfield, seven days at least before the time of holding said Town Meeting.

Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant with you doings thereon, unto the Town Clerk at the time and place of the Town Meeting aforesaid. Given unto our hands this_______day of April, Two-Thousand and Fifteen.

Osler L. Peterson, Chairman S/___________________

Richard DeSorgher S/_______________________________

Mark L. Fisher S/_____________________________

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

By virtue of this Warrant, I have notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Medfield, qualified to vote in elections and at town meetings, by posting attested copies of the same at five public places, seven days before the date of the elections, as within directed.

Constable:                                   S/______________________________

Date: April ____, 2015

A TRUE COPY ATTEST:

Carol A. Mayer, CMC, CMMC   S/__________________________

Town Clerk