Category Archives: Uncategorized

Watch the ribbon cutting

Posted on May 3, 2016 | Comments Off on Watch the ribbon cutting

solar at WWTP

See and hear the ceremony preceding the ribbon cutting for the  solar PV at the Waste Water Treatment Plant

 Solar_Ribbon_Cutting_Video_04-28-16.mov

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Posted in Energy Committee, Green, Uncategorized, Water & Sewer

BY Colony Rail Trail Needham opening

Posted on May 1, 2016 | 1 comment

Needham held the official opening of their section of the Bay Colony Rail Trail this afternoon. Hopefully Dover will vote to proceed and Medfield will be soon behind.

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

MYBS opening day

Posted on May 1, 2016 | Comments Off on MYBS opening day

Rain is holding off for the parade and opening day, going on right now.

Nice event to honor Douglas Swain, for whom the new concession stand was named and dedicated.  Really poignant remarks by his son.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Medfield’s 1st solar PV

Posted on April 29, 2016 | Comments Off on Medfield’s 1st solar PV

solar at WWTP

Representative Shawn Dooley reads a Proclamation from the Legislature, with Mike Sullivan, Jeremy Marsette, Mark Fisher and my better half (I barely made the photo) looking on.

Medfield First Solar PV Array opened at the Waste Water Treatment Plant on 4/28/16

The new 237 KW solar PV array at the Waste Water Treatment Plant went online after a ribbon cutting yesterday.  This opening was the combined achievement of Energy Committee member Fred Davis obtained a $12,500 state DOER grant for the town in 2014 that allowed the Committee to study solar options in three town locations, the Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator, Bob McDonald, getting a $180,000 state grant for almost half the construction costs, and the Energy Committee pushing the project forward to completion via eh efforts of its staff person, Facilities Manager, Andrew Seaman.

It is actually a hugely instructive lesson in how important a paid town staff person is to a volunteer town committee, as this whole process did not really take off until Andrew was hired and began to staff the Energy Committee and its meetings.

Adam Stuhlman wrote a good article for the Medfield Press – click at

http://medfield.wickedlocal.com/article/20160428/NEWS/160425550/?Start=1

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Posted in Development, Energy Committee, Events, Green, Uncategorized, Water & Sewer

Medfield state budget earmarks out

Posted on April 28, 2016 | Comments Off on Medfield state budget earmarks out

State-House-smaller_1 (1)

I spoke with Representative Shawn Dooley at the ribbon cutting this morning for the Waste Water Treatment Plant’s solar PV installation, about the two earmarks he included in the House version of the state budget for Medfield

  • $15,000 to the Medfield Fire Department for the purchase of an automatic chest compression device,and
  • $1m. towards repair of West Street bridge over the Charles River

and learned that both had effectively been defeated.  They are still there, just without any money assigned to them.  It is possible the Senate could fund them, but not likely.

This email today from Medfield’s man at the legislature, John Nunnari, with the excruciating details about how the legislature does things –

 

An update on the proposed amendments noted below.

 

For consideration, the amendments were respectively wrapped into Consolidated Amendments “H” and “I”.

 

In order to speed up the process of considering amendments, leadership bundled most of the 1307 amendments into nine categories; Education and Local Aid; Constitutional Officers, State Administration, and Transportation; Energy and Environmental Affairs; Social Services and Veterans; Housing, Mental Health and Disability Services; Public Health; Health and Human Services and Elder Affairs; Public Safety and Judiciary; Labor and Economic Development

 

Amendment 306 was bundled into Consolidated Amendments “H” – Public Safety and Judiciary and Amendment 310 was bundled into Consolidated Amendments “I” – Labor and Economic Development.

 

While both consolidated amendments did pass today, through a parliamentary procedure designed to shield members votes, Amendments 306 (and 166 other amendments included in “H”) and 310 (and 178 other amendment included in “I”) did not pass.

 

I’m sorry to say that the money proposed via these amendment will not be forthcoming.

 

John

 

From: John Nunnari
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2016 4:46 PM
Subject: State Budget – Medfield Amendments

 

Two amendments filed to the House budget and up for consideration during next weeks debate.

john

 

AmdID Amd# Sponsor Sponsor Title Amending DEP Description InstaTrac Summary Amount Requested Increase Earmark HFY16 Comment
2017H0306 306 Shawn Dooley Medfield Fire Department Purchase 8324-0000 DFS Department of Fire Services Administration Earmarks $15,000 to the Medfield Fire Department for the purchase of an automatic chest compression device and/or associated materials, and increases the item by the same amount. $20,799,781 $20,814,781 $15,000 $15,000 2016H0486 Amendment #486 in FY16, this item was excluded from a bundle in last year’s budget.
2017H0310 310 Shawn Dooley Maintenance of the West Street Bridge in the towns of Medfield and Millis 1599-0026 ANF Municipal Regionalization and Efficiencies Incentive Reserve Earmarks $1,000,000 for the maintenance of the West Street Bridge in the towns of Medfield and Millis, and increases the item by the same amount. $5,240,000 $6,240,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000

 

 

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Posted in Budgets, Legislature, State, Uncategorized

BoS – 5/3 agenda

Posted on April 28, 2016 | Comments Off on BoS – 5/3 agenda

wire instructions to olp's village bank client account20160503-agenda_Page_220160503-agenda_Page_320160503-agenda_Page_4

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Posted in Select Board matters, Uncategorized

Security deposit violations are a defense to evictions

Posted on April 27, 2016 | Comments Off on Security deposit violations are a defense to evictions

SJC

The Supreme Judicial Court this morning decided that a landlord’s violation of the highly complex security deposit law may be asserted as a defense to an eviction. I counsel all but full time professional landlords to take last months rent instead of a security deposit, because of the complexities required by that law.

We conclude that a violation of the security deposit
statute is encompassed within the definition of “counterclaim or
defense” in G. L. c. 239, § 8A, and that a counterclaim or
defense on that basis may be asserted as a defense to a
landlord’s possession in a summary process action under G. L.
c. 239, § 1A. Therefore, we reverse the Housing Court judgment
granting possession to the landlord and remand for a hearing in
accordance with the provisions of G. L. c. 239, § 8A, fifth par.

GARTH MEIKLE vs. PATRICIA NURSE

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Posted in Legal, Uncategorized

Postal Drive for MFC 5/14

Posted on April 26, 2016 | Comments Off on Postal Drive for MFC 5/14

MFC

On Saturday, May 14th, the Medfield Food Cupboard is partnering with the letter carriers’ union again for the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” Postal Food Drive.
Medfield residents are being asked to leave non-perishable, non-expired food donations in mailboxes for postal carriers to collect.  All donations will be brought to the Medfield Food Cupboard at the United Church of Christ. The Postal Drive is the nation’s largest one day food drive.

Please help stock the shelves of the Medfield Food Cupboard to benefit those in need in our community as we approach the summer months.
Donations may include but are not limited to: kid friendly cereal, canned chicken, beef stew, canned fruit or fruit in a bowl, peanut butter, jelly, applesauce, juice, hot cereal packets, sloppy joes, cookies/salty snacks, white rice and raisins.
Thank you.

Jacqui Doe

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Posted in Medfield Food Cupboard, Uncategorized

MCAP presents Hidden in Plain Sight at Natick Mall

Posted on April 25, 2016 | Comments Off on MCAP presents Hidden in Plain Sight at Natick Mall

20160425_Hidden_In_Plain_Sight_Flyer

You are invited to a special exhibit!  Metro West prevention coalitions unite to bring Hidden in Plain Sight, an initiative to help parents spot signs of teen risky behavior, to Natick Mall.  See the above flyer for more details! While anyone age 21 and over may view the exhibit at any time it is open, the grand opening is May 10th from 10am to 12pm and will feature community and state leaders throughout the Metro West area.  Medfield’s own coalition, Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP) will oversee the exhibit Thursday, May 19th from 10am to 2pm and Friday May 20th from 5pm-9pm.  Why not make it a day or evening out to the mall with friends to explore the exhibit and catch up with coalition members from your community!  We hope you to see you there!

 

REQUEST FOR PARENT/COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS as “Tour Guides”

  Hidden in Plain Sight:

Spot At-Risk Behavior at The Natick Mall

 Community Initiative to Help Parents Recognize Signs of Youth Substance Use

 WHAT:          The Hidden in Plain Sight initiative helps parents spot signs of youth at-risk behaviors using an interactive display of a teenager’s bedroom. Specially trained “tour guides” from MetroWest community coalitions will walk participants through the display, providing education about adolescent development and common signs of substance use.

This exhibit encourages parents to communicate with their children about at-risk behavior that could lead to opioid addiction and other substance use disorders because a strong parent-teen relationship is the most effective tool to prevent substance use.

The initiative is sponsored by South Shore Hospital’s Youth Health Connection, BlumShapiro, The Natick -Mall, Natick Together for Youth, the Town of Natick, SOAR (Supporting Our Addicts Recovery) Natick, Ashland’s Decisions at Every Turn Coalition, Framingham Health Department, the Holliston Drug & Alcohol Awareness Coalition, Hopkinton Organizing for Prevention, Medfield Cares About Prevention, SAFE/JAG Coalition, and Wayland Cares.

WHY:            The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is in the midst of an opioid epidemic, with an estimated 1,173 opioid related deaths in 2014 and an estimated 1,104 opioid related deaths between January and September 2015.*

Studies have shown that youth use of substances like alcohol, marijuana and prescription pain medication is associated with increased risk of addiction to heroin and other opioids.

WHEN:         Hidden in Plain Sight is open to the public May 9th-26th

                     Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays from 5pm-9pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10am-2pm, and Saturdays & Sundays from 12pm-4pm

                     Each sponsoring community coalition has taken responsibility for set shifts.

                     Medfield, through Medfield Cares About Prevention has committed to cover Thursday, May 19th from 10am to 2pm and Friday, May 20th from 5pm-9pm with volunteer “tour guides” from Medfield.  Volunteers are welcome to sign up for the whole four hour shift or for two hour increments.  Medfield Youth Outreach will offer trainings for volunteers on May 10th at 11am and 7pm (or upon request) at their location. “Tour guide” training is approximately 45 minutes long.

WHO:           Hidden in Plain Sight is open to all members of the public over the age of 21 and therefore all volunteers must be age 21 or over.  Children may not accompany adult volunteers due to the nature of the exhibit.

WHERE:       The Hidden in Plain Sight event is at the Natick Mall, 1245 Worcester Street, Natick, MA 01760; located on the first floor of the mall, near Sears (next to GameStop and across from CVS).  Volunteer training will be held at Medfield Youth Outreach at 88R South Street, Medfield High School (DOOR 12).

 

CONTACT:    Please contact Dawn Alcott or Chelsea Goldstein-Walsh, medfieldyouthoutreach@medfield.net, (508) 359-7121 if you are interested in volunteering for this event.

 

*Source: MA Department of Public Health http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/quality/drugcontrol/county-level-pmp/data-brief-overdose-deaths-ma-residents-january-2016.pdf

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Posted in MCAP - Medfeild Cares About Prevention, Uncategorized

More on 40B

Posted on April 24, 2016 | Comments Off on More on 40B

40b

First, it was suggested (a copy of part of the email appears below) that I list who qualifies to live in affordable housing, so I grabbed these current figures from HUD at this website.

Medfield town, MA
Income Limit 1-person 2-person 3-person 4-person 5-person 6-person 7-person 8-person
FY2016 Low-

Income Limits

 $51,150 $58,450 $65,750 $73,050 $78,900 $84,750 $90,600 $96,450

Those income levels would cover most Town of Medfield employees and many of our seniors.

 

Second, I recalled a few more town owned parcels that could perhaps be used for affordable housing.

  • The land between the Legion and the railroad tracks along Dale Street.  This land is mostly wet, but there may be some along the RR tracks that is usable. It is currently being used by the DPW as a materials storage area.
  • The land along and across the RR tracks behind the Wheelock School.  It is also currently being used by the DPW as a materials storage area.
  • Next to the above DPW land behind Wheelock is a handsome and fairly large parcel (maybe ten acres) between the RR tracks and Rte. 27 that is former field under the control of the Water and Sewer Board.  Query whether that could be usable, if W&S did not need it?

 

This was part of the email from Stephen Callahan, to which I am partly responding (and thank you Stephen for your input)-

One area you did not address that I believe more education is needed is the question of “what exactly constitutes “affordable” or “low income”.”    Some are surprised to learn of the minimum and maximum income requirements for individuals from our area of state to qualify for 40B housing.   In addition, many of them are seniors, who don’t have children.

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Posted in Affordable housing / 40B, Uncategorized