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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ONYX presentation hand out as a PDF
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Posted in Bellforge Arts Center, Buildings, Development, Medfield Park & Recreation Commission, Medfield State Hospital, Select Board matters
ONYX’s presentation
Last night ONYX Partners Ltd. (Anton Melchionda of Dover) presented the following proposal to a joint meeting of the Select Board, Warrant Committee, and Medfield Park & Recreation Commission.
Points from my notes:
- ONYX’s entity as the developer would be a for profit real estate entity owning the land and the 80,000 sq. ft., 8 court basketball facility.
- Medfield Park & Recreation Commission gets a 20,000 sq. ft. facility.
- ONYX would still go ahead if the # of courts were reduced to as few as four.
- ONYX’s prime tenant (30-40%) would be the non-profit BB program for kids K-12 Anton runs.
- ONYX would pay property taxes.
- Structures could be moved around on the site.
- Bellforge Arts Center stated it is also interested in acquiring the use of the same 12 acres for purposes related to its cultural arts center.
My initial thoughts:
- The town needs to know the financial details, but those are only likely to come much later, after the annual town meeting (ATM) and responses to a town request for proposals (RFP).
- The large amount of traffic generated would severely impact residents.
- I would place any structures next to the RR tracks, as far as possible from Hospital Road, so they are as hidden as much as possible from Hospital Road by the elevation change, in order to protect the view scape from the top of the hill as much as possible.
- If an RFP is put out, it should be for any and all uses, so the town can evaluate all possible options for this precious town asset, including one from the Bellforge Arts Center.
- Finally, as an alternative, I encourage Medfield Park & Recreation Commission to consider doing its own building, on the basis that the town borrows the money for MPRC’s building and MPRC commits to paying the debt service on that building out of the fees MPRC charges for programs they run out of the building. A former director of MPRC opined that the program revenues could financially pay the debt service.
Basketball Facility at MSH Site – presentation at 6pm tonight
A large Basketball facility is proposed for town owned land in the area South of Hospital Road at the former Medfield State Hospital, and the proponent will explain his proposal this evening to a joint meeting of the Select Board, Warrant Committee, and Medfield Park & Recreation Commission this evening at 6PM. The Zoom link to that meeting is below.
I suspect the facility is being proposed for the area shown as the South field in the plan below, but note that is not the proponent’s plan. Per the Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) between the state and the town when the town bought the Medfield State Hospital property, the town is permitted to develop only 12 acres of the almost 40 acres South of Hospital Road, because they are prime agricultural soils. The town swapped a restriction on 12 acres of the Holmquist land to be able to use those 12 acres. Per the LDA, the town also has to pay half of whatever it receives for the land to the state.
This is a link to my prior post about my call with Anton about his proposal.
BELOW IS THE MEETING NOTICE FROM the TOWN WEBSITE:
TOWN OF MEDFIELD
MEETING
NOTICE
Posted in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. c. 30A, §§18-25
This meeting will be held in a hybrid format. The Select Board will attend in person and
members of the public may attend in person. In addition, members of the public who wish to
participate via Zoom may do so by joining by one of the following options:
- To join online, use this link:
https://medfield-net.zoom.us/j/88530366678?pwd=clhLODVKcnlDN3dFTDJWQjBCVzJ5Zz09
a. Webinar ID: 885 3036 6678
b. Password: 637025 - To join through a conference call, dial 929-436-2866 or 312-626-6799 or 253-215-8782
or 301-715-8592 or 346-248-7799 or 669-900-6833
a. Enter the Webinar ID: 885 3036 6678
b. Enter the password: 637025
Select Board
Board or Committee
PLACE OF MEETING DAY, DATE, AND TIME
Chenery Hall, Medfield Town House
Remote participation available through Zoom Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 6:00 pm
Agenda (Subject to Change)
Call to Order
6:00PM Presentation by Onyx Partners Ltd. regarding their proposal for a portion of the 40 acres
of town-owned property located at Map 63, Parcel 004 Hospital Road also known as Parcel B of
the former Medfield State Hospital property
6:45PM Questions and Public Comment
7:30PM Adjourn
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Posted in Buildings, Development, Medfield State Hospital, Select Board matters
MFi Legacy Fund Opens 2025 Grant Applications
MEDFIELD FOUNDATION LEGACY FUND NOW ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS
The Medfield Foundation has announced that applications are now being accepted for its 2025 Legacy Fund Community Impact grants. Up to $40,000 in grants will be awarded, and any Medfield-based nonprofit or Town department is eligible. Applicants are welcome to submit a grant request online at https://www.medfieldfoundation.org/ by March 25th, 2025.
The Legacy Fund Committee will review all submissions and select the finalists who will be invited to PITCH IT!, a Shark Tank-type event to be held in person on April 16th, 2025. At PITCH IT!, applicants present their proposal, goals, and financial needs and directly engage with the Legacy Fund Committee on their projects. The Legacy Fund Committee will make its final selection of grant recipients for the 2025 funding round in May 2025.
The Medfield Foundation has awarded close to $100,000 over 5 years for the benefit of Medfield through its Legacy Fund Community Impact grants. Recipients include Cultural Alliance of Medfield, Friends of the MHS Theatre Society, Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail, Medfield Cares About Prevention, Medfield Outreach, The Peak House Heritage Center, Sustainable Medfield, Hinkley Helpers, Medfield TV, Kingsbury Pond Gristmill Committee, Zullo Gallery Center for Arts and Friends of the Dwight-Derby House.
Grantees have used their awards to further important projects in Medfield and in some cases to leverage significant additional resources such as matching grants or federal or state funding. This year’s applicants should be prepared to illustrate a strong and compelling current need for funds, and possibly present how those funds may generate additional investments from the Medfield community as well.
Act fast to take advantage of this spectacular opportunity!
ABOUT THE MEDFIELD FOUNDATION LEGACY FUND
The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund raises private funds for public good. The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund is a professionally managed endowment created to support community driven projects. The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund invests for the long term while also helping to address current community needs through annual competitive grantmaking for immediate positive impact.
For more information or to contribute to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund, please visit www.medfieldfoundation.org/legacy-fund. Or you may contact us directly at info@medfieldfoundation.org.
Make an impact. Leave a Legacy!
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Posted in Charity, Medfield Foundation
We Are #25 in RE Taxes
Division of Local Services (DLS) figures show we have the 25th highest property taxes in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The numbers copied from the DLS on-line chart show that we recently got as high as 15th in the Commonwealth – in FY 2015 – and were in the top 20 for the majority of the last ten years. We pay a lot in property taxes, but at least our recent trajectory is in the right direction.
| 175 | Medfield | 2025 | 3,469,837,100 | 3,526 | 984,072 | 13,580 | 1.38 | 136,384 | 9.96 | 25 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2024 | 3,196,279,700 | 3,539 | 903,159 | 13,222 | 1.46 | 108,657 | 12.17 | 21 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2023 | 2,971,089,900 | 3,538 | 839,765 | 12,958 | 1.54 | 99,600 | 13.01 | 21 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2022 | 2,548,578,200 | 3,536 | 720,752 | 12,555 | 1.74 | 99,242 | 12.65 | 20 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2021 | 2,440,784,100 | 3,525 | 692,421 | 12,297 | 1.78 | 97,217 | 12.65 | 18 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2020 | 2,385,437,500 | 3,526 | 676,528 | 12,062 | 1.78 | 95,034 | 12.69 | 16 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2019 | 2,320,287,900 | 3,524 | 658,424 | 11,766 | 1.79 | 92,181 | 12.76 | 15 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2018 | 2,236,789,600 | 3,524 | 634,730 | 10,809 | 1.70 | 88,206 | 12.25 | 19 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2017 | 2,196,147,000 | 3,523 | 623,374 | 10,529 | 1.69 | 80,969 | 13.00 | 19 |
| 175 | Medfield | 2016 | 2,165,785,300 | 3,519 | 615,455 | 10,309 | 1.68 | 83,668 | 12.32 | 18 |
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Posted in Budgets
MFi 2025 Camp Fund Needs Your Help
Medfield Foundation 2025 Camp Fund Needs Your Help
Adults and children throughout Medfield have happy memories of summer camp. From a traditional experience in the woods, to skill building, to specialized camps, many Medfielders cherish these summer camp experiences and the friends they made there.
Before the summer camp season begins, the Medfield Foundation is asking Medfield residents to help make summer camp accessible to all.
Since 2017 the Medfield Foundation’s Camp Fund, thanks to the generosity of our Medfield donors, raised well over $55,000 to benefit more than 60 local families in offsetting costs in order to send their children to camps. Thanks to Medfielders’ generosity, scores of children from our town experienced the magic of a variety of summer camp sessions and swimming at Hinkley Pond. Some of our camper families’ related, “The program was a godsend that allowed me to keep my son with special needs in camp a few days a week so he could benefit from social interaction with his peers” and “Thank you so much for the generosity that helped give my children a chance to have fun and be happy during summer.”
This year, the goal is to raise even more as we expect an increased need for assistance.
The Medfield Foundation encourages you to make a tax deductible donation to help Medfield children attend summer camp! There are two easy ways to make your donation:
- Use this link to donate: http://medfieldfoundation.org/donate/
- Send your check to the Medfield Foundation, PO Box 745, Medfield MA 02052. Please make your check out to Medfield Foundation, Inc and then please write “CAMP” in the memo line!
Want more information before donating? We invite you to reach out: info@medfieldfoundation.org
Medfield Foundation Inc. PO Box 745 Medfield MA 02052
We hope you will consider donating to the Medfield Foundation Camp Fund to send a Medfield child to summer camp.
And if you are need of financial assistance for your children to attend a Medfield based summer camp, please contact Medfield Outreach by calling 508-359-7121 x3421 or x3422 or via email: medfieldoutreach@medfield.net
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Posted in Charity, Children, Medfield Foundation, Medfield Outreach, Medfield Park & Recreation Commission, Recreation
Zullo Information Session 7PM Thursday
Email from the Zullo Gallery –
Zullo Gallery Center of the Arts
Wed, Feb 19 at 3:55 PM
| Join Us… The Zullo Gallery is hosting an important information session at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20 upstairs at the Zullo Gallery, 456A Main St., Medfield. Please stop in if you’re interested in learning more about the opportunity for the Zullo to purchase the Main Street building it calls home, and how you can help. More details about this initiative is available here. Plan to attend? Want to provide support? Let us know here.     |
| Zullo Gallery Center for the Arts | 456A Main Street | Medfield, MA 02052 US |
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Posted in Art, Buildings, Downtown, Zullo Gallery
Zullo Exploring Building Purchase
Email from the Zullo Gallery –
Sun, Feb 16 at 3:35 PM
  February 16, 2025 A $600K goal… Zullo Seeks to Secure its Future by Exploring Main St. Building Purchase In 1988, when a group of arts supporters sought to establish the non-profit Zullo Gallery Center for the Arts in the historic building at 456 Main St. in Medfield, it benefited from landlords who believed in the gallery mission to advance and support the arts, and who have supported it themselves with extremely reasonable lease agreements. Now, more than 35 years later, the local residents who currently own the property are contemplating selling it, and have offered the Zullo Gallery the chance to purchase the building from them after a decade of ownership. (The building in which the Zullo Gallery is located is under separate ownership from Brothers Marketplace.) For nearly four decades, the Zullo Gallery has realized its mission in countless ways – whether through a variety of exhibits, art classes, live music, or as gathering space for the community. Since the gallery’s inception, we’ve wanted the Zullo to have a true permanent home in its current Main Street location. Ownership of the site provides the security needed to invest in the building, build a long-term vision for the gallery, qualify for significant arts and cultural grants, and possibly receive tax benefits. After a financial analysis of revenue, expenses and bank loan, the Zullo Gallery has determined it would need to raise $600,000 by March 1 to allow it to move forward with purchase negotiations. Zullo Gallery trustees and advisory board members are in support of the Zullo exploring the building purchase, but with the realization that a significant amount of funding will be needed in a short amount of time. We are hoping that between existing Zullo supporters, local community members, and possible ‘Angel Investors,’ we can raise the money needed to keep the gallery in its current location. Doing so would not only allow the Zullo Gallery to continue in downtown Medfield, but hopefully provide some peace of mind to our small business-owner friends below. Anyone who is interested in supporting Zullo Gallery efforts to purchase the building, either with a financial contribution, pledge or fundraising support, can contact me via e-mail or phone at 508-843-2375. Donations to the Zullo to support overall programming and sustainability can always be made at zullogallery.org/support. Sincerely, Bill Pope Executive Director P.S. We are also hosting an information session at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Zullo Gallery. Please stop in if you are interested in learning more.  History of Zullo Gallery building The building at 456 Main St., Medfield, is located in the Town Center Historic District. Established on the site around 1880, the Zullo Gallery space was once the headquarters for the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R) Moses Ellis Post 117. The G.A.R. was an organization that pledged to care for Civil War veterans, help them find jobs, forge friendships, and foster political unity. The original G.A.R headquarters in the historic Main Street building was comprised of two main halls, according to the American Legion Beckwith Post 110 website. The first-floor hall was used for G.A.R banquets and dinners, and the upper hall was used for meetings. The national G.A.R. officially disbanded in 1956. In Medfield, the Main Street building where G.A.R was once housed became retail establishments after its own decline more than a decade earlier. The Zullo Gallery was named after the Zullo family, which owned downtown businesses and was a pillar of the Medfield community.    |
| Zullo Gallery Center for the Arts | 456A Main Street | Medfield, MA 02052 US |
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Posted in Art, Business, Charity, Downtown, Zullo Gallery
Senator Rausch Small Business Roundtable – 3/14
From Aidan Doherty, District Director, Office of Senator Becca Rausch –
State Senator Becca Rausch invites you to join her upcoming regional Small Business Roundtable, which will be held on Friday, March 14 from 1:00-2:00pm in Needham. We also encourage you to share this email with local businesses in your community.
This round table discussion will include the Senator, small business owners in the community, and feature special guest Senator Michael Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. Chair Rodrigues will share information on the small business economy here in Massachusetts and additional updates.
We hope to learn more about the strengths and challenges within the regional economy, connect small business leaders with each other, and share more about the Senator’s work on Beacon Hill. If you are interested, please respond to this email.
We hope you can join us next month. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best,
Aidan
Aidan Doherty, District Director
Office of Senator Becca Rausch
Massachusetts Senate | Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex District
State House Room 215
24 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02133
(617) 722-1555
Pronouns: he/him/his
Follow Senator Rausch on Facebook and Twitter | @BeccaRauschMA
Posted in Uncategorized
MSBC update
From the School Building Committee –
Welcome To The MSBC Newsletter!
Wed, Feb 12 at 9:53 AM
| We are working hard to share SBC news to all community members. You can help us by sharing this link to our email newsletters and/or directing people to sign up on our Town webpage. THANK YOU! https://conta.cc/3NBHyfc(2/5/2025) In this issue: Short video of 2/5 meeting February Update Neighborhood Captains |
| Next Meeting: SBC Meetings: Meetings take place in the Public Safety Building @ 7:00 PM in person and on ZOOM.All community members are welcome! Wednesday, March 5th 2025 |
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| The Dale Street School has been the location for the students of Medfield for decades. It was built as a High School in 1942 with a major addition added in 1962 when it became an Elementary School. It is now over 80 years old!The School Building Committee, created in 2023, is charged with figuring out whether the community wants to build a new elementary school or do an addition/renovation of the current building. It’s time to modernize our educational facility! |
| FEBRUARY UPDATE At the February meeting the SBC went through some of the administrative requirements in Module One of the MSBA process. There are many forms that the SBC will need to submit starting April 1, 2025.One of the first MSBA requirements is to create a School Building Committee. Medfield already created a school building committee (SBC) that has been meeting since January 2023. To comply with the MSBA’s guidelines for the makeup of a school building committee, the SBC will add two additional nonvoting members: a Local Chief Executive Officer (Select Board Member), and a Local Official Responsible for Building Maintenance. Enrollment Data: The SBC must present enrollment data to the MSBA. The SBC reviewed the enrollment study completed in the spring of 2024 by FutureThink. We discussed their low, moderate, and high projection numbers for the Dale Street School. Though no decisions were made, the SBC discussed at length what number might be best for a future building project with many members expressing support for using the higher projection number of approximately 500 students. If you are interested in understanding what is required in Module One please check out the MSBA website. It has a very detailed explanation of all steps. TOWN MEETING One of the requirements in Module One is the town must successfully approve the money for a Feasibility Study. The Feasibility Study is in Module Two. At previous Town Meetings, the SBC received funds for a future Feasibility Study. We currently have 1.1 million. After discussing what Feasibility Studies are currently costing neighboring towns, the SBC decided that 1.5 million will be needed. At our annual May Town meeting there will be a Warrant Article requesting additional funds for this important next step in a future building project. We hope to see you at the Annual Town Meeting! (Monday, May 5th @ 7:00 P.M.) CALLING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CAPTAINS! Do you want to be part of a successful future building project??? The SBC has been discussing a variety of ideas for involving and informing community members as we move forward with the Dale Street School building project. One idea is to create Neighborhood Captains. These individuals would help the SBC by sharing and gathering information. Though we are in the very early stages of planning, we envision a process in which the SBC members would provide support, fact sheets, links,… to the neighborhood captains who would then disseminate information. Having an informed, involved community is VITAL to creating a successful future building project. If you think this is a way that you could help the SBC, please send a brief email with your name and address to casey_sbc@medfield.net. GREAT NEWS FROM THE MSBA Did you know? Medfield has been accepted into the MSBA Reimbursement Program for 2025! Want to learn more about the MSBA process? Check out their website- MSBA |
| SBC Video Update 2/5/2025Click the link to view a short video with an update from the February 5th meeting. Video |
| All of the SBC updates and meeting packet materials can be found on the Town webpage by clicking Medfield School Building Committee in the menu under Government. |
| Missed a SBC meeting? Use this link to view previous meetings. Previous SBC Meetings (9/2024-2025) Previous SBC Meetings (2023-8/2024) |
| Missed an issue of the SBC News Update? Click the links below for previous issues. 1/8/2025 12/11/2024 11/6/2024 10/30/2024 |
| Sign up for information from the Medfield School Building Committee! Do you want to stay informed on the proposed new elementary school project? The MSBC is making it even easier for you! Sign up for our email newsletter today! |
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Posted in Buildings, Medfield School Building Committee, Schools
