Rte 109 RR crossing closing Friday to Monday for repairs

Posted on November 9, 2015 | 1 comment

RR

From Mike Sullivan this afternoon –

The MBTA and Mass Coastal Railroad have made the decision to go ahead this weekend to rebuild the railroad grade crossing on Route 109. It will require shutting down Route 109 from about 10:00 a.m. Friday afternoon until sometime Monday afternoon. We met this afternoon, including School Dept. administrators, to plan for this road closure, rerouting school buses, and notifying adjacent Towns and local businesses. We will also be meeting at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow with railroad construction personnel on site to review plans for handling traffic, coordinating construction work, etc. We will be placing signs warning residents and commuters of the road closure and urging them to find other commuting or travel routes. Mass D.O.T. will be sending a representative around to local businesses to discuss the schedule and associated implications. We will advise further as additional information becomes available. Michael Sullivan, Town Administrator.

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Posted in Downtown

Eagle Scouts

Posted on November 7, 2015 | Comments Off on Eagle Scouts

Andrew Marian and Sam Johnson receiving their Troop 10 Eagle Scout awards today at the UCC, with their parents and scout master David Derian.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Comparison metrics

Posted on November 6, 2015 | Comments Off on Comparison metrics

budget

This website offers a half dozen comparison metrics for each town.  It is interesting to see how we compare.  http://www.cleargov.com/massachusetts/norfolk/town/medfield/

The Pioneer Institute does the same thing too, but with much more robust data and in a more refined means.  http://pioneerinstitute.org/better_government/new-municipal-guide-provides-tools-for-local-budgeting/  The Pioneer Institute gives you an Excel spreadsheet that you can use to compare us to similar towns on a large variety of budget costs, and they even suggest the similar towns.  This is the one to use to do serious work.

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Posted in Budgets

Water main under Hospital Rd. RR

Posted on November 4, 2015 | Comments Off on Water main under Hospital Rd. RR

The new water main running from the town’s well #6 along the Charles River by Rte. 27 to the new water tower at the former MSH site has been held up in its completion while the town and its contractor waited, and waited, and waited to be scheduled to lay the water main under the railroad tracks that cross Hospital Road.  It finally happened this past weekend (after the MBTA bought that RR line and the town no longer had to  deal with CSX), and the town’s consulting engineer sent out the email and photos below.

Long day but Oliviera Construction did a good job. The 42″ casing …a 40 foot long section…is in as shown in the photographs and the excavation is now backfilled with 7 truck loads of specified flowable fill (similiar to a concrete mix but it sets up hard and is removable by an excavator). The local concrete supplier was late with his delivery of the last 4 truck loads.

Saturday and Sunday will be work by the railroad’s  contractor to continue the rail subbase preparation.
They will place crushed stone on top of the flowable fill and then install the precast concrete rail sleeper supports. The new section …100 feet or so of new rail is scheduled to be installed on Sunday.

Regards,
Paul
Paul C. Millett, P.E.
Project Manager
Environmental Partners Group, Inc.

RR crossing-1 RR crossing-2 RR crossing-3 RR crossing-4 RR crossing-5 RR crossing-6 RR crossing-7

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Posted in Water & Sewer

Office hours this Friday 9-10

Posted on November 4, 2015 | Comments Off on Office hours this Friday 9-10

COOA's Center_and_sign

Selectman Office Hours this Friday

Selectman Osler “Pete” Peterson holds regular monthly office hours at The Center on the first Friday of every month from 9:00 to 10:00 AM.  Residents are welcome to stop by to talk in person about any town matters.

Residents can also have coffee and see the Council on Aging in action (a vibrant organization with lots going on).  Peterson can be reached via 508-359-9190 or his blog about Medfield matters  https://medfield02052.wordpress.com/, where any schedule changes will be posted.

Peterson promises a system to better manage and control the wait after the issues last month.

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Posted in Select Board matters

Solar interest survey

Posted on November 3, 2015 | Comments Off on Solar interest survey

solar on house

Energy Committee has a four question survey to determine level of residents’ interest in solar PV on their homes –

Below is a link to a short four-question survey that the Medfield Energy Committee has put together to help assess Medfield residents’ interest in participating in a Solarize Massachusetts program (where group purchasing of PV panels and installation result in discounts for everyone participating). Mass CEC recommends that we do one of these as part of our application process.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LJJGBXW

thanks!

Marie

Marie Zack Nolan, LEED AP BD&C

Project Manager

The Green Engineer, Inc.

O: (978) 369-8978

C: (508) 361-8786

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Posted in Energy Committee, Green

Gateway opening

Posted on October 30, 2015 | Comments Off on Gateway opening

Gateway-1

This morning was the official ribbon cutting and opening of the new Charles River overlook dubbed the Gateway at Medfield.  Over one hundred people gathered in the strong fall winds at Medfield’s newest jewel, high above the Charles –  some walked, some rode bikes, and some came on horses.  Richared DeSorgher officiated with a loud speaker’s voice honed by years in the classroom.

Richard declared it Arbor Day in town, reading the proclamation citing teh 55 trees planted at the site, and then introduced the series of speakers:

  • Carol Gladstone, DCAMM Commissioner
  • Carol I. Sanchez, DCR Commissioner (see photo below)
  • Mike Francis, TTOR Superintendent
  • Bob Zimmerman, CRWA Executive Director

Gateway-3

Bill Massaro, John Thompson, and John Harney were signaled out repeatedly for their efforts that turned the ship of the Massachusetts state away from its less expensive, simplistic, but legally sufficient cap and cover formulaic clean up, to the result that has created the state’s newest park, with dramatic views down to the Charles River below and the largest recreated wetlands in the history of the river.

Even the ruins of the old pump house has been made interesting –

MSH-pump house after

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Posted in Environmental, Events, Green, Medfield State Hospital, On being a selectman

BoS agenda for 11/3

Posted on October 30, 2015 | Comments Off on BoS agenda for 11/3

cropped-medfield-town-house1.jpg

Tuesday November 3, 2015@ 7:00 PM
AGENDA (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

7:00 PM Cemetery Commissioners, Thomas Sweeney Chair
Request Selectmen vote to approve revised Vine Lake Cemetery Regulations

7:30 PM Annual Budget Meeting with Warrant Committee, Departments, Boards, Commissions
Discuss FY 2017 budgets

Other business that may arise

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Posted in Select Board matters

Met with MA Secretary of Housing & Economic Development

Posted on October 30, 2015 | Comments Off on Met with MA Secretary of Housing & Economic Development

Jay Ash

Yesterday morning Mike Sullivan, Richard DeSorgher and I met with Jay Ash, the Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development to learn what the state can do to assist Medfield with our economic development and housing issues (see photo above).

After that four town meeting (Wrentham, Norfolk, Walpole, and Medfield) at the Wrentham Town Hall, Medfield showed the Secretary the former Medfield State Hospital site (see photo below).

Jay Ash at MSH

My main take aways:

  • the opportunities to get the MSH site listed as ready for development on the MassEcon 100,
  • to have the man who talks to more developers than any one else in the state be able to talk up our site, and
  • to just have the man who administers all state economic development and housing monies know about the MSH site and its expected development so he can help get the word out and be knowledgeable if and when grant applications are made.

Interesting tidbits learned during the discussions:

  • Electric Time reportedly could not complete on price with what The Parc was willing to pay for that site, so an industrial site became a residential site, and
  • Walpole is negotiating with an international company to site a facility that will provide 600 jobs – company is looking for 90% reduction in its taxes.

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Posted in Development, Medfield State Hospital, State

Angel Run – signing up & volunteering

Posted on October 29, 2015 | Comments Off on Angel Run – signing up & volunteering

Angel Run

Medfield Foundation Angel Run is celebrating its 10th Anniversary! The race will take place on Sunday, December 6th at 2PM. If you register by October 31st you will save $5 (early registration is $25 and race day registration is $30) AND you will receive the always popular Angel Run T-Shirt.  This year 10th anniversary keepsakes can also be purchased through online registration (they will be available at Park St. Books after on-line registration closes 10/31).  You can register at http://MedfieldFoundation.org.

 

We are currently looking for volunteers to help us make this year another big success.  We would appreciate it if you would review the volunteer opportunities available on the link below and sign up to help us make it happen.

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/904084EADAA2DA20-volunteer

 

Please note my fellow committee chairs will also be sending similar emails out.  It is possible you will receive more than one email requesting your assistance.  Please excuse the inconvenience.  It would also be great if you could share this email with your network to help recruit both participants and volunteers. The Angel Run is all about helping Medfield residents in need and the Medfield Foundation motto is “Building Community” and we can’t do that without you.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Evan

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Posted in Entertainment, Events, Medfield Foundation, Sports