BoS 7/7

Posted on July 6, 2015 | Comments Off on BoS 7/7

Here is the revised agenda for the meeting tomorrow evening.

Please note that there is no OPEB discussion scheduled with the consultant, as I  had thought there would be when I last posted about OPEB this past week.

Board of Selectmen
July 7, 2015 7:00PM

AGENDA
REMINDER:    This meeting is being recorded.
A moment of silence for all of our brave service men and women serving around the world

APPOINTMENTS
7:00PM            Ron Griffin, Veterans’ Service Agent
Dedication of the MIA/POW Chair
7:20PM            Chief Robert Meaney
Appointments

OLD BUSINESS
•   Vote to approve June 16, 2015 Meeting Minutes
•   Update on Hartford and Farm Street RR Tracks
•   Roberta and COA request to remove Ice House Road RR Tracks
•    Policy on Speed Bumps
•   Solid Waste Committee to evaluate single stream recycling, alternative systems and recycling in general
•    Update on Water Ban
•   Update on flooding at Hartford Street (Beavers)

NEW BUSINESS
•    Vote to declare July, 10, 2015 Elisabeth Mann Day

• Vote to sign letter dated July 7, 2015 to DCAMM regarding IRA Completion which was presented at PIP meeting on June 18th.

• Boston Bikes program requests approval to travel through Medfield for the Women’s Bike Ride and Festival. Chief Meaney has reviewed and approved.

•    Discussion of Zoning Bylaw 5.4.4.10/Assisted Living Facility

• Request from Medfield Public Library Director, Kristin Chin, to utilize the Town Green and Gazebo area for outdoor family movies on Tuesday evenings beginning at 8PM in July and August

•    Request from Superintendent Feeney and Town Accountant Joy Riccuito to sign five (5) Chapter 90 requests
o  Resurfacing of N. Meadows Road, Pine and Harding   $933,000
o  Elgin Street Sweeper                                                             $185,000
o  CAT 906 HZ Loader                                                               $  78,900
o  CAT 930 K                                                                                 $153,394
o  MACK GU7                                                                                $141,550

•    Request from the MSH Building and Grounds Committee to authorize Chairman DeSorgher to sign the license agreement with Course Brook Farm for the haying of MSH property.

•    Vote to sign Letter to DCAMM regarding Access Road

INFORMATIONAL
•    Superintendent Feeney sent the List of Roads to be stone sealed beginning July 15, 2015
•    OPEB Actuarial Evaluation
•    Copy of Planning Board Decision, Certificate of Approval for land off Hospital Road
•   Copy of Resident’s Letter to the School Department regarding Elm Street Soccer Fields
•    Notification from Kleinfelder regarding the Phase I Initial Site Investigation Report and Tier
I classification for Cumberland Farms, 560 Main Street
•   Farm Service Agency is conducting annual County Committee Elections. Fact Sheet and Nomination Papers.
•   Sovereign Consulting, Inc provided results of groundwater sampling at Former Texaco, 26 Spring Street, Medfield.
•   Notification from Comcast regarding new Senior Manager of Government and
Regulatory Affairs, Greg Franks

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Posted in Select Board matters

Tell the town what to do with the MSH

Posted on July 6, 2015 | Comments Off on Tell the town what to do with the MSH

The Medfield State Hospital Master Planning Committee is looking for your input on what you want done with the former MSH site, by means of its first in a round of lightning surveys, this first one closes after Sunday, July 12th.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MedStateSurvey_1

As of today Teresa James reports they have had 233 replies, but that they especially hope for more responses from the <30 crowd for a more balanced demographic spread. Thus far 70% of respondents had NOT attended the June 11th workshop, which she thinks is great, because that means they are now reaching a wider audience.

Teresa also reports that the survey sub-committee will be analyzing the data early next week and getting the next survey ready to post.  So sharpen those minds and stay tuned in, actively sharing your thoughts.

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Posted in Medfield State Hospital

OPEB to BoS 7/7

Posted on July 4, 2015 | Comments Off on OPEB to BoS 7/7

Stone Consulting will be at the Selectmen meeting on July 7 to present its new OPEB valuation report, not July 10 as I mistakenly stated when I posted late in the day yesterday.  Thanks to a well informed and careful reader for the correction!

It takes a village to share correct town information.

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Posted in Budgets, Select Board matters

OPEB – we owe $42m.

Posted on July 3, 2015 | Comments Off on OPEB – we owe $42m.

The town has had Stone Consulting produce an actuarial  valuation, as of 10/11/2013, of the town’s Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB), which was just received and shows that the present value of what the town owes is $42m.

The OPEB are the cost of medical care in the future for current and retired town employees, that has already been earned by them, but mainly has not yet been funded by the town. In other words, the town contractually committed to provide the future medical care for its town employees, but just never set aside or paid any monies to cover those future costs.

The General Standards Accounting Board (GASB) only recently required government entities to both figure and report on OPEB, and as a result we have now learned that the town has a $42m. financial obligation for which it has made little preparation.

The facts:

  • The valuation is figured assuming a 4% discount rate, and other assumptions greatly change the amounts owed.
  • $18.9m. is the present value of the total amount that will be paid in the future to current employees.
  • $23.9m. is the present value of the total amount that will be paid in the future to current retirees.
  • $3.5m. per year would be required to be paid for 26 years to fully fund OPEB.
  • $1.7m. is the cost to pay OPEB benefits incurred in the current year on a pay as we go basis.
  • $400,000 (from memory) is the amount that we funded OPEB in our budget this fiscal year, and we have only funded OPEB for 2-3 years and not at that level.
  • By not fully paying for the current year obligations to OPEB, we are making the total owed even larger, this year adding another $1.3m.

The size of the OPEB problem appears to be so large that to me it appears we would all have to pay double real estate taxes for one year to fully fund it.  The town needs to make some hard choices as to how to deal with this looming financial problem created by the past promises the town made to its town employees.  To me it no longer makes sense to merely mostly ignore the dilemma, as we have been doing.

Stone Consulting will be at the Selectmen meeting on July 7 to present this new valuation report.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 10-11-13 VALUATION.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 2011 VALUATION

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Posted in Budgets

State road $

Posted on July 2, 2015 | Comments Off on State road $

Selectmen today got the attached request from Superintendent Ken Feeney to use state Chap. 90 road monies, that also summarizes the past and future expenditure of the Chapter 90 road monies that the town gets from the state.  Since 2010 the town has been getting $300,000 to $400,000 a year from the state.

The request today lists road work and related expenses the town has done since 2005, including:

2005 – South Street to Route 27
2006 – Pound Street
2006 – North & Green Street Design
2007 – West Mill Street
2009 – North & Green Additional Design
2009 – Salt shed construction
2014 – Spring Street Resurfacing
2014 – Mini Track Asphalt Paver

This year the town opted to spend about $558,844 of the Chap. 90 monies we had banked on equipment (i.e. – a street sweeper, a front loader, a dump truck, and a Cat 930K) from the $2m. we had accumulated of our Chap. 90 monies.  Ken is also planning on spending $933,000.00 to repave parts of North Meadows Rd, Pine St, Winter St, and Harding Street this year.

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Posted in DPW

Summer movies

Posted on July 2, 2015 | 1 comment

The library is looking to show movies outdoors at 8PM on Tuesday nights this July and August.  This letter came to the selectmen from the new Director –

June 25, 2015

Board of Selectmen Town Hall
459 Main Street
Medfield MA 02052

Dear Selectmen,

I am writing to request the use of the Town Green (near Gazebo) for showing outdoor family movies as part of the library’s programming this summer. Through the Friend’s of the Medfield Public Library, we were able to purchase a large, inflatable screen that can be set up and taken down easily. The movies to be shown will only be rated G or PG and the showings will be free to the public, with popcorn provided by the library.  A staff member will be present during the entire showing of the movie and the library will be responsible for taking down the equipment and cleaning up the area.

I have shown outdoor movies at my previous library and they are a great hit, offering a kind of drive-in appeal, with kids coming in their pajamas with their sleeping bags!

We are considering showing the movies on Tuesday evenings, beginning at 8:00 pm throughout July and August.

If you need any more information, please let me know. Thank you for your consideration.

Warmest Regards,

/Kristen M. Chin/
Library Director
Medfield Memorial Public Library

1 Comment

Posted in Entertainment, Library

BoS on 7/7

Posted on July 2, 2015 | Comments Off on BoS on 7/7

Kris did the agenda early –

Board of Selectmen
July 7, 2015
7:00PM
AGENDA

REMINDER: This meeting is being recorded.
A moment of silence for all of our brave service men and women serving around
the world

APPOINTMENTS
7:00PM Ron Griffin, Veterans’ Service Agent
Dedication of the MIA/POW Chair

7:20PM Chief Robert Meaney
Appointments

OLD BUSINESS
• Vote to approve June 16, 2015 Meeting Minutes

NEW BUSINESS
• Vote to declare July, 10, 2015 Elisabeth Mann Day

• Boston Bikes program requests approval to travel through Medfield for the Women’s Bike Ride and Festival. Chief Meaney has reviewed and approved.

• Discussion of Zoning Bylaw 5.4.4.10/Assisted Living Facility

• Request from Medfield Public Library Director, Kristin Chin, to utilize the Town Green and Gazebo area for outdoor family movies on Tuesday evenings beginning at 8PM in July and August

• Request from Superintendent Feeney and Town Accountant Joy Riccuito to sign five (5) Chapter 90 requests
o Resurfacing of N. Meadows Road, Pine and Harding $933,000
o Elgin Street Sweeper $185,000
o CAT 906 HZ Loader $ 78,900
o CAT 930 K $153,394
o MACK GU7 $141,550

• Request from the MSH Building and Grounds Committee to authorize Chairman DeSorgher to sign the license agreement with Course Brook Farm for the haying of MSH property.

INFORMATIONAL
• Superintendent Feeney sent the List of Roads to be stone sealed beginning July 15, 2015

• OPEB Actuarial Evaluation

• Copy of Planning Board Decision, Certificate of Approval for land off Hospital Road

• Copy of Resident’s Letter to the School Department regarding Elm Street Soccer Fields

• Notification from Kleinfelder regarding the Phase I Initial Site Investigation Report and Tier I classification for Cumberland Farms, 560 Main Street

• Farm Service Agency is conducting annual County Committee Elections. Fact Sheet and Nomination Papers.

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Posted in Select Board matters

4th adjustments

Posted on July 2, 2015 | Comments Off on 4th adjustments

My first Friday office hours this month will take place 9-10am on July 10 at The Center, because The Center is closed tomorrow.

Per Kris –

As a reminder, the Town House will close at 4:30 on Thursday, July 2nd and will be closed on Friday July 3rd for the holiday. The Medfield Transfer Station will be CLOSED on Saturday, July 4th.

Anyone want to start work on a July 4th parade for next year?

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Posted in Uncategorized

MSH survey

Posted on July 1, 2015 | Comments Off on MSH survey

Get on board the town’s information two-way highway by taking the first of series of  surveys this summer about the reuse of the former Medfield State Hospital site that the MSH/MPC has put out –

What is Your Vision?

Specifically the purpose of these surveys is to:

  • Ensure that a broad range of ideas are considered
  • Provide opportunity for public input from individuals unable to attend public meetings
  • Provide opportunity to gather input from residents in neighboring towns.
  • Understand community preferences for various uses in shaping alternatives for consideration in a public meeting on September 16th

The surveys are intended to be short and easy to complete. Initially the questions will be broad, but will become more focused in subsequent surveys as we refine alternatives. Those who complete the survey will be able to see how their answers compare to the other respondents……so it should be interesting.

Share the link with your friends, family and neighbors. The first survey will remain open through July 12, 2015.

We thank everyone who participates for taking a few minutes of your time to make your voice heard.

SURVEY #1 LINK:  Click HERE to take the survey.

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Posted in Medfield State Hospital

Visual budget

Posted on June 30, 2015 | Comments Off on Visual budget

To understand Medfield’s town budget, would it help to have the budget presented in a graphic format such as Mansfield does (http://www.mansfield.visgov.com/) or Arlington (http://www.arlingtonvisualbudget.org/)?

The software to do this is open source software, so we can do this with no cost if our employee IT staff implement it.  When I spoke with the creators, the www.visgov.com people at the Massachusetts Municipal association’s annual meeting in January, they told me that we could also pay them to install it.

Christian Donner has created a demo site for Medfield (http://medfieldbudget.org/), but the actual numbers appear to  not be our actual budget figures – still it gives one a sense and taste of what is possible.

I find it useful, but I would want to be able to drill down even further into the budget number details.

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Posted in Budgets