The Thistle project is community made art that will be installed this spring at the former Medfield State Hospital site. A thistle is the pink prickly thing on the table in the photo, which are easily made with simple instructions. The thistles will be wrapped around trees at the MSH site.
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Posted in Art, Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Medfield State Hospital
The Medfield Coalition for Public Education’s online auction is on, with very personal items sure to please and interest Medfield kids, but act fast as the auction is over next Thursday –
MCPE’s Online Auction of Treasured Experiences opens TODAY, Thursday, March 26th, and runs through April 2nd!
Back by popular demand, MCPE is offering its most popular treasured experiences from auctions and raffles past. Kids and parents alike love these one-of-a-kind items, and our teachers and administrators love to give back! Please bid high on the items and allow MCPE to continue funding future grants that benefit Medfield schools! To bid on our great auction items, please visit our website
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Posted in Entertainment, Events, MCPE - Medfield Coalition for Public Education, Schools
The Medfield Foundation’s eight annual spring reception to honor extraordinary Medfield volunteers was held at The Center on Sunday afternoon. The eight remarkable individuals below were suggested this year by their fellow resident.
Photo courtesy of Colleen Sullivan
Rear: Emily Zona, Chris McCue Potts, Susan Maritan, Binit Shah, Rose O’Reilly. Front: Jeanne Sullivan, Mike Standley, Caroline Standley.
Posted in Medfield Foundation, Volunteers
Letter this afternoon from the Massachusetts School Building Authority approving a grant to the town for the boiler replacement at the Wheelock School in the amount of $179,137 to $187,565 –
Massachusetts School Building Authority
Deborah B. Goldberg John K. McCarthy
Chairman, State Treasurer Executive Director
March 25, 2015
Mr. Michael J. Sullivan, Town Administrator
Town of Medfield
459 Main Street
Medfield, MA 02052
Re: Town of Medfield, Ralph Wheelock School
Dear Mr. Sullivan:
I am pleased to report that the Board of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (the
“MSBA”) voted to approve the Proposed Accelerated Repair Project (the “Proposed
Project”) for the Town of Medfield (the “Town”) for a boiler replacement project at the
Ralph Wheelock School.
The Board approved an estimated maximum Total Facilities Grant of $179,137, which
does not include any funds for potentially eligible owner’s or construction contingency
expenditures. In the event that the MSBA determines that any owner’s and/or
construction contingency expenditures are eligible for reimbursement, the maximum
Total Facilities Grant for the Proposed Project may increase to $187,565. The final grant
amount will be determined by the MSBA based on a review and audit of all project costs
incurred by the Town, in accordance with the MSBA’s regulations, policies, and
guidelines and the Project Funding Agreement. The final grant amount may be an
amount less than $179,137.
Pursuant to the terms of the MSBA’s Accelerated Repair Program, the Town has 90 days
to acquire and certify local approval for an appropriation and all other necessary local
votes or approvals showing acceptance of the cost, site, type, scope and timeline for the
Proposed Project. Upon receipt of the certified votes demonstrating local approval, the
MSBA and the Town will execute a Project Funding Agreement which will set forth the
terms and conditions pursuant to which the Town will receive its grant from the MSBA.
Once the Project Funding Agreement has been executed by both parties, the Town will be
eligible to submit requests for reimbursement for Proposed Project costs to the MSBA.
We will be contacting you soon to discuss these next steps in more detail, but in the
meantime, I wanted to share with you the Board’s approval of the Proposed Project for
the Town of Medfield for a boiler replacement project at the Ralph Wheelock School,
40 Broad Street, Suite 500 •Boston, MA 02109 •Tel: 617-720-4466 •Fax: 617-720-5260 • http://www.MassSchoolBuildings.org
~··
Page2
March 25, 2015
Town of Medfield PF A Board Action Letter
and the Board’s authorization to execute a Project Funding Agreement for this Proposed
Project.
Sincerely,
Cc: Legislative Delegation
Osler L. Peterson, Chair, Medfield Board of Selectmen
Christopher Morrison, Chair, Medfield School Committee
Dr. Jeffrey J. Marsden, Superintendent, Medfield Public Schools
Michael LaFrancesca, Director of Finance and Operations, Medfield Public
Schools
Alexandra Vresilovic, Owner’s Project Manager, Skanska USA Building, Inc.
Mike Trzcinski, Designer, Hesnor Engineering Associates, PLLC
File: 10.2 Letters
More on state aid, per the MMA, from the SHNS, via John Nunnari –
GREENFIELD, MASS., MARCH 24, 2015….While taking issue with Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposed education budget, the head of the group that represents Massachusetts cities and towns said Tuesday that the state’s first slot parlor should spin off more than enough money to fund the governor’s proposed increase in unrestricted local aid.
Plainridge Park Casino will generate $86.7 million to $118.5 million, Massachusetts Municipal Association Executive Director Geoffrey Beckwith told lawmakers Tuesday, noting the funds are required to flow into a local aid account. The slots parlor is set to open June 24. The Baker administration budgeted $87 million in gaming revenue from the slots facility in its fiscal 2016 budget.
The group representing cities and towns backed Baker’s proposed $34 million, 3.6 percent increase in unrestricted local aid at a hearing before the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, which met at Greenfield Community College Tuesday.
“The governor’s increase would be a return to the concept of revenue sharing,” said Beckwith, who was more critical of Baker’s proposed a minimum $20-per-student increase in local education funding.
Baker’s budget would increase local education funding, also known as Chapter 70, by $105.3 million. The funds are sent to cities and towns based on a formula.
Beckwith pushed for a $100-per-student minimum increase, calling it “clearly achievable” with state revenues forecast to rise 4.8 percent. He said in his testimony that Baker’s proposal is an “insufficient amount to maintain current school staffing and services.”
In his testimony, Beckwith said cities and towns are “more reliant on the property tax to fund essential services than at any time in the past thirty years.”
North Adams Councilor Lisa Blackmer said rural towns are left to police state parks, which she said are some of her favorite places.
“A lot of the parks aren’t even staffed anymore,” said Blackmer.
Greenfield Mayor William Martin said any increase in state funding to cities and towns would relieve the burden on property owners.
Orleans Selectman David Dunford, who is the president of the municipal association, said his town aimed to avoid layoffs by foregoing needed upgrades to buildings and water infrastructure.
“It was tough to cut personnel. We don’t want to do that,” Dunford said.
The municipal leaders also called for increases that help pay for special education needs and school transportation costs.
END
03/24/2015
Serving the working press since 1910
http://www.statehousenews.com
This from the State House News Service, via John Nunnari –
MMA CHIEF SEES SLOTS DELIVERING LOCAL AID $$$
[Story Developing] The opening of the state’s first slot parlor in Plainville should provide more than enough money to fund the governor’s proposed increase in unrestricted local aid, Massachusetts Municipal Association Executive Director Geoffrey Beckwith told lawmakers Tuesday. Plainridge Park Casino will generate $86.7 million to $118.5 million, according to Beckwith, who said the funds are required to flow into a local aid account. The slots parlor is set to open June 24. The group representing cities and towns backed Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposed $34 million increase in unrestricted local aid at a hearing before the House and Senate Ways and Means committees, which met at Greenfield Community College Tuesday. “The governor’s increase would be a return to the concept of revenue sharing,” said Beckwith, who was more critical of Baker’s proposed minimum $20-per-student increase in local education funding. Baker’s budget would increase local education funding, also known as Chapter 70, by $105.3 million. The funds are sent to cities and towns based on a formula. Beckwith pushed for a $100-per-student minimum increase and said the governor’s proposal is “insufficient.” – Andy Metzger/SHNS
Both articles passed last night at the Special Town Meeting (STM) by overwhelming majorities, that were with one close to being unanimous, and with the other was unanimous. The public safety building must still get a majority vote at the regular municipal election next Monday, March 30, to proceed.
The first STM vote, to fund the $700,000 construction costs of a money making solar photovoltaic installation behind the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), was unanimous. As soon as the town’s new Energy and Facilities Manager, Andrew Seaman, who was presenting on behalf of the Energy Committee, mentioned that the array will be revenue positive starting in its first year, the Moderator jokingly interrupted to call for a fast vote. The presentation may have continued, but the wisdom of a money making project was clear in the unanimity of the ultimate vote. The array is projected to save the town $726,509 in electricity charges at the WWTP over 20 years.
Conversations with Energy Committee member Fred Davis after the meeting disclosed that the MEC’s solar consultant is already recommending to the town to proceed as fast as possible with other installations before the state subsidies for solar end in the next couple of years, which will change the economics dramatically. The roof of the Highway Garage has already been recommended, but the old landfill is also being eyed. Few old landfills remain without solar arrays, and there is even grant money to support such an installation. Medfield never properly closed the landfill, so the closure may need to be revisited, but the economics may still make the project attractive.
Vote 2 to fund the almost $19m. construction costs of a new public safety building seemed to find the vast majority of attendees grudgingly, if realistically accepting of the need for us to pay more in property taxes to allow for the new building. This observer guesses that perhaps 20-40 people voted against proceeding. There is no disagreement over the inadequacy of the old facility, and only minor issues verbalized over the size and scope of the new building and the lack of options presented.
Selectmen meet again this evening, to hear from all three of our legislators.
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Posted in Buildings, Energy Committee, Fire Department, Police Department, Select Board matters, Town Meeting
The Special town meeting (STM) takes place this evening at the MHS gym at 7:30 PM to decide upon:
Top ten reasons that I favor the new public safety building:
Posted in Budgets, Buildings, Town Meeting
This alert from the Mass. Municipal Assoc. –
Thursday, March 19, 2015
BAKER ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE CITIES AND TOWNS WITH $30 MILLION FOR POTHOLE AND WINTER RECOVERY EFFORTS
$30 MILLION IN ONE-TIME AID TO BE AVAILABLE AND ALLOCATED THROUGH CHAPTER 90 FORMULA
The Baker Administration announced today that it has established a “Winter Recovery Assistance Program” that will provide cities and towns with $30 million in funding this spring to repair potholes and other damage to roads, bridges and signs caused by the punishing winter.
“This winter’s record-setting snowfall has left our cities and towns with a major maintenance deficit that needs to be addressed immediately,” Lt. Governor Polito said in a statement on Thursday. “This program provides municipalities with additional resources to accelerate those repairs and make our roadways safer for everyone.”
The $30 million for cities and towns will be allocated to municipalities using the Chapter 90 formula. The program will allow municipalities to seek reimbursement on expenditures related to potholes, pavement cracking, surface defects, paving projects, guardrails, storm drains, line striping, and repair or replacement of damaged signs.
MassDOT officials have outlined the following details: 1) the program will be implemented this month, with all qualifying work completed by June 30, 2015; 2) the department will issue one-time contracts with municipalities allowing them to draw down their share of the $30 million for the specific purpose of road and facility repairs; 3) these contracts will include a “use it or lose it” clause to ensure that funds are spent and projects are completed by June 30; and 4) all work invoices must be provided to MassDOT by July 31, 2015 and MassDOT will reimburse cities and towns as invoices are received.
Cities and towns will be receiving official notification and information on this program within the next several days. Click here to view the WRAP apportionment list and rules and regulations, which detail how the $30 million will be apportioned to each city and town.
This year’s harsh winter has damaged local roads, generated countless potholes and placed a huge burden on local taxpayers as municipal leaders work to shore up their crumbling roadways. Communities will put these funds to immediate use rebuilding and repairing roads, equipment and facilities in every corner of Massachusetts, which will save money, help our economy and improve public safety.
This is very good news for cities and towns, and the MMA applauds Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito, Secretary Pollack and MassDOT for this important program!
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Posted in Budgets, DPW, Massachusetts Municipal Association
This today in the newsletter from the Division of Local Services (DLS) of DOR – Medfield to get $59,369.00 –
$30M in Pothole Repair Reimbursement Allocated for Cities and Towns Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito
The Baker-Polito Administration has launched the Winter Recovery Assistance Program (WRAP), a $30 million targeted effort to assist cities and towns with repairs to roads and bridges under municipal jurisdiction.
“Since day one, we promised to partner with our cities and towns to provide them with the support needed to keep local infrastructure in reliable shape,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “After an unprecedented winter of heavy snowfall and subzero temperatures, this additional support will allow municipalities to patch up potholes and address local repairs as needed.”
“This winter’s record-setting snowfall has left our cities and towns with a major maintenance deficit that needs to be addressed immediately,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “This program gives our cities and towns additional resources to accelerate those repairs and make our roadways safer for everyone.”
The $30 million has been allocated from the existing FY2015 bond authorization for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). While the WRAP is a distinct effort separate from the Chapter 90 program, to ensure equity, the funds will be distributed to cities and towns based on the Chapter 90 formula.
The Chapter 90 formula determines the apportionment of funding for municipal roads and bridges based on a weighted average of a city or town’s population, employment, and total mileage of roads. To view how the $30 million is apportioned to each city or town using the formula, click here.
Under the WRAP, cities and towns can seek reimbursement from MassDOT on expenditures related to patching potholes, pavement cracking, surface defects, paving projects, repair or replacement of damaged signs, guardrail, storm drains and line striping.
In order to accelerate local repairs, the WRAP requires all work on municipal infrastructure to be completed by June 30th, 2015, and for all work invoices to be provided to MassDOT by July 31st, 2015. MassDOT will reimburse cities and towns as invoices are received.
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Posted in Uncategorized
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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