Where in Medfield?

Posted on August 4, 2014 | 1 comment

These are in an extremely prominent place.  Hint – they look really old.

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

MSH actual bll attached

Posted on August 4, 2014 | Comments Off on MSH actual bll attached

Here is the actual legislation, as provided by the state to the town clerk –

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H 4216
Chapter      – 211

TH E  C 0 M M 0 N W E A L T H  0  F     M A S S A C H U S E T T S

In  the Year Two  Thousand  and Fourteen

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMMISSIONER OF CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE TO CONVEY CERTAIN
PARCELS OF LAND IN THE TOWN OF MEDFIELD.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide
forthwith for the conveyance of land in the town of Medfield, therefore it is hereby declared to be
an emergency law, necessary
for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
1

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled , and by the
authorit y of   the same, as f ollows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding sections 32 to 37, inclusive, of chapter 7C of the General Laws, chapter
269 of the acts of 2008 or any other general or special law to the contrary, the commissioner of
capital asset management and maintenance may convey certain parcels of land located at the former
Medfield State Hospital to the town of Medfield. The parcels are shown as parcel A and parcel B on
a plan entitled “Compiled Plan of Land, Medfield State Hospital, Medfield, Massachusetts, prepared
for Division of Capital Asset Management”, dated June 14, 2005, prepared by Judith Nitsch
Engineering, Inc., on file with the division of capital asset management and maintenance. The exact
location and boundaries of the parcels to be conveyed shall be determined by the commissioner, in
consultation with the town of Medfield. The use of the parcels to be conveyed to the town shall not
be restricted to use for municipal or other specific purposes; provided, however, that the town may
so restrict the parcels at a later date, in accordance with any applicable general and special
laws, The parcels shall be conveyed by deed without warranties or representations by the
commonwealth.
SECTION 2. As consideration for the conveyance of the parcels described in section 1, the town of
Medfield shall pay the commonwealth an amount equal to certain costs related to the closure of the
former state hospital in Medfield including, but not limited to, the costs of removing combustible
materials, disconnecting  certain utilities and otherwise closing those buildings located on the
parcels conveyed, routine security and other capital expenditures and operating expenses incurred
by the commonwealth in preparation for or following the closure of the former state hospital, as
determined by the commissioner and agreed to by the town. The town of Medfield may pay the amount
so determined by the commissioner and ageed to by the town upon its purchase of the parcels
described in section 1 or the town may pay the amount so determined in 10 annual payments pursuant
to section 20A of chapter 58 of the General Laws. If the town’s payment·of consideration

H 4216

pursuant to this section so requires, the town may seek voter approval pursuant to subsection (k)
of section 21C of chapter 59 of the General Laws.
SECTION 3. In the event that the town of Medfield sells or leases any portion of the parcels
described in section 1, the net proceeds from such sale or lease as determined by the town and
agreed to by the commissioner, shall be allocated between the town of Medfield and the commonwealth
in equal shares; provided, however, that the commissioner may agree to reduce the share of the
commonwealth ‘s proceeds to not less than 30 per cent of net proceeds in order to provide certain
incentives to the town of Medfield to sell or lease any of the parcels described in section 1
expeditiously or to facilitate the development of some or all of the parcels in accordance with
smart growth principles promulgated from time to time by the governor and the secretary of energy
and environmental affairs. In the event that the net proceeds, as so determined, is a negative
amo1lllt, the commonwealth shall not be required to make any payments to the town of Medfield.
SECTION 4 . Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the town of Medfield shall
pay for all costs and expenses of the transactions authorized in this act as determined by the
commissioner including, but not limited to, the costs of any recording fees and deed preparation
related to the conveyances and for all costs, liabilities and expenses of any nature and kind
related to the town’s ownership of the parcels; provided, however, that such costs shall be
included for the purposes of determining the net proceeds of the town’s sale or lease of any
portion of the parcels described in section
1. Amounts paid by the town of Medfield pursuant to section 2 shall not be included for the
purposes of determining the net proceeds from a sale or lease.
SECTION 5. Notwithstanding chapter 269 of the acts of 2008 or any other

general or special law to the contrary, parcels A-1 and A-2, as shown on the plan referenced in
section 1 shall be maintained as open space or used for
agricultural and passive recreation purposes,
subject to those subsurface utility  easements  on parcel
A-1
serving the  town’s  water  system.  Notwithstanding
the foregoing, but subject to  such subsurface
utility easements, the
commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance may
transfer the care and custody of parcels A-1, A-2 and C, or portions thereof, to the department of
conservation and recreation for open space and passive recreation purposes. Such transfer shall be
without consideration and shall not be subject to chapter 7C of the General Laws.
SECTION 6. (a) In the event that the town of Medfield does not complete its purchase of the
property described in section 1 on or before December 31, 2015, then notwithstanding sections 33 to
38, inclusive, of chapter 7C of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the
contrary, the commissioner may sell, lease for terms of up to 99 years, including all renewals and
extensions, or oterwise grant, convey or transfer to purchasers

2

H  4216

or lessees  an interest in the property described  in  section  1 or  portions thereof , subject to
this section and on such terms and conditions that the commissioner considers  appropriate;
provided,  however,  that  the  purchase  by the town of  Medf ield  shall be  considered  complete
upon  the  transf er  of  title to the parcels described in section 1 to the town . The
commissioner  shall dispose of the property,  or  portion  thereof ,  using  appropriate
competitive bidding processes and procedures . At least 30 days bef ore the date on which bids ,
proposals or  other  of f ers  to  purchase  or  lease  a  property,  or  any portion thereof , are
due, the commissioner sµall place a notice in the central register published by the state secretary
pursuant to sect ion 2 0A  of  chapter  9 of  the  General  Laws  stat ing  the  availability of
the  property 1    the  nature  of
the  competitive  bidding  process  and  other  inf ormation  that  the  commissioner

considers relevant , including the time, place  and  manner  f or  the  submission  of bids  and
proposals  and  the  opening  of  the  bids  or proposals .
( b)      Notwithstanding   any  general   or   special   law  to  the   contrary,   the grantee
or  lessee of  all or  any portion  of  the  property  described  in  sect ion  1 and   subject
to   this   section   shall  be   responsible   f or   costs   and   expenses including,   but
not   limited   to,   costs   associated  with   deed  preparation   and recording   f ees  related
to  the  conveyances   and  transf ers  authorized   in  this sect ion as such costs may  be
determined by the commissioner .
( c)     No   agreement   f or  the  sale,  lease,  transf er  or  other  disposition  of the
property   described   in   section   1  and   subject   to   this   section,   or   any
portion  thereof , shall    be    valid
and  no  deed  executed  by  or unless    the    agreement    or
on  behalf   of  the  commonwealth, deed     contains     the     following rt if ication,  signed by  the  commissioner : “I,   the   undersigned    commissioner   of
maintenance,   hereby   cert if y  under   penalties complied   with   the   relevant   provisions    of
capital   asset   management   and of perj ury that I have f ully general    and    special    laws
in
connection  with the property  described in this document . 11

SECTION 7 , In any disposition pursuant to section 1 or section 6 , the commissioner  may  retain,
accept  or  acquire  by  purchase,  transf er,  lease, eminent domain pursuant to chapter 79 of the
General Laws or otherwise and may grant by deed, transf er , lease or  otherwise  any rights-of
-way or  easements  in, over  or  beneath  any parcel  or  any portion  thereof   or  any  other
portions  of  the f ormer Medf ield State Hospital , as the commissioner deems necessary and
appropriate f or the  cont inued  access  to,  egress  f rom  and  use  of  portions  of the f
ormer Medf ield  State  Hospital  including,  without  limitation,  parcels  A-1 and A- 2 , by the
general  public  or  other  state  agencies  or  to  carry  out  this act ; provided  however that
in any disposition pursuant to section 1, such retention, acceptance, acquisition, or  grant  of
any  rights-of -way  or  easements in, over or beneath parcels  A  or  B  shall  be  subject  to
the  approval  of  the town of Medf ield .

3

H 4216
SECTION 8. Sections 1 to 4, inclusive, shall take effect in the town of Medfield upon their
acceptance by a majority vote of the board of selectmen of
the town of Medfield but not otherwise.

[see the link below for a PDF to see the signatures and dates of passage in each session]

20140801-MSH legislation-signed

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Posted in Legislature, Medfield State Hospital

MSH bill was signed

Posted on August 4, 2014 | Comments Off on MSH bill was signed

Per the email today from Bill Massaro, the legislation authorizing the town’s purchase of the Medfiedl State Hospital site from the state was signed by the Governor on Friday.

Now the town needs to finalize the deal with the state and figure out what the town is going to do with the land.

FYI-
Daily Legislative Update

Weekly Legislative Update

July 28 – August 1, 2014

20. H. 4216, “An Act Authorizing the Commissioner of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to Convey Certain Parcels of Land in the Town of Medfield”

Sponsors: Rep. Garlick and Sen. Timilty

Signed: 08/01/2014  now Chapter 211 of the Acts of 2014

 

 

Bill

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Posted in Legislature, Medfield State Hospital

Ideas from my office hours

Posted on August 1, 2014 | 3 comments

It was a full and busy morning earlier today for my regular first Friday of the month selectman office hours at The Center (9-10 AM).

The suggestions I heard about, gathered, and/or the issues discussed with residents included:

  1. Parking is now officially a problem in the downtown
    1. I related that the Town Planner, Sarah Raposa, is currently conducting a study of the parking to come up with suggestions as to what might be done
    2. One excellent suggestion from Tony Centore, to resolve it some, was for the Medfield Memorial Library to have return boxes at remote sites, such as at The Center and/or the schools, so residents do not need to park downtown to return library books.
    3. Mike Sullivan has suggested adding a second level to the municipal lot across Jane’s Avenue from the Town House.  The problem is that will be expensive.
    4. Some have suggested that new uses in the downtown that do not have enough parking (such as the new building just permitted to Dave MacCready, where Wills once was) should pay a parking fee to get permitted, and the monies could then be used to provide the parking.
    5. Meters would prevent employees from parking is spaces all day long, but no one wants to have meters.
    6. It was suggested that the Medfield Historical Society should move into the Medfield Memorial Library, and all its holdings should be digitized. The current Medfield Historical Society could then be torn down to provide more parking.
  2. Lot 3 off Ice House Road.  Concern was expressed over uses of that land that would generate high amounts of traffic past The Center.  It was noted that the traffic to the Kingsbury Club already goes too fast in that area.  A preference was expressed for housing, especially housing for older residents, where it adjoins the existing senior center at The Center.
  3. Universal acclaim for the new Brothers Marketplace.

3 Comments

Posted in Downtown

We’re #1

Posted on August 1, 2014 | Comments Off on We’re #1

Email from Bill Massaro below.  I never knew the Governor had to have a schedule to sign bills. –

FYI-
Looks like the MSH bill is still on track for Governor’s signing on 8/2.  It has moved from being #6 on his desk on 7/28 to its current #1 position:

Daily Legislative Update

July 31, 2014 All Legislation on the Governor’s Desk

1.)  H. 4216, “An Act Authorizing the Commissioner of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to Convey Certain Parcels of Land in the Town of Medfield

Sponsors: Rep. Garlick and Sen. Timility

Action Due: 08/02/2014

 

 

Bill

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Posted in Legislature, Medfield State Hospital

MMA on new bills

Posted on August 1, 2014 | Comments Off on MMA on new bills

This alert today from the Massachusetts Municipal Association with a summary of the onslaught of legislation just passed before the legislative session ended at midnight last night –

Friday, August 1, 2014

LEGISLATURE ENDS ITS FORMAL SESSIONS

Lawmakers Work Past Midnight to Complete Action on Major Bills

The Following Bills Were Passed Last Night and are on the Governor’s Desk:

• Economic Development Bill
• Gun Violence Reduction Bill
• Local Housing Authority Reform Bill
• Environmental Bond Bill
• Water Infrastructure Finance Bill
• Solar Net Metering Bill
• Information Technology Bond Bill
• MMA Analyzing “Shift Swapping” Collective Bargaining Bill


With a midnight deadline looming on Thursday night, members of the House and Senate worked past that time into the early hours of Friday morning to enact dozens of bills, including several major pieces of legislation that had been the subject of extensive negotiation between the branches.  The Legislature’s rules set July 31 as the last day for formal sessions and roll call votes.  From August 1 until a new Legislature is seated in January 2015, the House and Senate can only meet in “informal” sessions to consider issues that have unanimous support and do not require recorded roll call votes.

Among the dozens and dozens of bills that received attention and action this week, six major bills passed that will impact cities and towns, and the MMA is analyzing a seventh bill that would add “shift swapping” to collective bargaining.  These measures are on the Governor’s Desk and will require his signature in order to become law.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILL PROVIDES SOLID TOOLS FOR CITIES AND TOWNS
MMA Succeeds in Preserving Local Zoning and Permitting Authority for Wireless Antennas
Final Bill Omits the Proposal to Eliminate the Cap on Local Liquor Licenses

The final compromise economic development bill passed by the Legislature includes $10 million for Brownfields remediation, expands the successful I-Cubed infrastructure program and increases eligibility for the Economic Development Incentive Program, increases tax credits for the Housing Development Incentive Program from $5 million to $10 million and creates and capitalizes the Transformative Development Fund at $16 million for Gateway Cities, and retains broad eligibility standards for MassWorks grant funding.

In a major victory for the MMA and local officials, the Legislature rejected language that would have allowed the telecommunications industry to site wireless antennas in virtually any location regardless of local zoning.  This provision, which was included in the House bill and was not in the Senate version, was held in conference and did not become part of the final bill.  Thank you for your calls and letters to your legislators to maintain the fundamental right of local control of land use.

Unfortunately, the final compromise economic development bill passed by the Legislature does not lift the cap on the number of liquor licenses each municipality may issue, despite the strong support of the MMA and municipal leaders for this important economic development tool for local governments.  The Governor and Senate supported this important measure, but the House opposed it.  The MMA will continue fighting to return liquor licenses to local control in the next legislative session.  The bill did include changes reported in the media to allow Boston to appoint its own licensing board, and to add a limited number of licenses in Boston, provisions that originated in local legislation filed by the City.
Click here for a copy of the economic development bill
http://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4377

AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE REDUCTION OF GUN VIOLENCE
Final Bill Includes Major Program Expansions in Local School Districts
Discuss the Potential Impact with Your Superintendent as Soon as You Can

The media attention on the compromise gun violence legislation passed by lawmakers focused on the provision to allow police chiefs to go to court to prevent “unsuitable” individuals from accessing a firearms identification card for rifles and long guns.  However, the bill also contains a number of sections that apply to public schools and would add new responsibilities at the local level.  We urge you to immediately discuss the implications of the new mandates and programs in the gun control bill with your school superintendent to determine how the measure could impact your public schools and local budgets.

The law contains a Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) framework, which supporters claim will foster a “safe, positive, healthy, and inclusive whole-school learning environment.” DESE is required to develop guidelines and regulations outlining how the program should be implemented locally.  Cities, towns and school districts are not mandated to accept and implement the program, because the law stipulates that S3 must first be adopted by a vote of a school committee, and is subject to local appropriation.

The legislation does require that each school district must have at least one school resource officer and that each school possess a two-way radio communication device for use in communicating solely with police and fire departments in the event of an emergency, although these requirements are both subject to local appropriation. The MMA successfully advocated for the inclusion of language limiting potential legal liability for districts in both sections.

Under the bill, each school is required to create a mental health plan for its students, families, teachers, and administrators.  DESE is charged with developing the guidelines and requirements for implementation.  There is no state funding, and the program is a new mandate on cities, towns and school districts.  The MMA requested that this provision be held in conference because it is an unfunded mandate with major complexity, but the language remained in the final bill.  Similarly, each school must also provide suicide prevention training of at least 2 hours every 3 years for all licensed school personnel.  The MMA was successful in sponsoring language to limit legal liability for districts on both of these new requirements.

Click here for a copy of the gun violence prevention bill
http://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4376

HOUSING AUTHORITY REFORM

A compromise housing authority reform measure passed by the House and Senate would require the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to create a comprehensive training program focused on proper management for all housing authority board members. Further, DHCD will be responsible for creating a performance-based monitoring program for all housing authorities. The bill establishes a program based on best practices in collaborative capital, maintenance, and repair planning, with participation required for those housing authorities with under 500 state-aided units. An annual plan will be required of each housing authority for submission to the state. Each housing authority must contract with an external auditor, but must not use the same auditor for more than 5 consecutive years without a waiver. DHCD will develop a voluntary regional public housing innovation program open to up to 4 regional housing authorities, with the goal of achieving innovative models for public housing development and management. DHCD will also implement a centralized waitlist for state-aided public housing within a year.

Click here for a copy of the housing authority bill
http://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4374

$2.2 BILLION ENVIRONMENTAL BOND BILL

The Legislature enacted a sweeping $2.2 billion environmental bond bill that includes a broad range of resources that cities and towns can access, if the Administration releases the funds under its capital plan.  The initiatives include: $49 million for dam removal and repair; $120 million for coastal infrastructure projects; $111 million for urban parks; increases in conservation tax credits to facilitate local land preservation; and a provision sponsored by Sen. Richard Moore to require DEP to report to the Legislature on the costs created by the new Sustainable Water Management Initiative (SWMI) regulations.

Click here for a copy of the environmental bond bill
http://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4375

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE BILL

The Legislature’s water infrastructure finance bill would add $50 million to the state revolving loan fund administered by the Water Pollution Abatement Trust (now renamed the Clean Water Trust).  Currently, the SRF program is capped at $88 million a year, and the bill would raise the program up to $138 million.  In the past, the WPAT did not release all available funds, and this legislation requires the state to release at least 80% to cities and towns. Further, the program will provide subsidized loans and/or principal forgiveness to more communities due to the increased capacity.  The bill also includes, at local option, the ability for communities to assess up to a 3% property tax surcharge to raise funds for water infrastructure related projects.  Unfortunately, the final bill did not include “water banking,” an innovative funding mechanism that would allow communities to create additional capacity for economic growth by charging fees to fund necessary water and sewer infrastructure improvements for new developments.  The Senate included water banking in its version of the bill, but the House, under pressure from the development community, balked and with time running out in the session, the measure did not remain in the bill.  The MMA will continue to prioritize this important tool.

Click here for a copy of the water infrastructure finance bill
http://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/Senate/S2342

SOLAR NET METERING BILL

Cities and towns have been very successful in promoting important solar energy projects, so successful that municipalities are now being stalled because of the statutory limit in the amount of solar energy that can be returned to the grid or sold to the utilities.  The statutory cap on “net metering” needs to be lifted in order to make additional solar projects viable.  Municipalities, environmentalists and solar developers joined forces to remove the cap on solar net metering, but some large utilities resisted strongly.  In the end, the Legislature passed a compromise bill that would offer a temporary solution by raising the net metering cap by enough to allow those municipal projects that have been stalled to now go forward.  However, it is expected that this problem will re-emerge next year, which will renew calls for a permanent solution.

Click here for a copy of the solar net metering bill
http://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4385

MMA ANALYZING “SHIFT SWAPPING” COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BILL

With breakneck speed, the Legislature acted in the final hours of the session to pass S. 1218, Sen. Ken Donnelly’s bill that would make shift swapping a subject of collective bargaining under Chapter 150E of the General Laws.  The bill was strongly supported by the fire unions, and had been lodged in the Senate Ways and Means Committee until the last day of the session.  The bill simply includes “employee and employee exchange of tours” in the list of items subject to collective bargaining under section 7 of Chapter 150E.  The MMA is analyzing the potential impact, and expressing its concern over the measure with the Governor’s office.

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Posted in Legislature, Massachusetts Municipal Association

Young men in the news

Posted on July 31, 2014 | Comments Off on Young men in the news

Couple of recent nice articles about young men from Medfield, Matthew Aucoin on his music in the Wall Street Journal, and Gehrig Schilling on his baseball in the Globe West Weekly (searches just now at Boston.com produced no returns for that one) –


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Posted in Music, Sports

Invasive vine – follow up

Posted on July 31, 2014 | 1 comment

Active citizen, Chris McCue Potts had recently focused the town on the problem of an invasive vine, and as a result of her efforts progress is being made.  Below are emails from the Superintendent and Director of the MPR, respectively.

Now just to solve the woolly adelgids confirmed by Mike Lueders (thank you Mike!) in the hemlocks by the tennis courts.

 

Tree Warden Hinkley will take care of bridge on Curve St.

From: “Medfield ParksandRecreation”

Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 9:23 AM

Subject: Vine Update

Hello All,

The MPR maintenance crew is out today ripping out and bagging as many vines as they can find and then spraying the roots with roundup.  The spread of the vine is all over town.  I noticed it just off they playground on Green Street, at the Pfaff Center and I am sure it has invaded private properties.  Either Ken and/or I will get the Bridge on Curve Street.
Best,

James Snyder, Director of Parks and Recreation

1 Comment

Posted in DPW, Environmental, Medfield Park & Recreation Commission, Uncategorized

Art Boxes mushrooming

Posted on July 31, 2014 | Comments Off on Art Boxes mushrooming

This from Jean Mineo on behalf of the Cultural Alliance of Medfield concerning its installation of Art Boxes downtown –

Hello,

I’m very excited to let you know that our designer, Franklin Marval will continue the installation of three art boxes this Monday, Aug. 4. These will be similar to the one installed in front of Bank of America on Rte. 109.
 
He will work on the boxes on Rte. 27 – at South Street (featuring Hannah Adams), at CVS (featuring George Inness), and at Dale Street (featuring Lowell Mason). He plans to begin at 8 am at the South Street box and each one should take about 2 hours (weather permitting
We then anticipate one more day in the next week or so to install along Rte. 109 at South Street (across from Brothers Marketplace) and at the light at Shaws. I will update you when we have the schedule for that.
 
Thank you,
Jean

 

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Posted in Cultural, Downtown

Selectman Office Hours tomorrow 9-10 AM

Posted on July 31, 2014 | Comments Off on Selectman Office Hours tomorrow 9-10 AM

Tomorrow morning I will hold my regular monthly selectman 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).

I can be reached via 508-359-9190 or my blog about Medfield matters  https://medfield02052.wordpress.com/, where any schedule changes will be posted.

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Posted in Select Board matters