Grist mill wheel is turning

At the dedication and celebration of the Grist Mill water wheel this afternoon the new water wheel was blessed and turned on.  A board was removed and the small water flow started the water wheel turning at a steady rapid clip.
Plans call for the water wheel to generate electricity.

Lawyer jokes

DRY-CLEANED LAWYER JOKES

The Will
A man went to his lawyer and said, “I would like to make a will but I don’t know exactly how to go about it.”

The lawyer said, “No problem, leave it all to me.”

The man looked somewhat upset and said, “Well, I knew you were going to take the biggest slice, but I would like to leave a little to my children too!”
——————————————————————————–
Objection

A lawyer cross-examined the adversary’s main witness. “You claim to have stopped by Mrs. Edwards’ house just after breakfast. Will you tell the jury what she said?”

“Objection, your honor,” shouted the other lawyer.

There then followed a long argument between lawyers as to whether the question was proper. Finally, after 45 minutes, the judge allowed it.

“So,” the first lawyer continued, “Please answer the question: What did Mrs. Edwards say when you went to her house after breakfast on December 3rd?”

“Nothing,” said the witness. “No one was home.”


Bad Neighbors

A dog ran into a butcher shop and grabbed a roast off the counter. Fortunately, the butcher recognized the dog as belonging to a neighbor of his. The neighbor happened to be a lawyer.

Incensed at the theft, the butcher called up his neighbor and said, “Hey, if your dog stole a roast from my butcher shop, would you be liable for the cost of the meat?”

The lawyer replied, “Of course, how much was the roast?”

“$7.98.” said the butcher.

A few days later the butcher received a check in the mail for $7.98. Attached to it was an invoice that read: Legal Consultation Service: $150


The Compliment

“You seem to have more than the average share of intelligence for a man of your background,” sneered the lawyer at a witness on the stand.

“If I wasn’t under oath, I’d return the compliment,” replied the witness.


New Client

A lawyer opened his own office right after successfully passing the bar exam. Sitting idly at his desk, his secretary announced that a Mr. Baker was there to see him. He told his secretary to show him right in.

Thinking that it was a new client he wanted to make a good impression. As Mr. Baker was entering his office, the lawyer picked up the phone and yelled into it…”Absolutely not! You tell them I will not settle this case for less than five hundred thousand dollars. Don’t bother me again until that amount has been agreed to!”

Slamming the phone down, he greeted Mr. Baker saying, “How do you do Mr. Baker. What can I do to help you?”

Mr. Baker replied, “Hi, I’m from the phone company. I’m here to connect your phone.”


Justice Has Triumphed

A lawyer had a jury trial in a very difficult business case. The client who had attended the trial was out of town when the jury came back with its decision, which was for the lawyer and his client. The lawyer immediately sent a telegram to his client, reading “Justice has triumphed!”

The client wired back, “Appeal at once!”


Suit Settled

A young defense attorney who had taken over his father’s practice rushed home totally elated.

“Dad, listen, you aren’t going to believe this,” he said to his father. “I’ve finally settled that old Whitmore suit.”

“Settled it!!” bellowed his father. “You bumbling idiot! We’ve been living off of that money for over five years now!”


I’m fine

Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company to court.

In court, the trucking company’s fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe. “Didn’t you say, at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine’?” said the lawyer.

Farmer Joe responded, “Well, I’ll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the…….”

“I didn’t ask for any details,” the lawyer interrupted, “just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine!'”

Farmer Joe said, “Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road…”

The lawyer interrupted again and said, “Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question.”

By this time the Judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe’s answer and said to the lawyer, “I’d like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule Bessie.”

Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, “Well, as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn’t want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me. He said, “Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot her – how are you feeling?”


In the Diner

Two lawyers entered the diner and ordered a couple of drinks. They then took sandwiches from their briefcases and began to eat.

Seeing this, the angry owner went over to them and said, “Excuse me, but you cannot eat your own sandwiches in here!”

Shrugging their shoulders the lawyers exchanged sandwiches.


The Hamburger

Prosecutor : What were you doing on July 15th at 9 o’clock in the evening ?
Prisoner : I was eating hamburger.
Prosecutor : What were you doing at 9:30 p.m. ?
Prisoner : I was taking a bicarbonate of soda.
Prosecutor : Do you expect us to believe you ?
Prisoner : You would if you had eaten one of those hamburgers.


The Lawyer and the Federal Housing Authority

A New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA (Federal Housing Authority) loan for a client. He was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down.

After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply (actual letter):

“Upon review of your letter adjoining your client’s loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out that you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin.”

The lawyer responded as follows (actual letter):

“Your letter regarding title in Case No. 189156 has been received. I note that you wish to have title extended further than the 194 years covered by the present application. I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, would not know that Louisiana was purchased by the U. S. from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application. For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U. S. ownership was obtained from France, which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain. The land came into possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the then reigning monarch, Isabella. The good queen, being a pious woman and careful about titles, almost as much as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to fund Columbus’ expedition. Now the Pope, as I’m sure you know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that He also made that part of the world called Louisiana. He, therefore, would be the owner of origin. I hope … you find His original claim to be satisfactory.

Now, may we have our FEDERAL FHA LOAN?”

Special town meeting 10/7

Medfield is having a special town meeting (STM) on 10/7 at 7:30 PM at the MHS gym, to discuss three articles.

  1. whether to accept for free the transfer from the state of 5-6 acres at the Medfield State Hospital site on which to locate a new water tower and the existing Medfield State Hospital tubular well fields (located across the railroad tracks, off Colonial Drive).  The water tower land includes and surrounds the old existing water tower, which water tower is too low compared to the other Mt. Nebo water tower and too old to warrant repairing.  This land transfer is part of the mediated resolution of the Medfield State Hospital environmental clean up dispute that was successfully mediated over the past year by a town committee with DCAMM, to a win-win solution.
  2. appropriating monies to plan the new water tower.
  3. whether to exercise the town’s right of first refusal to buy the 30 acre Kenny land that stretches between Phillips and Foundary Streets.  The Kenny land has been paying lower property taxes as Massachusetts General Laws c. 61  forest land, in exchange for which the town gets a right of first refusal when the land comes out of the forest designation, which is now happening.  There is a purchase and sale agreement for $1.4 m. from about 18 months ago and now the buyers have an approved subdivision for 7 house lots.  The owners recently gave the town the required notice, which triggered the town’s 120 days to effect the purchase of the property, if it chooses to do so.  The special town meeting (STM) was already happening to seek to pass the water tower and well fields articles, which are needed to move forward with the required home rule petition legislation in the legislature, so the Kenny land question is fortuitously being included in that special town meeting (STM) as well.

Last day to register to vote at the special town meeting (STM) is 9/27, and last day to register to vote in the election is 10/1.

Both topics are on the agenda for the Board of Selectmen meeting next Tuesday, 9/24/13.

Demo delay on 9 Causeway

From Medfield Historical Commission –

Medfield Historical Commission

Town Hall

Medfield, MA 02052

 

 

 

 

September 18, 2013

 

Mr. John Naff, Building Commissioner

Town Hall

Medfield, MA 02052

 

Dear John:

 

After last night’s hearing and due process, the Medfield Historical Commission is invoking the demolition delay bylaw on a Techbuilt house at 9 Causeway Street owned by Greg Whelan.  The commission finds the house to be a “preferably preserved and historically significant structure.”  Therefore, no demolition permit may be issued for the house, for a period of 18 months, without the commission’s express permission.

 

The house, built about 1958, is one of the few surviving Midcentury Modern houses in Medfield, and it contributes significantly to the small Causeway Lane neighborhood of houses in that general style. Six area residents came to the hearing, and all those who spoke encouraged its preservation.

 

At the hearing, Greg Whelan said he had changed his mind and only wanted to demolish the garage; he’d keep the house and make improvements.  However, the application was to demolish the house, and we adhered to it and invoked the delay.   He said he’d come back with a counter proposal that he hoped we’d view favorably.  There is some chance that the garage was originally a carport (most Techbuilt houses came with carports to keep costs down), but if so, fuzzy or nonexistent records will make it hard to tell when it was enclosed as a garage.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

David F. Temple

 

David F. Temple, Co-Chair

cc: Board of Selectmen

Roche Bros at Downtown Study Committee

Roche Bros presented last night to the Downtown Study Committee and immediately following to the Historic District Commission.

I was quite impressed with the answers that I heard at the Downtown Study Committee to the questions that were posed.  There was a combination of real neighborliness, combined with a realism about making a busy store work in their downtown Main Street storefront location.

The facades will look so good, both front and back.  The building renovations will dress up the downtown substantially.  The living wall is still undergoing consideration for the types of plants, the bright green Main Street color scheme is not finalized, and they were open to my suggestion to somehow include a community notice element along the South Street wall, where banners were hung announcing all manner of town events when Lord’s was there.

The best news for me was how respectful and accommodating the real estate facilities person was in trying to both address all concerns and provide logical solutions – refreshing for a developer.

Kenny land

Interesting meeting at the Kenny land this morning with Robin Kenny and her two potential buyers.  We all walked the land, and it is a beautiful parcel, consisting of fields on either side of a spine of woods that runs North south down the middle, with woods at the edges as well.  The houses are to be built in the woods at those edges.

They made a good case for the town not buying the land:

  • 19+ acres of the 30 acre will be protected regardless, by conservation restrictions and subdivision covenants
  • town residents will have access to the land via a right of way through the middle of the land, over the private road and trail connecting to the town’s adjoining 25 acre scout land that would be built
  • the seven houses are sited in the woods, so the field views will not be distrubed
  • property taxes to the town may well offset any education costs to the town, if the usual average of 1.5 school children per single family house rule holds
  • town saves $1.4 m. if it does not exercise its right of first refusal

BoS 9/24 agenda

Tuesday September 24, 2013 @ 7:00 PM

AGENDA (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

7:00 PM Kenny Property, discussion with Robin Kenny and Sean McEntee

7: 1 0 PM Review of State Hospital property with State Hospital Advisory Committee, Mediation Committee, Negotiating Committee, Enviromnental Committee

Hydrant flushing schedule

Town of Medfield (@TownofMedfield) tweeted at 5:12 PM on Thu, Sep 19, 2013:
The fall fire hydrant flushing will begin on 9/22/13. Click here to find out when we will be in your neighborhood http://t.co/oHmxzXT7dD
(https://twitter.com/TownofMedfield/status/380801541398999040)

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Hydrant flushing

Town of Medfield (@TownofMedfield) tweeted at 5:13 PM on Thu, Sep 19, 2013:
Have you ever wondered why the Town conducts fire hydrant flushing twice a year? Click here to learn why http://t.co/zMQrZXPSIZ
(https://twitter.com/TownofMedfield/status/380801756482904064)

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Volunteer awards opens

MEDFIELD FOUNDATION OPENS
NOMINATIONS FOR VOLUNTEER AWARDS

Do you know someone in Medfield who dedicates countless time and energy to a worthy community cause or initiative?  If so, now is your chance to nominate him or her for a Medfield Foundation volunteer award.

This year’s nomination form, due by January 31, seeks to capture information about the volunteer’s work in specific areas, including:

* Action — What does the nominee actually do in his/her capacity as a volunteer?
* Need — What community need(s) does the nominee address?
* Impact — How is nominee’s volunteer work making a difference?
* Inspiration — What makes the nominee unique or special?

Anyone interested in submitting a nomination for one of the 2014 Medfield Foundation volunteer awards can download the official form from http://www.medfieldfoundation.org/volunteer.html .  Completed forms should be e-mailed as attachments to MFiVolunteerAward@gmail.com no later than January 31.

The  MFi’s 2014 volunteer recognition reception is scheduled for 3 -5 PM on Sunday, March 23 at The Center.

In 2013, Beth Eby was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year for her work with the Medfield Food Cupboard, Katrina Simon as the Youth Volunteer of the Year for her work with the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Association, and the first joint lifetime achievement awards went to Albert Manganello, Jr. for his work with veterans and to Ann Thompson for her work in town government.  Ten Medfield volunteers received recognition at last spring’s reception.

The Medfield Foundation, Inc. is a volunteer-run private nonprofit, tax deductible 501(c)(3) corporation created in 2001 to raises private monies for public purposes in the Town of Medfield.  The MFi allows donors to designate their donations for particular purposes.  The MFi also allows motivated groups to raise monies for Medfield purposes under the rubric of the Medfield Foundation.  To date, the MFi has raised over $1,400,000.00 for the Town of Medfield and celebrated over one hundred volunteers.