Medfield.TV’s programs on MSH & 40B

Posted on April 5, 2012 | Comments Off on Medfield.TV’s programs on MSH & 40B
Pam Jones of Medfield.TV has grouped their shows related to the Medfield State Hospital and those related to 40B issues under links on the Medfield.TV home page, for easy access.  http://www.medfield.tv

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Posted in Affordable housing / 40B, Medfield State Hospital

DCAM granted the town a 20 day extension to respond

Posted on April 4, 2012 | Comments Off on DCAM granted the town a 20 day extension to respond

Emailed extension from DCAM last night for town’s time to respond to DCAM’s Phase II and III remediation materials – permitting to proceed –

From: Duran, Sandra (DCP)

Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2012 9:41 PM
To: Kristine Trierweiler
Cc: Wiggin, Allen (DCP); O’Donnell, John (DCP)
Subject: RE: Meetings and Extension Request for Phase II/Phase III

Ms. Trierweiler:

DCAM intends to proceed with its planned PIP and permitting efforts as we are trying to keep the work on track for implementation this summer.  As such, we have scheduled our next PIP meeting with the Town on April 12, 2012 from 7-9pm.  At this meeting, we plan to present the Phase IV Remedy Implementation Plan to the community.  This plan will speak to the specific construction design aspects of the currently proposed remediation effort.

On March 27, 2012, the Town of Medfield requested a 20-day extension to the public comment period of Draft Final Phase II Comprehensive Site Assessment and Draft Final Phase III Alternative Analysis MCP Documents.  These documents were provided to the Town on March 15, 2012 (presented on March 22, 2012).  We have considered the Town’s request.

Please be advised that we will grant the Town the requested 20-day extension request; however, we will file the various permit applications simultaneously with the circulation of the Phase IV and the requested PIP extension.  Those permit proceedings would run on a parallel track with the Phase IV PIP Comment period.  If  those Phase IV comments warrant revisions to the permit applications, those revisions can be made for each application as needed.  All permit proceedings would still be open beyond the Phase IV comment deadline.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments regarding the above matter.

Sandra

Sandra R. Duran

Director of Building Maintenance and Operations

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Division of Capital Asset Management

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Posted in Medfield State Hospital

Weekly Political Report – Week Ending March 30, 2012

Posted on April 3, 2012 | Comments Off on Weekly Political Report – Week Ending March 30, 2012

The Weekly Political Report is prepared by a political consulting group, Rasky/Baerlein, and shared with me by John Nunnari.

Patrick Administration Outlines Review of State Tax Breaks

Secretary of Administration and Finance, Jay Gonzalez, presented a proposal to the Tax Expenditure Commission on Tuesday that called for tax credits, such as the sales tax exemption on food and clothing, to be assessed every 10 years. Gonzalez recommended that the historic rehabilitation credit, the life science credit, the low-income housing credit, the Economic Development Incentive Program, certified housing development credits, dairy farmer tax credits, and donated land credits be subjected to review and renewal every five years. Any recommendations made by the commission pertaining to sunset provisions would have to be adopted by the Legislature. The Tax Expenditure Commission is due to issue a report with recommendations for how to manage the state’s unequal tax expenditure programs by the end of April.

 

Senate Postpones Debate on Energy Bill

The Senate began debate on a major energy bill on Thursday. After taking action on a number of amendments, the Senate agreed to postpone further consideration of the energy bill until next Thursday. The proposed amendments to the energy bill that are being debated include doubling the cap on net metering that would allow homeowners, businesses and government agencies to sell additional excess power generated from on-site solar, wind or other renewable energy sources back to the grid at retail cost. The bill will also more than double the amount of renewable energy utility companies will be required to purchase through long-term, competitively bid contracts. Supporters of the bill say it will inject a dose of competition into ramped up state efforts to force utilities to help grow the renewable energy industry and jobs within that sector. Senator Downing (D-Pittsfield), co-chair of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, said some members wanted to take their time on pieces of the bill, particularly how rate review cases are handled by the Department of Public Utilities, net metering, and the central procurement by the state of renewable energy in cases of shortages.

 

MBTA Fare Hike First Step in Transportation Finance Plan

State leaders took a first step this week in addressing the state’s transportation finance needs. The State’s Transportation Finance Commission has estimated an unmet transportation financing cost of $1 billion dollars per year. Governor Deval Patrick endorsed the MBTA’s fare increase of 23% on Wednesday and has committed to working with legislative leaders on a comprehensive transportation financing package. House Speaker Robert DeLeo said that a discussion of a larger transportation financing package will be one of the first issues the Legislature addresses in the next session.

 

 

John Nunnari, Assoc AIA

Executive Director, AIA MA

617-951-1433 x263

617-951-0845 (fax)

 

MA Chapter of American Institute of Architects

290 Congress Street, Suite 200, Boston MA 02110

http://www.architects.org

 

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Posted in Weekly Mass Political Summaries

Mediation team for MSH clean up

Posted on April 3, 2012 | Comments Off on Mediation team for MSH clean up

At Friday afternoon’s meeting of the Board of Selectmen, the team to mediate with DCAM over the clean up of the Medfield State Hospital site was selected.  That mediation team will consist of the following individuals:

  • John Thompson, SHERC chair
  • Peg Stolfa (the town’s new attorney for environmental issues)
  • Bill Massaro, PIP member and active resident
  • Kristine Triereweiler, Assistant Town Administrator
  • Andrea Stiller, an LSP and town consultant on the clean up
  • Ann Thompson, the Board of Selectmen representative as its chair

DCAM announced a willingness to mediate the clean up issues at its March 22 meeting, and the town has elected to engage in that mediation.

I asked that the Board of Selectmen get our new environmental attorney’s opinion as soon as possible on our ultimate legal rights, so we know how much legal leverage the town actually possesses if it opts to exercise those rights.

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Posted in Environmental, Medfield State Hospital

Medfield State Hospital purchase

Posted on April 3, 2012 | Comments Off on Medfield State Hospital purchase

The Board of Selectmen met in executive session, at the request of Ann Thompson last Friday afternoon, to discuss the possible town purchase of the Medfield State Hospital site.  Ann’s question for the board was, given how complicated it will be for the town to buy the Medfield State Hospital site from the state, did the town really want to proceed to even consider its purchase.  Mark and I both agreed that the town needs a lot more information to make that decision, and at the moment that we have little salient information on which to base the decision, so the town needs to first gather the all the data and then to make a reasoned decision based upon all the facts whether it makes sense for the town to buy the property.

DCAM has promised the town copies of the materials they used for similar sales of state lands to other towns.  The Board of Selectmen members and town administrators will seek counsel from those with expertise in the redevelopment of similar large, complex sites.   If any one in town has that sort of expertise, please let us know.

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Posted in Medfield State Hospital

Truck route for MSH Clark Building demo

Posted on April 3, 2012 | Comments Off on Truck route for MSH Clark Building demo

I just contacted DCAM at the request of a Hospital Road neighbor, who noted that the trucks related to the demolition of the Clark Building no longer appear to be routed directly out to Route 27, and instead seemed to be set to go through the residential neighborhoods.   At the request of the alert Tracey Hogan, I have asked DCAM to have the trucks instead use the direct route from and to Rte 27.

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Posted in Medfield State Hospital

Jazz up your day on Saturday, April 7

Posted on April 3, 2012 | Comments Off on Jazz up your day on Saturday, April 7

Notice of this really creative and fun event, from the Medfield Music Association –

As part of the “Dollars for Duke” campaign to send the Medfield High School Jazz Band to the Essentially Ellington competition at Lincoln Center, May 4 to 6, Jazz Band members will be taking part in “Jazz ‘Round Town” on Saturday, April 7.

Members of the band will be giving public performances at various locations around Medfield on April 7, kicking off with a 9:30 to 11 a.m. performance at Blue Moon. They will also be playing in front of Needham Bank from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and at Lovell’s from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The last performance of the day will be at the Gazebo from Noon to 1:30 p.m. All performances are rain or shine.

In keeping with the campaign theme, Jazz Band members will be using top hats to collect both cash and check donations at each “Jazz ‘Round Town” site. (Checks should be made payable to Medfield Music Association.)

To date, the association’s “Dollars for Duke” campaign has raised more than $3,000 toward its $12,000 goal to cover the Jazz Band’s trip to the Essentially Ellington competition. (The estimated cost of the trip has increased due to the need for an additional day of lodging and travel.)

In addition to the funds raised for Essentially Ellington through the “Dollars for Duke” campaign, a portion of the proceeds from corporate sponsorships for the annual Jazz Night at Medfield High School on May 30 will also help to fund the trip.

The Medfield High School Jazz Band is only one of 15 high school bands chosen from across the U.S. and Canada to compete in Essentially Ellington, judged by jazz great Wynton Marsalis.

This is the second major competition for the jazz band in just a matter of months. It also earned a spot in the Charles Mingus High School Competition in New York in February, with senior Paul Wagenseller taking home an outstanding soloist award.

Donation checks for the jazz band can also be mailed to Medfield Music Association, P.O. Box 115, Medfield, MA 02052. “Dollars for Duke” should be noted on the check.

For more information about “Dollars for Duke” and the Medfield Music Association, go to www.medfieldmusicassociation.com.

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Posted in Entertainment

Gatehouse presents to the town on its 40B proposal

Posted on March 30, 2012 | Comments Off on Gatehouse presents to the town on its 40B proposal

Gatehouse came to Medfield twice yesterday, to present the same materails both times, first to the town administrators in the morning and then to the Affordable Housing Committee in the evening. I attended the evening meeting.  The main points I picked up:

  • Gatehouse plans to hold complex for the long term
  • units will remain affordable for at least 30 years, and probably 50 years
  • # of 3 bedroom units is dictated by DHCD, and cannot change
  • town can get two years protection from other 40B developments from this one if we adopt an Affordable Housing Production Plan that includes this one (protection maxs out at two years)
  • 24/7 management on site
  • buildings cannot be moved back from West Street (as I requested) due to the wetlands
  • rent levels are set low (that is the affordable part), but tenant payments of rents are not otherwise subsidized
  • no balconies
  • sidewalks not yet planned from the site to the rest of the town
  • they promised a projected # of school children and turnover rates based on surveys of their other complexes
  • $25 m. expected cost

I have attached the materials that I gathered:

  1. Gatehouse brochure – https://medfield02052.blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/20120330-gatehouse-handout-brochure.pdf
  2. Gatehouse handout on rents -https://medfield02052.blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/20120330-gatehouse-handout.pdf
  3. Gatehouse presenters’ business cards – https://medfield02052.blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/20120330-gatehouse-presenters-cards.pdf
  4. My notes on the meeting – https://medfield02052.blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/20120330-olp-notes-on-gatehouse-presentation.pdf

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Posted in Affordable housing / 40B

Medfield Music Association’s Jazz ‘Round Town on 4/7

Posted on March 30, 2012 | Comments Off on Medfield Music Association’s Jazz ‘Round Town on 4/7

JAZZ ‘ROUND TOWN LINE-UP

— SATURDAY, APRIL 7 —

Chris on tuba

Blue Moon

— 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Lovell’s

— 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Gazebo

— 12 to 1:30 p.m.

Needham Bank

— 10 to 11:30 a.m.

NB – “Dollars for Duke” is the Medfield Music Association’s fundraising campaign to help send the Medfield High School Jazz Band to the Essentially Ellington competition at Lincoln Center in May. Estimated trip costs are $12,000. 

Our jazz band is only one of the 15 chosen from the U.S. and Canada to perform in Essentially Ellington, judged by jazz great Wynton Marsalis.

Want to donate to Dollars for Duke to help send the Jazz Band to Lincoln Center?  You can always send a check made payable to the Medfield Music Association to P.O. Box 115, Medfield, MA 02052. Please note on your check: Dollars for Duke.

Swing Dance jazz band

An especially fun upcoming “Dollars for Duke” initiative includes
a  “Jazz ‘Round Town” on Saturday, April 7 (see info. at right)  where you can catch Jazz Band members performing while you’re grabbing coffee, picking up Easter flowers or running errands!


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Posted in Entertainment

Gatehouse to AHC tonight at 6:15 PM

Posted on March 29, 2012 | Comments Off on Gatehouse to AHC tonight at 6:15 PM

Gatehouse representatives met with town  personnel this morning, and will meet with the town’s Affordable Housing Committee this evening at 6:15 PM, at the Town House.  This was the email from Mike Sullivan this morning when I emailed to ask for the time of the AHC meeting –

“It’s at 6:15 pm. in the Selectmen’s meeting room. The meeting this morning went until about 9:45 Kris took notes and will put them on the web site. Gatehouse had three people there, Brian McMillan, vice-president from Gatehouse, James Koningisor from Koningisor, Luciano & Associates (construction management/owners representation) and Ted Cannon their attorney. They gave a presentation, and answered questions. They will be repeating this tonight at the Affordable Housing Committee meeting.”

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Posted in Affordable housing / 40B