Posted on December 3, 2010 | Comments Off on

DCAM offered to test VOC’s at Well 6 (along Charles off Rte 27 – no VOC’s detected on last test in early 2010), given VOC’s detected at MSH

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Posted in Uncategorized

Posted on December 3, 2010 | Comments Off on

High water bills- Mike Sullivan says 1-the W&S Bd raised rates 15% (1st in 4 years) 2-dry summer & progressive rates http://wp.me/pwOp1-5r

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Posted in Uncategorized

High water/sewer bills

Posted on December 3, 2010 | Comments Off on High water/sewer bills

The water and sewer bills that came out two weeks ago got a lot of comment for being high.  Mike Sullivan tells me that the sticker shock resulted from the fact that the Water and Sewer Board had not raised rates for four years, and decided that they needed to raise rates 15%, combined with a dry summer that resulted in more outside watering.  Mike suggested comparing your usage to the prior years to see if you had used more water.  The rates per gallon of water used increase as usage increases, in an attempt to discourage excessive usage.

The Massachusetts DEP in its water withdrawal permits has been seeking to implement a maximum withdrawal of 65 gallons per person per day in the state, and Medfield is currently using about 90 gallons per person per day.  The DEP’s proposed system would require the town to police the usage, under threats of state sanctions if the town could not bring water usage down to the 65 gallons per person per day.  This level of water usage would effectively prohibit outdoor watering, given the current indoor water usage of residents.

The DEP effort to implement this new requirement was blocked in the water withdrawal permits the town received last year, but it is probably only a matter of time before the DEP does get them in place.

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Posted in Information

Norfolk Selectman Association meeting

Posted on December 2, 2010 | Comments Off on Norfolk Selectman Association meeting

Attended Norfolk Selectman Association meeting last night – focused on regional services for towns, provided via Norfolk County government.

Norfolk County’s budget is way down – by way of example, the County Engineering Department has been reduced from 13 FTE to 5 FTE employees.   In rough numbers, of the $25 m. per year county budget, $5 m. goes to the Aggie School, $3 m. to the Norfolk Registry of Deeds, and a large portion goes to cover legacy costs from the former county hospital that has been closed (i.e – pensions and health insurance for former hospital employees).

The Norfolk County government is seeking legislation to add $10 to the fee to record documents, from $75 to $85.  $45 of that fee currently goes to the state, $25 to the Community Preservation Act funding, and the county government gets the remaining $10.  It generates $1.4 m. per year for Norfolk County.  The new monies would be used to create regional solutions to municipal needs, such as veterans agents, animal control, dispatch, assessing, and collections.

If Norfolk County government ceased to exist, the towns get a bad deal.  Under the state system, the legacy costs of the county would be assessed against the municipalities in the county, but the county income that formerly used to pay those costs will go instead to the state.

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Posted in Budgets, Information

MEDFIELD STATE HOSPITAL – Clean up

Posted on December 2, 2010 | Comments Off on MEDFIELD STATE HOSPITAL – Clean up

SHERC meets 6 PM tonight at Town Hall. DCAM presents installation plan for additional groundwater monitoring wells near former power plant

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Posted in Medfield State Hospital

Report on Unsafe Toys

Posted on December 2, 2010 | Comments Off on Report on Unsafe Toys

Trial lawyers report on toy safety (www.justice.org/toys) good road map for what to watch out for: sharps joined by lead, toxins, & magnets

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Posted in Children, Safety

MHS Mentors available for girls in Blake and elementary schools

Posted on December 1, 2010 | Comments Off on MHS Mentors available for girls in Blake and elementary schools

MHS students seek to mentor elementary & middle school girls – email medfieldyouthoutreach@yahoo.com to arrange a teen mentor

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Posted in Children, Information

Tribute to Lida Harkins

Posted on November 24, 2010 | Comments Off on Tribute to Lida Harkins

Tribute to Lida Harkins 12/13 5-8 PM @ Needham Historical Society – all invited – see invite at http://ping.fm/mSK0f

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Posted in Information

Lyme disease – 1/25 at 7 PM

Posted on November 24, 2010 | Comments Off on Lyme disease – 1/25 at 7 PM

Lyme disease solutions – expert biologist from the MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife to address issue January 25 at 7 pm at Town House

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Posted in Wildlife Management & Lyme disease

Weekly Political Report – Week Ending November 24, 2010

Posted on November 24, 2010 | Comments Off on Weekly Political Report – Week Ending November 24, 2010

Week Ending November 24, 2010

Following the release of the Ware report, detailing systemic abuse and
corruption within the Massachusetts Probation Department, Speaker Robert
DeLeo (D-Winthrop) vowed this week to overhaul the department. DeLeo
also announced that Speaker Pro Tempore Tom Petrolati (D-Ludlow), who
had been implicated as engaging in legislative quid pro quo, would not
seek reappointment to his legislative leadership position. When DeLeo
became speaker in 2009, he retained Rep. Petrolati as Speaker Pro Tem,
the same position Petrolati had held under former Speaker Sal DiMasi.
Although Governor Patrick’s attempt to place the probation department
under control of the Governor’s office failed in the House earlier this
session, Speaker DeLeo said that probation reform would be his top
priority.

On Monday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved a
plan for National Grid to buy half of the expected energy output
generated by the proposed Cape Wind offshore wind facility. DPU
officials acknowledged that residential customers could see their
electric bills increase by 1.3-1.7% while commercial and industrial
customers could see a 1.7-2.2% increase. Energy and Environmental
Secretary Ian Bowles said the benefits outweigh the costs of the project
and will allow Massachusetts to meet renewable energy and greenhouse gas
emissions reduction requirements. The DPU did not approve the second
National Grid contract with Cape Wind to purchase the remaining output,
saying that approving the contract now “would serve no clear purpose.”
On a related note, US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar this week announced
a Smart from the Start initiative which would allow the federal
government to identify priority wind areas for potential development and
accelerate the lease process.

John Nunnari, Assoc AIA
BSA/AIA MA Public Policy Director
jnunnari@architects.org <mailto:afienman@architects.org>
617-951-1433 x263
617-951-0845 (fax)

Boston Society of Architects/AIA
The Architects Building
52 Broad Street, Boston MA 02109-4301
http://www.architects.org <http://www.architects.org/&gt;

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Posted in Information, Weekly Mass Political Summaries