Posted onNovember 1, 2022|Comments Off on Office hours this Friday
Select Board Office Hours this Friday
I hold regular monthly 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 Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
To join through a conference call, dial 929-436-2866 or 312-626-6799 or 253-215-8782 or 301-715-8592 or 346-248-7799 or 669-900-6833 a. Enter the Webinar ID: 885 3036 6678 b. Enter the password: 637025 The packet with meeting materials for this meeting is available at this link: https://www.town.medfield.net/DocumentCenter/View/6620/BOS-Agenda-Packet_11012022
Posted onOctober 28, 2022|Comments Off on New Life Is Turning Empty Spaces into Homes
Publishing on behalf of New Life Furniture Bank Executive Director, Rich Purnell –
New Life Is Turning Empty Spaces into Homes
Nearly a decade ago two friends met at a coffee shop and worked on a plan to start a locally based furniture bank. Not long after, that napkin sketch came to fruition and New Life Furniture Bank of MA was formed. Since that time the non-profit has brought hope and comfort to the lives of almost ten thousand people, including: veterans, single parents, survivors of domestic abuse, refugees, people who lost their footing due illness or job loss, and, of course, their children.
New Life is launching its annual campaign with an ambitious goal of raising $185,000 by December 31, and New Life Furniture Bank Executive Director, Rich Purnell is asking that the community support their mission. “Over the last 12 months there has been a massive increase in demand for New Life’s services and our expenses are increasing. For example, donations of gently-used mattresses have declined significantly this year due to the diminished housing market. As a result, we need to purchase more mattresses than ever. Furthermore, the wholesale price we pay for mattresses has doubled over our nine years of operation. Cash donations are essential so that we can provide mattresses for as many of our clients as possible.”
“Try to imagine the challenges, stressors, and fears one faces when coming out of a homeless shelter,” said Purnell as he stood in New Life’s Walpole showroom surrounded by tables, chairs, other gently used home furnishings. “When we meet our new clients, they have at long last found a space to live in, which is fantastic! It’s what they’ve dreamed of for months or even years. But an empty space is not a home. Do you know what makes a place a warm, welcoming home? [It’s] beds, furniture, towels, sheets, and necessary kitchen items. But, with little or no budget for shopping, how can a person do it?” New Life Furniture Bank helps them do it, and supporters financial donations will enable New Life to reach and serve more households and bring support and security all year round.
Over its nine years of operation, New Life has gained a reputation across eastern Massachusetts as a reliable resource partner that provides those in need with quality, gently used home furnishings and personalized support from caring volunteers. During that time the organization has provided household items to more than 4,400 households because of generous donations from residents and businesses in the surrounding communities.
Gifts may be made at newlifefb.org or by check payable to New Life Furniture Bank of MA, sent to P.O. Box 573, Medfield, MA 02052.
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From Newton Thompson of the Affordable Housing Trust –
The Medfield Affordable Housing Trust was created by Town Meeting approval in 2017 for the purpose of preserving and creating affordable and community housing in the Town of Medfield for the benefit of low and moderate income households.
To that end, one of the Trust’s outstanding goals is to foster and support the creation of housing for local adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (DD/IDD). To help achieve that goal, the Trust members have recently engaged a consultant, Cathy Boyle, President of Autism Housing Pathways, to advise the Trust on the level of need and interest for such housing in the Medfield area.
In order to determine local need and interest, a survey has been prepared by Autism Housing Pathways (“AHP”). If you have interest in such housing in the next few years, please contact Cathy Boyle at AHPhousing@comcast.net by November 11th for access to the survey.
Based on the survey response, the consultant will conduct up to 3 respondent focus groups (which may be done virtually) to discuss housing options.
We greatly appreciate your help in this important Town initiative.
Posted onOctober 19, 2022|Comments Off on School Building Committee – apply by 11/1
From Anna Mae O’Shea Brooke –
The Town of Medfield seeks town residents to apply to serve on the new School Building Committee (SBC). Members will be charged with the development and execution of a construction project of a new elementary school or renovation/addition of the Dale Street School or other current elementary building, as identified by the SBC.
The SBC will be supported in its efforts by external project managers and consultants. Serving on the SBC will require a significant commitment of time and talent through the completion of the project, but the lasting impact on the future children and citizens of Medfield will last for generations to come.
The Medfield School Committee, the Board of Selectmen and the Town Moderator are looking for committed volunteers with a working knowledge in ANY of the following areas:
Contemporary elementary education practice
Project management
Commercial or educational construction
Architecture
Municipal or educational administration and finance
Public engagement, and
Members-at-large who will present the views and concerns of multiple perspectives within the community.
All information regarding the SBC, including the common application for potential members, may be found here on the Town of Medfield website.
Applications, along with a letter of interest and resume should be submitted by TuesdayNovember 1, 2022 to Brittney Franklin, Assistant to the Town Administrator.
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Posted onOctober 14, 2022|Comments Off on Well #4 taken off-line due to E.coli detected at well – no E.coli tested in distribution system – NO HEALTH RISK
DRINKING WATER NOTICE To all users of the Medfield Water Department located in Medfield, Massachusetts
We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants to ensure the safety of the water supply.
On October 13, 2022, our water system was notified that a water sample collected on October 12, 2022 from Well #4 tested positive for E.coli, which is a fecal indicator. Fecal indicators are used to detect groundwater sources that may be susceptible to fecal contamination which may contain harmful viruses or bacteria. When we learned of the fecal positive sample, THE WELL WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN OFFLINE.
The water delivered to your taps through the distribution system is disinfected with chlorine to kill viruses and bacteria, including E.coli. It is important to note that samples collected on October 12, 2022 in the distribution system did NOT detect any fecal contaminants.
This source is one of four active wells that supplies drinking water to our system. In accordance with the federal Ground Water Rule (GWR) requirements, we are notifying you of the situation and conducting additional sampling to evaluate the extent of potential fecal contamination and will take further actions as necessary.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
This is not anemergency, you do NOT need to boil your water or take other corrective actions at this time.
The USEPA requires us to provide you with this notice and the following information on fecal indicators: “Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.” These symptoms can also be caused by issues unrelated to drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, or, if you have specific health concerns, you may want to discuss such concerns with your doctor. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 or https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/safe-drinking-water-hotline
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and Businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
WHAT IS BEING DONE?
The well will remain offline for further evaluation. Our system is undergoing repeat testing and evaluation to determine if the current level of treatment is adequate or if additional corrective actions are necessary to reduce the risk of potential fecal contamination in our drinking water supply.
We are in contact with MassDEP during this process who will evaluate the effectiveness of the steps taken and determine if any further action is required. If necessary, you will be notified again if you need to take any corrective actions. This notice does not affect persons using private drinking water wells.
For more information and further updates, please contact Moe Goulet, DPW Director at mgoulet@medfield.net 508 906 3311 or visit our website at town.medfield.net
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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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