Email this afternoon from the METROPOLITAN AREA PLANNING COUNCIL (MAPC) – the graph should be all the warning we need – be careful – COVID must be everywhere – “Yesterday’s wastewater analysis from the MWRA indicates a level of infection unseen during the pandemic.”
COVID-19 UpdateAmid new wastewater data, MAPC will share resources and expert information to assist municipal officials in pandemic response
Good afternoon Mayors, Managers, and local officials.
Let me start by wishing you, your families, and staff a happy and healthy New Year. For many of us, 2021 has proven to be a very challenging year, but as we look ahead to 2022, we are in a much stronger position to address COVID-19 than we were a year ago:
We have vaccines, and high vaccination rates compared to the rest of the country. Vaccines and boosters are tamping down serious illness and death.
We have committed and science-driven federal partners, who have appropriated vast resources through CARES and ARPA. Just one month ago, the Legislature responded to calls from the Governor and all of you to pass legislation appropriating over $6 billion in ARPA funds for a wide range of critical purposes, from housing to small business support to expanded public health.
We have an ongoing and productive dialogue with our state leaders. Many of our counterparts in other parts of the country can only wish for such a level of collaboration.
Most importantly, you have each other. In a career that now spans 40 years, I have never seen such an impactful level of collaboration among municipal leaders. That has helped to get us through 2021, and that regional approach will help to get us to a stronger 2022.
I want to take this opportunity to update you on our current COVID status and offer ways that MAPC can help.
Yesterday’s wastewater analysis from the MWRA indicates a level of infection unseen during the pandemic. Wastewater data has been a consistent indicator of the volume of COVID-19 cases who are actively shedding virus, whether they are symptomatic or not. The chart below indicates the results of wastewater testing in the northern half of the MWRA district (green) and the southern half (orange), but the results are similar across the district.
Of course, we are worried this data predicts a likely surge in illness and hospitalizations over the next few weeks, even if Omicron illness is less severe than Delta.
As you know, hospitals are already full, elective procedures are postponed, health care staff are stretched and tired, and many are out with COVID themselves. The number of deaths in the Commonwealth has also been creeping up for weeks. Yesterday, the 7-day average published by DPH stood at 26.5, or 795 people per month. We mourn these losses deeply, and must take steps to reduce further devastation in our communities. We are already in touch with the Baker Administration to discuss additional steps they can take on a statewide basis to address the current surge. If we have any news of additional actions from the Commonwealth, we will share that information with you immediately. At the same time, city and town leaders remain our frontline defense. Many of you are already taking critical steps to safeguard your residents and have implemented policies related to masking, testing, vaccines, boosters, and more. These critical steps can actively reduce the number of individuals who become infected, which in turn reduces serious illness, hospitalization, and death. Cities and towns can do this on their own, or – better still – they can collaborate with their neighbors.
Beginning next Monday, January 3, MAPC will being distributing recommendations and sample documents to help you over the next month.
We will also be organizing additional calls among mayors and managers, both to share best practices and to learn from experts who can provide you with the latest information science can provide. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions and concerns. We are here to help. Despite all of these challenges, please remain hopeful! Again, from all of us at MAPC to all of you, may 2022 be a blessed, happy, and healthy year. With warm regards, Marc Draisen Executive Director Metropolitan Area Planning Council
This meeting will be held remotely on Zoom. Members of the public who wish to participate via Zoom may do so by joining by one of the following options:
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: 815 7734 2022 b. Enter the password: 060672 The packet with meeting materials for this meeting will be uploaded at this link: https://www.town.medfield.net/DocumentCenter/View/5624/BOS-Meeting-Packet-January-4-20 22
Posted onDecember 29, 2021|Comments Off on State helps town order tests
From the Division of Local Services (DLS) at DOR this afternoon –
Baker-Polito Administration Announces COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits Available to Municipalities, Other Entities Direct from Manufacturers
The Baker-Polito Administration today announced contracts with COVID-19 at-home test manufacturers that will allow municipalities and eligible entities to begin the process of placing orders for rapid test kits for their constituents that utilize the state-negotiated prices on these contracts. These contracts build on an announcement earlier this month that the Administration secured 2.1 million iHealth Labs over-the-counter at-home rapid antigen tests that were delivered to 102 cities and towns in Massachusetts with the highest percentage of families below the poverty level, according to US Census data. Municipalities are eligible to utilize American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to purchase test kits.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts continues to take steps to ensure access to COVID-19 at-home rapid antigen test kits, which are a critical tool to mitigate transmission of COVID-19. As demand for these test kits remains high across the country, the Operational Services Division (OSD) is sharing this update to ensure that buyers such as municipalities, educational institutions, and other entities understand all options available to them.
Guidance is available for entities looking to purchase rapid test kits for distribution to their constituents, not individuals looking to purchase test kits. Information is also available related to the following: COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits Available Direct from ManufacturersCOVID-19 Rapid Test Kits Available from DistributorsAncillary Goods Available for Purchase or RentOSD Recommendations for Ordering Local officials with questions are encouraged to contact the OSD Help Desk at osdhelpdesk@mass.gov or at 1-888-627-8283. For detailed information on testing, visit mass.gov/gettested.
Posted onDecember 28, 2021|Comments Off on MFi Legacy Fund’s matching $100,000 challenge ends at year end
Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund received a $100,000 matching gift challenge
The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund has received a $100,000 challenge gift from an anonymous donor, that matches gifts made to the Legacy Fund before the end of the year up to $100,000. Your gift will not only be doubled, but can be put to work in your community through the grant making in 2022.
The 2021 Legacy Fund round of grants were just recently announced. The Legacy Fund received ten proposals requesting a total of $62,000 in grant money, and after careful consideration, the MFi Legacy Fund awarded $28,200 in grants to 4 groups:
Medfield Outreach
Peak House Heritage Center
Sustainable Medfield
Friends of the MHS Theatre Society
The MFi Legacy Fund looks forward to seeing the results of the great work these groups will do for our community. The MFi also looks forward to building a larger endowment to allow its grants program to fulfil more of the needs presented to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund.
Donate by year end to have your donation doubled, either on-line at www.MedfieldFoundation.org/legacy-fund or send a check to the Medfield Foundation, 459 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
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Chris Cahill, announcing the grant winners at 7th Wave Brewing (Courtesy Image)
MFi Legacy Fund Announces Local Grants
Medfield Foundation’s Legacy Fund announces grants to local non-profit organizations and a new $100,000 matching gift challenge opportunity through December 31, 2021
The Medfield Foundation’s Legacy Fund, an endowment fund created by the Medfield Foundation (MFi), has awarded grants to four local non-profit organizations, enabling them to fund important initiatives to benefit the Medfield community.
The new grants were awarded after the foundation received eleven proposals submitted requesting a total of $62,000. Six groups were invited to participate in a live “Pitch It!” event, and ultimately four were awarded a total of $28,200 in grants. The grant recipients include Medfield Outreach, the Peak House Heritage Center, Sustainable Medfield, and the Friends of the Medfield High School Theatre Society.https://ac1f38d33f43afec0b39381bbd3e3b71.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
“The Medfield Foundation is committed to positively impacting the lives of all the town’s residents,” said Kirsten Poler, Medfield Foundation president. “We listened to the needs of the community as presented to us, and we are so pleased we’re able to make these grants. We look forward to growing our grants program through the Matching Gift Challenge so that we can meet more of our community needs in the future.”
“The committee was impressed with the thoughtful approaches that our four recipients displayed throughout the process,” said Legacy Fund Co-Chair Chris Cahill. “We envision these organizations continuing to foster initiatives that help to ensure Medfield remains a town of unique character and value to all residents.”
Find out what’s happening in Medfield with free, real-time updates from Patch.
Let’s go!
This is the second round of grants distributed from the MFi Legacy Fund for a total of $48,200 granted to date. Past MFi Legacy Fund recipients include Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail, Medfield Cares About Prevention (MCAP), and the Cultural Alliance of Medfield (CAM).
The Medfield Foundation (MFi) is a 100% volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable corporation whose mission is to use community funds to support community-driven projects with the goal of enriching the lives of all in our community. For more information about the Medfield Foundation, Legacy Fund, Angel Run, or any of our other initiatives, visit https://www.medfieldfoundation.org/.
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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.
COVID-19 Update Amid new wastewater data, MAPC will share resources and expert information to assist municipal officials in pandemic response 
