Meeting Notes: Selectmen Create Rail Trail Study Committee, Elect Housing Authority Board Member

The Medfield Board of Selectmen spent much of its Nov. 1 meeting in Town Hall

Another topic that facilitated discussion among the selectmen was Selectmen chair Osler Peterson’s request to appoint a citizens committee to study the feasibility of a rail trail in Medfield as part of the Bay Colony Rail Trail.

The selectmen voted 2-1 in favor of creating a Bay Colony Rail Trail Study Committee to consider various questions and issues before ultimately aiding the selectmen in deciding whether or not the town should proceed with instituting the proposed Rail Trail.

Selectman Ann Thompson opposed Peterson’s motion to create the study committee because she felt Medfield needed to wait and see whether or not Dover would be participating in the Rail Trail.

“I’d rather wait and see if Dover passes there [Rail Trail proposal],” Thompson said. “A trail like this that goes up to the Dover line isn’t going to really do much. It’s just going to go for 1.1 mile and then it stops. I don’t think there’s much purpose in doing it if Dover doesn’t do it because then it’s a path that goes nowhere.”

Peterson disagreed.

“You’re then adding another year to the possibility of when it opens,” Peterson said. “If you’re going to wait until Dover decides in May then Medfield can’t decide until April 2013.”

Selectman Mark Fisher showed support for Peterson’s idea and ultimately became the deciding vote to create a study committee for the proposed project.

“I’d obviously be in favor of having a committee [study the issues of a Rail Trail],” Fisher said. “I think it’d be great … folks that have the time. [The Rail Trail] is very complicated, I think there are a lot of issues and it does require some time [to look at].”

Medfield resident Christian Donner, who has been active in the Rail Trail project, explained the importance of Medfield creating a study committee to the selectmen.

“I had suggested before to [Peterson] that I didn’t think the safety committee was the right platform for this because it consists of Medfield officials and myself and I’m a member of the Board of the Bay Colony Rail Trail and I’m not really impartial to this in that role and you guys have other things to do,” Donner said.

A list, according to Donner, has been put together of potential issues that need to be resolved in Dover, Needham and Medfield, according to Donner.

“There’s things out there that range from negotiation with MBTA to bridges, etc,” Donner said. “It’s practical and it’s pretty comprehensive and somebody needs to actually start working on these questions and come up with recommendations for the town. I thought a group of people that can do that needs to be separate from what we have today.”

Taking Donner’s advice and drawing a conclusion from his own knowledge of the Rail Trail project after meeting with Dover and Needham officials last week, Peterson suggested the Medfield Rail Trail Study Committee be formed.

“[The committee will] look into whether or not Medfield is going to participate in the Bay Colony Rail Trail and if so in what ways and what are the issues and report back to us,” Peterson said. “Hopefully it can be done in time so if there needs to be something in Town Meeting to be passed then we could ask Town Meeting to weigh in on it in the spring.”

After the selectmen’s 2-1 vote of approval, Peterson stressed the importance of establishing this committee quickly.

“If anybody is interested [of joining the Rail Trail Study Committee], they should let the selectmen know ASAP,” Peterson said.

The goal is to appoint a committee at the next selectmen’s meeting, Nov. 22 and according to Peterson, have them begin work right after the appointment.

Neil J. DuRoss Elected to the Medfield Housing Authority Board

The Medfield Board of Selectmen and members of the Medfield Housing Authority voted unanimously in favor of Medfield resident Neil J. DuRoss to be elected as a member of the town’s Housing Authority Board to fill the remainder of the vacant term left by Maureen Daniels.

Roberta Lynch, chairman of the Medfield Housing Authority led the election.

“I want to congratulate Neil,” Lynch said. “He’s also a member of the Council on Aging Board and now will have this other role on the housing board.”

Lynch said after a lot of turmoil with the housing authority board, things are “moving along quite well” and board members are “happy.”

Affordable Housing Development Proposed on West Street

Town Administrator Michael Sullivan informed the selectmen Gatehouse Company has requested a meeting as they are proposing to construct a 96-unit affordable housing development on land at West Street. Sullivan said the land has been subject before to applications for condominium complexes.

“They plan to initiate the process all over again since this project is quite different in nature than what has been already approved as an affordable housing development,” Sullivan said. “Their proposal is to construct 25 percent one-bedroom units, 50 percent two-bedroom units and 25 percent three-bedroom units and have them all affordable. They would like to meet with the selectmen at the next meeting if possible or the meeting after that.”

Selectmen Take Action on Several Agenda Items

• Selectmen voted to approve Frank Iafolla to director of Grave Markers for Veterans
• Selectmen voted to approve the Lowell Mason House sign be placed at the site on Green Street at the request of the Medfield Sign Advisory Board
• Selectmen voted to appoint Anne Fryer to a full member of the Medfield Board of Health at the request of the board.
• Selectmen voted to approve the Oct. 18 meeting minutes.

Selectmen Put Debt Schedule, Calendar Discussions on Hold

The selectmen opted to hold discussions on the town’s review of the debt schedule because Sullivan was not present for the discussion. Sullivan met with the town’s Warrant Committee as it introduced its new members Tuesday. At the request of selectman Mark Fisher, the board also held discussion on the proposed selectmen’s calendar prepared by Peterson because he had not personally “had much time” to look at it due to loss of power, etc. and pointed out there was a full agenda on the table. Both items will be carried over to the Nov. 22 meeting.

Selectmen Reports and Informational Items

• Transfer station sticker update: Assistant Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler told the selectmen as of the end of August, the town has issued 4,043 stickers. “That includes some replacement [stickers] since March,” she said. “We are approaching about where we were last year at this time.”
• MERC will be celebrating its 20 year anniversary on Nov. 30
• Peterson suggests the Downtown Study Committee gets involved in the vacancy left by Friendly’s on Main Street, saying he would like to have them weigh in about it and “try and help the decision the landlord makes.” Trierweiler said the committee is trying to setup a meeting with the landlord.