Selectmen Agenda: Swap Area Subcommittee, Medfield Day and State Hospital Update

Medfield’s selectmen are expected to hold more discussion on the formation of a swap area subcommittee at the town’s transfer station. Selectman Ann Thompson said during the that she spoke to several volunteers from the swap area of the transfer station and that “they are very interested in being an active group that will be down there all the time because they are down there almost all day Saturday anyway,” Thompson said at the meeting.

Also on the agenda is MEMO’s request for Medfield Day. At the July 19 BOS meeting, selectmen chair Osler “Pete” Peterson and selectman Mark Fisher , resulting in a controversial vote of approval for MEMO to hold the Sept. 17th event. Peterson suggested on several occasions throughout the discussion that he wanted more information on the fees MEMO pays the town versus the fees it does not pay and ultimately voted against approving the request as it was presented on July 19.

Fisher elected to approve the request to hold Medfield Day as it was and Thompson, who originally abstained from voting because she is currently a member of MEMO, elected to vote to essentially break the tie. Town Counsel Mark Cerel was not present at the July 19 meeting to explain if Thompson could legally vote and so the vote was deemed approved, pending review from Town Counsel. Upon that approval, Cerel determined the vote of approval could not stand because of Thompson's conflict of interest, according to Peterson's blog post. Peterson expects more discussion and ultimately another vote on MEMO's request to take place at tonight's meeting.

Selectmen will also be updated on the Medfield State Hospital project, including its cleanup, discussion of potential reuse and discussions held with DCAM and SHERC.

The selectmen will take action on the following items:

• Letter received from the Commonwealth regarding populations over 12,000 must appoint a full-time Veterans’ Agent.
• Lowell Mason Foundation requests permission to place a 3-foot by 4-foot sign in front of the house.
• Request from Masters Touch for a special permit to use transfer station to recycle.

The Medfield Board of Selectmen meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the Chenery Meeting Room on the second floor of Town Hall at 7 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and is broadcasted on local cable access.