Selectmen’s Meeting Notes, July 17: Refinanced Town Bonds, Update on Medfield State Hospital, and Recess to July 18

The Board of Selectmen met Tuesday night to discuss the following business, and then recessed until Wednesday at 7:20 p.m. when the board will discuss the latest correspondence regarding the Medfield State Hospital.

The agenda includes the following items:

Action Items

• Voted to award $13,220,000 in general obligation municipal bonds and sign documents to UBS Financial Services at an interest rate of 1.496% (down from original 3.8%)
• Approved Police Chief Bob Meaney’s request to make Steven Palmer, a retired Walpole police officer, a special officer in Medfield where he will help with police detail work.
• Authorized payment of $2,217 for FY13 dues for the Massachusetts Municipal Association
• Appointed two associate members to the Water & Sewer Commission.

Informational

• Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said the final FY13 Cherry Sheet gave the town $7,051,687 in local aid, up $210,493 from last year. The sheet included an increase in the school department of $40 per student (it was also noted that school enrollment is down approximately 10 percent).
• Discussed a notice of public hearing from Millis Board of Selectmen re storm water management and land disturbance permits.
• Copy of completed questionnaire from Office of Public Safety and Security
• Copy of letter from DPW Superintendent Ken Feeney from Doug Davenport re transfer station
• Update on groundwater sampling at former Texaco gas station, 26 Spring Street

Medfield State Hospital

• Heard a great deal of work has been done to ready the Clark Building for demolition; it is scheduled to be taken down in July.
• Heard Selectman Osler Peterson ask that members of the town’s Bylaw Committee review all bylaws that could affect any future work at the state hospital; Peterson also asked that all town boards be asked if they can foresee any potential issues not addressed by the town’s current bylaws
• Learned the Board received a letter from the Medfield State Hospital Redevelopment Committee asking that DCAM create an inventory of the buildings on the hospital site plus an environmental site assessment so the town has the information to consider when discussing the future of the site.  Selectmen Ann Thompson and Mark Fisher had not see the letter prior to the meeting and were therefore not ready to act on it. 
• Tuesday’s meeting was continued to Wednesday, July 18 at 7:20 p.m. to give selectmen time to review the letter

 Other items

• Board did not act on the scheduled review and release of executive session minutes because Assistant Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler, who was at the meeting, had questions on the issue
• Heard Peterson suggest getting back to using the annual calendar
• Learned Town Historian Richard DeSorgher recently celebrated his 60th birthday
• Learned former police chief Bill Mann is recovering well from open heart surgery