Special Town Meeting: Medfield State Hospital, Red Gate Farm Acreage

Medfield Selectmen have called a Special Town Meeting at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at Medfield High School. The selectmen are expected to discuss the three warrant articles on Tuesday, in their meeting.

The following is a summary of  the warrant:

Article 1: whether to authorize the Board of Selectmen to petition the state for special legislation that would direct the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) to transfer to the town the Medfield State Hospital water tower, related land, and the tubular well-field at the hospital, totaling about 29 acres. The purpose is to improve the town's current and future water supply system. As part of a settlement agreement, the town would receive at no cost the well field and the area around the existing water tower, to expand its reserve water capacity.

Article 2: To see if the town will vote to appropriate money to conduct preliminary design and cost estimates for construction of a new water tower at Medfield State Hospital, and to authorize the town's Board of Water and Sewerage to accept state and federal grants for contracts with consultants, designers and contractors. This article would direct the town to hire a consultant to determine how much it would cost to build a new water tower on the hospital site, to replace the existing, aging structure.

Article 3: To see if the town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to purchase 31 acres between Foundry and Philip streets, a portion of the former Red Gate Farm property, for $1.4 million. The purpose is to open up access for open space and passive recreation. This land, now privately held, connects to the so-called "scout land" used by Scout troops in Medfield. The town has a right-of-first refusal as the land is now subject to a purchase and sale agreement.