Selectman Will Not Seek Re-election After 30 Years

Selectman Ann Thompson announced that she will not run again in March.

  Selectman Ann Thompson has announced that she will not seek re-election in the spring. Thompson has been a selectman for 30 years. This year, she serves as Chairman of the Board.  Thompson told the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday night that she had been debating whether to run again or not, and had said in private that she would not run again if worthy candidates stepped up to take her seat. On Tuesday, Thompson said that three people have pulled papers for her seat. To date, only Richard DeSorgher has made a formal announcement.  Those interested in running in the town election have until February to submit their nomination papers. 

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Meeting Notes: Selectmen Approve Internal Budget Transfers, Meeting Minutes, and Mission Statement.

The Medfield Board of Selectmen met Tuesday to discuss the following town business.

The Board of Selectmen's Tuesday night meeting was brief as representatives from First Light Energy, a solar energy consultant, did not appear for a public hearing scheduled for 7 p.m. During the meeting, the board approved the following internal budget transfers for town departments: Selectmen Approved the Following: Other News The full Board of Selectmen attended Tuesday's meeting including Ann Thompson, Osler Peterson, and Mark Fisher.  Also attending was Assistant Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler.

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Town Officials Urge Increase in Recycling as Hauling Fees Increase

Effective July 1, hauling fees for regular trash will increase to $74.01 per ton, more than twice the cost of single-stream recycling at $35 per ton.

Medfield Town Administrator Michael Sullivan says resident participation in the town’s recycling program is up nearly four percent from 23 to 27 percent but there is still room for improvement, especially with an increase in hauling fees on the horizon. Sullivan told the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night that, effective July 1, the cost for hauling trash to the Millbury incinerator will increase $1.73 per ton – from $72.28 to $74.1 per ton – more than twice the cost of single-stream recycling at $35 a ton. He said that, while recycling efforts are up, there is still room for improvement. “People here are very good … 95 percent of the people in town are very cooperative and very willing to do things but you’ve got some where there’s a sense …

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Selectmen Meeting Notes

Selectmen Appoint State Hospital Redevelopment Committee and Debate Medfield Day Permit

The Medfield Board of Selectmen met Tuesday at Town Hall to discuss the following town business.

Correction (Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 2:57 p.m.): Medfield's Mediation Committee will be meeting in closed session with the mediator in the coming weeks and not DCAM regarding the mediation of cleanup at the former Medfield State Hospital. The tentative date was Tuesday, May 7 but Assistant Town Administrator Kristine Trierweiler said it will not take place then and is looking to schedule the meeting during the week of May 14. On Tuesday, the Medfield Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint a Medfield State Hospital Redevelopment Committee to review state data in relation to the town’s reuse options for the state hospital property. The decision came two weeks after members of the board voiced different opinions on whether or not …

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Selectmen Stall on Forming a Medfield State Hospital Reuse Committee

Members of the Medfield Board of Selectmen voiced three different opinions on whether or not to establish a Medfield State Hospital Reuse Committee to study potential reuses and town purchase of the property.

Differing opinions from the town’s three members of the Board of Selectmen has led to indecision on whether to move forward in creating a volunteer Medfield State Hospital Reuse Study Committee. At its last meeting, the Board of Selectmen discussed the idea of establishing a volunteer committee to study the possibilities for reuse at the Medfield State Hospital and the potential town purchase of the property. Residents in attendance at the April 17 BOS meeting asked about the current status and potential timeline for establishing such a committee and received three different answers from the three-member board. Medfield selectmen Osler “Pete” Peterson and Mark Fisher both favored reestablishing a committee to study the potential reuse and …

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Poll: Limiting Public Comment on State Hospital Issues at Town Meetings

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Ann Thompson’s attempt to limit public comment regarding issues of the Medfield State Hospital at Tuesday’s meeting raised an interesting question – Should public participation be limited to prevent a long meeting?

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Ann Thompson raised some eyebrows at Tuesday’s selectmen meeting when she made several attempts – all unsuccessful – to end public discussion on the Medfield State Hospital and move on to “information items” on the agenda. Thompson made nine separate attempts to end public discussion – which lasted one hour, one minute and nine seconds – on issues relating to the status of the Medfield State Hospital because she was concerned residents watching the meeting at home would tune out. “I get complaints all the time when I go to church or the store or walk the dog that it’s the same people talking at town meeting, every meeting, saying the same thing [about the state hospital issue] and they turn off the …

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Medfield Girl Scout Troop Learns About Recycling on Quest for Bronze Award [Video]

Members of Medfield Junior Troop 74870 met with town officials last week to learn about recycling. The girls are working toward their Bronze Award and hope to help the town improve its recycling program.

Girl Scout Troop 74870, a junior troop of 13 girls from Medfield, is working toward its Bronze Award, the highest award they can earn at the Junior level. The Bronze Award requires 20 hours of community service on a project of their choice. “The girls were trying to think of a way they could make the most difference,” explained leader Maureen Stewart. They considered ways to help people, animals, and many other groups, but ultimately decided that recycling could help everyone in town. The scouts met with town officials last week to see how they can help improve Medfield’s recycling program. Medfield selectman Ann Thompson explained the basics of recycling, how it works, what can be recycled and what cannot and how “single stream recycling…

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Selectmen Reports: Paramedic Services, Art Exhibits and Medfield TV Show

Members of the Medfield Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator Michael Sullivan shared their reports of town happenings at the Oct. 4 Selectmen meeting.

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Osler "Pete" Peterson brought up the issue of the town paying for paramedics services rather than its current EMT services at the Oct. 4 Selectmen meeting.  "The question is whether or not the town would be interested in paying whatever the extra amount of money is for a paramedic service versus an EMT service," Peterson said. "I think [working out the costs and seeing what it is] is worth doing and at least showing that to the town and help us decide if that’s the sort of thing they’d be interested in." The topic was met with hesitation to discuss publicy from selectman Ann Thompson and Town Administrator Michael Sullivan, who agreed those discussions are better suited behind closed doors in negotiations …

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Meeting Notes: Medfield Selectmen Discuss Town’s Drinking Water; Election Schedule and State Hospital

The Medfield Board of Selectmen met Tuesday at Town Hall to discuss the following town business.

Medfield Superintendent of Public Works, Ken Feeney, discussed Medfield’s drinking water with the Board of Selectmen at the request of selectman Ann Thompson to put to rest rumors that had been circulating regarding the town’s drinking water. “We had detections of coliform bacteria in well six [in July] and when that came up we had to inform people,” Feeney said. “Unfortunately, well six supplies most of the water for the town and we think we got some of the coliform bacteria through the system and we had to chase it for awhile.” Feeney said the wells have been completely clean as of two weeks ago and more testing will be performed on the wells Wednesday. Feeney said the town has also been flushing hydrants as part of the process of …

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