State Hospital Redevelopment Study Committee to Meet Tonight

The committee was appointed last month and will meet tonight to review its mission statement, which the Board of Selectmen approved Tuesday night, and to learn the lengthy history behind the former Medfield State Hospital property.

The newly-appointed “State Hospital Redevelopment Study Committee” will hold its first official meeting tonight at Town Hall at 7 p.m.  The committee visited the former Medfield State Hospital on June 14 but tonight will meet to review its mission statement and learn the history of the property.  The committee includes Marc Verreault, Jim Rohnstock, Ken Richard, Scott Colwell, Kerry McCormack, Roberta Lynch, Timothy Bonfatti, Stephen Nolan, William Mann, and Robert Ingram. In a memo to the Redevelopment Study Committee, the selectmen thanked the members for their willingness “to work on a difficult and complex problem.” “It is only because of the willingness of so many of Medfield’s residents to step up and volunteer their services, that …

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Senator Timilty Takes Medfield State Hospital Issue to Governor

Senator James Timilty, who represents Medfield as part of Norfolk County, recently sent a letter to Governor Deval Patrick outlining his concerns regarding DCAM’s current plan for partial cleanup of the Medfield State Hospital site.

Editor’s note: Senator Timilty’s letter to Governor Deval Patrick was submitted to Medfield Patch by Medfield resident Bill Massaro. A PDF file of the hard copy of the letter can be viewed in the photo gallery below. Senator James Timilty continues to stand in Medfield’s corner regarding the environmental cleanup of the former Medfield State Hospital property and has now involved Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on the matter. Timilty, who represents Medfield as part of Norfolk County, has been outspoken in his objections to the Division of Capital Asset Management’s proposal for only partial cleanup of 75,000 tons of hazardous waste located on the former Medfield State Hospital property. At the town’s March 22 Public Involvement …

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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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Things You Need to Know About the Cleanup of the Medfield State Hospital

Here’s a closer look at six things you need to know about the environmental cleanup needed at the Medfield State Hospital and what is being proposed by DCAM versus what the town wants.

Nearly everyone in Medfield has heard about the issue the town faces regarding the cleanup needed at the Medfield State Hospital property. For many, it is common knowledge that hazardous materials have been found in a section of the property called the Construction and Demolition (C&D) area and in and alongside the Charles River. The ongoing issue has been the disagreement between the town and the state's Division of Capital Asset Management on the extent of cleanup necessary at the site. The town wants those toxic materials removed to the “maximum extent feasible,” as stated by the Medfield Board of Selectmen in a letter to the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management. Residents have voiced at various public meetings their desire – …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Clarifying Cost of Full Cleanup vs. Partial Cleanup of Medfield State Hospital

Medfield resident Bill Massaro writes in to clarify how much it would cost for the state to fully cleanup the hazardous waste found at the Medfield State Hospital property versus the partial cleanup DCAM has proposed.

Dear editor, I wanted to clarify SHERC chairman John Thompson's April 13 comment in Medfield Patch on the cost comparisons of full removal of hazardous waste at the Medfield State Hospital property's Construction and Demolition area (C&D) versus DCAM's selected partial removal of the hazardous fill in the C&D Area. Thompson's comment appears in the April 12 Medfield Patch article, "Public Meeting with DCAM Tonight to Discuss Cleanup of Medfield State Hospital Site." The numbers John provided are DCAM's estimates of cleanup item costs, but are not what DCAM has proposed as the total cost for these alternatives. The Phase III evaluation of Alternative Cleanup Proposals – presented by DCAM to the town of Medfield – shows all the cost factors …

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PHOTOS: Medfield Foundation Honors Town's Many Volunteers

Medfield Foundation, Inc. recognized all its nominees and Volunteer Award recipients at Sunday's annual event.

On Sunday afternoon, the Medfield Foundation, Inc. recognized three Volunteer Award recipients as well as 20 nominees at a reception held at The Center at Medfield. Over 100 guests and honorees were greeted by members of the Medfield High School Jazz band (David Baler, Chris Davis, Nick Cruickshank and Anton Derevyanko) as they entered the Center on Ice House Road.  Osler "Pete" Peterson, a MFI board member, emceed the event.  He, along with board members, Catherine Girard, Chris McCue Potts and Kathleen Brennan were part of a subcomittee that ran this event. Event sponsor, Rockland Trust, was represented by bank manager, Cheryl O'Donnell. She spoke briefly, welcoming all the volunteers and guests to this event. "The Medfield Foundation, …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Bill Massaro Endorses Pete Peterson for Selectman

Medfield resident Bill Massaro writes in to voice support of Osler "Pete" Peterson and encourage the community to reelect the 12-year veteran.

To the Editor: I am writing this letter in support of Osler “Pete” Peterson’s reelection to the Medfield Board of Selectmen. As a 35-year resident, I am concerned about the direction the town will take at this most critical time when proven leadership and commitment to the betterment of Medfield and its current and future residents is of such importance. I have attended almost all of the Board of Selectmen meetings for the last two years. While my primary concerns are ensuring the adequacy of the state’s planned remediation of the hazardous waste at the former Medfield State Hospital and reducing the significant cost impact to the town of the proposed 440-unit redevelopment, I could not help but be impressed with selectman Peterson’s …

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Bill Massaro to Receive Medfield Foundation's Volunteer of the Year Award

Medfield resident Bill Massaro will be recognized at the Medfield Foundation's March 18 volunteer reception event at the Center at Medfield for his work on the Medfield State Hospital environmental clean-up and re-use of the property.

Bill Massaro has been in Medfield for 36 years and was also nominated by Richard DeSorgher for the 2012 Volunteer of the Year award for his work on environmental issues related to the Medfield State Hospital site and its potential re-use. "Bill’s work on the hospital is all-consuming," said DeSorgher, who estimated that Massaro dedicates an average of 30 hours each week on hospital issues, including visiting the site, conducting research and attending meetings.  In his nomination of Massaro, DeSorgher noted, “Bill's work is of utmost importance to those of us in Medfield today, and those who might potentially live on the property. His concern about the clean-up of the hazardous waste on the hospital site and on the bottom of the Charles …

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Residents Voice Frustration Over Status of Medfield State Hospital Site

Medfield town officials discussed at length with residents Bill Massaro and John Harney issues involving the Medfield State Hospital property at last week’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

Medfield residents are frustrated by the lack of cooperative communication with the state’s Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) and the town's inability to provide a clear reuse plan for the former Medfield State Hospital. Medfield residents Bill Massaro and John Harney made their frustrations known at last week’s board of selectmen meeting – sparking a 32 minute discussion – and at times debate – of the town’s direction and involvement in the property. Massaro, a 30-plus year resident and abutter to the state hospital prpoerty –  vented frustrations regarding DCAM’s inability to work openly with the town and its residents, primarily responding to the many questions and concerns regarding the future plans and environmental cleanup …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Resident Responds to Town Administrator's State Hospital Comments

Medfield resident and state hospital abutter, Bill Massaro, writes in to respond to Town Administrator Michael Sullivan's comments in the Medfield Patch article: "Sullivan Prefers Housing Units at Medfield Hospital Site."

To the editor: Not Such a Great Deal! The plan that the selectmen negotiated with DCAM a "couple of years ago" (actually in 2005) and which Mike Sullivan says he still supports, failed to address any of the property's multiple hazardous material sites or require their cleanup; was based on DCAM-provided overly optimistic estimates of benefits from new assessment revenues; and relied on DCAM's underestimation of both the number of new school children and, more importantly, the cost of their education. The annual net revenue benefit DCAM presented to the town in 2005, and on which the selectmen presumably based their approval, was approximately $1million.  I have spent the last two years presenting information to the selectmen and to Town …

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