Talk of the Town

Medfield Town Administrator Weighs in on State Hospital, Friendly's and CVS

Medfield Patch recently sat down with Town Administrator Michael Sullivan to discuss various town issues and happenings.

Want to know what Medfield’s Town Administrator Michael Sullivan thinks about the Medfield State Hospital project or the CVS expansion on Main Street? How about what potential businesses he’s hearing could move to town to occupy the space vacated by Friendly’s? Or how the town will spend the $88,651 returned in local aid? So do we, and we recently sat down with Sullivan to go over several of these topics: Sullivan’s Take on the Status of the Medfield State Hospital As a result of the news Medfield received in October that the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) withdrew its application to the Army Corps of Engineers for remediation work at the former Medfield State Hospital site, Sullivan said the town is currently in the “what’s …

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Medfield 02052

Peterson: DCAM Reportedly Has Withdrawn its Application to the Army Corps of Engineers

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Osler Peterson writes in his blog, "Medfield 02052" that he recently heard news of DCAM withdrawing its application to the Army Corps of Engineers to cover the oil found in the Charles River as a temporary solution.

Medfield resident and Medfield State Hospital abutter Bill Massaro reports that Medfield resident John Harney says he learned from Congressman Stephen Lynch on Oct. 20 – what we attorneys call double hearsay, but still likely highly reliable in this instance – that the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) has withdrawn its application to the Army Corps of Engineers to do work in the Charles River at the state hospital property.   DCAM’s withdrawn application sought to cover the oil this fall with Aquablok, which fix was originally intended by DCAM as its permanent solution. However, that had morphed into only a temporary interim solution late this summer when the Department of Environmental Protection required DCAM remove the oil …

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Senator Timilty, State Reps Support Medfield's Efforts for State Hospital Cleanup

State Senator James Timilty and State Representatives Denise Garlick and Dan Winslow, each representing Medfield, supported the town's efforts in seeking a permanent cleanup solution of the state hospital site by sending DCAM a letter requesting the agenc

The Town of Medfield received support from its state legislatures regarding its stance on the Division of Capital Asset Management’s (DCAM) remediation proposal regarding the in-river and riverbank contamination found at the site of the former Medfield State Hospital. State Senator James E. Timilty and State Representatives Daniel B. Winslow and Denise C. Garlick, each representing Medfield as part of Norfolk County, wrote a joint letter to DCAM’s Commissioner Carole Cornelison on Sept. 28, requesting the state agency withdraw its permit application with the Army Corps of Engineers for the proposed remediation work at the state hospital site. The legislatures asked DCAM to consider “all permanent alternatives,” according to the letter sent…

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Army Corps of Engineers: Town’s Issues with DCAM Should Go to DEP

Medfield town officials met with the Army Corps of Engineers Monday to discuss DCAM’s proposed cleanup of the C&D area of the Medfield State Hospital site, which the town does not agree with.

Town officials met with the Army Corps of Engineers earlier this week to address issues they have with DCAM’s proposed cleanup of the Medfield State Hospital site. The issues the town has with Division of Capital Asset Management’s (DCAM) proposal, according to Selectmen chair Osler Peterson’s blog, is the process and method of cleanup proposed to remove the hazardous waste from the site. “DCAM’s permit to perform work in the Charles River is being sought to do the clean up work in a way with which the town does not agree,” Peterson writes. “While DCAM is seeking to cap in place the hazardous waste dumped by the state over decades, the Board of Selectmen is principally asking to have as much of the hazardous waste as possible removed and …

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Medfield, DCAM Remain at Odds Over State Hospital Cleanup

State Hospital Environmental Review Committee (SHERC) representative, John Thompson, delivered the committee's report to Selectmen at the Sept. 6 meeting.

“If hazardous waste is dumped over your water supply, is it better to take it out or leave it there ... and monitor it?” That’s the question, posed by SHERC (State Hospital Environmental Review Committee) representative, John Thompson, in a report delivered to the Board of Selectmen, at its Sept. 6 meeting.  The answer to that question finds the state and town of Medfield at odds regarding the clean-up efforts at the site of the former Medfield State Hospital. Both the town and SHERC  favor the removal of the waste, while the state has formulated plans to “cap” the waste material and implement a monitoring system, which is less costly than the removal process.  “Simply saying that it costs too much without a thorough investigation, ” …

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Conservation Commission Issues Order of Conditions to DCAM for Cleanup of State Hospital Site

The Medfield Conservation Commission unanimously approved the Order of Conditions needed for DCAM to continue its remediation work of the C&D area of the Medfield State Hospital site.

After nearly two hours of discussion and review, the Medfield Conservation Commission unanimously voted to approve and issue the Order of Conditions Tuesday to the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) so it can continue its remediation work of the C&D area of the Medfield State Hospital site.  The Order of Conditions (OOC) was required before DCAM could begin remediation work detailed in its Notice of Intent (NOI) and the Department of Environmental Protection's Immediate Response Action plan (IRA).  Medfield officials, residents and the State Hospital Environmental Review Committee (SHERC) have expressed concerns with DCAM's plan for a "temporary solution" to cap oil and remove contaminated soil from the Charles River and along…

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Agencies Remain Firm in Remediation Plan of Medfield State Hospital Despite Town Concerns

Representatives from the Town of Medfield met with DCAM and DEP on Aug. 19 to discuss DCAM's proposed remediation plan for removing and capping oil contamination in the Charles River on the Medfield State Hospital site.

Representatives from the Town of Medfield met with the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Aug. 19 to resolve issues with covering a small area of oil contamination in the Charles River at the Medfield State Hospital site. Bill Massaro, Medfield resident and state hospital abutter for 35 years, attended the Aug. 19 meeting and shared his report with Board of Selectmen chair Osler “Pete” Peterson, who posted it on his blog, Medfield 02052. Peterson said in his blog post “DEP, DCAM & Town Meeting RE MSH” that Massaro “follows Medfield State Hospital developments closer than anyone in town” and shared what he learned at the Aug. 19 meeting. What follows is information compiled from …

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Town to Discuss State Hospital Site Cleanup with DCAM, DEP Friday

Interested parties from the Town of Medfield will meet with DEP and DCAM officials Friday in Worcester to discuss the next phase of cleanup at the former Medfield State Hospital site.

Medfield Town Administrator Michael Sullivan and members of the State Hospital Environmental Review Committee (SHERC) will meet Friday in Worcester with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to discuss the Immediate Response Action Plan and Phase III Feasibility evaluation for the C&D area of the Medfield State Hospital site. Sullivan said there had been a delay in the Division of Capital Asset Management’s (DCAM) cleanup of the site because DEP is requiring DCAM issue a review of the alternative solutions for permanently removing oil from the Charles River as part of its Phase III report before it can proceed with the cleanup. That delay led to Friday’s meeting between DEP, DCAM and the Town of Medfield. “[This meeting has been…

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Meeting Notes: Selectmen Focus Discussion on Medfield State Hospital Site

The Medfield Board of Selectmen met Tuesday, Aug. 16 in the Chenery Room of Town Hall. Here's a recap of what was discussed.

Medfield Town Administrator Michael Sullivan told the Board of Selectmen he wasn't sure a lot was accomplished at the Aug. 5 meeting with the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) on the environmental issues at the Medfield State Hospital site. "I was appreciative of [DCAM] allowing me to meet with them," Sullivan said. "I'm not sure a lot was accomplished [at the meeting]. One of the things [DCAM] did indicate was the cap for the oil in the [Charles] River was temporary and they would definitely be required to remove that and [find] a permanent solution." Sullivan said the other thing to come out of the Aug. 5 meeting was discussion on the delay in the process because the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was requiring …

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Conservation Committee Approves DCAM's Notice of Intent for State Hospital Cleanup

Conservation Committee approved by split vote DCAM's Notice of Intent for emergency temporary remediation work on the state hospital site at Monday's meeting but hurdles remain.

After more than two months of discussions and delays, Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) representative John O'Donnell and others involved in the cleanup of the Medfield State Hospital site had to wait until Monday’s Conservation Committee meeting for work to continue. ConCom approved, by split vote, DCAM’s Notice of Intent for the proposed emergency temporary remediation work involving oil found in the part of the Charles River that runs through the state hospital site. DCAM was making progress at the Aug. 8 meeting to get permission to do the work necessary to cap the oil found in the Charles River with a product called Aquablok and to pull back from the river and to cap the adjoining C&D area, according to Selectmen chair Osler…

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