Town Garage Goes to Vote Tonight

The issue of the $10.5 million new town garage will go before Town Meeting tonight.

Town Meeting will be asked tonight to support a plan for a new town garage. If voters agree, they will then be asked to approve a debt exclusion in a special election on Tuesday. The cost of the project, which was proposed two years ago and denied by voters, is expected to cost approximately $10.5 million. When the bids were opened last week, they came in about $500,000 lower than projected. Members of the Permanent Building Committee say the average increased tax impact would be 37 cents per 1,000 at its peak but will average approximately 25 cents per $1,000 valuation over the course of the 20 year debt. Approval of the project would require passage at town meeting tonight (April 29) as well as in the voting booth at a special town …

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DPW Bids Come In Lower Than Anticipated

Bids were opened on Wednesday and were about $500,000 less than expected.

  Due to cost-cutting and a favorable bidding environment, the estimated cost to construct a new Department of Public Works facility has dropped by approximately $500,000. The previous estimate was a total cost of $11.1 million which has now been reduced to $10.6 million. At the annual town meeting on Monday, voters will be asked to approve the project then asked again on Tuesday, at a special election, to approve an debt exclusion to fund the project.   A very similar project was proposed two years ago and passed at town meeting but failed at the polls. The project has been reduced over the last two years (including the elimination of two bays and a reduction in office space) but the cost remains the same due construction costs that …

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Public Works Facility Information Meeting April 13 at 10 a.m.

The Permanent Building Committee will be holding a public information meeting this morning, April 13, at 10 a.m. at the current town garage to discuss the project that will be proposed to Town Meeting on April 29.

The following is an Open Letter from the Permanent Building Committee regarding the new Town Garage that will be proposed at Town Meeting on April 29. It will also require an approved override vote on April 30.  A Public Information Meeting will be held TODAY, Saturday, April 13, at 10 a.m. at the DPW (55 North Meadows Road/Route 27).  To Patch Readers... The Town of Medfield Permanent Building Committee (MPBC) invites you to attend a Public Hearing regarding the proposed Public Works Facility for use by the Department of Public Works (DPW). The intent of this meeting is to furnish residents with information that will be helpful when this matter comes to a vote during the April 29th Town Meeting and at the April 30th debt exclusion vote. …

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Do We Really Need a New Town Garage?

Voters will be asked to approve a new town garage at Town Meeting and a special election later this month.

  On April 29, Medfield Town Meeting will be asked to approve a plan for a new Public Works Facility. The following day, the town will be asked to approve an override of approximately $11 million to fund the project. This week -- on Saturday, April 13, from to 10 a.m. to noon -- the Permanent Building Committee will hold another public information session at the current town garage, 55 North Meadows Road, to show the public the extreme conditions of the current building. The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the project as taken from the website of the Permanent Building Committee at www.medfieldpbc.org.  1.  Can’t we just salvage the existing DPW building via additions and repairs? What sort of compromises in …

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Permanent Building Committee to Discuss Two Projects on Town Warrant

Public information sessions will be held this month in preparation for Town Meeting.

The following is a letter to the public from Thomas Erb, Chairman of the Medfield Permanent Building Committee, regarding the proposed new Public Works Facility to be voted at Town Meeting.  The Medfield Permanent Building Committee (PBC) recommends two articles on the warrant concerning our public buildings for approval at the April 29, 2013 Medfield Town Meeting. One article is to authorize the financing of the Town’s Public Works Facility -  the other is for the initial plans for the Public Safety Building (Fire and Police). Now is the time to proceed with these two warrant articles. The cost of construction and financing is at a historic low and debt from prior town construction projects is declining. The town has a series of future …

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Snowstorm: Accidents, Trees and Wires Down, 9 year old Stuck on Hospital Hill

Here's a glance at the Medfield safety log for Friday, March 8, the day of the latest storm.

  Friday, March 8 (snowstorm) 7:13 a.m., Preservation Way. Vehicle (1999 red Toyota) abandoned on Spring Street that was able to be moved onto Preservation Way. Was ticketed and towed. 7:22 a.m., Pine Street and Flint Locke. Caller reported a tree down. Fire Department moved tree to side of road.  8:20 a.m., Upham Road and Main Street. E911 caller said she was stuck in the snow at Upham Road and Main Street. At 8:22 a.m., she was on her way. 9:22 a.m., Granite Street. E911 caller said he was just in a car accident; minor damage, no injuries. Vehicles were a 2003 Honda Civic and a 2003 GMC pickup.  10:17 a.m., Main Street. Several callers reported a tree branch is in the power lines near 310 Main Street and it is smoking. NSTAR notified and…

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Week In Review

Week in Review: Lord's Closes, Starbucks Hearing, New Town Garage Proposed, Students Rank 14th Healthiest in State

Here's a glance at last week's headlines.

  This week was filled with good news, bad news, and everything in between (including a little music, too).   Here's a synopsis of all those headlines. Enjoy! Lord's: Down to the Wire Blake Students Take on Teachers for Volleyball Title Beth Eby Named Volunteer of the Year Daughter with Knife, Deer on South Street, Dead Animal Starbucks Public Hearing Opens Medfield Girls Softball Wins Over Oliver Ames Selectmen Live: Special Election to be Held for Town Garage Debt Exclusion Arrest for Breaking and Entering, Facebook Post Raises Concern, Barking Dog Schilling's Bloody Sock Auctioned for $92k Katrina Simon Named Youth Volunteer of the Year New Town Garage Could Cost $11 Million Seven Medfield Students Chosen for District Concert Lord's: …

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New Town Garage Could Cost $11 Million

The Permanent Building Committee outlined to the Board of Selectmen and the Warrant Committee the latest proposal for a new town garage.

  The Permanent Building Committee made a presentation Tuesday night to the Board of Selectmen and Warrant Committee on the proposed new town garage. The cost of the project, which was proposed two years ago and denied by voters, is expected to cost approximately $11 million, and would likely have an average impact of 25 cents per $1,000 valuation over the course of the 20-year debt.  The plan is going out to bid next week so the PBC will have firmer numbers when they hold an additional public forum closer to town meeting.  Approval of the project would require passage at town meeting on April 29 as well as in the voting booth at a special town election the following day, April 30.  Members of the PBC explained that the Department of …

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What Grade Would You Give Medfield for Plowing the Streets?

Medfield residents, how well did the town handle the snowstorm?

Is your street clear? Are you still buried? Is your mailbox still standing? On Friday and Saturday, Medfield experienced a snowstorm it will not soon forget. As the piles of snow remain, we want to know how you grade the town's response (or state's) to the Blizzard of 2013. What grade would you give the town, an A? B? C? F? What do you say? Tell us in the Comments section. Please mention if you live on a main street or a side street. 

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UPDATED: Some Water Service Restored, Water Discolored, Flush Lines

Water problems on the south side of town.

UPDATED 4:30 p.m. A reverse 911 was issued this afternoon when it became evident that the water break on High Street was causing discoloration issues throughout the entire town. Town officials have asked residents, if they have discolored water, to slowly turn on the cold water tap until it runs clear. They have also suggested that residents refrain from clothes laundering for 24 hours until the discoloration issue has been resolved.  UPDATED 2:18 p.m.  A Patch reader says that Plain Street was also affected, advising that water was restored about 2 p.m. but is very dirty so residents need to flush lines. UPDATED 11:45 a.m. via Twitter DPW crews are restoring service to the South side. You may continue to experience interruption during the…

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