The Garlick Press – Monday, May 10, 2021

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic hit Massachusetts hard. It illuminated strengths and I am proud of the work and spirit of the health departments/boards of Needham, Dover and Medfield but the pandemic exacerbated areas in local and regional public health we must strengthen.

I have sponsored legislation to accelerate improvements in local and regional public health. Today I testified with Rep Hannah Kane for successful passage of H.2329 to include funding and training for qualified staff; more access to public health nursing; consistent use of the MA Virtual Epidemiological Network (MAVEN) consistent enforcement of public health rule; complete and consistent data collection and reporting and addressing health inequities.

To learn more about SAPHE (Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community Act) 2.0. click here.

Yours in Service,

Denise

• In Needham, the Public Health Division will be holding a vaccine clinic on Wednesday, May 12 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Rosemary Recreation Complex. Individual who need a second dose of the Moderna vaccine are also eligible to register for an appointment. For more information, click here.
• In Needham, the Town is offering emergency rental assistance to those affected by income loss due to COVID-19. Qualified residents may receive assistance covering 50 percent of their rent for up to six months, if funds remain available. For more information, click here.
• In Dover, the Town is working to prepare for the impacts of climate change through participation in the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program. As part of this process, the Town is asking residents to complete a survey as part of the recommendations presented at a Public Listening Session. For more information, click here.
• In Medfield, the Annual Town Meeting will be held on Monday, May 17, 2021 at 5:00 PM with a rain date of Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 5:00 PM. The 2021 Annual Town Meeting Warrant has been mailed to all households and is available online. For more information, click here.

• In Needham,
  • the Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham is meeting on Tuesday, May 11 at 8:30 AM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes coalition accomplishments and a SALSA tribute. For the meeting information, click here.
  • the Select Board is meeting on Tuesday, May 11 at 6:00 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes a public hearing on the MBTA weekend Commuter Rail service. For the meeting information, click here.
• In Dover,
  • the Community Center Building Committee is holding a public forum on Wednesday, May 12 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. The committee will be sharing updates on important project developments and information to help residents vote at the Special Town meeting in June. For the meeting information, click here.
  • the Water Resource Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, May 12 at 9:00 AM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes a discussion regarding State-funded weather monitoring and a discussion of water conservation signage. For the meeting information, click here.
• In Medfield,
  • the Medfield Housing Authority Board will be meeting on Tuesday, May 11 at 6:30 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting includes the Executive Director’s Report and an update on COVID-19. For the meeting information, click here.
  • the Medfield Energy Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. The agenda for this meeting will be posted on the Town of Medfield website. For the meeting information, click here.

• Today, Massachusetts moved forward with reopening some outdoor Phase 4, Step 2 industries. Starting today, large venues will be permitted to increase capacity to 25% and amusement parks, theme parks, and outdoor water parks will be permitted to reopen at 50% capacity. Road races and other large, outdoor organized amateur events will be permitted to take place with staggering starts. For more information on reopening, click here.

• Massachusetts is currently in Phase 4, Step 2 of the Massachusetts reopening plan. To learn more, click here.
• If you have questions, input, or comments regarding the Reopening Massachusetts plan, you can submit comments online. These comments can be used by the Administration to support efforts to methodically reopen the economy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for the form.

• If you are in need of resources, information, or support, please visit my website for a list of resources. Additionally, our local boards of health, the Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control are continuing to maintain websites with the most updated information regarding COVID-19 that you can access here:

• Needham Health Department Updates
• Medfield Updates
• Dover Updates
• Department of Public Health: Click here or Call 2-1-1.
• Reopening Massachusetts
• COVID-19 Travel Order
• Centers for Disease Control