Weekly News Update – 03/22/2020

COVID-19 Updates & Precautions • Budget and financing plan for fiscal year 2021 (FY21) moved to Appropriation Committee • Local Meetings to be Held Remotely • Annual Town Meeting and Town Elections postponed due to Coronavirus • Water & Sewer PSA • Select Board Actions Taken – 03/17/2020 

COVID-19 Updates & Precautions

Town Officials and Emergency Management personnel continue to monitor the rapidly evolving COVID-19 public health emergency. As of 12:00 p.m. on 3/19/20, Hopkinton’s Health Department has the same 3 confirmed COVID-19 cases. We have 30 individuals under quarantine; 16 of those are without symptoms.

At this time, all town buildings are closed to the public. Parks, Playgrounds and Playing Fields ARE CLOSED.
Essential public safety services provided by the Department of Public Works, Hopkinton Police Department and Hopkinton Fire Department will continue.

March 20, 2020 Update

March 19, 2020 – Click here for details and updates from town departments and public services

March 18, 2020 Update

March 17, 2020 Update

Resource page:

Hopkinton Covid 19 Resource Page Hopkinton Board of Health, Public Safety, School Department, and Emergency Management departments continue to closely monitor and prepare for Covid 19

Resource page with links – hopkintonma.gov/covid-19

Budget and financing plan for fiscal year 2021 (FY21) moved to Appropriation Committee

As directed by vote of the Select Board, Norman Khumalo (Town Manager), submitted the attached budget and financing plan for fiscal year 2021 (FY21) beginning July 1, 2020 to the Appropriation Committee on March 13, 2020.
The School budgets have an % Chg. FY20-21 of 8.3% increase

FY21 Budget Transmittal from Town Manager to Appropriation Committee – View Document
Enclosures:
(1) Summary of Projected Sources and Uses of Funds, fiscal year 2021
(2) General Fund Five Year Financial Forecasting Model
(3) Projected Tax Impact, fiscal year 2021
(4) Line by Line Appropriation Summary, fiscal year 2021
(5) Capital Improvement Summary, fiscal year 2021

A portion of the budget gap was met via an anticipated local receivable of $431,000, part of the amount owed to the schools from the Legacy Farms Host Community Agreement, but not paid yet. View Video of Budget Vote & Joint Meeting Discussion between the Select Board and School Committee on March 12 ~1.5 hours

Local Board and Committee Meetings to be Held Remotely

Per an executive order by Governor Charlie Baker certain provisions of the open meeting law have been suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. The order relieves public bodies from the requirement in the open meeting law that meetings be conducted in a public place that is open and physically accessible to the public, provided that the public body makes provision to ensure public access to the deliberations of the public body through adequate, alternative means.

Gov. signs order suspending parts of open meeting law to enable local decision-making during COVID-19 emergency

As an example, in Hopkinton Tuesday’s Design Review Board meeting (3/24/20 at 7:00 PM) will be held via Google Meet. All board members, as well as members of the public will be able to participate remotely via phone or computer. See the agenda for the Google Meet link, call-in phone number and PIN.

Annual Town Meeting and Town Elections postponed due to Coronavirus

After an extensive discussion on March 17, 2020 during the Select Board Meeting, the Board voted to postpone the Annual Town Meeting to June 22nd due to the currently evolving public health crisis related to Covid-19. The Select Board voted to postpone the Town Elections to a date following that and is still to be determined. 

This change requires the Town Council to submit a said proposed special legislation to the office of the Governor for submission to the General Court on behalf of the Town for the Court’s consideration and passage of said proposed legislation.

View Video of Discussion ~33 minutes

Water & Sewer Department PSA

We are seeing a steep rise in the amount of clogs at our sewer pump stations. The predominate cause has been the increase of wipes and rags that should not be disposed of in the sewer system. Those items need to be disposed of properly in the trash. Please note there is no such thing as a “flushable wipes”. They do not breakdown and bind together to clog the pipes and pumps. We need your IMMEDIATE assistance and ask that you please refrain from flushing any foreign items. Not only does this cause costly repairs, but it could lead to back up of sewerage into your home. We thank you for your cooperation in this very important matter!

PSA 03/18/20

Select Board Actions Taken – March 17, 2020

6:35 PM COVID-19 UPDATE
4. The Select Board will receive an update from the Board of Health on the Town’s response to COVID-19.

View Video ~40 minutes

6:55 PM CONSENT AGENDA
5. i. The Select Board will consider approving the Minutes of the 3/10/20 meeting.
The Select Board approved the Minutes of the 3/10/20 meeting. (3-0)

ii. HOPKINTON LITTLE LEAGUE – SPECIAL TEMPORARY ALCOHOL LICENSE – ADULT ONLY FUNDRAISER
(Event date: Friday, May 15, 2020 from 7 to 11 p.m)

Supporting Exhibits: Application and supporting documents; Permitting Team Comments

View Agenda Packet – Pages 6-18
View Video ~3 minutes

The Select Board approved the Special Temporary Alcohol License application and the waiver for the Hopkinton Little League – Adult Only Fundraiser, pending the COVID-19 mandate for social gathering and other social distancing rules are lifted before the date of the event. (3-0)

iii. HOPKINTON LITTLE LEAGUE – OPENING DAY PARADE – PARADE PERMIT
(Event date: Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 11:30 a.m)

Permit Application was withdrawn

7:00 PM BOARD & COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
The Select Board will consider adjusting the terms previously voted for 6 Cultural Council members, as follows, so that each member will serve a full 3-year term to comply with statutory requirements:
Don Wolf – term 7/1/19 – 6/30/22 (extended from 6/30/21)
Andrea Wilk – term 7/1/19 – 6/30/22 (extended from 6/30/21)
Meena Kaushik – term 7/1/19 – 6/30/22 (extended from 6/30/21)
Amy Groves – term 1/29/19 – 1/29/22 (extended from 6/30/20)
Ilana Casady – term 1/29/19 – 1/29/22 (extended from 6/30/20)
Darlene Hayes – term 11/7/17 – 11/7/20 (extended from 6/30/20)

The Select Board appointed the above 6 members to the Cultural Council, to the terms stated above. (3-0)
View Video ~3 minutes

7:10 PM NOTICE OF INTENT TO SELL, CH. 61A – 7 SCHOOL STREET

Supporting Exhibits: Notice of Intent to Sell; Recommendations from Town boards/committees & officials; Memo from Conservation Commission

View Agenda Packet – Pages 25-41
View Video ~2.5 minutes

The Select Board voted in favor of the Town not exercising its right of first refusal to acquire the property. (3-0)

7:30 PM 2020 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING/WARRANT
9. The Select Board will review the draft 2020 Annual Town Meeting Warrant, including taking positions on warrant articles.
Supporting Exhibit: Draft Annual Town Meeting Warrant

View Agenda Packet – Pages 42-63

View Video ~33 minutes

• The Select Board voted to postpone the Annual Town Meeting to June 22nd due to the currently evolving public health crisis related to Covid-19. (3-0)
• The Select Board voted to postpone the Town Elections to a date later than June 22nd. (3-0)
  
• The Select Board voted to authorize the Town Manager and the Town Council to submit a said proposed special legislation to the office of the Governor for submission to the General Court on behalf of the Town and further to authorize the Town Manager and Town Council to work with the office of the Governor and any other elected or appointed officials with respect to that submission and in furtherance of the General Court’s consideration and passage of said proposed legislation. (3-0)

7:45 PM TOWN MANAGER REPORT

b. Request for Proposals for the Lease of Land for Construction and Operation of an Animal Shelter.

Supporting Exhibits: Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton Proposal; Response Evaluation by Staff

View Agenda Packet – Pages 64-140
View Video ~10 minutes

The Select Board voted to approve the award of the lease of the property located at 66 Fruit Street to the Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton, subject to the successful negotiation of a lease between the Town and the Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton and to authorize the Town Manager to negotiate the lease with the assistance of the Town Council. (3-0)

View All Details

MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING:

Full Agenda Packet

YouTube Video