Weekly News Update – 06/14/2020

Covid-19 Updates & Precautions • Town Election 2020 • Select Board approves expanded outdoor seating for 5 local restaurants • DPW – Roadwork Notice • Town of Hopkinton Maintains AAA rating for issue of $9.5M in Bonds for School Construction • Guidance from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers glimpse at what Massachusetts schools will look like come fall • Second Black Lives Matter protest draws 400 to Town Common

Covid-19 Updates & Precautions

This page provides information, maps and resources about the coronavirus response in our local area.

Visit Hopkinton, MA – Coronavirus Response Hub

As of 6/820, Hopkinton’s Health Department is reporting 120 total confirmed COVID-19 cases; 5 of those cases are active, with 102 recoveries and 13 deaths. You can see historical tracking and updates on Hopkinton’s Community Impact Dashboard

The most recent update from June 10th includes:

• Annual Town Election rescheduled to be held on June 29, 2020 – Specimen Ballot now available
• Library Service Status Dashboard
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 weekly Public Health Report
• Hopkinton Covid-19 Testing Event
• Hopkinton Temporary Outdoor Dining Rules and Regulations: New Guidelines document added

The update from June 8th includes:

• Reopening Massachusetts
  On Saturday June 6th, Governor Baker announced that phase 2 of the four phased approach to reopening Massachusetts begins today (Monday 6/8). Phase 2 will consist of a Step One and Step Two.
• Parks / fields / playgrounds

Town Election 2020

June 29, 2020 – Polls are open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Hopkinton Middle School Brown Gym, 88 Hayden Rowe St

New Due to COVID-19 Guidelines – All voters are encouraged to stay safe and vote by absentee ballot this year!

• Hopkinton Specimen Ballot – Town Election 06-29-2020
• Full List of Candidates and Links to their Candidate Statements
• Watch the Select Board Debate – Monday, June 15 2020 at 7:00 PM
• Watch the School Committee Debate – Monday, June 15, 2020 at 8:00 PM

Information About the Candidates in Contested Races

Select Board, 3 Years, Vote for 1 – Contested Race

• John M. Coutinho, Candidate for Re-Election, Republican – Candidate Statement – Website – Facebook
• Amy B. Ritterbusch, Democrat – Candidate Statement  – Website – Facebook – Instagram

School Committee, 3 Years, Vote for 2 – Contested Race

• Lya A. Batlle-Rafferty, Democrat – Candidate Statement  – Website – Facebook
• Joe M. Markey, Democrat – Candidate Statement – Website – Facebook
• Dawn Ronan, Republican – Candidate Statement – Facebook

Select Board approves expanded outdoor seating for 5 local restaurants

At a special Select Board meeting on Thursday afternoon, the members unanimously approved plans by five local restaurants to expand outdoor seating in order to serve more customers while maintaining social distancing.

Town Manager Norman Khumalo said a town inspection committee visited the restaurants Wednesday to evaluate each establishment’s plans. The group included Fire Chief Steve Slaman, building inspector Chuck Kadlik, Health Department director Shaun McAuliffe, public health nurse Kasey Mauro and assistant town manager Elaine Lazarus.

View Article

DPW – Roadwork Notice

As we approach the start of our roadway resurfacing season I would like to thank the residents of Hopkinton for their continued support of our Pavement Management Program. We had a very successful 2019 season and plan to continue that in 2020 as funding allows. Each street that is on this year’s list has been inspected and evaluated to determine which treatment method is best based on its current condition. This will help ensure that we are maximizing the use of our roadwork funding.

View list of streets that are currently scheduled to be resurfaced this year

Town of Hopkinton Maintains AAA rating for issue of $9.5M in Bonds for School Construction

The Town of Hopkinton is pleased to announce that it has maintained its AAA credit rating for the recent issue of $9.5M in bonds to be used for school construction. The Triple A Bond rating represents the highest level of creditworthiness a municipality can achieve and allows the town to borrow money at the lowest commercial interest rates possible.

View Press Release

Guidance from Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers glimpse at what Massachusetts schools will look like come fall

The department is “operating with the best information we have as of early June about how to maintain the health and safety of our students and staff in any in-person school programs and limit the risk of COVID-19 transmission,” according to a memo from Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley.

One big difference will be class size. Under the initial guidance, group sizes would be restricted to a maximum of 10 students, with a maximum of 12 individuals, including students and staff, in each room.

View Article

Second Black Lives Matter protest draws 400 to Town Common

“Everyone was asking will we have another [protest], and I was asking that,” said Carly Grant, one of the organizers. “Then I thought, why don’t I just start it?”

When Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police — including one officer who kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes — public anger quickly spread, sparking a now-global Black Lives Matter protest movement.

After an informal vigil last Sunday drew 200 demonstrators to the Town Common, organizers worked to build on the momentum.

View Article

Related Article:
Protest on Hopkinton Town Common – 5/31/2020