Weekly News Update – 06/21/2020
Covid-19 Updates & Precautions • Community COVID-19 Testing • Town Election 2020 • Town of Hopkinton Authorized to Commence Work on Main Street Corridor Project • Seaboard Solar continues to adjust plans for array • Select Board meeting roundup: Legacy Farms HCA amendment passes • Public Notice: Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project • Public Notice: Water and Sewer • Vacancies and Volunteer Opportunities
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 6/16/20, Hopkinton’s Health Department is reporting 120 total confirmed COVID-19 cases; 1 of those cases are active, with 106 recoveries and 13 deaths. You can see historical tracking and updates on Hopkinton’s Community Impact Dashboard
The most recent update from June 17th includes:
- Annual Town Meeting
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 weekly Public Health Report
The update from June 15th includes:
- Library Summer Reading Program
- Venturing Out? Be Prepared and Stay Safe – CDC Info Updated June 12
- Hopkinton Public Schools
Community COVID-19 Testing
The Hopkinton Health Department has partnered with AFC Urgent Care in Marlborough to bring COVID-19 testing to the town of Hopkinton. Residents and any employee that works in the town of Hopkinton may be tested if they meet testing criteria.
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!
REMEMBER: Time is running out as the election is getting close. Mail your ballots as soon as possible. You may also bring your ballots to the Town Hall drop-box or to the polls on election day. Your ballot MUST reach the hands of the Town Clerk before polls close on June 29th.
- 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
Town of Hopkinton Authorized to Commence Work on Main Street Corridor Project
The Non-Participating Agreement and Notice to Proceed was approved on June 8, 2020.
“We are pleased that the Main Street Corridor Project continues to move forward and that another milestone that will allow MassDOT to advertise the project has been reached,” said Town Manager Norman Khumalo.
This agreement between MassDOT and the town is mostly for the underground infrastructure work within the undergrounding project limits from the Fire Station to Ash Street. It also includes public outreach by the MassDOT contractor, ornamental street lighting in the undergrounding limits of the project and other ancillary project costs during construction not covered by the State Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
Seaboard Solar continues to adjust plans for array
Seaboard Solar is moving forward with a plan to build a 28-acre solar array in the woods off 71 Frankland Road, although some abutters are holding out hope they can stop the project.
The project has been reduced one megawatt and now is a 4-megawatt alternative current ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array and one 3,510-kilowatt alternative current/9,000 kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery energy storage system.
The reduction came about because Seaboard Solar agreed to maintain most of the existing trails through the forest, which connects to the Deer Run trail system, managed by the Hopkinton Area Land Trust (HALT). The company also increased the area of disturbance between the panels and nearby residences.
Seaboard Solar is donating about 40 acres of undeveloped open space to the town to be managed by HALT. That land includes trails and a small lake.
Select Board meeting roundup: Legacy Farms HCA amendment passes
During its Zoom meeting Tuesday night, the Hopkinton Select Board approved a renegotiated host community agreement with Legacy Farms developer Roy MacDowell, which will provide an immediate boost to the School Department’s stabilization fund.
Town Manager Norman Khumalo said there were three key reasons why it made sense for the town to renegotiate.
“Number one, the school enrollment impacts were upon us,” Khumalo said. “They became an immediate and present need that we needed to address. So having this conversation with the developer in terms of agreeing on the schedule that could support our budget processes was the right thing to do.”
Public Notice: Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project
Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project personnel will be in your community to respond to residents’ concerns about mosquitoes in their area on the following dates in June/July:
June 30, July 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
Public Notice: Water and Sewer
Water Use
With temperatures rapidly rising, groundwater levels rapidly declining and no rain in sight, water demands have skyrocketed. We are pumping at full capacity to try and maintain water use during one of the driest stretches for this time of year ever recorded since records started being kept in the 1800’s. We are nearing levels that will require us to start cutting pump production. It is imperative that everything follow the water use restrictions and only use water out doors when absolutely necessary. Lawn watering is only allowed twice per week by precinct and not at all on Saturday, Sunday and Mondays. It is extremely important that everyone complies to ensure adequate supplies for fire fighting and daily essential needs.
Vacancies and Volunteer Opportunities
The following Town boards & committees will have one or more vacancies on June 30, 2020 or sooner. Please see the Town website at www.hopkintonma.gov for information about the duties of specific boards and committees. Interested residents must apply via the online volunteer form at http://hopkintonma.gov/hug
Please note that all current board and committee members interested in reappointment MUST apply online via the link above. Appointments would be made at an upcoming meeting of the relevant appointing authority.
Select Board Actions Taken 06/16/2020
Meeting Materials:
Full Video
6:05 PM LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
1. The Select Board will hear legislative updates from Senate President Karen Spilka and Representative Carolyn Dykema.
View Video ~30 minutes
6:35 PM COVID-19 UPDATE
3. The Select Board will receive an update from the Board of Health on the Town’s response to COVID-19.
View Video ~12 minutes
6:50 PM CONSENT AGENDA
4. i. MINUTES – The Select Board will consider approving the Minutes of the 6/2/2020 and 6/11/2020 meetings.
ii.CONSERVATION RESTRICTION, 4 VALENTINE CIRCLE – restriction on 4.9 acres owned by Donald & Meghan Lussier to the Hopkinton Area Land Trust.
iii. ACCEPT GIFT – $250.00 to the Public Library from the SCORE Worcester Chapter
The Select Board approved the Consent Agenda. (5-0)
View Video ~2 minutes
7:05 PM TEMPORARY OUTDOOR DINING PERMIT APPLICATION
6. The Select Board will consider approving applications for temporary outdoor dining where alcoholic beverages will be served and alteration of premises is proposed.
The Select Board approved a Temporary Outdoor Dining permit application for Hopkinton Spoon. (5-0)
View Video ~3 minutes
7:10 PM LEGACY FARMS HOST COMMUNITY AGREEMENT AMENDMENT #7
7. The Select Board will consider approving Amendment #7 to the Legacy Farms Host Community Agreement.
- The Select Board approved Amendment #7 to the Legacy Farms Host Community Agreement. (5-0)
- The Select Board adopted a statement relative to Legacy Farms, infrastructure improvements, and the Master Plan Special Permit. (5-0)
View Video ~22 minutes
7:20 PM GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND APPROVAL
8. The Select Board will consider approving general obligation bond financing to support $9,500,000.00 in projects approved at the 12/9/2019 Special Town Meeting.
The Select Board approved the sale of the $8,915,000 General Obligation Municipal Purpose Loan of 2020 Bonds to FHN Financial Capital Markets at the price of $9,581,671.59, with terms and conditions.(5-0)
View Video ~14 minutes
7:30 PM WATER AND SEWER RATES
9. The Select Board will consider setting Water and Sewer Rates for FY21.
- The Select Board set water rates for FY21 with an increase of 3% effective 7/1/20. (5-0)
- The Select Board set sewer rates for FY21 with an increase of 2.5% effective 7/1/20. (5-0)
- The Select Board implemented a $200 per year sewer bill discount for residential customers receiving certain property tax exemptions for FY21, effective 7/1/20. (5-0)
View Video ~20 minutes
8:00 PM FY 2020 AND FY 2021 BUDGET UPDATES, ANNUAL TOWN MEETING DATE
10. The Select Board will consider FY 2020 and 2021 budget updates, including approving the 1/12 budgets for July, August and September 2020 for submission to the Mass. Department of Revenue. The Select Board will consider setting the date for the Annual Town Meeting in September, 2020.
The Select Board authorized monthly expenditures for July 2020 in the following amounts: (5-0)
- Municipal Expenditures (non-School) 8,283,956
- School Expenditures 1,267,005
- Enterprise Funds 1,861,889
The Select Board authorized monthly expenditures for August 2020 in the following amounts: (5-0)
- Municipal Expenditures (non-School) 1,913,807
- School Expenditures 1,560,910
- Enterprise Funds 388,216
The Select Board authorized monthly expenditures for September 2020 in the following amounts: (5-0)
- Municipal Expenditures (non-School) 3,410,260
- School Expenditures 4,422,830
- Enterprise Funds 334,146
The Select Board set the date of the Annual Town Meeting, to be held on September 21, 2020. (5-0)
View Video ~15 minutes
8:10 PM TOWN MANAGER REPORT
11.
a. Lift Hiring Freeze to allow hiring of the Town Accountant position, Dispatchers.
b. Main Street Corridor Project Update.
Supporting Exhibits: Town Manager Report
The Select Board allowed the Town to fill the Senior Accounting Manager position and positions in the Communications/Dispatchers job group. (5-0)
View Video ~8 minutes