Weekly News Roundup – 08/02/2020

Covid-19 Updates & Precautions • Families must inform Hopkinton schools by Aug. 3 if/how their children will return • Superintendent shares school reopening details with anxious families • Senate President Spilka Announces Local Aid and Chapter 70 Funding Commitment for Fiscal Year 2021 • Water Ban • Roadwork Notice • Conservation Commission OK’s Leonard Street development • Planning Board approves Frankland Road solar special permit

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 7/31/20, Hopkinton’s Health Department is reporting 135 total confirmed COVID-19 cases; 3 of those cases are active, with 120 recoveries and 12 deaths. You can see historical tracking and updates on Hopkinton’s Community Impact Dashboard

The most recent update from July 31st includes:

July 31st Update

• #MaskUpMA
• Hopkinton Senior Center – Reminder

The update from July 29th includes:

• Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 weekly Public Health Report
• Hopkinton Public Library
• Guidance for Travelers arriving in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• Hopkinton Public Schools – Reminder

RELATED NEWS: 

Hard-hit Mass. worries COVID-19 respite is fleeting

“Pay attention #Massachusetts — #COVID19 is on the rise. The numbers show it. The anecdotes show it,” said Dr. David Rosman, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, in a series of widely shared tweets Sunday.

Rosman, who is also the associate chair of radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a followup interview Wednesday that the recent uptick should be a clarion call to redouble virus prevention efforts in Massachusetts. The state already has the third-highest number of deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S., at more than 8,300.

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Superintendent shares school reopening details with anxious families

Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh shared further details of the two possible options for school reopening Thursday night during a presentation and public hearing hosted by the Hopkinton School Committee.

The district is offering two choices: a hybrid model in which students attend class in-person and work from home on alternating days, and a fully remote option, in which students receive instruction and work entirely from home.

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Senate President Spilka Announces Local Aid and Chapter 70 Funding Commitment for Fiscal Year 2021

Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland) announced today that the Senate, House and Administration agreed to an unrestricted local aid and chapter 70 funding commitment that provides a baseline amount for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21). This commitment will provide certainty and critical support for municipalities and school districts as they finalize their budgets.

This increase comes in addition to approximately $450M in new federal supports for K-12 schools to assist with educating students during the pandemic.

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Water Ban

Water levels at the Hopkinton reservoir and ground water levels at our town wells have reached action trigger levels.  Due to these low levels, we are cutting back on our pumping capacity and we lost the use of two wells at the Ashland treatment plant. We are now at nearly a 5” rain deficit for the year. We are required to revise the water use restriction to prohibit All Outdoor Use except watering of flowers, gardens and shrubs by handheld means or by drip irrigation before 9AM and after 5PM and that which is necessary for the following: for Health or Safety reasons; for the production of food and fiber; for the maintenance of livestock; or to meet core functions of a business.

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RELATED NEWS: 

Hopkinton bans outdoor water use, with limited exceptions

Roadwork Notice

Roadwork is scheduled to begin on Palomino Dr, Clydesdale Rd & Claflin St Thursday July 30. Work hours will be approximately 7a-5p.

Additionally work continues on Wedgewood Dr and the contractor will begin placing the binder course of Asphalt on Thursday July 30 & Friday July 31. A detour will be in place during paving operations. The detour will consist of using Greenwood Rd to Overlook Dr to Cedar St Ext.

Please expect delays and seek alternate routes when possible.

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Conservation Commission OK’s Leonard Street development

The Conservation Commission, at its Tuesday night meeting, approved under the town bylaws a proposal from developer Lou Petrozzi, president of Wall Street Development Corp., to construct three single-family homes off Leonard Street.

When introduced in 2018 the project was bigger, but the developer scaled it down and also focused on improving the water management plan.

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Planning Board approves Frankland Road solar special permit

Abutter Bob Ionta expressed his concerns about water contamination and battery storage, but Planning Board chair Gary Trendel pointed out those items had already been addressed.

Principal planner John Gelcich reminded the board that members should make their decision based on whether the project is detrimental to the neighborhood. He defined detrimental as being harmful to the health or welfare of citizens. The board was overwhelmingly in favor of approving the permit.

Member Muriel Kramer said she was appreciative of the fact that Seaboard had put a conservation restriction in place by donating about 40 acres of undeveloped open space that includes trails and a small lake. She also was impressed by the level of effort Seaboard has given with the screening and the work it had done to protect the cultural and historic significance of the site.

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RELATED NEWS:

Town counsel raises concerns with Planning Board’s solar overlay map

Charlesview residents upset about solar owner’s plan to clear more trees

Select Board Actions Taken – 07/21/2020

CONSENT AGENDA
The Select Board approved the Consent Agenda, with a revision to the 7/2/2020 Minutes. (5-0)

ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS

The Select Board appointed the following: (5-0)

• Ted Barker-Hook to the Conservation Commission, term expiring 6/30/2023
• Michelle Heeney to the Cultural Council, term expiring 7/21/2023
• Michelle Murdock to the HCAM Board of Directors, term expiring 6/30/2023
• Robert Levenson, Robert McGuire and Dorothy Ferriter-Wallace to the Marathon Committee (at-large), terms expiring 6/30/2023
• Amy Groves, Christine Coffman, Renee Dean, Meena Kaushik, Paul Gallager and Peggy Barton to the Sustainable Green Committee, terms expiring 6/30/2023.
• Mike Whalen to the Veterans Celebration Committee, term expiring 6/30/2023
• Paul Larter to the Woodville Historic District Commission, term expiring 6/30/2023
• Andrea Krammes to the Youth Commission, term expiring 6/30/2023

The Select Board appointed the following:

• The Select Board appointed John Coutinho to the Board of Appeals (full member), term expiring 6/30/2025) (3-2)
• The Select Board appointed Jerry Tuite to the Board of Appeals (associate member), term expiring 6/30/2025) (4-0-1)
• The Select Board appointed Amy Ritterbusch and Beth Watson to the Hopkinton Historic District Commission, terms expiring 6/30/2023. (4-0-1)
• The Select Board appointed Charles Dauchy and Margaret Wiggin to the Trail Coordination and Management Committee, terms expiring 6/30/2022. (5-0)
• The Select Board appointed Miyares & Harrington, LLP (J. Raymond Miyares) as Town Counsel, term expiring 6/30/2021. (5-0)
• The Select Board appointed Mirick O’Connell (Nicholas Anastasopoulos) as Labor Counsel, term expiring 6/30/2021. (5-0)

The Select Board confirmed the following Town Manager appointments, terms expiring 6/30/2021: (5-0)

Inspector of Animals – Elizabeth Jefferis
Animal Control Officer – William Proctor
Plumbing & Gas Inspector – Charles Dabritz
Assistant Plumbing & Gas Inspector – Peter Zereski
Assistant Plumbing & Gas Inspector – Dan Hunt
Wiring Inspector – James Melnick Jr.
Person to cut wire in case of fire – James Melnick Jr.
Assistant Wiring Inspector – Kevin Bouret
Mutual Aid Building Inspector – Michael Crisafulli
Sealer of Weights and Measures – Louis Sakin
Public Weigher – John Palmer
Public Weigher – Jaynne Adams
Public Weigher – Jessica Palmer
Public Weigher – Jaime Wright
Public Weigher – Chelsea Adams
Public Weigher – William Robinson
Public Weigher – Will Crofton

FY 21 GOALS, FIRE CHIEF

The Select Board set FY 21 goals for Stephen Slaman, Fire Chief. (5-0)

PUBLIC HEARING – UTILITY POLE RELOCATION – 42 WEST ELM ST

The Select Board approved the utility pole relocation as detailed on the petition and plan submitted. (5-0)

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION – OFFICE RELOCATION AND SANDY BEACH PARKING VIOLATIONS

The Select Board authorized a parking management program for Sandy Beach which may include the following components: (i) limit parking to residents only; (ii) issuance of parking stickers to town residents; (iii) installation of appropriate signage; and (iv) instituting a $150 penalty for violating the residents-only parking sticker rule; and to authorize the Town Manager to work with the Parks & Recreation Commission and Parks & Recreation Department to implement the program. (5-0)

MAIN STREET CORRIDOR PROJECT – UTILITY POLE RELOCATION

The Select Board waived its Regulations for Pole and Wire Location Petitions for the purposes of pole relocation for the Main Street Corridor Project. (5-0)

HOST COMMUNITY AGREEMENT – MARIJUANA TESTING LABORATORY, 100 SOUTH STREET – ATOZ LABORATORIES, INC.

The Select Board approved the Host Community Agreement with ATOZ Laboratories, Inc. for a marijuana testing facility at 100 South Street. (5-0)

FY 2020 AND FY 2021 BUDGET UPDATES, AND MODIFY ONE-TWELFTH FY 2021 BUDGET FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 2020

The Select Board authorized monthly expenditures for August, 2020 in the following amounts: (5-0)

Municipal Expenditures (non-School) $5,965,898
School Expenditures $1,874,959
Enterprise Funds $433,216
The Select Board authorized monthly expenditures for September, 2020 in the following amounts: (5-0)
Municipal Expenditures (non-School) $3,410,260
School Expenditures $4,648,503
Enterprise Funds $344,146

TOWN MANAGER REPORT

b. RFP East Main St. Lease to 26.2 Foundation

The Select Board approved of the award of the lease of an additional 9.6 acres of property located at 45 East Main Street to the 26.2 Foundation, subject to (1) the successful negotiation of a lease between the Town and the 26.2 Foundation, and (2) Town Meeting approval; and further to authorize the Town Manager to negotiate a lease with the 26.2 Foundation, which shall incorporate all 19 acres of property located at 45 East Main Street with the assistance of Town counsel. (4-0)

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RELATED NEWS ARTICLES:

• Read “Select Board roundup: Health Department director pushes residents to stay vigilant” on the Hopkinton Independent’s website.
• Read “Select Board discusses social justice/diversity issues” on the Hopkinton Independent’s website.