Covid-19 Vaccine, Updates & Precautions • Hopkinton Public Schools Reopening Planning Updates • Health department, schools push forward on reopening plan following announcement from state • School Committee considers proposal for March 29 return to full-time in-person instruction • Commercial Solar By-Laws – The Whole Story • ZAC sends proposed tree-cutting bylaw to Planning Board • Stakeholder Concerns and Challenges Surrounding Solar By-laws in Hopkinton • Hopkinton Main Street Corridor Project Construction Advisory • Water main break: Teresa Rd • Select Board roundup: CFO requests additional funds so town can ‘stand up to Eversource’ • Select Board removes proposed firearm restriction amendment for this year but plans to revisit it • Select Board Actions Taken 02/23/2021

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 02/26/21, Hopkinton’s Health Department is reporting 739 total confirmed COVID-19 cases; 24 of those cases are active, with 698 recoveries and 17 deaths. You can see historical tracking and updates on Hopkinton’s Community Impact Dashboard

The most recent update from Feb 27th includes:

• Reopening Massachusetts – On Thursday (2/25/21), the Baker-Polito Administration announced that Massachusetts would advance to Step 2 of Phase III of the state’s reopening plan as of Monday, March 1, and also announced its plan to transition to Step 1 of Phase IV on Monday, March 22.
  For more information on the Commonwealth’s reopening plan: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/reopening-massachusetts
• Future Vaccine Distribution
• Hopkinton Public Schools

RELATED NEWS:

Hopkinton Public Schools Reopening Planning Updates

• Information from the Thursday, February 25 School Committee meeting:
  • Reopening Plan Team Members
  • Draft Reopening Plan Submitted by the Reopening Planning Team to the Hopkinton School Committee
  • Report of the Reopening Planning Team (Slides including Survey Results)
  • Watch the Meeting Video
  • News Article “School Committee considers proposal for March 29 return to full-time in-person instruction“
  • News Article “Hopkinton Teachers Association ‘rejects’ district’s timetable for return to full-time in-person learning“
• Thursday, March 4 School Committee Meeting and Public Forum on findings and recommendations for reopening. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM and will be televised live on HCAM: https://youtu.be/RcDZ2omPqTo. Agenda & meeting materials may be found on the School Committee website in advance of the meeting: https://www.hopkinton.k12.ma.us/about/school-committee. As always you may contact the School Committee via email at hpsschoolcommittee@hopkinton.k12.ma.us.
• The HPS 2021 Reopening Team Reports  – The HPS 2021 Reopening Team Reports (including survey results) presented at this week’s School Committee meeting are available on the Superintendent’s section of the district website.

Health department, schools push forward on reopening plan following announcement from state

Health director Shaun McAuliffe, during his update to the Select Board on Tuesday, said he is conferring with school officials regarding a reopening plan following an announcement from state officials earlier in the day pushing districts to return to full-time in-person learning.

Commercial Solar By-Laws – The Whole Story

Stakeholder Concerns and Challenges Surrounding Solar By-laws in Hopkinton

Select Board removes proposed firearm restriction amendment for this year but plans to revisit it

The Select Board voted unanimously Tuesday not to take action on the proposed amendment to the general bylaw that deals with the discharge of firearms, a proposal that was widely and loudly panned by local hunters.

While the board is passing on the proposal for this year, members expressed an interest in discussing it as a potential submission for 2022 Town Meeting, albeit likely with the verbiage substantially different.

View Article

Select Board Actions Taken 02/23/2021

AGENDA ITEMS & ACTIONS TAKEN:

6:35 PM CONSENT AGENDA

5. i. MINUTES – The Select Board will consider approving the Minutes of the February 2, 2021 and February 9, 2021 meetings.

ii. RESIGNATION – The Select Board will consider accepting the resignation of Marilyn Palmer from the Council on Aging .

iii. APPOINTMENT – The Select Board will consider reappointing Ed Harrow as the Con. Comm. representative to the Open Space Preservation Commission, term expiration 6/30/2025.

iv. APPOINTMENT – The Select Board will consider appointing Rebecka Lapierre as a Traffic Constable (term expiring 6/30/2023).

v. AMBULANCE GIFT – The Select Board will consider accepting a $100 gift to the Ambulance Fund from Mary Louise Moore in memory of Francis Pyne.

The Select Board approved Consent Agenda items i, iii, and iv. (5-0)

The Select Board approved Consent Agenda items ii and v. (5-0)

6. PUBLIC FORUM – PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO GENERAL BYLAWS

The Select Board will hold a Public Forum to hear public comment on proposed amendments to the General Bylaws, as follows:

1. Dog Licensing
2. Discharge of Firearms
3. Obstruction of Streets & Sidewalks
4. Street Opening Permits
5. Trench Safety Officer

• The Select Board voted to take no action on the Discharge of Firearms bylaw this year and not to include it on the 2021 Annual Town Meeting warrant. (5-0)
• The Select Board voted to recommend that the Dog Licensing bylaw amendment be adopted at the 2021 Annual Town Meeting. (5-0)
• The Select Board voted to recommend that the Obstruction of Streets & Sidewalks bylaw amendments be adopted at the 2021 Annual Town Meeting. (5-0)
• The Select Board voted to recommend that the Street Opening Permit bylaw be adopted at the 2021 Annual Town Meeting. (5-0)
• The Select Board voted to recommend that the Trench Safety Officer bylaw be adopted at the 2021 Annual Town Meeting. (5-0)

MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING:

• Agenda and Meeting Packet
  • Folder of Public Comments received regarding the “Discharge of Firearms” general bylaw proposal.
• YouTube Video – 1 hour 41 minutes