Covid-19 Updates and Vaccine Information • Hopkinton Covid-19 Vaccine Information • HPS Covid Case Tracking • Health director: Town in midst of COVID surge, with positivity rate over state average, youngsters hit hardest • School Committee approves agreement with teachers union on full-time reopening • Main Street Corridor Project – Construction Advisory and Updates • Parks & Rec seeks to clarify jurisdictional issues regarding Marshall Ave. construction staging • Watch Now: Town Clerk, Connor Degan talks 2021 Annual Town Meeting • Annual Town Election 2021 Candidates and Ballot Questions • Special Town Meeting within May 8 Annual Town Meeting ANNOUNCED • Town Hall Q&A: Principal assessor John Neas • Watch Now: School Superintendent, Dr. Carol Cavanaugh on April 5th Hangout Hour! • Mass DOT April 2021 Project Update Upcoming Daytime Work on Local Roads and Overnight Lane Closures on I-90 • Conservation Commission considers revisions to Chamberlain/Whelan lots • Select Board to accept requests for Boston Marathon bibs • Petition Calls For Changing Boston Marathon Date From Indigenous Peoples Day • Select Board Actions Taken – 04/06/2021

Covid-19 Updates & Precautions

As of 04/08/21, Hopkinton’s Health Department is reporting 932 total confirmed COVID-19 cases; 39 of those cases are active, with 876 recoveries and 17 deaths. You can see historical tracking and updates on Hopkinton’s Community Impact Dashboard which is updated frequently.

This week’s new Covid Updates include:

• Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 weekly Public Health Report
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health Weekly COVID-19 Vaccination Report
• Hopkinton Library Curbside Pickup Process Changing
• Hopkinton High School Traffic Patterns Changing – Reminder

Related News and Resources: 

Hopkinton Covid-19 Vaccine Information

HPS Covid Case Tracking

HPS has created a new COVID case tracking dashboard by school, updated regularly- HPS COVID-19 Dashboard

Health director: Town in midst of COVID surge, with positivity rate over state average, youngsters hit hardest

Hopkinton health director Shaun McAuliffe, during his update to the Select Board on Tuesday, delivered some good news and bad news, noting a high number of residents have been vaccinated for COVID-19 but cautioning that the town is in the midst of a surge that has its positivity rate above the state average.

School Committee approves agreement with teachers union on full-time reopening

School Committee members on Thursday unanimously supported a memorandum of agreement with the Hopkinton Teachers Association that agrees on conditions to reopen the schools on a full-time basis.

Main Street Corridor Project – Construction Advisory and Updates

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RELATED NEWS AND RESOURCES:

eHop’s coverage of Main Street Project

Parks & Rec seeks to clarify jurisdictional issues regarding Marshall Ave. construction staging

The Parks & Recreation Commission at its meeting this past Wednesday discussed the jurisdictional issue that arose between the department and the town over the storage of Main Street Corridor Project construction materials at the Carrigan Field parking lot on Marshall Avenue

Watch Now: Town Clerk, Connor Degan talks 2021 Annual Town Meeting

Hopkinton Town Clerk, Connor Degan filled us in on the upcoming Hopkinton Town Meeting which will take place outside on the Hopkinton Middle School Fields on Saturday, May 8th.

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Special Town Meeting within May 8 Annual Town Meeting ANNOUNCED

The Hopkinton Select Board has called a Special Town Meeting to be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021. The Warrant will close on April 23, 2021. The Select Board has called the Special Town Meeting for the purpose of reauthorization of the Means-Tested Senior Citizen Tax Exemption Program.

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TOWN ELECTION 2021 CANDIDATES & BALLOT QUESTIONS

This year there is one contested race, School Committee, and four ballot questions. eHop will publish more information as it becomes available. All candidates are encouraged to email eHop a candidate statement and headshot, which we will publish closer to the election date, please send to webmaster@ehop.org

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Town Hall Q&A: Principal assessor John Neas

John Neas became Hopkinton’s principal assessor in 2015, after serving in a similar role in Norfolk. A native of Framingham and an alumnus of Boston College, Neas resides in Franklin, where he previously served on the Board of Assessors.

Neas is president of the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers (MAAO) and has taught courses for the MAAO as well as UMass.

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Watch Now: School Superintendent, Dr. Carol Cavanaugh on April 5th Hangout Hour!

The Monday, April 5th Hopkinton Hangout Hour was live at 2pm with School Superintendent, Dr. Carol Cavanaugh and Director of Student Services, Karen Zaleski to talk about happenings throughout Hopkinton Schools. View the program below!

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Mass DOT April 2021 Project Update Upcoming Daytime Work on Local Roads and Overnight Lane Closures on I-90

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has announced upcoming daytime work on local roads and overnight lane closures on I-90 that will take place in April 2021.

The contractor and its subcontractors will be conducting the following work on local roads, primarily during the hours of 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Additional work hours may be employed occasionally on the local roads. Lane closures on local roads will be in place with alternating one-way traffic through work zones.

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Conservation Commission considers revisions to Chamberlain/Whelan lots

The Conservation Commission met for nearly 3 1/2 hours Tuesday to discuss a number of issues, the most prevalent being those concerning the property on the Chamberlain/Whelan project, which is being developed by home builder Toll Brothers.

Select Board to accept requests for Boston Marathon bibs

The Select Board will accept requests from organizations for 2021 Boston Marathon bibs, with a random selection planned to award the numbers. In order to qualify for the selection, an organization must fall into one of two categories:

1. Town departments, boards and committees that perform Boston Marathon functions who may distribute entries to organizations undertaking activities for the benefit of the Town of Hopkinton.
2. Organizations undertaking public service activities within the Town of Hopkinton.

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RELATED NEWS:

Petition Calls For Changing Boston Marathon Date From Indigenous Peoples Day

Native Americans in Massachusetts are calling on the organizers of the Boston Marathon to move the already rescheduled date for the storied race because it now conflicts with a day meant to commemorate the contributions of Indigenous people.

Select Board Actions Taken – 04/06/2021

6:45 PM PUBLIC HEARING – STARTLINE BREWING COMPANY, 151R HAYDEN ROWE – ALTERATION OF PREMISES, CHAPTER 19C(i)(n) FARMER – BREWERY SERIES POURING LICENSE

5. The Select Board will hold a public hearing on the application of Startline Brewing Co. to amend the alcohol license so as to allow for an increase in the area for permanent outdoor seating to accommodate 80 additional seats within the existing exterior walls of the building.

The Select Board approved the application for an alteration of premises to increase the area for permanent outdoor seating for Startline Brewing, as proposed. (5-0)

7:00 PM CONSENT AGENDA

6. i. MINUTES – The Select Board will consider approving the Minutes of the March 16, 2021 and March 23, 2021 meetings.

ii. GIFT – The Select Board will consider accepting a $100 gift to the Fire Department from Tom and Marie Hegarty, 6 Lucia Dr., Milford, MA, as thank you for the courteous manner exhibited at the recent Town vaccine clinics, and the hard work, dedication and sacrifices made.

The Select Board approved the Consent Agenda. (5-0)

7:15 PM BOARD/COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS

8. The Select Board will consider making the following board/committee appointments:

i. Gale Levine to the Council on Aging, term expiring 6/30/2021;

ii. Jack Nealon to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, term expiring 6/30/2022;

iii. Xue (Kathy) Yang to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2023.

• The Select Board appointed Gale Levine to the Council on Aging, to a term expiring 6/30/2021. (5-0)
• The Select Board appointed Jack Nealon to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, to a term expiring 6/30/2022. (5-0)
• The Select Board appointed Xue (Kathy) Yang to the Sustainable Green Committee, to a term expiring 6/30/2023. (5-0)

7:20 PM 2021 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT; SPECIAL TOWN MEETING

9. The Select Board will review the draft May 8, 2021 Annual Town Meeting Warrant, consider taking positions on certain warrant articles, discuss and finalize any ballot questions, and review draft motions.

• The Select Board approved 4 ballot questions for the Annual Town Election, for the following Annual Town Meeting Articles: #18 Marathon School Addition, #19 School HVAC Renewal and Digital Control Upgrade, #20 Hopkins & Middle School Roof Replacement, #21 Police Station Roof Replacement. (5-0)
• The Select Board voted to recommend approval of Annual Town Meeting articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 44 and 45. (5-0) *See below for article reference information.
• The Select Board called a Special Town Meeting for May 8, 2021, and voted to open the Special Town Meeting warrant on April 6, 2021 and to close the warrant on April 17, 2021. (5-0)

7:30 PM OPEN MEETING LAW COMPLAINT

10. The Select Board will discuss an Open Meeting Law complaint concerning the March 2, 2021 Select Board meeting and Main Street Corridor Project.

The Select Board found that there has not been a violation of the Open Meeting Law and therefore, no remedial action is required; and to authorize the Town Manager and Town Counsel to formally notify the complainant and the Attorney General of this determination. (5-0)

7:35 PM TOWN MANAGER REPORT

11. i. Main Street Corridor Project Update

ii. Hiring Freeze Exception- Assistant Senior Services Director and Outreach Coordinator: The Select Board will consider the Town Manager’s recommendation to grant a hiring freeze exception to fill the Assistant Senior Services Director and Outreach Coordinator positions.

iii. 2021 Boston Marathon Invitational Waiver Process and Policy: The Select Board will review and set the 2021 Boston Marathon Invitational process.

• The Select Board granted a hiring freeze exception to allow the hiring of an Assistant Senior Services Director and an Outreach Coordinator. (5-0)
• The Select Board approved the 2021 Boston Marathon Invitational Waiver process. (5-0)

MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING:

• Agenda and Meeting Packet
• YouTube Video – 2 hours 25 minutes

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