Weekly News Roundup – 05/02/2021

Weekly News Roundup – 05/02/2021

Covid-19 Updates and Vaccine Information • School Superintendent, Dr. Carol Cavanaugh talks Schools Reopening • HHS reports 12 new COVID cases in 3 days • 2021 Annual Town Meeting – New Details Added • Know Your Vote – Monday May 3rd at 7:00 PM (Virtual Event) • Have questions for us to address during KNOW YOUR VOTE? • HCAM Presents the 2021 School Committee Debate on Tuesday, May 4th at 7pm! • Town Election candidates share views at virtual forum Hosted by the Hopkinton Women’s Club • Elementary School Building Committee #2 • State gives Hopkinton Public Schools high marks • Public Notice: Water System Status • Conservation Commission roundup: Laborers Training Center plans expansion; Aiken Park bridge to be stabilized • Growth Study Committee presents ideas about managing town’s future to Planning Board • Video project seeks to welcome back marathoners with love • Upcoming Active Bystander trainings


Covid-19 Updates and Vaccine InfoRmation

As of 04/29/21, Hopkinton’s Health Department is reporting 1,032 total confirmed COVID-19 cases; 46 of those cases are active, with 970 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:

Related News and Resources: 

Hopkinton Covid-19 Vaccine Information

Regional Collaborative Expands Metrowest Vaccine Access

If you’ve ever stopped in for a drink at the DoubleTree Hilton Westborough, you may recognize the bar when you check in — this time for your COVID-19 vaccination. In the hotel’s restaurant, instead of dining, there are now 11 vaccination stations. Once vaccinated, people walk from the restaurant to a ballroom where they are observed for 15 minutes before they leave.

School Superintendent, Dr. Carol Cavanaugh talks Schools Reopening

Hopkinton School Superintendent, Dr. Carol Cavanaugh was recently featured on our Hangout hour program to talk about the full reopening of schools, here’s a look.

HHS reports 12 new COVID cases in 3 days

One day after reporting two new cases of COVID-19 in the Hopkinton High School community, HHS principal Evan Bishop emailed families to announce there were five more cases reported on Monday, the first day of school after April vacation and also the first day returning to full-time in-person learning at the high school.

 

Town Meeting and election 2021 updates

2021 Annual Town Meeting – New Details Added

Annual Town Meeting will be held on Saturday May 8th, 2021 at 9:00 AM.  Annual Town Meeting will be held outside, behind the Hopkinton Middle School, on the football field. There will be one large tent, able to accommodate 400 people with socially distanced seating. Families, or those residing in the same household, will not be exempt from the socially distanced seating arrangements – and so we ask for your cooperation in not moving or relocating chairs. Face coverings will be required at all times by everyone in attendance. Initial parking will be behind the water tanks with overflow in front of the High School. Check in will be located by the concession stand with access gained by walking down the access road off the back side of the parking lot. Handicap parking will be delineated with cones and located behind the water tanks with golf cart assistance available for those with mobility issues. There may be periods where voters will have to wait in areas not protected from any adverse weather, please be prepared with anything to protect them from the elements. Members of the Hopkinton Emergency Management Team, and Public Safety, will be on hand to usher and direct residents for parking and registration. Additional documentation can be found on Hopkinton’s ATM2021 webpage: https://www.hopkintonma.gov/eGovernment1/atm2021.php

Know Your Vote – Monday May 3rd at 7:00 PM (Virtual Event)

eHop will hold its 9th Annual Know Your Vote forum on Monday, May 3, 7-9 pm.  This will be a virtual event broadcast live on HCAM-TV and YouTube (https://youtu.be/TSpVpg2gzkw). This is a unique opportunity to get the answers you need from town officials before Town Meeting.  This year, Town Meeting will vote on an FY2022 budget with a projected net tax impact of 2.5% as well as many other issues including:

  • Marathon School addition
  • Center School Renovation Feasibility Study
  • Elmwood School Feasibility Study
  • Community Preservation Funds including a Housing Relief Program
  • Commercial Solar Overlay District
  • Police Station Roof
  • Skate Park
  • And more, read the full Town Meeting warrant for details…

View Article

RELATED RESOURCE:
View details about Town Meeting 2021
The Annual Town Meeting Warrant and Motions Document have been posted to the eHop website. If you have any questions, please email questions@ehop.org and we will try to get the answers for you at “Know Your Vote” on May 3

List of Town Articles with Links and Details
#Hopkinton
#HopATM21
#KnowYourVote

 

Have questions for us to address during KNOW YOUR VOTE?

Our Question Board Topics include: 

  • Marathon School Addition $3.6M
  • Capital Expenses such as Center School Study $60K, School Roofs $3M, Police Roof $250K and more…
  • Community Preservation Funds including Skate Park $350K, and more
  • Commercial Solar Overlay District (Zoning 2/3rds Vote Required)
  • Zoning By-Laws 2/3rds Vote Required
  • General By-Laws

Enter your questions and concerns below each of the town warrant topics in the Question Board below.

Send us your questions here on our Town Warrant Topics Question Board

You could also email us at: knowyourvote@ehop.org

 

HCAM Presents the 2021 School Committee Debate on Tuesday, May 4th at 7pm!

Watch Live on HCAM or YouTube: https://youtu.be/X9kCKIHBcJk
http://www.hcam.tv/news/hcam-presents-2021-school-committee-debate-tuesday-may-4th-7pm

 

Town Election candidates share views at virtual forum Hosted by the Hopkinton Women’s Club

Hopkinton voters got a chance to hear from the candidates running in the May 22 Town Election thanks to a virtual forum hosted by the Hopkinton Women’s Club on Wednesday night. This is the 33rd time the organization held the Meet the Candidates Night and the first time it was done virtually, in response to COVID-19. Last year’s event was canceled.

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Elementary School Building Committee #2

The Select Board is pleased to inform residents of an exciting new opportunity to become actively involved in Town government and the future of the Town’s schools. The Board recently approved the Elementary School Building Committee-2 composition and charge, and is currently seeking new volunteers to fill the necessary seats. Applications should be submitted by Monday, May 10, 2021.
The Elementary School Building Committee-2 is seeking the following volunteers:
1. One or more Members of the Community who have Architecture, Engineering and/or Construction experience;
2. One Member of the Community who has Communications, Public Relations, Marketing and/or Facilitator experience;
3. One Member of the Community with Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), school building, school administration, educational facility, or facility management experience; and
4. One At-Large resident.

View Notice

 

State gives Hopkinton Public Schools high marks

Hopkinton schools met or exceeded target goals at all educational levels, according to a report card recently released by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). That designation was the sixth of seven possible achievement levels for Massachusetts schools. Only one is higher: school of recognition.

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Public Notice: Water System Status

After an unusually high number of water breaks this winter and with a very busy construction season upon us, the Water Department has instituted a new system status, notice system. Green indicates there are no known issues. Yellow, indicates there is the potential for an issue as a result of a main break, hydrant flow test, and flushing or construction issues. Red indicates there is a definite known issue and we will try to give as much detail and identify the potentially affected areas as best as possible.

View Notice

 

Conservation Commission roundup: Laborers Training Center plans expansion; Aiken Park bridge to be stabilized

The Conservation Commission met for four hours on Tuesday night to consider a variety of projects, the highlights of which are included below.

View Article

 

Growth Study Committee presents ideas about managing town’s future to Planning Board

Growth Study Committee members Fin Perry and Chuck Joseph gave the presentation at the direction of the Planning Board. It is a comprehensive look at trends and strategies to proactively manage growth, including increasing housing density downtown and growing emerging industries along the 495 industrial corridor.

 View Article

 

Video project seeks to welcome back marathoners with love

For the second straight year, Patriots’ Day will pass without throngs of runners lining up at the start line in Hopkinton and beginning the iconic 26.2 mile trek to Copley Square.

But the Boston Marathon will return. If all goes well, it will be held this October. And when the world comes back to Hopkinton, the Hopkinton Freedom Team is hoping to welcome everyone with messages of love from the town’s diverse residents.

“We are the starting line the whole world comes to one day a year,” Perreault said. “We want to send that love and feel the unity and show our love of this day and the people who come here.”

View Article

 

Upcoming Active Bystander trainings

The Hopkinton Freedom Team and Hopkinton Youth & Family Services are very pleased to announce two upcoming Active Bystander trainings that the Hopkinton community are invited to participate in for free as a way to work toward our town commitment of moving beyond tolerance to promoting town unity and embracing our community’s diversity.  One pair of trainings is for high school and college-age youth only on May 25, 2021 and June 21, 2021 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. both days.  The second pair of trainings is for anyone over 21 years of age and will be held on May 18, 2021 and June 9, 2021 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. both days.  Please go to https://www.hopkintonfreedomteam.org/events for more information, to hear what others in Hopkinton have said about this important training, and to register for the training.  Pre-registration a week in advance is necessary.  If you have any questions, please send an email to info@hopkintonfreedomteam.org.

View Event Info and Registration