July 10, 2021

Select Board Actions Taken 07/06/21

Select Board Actions Taken 07/06/21

Agenda Items & Actions Taken:

5:30 PM CALL TO ORDER

1. EXECUTIVE SESSION

i. Pursuant to M.G.L. c.30A, s.21(a) purpose 3, to discuss litigation strategy concerning Department of Public Utilities docket number 20-80 and 17-114, because discussing the same in an open session would have a detrimental effect on the Town’s litigation position.

ii. Pursuant to M.G.L. c.30, s.21(a) purpose 3, to discuss litigation strategy concerning [Parents Individually and on behalf of a Minor Child] v. Hopkinton Public Schools & others, Middlesex Superior Court docket number 2181CV01005, because discussing the same in an open session would have a detrimental effect on the Town’s litigation position.

iii. Pursuant to M.G.L. c.30A,  21(a) (purpose 3) to consider strategy with respect to collective bargaining relative to DPW, Police, Fire and Library Unions, and negotiations with non-union staff because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Board.

iv. To approve executive session Minutes (6/15/2021).

6:30 PM CALL TO ORDER – OPEN SESSION

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6:31 PM PUBLIC FORUM

3. Residents are invited to share ideas, opinions or ask questions regarding Town Government.

6:40 PM CONSENT AGENDA

4. i. MINUTES – The Select Board will consider approving the Minutes of the June 15, 2021 meeting.

ii. AMBULANCE FUND GIFTS – The Select Board will consider accepting the following Ambulance Fund gifts in memory of Lawrence Tedstone: a) $75.00 from Joseph & Anne Roberts; b) $100.00 from Mary and Bill Terry.

iii. LIBRARY GIFT ACCOUNT – The Select Board will consider accepting a $400 gift from the Hopkinton Public Library Foundation for the Library’s gift account.

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

● The Select Board accepted gifts to the Ambulance Fund in memory of Lawrence Tedstone: $75 from Joseph & Anne Roberts, and $100 from Mary and Bill Terry. (5-0)

6:45 PM PUBLIC HEARING – THE HOPKINTON SPOON, 1 LUMBER ST., SUITE 102 – ALTERATION

5. OF PREMISES, CHAPTER 138 SECTION 12 WINE & MALT LICENSE

The Select Board will hold a public hearing on the application of The Hopkinton Spoon to  amend the alcohol license so as to allow for an increase in the area for permanent outdoor seating to accommodate 24 additional seats in the outdoor patio located directly next to the restaurant.

The Select Board approved an amendment to the Section 12 Wine & Malt alcohol license for The Hopkinton Spoon to allow service at 24 outdoor seats in the patio location shown on the submitted plan, provided that the fencing surrounding the service area be extended to the back door. (5-0)

6:55 PM PUBLIC HEARING: ENTERTAINMENT LICENSE – WESTON NURSERIES

6. 93 EAST MAIN STREET; AND SPECIAL TEMPORARY ALCOHOL LICENSE

The Select Board will hold a Public Hearing for a single event Entertainment License, including Live Music/amplification system for application from Peter Mezitt, on behalf of Weston Nurseries, for its fourth annual “Blooms, Brews & BBQ Festival”, to be held on Saturday, September 18, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., outside in the coliseum area located behind Weston Nurseries, 93 East Main St. The Board will also consider a Special Temporary Alcohol License application for the said event, at which alcohol will be served by TIPS certified servers from four/five local microbreweries. In addition, the Board will consider a fee waiver for both license applications.

The Select Board approved a Special Temporary Alcohol License and a single event Entertainment License for the “Blooms, Brews & BBQ Festival” to be held on Saturday, September 18, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and to grant a waiver of application fees because it is a charity fundraiser event. (5-0)

7:00 PM PLANNING BOARD APPOINTMENT

7. The Select Board and the remaining members of the Planning Board will interview candidates Shahidul Mannan and Curtis Smithson, and consider voting to fill one Planning Board vacancy with a term to expire at the May 2022 Annual Town Election.

7:15 PM ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS

8. The Select Board will consider appointing Town Counsel, Labor Counsel, Traffic Constables, MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Advisory Board; and consider affirming the following Town Manager Appointments: Inspector of Animals, Animal Control Officer, Plumbing & Gas Inspector, Assistant Plumbing & Gas Inspectors, Wiring Inspector, Person to cut wire in case of fire, Assistant Wiring Inspector, Sealer of Weights and Measures, and Public Weighers.

The Select Board will consider appointing members of Boards and Committees: 1) Personnel Committee – Nelicia Bowen; 2) Council on Aging – Nancy Drawe; 3) Sustainable Green Committee – Kenneth Parker; 4) Upper Charles Trail Committee – Kenneth Parker; 5) Woodville Historic District Commission, Historical Commission nominee – Nancy Peters

The Select Board appointed the following, to the terms indicated: (5-0)

● Town Counsel – Miyares and Harrington, LLP, term 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2022

● Labor Counsel – Mirick O’Connell, term 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2022

● Select Board Chair’s Designee to the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Advisory Board – Mary Jo LaFreniere, term 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2022

● Traffic Constables, terms 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2024:
Patrick O’Brien
Kenneth Clark
Ryan Reilly
Brenda Stanley
Kiley Davis
Nicole Corsi
Michael Prescott
Kevin Riess
Farai Sithole
Robert Caron
Sara Jordan

The Select Board confirmed the following Town Manager appointments, to terms from 7/1/2021 to 6/30/2022: (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 – Kevin Bouret
Person to cut wire in case of fire – Kevin Bouret
Assistant Wiring Inspector – Jonathan Shepard
Sealer of Weights and Measures – Louis Sakin
Public Weigher – John Palmer
Public Weigher – Jaynne Adams
Public Weigher – Jaime Wright
Public Weigher – Chelsea Adams
Public Weigher – William Robinson
Public Weigher – Will Crofton

The Select Board appointed the following individuals to boards and committees, as follows: (5-0)

● Nancy Drawe to the Council on Aging, to a term expiring 6/30/2024

● Nelicia Bowen to the Personnel Committee, to a term expiring 6/30/2024

● Kenneth Parker to the Sustainable Green Committee, to a term expiring 6/30/2024

● Kenneth Parker to the Upper Charles Trail Committee, to a term expiring 6/30/2024

● Nancy Peters to the Woodville Historic District Commission, Historical Commission nominee, to a term expiring 6/30/2024

7:20 PM APPOINTMENTS – NEW EMPLOYEES

9. The Select Board will consider approving the following appointments:

● Jessica Migneault, Assistant Director, Senior Services

● Lucas Ferreira, Data & Application Support Specialist

● The Select Board confirmed the appointment of Jessica Migneault, Assistant Director, Senior Services (5-0)

● The Select Board confirmed the appointment of Lucas Ferreira, Data & Application Support Specialist (5-0)

7:25 PM COMMUNITY UPDATE

10. The Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce and Gateway Green Committee have been awarded the Community Greening Award for Best Traffic Island by the Tower Hill Botanic Garden. The award recognizes individuals who make their community more inviting through their planting and gardening efforts.

7:30 PM ANN KARNOFSKY REQUEST TO ADDRESS SELECT BOARD REGARDING SOLAR PROJECT

11. Resident Ann Karnofsky will address the Board regarding the solar project and her proposal that the Town acquire land off Frankland Road, which is permitted for a commercial solar project.

7:35 PM LOCAL INPUT REQUESTED: FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDING

12. The Select Board will consider potential local resource needs for federal Covid-19 pandemic recovery funding outside of those expected to be covered by the $5.4m in funding that Hopkinton will receive directly. Per Representative Dykema, Massachusetts will be receiving additional funding from the American Rescue Plan, including $5.2 billion in funds that will be allocated by the legislature in coordination with the Governor to meet pressing community needs. These local resource needs might include affordable housing, water infrastructure, transportation, downtown recovery, behavioral health, and culture/tourism.

7:45 PM FY21 BUDGET TRANSFERS

13. The Select Board will consider approving FY21 Year-End Transfer Requests.

The Select Board approved Fiscal Year 2021 budget transfer requests totalling $126,000 as follows: (5-0)

Transfer From Health Insurance $126,000.00
Total: $126,000

Transfer To Town Counsel $126,000.00
Total: $126,000

7:50 PM TOWN MANAGER AND POLICE CHIEF ANNUAL GOALS

14. The Select Board will consider reviewing and discussing FY 22 annual goals of the Police Chief and the Town Manager.

8:00 PM TOWN MANAGER REPORT

15. i. Main Street Corridor Project Update

ii. The Town Manager and Select Board will discuss lifting the hiring freeze that has been in place during the COVID 19 pandemic, or alternatively, exempting the hiring of Fire Chief, Library Director, Principal Assessor, Youth and Family Services Program Coordinator positions.

iii. The Town Manager will announce the release of Executive Session Minutes.

The Select Board removed the hiring freeze that it instituted during the Covid-19 pandemic. (5-0)

8:10 PM LIAISON REPORTS/BOARD INVITES

16. The Select Board will clarify that the Board member liaison to the Marathon Fund Committee is not a member of the Committee.

The Select Board rescinded its vote of June 15, 2021 appointing Muriel Kramer to the Marathon Fund Committee and confirmed that Muriel Kramer is the Board’s liaison to the Committee. (5-0)

8:15 PM FUTURE BOARD AGENDA ITEMS

17. Board members will identify future agenda items.

8:20 PM ADJOURN

Correspondence to Select Board

1. Board of Appeals Public Hearing Notices: 21 Hillcrest Dr., 71 Frankland Rd.

Materials for this Meeting:

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Filed Under: Select Board Update