June 24, 2023

Select Board Actions Taken 06/20/23

Select Board Actions Taken 06/20/23

Agenda Items & Actions Taken:

6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER – OPEN SESSION

1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6:01 PM PUBLIC FORUM

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

6:10 PM WATER AND SEWER RATES SETTING: WATER AND SEWER RATES (ACTION)

3. The Select Board will consider (i) setting water and sewer rates for Fiscal Year 24. Staff recommends a 17.5% rate increase or $55.08 for Water user fees due to projected capital costs and a 5.0% rate reduction or $44.62 for Sewer user fees due to a projected substantial surplus in the Sewer Enterprise; and (ii) whether to offer a Water and Sewer Rate Discount for eligible residents.

Supporting Exhibit: Memo

The Select Board set water rates for fiscal year 2024 with an increase of 17.5% effective July 1, 2023, as follows: (4-0)
0-1,000 cubic feet $37.27 dollar minimum
1,001-8,000 cubic feet at $4.35 per 100 cubic feet
over 8,000 cubic feet at $9.44 per 100 cubic feet

The Select Board set sewer rates for fiscal year 2024 with a decrease of 5% effective July 1, 2023 as follows: (4-0)
0-1,000 cubic feet at $10.62 per 100 cubic feet
1,001-8,000 cubic feet at $12.60 per 100 cubic feet
Over 8,000 cubic feet at $15.58 per 100 cubic feet

The Select Board voted to implement a discount of up to $200 per year on Sewer Enterprise bills for residential sewer system users who receive property tax exemptions from the Hopkinton Board of Assessors under clauses 17, 22, 37, and 41 of section 5 in chapter 59 of the Massachusetts General Laws, for FY 2024, effective July 1, 2023; and for residents who receive the Hopkinton Means-Tested Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption tied to the Massachusetts Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. (4-0)

The Select Board voted to implement a discount of up to $200 per year on Water Enterprise bills for residential water system users who receive property tax exemptions from the Hopkinton Board of Assessors under clauses 17, 22, 37, and 41 of section 5 in chapter 59 of the Massachusetts General Laws, for FY 2024 effective July 1, 2023; and for residents who receive the Hopkinton Means-Tested Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption tied to the Massachusetts Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. (4-0)

6:40 PM CONSENT AGENDA

4. The Select Board will consider the following consent agenda:

a. REQUEST TO ABATE TAXES – The Select Board will consider recommending the abatement of outstanding real estate taxes for four properties acquired by the Town in 2007, 2009 and 2017, as follows: 0 Cedar St., 0 Greenwood Rd., 0 Mayhew St., 0 McDermott Ln. The Board of Assessors is authorized to abate the outstanding taxes with a written request of the Select Board. The total amount of the taxes to be abated is $3,089.97.

b. ACCEPT GIFTS- The Select Board will consider accepting a gift of-

● $4,800 from the Friends of Hopkinton Seniors, Inc. to the Hopkinton Senior Center. The gift is to be used to cover the cost of subsidizing the pre-pay lunch ticket program at the Senior Center for the period of February 2022 through April 2023.

● $600 from the Friends of the Hopkinton Seniors, Inc. to the Senior Center to cover the expenses related to hosting the Memory Cafe during 2023.

● $500 from Asian/Pacific American Librarians to our Young Adult librarian for an award to use for programming.

Supporting Exhibits: Memo from John Neas, Principal Assessor, with attachments

The Select Board approved the Consent Agenda. (4-0)

6:50 PM SPECIAL TEMPORARY ALCOHOL LICENSE APPLICATION – GREYHOUND FRIENDS –

5. 167 SADDLE HILL ROAD

The Select Board will consider approving a special temporary alcohol license for Greyhound Friends to celebrate their 40th anniversary at a dinner event on Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 167 Saddle Hill Rd.

Supporting Exhibits: Application & Permitting Team Comments

The Select Board approved a Special Temporary Alcohol License for Greyhound Friends, for the event
on June 24, 2023 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 167 Saddle Hill Rd. (4-0)

6:55 PM SPECIAL TEMPORARY ALCOHOL LICENSE APPLICATIONS – HOPKINTON CENTER FOR THE

6. ARTS – 98 HAYDEN ROWE

The Select Board will consider approving twelve special temporary alcohol licenses for the Hopkinton Center for the Arts for the following dates:

a. June 30, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

b. July 1, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

c. July 8, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

d. July 14, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

e. July 15, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

f. July 21, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

g. July 22, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

h. July 28, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

i. July 29, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

j. August 18, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

k. September 1, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

l. September 2, 2023 – Performance Event; Free Music Concert

All the events are scheduled to occur from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at 98 Hayden Rowe St.

Supporting Exhibits: Applications and supporting documents, Permitting Team comments

The Select Board approved Special Temporary Alcohol Licenses for the Hopkinton Center for the Arts,
for events on June 30, 2023, July 1, 2023, July 8, 2023, July 14, 2023, July 15, 2023, July 21, 2023, July
22, 2023, July 28, 2023, July 29, 2023, August 18, 2023, September 1, 2023, and September 2, 2023
from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 98 Hayden Rowe, and approved a waiver of the application fees. (4-0)

7:05 PM PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION APPOINTMENT/JOINT MEETING WITH PARKS &

7. RECREATION COMMISSION

The Select Board and the remaining members of the Parks and Recreation Commission will consider filling a vacancy on the Parks and Recreation Commission, with the term expiring at the 2024 annual town election. Applicants are: Liisa Jackson, Vikasith Pratty, and Seth Kenney.

Supporting Exhibits: Applications

The Select Board and the Parks and Recreation Commission appointed Seth Kenney to the Parks and
Recreation Commission, to a term expiring at the 2024 Annual Town Election. (8-0)

7:15 PM ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS – BOARDS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND OFFICIALS

8. The Select Board will consider annual appointments to various Town boards, committees, commissions, and the appointment of certain Town officials.

a. The Select Board will consider making the following appointments: Town Counsel, Labor Counsel, MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Advisory Board member; and consider affirming the following Town Manager appointments: Inspector of Animals, Animal Control Officer, Fence Viewer, 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.

b. The Select Board will consider appointing members of the following boards and committees: Capital Improvement Committee, Conservation Commission, Council on Aging, Hopkinton Historic District Commission, Marathon Committee, Permanent Building Committee, Personnel Committee, Sustainable Green Committee, Tax Relief Committee, Woodville Historic District Commission, Youth Commission.

Supporting Exhibits: FY 2024 Town Manager and Select Board Appointments; Applications here.

The Select Board appointed Miyares & Harrington LLP as Town Counsel and Mirick O’Connell as Labor Counsel from 7/1/2023 to 6/30/2024. (4-0)

The Select Board appointed Mary Jo LaFreniere as the Chair’s designee to the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Advisory Board for the next year. (4-0)

The Select Board confirmed the Town Manager’s one year appointment of the following officials: (4-0)

  • ● Inspector of Animals – Elizabeth Jefferis
  • ● Animal Control Officer – William Proctor
  • ● Fence Viewer – Ed Harrow
  • ● 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 – Colleen Roy
  • ● Public Weigher – Thomas J. McIntyre

The Select Board appointed the following board and committee members to the terms indicated: (4-0)

  • ● Daniel Eversole to the Capital Improvement Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Mohammed Haider to the Capital Improvement Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Kenna Sullivan to the Council on Aging, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Samuiel Docknevich to the Council on Aging, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Amy Ritterbusch (at-large) to the Hopkinton Historic District Commission, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Beth Watson (at-large) to the Hopkinton Historic District Commission, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Stacy Spies (Historical Society nominee) to the Hopkinton Historic District Commission, term expiring 6/30/2026.
  • ● Curtis Smithson to the Permanent Building Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Dan McIntyre to the Permanent Building Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Christine Lambert to the Personnel Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Paul Gallagher to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Christine Coffman to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Geoff Rowland to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Peggy Barton to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Donald Sutherland to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Amy Groves to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Deena Baker-nel to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Daniel Eversole to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Amit Tandon to the Sustainable Green Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Lucia Lopez to the Tax Relief Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Susan Kurys to the Tax Relief Committee, term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Sharon O’Reilly (Realtor) to the Woodville Historic District Commission, terms expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Paul Larter (Resident of District) to the Woodville Historic District Commission, terms expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Taina C. Liu to the Youth Commission, term expiring 6/30/2026.

The Select Board appointed Christopher Alicandro as an at-large member of the Community
Preservation Committee, to a term expiring 6/30/2026. (4-0)

The Select Board appointed Carl T. Barker-Hook to the Conservation Commission, to a term expiring
6/30/2026. (4-0)

The Select Board appointed Dorothy Ferriter-Wallace, Bob Levenson and Robert Mcguire to the
Marathon Committee, to terms expiring 6/30/2026. (4-0)

The Select Board appointed the following Town department liaisons to the Marathon Committee, to terms expiring 6/30/2024: Joseph Bennett (Police Department); Gary Daugherty (Fire Department); Tim Persson (School Department); Mike Mansir (Department of Public Works). (4-0)

7:30 PM PUBLIC HEARINGS – UTILITY POLE HEARING, VERIZON & NSTAR ELECTRIC

9. COMPANY dba EVERSOURCE ENERGY

The Select Board will hold two public hearings on separate petitions for utility pole/poles locations as follows:

a. Hayden Rowe Street – Relocate one (1) jointly owned pole numbered T.1/E.1 to a point on the southwest side of Hayden Rowe Street approximately one hundred twenty (120) feet southeasterly from the centerline of Main Street. The new location will be approximately sixty (60) feet southeast of the current pole location. Reason: Place pole to support existing pole line and according to recent roadway upgrades at Main Street; and to provide for the distribution of intelligence and Telecommunications and the transmission of high and low voltage electric current.

(APPLICATION WITHDRAWN) 

b. Walcott Street – Place one (1) jointly owned pole numbered T. 1⁄2 / E.0 on the west side of Walcott Street at a point approximately ninety-nine (99) feet northerly from the centerline of Main Street. Reason: Place pole to support existing pole line and to support a recent roadway upgrade at Main Street; and to provide for the distribution of intelligence and telecommunications and the transmission of high and low voltage electric current.

Supporting Exhibits: Application and supporting documents

The Select Board approved the relocation of pole T.1/E.1 on Hayden Rowe Street as requested. (4-0)

7:40 PM SELECT BOARD GUIDELINES FOR PARADES, EVENTS, MEETINGS AND GATHERINGS

10. The Select Board will consider reviewing and approving sustainability guidelines for parades, events, meetings and gatherings for Town events and those requiring permits and licenses from the Board.

Supporting Exhibits: Memo; Draft Guidelines for Parades, Events, Meetings and Gatherings

The Select Board approved the Guidelines for Parades, Events, Meetings and Gatherings, for Town events and those requiring permits and licenses from the Board. (4-0)

7:45 PM POLICE CHIEF UPDATE

11. The Select Board will receive a department update from Police Chief Joe Bennett.

Supporting Exhibits: Police Chief June 2023 Report

8:00 PM FIRE CHIEF UPDATE

12. The Select Board will receive a department update from Interim Fire Chief Gary Daugherty. 

Supporting Exhibits: Interim Fire Chief June 2023 Report

8:15 PM TOWN MANAGER REPORT

13. Town Manager will report on the following:

a. Main Street Corridor Project

b. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) treatment project

c. Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Southborough Interconnection project

d. MassCall Part B Grant ($500,000) for Prevention – Town Manager will seek Select Board support for this substance misuse prevention grant that the Executive Office of Health and Human Services has awarded the Town based on Hopkinton’s successful implementation of the MassCall Part A grant.

Supporting Exhibits: Town Manager Report

The Select Board authorized the Town Manager to execute the contract for the Massachusetts Collaborative For Action, Leadership and Learning Grant. (4-0)

8:25 PM LIAISON REPORTS/BOARD INVITES

14. Board members will consider selecting FY24 liaison assignments. The Board will review invitations received.

Supporting Exhibit: FY 23 Liaison Assignments, FY 24 Proposed Liaison Assignments

The Select Board approved FY 24 Liaison assignments (attached), and made the following appointments of its members: (4-0)

  • ● Irfan Nasrullah to the Irvine-Todaro Properties Advisory Group;
  • ● Mary Jo LaFreniere to the Pratt Farm Master Plan Team;
  • ● Muriel Kramer to the Open Space Preservation Commission, to a term expiring 6/30/2026;
  • ● Shahidul Mannan to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, to a term expiring 6/30/2026.

8:30 PM FUTURE BOARD AGENDA ITEMS

15. Board members will identify future agenda items.

Supporting Exhibit: Board Member Future Agenda Items

8:35 PM ADJOURN

Correspondence to Select Board

1. Board of Appeals Public Hearing Notices – 166 Winter St., 47 East Main St.

2. MBTA Communities Advisory – Mass. Attorney General’s Office

3. Email from Wayne Eddy – Article 47 from Town Meeting on May 2

4. Emails from Wu Ganfeng – The Ms. Hayes scandal

5. Email from Bob Snyder – UCTC Survey

6. Email from Eli Post – UCTC Survey Questions

7. Email from Wu Genfeng – Ms. Susan Stephenson

Upcoming Select Board Meetings

1. July 11, 2023

2. August 1, 2023

3. September 5, 2023

4. September 19, 2023

Materials for this Meeting:

Related News Articles:

General Select Board Links:

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Filed Under: Select Board Update

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