Special Town Meeting Notice – 11/13/23
The Hopkinton Select Board has called a Special Town Meeting to be held at 7:00 PM on Monday, November 13, 2023 in the Hopkinton Middle School Auditorium, 88 Hayden Rowe St, Hopkinton MA 01748.
If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to attend a public meeting or event, please complete this form or contact the Town Manager’s office at 508-497-9701 at least 3 business days prior to the event.
Childcare: The HPTO will be offering childcare in the Hopkinton Middle School Library. It is encouraged to pre-register to make check-in that night faster: Pre-register for Childcare.
Read the Special Town Meeting Warrant 2023-11-13 (PDF)
Read the Appropriation Committee Report with Recommendations for STM (PDF)
Read the Final Warrant Articles and Motions Document_2023-11-13 (PDF)
Articles
- Article 1: Elmwood School Replacement Project (Elementary School Building Committee 2)
- Article 2: Non-Partisan Town Election Ballots and Elimination of Local Party Caucuses (Citizens Petition)
- Article 3: Adopt the Municipal Opt-in Specialized Stretch Energy Code (Sustainable Green Committee)
- Article 4: Municipal Parking (Select Board)
New for 2023
Hopkinton will be piloting electronic voting with handheld clickers for this town meeting. Voters will receive a clicker (as well as a paper voting pass) when they check in at Town Meeting. This system made by Meridia is used by many other New England towns to improve accuracy and efficiency. Read more from the Town Clerk Hopkinton Special Town Meeting Voting Goes Electronic.
Special Town Meeting Timeline
November 13, 2023 Special Town Meeting
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Oct. 3 (Tuesday) | 1) Select Board calls a STM and sets the date and time at a public meeting. 2) Select Board sets the date for a special election. |
| Oct. 5 (Thursday) | Publish Notice of STM to a local news medium and send Notice to all boards and committees. (Charter Sec. 2-3(c)) |
| Oct. 18 at 4:30PM (Wednesday) | Articles due to Select Board by close of business on the 10th business day following the publication. (Charter Sec. 2-3(c)) |
| Oct. 17 – Oct. 26 | Prepare Warrant |
| Oct. 17 (Tuesday) if possible at Select Board Regular Meeting; or Oct. 24 (Tuesday) at a Special Select Board Meeting | Select Board sets ballot questions (Deadline Oct. 25, 35 days before the election (MGL c.54 §42C) |
| Oct. 26 (Thursday) | Select Board votes to sign Warrant at a special Select Board meeting |
| Oct. 30 (Monday) | Post Warrant at the Town Hall, post offices, Library, Senior Center & at least one public safety building at least 14 days before the STM date. (Bylaw §47-1) |
| Nov. 13 (Monday) | Special Town Meeting date |
| Nov. 28 (Tuesday) | Special Election |
Oct. 9 is a holiday
Articles/petitions may be submitted by:
- Department Heads
- Boards and committees by majority vote
- 100 voters
References: Charter Sec. 2-3; Bylaw Ch. 47-1; MGL Ch. 54 Sec. 42C
Town Charter
Town General Bylaws
Mass General Law Chapter 54, Section 42C
Section 42C. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary establishing a later time, the state secretary shall not print on the biennial state election ballot any question to the voters for which he receives final written notice after the sixtieth day before said election. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary establishing a later time, a city or town clerk shall not print on a city or town election ballot any question to the voters for which he receives final written notice after the thirty-fifth day before such election.