WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE – 03/18/25

TOWN MEETING – YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED! 

Are you interested in attending Town Meeting but not sure what it entails? The Hopkinton Public Library will be hosting a panel discussion on Tuesday, March 25th from 6:00-7:00 pm to provide information about what Town Meeting is and how you can participate. The panel will include the Town Manager, the Town Clerk, and the CFO and will answer questions such as, “what even is Town Meeting?”, “how do I know what I’m voting for?” and “who even thought this up?” 

Town Meeting is a great way to have your voice heard and your vote counted in the decisions that affect your town. You can register for this event below:

Annual Town Meeting will be held on Monday, May 5th at 7p.m. 

SELECT BOARD

At its Tuesday meeting, the Select Board heard a positive report on the FY26 budget, due to town departments making cuts to non-urgent requests, as well as additional state aid. The Town Manager reported that the budget is now balanced, following a projected $1.8 million shortfall when the budget process commenced in January. The town has also seen a significant, though not typical, increase in free cash, around $18 million, due to funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (to be used for health and insurance benefits) and unanticipated interest on investments. Due to this more stable financial situation, the Capital Improvement Committee may review projects that it did not recommend initially for funding, based on town priority and need. Board member Shahidul Mannan suggested the adaptive playground project as a capital project he would like to see prioritized. The board unanimously voted to forward the budget to the Appropriation Committee, who will begin budget meetings on March 12th.

The board also revised language in the warrant articles dealing with the economic development strategy. Articles creating an economic development advisory board and Office of Economic Development were removed, as both could be created by the Select Board. 

Select Board receives good news regarding balanced FY 26 comprehensive budget (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 03/12/25)

CONSERVATION COMMISSION

At its Tuesday meeting, the Conservation Commission expressed frustration upon reviewing the most recent stormwater violation by developer Toll Brothers at Newbury Glen, which occurred on March 5th. This comes after a number of prior violations at Newbury Glen, as well as a prior stormwater management violation at the Chamberlain/Whalen subdivision in January. The commission has requested that the developer be proactive, instead of reactive, in its planning against these issues. 

Conservation Commission blasts Newbury Glen developer for another stormwater violation (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 03/12/25)

TRAILS COMMITTEE

At its Wednesday meeting, the Trails Committee covered its progress on several projects, including the proposed trail from Center Trail to Chamberlain Street Extension, through Loop Road; a parking area on Ash Street near Abbott Farm; the cross country course at the middle school; and the naming of unnamed trails in town. Public outreach plans were also discussed, including a double-sided signage system for trails, as well as listening sessions, town event tables, and online surveys. In additional business, the committee learned that they would be allocated $30,000 for FY26.

Trails Committee makes headway on project plans (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 03/13/25)

PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION

Plaque to honor local slaves.  At its Thursday meeting, the Parks & Recreation Commission again discussed the undecided issue of a final location for a plaque to honor slaves who lived in Hopkinton, as well as the ultimate design of information to be conveyed on the plaque, which is currently planned to include the names of 32 enslaved individuals living in Hopkinton between 1715 and 1790. There has been a lack of consensus on whether to install the sign at the Town Common or the Hughes/Colella properties. As the matter has been controversial, commission members agreed on the need for third party input and is requesting that the Select Board consider the matter at a future meeting. 

Parks & Rec defers to Select Board on plaque honoring local slaves (Article by Nick Schofield, 03/14/25)

Horribles parade sponsorship. The Hopkinton Republican Town Committee (HRTC) has sought sponsorship from the Parks & Recreation Commission for its 2025 July 4 Horribles Parade, as sponsorship by a town department is a requirement for compliance with the town’s insurance laws. Following a discussion over the controversial nature of the parade that incorporates local and national politics, the commission opted to direct the HRTC to first seek approval from the Select Board for the event. 

Parks & Rec delays sponsorship of Horribles Parade pending Select Board approval (Article by Nick Schofield, 03/17/25)

SCHOOL COMMITTEE 

Construction collapse. At its Thursday meeting, the School Committee discussed the wall collapse at the Hopkins School construction site, whereupon a section of wall was knocked over and fell across the work site. No injuries occurred. HPD and HFD arrived quickly and investigations are underway to determine the cause. Pending an engineering report determining structural damage, other work will proceed.  

Budget. The committee also approved a revised FY26 budget to reflect the $415,000 cut from the previously approved budget at the Town Manager’s request. This reduction was met, in part, by eliminating five FTE paraprofessionals, along with raising fees at Marathon preschool to generate additional income. It was noted that the individuals whose positions are being cut would be welcome to move to new roles in the district. The committee further discussed the rationale for including a second assistant principal at Elmwood School in the budget. 

School Committee discusses Hopkins wall collapse, FY 26 budget cuts (Article by Susan Gonsalves, 03/14/25)

See also, HFD responds to wall section collapse at Hopkins School (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 03/12/25)

TOWN ELECTION 2025 

Town Election 2025 updates can be found at eHop’s election information page.

There are currently two contested races: Select Board and Board of Assessors.  All seats on the ballot now have at least one candidate.

Nomination papers must be submitted by interested candidates by March 31, 2015 at 5PM.