WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE – 05/06/25

TOWN MEETING RESULTS 

Annual Town Meeting 2025 was completed in one night!

Check out the full results on eHop’s page.  

Town Meeting Recap Highlights 

Budget. The FY26 town budget passed unanimously, as did the economic development article to create a special revenue account for the 0.75% meals tax voted in at November’s Special Town Meeting. 

Center School re-use. The Center School reuse project proposing a public-private partnership with the Hopkinton Center for the Arts to create a multifaceted community space for the Parks & Rec Department, Youth & Family Services Department, and the HCA, received unanimous support through voice votes passed to both allocate CPC funds to the project and give the Select Board the authority to lease the building as a necessary step to move the project forward. 

Moving ATM to a different day. The article to move Annual Town Meeting from the first Monday in May to the first Saturday in May in an effort to increase town participation by attempting to ease logistical burdens for residents generated discussion but ultimately passed 97-39. 

Adaptive playground. The proposed adaptive playground at Marathon School also generated discussion following a presentation by Susan Rothermich, HPS assistant superintendent for finance and operations, with town officials voicing support. The article allocating $943,000 from available free cash to the project ultimately passed in a 125-41 vote. A separate article allocating an additional $300,000 to the project from CPC funds passed in a voice vote. 

Compression brakes. The only article defeated (in a 35-80 vote) was a citizen’s petition by Ed Harrow to prohibit the use of compression brakes in town. Members called into question the scope and wording of the article.  

Town Meeting recap: Center School reuse, budget articles pass easily (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 05/06/25)

Town Meeting approves funding for adaptive playground (Article by Nick Schofield, 05/06/25)

SCHOOL COMMITTEE 

At its Thursday meeting, the School Committee announced Jessica Beattie as the new director of student services for the district, pending successful contract negotiations, to replace Abigail Hanscom who is set to retire. The committee also voted to ratify the 2025-28 Hopkinton Custodians Union contract, authorized expenses for the Hopkins project for temporary food services during the final construction phase and Loop Road improvements, and approved a number of scholarships. Additionally, following a public hearing with no resident participation, the committee voted against offering school choice for the 2025-26 year in light of growing enrollment and limited space.  

Beattie named HPS director of student services (Article by Susan Gonsalves, 05/02/25)

The committee also heard from the Trails Committee chair Peter LaGoy in his effort to start discussions about trail projects that impact the school properties, including fitness equipment installation at Center Trail where it converges with the high school cross country course and the creation of a path from Loop Road to the Chamberlain Street Extension. He also sought feedback on future plans to potentially create trails from Hopkins to EMC Park, Chamberlain Extension to West Main and Lumber streets, and Charleswood School to Loop Road. The committee raised a number of safety concerns with trail expansion, in light of the concealed nature and increased access for people to the school properties, as well as logistical concerns such as maintenance and access in the event of an emergency. 

School Committee members express concerns about safety on trails (Article by Susan Gonsalves, 05/02/25)

CONSERVATION COMMISSION

At its meeting last Tuesday, the Conservation Commission voted to issue an amended order of conditions to the Charleswood School plans as a result of new information identifying a buried culvert at the proposed driveway crossing. The revised plans reflect this new information and include an additional buffer zone featuring only native plantings, direct the contractor to replace the culvert at its current location, and add a driveway turnaround following discussions with an abutter. Also at the meeting, both the NOI hearing for utility installation for the proposed Baypath shelter and the Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation for property off Wood Street were continued. 

Conservation Commission approves amended order of conditions for Charleswood School site (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 04/30/25)