Weekly News Roundup – 08/30/2020

Health director: Residents traveling out of state put Hopkinton at risk

“Stop traveling,” McAuliffe stated bluntly. “I think that’s the key. … What we’ve seen over the last 14 days, or more specifically over the last week, is those that have not been following the governor’s guidelines and have been traveling out of state or out of country have been coming back with COVID.”

With some in-person learning set to resume this fall, Hopkinton schools turn to innovation to keep COVID-19 at bay

“So when students come down to eat lunch they’ll use the QR code, which goes to a google doc. The students will put their name in it,” said Evan Bishop, principal at Hopkinton High School who demonstrated the QR barcode for Boston 25 News. “So we know who’s going to be sitting at what seat and what day and we’ll have that data over a 14 day stretch.”

Ready, set, go! Virtual Boston Marathon is about to be run

Rather than lining up in Hopkinton, and making the long trek to Boston, athletes will run this year’s marathon solo because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Police Chief Bennett: ‘Tension level is palpable,’ but officers maintain positivity

“The tension level is palpable, and the officers sense it,” Bennett said. “They’re maintaining their positive attitude and their positive commitment to the community and just looking to be there for everybody. Every day I’m getting positive feedback from the community about an interaction that they had with one of our officers, and different shows of support come in daily. During these hard times we need to be there for the people more than ever — at least in my career.”

HHS Diversity Club hosts Chalk It Up event to ‘start conversation’

People can change the world without leaving their driveways. That is one message behind Chalk It Up, a town-wide event to be hosted by the Hopkinton High School Diversity Club on Wednesday, Sept. 2. On that day from 2-4 p.m. community members are encouraged to use chalk to create messages of diversity, inclusivity and kindness on their driveways and sidewalks. They can share favorite quotes, positive phrases or artwork. Community members can email the creations to hhsdiversityclub@hillers.org for widespread sharing. A drone also might be utilized to capture the images.

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5:15 PM CONSENT AGENDA

i. The Select Board will consider approving the Minutes of the August 4, 2020 Select Board Meeting.

ii. The Select Board will consider accepting the resignation of Henry Kunicki from the Community Preservation Committee.

The Select Board approved the Consent Agenda. (5-0)

5:20 PM 2020 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Following consultation and approval of the Town Moderator, the Select Board will discuss a reduction in the required quorum and other matters regarding the September 12, 2020 Annual Town Meeting. The Select Board will vote to sign the Annual Town Meeting warrant and review draft motions. The Select Board will take positions on warrant articles and discuss town meeting presentations.

Pursuant to Section 7 of Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2020, the Select Board reduced the required quorum for the 2020 Annual Town Meeting from the number calculated pursuant to section 47-13 of the General Bylaws to no less than 80, and directed the Town Clerk to notify the Attorney General of the adjusted quorum requirement as required by said Section 7 of Chapter 92. (5-0)

The Select Board recommended that Town Meeting approve the following Articles on the 2020 Annual Town Meeting Warrant: (4-0)

• FY 2020 Supplemental Appropriations & Transfers
• Unpaid Bills from Previous Fiscal Years
• Excess Bond Premium
• Personal Property
• Set the Salary of Elected Officials
• Fiscal 2021 Operating Budget
• FY 2021 Revolving Funds Spending Limits
• Chapter 90 Highway Funds
• Transfer to Other Post-Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund
• Lease East Main Street Parcel for International Marathon Center
• Community Preservation Funds
• Amend Charter to Change Board of Selectmen to Select Board

The Select Board voted to sign the 2020 Annual Town Meeting warrant, with the provision that if the Growth Study Committee votes to remove its article (Create Economic Development Office) at a meeting on 8/25, then the article will be removed from the warrant. (4-0)

• Agenda and Meeting Packet
• YouTube Video – 1 hours

RELATED NEWS ARTICLES:

• Read “Nasrullah: Attacks on Kramer for Bail Fund ‘entirely inappropriate’” on the Hopkinton Independent’s website.
• Read “Select Board Meeting – Board Lowers Town Meeting Quorum to 80 voters – Votes to recommend $92,813,795 Town Budget – Public forum in defense of Muriel Kramer” on the HopNews website.