Weekly News Update – 04/22/2024
EHop’s Know Your Vote on APRIL 29TH • Updated Candidates List for the 2024 Town Election and Finalized Ballot Questions • Angela Perry completed her ‘big six’ after finishing Boston • Article 39: MBTA Communities Zoning Bylaw Trails Committee discusses upcoming ‘Dogs on Trails?’ forum • Khumalo says farewell after 15 years; Lazarus sworn in as interim town manager • Presentation to ESBC focuses on new school’s ‘calming, natural’ theme • School Committee authorizes cuts to Hopkins School project worth over $1M
EHOP’S KNOW YOUR VOTE ON APRIL 29TH
eHop will hold its 12th Annual Know Your Vote forum on Monday, April 29 at 7:00-8:30 pm. This will be an in-person forum at HCAM TV Studios (77 Main St, Lower Level). It will be broadcast live on HCAM-TV and YouTube. This is a unique opportunity to get the answers you need from town officials before Town Meeting. This year, Town Meeting will vote on an FY2025 operating budget with a projected net tax impact of 2.35% as well as many other issues and projects including:
- Zoning Change: MBTA Communities Zoning Bylaw & MBTA Communities Multi-Family Overlay District
- Hopkins School Addition & Renovation
- Adopt the Specialized Energy Code
- Municipal Parking
- Home Rule Petition – Senior Tax Exemptions, School Building Projects
- Community Preservation: Restoration of the Historical Society Building
- Zoning Change: 1 Colonial Ave., 81 Hayden Rowe, 83 Hayden Rowe (Citizens Petition)
- General Bylaw Amendment – Membership Requirements for Certain Committees
- General Bylaw Amendment – Non-Voter Participation at Town Meeting
- Establish Government Study Committee (Citizens Petition)
UPDATED CANDIDATES LIST for 2024 town election and finalized BALLOT questions
Last updated 04/03/24
The Town Election Ballot has been finalized. There is now only 1 contested Race (Select Board) and there are now 8 ballot questions.
Contested races are:
- Select Board (3 years, vote for 2)
- Peter Mimmo
- Kyla McSweeney
- Joseph Clark
- Brian Herr
View article for full list of all candidates and ballot questions
Angela Perry completed her ‘big six’ after running Boston
Congratulations to Angela on completing her sixth star of the Abbott World Marathon Majors! She’s done a fabulous job fundraising for eHop and we are grateful!
ARTICLE 39 – MBTA Communities Act Zoning Bylaw
Here’s everything you need to know about Article 39 on zoning by-law.
Trails Committee discusses upcoming ‘Dogs on Trails?’ forum
Proposed changes to the dog policy on trails will be implemented on a trial basis. After garnering public feedback on proposed locations and times, the committee will request trial periods through the Select Board.
The forum will focus on small-group brainstorming sessions where the pros and cons of allowing dogs to be unleashed. There will be a mapping exercise noting areas of concern as well as trails where it would be most feasible for dogs to be allowed off-leash for certain time frames. Solutions and next steps will be discussed after group leaders share their findings.
Khumalo says farewell after 15 years; Lazarus sworn in as interim town manager
Norman Khumalo on Tuesday night ended his 15-year role as Hopkinton’s town manager as the Select Board voted to appoint Assistant Town Manager Elaine Lazarus to serve as the interim town manager.
PRESENTATION TO ESBC FOCUSES ON NEW SCHOOL’S ‘CALMING, NATURAL’ THEME
Robert Bell, educational programmer for architectural firm Perkins Eastman, said the design elements of the new elementary school project have an “overarching theme that is calming and natural.”
His presentation on Tuesday to the Elementary School Building Committee (ESBC) focused on the colors, concepts and curriculum ties the new Grade 2-4 school will feature, thanks to input from educators over several workshops in February and March.
School Committee authorizes cuts to Hopkins School project worth over $1M
Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Susan Rothermich noted that Town Meeting warrant motions are being printed on April 10, so that $48.5 million figure will appear. However, she said it could be adjusted from the Town Meeting floor.
Among the items reduced were changing the operable gym divider from a partition to a curtain ($332,000), reducing the number of wells in the geothermal field ($156,000), eliminating the under-drain system and the shade structure at the field ($149,000 and $122,000, respectively) and eliminating the specialty surface at the outdoor basketball court ($49,000).