WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE – 12/10/24
SELECT BOARD
School safety / emergency preparedness tactics reviewed. At its Tuesday meeting, the Select Board heard from public safety and school leaders regarding their response to the October swatting incident at the High School, an issue of concern among the community. Police Chief Joseph Bennett discussed the police response to the swatting call, the decision made with school staff to initiate a shelter in place, and the neutralizing of the incident. Public comment expressed some concerns about how the incident was handled; areas of improvement were identified; and plans for these improvements discussed. The Select Board agreed that further discussion on this topic should continue at future meetings. Select Board reviews emergency preparedness tactics in light of October HHS swatting incident (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 12/04/24)
Center School rehabilitation proposal.
The Select Board heard from Permanent Building Committee chair Dan McIntyre and Community Preservation Committee chair Ken Weismantel, who sought the board’s direction on their strategy to finance the Center School rehabilitation project. The proposed project would rehabilitate Center School into a community facility, joining town departments with the Hopkinton Center for the Arts. Their presentation showed that the project could be financed in part through grant and donation funding through the HCA, as well as through Community Preservation Act monies, if approved. A request for $600,000 is currently before the CPA, who is awaiting Select Board input. The proposal was met with enthusiasm from the Select Board, as taxes would not need to be raised.
Additional matters addressed.
Also at its Tuesday meeting, the Select Board confirmed Lance DelPriore as the Town’s new assistant town manager, and approved the administrative order to create a new Trails Committee. Additionally, Boston Marathon bibs were awarded among applicants as follows: one to each of the 41 nonprofit applicants, Boston Marathon Committee (5), Veterans Celebration Committee (1), the high school’s Business Professionals of America/robotics program (1), and the Senior and Disabled Tax Relief Committee (2). Center School reuse proposal gains momentum with Select Board (Article by Mary Ellen Gambon, 12/04/24)
The Fiscal Year 2026 Town Budget – Share Your Ideas and Recommendations
The Select Board is seeking ideas / recommendations for the fiscal year 2026 budget which they are developing now, to be submitted to the Appropriation Committee and voted on at the May 5, 2025 Annual Town Meeting. You may submit your suggestions through the link or through paper copies available at the Library and Senior Center.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
At its meeting on Thursday, the School Committee heard budget presentations from all school principals. There was a request for increases in the substitute account across all schools. Other highlighted budget requests included: supply requests from Marathon School, a funding proposal for a second, full-time assistant principal at Elmwood School, a full-time reading tutor at Hopkins School, a full-time orchestra teacher for grade 6 at the Middle School, and positions in the Business, Technology and Engineering Department and a French teacher at the High School, along with various expense items for the school, and already approved coaching stipend and contracted services in the athletic department. School principals outline budget proposals (Article by Susan Gonsalves, 12/06/24)
Also at its Thursday meeting, the School Committee considered proposals from consultants to assist with the search for the new superintendent and selected the New England School Development Council (NESDC), who consulted on the searches for the prior two superintendents. The chair went over steps involved in the search, beginning with reviewing applications to serve on the search committee by interested community members to reviewing, narrowing, and vetting superintendent candidates – a several month process.
The School Committee also addressed the adaptive playground project, and voted to add the $1.2 million cost to its capital requests for fiscal year 2026, in the event that the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) declines partial or full funding of the project. The next step is to put the request before the Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) to see if it will recommend the item go to a Town Meeting vote. School Committee picks consultant for superintendent search (Article by Susan Gonsalves, 12/6/24)
OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
At its Thursday meeting, the Open Space Preservation Commission discussed potential corrective actions regarding a stone wall at 61 Winter Street believed to encroach about 11 feet on town property under OSPC jurisdiction. The commission approved surveying the property to determine the exact boundary marker.
Also, the commission addressed its accomplishments over the year – namely the purchase of the Colella property for open space use, improved communication between the OSPC and other town entities, maintenance of OSPC land and pollinator gardens created.
The commission also discussed the possibility of purchasing land on Williams Way, which appears to be in arrears on its property tax, and which borders town property near Lake Maspenock. The land could potentially be used for parking for the trail system there. OSPC discusses potential Winter Street encroachment issue, year’s accomplishments (Mary Ellen Gambon, 12/06/24)
TOWN WATER
Per Town Manager, Elaine Lazarus, the Town is considering connecting to the Metropolitan Water Resources Authority (MWRA) water system, a multi-year project that could assist in establishing a reliable water source for residents.
For more information on what this could mean for the Town and future updates, click HERE.
(See Town Manager Weekly Update – December 5, 2024)
MAIN STREET CORRIDOR UPDATE
During the week of December 9th through 13th, utility companies will be onsite and Dagle Electric service cut overs will continue on the east side of the project.
See project UPDATES.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Are you interested in serving on a Town board or committee? See the boards and committees in Town with expected vacancies, get information on what this entails, and learn how to apply HERE.