It is with pleasure that I write this letter of support for Select Board candidate Joe Clark. As a retired town employee, I have seen many changes in Hopkinton over nearly four decades. In recent years, seeing the exodus of so many talented employees from various departments, including Town Hall, has been disappointing, knowing all the valuable institutional knowledge they had as dedicated employees left with them. We need Joe, whose family has a long-dedicated history of public service in Hopkinton, to help foster respect for employees and rebuild employee appreciation and recognition for all current and future town employees in order to maintain career growth and retention.

We are facing major fiscal challenges with the multiple projects currently on-going and those expected in the near future, including the Main Street project, two school projects, and the MWRA water project. Sadly, some of these projects are causing many long-time Hopkinton residents and families to leave Hopkinton because of the anticipated increased tax burden. With the loss of these residents, we lose decades of community knowledge, civic involvement and friends. With Joe’s strong financial background and goal of tax relief, I am confident he will be a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility to ensure fiscal stability in the years ahead.

Respectfully,

Chuck Wallace, Hopkinton