The four Select Board candidates – Joe Clark, Brian Herr, Kyla McSweeney, and Peter Mimmo – participated in a debate hosted by HopNews and HCAM-TV on April 28.

The two three-year Select Board positions are the only two contested positions in this upcoming Town Election May 20.

HCAM-TV News Director Tom Nappi and HopNews Editor-in-Chief Peter Thomas moderated the debate and took turns posing questions about pressing issues that impact Hopkinton voters.

>> WATCH THE ENTIRE DEBATE

Major Issues and Challenges

After outlining the rules, Nappi posed the first question. “What do you feel are the biggest issues or challenges facing the town in the coming year, and, if elected, what are your top priorities?”

McSweeney answered first and said the biggest issue is the budget situation, especially the capital projects to be discussed at the Town Meeting this year.

Another major issue in Hopkinton is the recent decline in the quality of the town’s water, she said.

Clark said the “lack of confidence in the leadership of the town,” specifically in the Select Board and municipal employees. 

“It starts at the top. We need to make sure people in our town take pride in working for the town again,” he said.

Mimmo agreed with Clark. “I think what we really need to have is good leadership at the top.

“I’ve devoted my career to public service. I’m a 20-year attorney for the Commonwealth and most of my work is devoted to conflict resolution – dispute resolution,” he added.

Herr said personnel issues and the amount of debt the town will be facing in the upcoming years are the two most important issues facing Hopkinton. An important personnel issue is filling the role of Town Manager, he said.

Hopkinton’s Next Town Manager

Thomas next asked “If you were to be elected, what qualities in a Town Manager are most important to you?”

Clark said having a background in municipal finance to manage the town’s budget is critical.

“In addition, … we need to reestablish confidence in Town Hall,” he said.

Mimmo said after serving on a committee to choose the Town Manager in Northbridge – where he served for 10 years – he believes the next Town Manager must have experience.

“We need to find somebody who’s strong enough to have all that technical expertise, but also somebody who’s responsive to the Select Board,” he said. 

Herr said the Town Manager needs to be a great listener and understand the type of community Hopkinton is.

“We have a really vibrant community here in Hopkinton and we have very high expectations of our local government,” he said.

Another important quality is somebody who can lead by example, Herr said.

“The best way to win the hearts and minds of the teams that you work with, is to lead by example and show them the way,” he said.

McSweeney said the most important quality is the ability to build relationships – especially with town residents, the Select Board and other town officials, State elected officials, and public officials in the surrounding MetroWest community – in order to create a transparent and accessible town government.

Herr, in response to McSweeney, said, “I also think the individual needs to have a very strong personality. My view is that the Town Manager is the sixth person on the Select Board,” who steers the Select Board in the right direction without having a vote.

Clark, also in response to McSweeney, said the Town Manager needs to lead the various town departments without running their day-to-day operations.

In response, Mimmo said it is important for the new Town Manager to know how to manage and negotiate collective bargain agreements, especially with the recent and upcoming “contentious” issue.

When Thomas asked Mimmo to clarify the “contentious” issue, he said it refers to the situation regarding Sgt. Tim Brennan. The moderators would return to that line of questing later in the debate.

Eliminating Partisan Elections

Thomas posed the next question. “Last November, Hopkinton voters approved Article 2, which eliminated partisan politics in our elections. How did you vote on Article 2, and what is your current involvement in party politics?”

Mimmo answered that he is a “proud” member of the town’s Democratic Party, and has been for four years.

He said he did not vote to approve Article 2 last November. “I thought that the vote at the time was very much a reaction to some of the misconduct in the 2023 election, and I thought it was a bit shortsighted in that respect.”

Herr said he is currently unenrolled in party politics and supported Article 2 in Hopkinton.

Clark said he also is currently unenrolled in party politics and supported Article 2. (Clark later wrote to clarify that he supported Article 2, though he was not at Annual Town Meeting to vote for it).

“I want to be very clear. To me, this isn’t politics. This is public service. This is a town issue. This is not the same thing we’re dealing with at a state or national level. For me, in the town situation, it was critical to me to be able to go unenrolled and show we are not going to divide the country or this town anymore,” he said.

McSweeney said she is a member of the town’s Democratic Party committee, but that she did vote to approve Article 2. She said her agenda as a Select Board candidate reflects the town’s issues and what matters most to the residents, rather than the political party she is affiliated with.

Can the Select Board go against Town Meeting voters?

Thomas asked the next question. “When is it not OK to follow the direction of annual Town Meeting voters?”

Herr said, “It’s not. The Town Meeting is Town Meeting. … We’re actually an open town meeting form of government. … We are not a Select Board form of government. … Town Meeting is the ultimate decisions maker for everything we do in Hopkinton. The Select Board’s charge is to go in between town meetings to get us ready for the next Town Meeting, but also to enact what the previous Town Meeting said to do.”

McSweeney said she generally agrees with Herr, but said there have been articles proposed at town meetings which would be illegal to enact. She said the Select Board must abide by the law and go against these articles.

Clark said he agrees with both Herr and McSweeney and the will of the people needs to be prioritized over the will of the Select Board.

Mimmo said he agrees with his fellow candidates and emphasized McSweeney’s point – the Select Board has to keep any articles approved within the law.

Herr, in response to the point of illegal articles being proposed at town meetings, said, “Town Council will not let an illegal article come to the meeting floor.”

This is important in the upcoming Town Meeting when addressing the situation regarding Tim Brennan, Herr said.

Thomas asked a follow-up question regarding a previous Town Meeting when the town’s residents voted to disband the Upper Charles Trail Committee, but the Select Board did not follow the “will of Town Meeting voters” and the committee is still active.

“Certainly, the general will was clearly understood about the Upper Charles Trail Committee, which was to disband and start over. I don’t think that meant completely ruining the whole process and forgetting the Upper Charles Trail Committee getting work done. I think the charge had to be reset – redirected for everybody,” Herr said.

Education of Town Issues and Attendance at Town Meeting

Nappi asked the next question. “Can you explain how you have educated yourself more about current issues the Select Board faces and do you attend Town Meeting regularly?”

Clark said he has spent the last month connecting with town residents and employees. He said these groups have different views on town issues and it’s important to consider everyone’s perspectives.

He said his connection to and history with the town provides him opportunities to interact with residents and gain their input on town issues.

Clark said he has not attended Town Meeting in previous years, but plans to this year and years moving forward.

Mimmo said he attends Town Meeting regularly, as well as town meetings for surrounding towns, Select Board meetings, and Board of Assessor meetings, which he serves as an elected member on.

He said he has learned about the town’s current issues at Select Board meetings and by doing his own reading and research.

McSweeney said she has missed the first day of Town Meeting in the past due to her second job, but catches up on the missed material and attends the other days of the meeting.

She said she has been attending Select Board meetings, either in person or virtually, since she decided to run.

McSweeney said she has met with current Select Board members and other elected public officials to learn about the town’s current issues.

Herr said he attends Town Meeting regularly and has been involved since the early 2000s.

“If I’ve missed one or two Town Meetings, I’d be surprised. I like to go,” he said.

Herr said he had read through the town’s budget before this year’s campaign season, which he said is the most important preparation he did.

“If you follow the money in any business enterprise, you’re going to see all different kinds of opportunities, to consider different approaches, [and] remind yourself of the different things that you used to work on in the past,” he said.

The Time Commitment

Thomas posed the next question, which asked the candidates to explain how they plan to find the time needed to serve on the Select Board, which he said many have estimated is a commitment of 15 to 30 hours per week.

Clark said he spoke to previous Select Board members to better understand the time commitment when he first decided to run.

“That was my only concern. I wanted to do this, but I needed to make sure I could do it. I don’t want to put the town in a position where I can’t dedicate myself to what I’m signing up for,” he said.

Mimmo said his role on the Board of Assessors has helped prepare him for the time commitment of serving on the Select Board.

McSweeney said she enjoys spending time learning about and preparing for this role and enjoys spending time volunteering.

“It’s been my mission in life to give back to government and public service,” she said.

Herr, who has spent four terms as a member of the Select Board, said the estimate of time commitment of 15 to 30 hours per week serving one’s duty in the position is accurate.

He said a sitting member spends roughly 15 hours per week and the Chair spends around 30 hours per week.

His past experience serving on the board has given him awareness of the time commitment, Herr said.

Individual Questions

Nappi introduced a series of questions personalized to each candidate and allowed for other candidates to respond upon request.

Kyla McSweeney

He asked McSweeney, “In your candidate statement, you wrote, ‘Having served in the role of director many times and under different circumstances I have experience attracting and retaining committed and professional employees and I appreciate the need to do so.’ It has been well publicized that both Town Hall and the Police Department have struggled to retain staff. According to the 2023 Annual Report, Town Hall welcomed 32 employees, but lost 27. The turnover rate was 15%, while the national average for government industries is just 10%. What is your analysis of this situation and what would you do to correct the problem?”

McSweeney said, “I believe that the most important thing for an employee is trust in their leadership. And for our town employees, that means the Select Board and the Town Manager.”

She said one of the first things she hopes to do if elected is to talk to the town employees and find out what they like about their job, what they don’t like, and what they want out of their town’s leadership.

Joe Clark

Thomas asked the next question to Clark. “In your candidate statement, you mentioned resolving the drinking water situation is among the most important tasks to be done in the next few years. Clean and reliable water is expected of every municipality. Yet, Hopkinton’s water is not clean and it’s also occasionally unreliable. In 2025, DPW expects to approach Town Meeting voters and ask for several million dollars to build a connection to the MWRA to provide water from the Quabbin Reservoir. Are you in favor of this plan?”

Clark said he is in favor of this plan because it helps fulfill Hopkinton’s need for a higher quantity and better quality of water. He said this is a big budget expense and believes finding money for it comes from looking at this year’s budget and examining which expenses are more important than others.

Thomas followed up by asking Clark to clarify the Select Board’s role in helping Town Meeting figure out “what’s important.”

Clark said the role is providing confidence to the voters as to why the Select Board is confident in decisions. 

He said he hopes to examine the budget in full to assess how to make room for addressing the concerns regarding the town’s water supply.

Herr added to the conversation and said he believes the town should reestablish the Water and Sewer Commission to help the Select Board give appropriate assessment to a deal with the MWRA and best support the town’s needs. 

Clark agreed with Herr in reestablishing the Water and Sewer Commission.

Peter Mimmo

Nappi asked the next question to Mimmo. “As an attorney for the Commonwealth, you’ve cited labor relations and negotiations as one of your strengths. What are some of the ways you will advise Hopkinton’s new Town Manager to employ as they negotiate with fire, police, and teachers unions to ensure Hopkinton taxpayers receive a favorable outcome?”

Mimmo said a key factor will be finding a Town Manager with a strong background in labor negotiations and collective bargain agreements. 

He said it is also important to negotiate favorable agreements for the unions to “attract and retain” town employees.

As a member of the Select Board, Mimmo said he sees his role as oversight to ensure the agreements reflect the values of the community.

Brian Herr

Thomas asked the next question to Herr regarding the $5.7 million in free cash in next year’s town budget. “Does that mean that we’ve overtaxed the town?”

Herr said there is no straight answer and it comes down to timing.

He said free cash is a “misnomer.”

Free cash is money once appropriated through Town Meeting and allocated to departments, but was not used and is ‘free’ to move over to the next year’s budget, Herr said.

He said the large sum of free cash is most likely from taxpayers being taxed too early and departments not spending their allocated money.

“I’d rather leave the money in the taxpayers pockets, than take it too early,” Herr said.

Thomas opened a similar question to the other candidates. “Is there part of the budget that stands out to you that worries you?”

McSweeney said the debt rating is a concern and the town’s AAA rating may be in jeopardy because of the amount of upcoming capital projects.

Thomas followed up and asked, “Does that make you question the $48 million Hopkins addition?”

McSweeney said, “I feel the $48 million Hopkins addition is essential for this community. … We cannot have a world class educational system in Hopkinton and not pay attention to our schools right now.”

Clark said, “Hopkinton has always been built on the school systems. We need to continue to do that.”

He said the two upcoming school projects should be assessed to prioritize the “needs over the wants” and ensure the budget is best being used.

Mimmo said he plans to vote in favor of funding the school and water projects, but agrees the need to reassess and look more closely at the town’s budget.

Herr said he is concerned because the town’s expenses are rising, but the revenue is projected to lower. 

He said the town needs to be prepared to deal with this issue before it becomes a problem.

Mimmo said the town has an opportunity to build up its commercial businesses to help bring in more revenue.

McSweeney said at her job with the Commonwealth, she is dealing with the problems Herr mentioned, including a hiring freeze.

Thomas asked a follow-up question to McSweeney regarding Westborough’s recent one-year sewer moratorium. “Would you support something as drastic as that in Hopkinton?”

McSweeney said she does not believe the town is currently facing these decisions, but there may be a time to address more severe solutions.

Annual Town Meeting

Nappi asked the next question to all four of the candidates. “Is there any particular article at the upcoming annual Town Meeting or Town Election ballot question that you feel exceptionally strongly about? If so, what article, question, or topic, and why?”

Clark said the most important topic to him is fixing issues at the Fire Department on Main Street, such as the HVAC system in the building.

Mimmo said the most important article to him is the Home Rule Petition for the Senior Tax Exemptions and he “urges” voters to support it.

He said his experience on the Board of Assessors has exposed him to the problem Hopkinton is facing of “pricing out” its senior citizens.

Herr said, “I would really like to see a very healthy discussion about the budget at Town Meeting this year.” 

He also agreed with Mimmo’s opinion that the senior citizens should receive tax exemptions from taxes toward school projects. 

Herr said he is also “curious” about the resident’s views on the situation regarding Tim Brennan at Town Meeting.

McSweeney said the most important topic to her is the Hopkins school addition. “I’m unwaveringly supporting that initiative.”

The Sgt. Tim Brennan Matter

Perhaps the biggest differences emerged between the candidates on the issue of Sgt. Tim Brennan’s firing.

“Did the Select Board handle the Sgt. Tim Brennan matter appropriately?” Thomas asked the candidates.

“I don’t think so. No. It should have stayed in Executive Session. All personnel matters should stay in Executive Session,” Herr said.

He acknowledged he was not present for the Select Board’s executive sessions, but he believes the situation should have been handled differently.

Thomas added a follow-up to the question. “Why do you think so many people in town are upset about it?”

Mimmo said the Select Board did not have the choice to keep the situation private because Open Meeting law states if the subject of a personnel matter requests the matter to be brought up in Open Session, then it must be.

He said both the town and the union have cases to make and it should all be resolved in arbitration.

McSweeney said she believes the Select Board handled the matter as they were able to, and does not believe the situation should be continued to be discussed while it is still actively in arbitration.

She said she thinks many people in the town were upset with the situation because it appeared people could have more input than they truly had.

Clark said he does not believe the situation was handled appropriately because the Select Board “failed to represent the will of the people” in Hopkinton.

Herr disagreed with Mimmo and McSweeney’s responses and said the Select Board failed to resolve the issue in Executive Session, where it should have stayed and been resolved.

“This isn’t the first time Hopkinton has had to terminate police officers. It never happened in Open Session. If there was trust between the two entities, … I think we could have resolved this thing in Executive Session,” Herr said.

Mimmo, in response to Herr, said he disagrees with Herr that the failure to resolve the situation in Executive Session falls on the town.

“There are two parties to every agreement, and there was no agreement there apparently. … We cannot make the assumption that the town failed in those negotiations when there are two parties,” he said.

Herr asked Mimmo, “So the leadership isn’t responsible to be leaders?” 

He said he agrees with Mimmo that there are two parties, but “one of those parties is in charge.”

Mimmo responded and said, “You haven’t really negotiated with unions then if that’s the case. The parties to any negotiation … are more or less equal.”

Clark said the question was about how the Select Board acted and why the town is so upset. 

He said the Select Board did not listen to the “will of the town” when making their decision after the Loudermill hearing.

“There was a missed opportunity there and that can’t be understated,” Clark said.

Mimmo wondered aloud if the will of the entire town was heard regarding the situation and said the matter, fundamentally, is a personnel issue. 

“We hire and we entrust our professional staff – our managers – to handle personnel matters. We don’t put hiring decisions up to the Town Meeting. We don’t put firing decisions up to the Town Meeting.  … Otherwise I think it’s an invitation to chaos,” he said. 

Thomas asked a follow-up question, regarding if Article 5 of the Special Town Meeting, which would ask the voters to “direct the Select Board to reappoint Sgt. Brennan, is an “inappropriate” article. 

“I think it’s entirely inappropriate. … I think that if we start putting personnel decisions up to Town Meeting, it sets a terrible precedent,” Mimmo said.

Herr responded to Mimmo and said he agrees with Mimmo’s views on how personnel matters should be dealt through personnel.

“The Select Board failed because it went public. That’s my point,” he said.

The situation should have been resolved in Executive Session and should not have been public, Herr said.

Thomas asked another follow-up question regarding if any of the candidates are concerned about the town’s potential legal exposure to a lawsuit from Sgt. Brennan and the leak of the survivor’s information.

Mimmo said the situation with Sgt. Brennan and the leaking of the survivor’s information are separate issues.

He said the dispute between the town and Sgt. Brennan should be resolved using an arbitrator and the town will potentially pay backwages and the arbitrator’s fee. 

Herr said in addition to the backwages and arbitrator’s fee, the town may be liable to paying for damages.

Maintenance of Public Safety Buildings

Thomas asked the next question for all the candidates. “The fire station is falling into disrepair. The Woodville station has been uninhabited since the pandemic. In a few days, Special Town Meeting voters will vote to fund, or not, repairs to both firehouses. This seems drastic that it has to come before voters. What steps will you take as a Select Board member to ensure that our public safety facilities are maintained to a high standard?” 

McSweeney said it is important to listen to the employees who inhabit those public safety facilities to hear what can be fixed.

Herr said the fire station is relatively new and it is “frustrating” as a taxpayer to repair the station on a routine basis.

“We need to get it in order. We need to make sure it’s a safe place for the folks to work and I’ll support the article,” he said.

Mimmo said, “Our public employees in town deserve the best that we can give to them.”

The Select Board needs to support capital programs to make sure these buildings are maintained properly, he added.

Clark said, “We need to be proactive in looking at maintenance of our town department facilities. We need to get ahead of these things. We can’t wait until something goes into complete disrepair.”

He said Station 2, the Woodville station, is not up to the standard the town expects for their public employees. 

“This is a public safety issue as well,” Clark added.

He said response times is another issue that needs to be considered when understanding the importance of repairing public safety facilities.

Other than You, who’s the Best Candidate?

Nappi asked the next question to all the candidates. “Other than you, who do you believe is the best candidate in this race, and why?”

McSweeney said, “I believe the voters have a really difficult choice ahead of them on May 20. We all bring different and very strong opinions … and are all qualified and professional individuals.”

Clark said he agrees with McSweeney and is happy the voters have qualified candidates to choose between.

“I think we’ve all talked over and over about the approaching debt issue. … While all of us are qualified, there is only one other person here that’s actually dealt with that and that’s Brian Herr – his experience with the budget and municipal finances. … I think Brian separates himself with that knowledge,” he said.

Mimmo said he echoes McSweeney and Clarks responses.

“We have four very good candidates. We have a ‘son of Hopkinton’ in Joe Clark. We have [Brian Herr] who has actually done the work before as a Select Board member. When I think of Kyla, I think of a candidate here who can provide us with executive leadership – a person who has extensive experience dealing with grant writing,” he said.

He said, other than himself, he most supports McSweeney because of her experience working with the Commonwealth.

Herr said all four of the candidates are “positive and well-intended” people.

He said one of his concerns when he last left office in 2021 was who would be the next generation in Hopkinton to step up and serve the community.

“I think we have to get that next generation of folks – the young parents [and] young people in town – involved. It takes some time to learn. … For those reasons, I’m really pleased that Joe came out to run this year. I think he can represent that next generation, and given his roots in the community, he can go out and recruit additional people of his generation to get involved in town government and carry us forward into the future,” Herr said.

Budget vs. Leash Laws

Thomas asked the next question to all candidates. “At the 2023 Town Meeting, voters passed a more than $100 million budget with essentially no debate. But we spent more than an hour debating an amendment to the Leash Law. Will you please offer your thoughts on that?”

McSweeney said she does not believe the town government in Hopkinton is transparents and accessible to the public.

“I think there are a number of different ways that we can help make government more accessible and transparent for people and foster a better debate on those issues,” she said.

Mimmo said the documents for Town Meeting, such as the budget, should be more accessible for readers to understand the information in a clear way.

The lack of debate over the budget at the 2023 Town Meeting is the fault of the town and is “indicative” of the need for more accessibility for residents to better understand what they are voting on, said Mimmo.

Clark said Hopkinton has always been a “fortunate town” with the resources it provides its residents.

It is the job of all residents to examine and assess the town’s budget to ensure the money is being used the best it can, he said.

Herr said this year’s budget of over $120 million is an important issue for him and deserves to be focused on.

“Having served on the board for many years, there are three things that get Hopkinton more energized than anything else: trees, trash, and trails,” he said.

Center School Future

Thomas asked, “The Permanent Building Committee has recommended that the town sell the Center School property to a private developer. Are you in favor of that? Why or why not?”

Clark said he wants to look more closely at the recommendation and explore other options before selling the town’s assets, such as the Center School property.

McSweeney said the town should do more research before making a decision.

She said the decision should not cost the town more money than it has to and should not be a burden on the school system.

The town’s decision regarding the Center School property may increase the traffic around Hopkinton Town Common, which is a concern to residents, McSweeney said.

Mimmo said the need to continue to explore the different options of what to do with the Center School property, both with local and private developers.

Herr said if the town does not sell the property, the cost of repairs is not something the town is in a position to fund.

He said there are other options to explore for the town to sell the building and still use part of it, such as leasing the front for town offices from the private developers.

Clark responded to Herr and said while the town should be “budget conscious,” the town would keep a valuable asset in the Central School property.

“I think there are some long-term benefits of an upfront investment,” he said.

Celtics or Bruins?

Nappi concluded with a lighthearted question. “Do you think the Boston Celtics or Boston Bruins will win the championship this year?”

“Both. Yes,” Clark said.

“Banner number 18 is going up this year,” Mimmo said.

He said the Bruins will also win their next Stanley Cup since 2011.

Herr said, “So far, so good. … I think there’s a good shot.”

McSweeney said, “I certainly hope so. After our season with the Patriots, we certainly need some good news.”

Closing Pitches

Mimmo said he and his wife moved to Hopkinton because it’s a “beautiful community with beautiful schools, and they did not disappoint. … I want to continue to see our town continue to grow and grow in the right way.”

He said if the town works together, there are opportunities to support the school system, provide tax relief to senior citizens, and help make Hopkinton a more eco-friendly town.

“My campaign is based on the notion that I think that I can bring to the Select Board a dispute-resolution background,” Mimmo said.

Herr said he feels the candidates discussed and debated topics with response and he is optimistic for the future of the town with the current Select Board candidates.

“There’s an opportunity for us to reset and refocus on moving the community forward as one entity – one town,” he said.

Herr said he is excited for the future and confident Hopkinton will find stability and growth.

McSweeney said, “Working together for Hopkinton is my mission.”

She said, as the only female candidate, she has a unique perspective on the town’s current issues and concerns and also can help make the town government more transparent and engage voters.

The “cornerstone” of her campaign is listening to concerns from residents who are not a part of the “vocal majority,” McSweeney said.

She said her experience working with budgets in her job with the Commonwealth is an asset to the town.

McSweeney said she hopes to listen to and retain the town’s employees – the “lifeblood” of the Hopkinton.

Clark said, “This is not politics to me. This is public service.” He said no matter the result of the election he is confident his fellow candidates are qualified and will do what’s best for Hopkinton.

“I want to remind everyone, I represent that reason people come to town,” Clark said.

He said the Town Election is important, but he asks residents to show up to Town Meeting May 6 and get involved with the town.

The four candidates are running for two three-year positions during this year’s Town Election May 20 at Hopkinton Middle School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

More immediately, Town Meeting takes place May 6 at 7 p.m. at Hopkinton Middle School.