Public Forum

Chair Joe Clark opened with a call for civility and mutual respect, noting email as a direct channel to board members.

Kevin Narbonne of Hopkinton addressed the April 7 meeting, where Vice Chair Shahidul Mannan closed the public forum before Lynn Key — a sexual abuse survivor — could speak.

Narbonne said several people requested a vote to extend time. No vote was taken. When Key stood anyway, a board member directed the assistant town manager to call the police. Three officers arrived within five minutes.

Key had reported a childhood rape at a Hopkinton church in April 2022. She waited four months for the police to respond to her report. Narbonne called the entire episode disheartening and wrong. Key was eventually allowed to speak and apologized to the board.

Ann Click of Hopkinton, dressed as George Washington, urged the board to promote a patriotic theme for the July 4th parade, suggesting the tagline “Hopkinton Celebrates America’s Birthday” in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

John Laskowski of Ashland, who said he has attended meetings for over 250 days, accused the town of blocking public records requests and responding to concerns with half-truths. He directed residents to the Facebook page Demand the Truth Hopkinton.

Consent Agenda

The board unanimously approved a routine consent agenda including meeting minutes, three parade permits, library and ambulance fund donations, a part-time hire at the senior center, and a resignation from the Zoning Advisory Committee.

Class of 2027 Bonfire Permit

The board approved a ceremonial bonfire permit for the Hopkinton High School Class of 2027. The bonfire is scheduled for June 12 at the middle school fields from 7 to 9:30 p.m. to mark the start of senior year.

Zero Emission Vehicle Policy

The Sustainable Green Committee presented its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) First policy for final approval. The policy requires the town to prioritize electric vehicles when purchasing new fleet vehicles, followed by plug-in hybrids, hybrids, and then the most fuel-efficient gas option.

Ambulances, fire trucks, DPW vehicles, emergency vehicles, and vehicles over 8,500 pounds are exempt.

The policy does not mandate EV purchases. Departments can move down the priority list if budget, vehicle needs, or charging infrastructure make EVs impractical.

Achieving Climate Leaders status through the policy would unlock a $1.15 million state grant for renewable energy projects at schools, the senior center, and town hall. A full fleet transition is projected to save $175,000 per year, with cumulative savings of $4.5 million by 2050 and an estimated upfront cost of $12 million spread over decades.

EV chargers are being installed at the police station, DPW, and the high school through the MassEVIP grant program at near-zero cost to the town. ChargePoint assessed all sites and found that no voltage upgrades were needed.

Kizner pushed back. He said the policy felt premature given uncertainty around state and federal funding and objected to a proposed revolving fund that would earmark public charger revenue for additional charging infrastructure rather than returning it to the general fund.

The policy passed 2 to 1. Ritterbusch and Clark voted yes. Kizner voted no, citing instability in grant funding and ambiguity in the policy.

Keefe Tech Enrollment Update

Superintendent Jon Evans updated the board on Keefe Tech’s new state-mandated lottery admissions system. Hopkinton received eight dedicated seats in the Class of 2030 out of 233 total. Without apportionment, the town would have received only six. Eleven of 21 Hopkinton applicants received offers.

FY27 Budget Revision

Finance Director Kyla Shea presented an emergency budget revision less than three weeks before the Annual Town Meeting. Health insurance renewals increased by 24 percent, then were negotiated down to 18 percent. The original budget projected 9 percent, leaving a gap of $1.2 to $1.3 million.

Town departments cut $300,000 from operating budgets in under four days. The school department reduced its budget by $629,000. The remaining $289,000 gap will be covered by free cash.

Kizner warned that using free cash for operations is exactly what the board has tried to avoid, with a $5 million deficit already projected for FY28. Clark acknowledged the health insurance spike was unforeseeable but said the town has always closed budget gaps.

The revised budget passed 3 to 1. Kizner voted no. Mannan was absent.

Center School Cost Jumps to $16.8 Million

Permanent Building Committee Chair Dan McIntyre reported that the Center School renovation estimate has grown from $10 million to $16.8 million. Two major drivers pushed costs up: the slate roof is in worse condition than expected, and HVAC costs came in more than double the earlier estimate.

Additional costs include EV charging pre-wiring, solar readiness, a generator for emergency shelter use, and electronic safety systems. The Town Meeting article asks for Community Preservation Committee funds to demolish only the 1950s and 1980s additions. The 1928 building would remain.

McIntyre also presented four scenarios for reusing Elmwood School once the district vacates it. Rezoning for multifamily housing could yield up to $11 million, though demolition and hazardous material removal would reduce the actual return to around $2 million. A $75,000 study is going to the Town Meeting.

McIntyre committed to bringing the $16.8 million estimate down before his next board appearance.

Conservation Commission Conflict Disclosure

Conservation Commission Chair Melissa Recos appeared to submit a financial interest disclosure. She joined engineering firm Tighe & Bond roughly 18 months ago. The firm has a long-standing relationship with Hopkinton DPW. Recos does not work on Hopkinton projects and contacted the state Ethics Commission, which gave her two options: recuse or disclose.

The board voted unanimously that her financial interest is not substantial enough to affect her service. She will recuse herself when Tighe & Bond present to the commission.

Lynden Street Acceptance

Residents were concerned about a drawing showing a 66-foot right-of-way. Kizner clarified the town has no intention of widening the street. The goal is to accept the road as a public way and replace the failing water main. Town counsel flagged that the street’s railroad bed origin complicates title research, requiring a 120-day window after Town Meeting.

The board voted unanimously to recommend acceptance and to authorize land acquisition if necessary.

Town Meeting Warrant

The board unanimously signed the Annual Town Meeting warrant. Town Meeting is Saturday, May 2, at 9 a.m. at the middle school.

Kizner objected to placing the revolving fund articles (Articles 26 and 27) on the moderator’s consent agenda, arguing that both will generate debate and should not be grouped into a no-discussion vote.

The board took no position on a citizen petition requiring civil fingerprinting for common Victualler licenses. The Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce opposed the measure, calling it burdensome, redundant, and a potential business deterrent. All four members said they want the conversation to happen at Town Meeting.

The board will bring no formal recommendation.

Kizner also served notice that the Water and Sewer Advisory Committee must appear before the board on May 5. He called the absence of a board-level conversation about water quality unacceptable, citing a resident’s comments about being unable to drink tap water.

The views expressed during Public Forum are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of HopNews. 

For more information on Hopkinton’s town government, visit HopNews Guide to Town Government