Yes, we’re talking to You.
You, the one that has lived in Hopkinton for years, never really paying much attention to local politics. Sure, the taxes are a bit steep, but the schools are great. The fire and police departments respond when called, and your neighbors are friendly.
Except lately you’ve noticed blue signs popping up in yards. Where you once read the local news only occasionally, you’re now reading more frequently. You’re even finding yourself streaming Select Board meetings on Tuesday evenings (and occasionally shouting at the screen). You’ve seen people outside the CVS and Price Chopper collecting signatures on weekends. You might have even signed yourself.
You know it can be better. You know our town deserves better. You know this because you are a professional, and you’re accustomed to dealing with professionals, and what you see from this town government is often beneath your standards.
If I was running this town, things would be different, you’ve muttered to yourself.
THIS is the time for action. We need you, NOW more than ever. It is time for YOU to step up and run for Select Board.
We won’t lie, the stakes are high. The next Select Board will hire a new Town Manager, the next Chief of Police, and the next Deputy Chief of Police. It will negotiate the future of clean water in Hopkinton. It will preside over the completion of Main Street (God willing). It will play a role in the future development of the Center School, the potential sale of Town Hall and possibly a migration of town government to the old Elmwood school. It may cut the ribbon at the Elmwood school replacement and oversee an addition to the Hopkins school.
Now, we know what you’re thinking. Why would I put my family through a painful election, where we become the subject of attacks and smears? Why would I do this for a volunteer position? I love my town, but not that much.
Permit us to make a bold statement: This will be the most free and fair Hopkinton election in recent memory. Here’s why:
- Voters made a choice in November to eliminate partisan politics in town. We did this for several reasons, but the primary theme was that we were disgusted with the partisan issues that have invaded our elections for too long. There will be no more D’s and R’s on the ballot this time around; the party bosses wisely decided to follow the will of the voters and skipped the caucus this year. National issues that once divided us will not be a part of this election cycle.
- Everyone is watching. After the shenanigans with the School Committee election last May, all eyes will be on the lookout for bad actors. Should anyone try to orchestrate a smear campaign they will be publicly shamed.
- We’ll give them no home. HopNews will suppress baseless, personal attacks in our comment threads. The Hopkinton Independent will likely follow our lead (controversy is not in their wheelhouse). The Hopkinton Uncommon Facebook group has made it a policy to ban political speech. That leaves the Real Housewives of Hopkinton Facebook group as the only sizable audience where unfounded social attacks can blossom, and we all know who moderates that group. Consider the source, friends.
YOU will win this election on your merits and the passion with which you convey your ideas to voters. In the unlikely event that you lose, it will be deemed a noble effort for which your neighbors will be forever grateful. You can expect many pats on the back.
As it stands today, the race for Select Board is uncontested. There are two seats open and two candidates up. As it stands, there will be no debate and no exchange of ideas. They will win simply because no one else entered.
The election is in May. Please, stop by the Clerk’s office and gather your papers. Do it today. You need to collect just fifty signatures and submit them by April 2. Collecting 50 signatures is a cinch – just take a walk for a few hours and you’ll have them. Listen to what your neighbors are saying … they’re fed up too. They want change.
On behalf of an entire town, we implore you: PLEASE RUN FOR SELECT BOARD! Be the difference maker! We all stand ready to hear the great ideas that will make Hopkinton better today and in the future, and we will gladly lend our support to your campaign.
Love,
Us
Voters of Hopkinton; there’s no better time for you to serve a term on your Select Board. [I was a Hopkinton PD dispatcher from 1988-97 and 2010-15]. When I moved back to Upton in 2007 from a tour in the Air Force after a 10-year absence, I decided I didn’t care for how Upton was being run (and their issues were far less significant than those in today’s Hopkinton). I ran for, and won a seat on Upton’s BoS, then purposefully chose not to run after one term.
If you have a moderate platform and reasonable plans of action for all the nonsense they could have, and should have been avoided at 18 & 74 Main St., but didn’t, you should be successful on Election Day.
Many residents want to get rid of some of the current SB seat-holders; step up and give three years! Take my word for it; it’ll be worth the investment of your time and it doesn’t take much money to do so. But I do I have leftover ibuprofen that I will give you, just in case it’s needed.
So true.
Two questions/comments:
– It looks from eHop that there are now 3 Selectboard candidates for 2 open seats.
– I know there will be no Rs or Ds on the ballot but was curious to see eHop listing party affiliation next to candidates’ names.
One of the candidates that had initially pulled papers has reportedly decided against running.
As for eHop’s indication of an R/D, your observation is astute. One wonders why their editorial team would so openly express their contempt for Hopkinton voters.
The editorial team is managed by Amy Ritterbusch, HDTC member. So there is no surprise why they have the party affiliations next to their name.
Correct me if I’m wrong (and I may very well be wrong) but I believe the “no partisan elections” is a bit of a misnomer. I believe your party affiliation (R, D, or I) will be listed but that to get on the ballot the parties can not place individuals on the ballot as was done in the past. And I agree, 50 signatures are easy to get. FYI – i gave my time (8 +/- years on the Planning Board & Design Review, 6 years on the Lake Maspenock Citizen Input Group).
No, there will be no party affiliation on the ballot whatsoever. We have confirmed this with the Town Clerk.
I wonder if any previous veteran Board members would be open to running. Brian Herr and Claire Wright come to mind as people who immersed themselves in the details of many details different issues impacting Hopkinton, have a wealth of experience in serving the town, and weren’t afraid to take different views to get things done. I can’t say I’m super well-versed in all the issues but they came to mind because of those characteristics I’d seen in the admittedly few times I attended BoS meetings in the past.
Herr would be ideal. Wright has moved out of Hopkinton. Nothing personally against Mimmo and McSweeney, but it would be great to have at least 1 person on the SB NOT affiliated with the HDTC.
If you’re an independent candidate out there willing to run for the SB, trust me, you’ll have the grass roots campaigning and funding that you’ll need to beat an HDTC candidate. Now more than ever, this is YOUR year. I agree with this article 100%.
Does anyone know Brian Herr who’d be open to reaching out & asking him? Seems like his experience & strength of character would serve Hopkinton well. I don’t know him personally though& I know there are people who follow HopNews who are more tuned in to what campaign support is available.
We have received reliable reports that Mr. Herr has been approached recently by several residents and asked to consider serving one additional term on the Board. Herr is reportedly considering reengaging for one more term. That said, we are not aware that a final decision has been made at this time.
I’m voting Tedstone!
Is Brendan running?
We’ve not received any indication that Mr. Tedstone is running, but a write-in campaign is always possible. Perhaps he will be conscripted by his supporters.
Hopkinton really, really needs a promoter of the Main Street ‘raised, separated bike lane’ back on the Select Board.
I have it on good authority that a townie not name Tedstone will be in the mix. If true I cannot wait to put a few of his/her signs up in my yard.
Just my two cents – when was the last BOS Meeting with full representation by all 5 members?
I was never in favor of a five member Board. Seems to me that things went smoother in the days before Charter when we were represented by three Board Members. In fact all of the Town Boards and Committees have gotten too big!
I think Peter Thomas, of HopNews, should run. He is well informed on all the issues at hand.
Yes, but we need someone doing real journalism in town to keep these Boards and others honest. For this, Mr. Thomas excels!
Speaking of which, last night’s public forum session was powerful! I don’t know why the Selectboard doesn’t just invite the public to a Q&A session to answer questions. Their current approach seems defensive and is not a good look (on top of everything else). Transparency in these situations can go a long way toward bringing people together, and it seems to be noticeable absent. If they can’t defend or explain their decisions to the people they represent, that should tell them something.
We learned tonight that longtime resident Joe Clark has pulled papers. Clark is the son of former Hopkinton Fire Chief Ken Clark. A story will follow.