Select Board Updates Common Victualler License Policy – Meeting Highlights

Tuesday, August 4, Select Board meeting: the board adopted a revised Common Victualler license policy. It also raised two town fees and scheduled the fall Special Town Meeting for Monday, Oct. 26.

The board also accepted a new town roadway and cleared a parcel near Lake Maspenock for sale. It then voted to enter executive session on personnel, real estate, and pending litigation. Chair Shahidul Mannan, Vice Chair Matthew Kizner, and members Brian Herr and Amy Ritterbusch attended in person. Meanwhile, member Joe Clark was absent while traveling.

Public Forum

Marie Lascowski of Ashland discussed the proposed Common Victualler License Policy on the agenda. She supported a background-check requirement in the draft but argued it did not go far enough.

Ashley Fogg of Hopkinton used her time to respond to remarks made by Saravana Krishna at the board’s July 21 meeting. She said Krishna had characterized comments she made in a private, women-only Hopkinton Facebook group as harmful. These comments were also described as related to immigration.

Fogg said she posted the comments in November 2025. She said they concerned adults on a private, women-only forum who labeled Hopkinton High students “white supremacists” and “homegrown terrorists” for dressing as immigration enforcement agents during a Halloween event. Fogg said she did not discuss immigration policy. This was never about immigration.

She also disputed Krishna’s timeline connecting her comments to a February 2026 Select Board agenda item. Fogg’s comments were not, could not, be in reference to the SB agenda item. This is because Fogg’s comments predated the agenda item by several months.

Fogg holds no elected or appointed town position. She asked the board to use its authority over decorum to prevent public forum from being used to “publicly attack, label, or misrepresent” other private residents.

Steve Snow of Hopkinton raised two points: first, he urged the new chair to begin clearing a list of 16 “future agenda items” that have been repeatedly delayed.

Second, he expressed disappointment that five of the six members on the town’s new police chief search committee already serve on multiple other boards. He said this limits opportunities for new volunteers.

He noted one applicant he considered highly qualified, a former prosecutor with child-advocacy experience, received votes from only four of the five board members.

Consent Agenda

The board unanimously approved the consent agenda, including the July 21 meeting minutes. It also approved two Town Manager appointments: Autumn Tallant-Kilgannon as Parks and Recreation Program Coordinator/Summer Supervisor, and Jeffrey Pyne as a working foreperson in the Water and Sewer Department.

Common Victualler License Policy and Fee

The board voted unanimously to adopt a new Common Victualler License Policy. It also raised the license application fee from $50 to $100, the maximum increase allowed under state law. Town Manager Elaine Lazarus said the $50 fee had stood since at least 1990.

Assistant Town Manager Lance DelPriore presented the policy, which was developed with the town’s legal counsel. Board members agreed that it strengthens the license-review process, including more robust background-check procedures.

Charter Review

Charter Review Committee Chair Connor Degan gave an update on proposed changes. These include converting the Community Preservation Committee’s at-large appointed members to elected positions. He also mentioned a separate, undisclosed issue involving the town clerk’s position that he said he’d bring someone else in to address.

Multiple members raised concerns:

• “Brian Herr asked directly, “What is the rush with changing the charter?” and noted the charter only requires a review every 10 years, not necessarily a change. He said it “feels like we’re trying to push this thing along too fast” and that the board is “just making some changes to make some changes.”
• Matt Kizner agreed, saying it “feels like it’s moving rather quickly given the magnitude of the charter’s impact on the community” and that it’s “not super clear… that the changes are necessarily community-driven.” He also said he’d be hesitant to give up the board’s CPC appointment power.
• Amy Ritterbusch said she’d support moving forward this fall only if the public forum shows the proposed changes “are not controversial,” but would prefer waiting until spring if they are — and specifically flagged the CPC election idea as controversial.
• Chair Shahidul Mannan ultimately summarized: the board is tabling further decision, wants the committee to bring back more concrete proposals after the public forum, and multiple members want more information before deciding whether to move forward this fall or push to spring.

No charter changes were approved — the item was tabled pending the public forum and more detailed proposals.

Special Town Meeting

The board separately voted to hold the special town meeting on Monday, October 26, 2026 at 7:00 P.M. The timing is driven mainly by other business — including year-end close and financial certifications. Additionally, the tax-rate deadline also contributes to the timing, rather than the charter review. If the charter proposal isn’t ready in time, it will simply be pushed to a later town meeting. Meanwhile, the special proceeds as planned.

MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Update

MetroWest Regional Transit Authority representatives briefed the board on a bus network redesign launching Sept. 8, 2026. This includes a new route numbering system, two-way service on many routes, and more frequent service. Additionally, there will be expanded connections to the Ashland and Southborough MBTA stations and shopping areas along Route 85.

Board and Committee Appointments; Inactive Boards Review

The board voted unanimously to reappoint Doris Early to the Board of Registrars and Dan McIntyre to the Permanent Building Committee, each to three-year terms ending June 30, 2029. It also voted unanimously to disband five inactive boards: the ADA Oversight Committee, the Cable Advisory Committee, the Irvine-Todaro Properties Advisory Group, the Lake Maspenock Dam Advisory Group, and the Pratt Farm Master Plan Team.

Financial Items

Pending town counsel’s confirmation on procedure, the board voted unanimously to change the police cruiser detail fee from a flat $50 to the federal FEMA equipment reimbursement rate, currently $16.10 per hour. Interim Police Chief Scott van Raalten said the fee, paid by private contractors who request details, had not been reviewed in years. He added that tying it to the FEMA rate would let it adjust automatically. As mentioned previously, the Common Victualler application fee was also raised from $50 to $100.

Public Hearings and Property Items

The board voted unanimously to accept the deed to the Whisper Way roadway and an associated drainage easement, following a May town meeting vote accepting Whisper Way as a public way. Town Manager Elaine Lazarus said no formal taking was required. This is because the developer owned the street and easement outright and is conveying them directly to the town.

The board also voted unanimously to declare a parcel known as 0 Woody Island Road surplus property available for disposition, without deed restrictions near Lake Maspenock that had been under consideration. Irfan Nasrullah, representing Jeff Maresy, an abutting property owner, asked the board to proceed without restrictions, citing an encroachment issue affecting both properties. Members noted the matter had already received town meeting approval.

Rules of Procedure

The board reviewed its Rules of Procedure, last revised in 2020, including the section governing public forum. The board discussed recent confusion between a “public meeting” and a “public forum,” noting state law does not require a public forum on the agenda. It is offered as local practice. No vote was taken to change the rules.

Habitat for Humanity

The board also voted unanimously to sign the Release Deed disposing of 28 Knoll Road to Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester for $1. It further authorized the chair to execute related documents.

Town Manager and Liaison Reports

Town Manager Elaine Lazarus updated the board on the Main Street corridor project and the town’s vehicle fleet. She also discussed remote-participation options for future town meetings.

The board authorized posting three positions: Adult Services Librarian, DPW Heavy Equipment Operator, and Sewer Technician. Members noted the recent death of longtime DPW employee Chuck Moore. Additionally, they acknowledged the resignation of the library’s adult services librarian.

Executive Session

The board voted to enter executive session to discuss fire chief negotiations, an MCAD complaint, firefighter gear litigation, town-owned Ash Street land, and approval of the July 21 executive session minutes.

The Select Board scheduled its next regular meetings for September 8, September 15, October 2, and October 6.