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Selectmen's Meeting Special Town Meeting for New School Discussed ADA Oversight Committee Reestablished
by Muriel Kramer
February 1, 2011 — The Board of Selectman
met tonight in part to discuss the re-creation of the ADA (Americans
with Disabilities Act) Oversight
The committee was disbanded in November 2010 by the Board of Selectmen after communication and process broke down according to Chairman RJ Dourney; at the time the Selectmen were under the misconception that the ADA Oversight Committee was not meeting regularly and that the group’s charge could be better assigned to the Permanent Building Committee (PBC).
At this meeting the Selectmen focused on how to ensure that the needs of the disabled community are considered and addressed. Town Manager Norman Khumalo addressed the topic asserting that the Town is committed to providing a culture of support for the disabled and that it is important to ensure universal accessibility not just accessibility to facilities but to all institutions of town government. Khumalo requested the Board re-instate the ADA Oversight Committee to essentially serve in an ombudsman role to ensure the Town’s ability to receive, respond and act on requests that are brought forward by disabled members of the community efficiently, effectively and fairly.
The Board of Selectmen voted to rescind their earlier vote and then voted to re-instate the committee. Newly reinstated members, Dale Danahy, Mike Dimascio, Nancy Alvarez Burdick and Kate Buckley suggested the Board of Selectmen resume having a selectman liaison to the committee; RJ Dourney volunteered to serve in that capacity. Other suggestions included expanding the committee to include a member of the disabled public and addressing the new charge the committee might assume going forward to better serve the disabled community in Hopkinton. The newly re-instated committee was tasked to return to the Board of Selectmen to address the proposed new structure, membership and charter for the ADA Oversight Committee by May 15, 2011.
The Board also addressed the timeline for
Special Town Meeting (STM) and Special Town Election (STE) in March to
accommodate the School
The vote to hold STM and election is contingent upon a favorable vote from the MSBA on February 9, 2011 to provide state funds in support of the new elementary school project. If the state votes favorably on the project, the warrant will open February 15th and close March 2nd. The most recent figures available from the School Department put the total cost of the project at $38 million with the town’s share estimated at $23.5 million. REST OF STORY: The Selectmen debated the scheduling of Town Meeting at length with none favoring just one week between Town Meeting and the Election; in the end that was the only way to schedule the events and comply with the schedule agreed to by the Elementary School Building Committee and the MSBA. Please note: If you are not registered to vote in Hopkinton, and you would like to participate in the votes at Town Meeting and Town Election in March, you must register with the Town Clerk no later than March 8th.
Addressing the FY 12 budget update, Khumalo suggested including the capital budget and the operational budget together and discuss them at all future budget meetings as a comprehensive budget. Selectman Todd Cestari also recommended that when considering the new school project it will be important to know the true costs including what is to be done with the old facility at Center School. Additionally at STM, the budget parameters and drivers that are known need to be made clear to the voters as they consider the vote to fund the new school building project.
The Board of Selectmen has received its first request for abatement from a property owner in the Phase VI sewer project area. Town Counsel Associate Brian Falk outlined for the Board the process to address abatement requests.
An abatement means an adjustment or discount to the betterment amount assessed, and the Board of Selectmen is the assessing board on sewer betterments. Appeals of the Board’s decision would be handled by Superior Court. Falk detailed that granting an abatement impacts all other property owners; there is no wiggle room for adjustments. If one property owner is granted any relief of the betterment fee, the other rate payers will have to make up the difference. Additionally the applicant bears the burden of proof that either the betterment is substantially in excess of the improvement afforded by the service or that the assessment places a disproportionate betterment share to a particular property owner.
The Public Hearing on the abatement request will be scheduled for February 15th. Falk also pointed out that we are roughly half way through the 6 month period when abatement requests can be filed; May 15th is the deadline for abatement requests on Phase VI, the Fruit Street and/or Milford Connection betterments. |
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"The News Starts Here!"
Committee, a committee originally charged to address bringing town
buildings into compliance with ADA requirements. Over the last several
years the town has voted to support improvements in phases to address
accessibility issues as brought forward by the committee. 
Department’s initiative to fund a new elementary school for Fruit
Street. STM is scheduled for Monday March 21, 2011. STE is scheduled one
week later for Monday March 28, 2011. By statute the deadline to
register to vote for STM is March 11; the deadline to register to vote
at the ballot is sooner, March 8, 2011. All interested residents that
want to participate in both STM and election that are not yet registered
to vote in Hopkinton, need to register with the Town Clerk on or before
March 8th.
