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Girl Scouts Help Other Girls
June 14, 2007 — Members of Girl Scout 2232 spent the profits form cookie sales to purchase books to donate to the library. The series of books from American Girl that they did not have. "It is really good practical advice for girls," said leader, Ann Stauss. |
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WESTON NURSERIES PRIMER
by Muriel Kramer, Chair, Board of Selectmen When land that has been granted
tax relief by the town under the provisions of MGL Ch 61A is being sold,
the town receives notice from the seller and then the town has the right
of first refusal to purchase the property. The town has 120 days to make
their decision; the decision is made by the Board of Selectmen after a
Public Hearing on the question. The Public Hearing on the
Weston Nurseries Property is Thursday night, June 14th, at 7PM in the
Field House; it will NOT close that evening. The Public Hearing will be
reconvened on June 19th, Tuesday night at 7PM in the
Middle School Auditorium.
The Board of Selectmen will take their formal vote on whether to waive
or exercise the town’s right of first refusal on the 19th. It is
necessary to have a majority of the BOS members present at the Hearing
vote favorably on a motion to exercise the town’s rights under the
statute to trigger that action. The Timeline was put in place
to insure the public’s access to the process and the details as much as
possible. The timeline of events included four opportunities for the
public’s (in person or televised) access to the options; at the time the
timeline was put in place those options were Boulder’s Purchase and
development option or The Trust for Public Land’s partnership option. At
the time the public meetings were held and televised, no one had stepped
forward with a buy it all option, By the time Town Meeting was held, TPL
had backed out and a ‘buy it all” option was in the works. In this case, there is an
additional layer of complexity due to the bankruptcy proceeding and
subsequent ruling. Because of a carefully crafted and detailed Purchase
and Sale agreement between Boulder Capital and Weston Nurseries, the
Board of Selectmen planned the Public Hearing to open after the STM and
reconvene to conclude after the ballot; the intention was to insure that
the funding votes were settled prior to the Board considering the
question on behalf of the town to exercise, waive, or (at the time)
transfer to TPL the rights under Ch. 61A. The BOS could have chosen to
hold the Public Hearing, make the decision and then go to STM and the
ballot if necessary. This would have been an unnecessarily risky
approach if the Board’s vote was to exercise the rights especially given
the large borrowing involved and the complex legal decision from the
Bankruptcy proceeding. The Board intentionally planned for the
appropriating votes to take place prior to the BOS vote. Input from the Boards (typical
in a Ch 61A decision process) indicate that no Board or Committee
recommends exercising the rights and buying the property; this includes
the vote of the LUSC, a committee formed to deal with this question
specifically. |
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James D. (Jim) Cooprider, 72
Oklahoma City, OK - James D. (Jim) Cooprider, 72,
died at home June 10, 2007, after a courageous struggle with post-polio
syndrome. |
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Unbiased Advice for Voters
I would encourage all who vote on Monday to read this report Revised Fiscal Impacts. The Town hired Community Opportunities Group as an independent consultant to conduct this analysis. This is a completely unbiased view of the fiscal impacts of the development of this land, and it lays out all the assumptions that were made. Please note that the facts and figures represented in this report are only estimates based on assumptions. As I indicated at TM, actual impacts cannot be determined until a Definitive Plan is submitted and approved by the Town Boards.
Mark Abate Chairman, Planning Board |
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Thursday, June 14, 2007 • Selectmen Public Hearing • 7:00 pm High School Field House Following are links to the presentation that Boulder Capital gave to the omnibus meeting of town boards and committees, and the report by Judi Barrett of Community Opportunities Group for the town. Advocate of the Buy-all, H.O.P.E. has not made its presentation available. Boulder Capital Presentation • Fiscal Impacts of Land Use Change • (NEW! PowerPoint) Buy-it-all presentations • Boulder Fiscal Analysis (NEW!Movie) • Revised Fiscal Impacts •
Monday, June 18, 2007 • Election at Middle School polling place The following question deals with the Weston Nurseries land purchase: QUESTION 1
Shall the Town of Hopkinton be allowed to exempt from the
provisions of Proposition Two and One-Half, so-called, the amounts
required to pay for the bond issued for the purpose of acquiring for
general municipal purposes all or a portion of the land or an interest
in land with the buildings thereon in the Town of Hopkinton,
Massachusetts in fee simple or in such manner as the Town deems
appropriate, owned by various parties in interest believed to be Mezitt
Agricultural Corporation, Weston Nurseries, Inc., Roger N. Mezitt,
Merylyn J. Mezitt, R. Wayne Mezitt, Elizabeth Mezitt, Peter Mezitt and
Karen Mezitt (“Sellers”) and containing approximately 705 acres, more or
less and described in Notice Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 61A, Section 14 of Intention to Sell Land Taxed as Agricultural
Land for Residential and Other Non-Agricultural Uses, dated February 23,
2007 which land is subject to the Town’s first refusal option as
described in G.L.c. 61A, as amended (“the “61A Property”). The 61A
Property is shown on a plan identified as “Exhibit Plan,
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 • Selectmen Public Hearing Continued • Selectmen will vote to purchase or not to purchase • 7:00 pm High School Field House |
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Mark J. Flaherty Jr., 66, died at his home Monday, June 11, 2007. Born in Boston, he was the son of the late Mark J. and Thelma (Strong) Flaherty Sr. He was the husband of Nancy Flaherty for 45 years. A resident of Hopkinton for 34 years, he was formerly of Dorchester. He was a 1958 graduate of Cathedral High School, Boston and a 1960 and 1973 graduate of Bentley College, Waltham where he received a BS in accounting. Arrangements Complete |
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Updated
Fatal Rollover Crash on Route 24
North in Driver not wearing safety belt ejected and killed
June
14, 2007 — Today, at approximately 7:36 a.m., State Police assigned to
the Middleborough Barracks responded to a one-vehicle crash on Route 24
North prior to Route 104 in
Preliminary
investigation by Trooper Jeff Whitehead indicates
35-year-old Ayanna N. Ruffin of
The crash remains under investigation with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (C.A.R.S.) and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section. The Bridgewater Fire Department and personnel from MassHighways assisted troopers at the scene.
During the investigation and vehicle removal, the left and middle travel lanes of Route 24 North, the ramps from Route 495 North and South to Route 24 North, and the ramps from Route 104 North and South to Route 24 North were closed for approximately 2 hours. |
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Board of Appeals Meeting Exxon Gets Okay for Propane Heating oil and cell tower in residential neighborhoods pondered
by Robert Falcione June 14, 2007 — Jerry Lazzaro of Hopkinton Exxon was granted a variance by the Board of Appeals last night, after which Board member Wayne Davies half-jokingly asked Mr. Lazzaro if this meant he would drop his lawsuit against the town. The lawsuit had to do with the cease and desist that was issued to the Exxon against the sale of propane, something that had been specifically prohibited in its special permit, but which the company had done for about eleven years after being granted a license to do so by the Board of Selectmen. A zoning bylaw was recently enacted, inspired by this case, that allows the sale of propane as an accessory use. Photo, Jerry Lazzaro with brother Neil on his right, and Attorney Thomas Nealon on his left. Heating Oil Partners (The Alliance Express), which had a cease and desist order issued in March, apparently after complaints by neighbors, did not fare as well. The property, which had been used for decades as an oil storage facility and loading platform by Terry Oil and Coan Oil, appeared to have become a truck terminal in recent years, with many diesel trucks garaged overnight, and idling to warm up very early each morning. Although the spokesman for the company said that the issues with the neighbors had been resolved, the Board felt other matters were important as well. "I am waiting for a clear understanding of the grandfathering," said Mr. Davies. Grandfathering is a term generally used to describe a condition that existed before a zoning law was enacted. The company is claiming that their uses of the property pre-existed the enactment of zoning laws in the 1950's in Hopkinton. But at a previous meeting, neighbors complained that the property and its use had been expanded to include the storage of trucks overnight. The company was purchased from Terry Oil, which used to store their trucks overnight at their Main Street property, which apparently is not owned by the new company. Mr. Davies, in asking the company to produce all of its permits said, "We don't know if you are lawfully in existence in the Water Resource Overlay Protection District." The appeal was continued. Omnipoint Communications/T-Mobile met stiff opposition from neighbors to its plan to locate a wireless communications tower that could hold up to five co-located antennas at 75 West Elm Street in a residential neighborhood that is zoned agricultural. The representative from that company claimed that the commercial tower would be a replacement of the one that exists today. However, the existing tower is an amateur ham radio tower, and would need to come down before the new one, which would be a commercial tower, is erected, a point that was not lost on the residents who packed the hearing room, or the Board of Appeals. The company was asked to come back another time, and in the meantime, investigate another site for their tower. |
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First Day
June 14, 2007 — Fire Chief Gary Daugherty looked the part yesterday, his first day on the job as Acting Town Manager after being appointed by the Selectmen the evening before. |
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Mrs. Porter Retires
June 14, 2007 — Mrs. Ellie Porter made her final official trip to the Senior Housing with her fifth grade class yesterday after 25 years of doing so. Mrs. Porter, who is retiring from teaching after 34 years in the profession, brought sand dollars back from Marco Island and had her students decoupage them and present them as gifts to the seniors. When asked her favorite moment, she said, "When you finally see that they have it, that they've gotten it. "And it's great when they come back to visit, or they stop you in the store, or some foreign country to say hello," she said. |
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Suffolk
Construction Hires Jim Stukel of Hopkinton as June 14, 2007 - Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. announced the hiring of James Stukel of Hopkinton, MA as its new Executive Vice President and General Manager. Mr. Stukel has over 23 years of construction experience in project management, estimating, field operations, sales and marketing and will be responsible for building and managing Suffolk’s new division focused on tenant interiors and high-end retail, residential and restaurant work.
“These important sectors are experiencing significant growth right now, so it is critical that we have the industry’s most knowledgeable construction professionals in place to service clients in these markets,” said John Fish, CEO, Suffolk Construction. “Jim’s strong relationships and wealth of experience will make him an ideal fit to manage our new group. We’re very excited to welcome him to the Suffolk team.”
Mr. Stukel is responsible for setting the business direction and strategy for Suffolk’s new group. He also provides leadership in the areas of fiscal performance, client development, people development, subcontractor relationship management, client service and client satisfaction.
Mr. Stukel joins
Suffolk from Shawmut Design & Construction where he worked for nine
years, most recently serving as Vice President of the Corporate Group.
Prior to his career at Shawmut, Mr. Stukel worked for Turner
Construction Company from 1984 through 1998. During his tenure at
Turner, he progressed through many assignments including project
superintendent, project management, purchasing, estimating and business
development. As a Project Executive, Mr. Stukel played a leadership
role in the company’s New York City office and the Chicago office. |
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PAPERWORK NIGHT JUNE 26th.
For more information, please visit www.raiderfootball.org |
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Marguerite M. Moran, 87, died Tuesday, June 12, 2007 at St.Patrick's Manor, Framingham. Born in Framingham, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Agnes (O'Toole) Merchant. She was a 1936 graduate of Framingham High School and served in WWII in the U.S. Navy as a Pharmacist's Mate Third Class and an Apprentice Seaman. She was employed for many years as a secretary in the Hopkinton school system. Arrangements Complete. |
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FAMILY SWIM CLUB OPEN HOUSE
Enjoy the facility and swim with your family! Saturday June 16, Noon-3:00 pm Rain Date: Sunday, June 17, Noon-3:00 pm 2007 June 9- Sept 3, 2007 Open to YMCA members and non members. Enjoy another fun filled summer, register now as space is limited! Facilities Include: 2 outdoor pools, playground, tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball courts, picnic areas, hiking trails and playing fields. View the brochure and pricing online, click on Hopkinton Programs. For more info call the MetroWest YMCA Hopkinton, at 508-435-9345 www.metrowestycmca.org MetroWest YMCA, 45 East Street Hopkinton, MA |
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Want to Purchase Weston Nurseries? Buy it Yourself Editor:
Concerning your reporting that the Selectman are considering another Special Town Meeting for the Weston Nurseries property, I find it disconcerting that I just spent 4 hours waiting to vote against this purchase, most of this time listening to the proponents of the purchase, and may need to do it all over again. Town meeting votes are never perfect, but this is our system and we should abide by the result. If there is another meeting to vote, I urge what I believe to be the silent majority to come and vote against this unwise purchase. FULL LETTER |
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The Lions Club is recycling . . . again
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HOPKINTON’S ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE New Location
There is a need for baby and children’s clothing and items for the
rummage sale to be held at the
The
Donations of baby, children’s and adult clothes, furniture, small
appliances and household items are needed. We are not able to take
couches, beds, computers, televisions or anything with Freon. If in
doubt about a donation, please contact the
Donations may be dropped off at the Hopkinton residents have a history of being generous and helping good causes. Thank you for any support for this project. ~ Cindy Chesmore |
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Rocky Woods Road (Off Rte 135 - Hopkinton) |
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Real Estate Transactions for Hopkinton, Massachusetts Most recent first, updated June 13, 2007 Compiled by Eric Montville for HopNews.com
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Winning Foursome
June 13, 2007 -- Winners of the Third Annual Hopkinton Little League Golf Tournament are (left to right): Gary Haroian, Rob Gemma, John Francis and Lou Papadellis. Money raised from the tournament as well as the league's "$10,000 Draw" fundraiser is used to help pay a number of costs including field user fees, equipment and uniform purchases, as well as field maintenance expenses and ongoing updates to facilities. More than 1,300 boys and girls participate in the Hopkinton Little League -- one of the largest in the MetroWest area -- and a great deal of planning goes on year-round to support a program of this size. Thanks to everyone who came out to play in the tournament as well as the many sponsors who together helped make this event a success. ~ Joy Donahue |
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Rudy Giuliani Visits Hopkinton
June 13, 2007 — Republican Presidential candidate and former Mayor of New York Rudi Giuliani stopped by the Hopkinton home of former Ambassador to Ireland and EMC founder, Richard Egan for a fundraiser yesterday. Hopkinton Republicans came out in force to see the candidate, as well as former Massachusetts Governor and former Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci. From left, Richard Egan, ,Rudy Giuliani, and Paul Celucci. Photo contributed by Lil Holden. |
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Fat Lady Did Not Sing Group vows appeal of Special Town Meeting vote Fire Chief chosen as Acting Town Manager
by Robert Falcione June 13, 2007 — The choice of Fire Chief Gary Daugherty as Acting Town Manager would have been the big news this evening had it not been for a group of citizens on hand to inform the Selectmen that they plan an appeal of Monday's Town Meeting vote that appeared to hand over the sale of the Weston Nurseries land to Boulder Capital. Chief Daugherty told the Selectmen that he was not interested in the job full time, but would be happy to take it on an interim basis. "I spoke with Ken [Deputy Chief Ken Clark] and he's certainly willing to take on more responsibility," Chief Daugherty said, assuring the Selectmen that his department would be run well. Chief of Police Thomas Irvin was also considered, but yielded to Chief Daugherty (Photo, arriving at Town Hall). "I'd like to thank the Board for its consideration," said Chief Irvin. "I'd really like to thank Chief Daugherty for taking it on," he said, sharing a laugh with Chief Daugherty. The opening of the position is a result of the extended absence of Town Manager Anthony Troiano and his continued hospitalization following a violent car crash in May. Selectmen Chair Muriel Kramer had praise for the Chiefs during those first days. "One day the Chiefs were there for me when this was unfolding. You don't have to look for them; they find you," she said.
Special Town Meeting revisited Mrs. Kramer bundled a group of emails together for her fellow Selectmen to see, some of which were from residents unhappy with the process of the Special Town Meeting on Monday, which they said affected their ability to vote. (Please read previous story below). At issue is Article 5, which dealt with funding the town in exercising its 61a rights to purchase Weston Nurseries. Following are some excerpts: Meg Tyler of 36 Downey Street wrote in part, "The facilities and organizers were ill-prepared to manage such a large crowd and I think this mismanagement had an effect on much that took place." Brian Shulman of 11 Valentine Road wrote in part, "...I am seeking to have last evening's vote dismissed and require a new vote." "I don't think the votes were properly counted," wrote Heather Kelley of 115 Spring Street. Brian Morrison sent an email quoting someone who wrote to him quoting someone else who said someone left due to claustrophobic conditions after the first vote, and met about a dozens residents outside who then heard of a revote and wanted to go back in to vote to buy it all, but were not allowed back in. The measure failed by three votes in the final count. At Town Meeting, Mr. Morrison, who was one of the vote counters, requested one of two recounts. Mavis O'Leary, an advocate of exercising 61a rights and a member of the Land Use Study Committee, read a letter notifying the Selectmen that she represented a group of neighbors and residents starting an appeal process to rescind the Special Town Meeting vote of June 11 regarding the Weston Nurseries land purchase. "...I plan to notify the Attorney General, Robert Ritchie and the ethics Commission of our complaint and concerns around the apparent omission of following proper voting procedure, lack of adequate security at the meeting place, opportunity for a commercial entity to advocate in the meeting hall, denied access to Town Meeting members, and inadequate housing for such a public meeting for this important vote." Boulder Capital, which presumably gets all of the marbles if the vote at the ballot next Monday fails, gave a short version of their often seen presentation. Mrs. Kramer said that she advocated for Boulder Capital to give its presentation. In ending her letter, Mrs. O'Leary asked the Board of selectmen for assistance, and asked them to hold off on their vote "until the mater is resolved." FULL STORY |
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The 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership's Fourth Annual Conference Arc of Innovation:
The Economic Engine for the Commonwealth June 15th
8:00 to 11:00 Email elisa@arc-of-innovation.org to register For program information click here |
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School Committee thanks voters
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HOPKINTON - Marguerite M. Moran, 87, died Tuesday, June 12, 2007 at St. Patrick's Manor, Framingham. Funeral arrangements by the Callanan-Cronin Funeral Home are incomplete at this time
HOPKINTON - Mark J. Flaherty Jr., 63, died Monday, June 11, 2007 at his home. Funeral arrangements by the Callanan-Cronin Funeral Home are incomplete at this time. |
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Hopkinton Medical Reserve Corps Grows Still seeking volunteers
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WBZ-TV covered a little of Hopkinton's story last evening and may do more today. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tonight's Selectmen's meeting Agenda item: Acting Town Manager Update
June 12, 2007 — One of the items on this evening's agenda for the Selectmen is an update on the Acting Town Manager's position, the need for which arose following the tragic crash of Town Manager Anthony Troiano that took the life of the other driver and has kept him hospitalized since. At the last Selectmen's meeting, Chair Muriel Kramer promised her fellow board members that she would speak to the Police and Fire Chiefs to see if they would be able to help. In a HopNews interview the day before that meeting, both chiefs said they would be willing to help any way they could. However, Fire Chief Daugherty (File photo) was the most enthusiastic, and is considered the likely volunteer for the job that will keep him away from his department for extended periods of time. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm. |
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HopNews and WMRC Mission Accomplished We have given away all 60 tickets to the PawSox game on June 27 to the first 15 people who emailed us. Those people have been notified by return email. The contest is now over. Thanks for playing, and thanks to WMRC for the tickets! |
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Hopkinton Garden Club Wins Award
June 12, 207 — Hopkinton Garden Club and, specifically, its Garden Therapy Program, is receiving the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts State Award for Conservation at the Federation's Annual Meeting. This certificate of merit is awarded for a project in conservation demonstrating outstanding leadership. This was awarded to the Hopkinton Garden Club for its project building 20 wren and bluebird nesting boxes with the senior citizens of Hopkinton and the installation of the boxes by Hopkinton Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts on trails in Hopkinton and on lands at the Senior Center. Joan Luciano and Simone Margolis, Chairs of the Garden Therapy Committee for the Club, were pleased by the prestigious award, agreeing that "the new Senior Center has presented the Garden Club with many opportunities for sharing in the mission of the Garden Club." The Club's mission is to promote the advancement of gardening and horticulture, to develop and encourage community spirit by promoting the community's beautification and to assist and promote conservation efforts of the community. Photo contributed by Ruth Gorman |
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Crossing the Bridge
June 12, 2007 — Emily Welsh from Troop 2948 admires her new pins while her leader Sue Pearson prepares to hand her a bouquet of daisies at the Bridging Ceremony at the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton early last evening. At the start of the proceedings, the hundreds of attendees were reminded that a Special Town Meeting was being held at 7:00 pm at the Middle School. The start of that meeting was delayed as the majority of people arrived just before the bell, and more poured in afterward. The church, if not a direct abutter, is in close proximity to Weston Nurseries. |
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Boulder, Mezitts Win by 3 Votes Simple majority not good enough for funding article
June 12, 2007 — At least 865 people strong showed up at the Middle School Auditorium for Town Meeting last night, the largest group in memory, but apparently not unexpectedly, as the moderator had three remote locations equipped with video, sound, and walkie-talkies connected to the Town Clerk on his right. What drew most people to the meeting was the Article to approve the funding for the town to exercise its 61A rights and purchase Weston Nurseries' land that is under agreement with Boulder Capital. President of Boulder Capital, Roy MacDowell, Jr., was given ten minutes by Moderator Dr. Bruce Karlin, to rush through a presentation that he said would ordinarily take 30 minutes. Mr. MacDowell presented his vision of a Village Center and mixed housing types that would generate an estimated $3 million in taxes when fully developed. He offered to place a conservation restriction on 500 acres of open space that the public presumably would have access to, and to build a system of trails throughout the property. Jennifer Lund of college Street spoke on behalf of the town buying the land. "The Mezitt's and Boulder have a 100-plus page Purchase and Sale, but the town has a memo," she said. The "memo" Ms. Lund was referring to is a non-binding letter sent to Selectmen by Boulder promising to cap the residential side of their project at 940 units. Ms. Lund voiced concerns about the possible need for a new school, and police and fire stations with the projected amount of new residents. Clark Waterfall began his presentation in favor of the town purchasing the land by saying he represented himself, his wife, and his children. But when pressed by Dr. Karlin to name a group he represented, he said "the people of Hopkinton," which drew scores of vocal objections. Finally he said, "A concerned group of Hopkinton neighbors." "We're talking 1,000 units on 700 acres. It changes our current rural way of life to a more urban way," he said. One of the funding options he listed was CPA money, which was already voted down a few days ago by the Community Preservation Committee. Another funding source he mentioned was a state "Self-help grant," which was supposed to have been a funding mechanism for the purchase of the Whitehall land last year, but instead, the grant was denied, and not a penny came through, making that a hard sell to the group last night. When it came time for the first vote on the matter, confusion ruled. There was a motion by the Appropriations Committee written to dismiss the Article that was written to support the funding. So the only way to for those wanting to continue to keep the process of purchasing the land as an open matter, was to vote "no" on a negative motion. One resident demanded that the Moderator not move forward if there was even one person who didn't understand the motion, and he refused to be quiet, drawing a sharp rebuke from Dr. Karlin, and the movement of a police officer in his direction before the dialogue cooled. One of several light moments came when Dr. Karlin told a woman she had already been at the microphone. "That was my twin sister," she said. "How can I tell you apart," Dr. Karlin joked. "Watch the tape," she replied. Weston Nurseries owner Wayne Mezitt gave testimonials to Roy MacDowell and admitted that it was a bet-the-farm decision being made, paraphrasing an earlier proponent of the town's purchase. He related how Boulder would put in $2 million toward use around the village center, and a $3 million infusion into Weston Nurseries to "enable our business plan," he said. The vote to dismiss the Article failed by 564 against, and 306 in favor. And although all that vote needed was a simple majority, it was not the 2/3 majority that would be needed to pass the upcoming positive motion that would have funded a purchase. Two recounts were taken after the first count, and after some people had left the hall. The final score was 573 to fund the purchase, and 292 against the purchase, 3 votes short of the 2/3 majority needed to pass the measure. "See how important it was to come here tonight?" said Wayne Mezitt toward his mother and wife, who totaled 3 votes among themselves. Although there is a ballot question next Monday to approve the purchase, the Selectmen would also have to vote to do so, but they are split 2-2 with Selectman Matt Zettek abstaining as an abutter. "Even if it passed at the ballot next Monday," said Appropriations Chairman Stuart Cowart after the meeting, and in answer to someone's claim that there was another bite at the apple, "there is not enough time to call another Special Town meeting before the 120 days runs out." Boulder Capital and the Mezitt's can now be expected to move toward a closing. |
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Please Attend Special Town Meeting on Monday 7:00 pm Middle School Following are links to the presentation that Boulder Capital gave to the omnibus meeting of town boards and committees, the report by Judi Barrett of Community Opportunities Group for the town, and the H.O.P.E. presentation* Boulder Capital Presentation • Fiscal Impacts of Land Use Change • • Boulder Fiscal Analysis (NEW!Movie) • Revised Fiscal Impacts • *Apparently, the HOPE presentation will not be made available before Town Meeting |
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12:50 pm West Main Street driver called to report that a bird that flew into his car was now standing on the side of the road...
4:51 pm A Pleasant Street resident reported that he killed a very large raccoon...
6:10 pm Officer Gregg DeBoer spoke with three dirt bikers operating illegally...
1:59 am An EMC Security officer reported that he believed 9mm shots were fired. |
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HopNews and WMRC Invite you to win: Four tickets to see the Pawtucket Red Sox on June 27. Just be one of the first ten people to email from here. |
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GOT EMAIL? Please share with us the email you have received from people with one group or another regarding the upcoming vote for Weston Nurseries, or even the last election, by forwarding them to editor@hopnews.com . We don't plan on making them public, and we certainly will keep your identity confidential. Please help us make more sense of the impact that email communications, with its total lack of accountability, makes on a person or group's political decisions, and the effect on the democratic process. Please forward to: editor@hopnews.com |
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Don't Be Coy
June 10, 2007 — The frog sitting on the lily pad in the lower left is getting surrounded by the koi in this "water feature" at Weston Nurseries. Circulating water flows over a fall, down a cascade, and into the pool with frogs, koi, water lilies and other plants behind the Garden Center today. Kids of all ages were enthralled by the sight. The matter of the town purchasing or not purchasing Weston Nurseries will be before Special Town Meeting on Monday, June 11, 2007 at 7:00 pm in the Middle School Auditorium. Articles 3-7 appear to deal with this issue, as well as related issues such as attorneys, appraisals, surveys, testing, etc. Part of the language of Article 5 follows: "...Board of Selectmen be authorized to take all other action and to execute any and all other documents necessary or appropriate to accomplish the acquisition of such land or interest in land, including, without limitation, engaging counsel, obtaining or preparing plans, surveys, studies, assessments, title reports, or other instruments or documents, obtaining appraisals and conducting tests and studies, including environmental studies including the authority to discuss, apply for, accept and expend any and all federal and state grants, aid or loans and all other actions necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this article. Said sum to be used in conjunction with any federal and state grants, aid or loans which may be available for such purpose; Said sum to be spent under the direction of the Board of Selectmen." |
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It Takes Two
June 10, 2007 — These Canada geese thrashed out of the water today, one after another, perhaps quite literally, and passed over the Hopkinton Reservoir Dam, giving the photographer a chance at a photo of which the perspective appears to be a thousand feet up. |
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One Side of the Coin
June 10, 2007 — Some people took over the corner of Main and Grove Streets today to promote their position of purchasing Weston Nurseries at Special Town Meeting on Monday. |
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A TIF by Any Other Name
June 10, 2007 — Lonza Hopkinton, Inc. wants to spend $70 million on building expansion, machinery and equipment and future investments, and they prefer to do it in Hopkinton. They need a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) from the town that would allow them favorable tax status over an 8 year period in return for their investments in Hopkinton. The Selectmen designated the two buildings, one at 97 South Street, and the other at 99 South Street, as special economic target areas in order for this status to move forward. Article 2 of the Special Town Meeting Warrant for June 11, sponsored by the Board of selectmen, will address the matter. Read more here in a fact sheet put out by Business Development Strategies on behalf of Lonza. TIFs have helped Milford attract business to Fortune Boulevard, where the resistant land is solid granite, and went undeveloped for years. |
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Garden Tour
June 9, 2007 — A dozen Hopkinton residents opened their homes and gardens today in the pouring rain for the Garden Club's Arts & the Garden, but the precipitation didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the participants. Performing and visual artists, such as the Hopkinton Chamber Orchestra and Hopkinton artist Dustin Neece, appeared at each venue, accompanying the shows. Above is the view from Sandra's driveway through her side yard, to the fog-blanketed hillside across the valley from her home (Sandra wants no further identification). To see a short video of her gardens, and of a performance at Betty Wycoff's home, click here.
Reader's comment: The Garden Tour was presented by both the Hopkinton Garden Club and the CAA. To not give the CAA credit would be an unfortunate oversight. They brought us the various artists who shared their talents of music, painting, sculpture, and written word with the guests on the tour, and were key to organizing this event. Recognition should go to Sandra Livis and Barbara Timko from the CAA, and Ruth Gorman and Deborah Coleman from the Garden Club for their vision, hard work, and angst that made this community event possible, as well as to the gardeners and artists who graciously opened their properties and studios for the delight of the public. ~ Merylyn Mezitt |
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Maternal Instinct
June 9, 2007 — This snapping turtle has a knack for leaving the water and finding sandy soil in which to dig a large hole to deposit her eggs into. When her young hatch, they will instinctively take the same path to the water that her mother took to return there. Photo by Jack Simpson. |
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Parlez-vous?
June 9, 2007 — Sauce on Main Chef and owner Shawn O'Leary personally serves Barbara Dobson and her friend early Friday evening. In addition to their luncheon, the 15 Main Street restaurant is open for fine dining — complete with distinctive wines, white linen, and candlelight — three days a week, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The food is definitely world-class, but the menu is in English. Reservations can be made by calling 508-497-0015. |
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Several Calls
June 9, 2007 — Several cell calls to police by drivers concerned for the well being of a driver and concern for the safety of the driving public were made one night this past week for a vehicle reportedly driving all over the road on Wood Street with a flat tire. Above, the driver, who was taken into custody shortly after the photo was taken, puts her face in her hands during the field sobriety test. Many police departments video tape and audio tape drivers while they take the test, as happened here. |
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Julia Linnell Urges Buy-it-all
Editor:
To
all our town residents who made "maintaining rural quality" as a top
priority at a recent town meeting poll: Adding 940 houses to our current
count of 4500 houses would certainly NOT achieve this goal. Now is the
time to speak up. |
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Joe Colella Gives $25,000 to Hopkinton Historical Society
June 8, 2007 — Retired Charlesview Developer and Hopkinton icon Joe Colella gave yet another gift to his former grade school, this time $25,000, to help with repairs on the Hopkinton Historical Society's home on Hayden Rowe Street. "Bob Colella called and said, 'Joe wants this done. What do you need?'," said Bob Chesmore in an interview earlier this week. "It was their first grade school. He and (Brother) Angelo would bring water in the morning," said Mr. Chesmore. "Mary McDonough did the realty, but Joe is really the one who purchased the building," said Mr. Chesmore. According to the Hopkinton Historical Society, they purchased the building from the Hopkinton Grange in 1991. The Society gives credit for donations from the Community Preservation funds, private donations, and in kind "donations from local contractors and suppliers." To see some of Friday's affair, please watch the YouTube video above. |
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School Comittee Meeting
High School
Moves Up in National Newsweek Ranking
By
David Hamacher
During her school improvement plan for next year, Hopkins School
Principal, Ms. Martha Starr described the need for Students at Risk:
Threat Assessment and Crisis Prevention. “Following the Virginia Tech
Murder/Suicide event, we’ve noticed an increase in the number of
students demonstrating at-risk behaviors,” she said. “We’ve had to call
in the Crisis Response team from the high school multiple times in the
past six weeks,” she continued. Key performance indicators for
improvement include parents being able to earlier recognize signs
earlier and target referrals to guidance and community professionals.
Also, teachers will be able to recognize and understand warning signs.
Funding for consultation by a mental health professional to the Hopkins
Crisis Response team will need to be appropriated from the professional
development account.
Other programs identified for Hopkins School for next year include
grades four and five special education students reaching AYP (annual
yearly progress) performance target levels for Cycle V in ELA, which
would be an improvement of scaled score of five points. These goals
would be gained through weekly tutorial sessions for all students who
received warning signs in the 2006 test scores. |
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Rob Snyder Urges Purchase of Weston Nurseries Editor:
Has anyone ever
invested in land and looked back on it in regret? It may have happened,
but I’ve never heard of it. I for one am pleased with my town’s recent
investments in the Terry, Pyne, and
Bob Snyder 37 Eastview June 8, 2007 Letters to the Editor will cease randomly and without warning sometime before Town Meeting. Get yours in now. |
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HOPKINTON SENIOR CENTER ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE
The
Donations of baby,
children’s and adult clothes, furniture, small appliances and household
items are needed. We are not able to take couches, beds, computers,
televisions or anything with Freon. If in doubt about a donation,
please contact the
Donations may be
dropped off at the Hopkinton residents have a history of being generous and helping good causes. Thank you for any support for this project.
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Idea Exchange Closes
June 8, 2007 — The Jelly Donut at 77 West Main Street hosted its last morning coffee today. For years, it placed a far second to the former Brown & Smiths (Now Bill's Pizza) in the amount of interested conversationalists for a morning pre-work coffee klatsch. Nonetheless, it attracted its share of office-holders, politicians and former politicians who offered their ideas to one another, usually from the perspective of party politics, on a daily basis. |
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News Item: H.O.P.E. Members to offer Buy-it-all Presentation at Special Town Meeting
June 7, 2007 — Since the collapse of the Taurus/TPL option to purchase Weston Nurseries, H.O.P.E. (Hopkintonians Organized to Preserve and Enhance) Members Mavis O'Leary and Liisa Jackson have turned their energies toward asking their fellow citizens to support the exercising of Hopkinton's 61a rights, that give the town the right of first refusal on the Weston Nurseries' property that is for sale. The group plans a presentation at Special Town Meeting asking for a 2/3 vote of those present to support the town's purchase. HopNews Cartoon by Hopkinton artist Ashley T.M. Jackson (No relation). |
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Bus Pass Deadline HOPKINTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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SouthboroughNews.com Joins the Club HopNews look-alike now online
Above, Editor Linda Hubley poses outside the Town House in idyllic Southborough Center.
Robert Falcione June 7, 2007 — "There was no way to communicate exclusively Southborough news," said Southborough News Editor, and HopNews reader, Linda Hubley today. "Last night the Town Administrator said she liked the look of the website." Mrs. Hubley, a wife and mother who is active in 4H, with waterways, and in the Southborough Fire Department as their photographer, had planned the news site after talks with HopNews last year. The fourth generation Southborough native wants to fill a void that she feels exists in news of the town at the local level. HopNews has been researching similar sites since last year, but have found few that fit the bill of local news. Many sites that bill themselves as local and are run by individuals, as opposed to corporations, are actually blogs for editorializing, much like the Town Talk page on HopNews. And on that very subject, HopNews intends to provide its readers a look at the compilation of what the corporate suits call "Citizen News" in the near future, and it is certain that Southborough News will be there. HopNews readers who take advantage of the features of the page will notice the NewsCity.us resource that we put together for readers looking for news outside of Hopkinton and in other parts of the country. The Southborough News is also listed there. Observations of recent media trends show the traditional print media driving their readers to their websites as their paper sales lag. Each year, more and more readers get their news online. Music CD sales have already met the same fate, with music downloads being the preferred method of purchase for many young people. Television viewers are also flocking to the web. Television stations have been beefing up their websites and driving viewers to them in an effort to use technology to keep their market share in a web-oriented world. YouTube was recently acquired by Google for around $1.65 billion. Yes, that's billion. YouTube is a video sharing website that is not known to create content themselves, but has become the Mecca for video users to upload their favorite shows — and for aspiring film makers to get their ideas before an audience, in what could be called moviemaking by democracy. In addition, YouTube users are known to upload television programs that they do not own, in flagrant violation of copyrights. However, provisions in the purchase agreement provide a mechanism for payment for those violations. Movies, music, news, magazines, comics, television, all taking advantage of a convergence of media onto the internet, making this an exciting time for entrepreneurs, and especially those who want to fill a void in a local news market. "Community groups will now have a central place to find information," Mrs. Hubley said. "I want to see it grow — so that people can use it to see what's going on. It is a photo-journalistic way for people to share their lives with everyone else," she said. |
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Fatal Accident on Route 395 South in Victim not wearing seat belt State Police seek assistance June 6, 2007 —
Today, at approximately 6:20 p.m., State
Police assigned to the Sturbridge Barracks responded to a motor vehicle
crash on Route 395 South by Exit 4B in the town of
Preliminary investigation by Trooper Phyllis Kossack indicates that a 1997 Hyundai, Tiburon, being operated by Laura L. SOUCY, 39 years of age from Webster, MA., was traveling south on Route 395 when it veered to the right, exited the roadway, rolled over at least once and struck one or more trees before coming to a stop. Ms. SOUCY, the sole occupant of the vehicle, was not wearing a safety belt at the time of the accident. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Speed was a factor in the crash. Eyewitness’s who stopped at the scene stated that a second motor vehicle may have contributed to the crash but did not stop at the scene. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is urged to contact the State Police at the Sturbridge Barracks at 508-347-3352.
The crash remains under investigation with
the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction
Section (C.A.R.S.) and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section.
The
All lanes of Route 395 South were closed and after approximately one hour the left passing lane was opened. The entire roadway was opened to traffic at approximately 9:30 p.m. |
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Gigantic Garage Sale June 9, 2007 8am-2pm First Congregational Church – 146 E. Main Street
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Tracy Timlin Schach, Sister of Red Sox Pitcher Mike Timlin,
Completes
2000-mile trek from |
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NO JOKE ~ WIN $200.00. At some time during June, HopNews will have a message on the front page of one of our advertiser's web sites or webpages announcing that you have won $200. First at five minute intervals, then ten minutes, and so on. Just keep checking in with our advertisers by choosing their advertising icons, and when you see that declaration, be the first to email from here only. This contest will end by June 30 (Some restrictions will apply). |
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IP Address Trace | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All content on this site and linked pages within this domain and affiliate domains are ©2006 Hopkinton News and may not reproduced in any form without written permission. Learn more. |
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