HI 2.25.23

HOPKINTON INDEPENDENT

After protests, no SPED cuts in town schools

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

Following sometimes tearful presentations from parents and educators, the School Committee on Jan. 12 instructed Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh to eliminate a proposed cut in occupational therapy services.

The original plan for reductions had speech and physical therapy services also affected. However, at the previous School Committee meeting, the superintendent said the only remaining reduction would be in occupational therapy, going from a suggested cut of 0.8 worth of a staff position to 0.4. The cost for that would be around $32,000.

Parents and educators for the last few months have been attending meetings and speaking out against the proposed plan and warning about the negative impact it would have on student services.

The therapy reduction was the only topic of discussion at the School Committee’s joint budget public hearing with the Select Board and Appropriations

School Committee | 19

Town election process underway

By Sidhi Dhanda Contributing Writer

Although the midterm elections may be over, another election season is beginning in Hopkinton. The local election shapes the town’s priorities for the coming years and directly impacts all residents and their families. Those who want to be a part of the decisionmaking process can run for seats on various boards. Town boards and commissions play a role in many elements of Hopkinton, including the school system, the library, housing and even the summer concert series at the Town Common. Although local elections do not happen until May 15, candidates must start preparing earlier.

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Restaurant’s demise leaves bad taste

When he opened Lone Wolf BBQ on Main Street a year ago, Dirk Kiefer really wanted to make things work in Hopkinton. After a nightmarish year, however, Kiefer is moving on.

The veteran restaurateur said he will stick around for a while to help the new owners, whom he said are planning to open a Mexican restaurant at the 22-24 Main Street location.

INDEPENDENT THOUGHTS JERRY

SPAR

The bad luck started right when Lone Wolf initially opened, in December of 2021 — following three months of work on the facility, formerly home to Bittersweet. First Kiefer’s mother, Katherine, died on Dec. 28 of that year, at the age of 99. Two months later, his 57-yearold brother, who had Down syndrome and had been living with his mother, died of COVID pneumonia, Kiefer said.

In between, in early January, Kiefer dealt with the loss of close friend Jim Corsi, a former Red Sox pitcher who briefly lived in Hopkinton. Kiefer had once run a restaurant near Fenway Park and became close with some players from serving them, he said.

Despite his personal tragedies, Kiefer pushed through with the restaurant and had great success early.

“When we started out, we were killing it,” he said. “It could have been just everybody giving it a chance, whatever, but I can tell you this, from 4 o’clock to 7 o’clock at night we would do $1,200 to $1,600 without catering. And we were doing $2,000 to $3,000 in catering.”

The last banner day was Boston Marathon day in April 2022, when the business made $8,000 feeding primarily police and race workers/volunteers, he said.

“Two days after that, the road work starts,” Kiefer said of the Main Street

Corridor Project. “We had been told by the leasing agent and the landlord that, yup, you’re going to have a bumpy road at the start because they’re out there repaving. That’s what we were led to believe.”

In reality, as residents know, last year’s work was extensive.

“All through the summer there was nowhere to park,” Kiefer said. “There were days when I would pull up to my own spot — paying $2,500 a month and all the utilities — and not even able to go in my front door. And when I tell you that, it was more times than not — Monday through Friday from May to [December].”

Kiefer said he often couldn’t unload supplies via his back parking spot, either, due to road closures.

“No updates from the town, no communication, no means of a fund for anybody,” he said. “It’s really disgraceful how they handled this. I really thought if there was anybody that would understand this and prepare for this and have somebody’s back, I thought it would be the town of Hopkinton.”

Michelle Murdock, the town’s project specialist, insists she did have

Independent thoughts | 3

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Dirk Kiefer stands inside his recently closed restaurant, Lone Wolf BBQ at 22-24 Main Street.

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

Tales from a Townie: The day we burned all the bogs

By William T. Hamilton Jr. Contributing Writer

This story takes place at the “Little Meadow,” which was located near where 58 Ash Street is now. Generations of us kids from the Ash Street-Fenton Street area learned to skate there.

It was a small, shallow meadow probably about three-quarters of an acre, with two sides having about 30 bogs. At the start of the winter the dirt part was about an inch above the ice, with the grass shooting up about 3 feet. As the winter progressed, with snow and rain freezing, the water rose about 6 inches. Now, if the grass was gone, the meadow grew to about double the size. Then the boys could play hockey on one side, and the girls could skate on the other, plenty of room for everyone.

Most years we burned the bogs one or two at a time on cloudy days so the smoke blended in (after all, we were only 8-10-year-old kids).

On this particular Saturday morning, it was the first skating day of the year. It started off cold, but by late morning it was getting warm and the ice was getting soft — no skating this afternoon. It was supposed to snow that night, so in a few days the ice would be higher.

We made an “executive decision” to burn all the bogs before we went home for the day.

We didn’t have fancy equipment for skating. I learned to skate on an old

pair of my mother’s black figure skates with newspaper stuffed in the toe of each skate. Those of us who didn’t have shinguards used a thickness of newspaper either taped or secured with elastic. We “borrowed” these newspapers from the younger kids to use as torches to light the bogs.

We commenced to light all the bogs, and just as we got them all burning and the smoke was rising, the fire whistle started blowing. Oh, no! Someone saw the smoke and called the Fire Department. We’re in deep trouble now! Three of our fathers were call firefighters, it was Saturday, they all were home, and they all would come to the alarm. What to do now?

We grabbed all our hockey gear, shoes, etc., and skated to the far end of the meadow. With skates still on, we ran into the woods about 100 feet, hid behind a stone wall and waited.

We heard the fire engine sirens coming toward us. There we were, hunkered down for 15 minutes … 30 minutes … 45 minutes … and … nothing. The fire in the bogs had long since gone out. The fire must have been somewhere else.

We skated back across the meadow, took off our skates and went home. I found out the fire call was for a burn barrel in someone’s yard that got away into a field on upper Pleasant Street.

From then on, for years when we burned the bogs, we did it the old way — one or two at a time on a cloudy day!

Restaurant’s demise leaves bad taste

“conversations” with Kiefer about the project, but Kiefer remains adamant that there was no communication with him, maintaining he doesn’t even know who Murdock is.

Kiefer also said there was a problem with rats — a common occurrence when excavation is involved. He said based on his past work as a health inspector he was able to set traps and avoid it becoming a major issue in his building, but it was one more problem he had to address.

“The company didn’t take any precautions or preventative measures, and the town didn’t require them to. There was nothing,” he said. “You were a boat out at sea without an engine, just drifting.”

He acknowledges that he could have reached out on his own, but he was so “disgusted by the lack of support from the town” that he did not. Eventually, he decided it all was too much.

“I wasn’t one to just give up, but I wasn’t going to do it anymore,” Kiefer said. “That day that I pulled up and could not even get in my door — they had their truck parked on the sidewalk, blocking the front door. It reminded me of ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ — all that chaos, this truck and that truck.”

Kiefer also said some construction workers harassed his wife, who assisted him with running the restaurant.

“There was one day I went out and had a confrontation with one of [the construction workers],” he said. “Thank God I controlled myself, because it would have been bad for me but worse for him.”

In July, he said he was working by

himself and moving some items when he ended up with two hernias.

“It just got to a point where there were too many factors to deal with it,” he said.

Kiefer put up the lease, and after a couple of deals failed to materialize due to concerns about the road work, according to Kiefer, eventually a new owner came along.

“It’s really a shame,” Kiefer said. “It’s heartbreaking. It’s something where you set out with nothing but good intentions for all concerned, and we had really good response, all that catering. … But you take away six months of income, do the math, and there you go.”

Kiefer, 64, acknowledged the Main Street work wasn’t the only reason for the restaurant’s closing — his personal tragedies took away some of his will power — but it played a big part.

“Let someone fresh, someone new take it on, where they haven’t been tainted by open/close, open/close,” he said. “I just couldn’t get on track with it. I had been through so much. Maybe a younger guy could have pushed through. But I did the best I could do. And I’m going to stay and help these [new owners] any way that I can. I don’t want to see someone else get hurt. I’m not going to give up until I know they’re good.”

Kiefer said he plans to continue consulting, training and doing inspections, and he has considered perhaps marketing his barbecue rubs and sauces. He might even make a return to running a restaurant at some point.

“Lone Wolf is not dead,” Kiefer said. “ He’s prowling the woods, looking for a new location.”

Bill Gassett

Planning Board approves warrant articles, talks goals

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

The Planning Board held its first in-person meeting of the post-pandemic era Jan. 9, and it unanimously approved several Town Meeting warrant articles and discussed board goals.

Several proposed articles previously discussed in board meetings were unanimously approved for inclusion in the warrant for Annual Town Meeting on May 1. The larger ones included a proposed change in the town’s inclusionary zoning policy and a policy on electric vehicle (EV) parking requirements.

“The inclusionary zoning is really just an amendment to the existing flexible community development bylaw,” explained Principal Planner John Gelcich. Currently there is a feature within the bylaw that requires a developer to go before the Planning Board for a special permit for a density bonus for affordable housing unit inclusion. But density bonuses have never been used since the bylaw was enacted, he noted.

With Hopkinton identified as an MBTA Community under the state law approved last year to encourage transit-oriented development, the current bylaw would not compatible. Gelcich noted that affordable housing is not required under the MBTA Communities law.

The board approved changing the bylaw to remove the special permit process and make all development in that zone by right. It also changed the affordable housing component of this bylaw. Previously, every 10th unit would have to be designated as an affordable unit. The amended version adjusts the number to every five units and then changes to a percentage of units as the number of units increases.

Chair Gary Trendel gave the example of hypothetical six-unit subdivision. Under the revision, the sixth unit would have to be affordable.

Gelcich added that a special permit would be necessary in the new bylaw under two conditions: if a payment to the town was issued in lieu of an affordable unit or if a unit is offered off-site.

Vice chair Mary Larson-Marlowe added that while the MBTA Communities law was the springboard for this article, it generated “some really good discussion” about the growing need for affordable housing. Sometimes developers build smaller projects in order to stay under the current affordable housing requirement rather than propose denser projects. She noted that the decrease in available land will lead to smaller developments in the future, which makes a reduction in the threshold for affordable units more relevant.

“We are going to run into an affordability housing shortage in the relatively near future … in terms of the town,” she said. “I think this is appropriate for the town and might head off some crises.”

The new EV bylaw proposed had been discussed previously at meetings of both the Planning Board and the Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC) during the past couple of months. It would require any project that has to go for site plan review for parking to provide EV connections. Gelcich said that the charging stations either have to be installed or that the parking spaces have to be EV ready.

“We think the EV ready spaces allow for developers to not have to spend a ton of money on charging stations if they don’t need to and still provide the opportunity,” he explained. This way, a parking lot would not have to be ripped up to install the capability down the road.

Also included was an article for the donation of land to the town on the Turkey Ridge property and the acceptance of Fox Hollow Road, located off of Pond Street, as a town roadway. A rooftop solar exemption from site plans also was approved for the warrant.

Board outlines annual goals

Board members discussed their objectives for this year, some of which would make the development process flow more smoothly for the board as well as developers.

Larson-Marlowe proposed having some joint working sessions between ZAC and the Planning Board so that they could work in partnership on goals. Currently, ZAC gives occasional presentations to the

Planning Board on what members have researched. She said it “opens up the possibility to change the dynamic” of progress.

Another concern that member Ron Priefer raised was that some developers have come before the Planning Board “after the fact” rather than going through the process. An example is The Trails, where there was work done to manage stormwater overflow that was running into the reservoirs of Hopkinton and Ashland that was not brought before the board. He suggested streamlining the process so that developers could make minor changes using their expertise without having to go before the board, perhaps by going through Gelcich or Phil Paradis, the town’s engineering consultant from BETA Engineering.

Gelcich noted this would put more work under his purview. An alternative he suggested was writing a measure into the zoning bylaw that would allow the Planning Board to give authority to the principal planner or zoning enforcement official to make smaller changes on its behalf with an outline of what those changes could be. Minor issues such as plantings and fences were items that he mentioned.

An example Gelcich mentioned was the proposed solar array at Frankland Road. The previous developer cleared land that contained Indigenous artifacts, more of which recently were discovered. To avoid disturbing them, the developer, Agilitas, is proposing to loop an access road around the tribal resources as well as to change a stormwater basin.

Member Fran DeYoung pointed out that as elected officials, Planning Board members “bear that responsibility to the town” to go by the plans that have been approved and reviewed by BETA.

Another idea Gelcich brought up was to “reimagine” garden apartment districts as net zero development districts and remove the 10 percent affordable housing requirement.

The Trails hearing continued after progress demonstrated

Peter Bemis, the engineer for The Trails open space mixed use development (OSMUD), appeared before the board presenting additional plans and requesting a continuance, which was approved.

He described Saturday’s site walk with board members that allowed them to see the issues he had been confronting with stormwater management since the summer of 2021. He also showed a plan containing four documents that provided greater detail requested by both the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission.

He mentioned adding a striped crosswalk for Legacy Farms North Road. He also noted that the stormwater basins need to be adjusted because there has been an increase of 20 percent in the rate of stormwater on the site since the project initially was designed in 2018. A minor change proposed was changing the parking area layout to preserve more existing trees.

Bemis added that he planned on submitting the documents to BETA within a few days of the meeting to allow for time to review before the next meeting Jan. 23.

Paradis added that it was hard to review some of the changes that were previously made “after the fact,” which alluded to the previous discussion.

Elm Street site plan introduced

Mark Allen of Allen Engineering & Associates spoke on behalf of the proponent, Elm Street Capital, regarding 86 Elm Street. The 7-acre parcel, located at the Interstate 495 interchange, contains five buildings. The plan calls for the addition of a sixth building, “a flex warehouse space” of 8,544 square feet.

There is no proposed tenant for this building, so Allen said he wanted to leave some of the minor details open for input from a potential business. The building will not be in an industrial or manufacturing area.

One thing he did point out was that there was a “historic spill” on the property. Allen said he wanted to research this further so that if the soil is contaminated, the responsible party can be held accountable for it.

The hearing was postponed until Feb. 6 to allow for a site walk on Jan. 21 by Planning Board members.

As COVID surges, Health Department offers free test kits

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

The Board of Health at its meeting Jan. 9 discussed the latest variant of the COVID-19 virus and announced that the Health Department has an abundance of test kits to issue to residents who need them.

Public Health Nurse Simone Carter said that “there has been an uptick of everything” regarding respiratory illnesses including COVID-19, influenza and RSV.

“That includes hospitalizations,” she pointed out. “And yes, it includes deaths.”

Those deaths involved people who tended to be older and had other comorbidities. They tended to be unvaccinated.

She also described a “decoupling” of wastewater as an analysis tool for detecting COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations. However, the new variant “is not throwing us the curveball” that other variants caused back when there were sharp upticks.

Health Director Shaun McAuliffe added that Carter’s public vaccination program has paid off with high vaccination rates in town and consequently low infection rates.

“Our population is one of the best vaccinated in the state,” he said.

Board of Health chair Lisa Whittemore noted that COVID has “become part of the public lexicon.”

To help residents detect the virus, McAuliffe said he just received 63 cases of COVID tests, with another 63 expected in the near future. Residents can take as many as they need.

He noted that some people have to test every day for their job and could benefit from a large number of free tests.

FY24 budget proposal discussed

The board unanimously approved the Health Department’s proposed fiscal year 2023 budget that was discussed last month. McAuliffe told the board that the proposed FY24 budget showed an increase of 9.85 percent over FY23’s amount. He explained that his meeting over the figures with Town Manager Norman Khumalo and the budget team the previous week went well.

“I’ve been told that health and family services should come out of this — I wouldn’t say unscathed, but the least likely to be scathed,” he said, noting that other town departments have dominated budget discussions of late.

In addition to salary increases, some expenses were moved from the line item covering miscellaneous expenses into the full-time salary category to reflect Health Agent Bryan Besso’s new status as a full-time employee.

McAuliffe added that the department previously requested a revolving fund. Instead, the budget includes an increase that was approved last year “to cover the ‘true cost’ of our medical expenses,” McAuliffe noted.

The current FY23 remaining balance is $95,130.56, according to department administrator Nidia Ruberti LaRoche.

Public Health Collaborative fades

McAuliffe noted that the Public Health Collaborative, of which Hopkinton is a member, is virtually defunct.

“There’s a director left and I think a marketing person left,” he said. “Everybody has left the collaborative for other jobs.”

The one benefit of having a collaborative was that it was a funding source, McAuliffe said. It provided money for the department’s new computers, the digital inspection software system and personal protective equipment (PPE). It also provided expertise in planning.

“What we’re seeing across the board is these collaboratives are just losing staff,” he noted, describing a statewide trend in the healthcare field.

“I think everybody is exhausted from COVID,” observed Whittemore. “People are making different life decisions.”

She noted that several physician friends of hers decided to stop practicing medicine because of pandemic fatigue.

Strategic plan cost needs whittling

Whittemore said that she, McAuliffe and Khumalo met with representatives from the Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications based at the University of Massachusetts Boston, a group with expertise in helping health and finance departments develop strategic plans. The cost of strategic plan development was expected to be around $35,000.

“We asked them basically to skinny down the dollars some,” Whittemore said. She added that the group should have enough background information and needed to direct its focus toward “listening to key stakeholders within the town.”

McAuliffe added that he learned on Friday that the group, faced with financial constraints, may not be able to get it done as quickly as the BOH had hoped. The hope is to complete it within the current fiscal year.

“We are going to circle back to them as quickly as we can,” Whittemore added, noting that the deadline likely had to be adjusted.

The Collins Center also expressed in interest in performing a community health assessment. The board previously decided to move forward with a partnership with the Collins Foundation pending funding approval.

Members filled out a survey from the state Department of Public Health regarding performance standards. McAuliffe said the results showed that out of about 170 areas of focus in the first phase of the survey, Hopkinton completed all but one goal that had been partially completed. He met with DPW Director John Westerling earlier in the day to address that issue. The second phase has been completed. Regarding the third phase, the department submitted 86 percent of the data requested. However the DPH already had the rest of the data from the tobacco coalition.

There was a four-page spreadsheet issued by the DPH in November listing all the topics and regulations that the survey addresses.

“When you look at the spreadsheet, you can see how comprehensive it is,” Whittemore said, noting that Hopkinton completed the bulk of it. She suggested that other towns might not have been able to furnish as much detail.

Said Whittmore: “It puts our department in good stead. This is a great argument for why we need a strategic plan.”

Town Narrative Report almost done

The board was to hold a brief meeting on Jan. 23 to finalize the annual town narrative report, which is due on Friday, Jan. 27. While the bulk of the report is written, McAuliffe said that time was needed for “putting in some flourishes.” One issue was that pictures were requested to be included in the report.

“We don’t tend to take a lot of photos for HIPPA reasons,” he explained of the law that serves to protect patients’ privacy. …

A presentation on the Hopkinton Climate Action Plan by the Sustainable Green Committee was postponed at the request of the group.

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Parks & Rec reviews revised pickleball court design plans

By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer

ing, according to the state website. The remaining 70 percent can be allocated to any of these categories, as well as recreation.

Parks & Recreation Commission at its two-hour hybrid meeting Jan. 12 received an overview of the revised design plans for the public pickleball courts slated to be built off of Fruit Street, across from the dog park.

The

Consultant Andrew Leonard explained that the plan includes four permanent pickleball courts with permanent nets. Four others will have an overlay so they can be converted into a tennis court.

A tennis court was required as part of the project when Town Meeting approved funding last May. The land where this will be built has been designated for recreational use according to the Fruit Street Master Plan.

The previous design would have cost $880,000, which was more than the $775,000 allocated. Design modifications reduced the amount of paving and fencing and lowered the estimate to $743,000.

The money for the project was appropriated from Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds, explained chair Dan Terry. It is not a capital budget request. A 2 percent surcharge to the annual real property tax is the source of this funding pool. Under the CPA, at least 10 percent of the funding raised must be allocated among three categories — open space, historic preservation and affordable hous-

Leonard added that the plan now includes 28 parking spaces, including two accessible ones. Currently there is an overflow lot about 100 feet down the road, according to Parks & Rec Director Jay Guelfi. There also will be a solarpowered security camera for the area.

The Mary C. O’Brien Pratt Trail currently runs through the proposed area.

Chuck Dauchy, director of Hopkinton Area Land Trust (HALT), said at the meeting that the group is willing to alter the trail to make the project work and commended Guelfi for his outreach efforts to HALT throughout the planning process.

There will be a small shed between the courts and the parking area to store nets and equipment. A bike rack also is included, as well as a shade structure similar to the one at the dog park. The courts will not include lighting or water because installing the capacity for electricity would be cost prohibitive.

Leonard explained the schematics of the design. A typical pickleball court has a higher fence along the perimeter and a lower net at the center of each court, he said. Because the ball used is heavier than a tennis ball, it doesn’t travel as far.

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By Jerry Spar Managing Editor

At the Jan. 10 Select Board meeting, board members continued discussions about a proposed regional emergency communication center. While no vote was taken, some board members made it clear they were not ready to support moving forward.

Some residents have expressed reservations about joining the proposed RECC, which would include the towns of Grafton, Southborough and Westborough.

Board member Muriel Kramer said she was not prepared to make a decision, noting that the feasibility study presented to the town was not complete enough. She wants to see the financial impacts on towns that have joined a RECC and how that compares to Hopkinton’s current expenses. She also wants more information on how this proposed RECC would be staffed.

Kramer expressed concerns about Hopkinton dispatch employees who might lose their jobs due to the consolidation.

“The way this has rolled out has been very difficult for a small number of our very valued employees,” Kramer said, adding: “Business decisions are always business decisions, but they also affect real people, and I want to make sure I say this, it’s real people that we value very highly

Select Board members discuss the proposed RECC during the Jan. 10 Select Board meeting.

and who have served this town very well. And I want you to know that is centered in our considerations.”

Ritterbusch said the discussions have been “heated and passionate at times,” but she hoped residents understood the board wants what is best for the town.

“We’re all trying to do the best thing that we can, but it is a difficult decision,” she said.

She said residents should be cognizant of the fact that emergency services already provide help to and receive assistance from neighboring towns. She also noted that Hopkinton also relies on its neighbors for support in other areas — including with the proposed water connection through

Southborough.

“We are not an island,” she said. “We live in a region. We are all interconnected.”

With the state pushing for towns to join RECCs in order to improve efficiency, Ritterbusch noted that it might not be advantageous for Hopkinton to wait to join an existing RECC, as some have suggested.

“We might have more control if we join one now with neighboring towns rather than being forced into one later,” she said.

Board members recently visited an existing RECC in Norfolk, and they stopped by Hopkinton’s dispatch center the day of the meeting.

While it had been suggested that Hop-

kinton would save money in the long run, Ritterbusch said a Norfolk representative indicated the town needed more staff than anticipated, so the financial benefit did not materialize.

Board member Shahidul Mannan said the idea “clearly makes sense” but “we don’t have enough convincing information to change the course at this time.” He said making a decision now is “too short a time for the task we have at hand.”

Mannan also brought up a concern that some residents mentioned: the possibility that there would be no staff in the police station overnight.

“Going dark in my view is not an option, especially in a semi-rural area that we live,” he said. “We definitely see the police station as a safe haven, where we can run in and get some help quickly. I know that theoretically and technically we should be able to get it through the phones, calling there, but having someone there physically available and give a hand quickly and jump in as a human being I think makes a world of difference.”

Mannan also noted Hopkinton’s uniqueness among the four towns.

“Westborough is busier in a sense, they have more hospital and commercial locations, they have a higher volume,” he said. “They have some incentive with cost

Parks & Rec reviews revised pickleball court design plans

The standard color for a pickleball court is blue, and the out-of-bounds area resembles a U.S. Open green tennis court. He proposed that the “no poach” area at the center of the courts be light blue. There will be white lines for the pickleball courts and yellow lines delineating the tennis court.

The court’s surface will be bituminous asphalt. Pickleball enthusiasts who attended the meeting raised concerns about the size of the fence and the maintenance of the courts. Leonard said that with proper base preparation using standards set by the U.S. Tennis Association, the courts should last about a decade.

Volunteers will be needed to maintain the courts, Terry said, but he feared that their efforts would lead to a sense of entitlement.

“We hope it’s a labor of love,” he said. “But that group isn’t going to own it.”

The pickleball court and the parking lot will be designed to be slightly higher in elevation to help surface runoff flow into two retention areas bordered with perennials, Leonard said. The soil under the current foot of fill is “excellent sandy gravel” that also will help with water percolation.

Guelfi added that the Boy Scouts will be building a kiosk to post bulletins and rules. Signage also was discussed. He said he hoped that the tennis court could be used to offer tennis lessons.

The project will go out to bid in early February and is expected to be completed by late summer.

Rock climbing school seeks to use College Rock

The other major issue raised before the commission was a proposal by Daniel Vickers, the owner of and instructor at the Greater Boston Climbing School, to use College Rock for commercial rock climbing instruction and guided trips. He is a member of the American Mountain

Guides Association. He said that College Rock is one of two areas within an hour of Boston that is particularly suitable for traditional climbing (often called “trad climbing”). This style allows a climber to place gear on the rock that can be removed, as opposed to using ropes.

Vickers said he would lead groups of up to six people. He proposed charging a flat fee of $35 to $50 or a scaled fee of $15 per person per day. It is illegal for a company to operate without a permit, he said. Vickers offered to share sample permits from similar entities he ran in Alabama and Georgia as examples.

Commissioners raised concerns about liability, the lack of a parking area, damage to the rock surface and commercial use preventing access by residents.

“It’s a little tricky from a community standpoint,” said commissioner Liisa Jackson, who noted that she has participated in rock climbing for 20 years. She suggested that Vickers may want to offer classes through Parks & Rec. Guelfi said that if it eventually is approved, it would expand the department’s activity offerings.

While Vickers said he has insurance, Terry stressed that the commission needed to seek legal advice and perform “due diligence.”

“I think we’re going to have a bunch of questions,” Terry said.

Vickers said that he wanted to build a good relationship with the commission and that this was an initial step. Terry invited Vickers to attend a meeting next month.

Cricket continues to gain momentum, skiing popular

Guelfi said that cricket is “coming like a freight train” since the cricket pitch presentation last month to the Community Preservation Commission for a $1 million funding request that will go before Town Meeting. A group recently approached him to start a youth cricket league.

He added that the skiing program started in early January and has proven to be wildly popular.

“Post-COVID, they are embracing it even more,” Guelfi said. The only issue is a shortage of bus drivers prevented the program from obtaining a third bus.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

Public parking off Main Street to open soon

The town recently provided an update on the parking project off Main Street, indicating that 57 spaces soon will be available for public use.

NEWS BRIEFS

The lots are being constructed behind 25 and 35 Main Street and in front of the new Hopkinton Village Center homes.

The larger parking lot holds 32 spaces and will be available for public use at all times, the town stated. A total of 25 other spots — 13 in a smaller lot, six along the entrance driveway and six along the exit driveway — will be available to the public between 6 p.m. and midnight.

The town anticipates the project to be complete and the parking spaces available “within the coming weeks.”

“Public parking has been limited on Main Street in recent years, especially during the ongoing Main Street Corridor Project, and we hope the addition of this free public parking will help to lessen the inconvenience and encourage community members to regularly visit our Main Street businesses,” Town Manager Norman Khumalo said. “We are always looking to improve access to and around town, and I thank all of our town staff who have been involved in

this process. We look forward to completing this project.

Electric vehicle charging stations are to be installed in the lots in the near future.

Voters originally approved the project during the 2019 Annual Town Meeting, and the property was purchased from LFJ Development.

Southborough has requests for MWRA project

In order for Hopkinton to gain access to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority water supply, it will have to go through Southborough. And that will come at a cost.

Representatives from the towns met Dec. 15, and while Khumalo said the Southborough officials are willing to be a “good neighbor” and help Hopkinton, Southborough officials “identified a list of some principles that would be the framework for discussions.”

As part of a proposed letter of intent, Southborough would want all direct costs to be covered by Hopkinton — establishment costs, management, legal, design, design review, construction, supplies and operation/maintenance, and electricity.

Southborough also wants compensation for the impact on its town, construction cost coverage (including complete road resurfacing), reimbursement for long-term operations and maintenance of the water system, and $1 million in compensatory cost for unrelated water improvement projects in its town.

Hopkinton’s legal department was to look at the agreement, but Select Board chair Amy Ritterbusch noted

that Hopkinton is to some degree at Southborough’s mercy.

“At this point they are the only option,” Khumalo said.

Southborough would need to take its agreement to its Town Meeting in March.

Hopkinton’s Town Meeting is May 1, at which time residents would be asked to weigh in on the proposal. Hopkinton voters last year supported the decision to connect to the MWRA supply after PFAS were detected in the town’s water.

On a related note, Khumalo reported that the town’s PFAS water treatment project now is anticipated to cost $1.2 million — twice the amount that was approved at last year’s Town Meeting.

Khumalo said the original plan was for a design-build, but because of the procurement process the town “took a different option.”

He noted in a letter to board members that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection recommended that the filtration design should ensure that the backwash system has enough chlorine to treat and eliminate any bacteria in the system.

He said the filtration can be installed, but an additional component is on hold.

Department of Public Works Director John Westerling said one option could be to seek American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to cover the differential. Otherwise, there would need to be an additional Town Meeting vote for the additional funds.

Maspenock herbicide treatment discussed

Westerling and Joe Baldiga, chair of the Lake Maspenock Weed Management & Control Advisory Group, appeared before the Select Board on Jan. 10 to discuss a proposal to use herbicides to address the weed problem in Lake Maspenock.

Westerling explained that a lake drawdown is currently in effect, but due to the mild winter, the weeds are not getting killed off as a hard freeze has not happened. He proposed using herbicides this spring.

Baldiga, a lake resident, said where the water is deeper the weeds are less of an issue, but in the North Basin, where the water is lower, weeds are a major problem in the second half of the summer.

“North Basin is getting just awful

Eagle Scouts Chris Holly (center), Kyle Fischesser (third from right) and Dan McCabe (on television screen) were recognized at the Jan. 10 Select Board meeting.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

— horrible, horrible,” he said.

The DPW received approval from the Conservation Commission last year to use a variety of solutions, including herbicides — which the town previously had rejected.

“We are back again recommending herbicide,” Westerling said. “We think the lake is getting worse.”

He indicated that treatment would be applied only to sections of the lake.

“We’re not blanketing the lake,” he said, “just specific areas where we know the problems are worse.”

No vote was asked for or taken by the board, which generally supported the decision.

Select Board member Muriel Kramer said she would not stand in the way, but she was apprehensive about herbicides.

“It is very hard for me to be enthusiastic about herbicides just knowing how hard it is to know that they are safe over time,” she said, adding: “I can’t help but say it concerns me to use herbicides. However, I do trust that a lot of work and consideration and thought and research is going into this.”

Ritterbusch concurred, noting that this option was a “last resort.”

Green Committee presents plan

Members of the Sustainable Green Committee appeared before the Select Board on Jan. 10 to provide an update on its proposed climate action plan.

The committee recommends a net zero resolution for this year’s Annual Town Meeting.

Sustainable Green Committee chair Geoff Rowland noted some of the committee’s work, including its efforts to develop a greenhouse gas inventory to assess Hopkinton’s carbon emissions.

Based on 2017 data, 34.9 percent of greenhouse gas in town comes from commercial and industrial sources, 30.4 percent comes from passenger vehicles and 27.7 percent comes from residential

buildings. Emissions decreased slightly from 2017 to 2019.

Rowland indicated that state, federal and United Nations guidelines call for a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and 75 percent by 2040, with the goal to be net zero by 2050. Rowland said the committee would like to be more aggressive locally, with a 50 percent reduction by 2030 and 75 percent by 2037, with net zero achieved by 2045.

Rowland noted that Hopkinton has an advantage in that the town does not have as much commercial development as many other similar towns, there is more green space in town, and there is more relatively newer construction that meets later standards and would require less work to improve.

As part of the resolution — which would be a non-binding proposal — appropriate town boards, committees and departments would report their net zero plan to the Select Board by the end of calendar year 2024. Additionally, bylaws would be reviewed to see if there were any changes that could be made to help reduce emissions.

The committee also suggested raising money to establish a “green fund” to help moderate income residents transition to more efficient technology, and suggested exploring options to obtain energy from a cleaner source — rather than Eversource, the town’s current provider.

Eagle Scouts recognized

The Select Board honored three Eagle Scouts and discussed their community projects.

Kyle Fischesser , working with Hopkinton Little League, constructed warmup pitching mounds and home plate areas on the side of each field at EMC Park that will be ready this spring season.

“I played baseball my whole life and I played in Little League, so this was a great chance for me to be able to give back to them,” Fischesser said.

Chris Holly built a large shelter at the Baypath Humane Society to protect the dogs and allow for more use during the summer and winter seasons and

during inclement weather. The shelter replaced a previous one that had fallen into disrepair.

“I was trying to find a project that I was passionate about,” Holly said, noting his family has some dogs.

Dan McCabe refurbished a prayer garden at St. Matthew Parish in Southborough, working with a landscaper to install a new stone wall and new plants.

“Both my brothers had done their Eagle Scout projects there, and I wanted to give back to the church as well,” McCabe said.

Misc.: Rogers promoted

Anna Rogers , who has worked for the town for 17 years and had been working as an inspection administrative assistant, was promoted to environmental and inspectional services coordinator in the Land Use, Planning and Permitting Department.

Assistant Town Manager Elaine Lazarus lauded Rogers for her excellent customer service and deep knowledge of the subject matter. …

Select Board members expressed their condolences following the deaths of longtime residents and volunteers Mary Harrington and Doris Carver

“I learned so much from Mary,” Kramer said of the former Select Board chair. “She always had a driving passion for Hopkinton at the heart of everything that she did.”

Regarding Carver, Kramer said: “I could always count on Doris in particular to keep my thinking straight on any topic. She was very direct and very friendly and very invested and she also had a tremendous fun-loving spirit. She was an amazing contributor to the community.”

Added Mary Jo LaFreniere : “They were wonderful women, great women.”

Select Board hesitant to support regional dispatch center

RECC | from page 7

savings. The other two towns have only one dispatcher, so they have an immediate benefit to getting additional dispatchers. Hopkinton, being in the middle, would be getting the least benefit.”

Mannan recommended giving the process more time and obtaining more information via a more robust study that answers questions that have been raised. Otherwise, he said, the town could take a pause, let the concept “get more maturity,” then monitor the situation and collect information for a future decision.

Ritterbusch countered that “we would

lose control of any input into the IMA [inter-municipal agreement]” by passing, assuming the other three towns follow through and form their own RECC.

Said Mannan: “I’m just not convinced that now is the time.”

During the public forum portion of Tuesday’s meeting, retired Hopkinton Police Officer Pat O’Brien credited the town for doing its “due diligence” but encouraged the board to keep things as they are.

“The residents were never given any reason why public safety would be more efficient if they joined a REC center,” he said.

Town election candidates start process

Before an individual decides to run for a seat, Town Clerk Connor Degan, who oversees the election process, recommends talking to the chair of the board or committee first.

“They can tell you a whole lot about what kind of things they are doing at that time, and not a lot of other people can really give that kind of insight,” Degan said.

Doing this ensures that a potential candidate knows precisely what the board is in charge of and that their skill set is best suited for that board. Degan also suggests talking to those who have held that position, others who are serv-

ing on the board, and other town leaders about a potential candidacy. Candidates also can learn if an incumbent plans to run again.

“I’ve seen people go for it and then realize that there was an incumbent running who had a really strong chance of continuing that seat,” Degan said.

After talking to community members, candidates can go about getting on the ballot in a few different ways. The primary method is through a nomination form that residents pick up from the Town Clerk’s Office. Candidates have to collect at least 50 signatures from registered voters in town by March 27.

“It’s a relatively low bar, so it gives

pretty easy access to the ballot, which is always nice,” Degan said.

After the form is turned in and the signatures are certified, an individual is placed on the ballot. Degan highly urges residents to collect more signatures and submit the paper early in case some turn out to be invalid. This gives residents time to collect more signatures, if necessary.

Degan recalls one resident turning in a form with 52 signatures on the day of the deadline a few years ago.

“Sure enough, three of them were disqualified, and they were at 49 signatures,” Degan said.

Another way residents can get on the ballot is through their political party. Parties can nominate one member for each position.

If residents do not get a spot on the ballot, they still can run as a write-in candidate, where voters write a name on the ballot at the polls.

In addition to talking to voters, candidates can express their ideas through a Meet the Candidates Night hosted by the Hopkinton Women’s Club and share a statement with local media. HCAM also hosts debates between candidates a few weeks before the election.

“Our debates stay pretty civil, fortunately, and it’s mostly just the individuals stating their differences or similarities on different topics based on pre-written questions asked by a moderator,” Degan said.

Degan explained that one crucial part of the campaign that first-time candidates may need to learn about is the financial component and the rules they must follow.

“I think it’s important for people to be aware that it’s there but know that it shouldn’t intimidate you, because there’s a support structure to help you with it,” Degan said.

Those considering running may be worried about the learning curve associated with a seat. Degan’s first campaign for an elected position was for the Housing Authority, and it took him about 6-12 months to thoroughly learn everything involved with the position. The following year, he served as chair of the committee.

“Take that first year to really absorb as much information as you can, and understand that you are not going to get it all right away,” Degan said.

Serving his third term as Hopkinton’s town clerk, Degan has seen many different people — Democrats, Republicans and independents — run and win positions in town, but one characteristic remains consistent.

“What they are doing is purely an attempt to help the community,” said Degan, who welcomes questions at townclerk@hopkintonma.gov. “My heart is warmed when I see the kind of folks that want to get up and the reasons for why they want to run for these offices.”

Numerous positions available

Town Clerk Connor Degan announced that nomination papers for elected town officers became available in the Town Clerk’s Office Jan. 17.

Anyone interested in seeking to volunteer for elected office in the May 15 Annual Town Election should inquire with the Town Clerk’s Office about the process for obtaining nomination papers and getting on the ballot.

Positions that are available are:

Select Board — one position, three-year term

Board of Assessors — one position, three-year term

Board of Health — one position, three-year term

Board of Library Trustees — two positions, three-year terms

Commissioners of Trust Funds — one position, three-year term Constable — one position, three-year term

Housing Authority — one position, four-year term (unexpired term due to resignation)

Parks & Recreation Commission — two positions, three-year terms

Planning Board — two positions, five-year terms

Planning Board — one position, three-year term (unexpired term due to resignation)

Planning Board — one position, two-year term (unexpired term due to resignation)

School Committee — two positions, three-year terms

Nominees are required to submit at least 50 signatures of town residents by March 27 unless nominated at a town party caucus.

For more information, call the Town Clerk’s Office at 508-497-9710 or email townclerk@hopkintonma.org.

Town Clerk Connor Degan works on a nomination form for a prospective candidate on Jan. 17.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

Top-tier talent leads HHS boys track SportS

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

Hopkinton High School boys indoor track and field head coach Mike Donahue did not have to worry about getting his team in shape at the start of the season. In fact, many of his athletes needed a little time to recover after lengthy and successful seasons with their fall teams.

“We have a lot of seniors and they were coming in off football, which always has an impact because they play until Thanksgiving and it takes some time to bounce back from that season,” Donahue said. “There were kids a little banged up from soccer, they went to the state title game, and our best distance guys are coming off a long cross country season.”

Added Donahue: “We didn’t need to make sure they were in shape, they were just beat up a little bit.”

While the older athletes started a bit slower and are rounding into form now as the season heads toward the home stretch, Donahue said he and the other coaches were able to work with some of the younger athletes to get them up to speed. The results have been positive, as Hopkinton won its first three dual meets of the year and put up a strong showing at the sprawling Northeast Invitational meet.

All of Donahue’s athletes are now training full bore and had a strong fitness base at the start of the year, thanks in part to their successful fall sports campaigns. Senior Sean Golembiewski is returning as an All-American and has the top time in the state in the 55-meter hurdles. Golembiewski has committed to the University of Pennsylvania to continue his track and field career after graduation.

Senior Declan Mick is another captain who has been strong in both the hurdles and the shot put. Mick is second in the Tri-Valley League in the former

event and in the top 10 in the latter.

“He’s a guy we can use in a bunch of different areas,” Donahue said. “He can run the sprints if we need him to, and he is good in the relays.”

Senior captain Kavin Prasanna is new to indoor track, but he already has shown himself to be a strong shot putter. He is ranked highly in the TVL despite needing some time to learn the new event.

“He decided he wanted to throw a rotational technique and, once he has that down, he is going to explode,” Donahue predicted. “He is a tremendous athlete.”

Craig Salois started strong in the 2-mile and is seeded right at the top of the TVL. Donahue said he should be ready to peak by the time the middle of February rolls around. Senior hurdler Paul Litscher and senior middle distance runner Luke Boothroyd are two more

Baypath Adoptable Animal of the Week

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For more information on Batman and any of the other available pets at Baypath, email adopt@baypathhumane.org or visit baypathhumane.org/ adopt.

For more Adoptable Animals of the Week, check the Hopkinton Independent website at HopkintonIndependent.com.

athletes who are big-time point-scorers for the Hillers. Boothroyd recorded the top time in Division 2 in the 600-meter run. The HHS 4x400 relay team is the top team in Division 2 and captured a win at the Northeast Invitational, a meet that included about 3,700 competitors from all over the region.

Hopkinton is looking to finish up the season with a perfect dual meet record and a TVL large school title. The

Hillers also figure to be a top-tier team in Division 2, and a top-five or top-three finish is well within reach, Donahue said. Although, his athletes have their sights set even higher.

“The kids want to win it, and we might be in the mix, we will see,” he said. “The competition is steep, but we have got some horses. The question will be whether we have enough depth across all of the events to win it.”

Clowns, Trees and Disney!

1. Brooks and Katie hire a clown for a birthday party. The clown trips and is injured at their home. If Brooks and Katie do not have workers’ compensation for the clown, would their homeowners insurance cover the clown’s injuries? 2. Jeff and Kia travel to Florida to run the Disney Marathon. While they are running the race, someone breaks into their hotel and steals their belongings. Would their homeowners insurance cover the theft even though the belongings were not at their house? 3. During a windstorm, Nick’s tree falls onto his neighbor Spencer’s shed. Spencer wants Nick to pay for the cleanup and shed since the tree originally was on Nick’s property. Is Nick required to pay for the shed and cleanup?

— HHS coach Mike Donahue

The kids want to win [the Division 2 title], and we might be in the mix, we will see. The competition is steep, but we have got some horses. The question will be whether we have enough depth across all of the events to win it.

Young Hillers girls hockey co-op team finds its stride

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

Hopkinton High School girls ice hockey coach Nick Grout wanted his team to have more than two victories through the first half of the schedule, but Grout said the young roster made up of athletes from four schools is coming together in time to turn some heads down the stretch.

“We have a very, very young team and a melting pot of different schools coming together, it leads to an interesting start to the season,” Grout said. “They are getting to know each other, it’s not like they see each other in the

halls for three months before the season starts.”

Hopkinton also has dealt with some injuries, but the roster has been getting healthier and the top players have stood out throughout the schedule. Senior Bianca Musgrave moved to defense for the second straight season in order to help fill out the blue line.

“She really does a great job,” Grout said. “She has such a positive attitude. She is one of our four captains and she is willing to roll with the punches.”

Freshman Mary Finnegan has made an immediate impact in her first season, playing on Hopkinton’s top two lines from day one.

“She is a quiet freshman and we are slowly letting her feel things out at the high school level and get some confidence playing against girls that are four years older than her,” Grout said.

Kaley Merkle is hoping to get through the season unscathed after battling injuries earlier in her career. Grout said having her back has given the Hillers a strong lift on defense. Freshman Callie Arthur has filled out the top four on defense when she has been healthy. After Arthur missed some time with an illness, Grout said the team was happy to get her back in a game against Leominster earlier this season.

“She is such a positive, happy kid, the type of player you love to coach,” he said. “She comes to practice every day and, no matter how hard or easy it was, says ‘Thank you’ at the end. She is really a joy to have around the team.”

Despite being a freshman, Arthur has taken on a leadership role and helped some of the other young players feel more comfortable on the co-op team, which includes athletes from Nipmuc, Blackstone Valley Tech and DoverSherborn along with Hopkinton.

Senior captain Hailey Cox has been a “rock steady” presence for the Hillers in her final season.

“She is consistent,” Grout said. “You know what you’re going to get, day in and day out, there is very little fluctuation in her game.”

The second half of the season includes Hopkinton’s ovarian cancer awareness game on Jan. 28 against Dedham. It’s a tradition that began four years ago as a player’s mother was battling the disease, and Grout said the Hillers are the first hockey program in the country to do an ovarian cancer fundraiser. The Hillers close the regular season Feb. 22 against Algonquin, and Grout said playing the defending state champ is something he hopes will provide a good test for his team going into the playoffs.

Grout said this year’s squad is the deepest he has had in more than a decade and there is plenty of top-end talent to lead the way. As Hopkinton makes the turn for home, Grout is hopeful that he has not seen the best his team has to offer.

“I don’t think we have played our best hockey yet, I really don’t,” he said. “I see sparks of it. I see 15 minutes here and there, but I don’t think we have put together a full 45-minute game. Hopefully a couple of wins help build our confidence.”

Hopkinton High School senior Tommy Chatten throws down a two-handed dunk during the Hillers’ 63-60 victory over Dedham on Jan 13.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

— HHS coach Nick Grout

In his second year on the varsity, Pantera has established himself as one of the stronger post players in the TriValley League. He averaged 12 points and six rebounds in back-to-back wins over Dedham and Bellingham in midJanuary. “Sam has been a strong presence in the paint for the Hillers so far this season, and his competitive spirit is contagious with his teammates,” stated HHS coach Tom Keane.

By early January, Peishoff already had improved on his best times from the previous year in four events. “He is a versatile swimmer, which makes him very helpful to the team in meets where he can swim a variety of different events,” shared HHS coach Kristen Wells. “He has already qualified for South sectionals in three individual events and two relays. He leads by example in practice and is a great team leader.”

New talent infuses HHS girls track

By Chris Villani Contributing Writer

The Hopkinton High School girls indoor track and field team received some surprise additions this year, and the influx of new talent has made an immediate impact for the Tri-Valley-leading squad.

“We have some new younger athletes as well as two seniors and a junior who are doing track for the first time,” coach Jean Cann said following the Hillers’ strong start to the season, which included wins over Holliston, Norwood and Westwood in dual meet competition.

Senior Caroline DeSimone, a softball standout in the spring, joined the Hillers for the first time after typically competing in gymnastics during the winter months.

“She has played softball with my daughter for years, so I knew how fast she is,” Cann said. “She decided to come out for track and she has placed in the 300 meters in every meet.”

Loryn Canty, a junior, is another new athlete. She played basketball last season but has traded that in for the much heavier shot put. Canty won the shot put in each of the first three meets and won the dash twice. Another new senior, Marissa Smith, has also been placing in the shot put regularly.

“It’s good to have some new people,” Cann said. “Even if we don’t get them for long.”

The Hillers are a strong mix of youth and experience this winter.

Sophomore Josephine Hopkins has stood out in the jumps and also is

a strong hurdler, so Cann sees a solid multi-event athlete in the youngster. Elyse Srodawa is an experienced distance runner, as is Autumn Tumbleton, and both have stood out in the mile and 2-mile races.

Tumbleton is one of the Hillers’ captains this winter, along with Ellie Driscoll, Sinead Herr, Bridget O’Connor and Shelby Jones. O’Connor has been a standout high jumper and Driscoll has teamed up with Emma DeMichele and Kylie Locke to form a strong hurdling contingent.

Cann noted that the hurdles have become a particularly strong event for the Hillers in recent seasons. Assistant coach Michael Webb has been working with that group over the past couple of seasons, and the depth that Hopkinton has in that event has made the team tough to beat in the league.

Hopkinton is looking to capture the Tri-Valley League Large School Division title, which it can do by winning out in the dual meet campaign. Cann also has her sights set on placing well in the state relays and the divisional meet as well, thanks in large part to her team’s depth in numerous events. The Hillers have more than 200 athletes taking part in winter track between the girls and boys teams.

Hopkinton also figures to be a contender for the top spot at the TVL Showcase, although Cann noted that Norton, an unbeaten team from the small school side of the league, will be tough to beat.

“They have a lot of talent,” Cann said, “but I think we can give them a good run.”

Sam Pantera

Boys Basketball Junior

Davis Peishoff Boys Swimming Junior

By Christie Vogt Contributing Writer

Prior to becoming a financial advisor with Edward Jones, Christopher Stevenson worked in small business retirement plan sales for a large company. He hoped to work for himself one day but didn’t expect what the catalyst would be for such a career change.

“My father, right before I came to Edward Jones, passed away from liver cancer,” Stevenson shares. “He retired, and then two weeks later his doctor told him he had two months to live.” In conversations prior to his passing, Stevenson’s father, Robert, shared that he regretted never working for himself. “He’s the reason why I came to Edward Jones,” Stevenson says.

Edward Jones “embodies the small business and entrepreneurial spirit,” Stevenson says, and as a financial advisor, he’s driven by a desire to help clients meet their financial goals and live fulfilling lives. Stevenson offers full-service financial advising and planning for a wide range of clients. “I’ll talk to anybody, whether you have $1 or a million dollars,” he says. “If you have a question about finances, I’m happy to be a resource.”

Some of Stevenson’s focus areas include business retirement plans, intergenerational planning, retirement savings strategies and college planning. He’s also passionate about sharing his expertise with the public. “I love to host both virtual and in-person workshops,” Stevenson says, “whether it’s on Social Security, Medicare, investing or small business ownership. I’m really driven by educating people; that lights me up.”

Stevenson says that the arrival of any life-changing event can be a good reason to work with a financial advisor,

whether that means marriage, the birth of a child or buying or selling a home. It’s also important for young people to start financial planning early, he says, so that they have a solid foundation.

While Stevenson stresses the importance of financial management, he also urges clients to live in the present. “My father had this big nest egg and was never able to use it or enjoy it or anything like that,” Stevenson says. “So when I’m talking to people about savings, budgeting and finances, I emphasize that we also have to live our lives.”

There is no fee to have an initial conversation with Stevenson, nor does he require asset minimums. “I want to hear clients’ stories, and I want to know more about them, he says. “Obviously, I want to do what’s right for my clients, so making sure they’re comfortable and understood, that’s my main focus. This industry is not geared toward that — it’s usually been about sales or ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ — so I’m trying to break that status quo.”

Stevenson lives and works in Hopkinton, so serving his neighbors well and being active in the community is important to him. He is involved with several groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, Hopkinton Freemasons, the American Liver Foundation and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Stevenson also is a member of the Hopkinton Running Club and has run the Boston Marathon three times and eight marathons in total.

To schedule an appointment, call 774-991-0781 or email Christopher. Stevenson@edwardjones.com.

Business Profiles are advertising features designed to provide information and background about Hopkinton Independent advertisers.

Christopher Stevenson lives in Hopkinton with his wife, Kaila, and their golden retriever, Mia.

Burton builds up Marathon Real Estate

MRMC earns another ‘A’ grade

Milford Regional Medical Center recently was recognized as a 2022 top teaching hospital in the nation by the Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization committed to healthcare quality and safety for patients. Milford Regional also received a grade of ‘A’ in patient safety from Leapfrog for the ninth consecutive time.

Milford is one of only two hospitals in Massachusetts, five in New England and 58 across the country to receive Leapfrog’s Top Teaching Hospital honor.

“Milford Regional Medical Center is proud to be recognized as one of the top teaching hospitals in the country and the region,” said Milford Regional President and CEO Edward J. Kelly “Our team at Milford Regional takes great pride in maintaining the highest standards of care as we care for our community and have a hand in training current and future generations of medical professionals.”

After a successful seven-year stint running Marathon Real Estate with a virtual office, James Burton has established a more visible presence in town.

Burton recently bought a Century 21 franchise and reformed his business as Century 21 Marathon Real Estate. He has opened an office at 77 West Main Street, taking the spot where Dynasty’s dining area had been located.

“It was about growth — personally and professionally,” Burton explained. “As a top producer, you sort of top out if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar office, it makes it hard to recruit. So, to transition into more of a managerial role, this is what needed to be done. I needed the back-end corporate support and the brand name and some of the things that Century 21 offers.”

The office opened last month, although Burton was still putting the final touches on it as of midJanuary and recruiting agents whom he can mentor and develop.

Burton said has been working in real estate since 2007, although, “I only started taking it really seriously around 2015 when I became a broker.”

Prior to that, after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. in history, Burton taught history at area high schools, including Hopkinton, before making the career switch.

Burton not only has built a business in town, he’s building a home as well, on Ash Street. He and his family, including his 13-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, currently rent a home in the Legacy Farms North neighborhood.

Real estate has been an interesting business, especially since the pandemic, with home prices soaring locally. Although the economy has dipped recently, Burton said it’s not evident in the area.

“In Massachusetts we’re kind of insulated from national recession because we have so many government jobs and education jobs and science jobs, so they get paid no matter what the economy is,” he said. “Whatever effect it has on other places in the country, it usually doesn’t have as much of an effect in Massachusetts.

“And Hopkinton is always hot, because there’s never a lot of inventory, and there’s always more buyers than inventory. So, every single open house will be well-attended in the range that’s above the median for this town, which is $753,000. Anything under that might be a little slower, but anything above that will sell within a week or so.”

— JERRY SPAR

Morrissey becomes partner at Bowditch & Dewey

Hopkinton resident Amy Morrissey, former senior vice president and general counsel at Computacenter, joined Bowditch & Dewey’s Business and Finance practice area as a partner.

Morrissey spent more than a decade as general counsel for Computacenter and oversaw multiple departments, including legal and operations, with more than 170 team members. She is well-versed in complex general corporate matters, litigation, employment law, and mergers and acquisitions. A seasoned negotiator with strong analytical skills, she managed large-scale projects at Computacenter,

oversaw company policy and supervised a team of 16 direct reports as well as outside counsel.

“Amy’s experience working as general counsel brings a unique perspective to the practice area,” said Paul C. Bauer, Bowditch’s practice area leader for real estate, finance and corporate law. “We are thrilled to add her skill set to the team.”

Said Morrissey: “As a mid-sized law firm with a collaborative approach to client service, Bowditch offers the ideal platform to continue developing a private practice. Bowditch’s suite of business and private client legal services is impressive, and I look forward to working with attorneys in every practice.”

She left Computacenter in 2021 when she founded ONA Legal Services, where she provided outside general counsel legal services with a focus on business formation and advice, M&A, IPO readiness, as well as contract negotiation, risk management strategies, general legal compliance, and improving policies and procedures for startups and Fortune 100/500 companies.

As a strategic legal professional, business leader and board strategist, Morrissey has had success driving exceptional growth for companies through acquisitions and establishing legal, corporate, compliance, risk and pricing models, guaranteeing financial value and delivering outstanding ROI for public and private corporations.

A graduate of Purdue University, Morrissey earned her law degree at New England School of Law.

Haidri appointed bank branch manager

Hopkinton resident Amman Haidri was named branch manager of the Franklin office of Bristol County Savings Bank. Haidri is responsible for the management of branch operations, customer relations and new business development.

Haidri previously held the positions of assistant vice president-retail branch manager at Bluestone Bank in North Attleboro and Plainville; vice president of finance and business development with Bluejay Diagnostics, Inc., Acton; business development manager at Eastern Bank in Taunton and Sharon; and small business banker at Bank of America in Boston. His professional affiliations include being a member in the Overseas Pakistan Entrepreneur Network and the BNI All Pro Chapter in Foxboro. Active in the community, Haidri currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Attleboro Arts Museum and is past chair of the Hopkinton Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Haidri earned his associate’s degree from New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University) and his bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in finance from the PakAims Institute of Management and Sciences in Lahore, Pakistan. He is a recent graduate of the Massachusetts Bankers Association’s New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College in Wellesley.

Milford Regional also received an ‘A’ in the fall 2022 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing the hospital’s achievements in protecting patients from accidents, injuries, errors and infections. This is the ninth consecutive ‘A’ Milford Regional has received from Leapfrog. The Leapfrog group’s patient safety grading comes out twice annually.

“This distinction is a testament to the diligence of our clinicians and staff who ensure safety as a top priority at Milford Regional,” said Vice President and Chief Quality Officer Bert Thurlo-Walsh

To submit an item for the Hopkinton Independent calendar section, email the information to: editor@HopkintonIndependent.com. Submissions should be limited to 100 words and are subject to editing by the HI staff.

Overdose/suicide gatekeeper training Jan. 27

Hopkinton Organizing for Prevention (HOP) and Hopkinton Youth & Family Services present a virtual program titled “Intersections of Suicide and Opioid Use: A Gatekeeper Training” on Friday, Jan. 27, from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The program will be led by Joanna Bridger, LICSW. Attendees will learn to recognize risk and protective factors as well as warning signs and discuss possible interventions to prevent suicide and refer people to appropriate resources for treatment. For more information and to register, visit the Hopkinton Organizing for Prevention Facebook page.

HPTO Harlem Wizards fundraiser Feb. 1

The Hopkinton Parent Teacher Organization (HPTO) will host the Harlem Wizards basketball team on Feb. 1 in the Hopkinton High School athletic center. In addition to performing tricks, the Wizards will play a game against Hopkinton schools staff. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the game starts at 7. Tickets can be purchased at pretix.eu/harlemwizards/Hopkinton.

Women’s Club Night Out Feb. 6

The Hopkinton Women’s Club is hosting a Monday Night Out at Central Public House on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. The fundraiser will feature instruction on cocktail basics. Light hors d’oeuvres and samples of cocktails are included with the $50 registration fee. For more information, visit hopkintonwomensclub.org or email HopkintonWC@gmail.com.

Knights of Columbus free throw contest Feb. 7

The annual Knights of Columbus free throw competition will be held Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Hopkinton High School after the Hopkinton-Ashland varsity boys basketball game. All boys and girls ages 9-14 can participate regardless of disabilities. Trophies/medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each age category, and first-place winners advance to the district finals. Registration will begin in the high school gym at 7:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by Ashland/Hopkinton Bishop Rice Council 4822. For more information, visit bishopricekoc.org/events.

BSA Girls Troop 11 Meet & Greet Feb. 13

The all-female Scouts BSA Troop 11 invites girls age 10-17 and their families to meet the troop and learn more about the program and activities that are offered. The event will take place Monday, Feb. 13, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 183 West Main Street, Westborough. Girls interested in getting outside, developing leadership skills, meeting other girls in the area and having fun are encouraged to attend. For more information, email bsatroop11ma@gmail.com or visit the BSATroop11 Facebook page.

Veterans Breakfast first Friday of each month

The Veterans Breakfast is held on the first Friday of every month from 9-10 a.m. at the Hopkinton Senior Center. In July, and if the first Friday of the month is a holiday or snow day, the breakfast switches to the second Friday. No registration is required. For more information, contact Amy Beck at the Senior Center, 508497-9730.

Trails organizations seek monthly volunteers

The Hopkinton Trail Coordination and Management Committee (TCMC) and the Hopkinton Trails Club have created a monthly trail volunteer day on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-noon. Residents also are encouraged to inform these groups of maintenance issues observed on trails (downed trees, trails becoming overgrown, etc.) by emailing TCMCchair@hopkintonma.gov or hopkinton.trails. club@gmail.com. For more information, visit hopkintontrailsclub.com.

Al-Anon weekly meetings Thursdays

Anyone affected by someone else’s drinking is welcome to attend a confidential Al-Anon meeting, which takes place every Thursday from 7:30-9 p.m. at the meeting room in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (61 Wood Street). For more information, visit al-anon.org or call 888-4AL-ANON.

LIBRARY CORNER

For more information on any of the following programs or other activities at the library, visit hopkintonlibrary.org. The library also can be found on Facebook, @hopkintonlibrary, and on Twitter, @HopkintonPLMA.

50-plus Job Seekers Networking Group

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m.

The Massachusetts Library Collaborative’s 50-plus Job Seekers Group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month via Zoom. This program is for those who are unemployed and actively looking, underemployed or seeking a new career direction. This session will focus on creating a “career story” pitch.

Frayed Knot Fiber Arts Circle

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Participants are invited to bring their current project or pattern. This group is open to teens and adults of all skill levels. All fiber arts crafts (knitting, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, needle felting, etc.) are more than welcome. This group will meet on the second and last Wednesdays of each month from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

‘The Ransomware Hunting Team’

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 7-8 p.m.

In this virtual program, Pulitzer Prize finalist Renee Dudley and local Pulitzer Prize winner Daniel Golden will discuss their latest book, “The Ransomware Hunting Team: A Band of Misfits Crusade to Save the World from Cybercrime.” Urgent, uplifting and entertaining, the book is a real-life technological thriller that illuminates a dangerous new era of cybercrime.

Classical Music

will present an eight-week introduction to the world of classical music, designed for general listeners and newcomers. This program meets via Zoom.

Author Talk: Randall Munroe, xkcd webcomic and ‘What if?’ series creator

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2-3 p.m.

Attendees will chat online with Randall Munroe about his new book, “What If? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.”

Monthly Music & Movement

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 11-11:45 a.m.

Performer Stacey Peasley will present a children’s concert, recommended for ages 0-5.

Using census records in genealogy

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

This discussion, held virtually, will focus how to best find and use U.S. and state census records when researching a family tree. Eric Migdal of It’s All Relative Geneaology will discuss the census, including the data that was collected by the census takers, the changes made and ways to use the information for genealogical research.

Freedom’s Cause: Historical Black Communities and George Washington’s Cambridge Camp

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7-8 p.m.

101

Friday, Jan. 27, 10-11 a.m.

Music historian Amber Broderick

From 1775-76, 105 Brattle Street (today Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site) became Gen. George Washington’s first major headquarters of the Revolution. While Washington’s time at Cambridge Headquarters is well-documented, this site also provides a lens into intersections of Black history in Revolutionary America.

HopkintonIndependent.com

District-wide

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

Whether the Hopkinton School Committee chooses to make the proposed Elmwood School house Grades 2-3 or Grades 2-3-4, it would cost between $280 million and $302 million for work on the other schools to handle population growth — so says a system-wide study conducted by Perkins Eastman and Vertex commissioned by the committee.

The nearly 100page document looks at projected enrollment and capacity through 2032 and the particular needs at each building.

Although it’s just a few years old, Marathon School — like all the schools in the district — has become too small for Hopkinton’s soaring enrollment.

It also outlines potential costs and timelines.

Representatives from the firms led a presentation during the Jan. 5 school committee meeting which featured detailed analyses, charts and drawings.

Vertex Senior Project Manager Christopher Eberly said although the study is independent of the Elmwood School project, “They inform each other, and it’s a companion piece to it.”

Robert Bell, Perkins Eastman principal in charge of educational programming, said the district’s modulars and additions have been keeping pace with enrollment. However, in the 10-year projections, they see a “wave” of large enrollment increases on the horizon.

“As you go up the grades, there is more elbow room,” Bell said.

He noted that related arts, cafeteria/kitchen, gym and other common spaces have been factored into the study’s space considerations.

After the Elmwood project, if it has a Grades 2-3 configuration, an additional 108,000 gross square feet would be needed across the other school buildings. If Elmwood is constructed with a Grades 2-3-4 setup, an additional 68,000 gross square feet would be needed, according to the study.

Bell said in the latter scenario, Hopkinton Middle School would house Grades 7-8, and space becomes available that also becomes part of the possible high school changes as well.

Broken down per facility, highlighted additions would include the following:

• Marathon (plus 22,800 gross square feet (GSF)/ additions — two story, 12 rooms, expanded kitchen and gym);

• Hopkins (plus 24,300 GSF, not including four room modulars; two story, eight rooms, new cafeteria/kitchen, stage, art and music areas, repurposed custodial storage and utility needs);

• Grades 6-8 middle school (plus 36,000 GSF, two story, 12 rooms, two story, six science room addition, expanded kitchen/cafeteria, 24 replicated and 40 additional parking spaces, creation of a new perimeter of cojoined buildings);

• Grades 7-8 Middle School (plus 3,600 GSF additions, small addition to increase science labs);

• Grades 9- 12 high school (plus 17,000 GSF additions, 12,000 GSF repurposed, small addition using existing middle school space; number of internal changes for programming; repurpose two story, 9.5 room middle school wing for high school, Grade 9 academy possible.

If the high school does not get tied into the middle school campus, Bell said a building wing could be added in front, although wetlands would be a factor and diversion work would be required.

School Committee vice chair Amanda Fargiano said that her takeaway through that portion of the presentation is that none of the buildings are adequate to support enrollment projections.

“We knew that,” Fargiano said. “It’s good and bad to see it proven out.” She said that as the board makes decisions, having an “achievable road map” is helpful.

Vertex Project Director Jeffrey D’Amico said there is more certainty with the enrollment numbers for higher grades because the students are “in the pipeline” as opposed to Marathon’s projections when many of the children have not been born yet.

“With the students you have now, there is a sustained wave and there is a need in all of the [school] buildings in town,” D’Amico said.

The suggested order of work in the study has completion of Grades 2-3 Elmwood happening in Sept. 2026; Grades 4-5 Hopkins in June 2026; Marathon in 2027 and the Grades 6-8 middle school and Grades 9-12 high school in 2029.

The only difference to the timeline if Elmwood has Grades 2-4 would be work at the middle school and high school would be done in 2028 instead.

With a Grades 2-3 Elmwood, all the additions to other buildings would cost an estimated $295 million to $302 million once 20-25 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority is factored.

If, however, a Grades 2-3-4 Elmwood is chosen, the approximate costs would be $280 million to $288 million, once reimbursement of 20 to 25 percent is included.

It was pointed out the latter option shows up to a $15 million savings because state reimbursement would be higher with an additional grade level covered by the MSBA.

School Committee member Lya Batlle-Rafferty said “the cost looks intimidating” but added part of the reason people keep moving into Hopkinton is because of the school system. She said if the district wants the schools to keep running well, it may be an investment the town needs to make.

Fargiano said she’d rather know “how big the beast is,” and said the report is a great tool to communicate to its town partners.

Chairman Nancy Cavanaugh said the numbers were “staggering” and “jaw dropping” but that it is valuable to have the information upfront.

Elmwood committee examines site, floor plan options

By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer

possible site and floor plan designs and also heard about potential mechanical design options.

Perkins Eastman Senior Project Architect Dawn Guarriello showed designs depicting possible scenarios of a Grade 2-3 or Grade 2-3-4 at the Elmwood site called Elmwood Bar and Elmwood Village. Other designs at the Hayden Rowe site were dubbed Hayden Rowe Pinwheel and Hayden Rowe Village.

Jeff D’Amico, project director of Owner’s Project Manager Vertex, reminded members as they looked at the drawings to keep in mind the criteria established as a town earlier in the process.

For each scenario, Guarriello described some of the features and type of setup the site and building would have.

For example, Elmwood Bar was said to have “little neighborhoods of academic spaces” but limited field space, while Elmwood Village had all of its community spaces like the media center and cafeteria upfront and “little cul-de-sacs” on three stories.

Guarriello said the goal outside with Hayden Rowe Pinwheel is to provide enough campus road connectivity with neighboring Marathon School while relieving traffic on Hayden Rowe Street.

Town

Manager Norman Khumalo

said he would like to see more information about “queueing action” and existing traffic patterns because the public is going to expect this project to “provide a solution to existing problems.”

A “deeper dive” into those issues will be forthcoming in a traffic study, D’Amico said.

He also said members could “mix and match” features they like in one plan into another.

Guarriello noted the plans are “constantly evolving” as they try to

find the best solutions.

ESBC chair John Graziano said everyone’s first concern about this site is traffic, and it should be made clear that it’s an unrealistic assumption to think all the problems can be solved.

It was pointed out that if Hopkins School becomes a Grade 5-6 school, that would coincide with the middle school drop-off rather than the elementary school and ease some issues.

The “Pinwheel” floor plan places the media center at the “heart” of the school.

A feature of the Hayden Rowe Village plan is one large learning courtyard. Inside, at the front of the school are the public spaces like the gym, cafeteria/stage and media center. Jutting off behind that are academic wings, for example.

Member Lya Batlle-Rafferty, who also serves on the School Committee, said she liked the way the public spaces are in front, because that is where parents would go to see a play or other event.

She likened it to a house where the “public” rooms like the living and dining room are front and center and the more “private” spaces are elsewhere.

Guarriello noted the setup supports security and promotes private, quiet areas.

D’Amico reported that a forum at the Senior Center attracted a few people online and in the audience, and questions were about how construction costs today compare with six years ago for the Marathon School project.

Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh said a faculty forum had about 40 people attend and ask a lot of questions about topics like grade configurations, financials and food services. Director of Finance Susan Rothermich said some of the questions were about things where the answers would be known further along in the design process.

In other business, the committee heard about mechanical design options, including ground source pump/geothermal, air source variable refrigerant flow (VRF) and a hybrid of ground source/air source.

Additionally, a fourth alternative would be a more conventional design with natural gas heating/variable volume HVAC, as found at Marathon Elementary School.

Having heard pros and cons for each method, the presentation also included the impact of incentives from Mass Save and the Inflation Reduction Act and what would be the timing for the incentives to kick in.

D’Amico said the Massachusetts School Building Authority had not offered guidance on which mechanical design option it prefers. That decision is left to the community, and he said it would have to be made by the summer.

ESBC member Bill Flannery, also a member of the Appropriations Committee, said the community is concerned about costs, and in their roles as “good stewards of the taxpayers’ money,” the committee must experience a balancing act.

“We want to design a great, efficient school with a very good learning environment,” he said, but there is worry about rising costs. He asked what other towns have done to find savings with their projects.

D’Amico replied that the committee still is in the “exploring phase.” He said during the schematic phase, decisions must be made about the numbers to be presented at Town Meeting.

When new things arise, revisions can be made. Cost refinements are made at 50 percent, 60 percent and 90 percent of the development process, D’Amico said.

Reduction in occupational therapy hours removed from budget

Educators and supports hold signs protesting proposed cuts to special education staff at the start of the Jan. 12 School Committee meeting.

people making the magic happen,” the educators. She said she felt “a little bit of heartbreak” hearing the speakers “trying to convince us they should be valued.”

Town Manager Norman Khumalo said he understood all the frustration expressed as a growing community with limited resources and he is counting on collaboration among all stakeholders to get to a balanced budget.

“There’s a great deal of work going forward,” he said.

Town Meeting articles OK’d

In other business, the board approved proposed warrant articles for Annual Town Meeting this spring.

One would use the funds from the 26.2 Foundation and Boston Athletic Association, totaling $144,038, as a partial source of funding for work on the high school track and field.

Committee.

During the budget presentation, Cavanaugh talked about the need for more administrators in special education (SPED), saying that one director for 771 students is “too much” and “off-kilter.” The budget contains requests for a pre-kindergarten director as well as an administrator at the elementary level to offer additional support for specially designed instruction, she said.

Director of Finance Susan Rothermich again provided details about the overall fiscal year 2024 proposed budget of $60,121,087, an increase of 8.3 percent and above the 5.1 percent guidance provided by the Select Board for all town departments.

Speakers at the hearing all talked about the work done by the teachers and therapy providers and the positive impact it had on students. Several people expressed dissatisfaction with the process, saying they felt unheard and unappreciated.

Becky Abate, president of the Hopkinton Teachers Association said that educators have been telling administrators what they need, but it has fallen on deaf ears. She said it has been “insulting, disrespectful and hurtful” to teachers, and she expressed that the students would be hurt in the end.

Among the needs she cited at particular schools were paraprofessionals, learning specialists, a guidance counselor and someone to administer testing.

Abate said a middle school learning specialist had resigned because she couldn’t keep up with the demanding workload.

Several parents spoke about the successes their children had thanks to therapists, while those in the field talked about the complications of SPED scheduling and how their time is spent.

Jessica Bruce, an occupational therapist in the district, said the professionals know how to manage schedules, group students, be flexible and more.

“This is our profession,” she said. “We should be trusted to do the job we are experts in.”

Lauren Passier, a speech/language pathologist, objected to the superintendent’s suggestion that if the speech therapists had extra time, they would be valuable resources working with students on reading and literacy.

Passier said the educators are feeling “crushed and demoralized,” and “morale is shot.”

Cavanaugh noted that she would be meeting with all the providers Friday, and the suggestion was not meant to be “puni-

tive” in any way.

Former Select Board member Mike Shepard spoke about his longstanding commitment to Hopkinton and the great experiences he had with the school district and its SPED department. He encouraged school administrators to improve communication with stakeholders so that they wouldn’t be in this position again next year.

To much applause, he urged, “Find the damn $32,000 so we don’t have to do this.”

Parent Chris Masters said “unintended consequences” of the district not delivering adequate services could be a lot of parents leaving and enrolling their kids in private schools out of district at a cost of $50,000 to $60,000 each.

He said that kids with disabilities are the most vulnerable people in society: “I think it is shameful to not support teachers and specialists so our most vulnerable are given the best chance to be successful.”

Masters added, “More needs to be done.” He urged the School Committee to find the money and “fire” administrators if they could not get the job done.

School Committee member Lya Batlle-Rafferty, “mom of a SPED kid,” said she totally understands the sentiments expressed by parents. She said therapists act as “sort of a lifeline” and become part of families.

School Committee member Jenn Devlin said restoring $32,000 to the budget is a “small sacrifice to make.” She said that next year, district leaders should “take on a more collaborative process.”

The superintendent said she has empathy for the parents who spoke, but she pointed out that her administrative team had been subject of a lot of criticism and deserved credit, too, for things like helping students for whom English is not their first language, seeing that the buses and food services run smoothly and bringing in millions in grant funding.

She acknowledged the existence of an “us versus them” situation and said she encourages communication and collaboration that goes both ways.

Karen Zaleski, director of student services, said the decisions and proposals were not made lightly and the process was “thoughtful.” She noted that she also had professional background as a related service provider, a building assistant principal and someone who worked with adults with mental health issues/addictions, among other positions.

Zaleski added she still believes the district could operate successfully with the original reductions but is happy to work

with whatever staffing levels occur.

Select Board member Shahidul Mannan said he had listened to the speakers’ “feedback from their hearts and pain points,” noting, “How we treat our most vulnerable says a lot about the character of the town.”

He said as leaders, it is important to look at how all this conflict could have been avoided.

He added that he wanted a list of the needs Abate spoke about and wants what is best for children.

Select Board member Muriel Kramer said the district could do without new administrators and instead focus on “the

Another calls for use of Legacy Farms account money for planning, design, engineering, construction or associated costs or expenses related to a Hopkins School addition. Rothermich said the balance in that account is $2,220,058, and the intent would be to deplete that account.

Bus contract approved

The School Committee awarded the transportation contract to Connelly & Sons, its current vendor. Although Rothermich said five vendors asked for specs, only Connelly submitted a bid.

The three-year contract totals $8.2 million and calls for 28 two-tier buses and five one-tier buses.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

School Committee | from page 1

HMS team selected to advance in NASA competition

Ateam

from Hopkinton High School was selected as one of 60 winners in the NASA TechRise Student Challenge. Members of the team are Aditi Khiste, Dharshna Karthick, Sahasra Ramabhotla and Sanya Bhagat

The team’s experiment was titled “Corrosion of Metal in Outer Space.” HMS science teacher Lauren Bailey-Jones was the group leader.

“It is thrilling to know that the hard work of the eighth-grade students here at Hopkinton Middle School paid off and they will be able to advance their idea into the prototype phase,” Bailey-Jones shared. “I’m so proud of the way the students worked together to problem solve to submit their proposal. They encountered several bumps along the way, and they rose to the challenge by furthering their research or steering their research in a different direction. That perseverance paid off and will help them in many other facets in their academic and personal pursuits in the future.”

Bailey-Jones explained that the students worked on an idea connecting the evolutionary history of Mars and how Earth’s atmosphere may play a role in either preventing or furthering a similar outcome.

“They were curious about how corrosion happens, how Mars became red in the first place, and then used what they learned about corrosion in seventh-grade science to explore the implications on Earth further,” Bailey-Jones stated.

The students’ project idea includes the use of a high-altitude balloon, and now they’ll get a chance to make it a reality.

“Science is so cool for students often because they can see it in action,” BaileyJones said. “Sometimes in the classroom we don’t get to experience larger scale science unless we watch a video about other scientists doing the project. In this case, the students will be in charge of designing their experiment, and I know that our entire school community will be looking forward to seeing the results of flying a high-altitude balloon.”

TEC internship program open

Registration for The Education Cooperative’s 2023 Summer Internship & Career Exploration Program opens Jan. 25. Applications will be accepted through April, with internship placements distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The summer program placed nearly 100 students in career internships last summer, with both in-person and remote placements available.

Open to those who have completed at least two years of high school as of summer 2023, the program is ideal for students looking for an opportunity to explore a career while considering their post secondary education options (though not required). Students are required to complete 60 hours of work, typically over four consecutive weeks during the summer.

Interested students and families are encouraged to attend one of The Education Cooperative’s virtual information sessions scheduled for: Jan. 24, Feb. 16, March 10 and April 6. All information sessions are held via Zoom from 7-8 p.m. Interested students and/or family members are welcome to attend one of these free sessions. Registration is required in order to receive the meeting link and may be completed here: tec-coop.org/career-exploration/internships/information-sessions.

For more information, contact Emily Manz at emanz@tec-coop.org.

Local collegians shine

Abi Brown, a Lasell University student from Hopkinton, presented at the institution’s annual Career Readiness Symposium this past fall.

Brown shared updates from the Lasell University student newspaper, the 1851 Chronicle. The presentation incorporated the NACE competencies of professionalism, leadership and career/self-development.

Brown is arts editor for the 1851 Chronicle. Brown also presented a fashion industry capstone project, “Uncommon Threads, Uncommon Closet,” with the Lawrence nonprofit of the same name. The presentation recapped a semester-long collaboration with the company, during which student teams researched a set of challenges and produced deliverables in response at the conclusion of the project. …

A quartet of Hopkinton residents earned dean’s list honors at Stonehill University for the fall semester: Brendan Kelly, Lydia Rudden, Ian Cann and Brooklyn McDermott-Hyland

Mikayla Cappetta, a junior majoring in middle child education, was named to the dean’s list at Cedarville University in Ohio. …

Dylan Goodman was named to the dean’s list at Springfield College, where he is majoring in health science/pre-physician’s assistant. …

At the University of New Hampshire, Helen Aghababian graduated in December with a B.A. in history, while Jonathan Wolf graduated with a MBA in business administration.

Louis Dentiste graduated with a B.S. in finance from the College of Charleston. …

Nia Alvarado-Rodriguez, Taneja Forero, Rebecca Gallant, Addy Hodson and Courtney Olafsen were named to the dean’s list at Bridgewater State.

Adam MacLeod was named to the dean’s list at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. …

At Assumption University, junior Madison Kenney and freshman Nick Paharik were named to the dean’s list. …

Aidan Sullivan, a sophomore majoring in aerospace engineering, was named to the dean’s list at Clarkson University. …

Pat Crantz was named to the dean’s list at Marquette University, where he is studying innovation and entrepreneurship. …

At Southern New Hampshire University, Kyle Hall was named to the president’s list, while John Allen and Katya Markovich were named to the dean’s list.

oBituarieS

Obituaries are submissions, typically from funeral homes, that are not subject to the same level of editorial oversight as the rest of the Hopkinton Independent. Obituaries may be edited for grammatical and factual mistakes and clarifications and shortened for space considerations.

Heather Heverling

Heather (Holloway) Heverling, 65, passed away on New Year’s Day at her home, surrounded by her growing family. A skilled and creative crafter, quilter, baker, wife, mom and grandmother, she had resided in Hopkinton for the past 25 years.

She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Dave Heverling of Hopkinton, her children, Andrew Heverling and wife Ashley of Medfield, Molly Scholl and husband Jon of Framingham, and three grandchildren, Noah and Grace Heverling of Medfield and Reggie Scholl of Framingham. She also is survived by her mother, Sharon Holloway, sister, Carrie Uzelac, and brother-in-law, Gary Uzelac, all of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She was predeceased by her father, Robin Holloway.

Heather and Dave met during their college days at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, and lived in the Philadelphia area until 1997, when they moved to Massachusetts, raising and educating their children in Hopkinton and New England.

Heather taught sewing and crafts classes at the Hopkinton Cultural Arts Center and was a Girl Scout troop leader for several years. She owned and operated her own floral business. Heather also enjoyed traveling, decorating, bridge, yoga, tennis and especially being “Mimi” to her grandkids. She raised four miniature dachshunds of various colors and mental states over the past 30 years.

She and Dave spent many enjoyable times at their summer cottage in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, which gave her an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and for Heather to decorate another home.

Arrangements are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton and will include a celebration of life at a future date. Donations in Heather’s memory would be greatly appreciated and can be made to Dr. Neil Horowitz’s AD5342 research fund at Dana-Farber that focuses on ovarian cancer detection and developing improved treatment options (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston MA 02284) and VNA Hospice and Palliative Care (199 Rosewood Drive, Suite 180, Danvers, MA 01923), two organizations that provided Heather with great support, care and comfort.

Huledge Degre

Huldege “Ed” Degre, 92, of Hopkinton passed away on Jan. 4. Born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, he was the son of the late Exilena (Gagne) and Aldo Degre. He was the beloved husband of 67 years to Jeanne A. (Lussier) Degre of Hopkinton.

Ed proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He had a long career as a crib tool attendant at Rolls Royce Naval Marine in Walpole. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, playing cards and puzzles, as well as watching sports and Westerns. Ed was a quiet man with a dry sense of humor, and he will be missed by many.

Besides his wife, Ed is survived by two chil-

dren, Paulette Hebert and husband Wayne of Florida, and Daniel Degre and wife Lori of North Carolina. He also leaves behind four grandchildren, five greatgrandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his siblings, Lionel and Robert Degre and Noella Joly.

Funeral services will be held privately and are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (va.gov/ogc/giftstova.asp).

Julia Harris

Julia Harris, 89, of Hopkinton passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 11. She was the daughter of Max L. Huber and Minnie (Johnson) Huber. She leaves her devoted husband of 68 years and caretaker, Donald.

Julia is survived by sons D. Michael and wife Barbara of Upton, and Carl and wife Barbara of Ellenton, Florida, and daughter Debra and husband Jonathon Peaslee of North Sandwich, New Hampshire. She also leaves six beloved grandchildren, Hannah Hayes, Amanda Peaslee, Nichole Perreault, and Jennifer, Michael and Kevin Harris; four great grandchildren, Lincoln and Colt Hayes, and Leah and Julia Perreault; many beloved nieces and nephews; and two sisters in laws, Rita Huber and Marjorie Butcher.

Julia was predeceased by granddaughter Heather Siebert, grandson Carl (CJ) Harris and three brothers, Robert, William and Donald Huber.

Julia was a graduate of Northfield School for Girls and the Springfield Hospital School of Nursing. She was an emergency room nurse for many years. She retired from the Hopkinton Board of Health after 35 years.

The family wishes to thank the nurses and aides from the PNPS Home Service who cared for her for five-plus years. Special thanks to Emily, Michelle, Rekia, Emelia and Colleen.

A funeral service was held Jan. 20 at the Matarese Funeral Home, Ashland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hopkinton Fire Department, 73 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748. Please include Julia Harris in the memo line/Ambulance Fund. Or please consider giving to the Siebert-Harris Patient Support Fund at Boston Children’s Hospital, in memory of Julia Harris. Contributions can be made at bostonchildrens.org/giveinmemory. Or mail checks, payable to Boston Children’s Hospital, to Boston Children’s Hospital Trust, 401 Park Drive Suite 602, Boston, MA 02215-5301. Please include Julia Harris in the memo line.

Anna Hayes

Anna F. (DeVirgilio) Hayes, 93, of Roslindale and more recently of East Bridgewater, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Jan. 13. Anna was a longtime resident of Roslindale, where she enjoyed bingo at the Norwood Senior Center, lunch at the Roche Center and many other senior clubs. She was president of the Villagers in Roslindale and worked for the Department of Unemployment for many years. Anna was a longtime parishioner of Sacred Heart Church for over 90 years, and also served as a Eucharistic minister. She will be greatly missed by son Kevin Hayes of Roslindale, daughter Ruth Boncorddo and hus-

band Gary of East Bridgewater, son Michael Hayes and wife Darlene of Hopkinton, daughter Linda MacDougall and husband Gary of East Bridgwater, and son Matthew Hayes of Medway, along with 14 grandchildren, one granddaughterin-law and two great-granddaughters.

A service was held Jan. 18 at the P.E. Murray-F.J. Higgins, George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, West Roxbury, followed by a funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church. Interment was to be held at St. Michael Cemetery, Roslindale. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Anna’s memory to Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA 02452.

Walter Deegan

Walter Deegan, 89, of Hopkinton passed away peacefully on Jan. 13. Born in Somerville on March 3, 1933, he was the son of the late Margaret (Mahoney) and Walter L. Deegan Sr. He was the beloved husband of 46 years to Cheryl (Schiavi) Deegan of Hopkinton.

Walter proudly served our country as a member of the Navy and retired from the Air Force after 22 years of service. He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs after his military service. He had an incredible wit, intelligence and a wonderful sense of humor. He was an avid reader, loved doing his crossword puzzles and especially loved to cook and travel. He was a man who loved deeply, never hesitating to let his loved ones know just how much they meant to him. He is and will be greatly missed.

Walter is survived by daughter Deborah Deegan, and partner Denise of San Francisco, sister Janie Ruggerio and husband, Augie of Peabody, brother Bill Deegan of Arizona, and numerous Irish relatives whom he adored. He is predeceased by siblings George Deegan of Virginia and Patti Anne Wormstead of Malden. He also leaves behind sister-in-law, Kathy Karrat and husband Michael, brother-in-law Michael Schiavi and wife Sara, and numerous wonderful nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

While serving in the military in Australia, Walter made wonderful friends who became an extended family. He and his wife would visit them, and they would visit as well.

A funeral Mass was held Jan. 23 at Saint Matthew’s Church in Southborough. Interment in Bourne National Cemetery was to be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either The Jimmy Fund (jimmyfund.org) or to Veterans Inc (veteransinc.org).

Veterans Breakfast

The Jan. 6 Veterans Breakfast was highlighted by inclement weather that was braved by dozens of local veterans. Usual discussions nevertheless proceeded, along with a delicious meal provided by an anonymous donor and prepared by the Senior Center staff.

Military events that occurred on or about Jan. 6 were the main theme.

Among the highlights were discussions of Bob Feller, the first Baseball Hall of Fame member to volunteer for World War II combat; the light carrier USS Columbia (CL-56), which was hit by enemy fire near the Philippines, causing 13 to be killed and 44 wounded; Brigadier Gen. Frank D. Merrill, a Hopkinton native (his family relocated when he was a child) who was put in command of a volunteer unit that became known as “Merrill’s Marauders”; and President Franklin Pierce, whose 11-year-old son was killed in a railroad accident in Massachusetts shortly before Pierce’s inauguration in 1853. The Pierces lived in New Hampshire and had a summer home in Andover.

Among the veterans at the gathering were (from left) Robert Hole (Navy), with a 1942 photo of Bob Feller standing at his anti-aircraft gun mount on the USS Alabama (BB-60); Bill Hamilton (Navy), with a dynamic view of the USS Columbia being hit by enemy fire; Ted Hoyt (Army), displaying a view of Brigadier Gen. Frank D. Merrill; Mike Arakelian (Air Force), holding an image of the wife and son of President Franklin Pierce; Bob Letendre (Army), demonstrating a pack howitzer placement, which is well-known to Hopkinton veterans through the experiences of Richard Brault; and Art Brooks (Navy), holding a copy of his ship’s yearbook from the time in the Pacific just prior to the buildup of the Vietnam conflict.

Falls prevention clinic

SENIOR SNIPPETS

The Hopkinton Senior Center is open Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. For a more extensive listing of programs and services, including lunch program menus as well as a newsletter, check hopkintonseniorcenter. com. Anyone with questions can call 508-4979730. The Senior Center also has a Facebook page that provides updates on resources, programs and events.

Transportation programs

The Senior Center offers transportation to and from the center as well as local shopping Mondays through Fridays for Hopkinton residents. Those looking for transportation for medical appointments or essential shopping should call to learn about options at least three business days prior to the desired day of travel.

Exercise classes

Fitness classes are free through January and February to encourage residents to start the new year on the right foot. For a full list of classes, check the Senior Center newsletter.

TED Talks discussion group

Mondays, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

In 1984, TED Talks were created to bring technology, entertainment and design information to the curious and open-minded public. These videos cover a wide array of subjects and always lead to lively discussion and conversation. Casual TED Talks group meetings are held either in-person or over Zoom every Monday for one hour. Attendees will view one of these videos and follow with a discussion. The program is free. Register by calling the Senior Center at 508-497-9730.

HopkintonIndependent.com

Thursday, Jan. 26, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

The Hopkinton EMS team will provide free assessments and education on preventing falls and injury. There will be free screenings with a nurse, pharmacist, physical therapist and podiatrist along with practical tips for safety. Followup will be available through the Community EMS program, as well as a home safety check and referral to a primary care physician if indicated. To register, call 508-521-8829.

Our Time Memory Cafe

Monday, Feb. 2, 1-2 p.m.

This program is a welcoming gathering for those experiencing forgetfulness or mild cognitive impairment or living with dementia, and their care partner, family and friends. It’s a place to socialize, share experiences and form friendships. This is a joint venture between the Hopkinton Senior Center and Hopkinton Public Library. For more information or to register call 508-497-9730 or email info@ ourtimememorycafe.org.

AARP income tax assistance

Tuesdays beginning in February

AARP Foundation tax-aide volunteers (IRS certified) will help individuals prepare and file their returns for free. While this program is focused on taxpayers who are over 50 and have low to moderate income, it is open to anyone of any age. Appointments begin Feb. 7 and continue each Tuesday through the end of March. For more information or to register, call the Senior Center at 508-497-9730.

Valentine’s Day cookie decorating

Monday, Feb. 9, 12:30 p.m.

The Senior Center will provide the cookies and all the decorations for participants to take home a sweet treat. Advance registration is required.

police log

ARRESTS

January 5

6:39 a.m. Officer Brennan Grimley conducted a motor vehicle stop on Downey Street, and Sergeant Arthur Schofield assisted in arresting a 39-year-old Oakhurst Road resident. He was charged with operating a motor vehicle with license suspended for OUI. A tow truck removed the vehicle.

January 8

2:31 a.m. Officer Nicholas Saletnik checked on two males standing next to a vehicle on West Main Street. Sergeant William Burchard responded as backup. A 26-year-old from Westborough was arrested and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, OUI liquor and possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Editor’s note: Due to space limitations, this is an abbreviated version of the Police Log. For the full Police Log visit the Hopkinton Independent website at HopkintonIndependent.com.

January 3

1:44 p.m. A caller reported a snapped telephone pole with several braces on it had further cracks, and the braces were falling off. The caller stated there was new damage in the past two days, and it was a road hazard. Officer Robert Ekross responded and reported the pole was in poor shape and contacted Verizon.

5:34 p.m. A caller from the Ashland town line complained of an erratic white Dodge Durango passing everyone on East Main Street. The vehicle headed to Ash Street and then pulled into a Hearthstone Road driveway. Sergeant William Burchard and Officer Tyler Staback responded, located the vehicle and spoke to the driver.

7:42 p.m. Officers William Burchard and Arthur Schofield attended to an accident on Main Street where a car hit a pole, causing air bag deployment. An individual was bleeding from the head. The individual’s roommate picked up a dog from the scene. Ted’s towed the vehicle. A complaint was issued for operating under the influence.

January 4

9:38 a.m. A Whisper Way resident reported a delivery driver drove off a driveway and was stuck. Sergeant Matthew McNeil responded and assisted the driver.

10:50 a.m. A walk-in reported receiving mail to her address with someone else’s name on it. Sergeant Matthew McNeil assisted and took a report of fraud.

1:56 p.m. Officer Cody Normandin checked on a vehicle on the side of the roadway on Cedar Street. The driver pulled over to look at directions.

2:37 p.m. A caller reported vandalism at the playground of the former Center School on Ash Street. Officer Cody Normandin responded and took

a report.

3:58 p.m. A Wedgewood Road caller reported her tire fell off and there were no lug nuts on the tire. Officer Cody Normandin responded and took a report of the suspicious incident. Assistance was en route for the vehicle.

8:31 p.m. A bartender on Lumber Street reported a customer who was intoxicated just left in his vehicle. Sergeant Arthur Schofield and Officer Cody Normandin responded. The vehicle was gone upon their arrival.

January 5

9:58 a.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident with no personal injury on Main Street. Officer Sean McKeon responded and took a report. A tow truck removed the vehicle.

12:31 p.m. A caller on South Street reported gift card fraud. Officers Cody Normandin and Nicholas Walker responded and took a report.

3:03 p.m. Officers Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz took a report of stolen property on Main Street.

3:16 p.m. Officers Augusto Diaz and Sean McKeon discovered fallen wires on Piazza Lane and notified Eversource.

4:15 p.m. A Parkwood Drive caller reported a case of fraud. Officers Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz responded and took a report.

4:55 p.m. Officers Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz took a report of fraud on Main Street.

5:30 p.m. A Maple Street caller reported multiple dog attacks in the past 24 hours and stated it appeared that an electric gate at a residence was not working. The animal control officer was notified and was to respond the following day.

January 6

3:32 a.m. A Saddle Hill Road caller reported possible suspicious activity at the residence and requested a check of the property. Sergeant Arthur Schofield and Officer Nicholas Saletnik responded and found all secure.

9:45 a.m. A Main Street caller reported her business was a victim of a cyberattack. Officer Cody Normandin responded and took a report.

10:16 a.m. A caller reported a truck blocking Clinton Street. Sergeant Timothy Brennan responded and Officer Sean McKeon was requested for assistance. Traffic was detoured while a tow truck was on scene to remove the disabled truck.

11:30 a.m. A walk-in reported that she was the victim of an online puppy scam. Officer Cody Normandin assisted and took a report of fraud.

12:12 p.m. Officer Sean McKeon found a malfunctioning traffic light on Lumber Street Extension and notified the DPW.

1:07 p.m. An Aspen Way walk-in reported a suspicious incident from two days earlier. Officer Cody Normandin responded to the location and assisted.

2:03 p.m. An Oakhurst Road resident reported hearing an explosion and seeing a cloud of smoke in the area.

Sergeant Timothy Brennan responded and reported a homeowner was firing a firearm in his backyard. Officer Matthew Santoro responded to assist. A weapon violation report was taken.

3:54 p.m. A caller at a business on

West Main Street reported one of the managers stole money. Officer Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz responded and took a report of larceny.

6:31 p.m. The Milford Police Department reported an erratic driver all over the road on South Street. Sergeant Matthew McNeil responded and the vehicle was gone upon his arrival.

January 7

11:28 a.m. A concerned caller reported the operator of a U-Haul driving fast on Granite Street while carrying Boy Scouts and picking up Christmas trees. Sergeant Matthew McNeil responded, caught up with the driver and spoke with him.

3:14 p.m. A caller reported he parked at Starbucks on West Main Street and another vehicle parked so close to him that their vehicles were touching. Officers Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz responded and spoke to the parties.

6:06 p.m. Officer Nicholas Saletnik responded along with the Fire Department to a report of the outside odor of natural gas on Ledgestone Drive.

7:55 p.m. Officers Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz responded along with the Fire Department to a report of the indoor odor of natural gas on Teresa Road.

January 8

2:42 p.m. Officers Tyler Staback, Sean McKeon, Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz responded to a motor vehicle accident on Wood Street involving two vehicles and two airbag deployments. No personal injuries were reported. Tow trucks removed both vehicles. A crash report was to follow.

3:02 p.m. Officer Robert Ekross responded to a motor vehicle accident on West Main Street. No personal injuries were reported.

8:11 p.m. Officer Robert Ekross responded along with the Fire Department to a report of the inside odor of natural gas at an Alprilla Farm residence.

January 9

12:21 p.m. A caller reported a construction vehicle was tailgating her and driving aggressively on Chamberlain Street, and she spoke with the construction site supervisor. The caller wanted the incident logged.

3:50 p.m. A caller reported her vehicle was struck in an Elm Street parking lot. Officer Cody Normandin responded and took an accident report.

3:53 p.m. A walk-in reported his license plate was stolen. Officer Matthew LaTour took a report and entered it into the National Crime Information Center as stolen.

5:02 p.m. A Hazel Road resident reported a strange odor inside. Sergeant William Burchard and Officer Matthew LaTour responded along with the Fire Department to investigate.

January 10

7:12 a.m. A motorist reported he struck a deer on West Main Street. His vehicle incurred some damage and the deer ran off. Officer Robert Ekross responded and took a report.

9:19 a.m. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil reported the traffic lights on Main Street were not cycling properly, causing a traffic backup downtown. The DPW was notified and responded.

2:01 p.m. A West Main Street property manager reported a U-Haul truck had been parked along the side of their building for over a week. Officer Robert Ekross responded and spoke to the manager about contacting U-Haul to track down the operator or getting the vehicle towed.

January 11

2:30 p.m. A caller reported a disabled motor vehicle on DiCarlo Road. Officer Alexander Stewart responded and reported the vehicle was in Upton and out of the travel lane. The Upton Police Department was contacted and responded.

3:47 p.m. Sergeant Matthew McNeil and Officers Matthew LaTour and Augusto Diaz removed a group of youths from Ash Street property.

6:29 p.m. A delivery driver reported that while dropping off a package on Hopkins Road, a dog bit him below the knee of this left leg. He wanted the incident logged.

January 12

9:18 a.m. A Wood Street resident reported a cat was in her basement. The animal control officer was contacted.

10:53 a.m. An employee of a Main Street business reported a car had been parked in the lower lot for a couple of days. Sergeant Arthur Schofield spoke with the owner, and he was to pick up the vehicle later in the day.

11:25 a.m. A caller reported a tree fell on wires on Cedar Street. Sergeant

police log

Arthur Schofield responded and found a small limb that was not hazardous.

2:11 p.m. A caller complained of concrete trucks speeding on Chamberlain Street. Sergeant Arthur Schofield checked the area with a negative find on any speeding vehicles.

5:13 p.m. Multiple callers reported a motor vehicle crash on Legacy Farms North. Sergeant Matthew McNeil and Officer Matthew LaTour responded and assisted. No personal injuries were reported.

January 13

5:34 a.m. Officer Brennan Grimley removed debris from the roadway of West Elm Street and notified the DPW.

7:45 a.m. Officer Tyler Staback took a report of threats on West Main Street.

7:49 a.m. A Wood Street caller reported a cat was stuck in her basement. Officer Sean McKeon responded along with the animal control officer.

10:02 a.m. Officer Tyler Staback responded to a hit-and-run motor vehicle accident and took a report.

10:18 a.m. Officer Tyler Staback took a report of fraud on DiCarlo Road.

11:03 a.m. Officers Sean McKeon and Tyler Staback assisted the Middlesex sheriff with a criminal summons on Hoyt Way.

3:19 p.m. A North Mill Street resident reported the inside odor of something burning. Officer Robert Ekross responded along with the Fire

Department.

3:38 p.m. A caller reported an erratic operator on DJ Murphy Lane. Officer Shannon Beloin responded and checked the area with a negative find.

4:36 p.m. A caller reported his exgirlfriend would not let him back into her Leonard Street house to gather the rest of his belongings. Officer Robert Ekross spoke with the caller and reported it was a civil matter.

4:51 p.m. A motorist reported a group of high schoolers on Main Street near CVS threw a rock onto the roof of her car. There was no damage or injuries, but the caller wanted the incident logged.

6:23 p.m. A Claflin Avenue caller reported seeing a man going toward her house, and it looked liked he was about to break in. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officers Shannon Beloin and Augusto Diaz responded and checked the house and area, and the only individual in the house was the caller’s son.

7:28 p.m. An Eastview Road resident reported seeing a man walk up to his house and attempt to open the door, then walk away. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officer Robert Ekross responded and checked the area with a negative find.

7:44 p.m. An Aspen Way resident reported seeing two suspicious males going door to door in the neighborhood. Officer Shannon Beloin responded and the homeowner showed her footage of the men, who appeared to be solicitors.

9:00 p.m. A Benson Road resident reported a suspicious vehicle parked in front of his house and then moved down the street. Officer Robert Ekross responded and checked the area with a negative find.

January 14

10:26 a.m. A caller on Maple Street reported a dog bite. The animal control officer was notified.

12:04 p.m. Officer Sean McKeon assisted a person on Thayer Heights Road who reported last year he lost power at his house, and Eversoure was unable to find the power source and therefore ran a new electrical wire above ground from a pole to his home. The electrical wire runs through a tree, on which his neighbor’s kids play. The caller requested an officer contact Eversource to see if his connection could be placed back underground for safety reasons.

10:41 p.m. A caller reported kids doing “doughnuts” in a Hayden Rowe Street parking lot. Officer Robert Ekross and Augusto Diaz responded and spoke to the youths.

January 15

5:08 p.m. A motorist reported a full trash bag in the roadway of interstate 495 North. Officer Matthew LaTour responded and checked the area with a negative find.

8:45 p.m. Sergeant William Burchard and Officers Cody Normandin

and Nicholas Walker checked on a motor vehicle on Hayden Rowe Street and issued a verbal warning to the driver for passenger restriction. The parents of the driver were also spoken to.

January 16

7:11 a.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident on South Street resulting in a vehicle in a ditch and parts of the guardrail all over the road. Sergeant Aaron O’Neil and Officers Robert Ekross and Tyler Staback responded and took a report. No personal injuries were reported. A tow truck was on scene.

10:57 a.m. A caller reported a vehicle struck her car on Third Road. Officer Robert Ekross responded and took a report.

3:28 p.m. A Victory Lane resident reported a flood in front of her house with water shooting up from under the soil. Sergeant William Burchard and Officers Cody Normandin and Nicholas Walker responded and notified the Water Department.

3:43 p.m. The Upton Police Department reported an erratic operator who went off DiCarlo Road and into an embankment. Sergeant William Burchard and Officers Cody Normandin and Nicholas Walker responded. The vehicle was gone upon their arrival.

5:31 p.m. Officers Matthew LaTour and Cody Normandin checked on a vehicle involved in an accident. Minimal damage was reported.