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TOWN OF HOPKINTON
Select Board
Meeting Minutes – December 10, 2020
Remote Meeting via Zoom and HCAM-TV 7:35 PM
Select Board Members Present: Brendan Tedstone, Chair, Irfan Nasrullah, Vice Chair, Brian
Herr, Amy Ritterbusch
Select Board Members Absent: Mary Jo LaFreniere
Officials Present: Norman Khumalo, Town Manager; Tim O’Leary, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Tedstone called the Select Board meeting to order at 7:35 PM, at a School Committee
meeting already underway.
Carol Cavanaugh, School Superintendent, provided an overview of the School Department
budget process, noting they have taken a conservative approach to preparing the FY 2022
budget. She reviewed a presentation entitled “Budget Report, School Committee Meeting,
December 10, 2020”. She indicated there are three important considerations: 1) school
enrollment; 2) PPE & hygiene theater; 3) new contracts with 3 bargaining units. She noted that
Hopkinton is growing and is a desirable place to live. She stated that 159 students withdrew
from the school system since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic; it was noted that it had
been projected there would be 4,111 students enrolled in the system this year, but there are
3,922, a net increase of 42 from last year. She described the step and lane system for teacher
salaries.
Susan Rothermich, Director of Finance (Schools), briefly described the draft budget which
represents a 6% increase. She noted that a 4.18% increase is needed to maintain current services.
It was stated that the budget includes $187,000 for PPE.
Mr. Herr noted that the initial number seems reasonable, but it will be important to see how it
impacts others. Mr. Khumalo stated that it is early in the process, and this meeting is a step in
the right direction.
Mike Manning, Chair, Appropriation Committee, asked about the assumptions made regarding
contract negotiations. Shahidul Mannan, Appropriation Committee, asked if various scenarios
have been modeled and how much room there is in the budget to absorb increases. Ms.
Cavanaugh stated the budget would make things comfortable, and if there is a large salary
increase, additional funds would be requested. Mr. Mannan asked about the availability of state
and federal funds for PPE, and it was noted that the availability of funds after Dec. 31, 2020 is
unknown at this time.
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Meg Tyler, School Committee, stated that Hopkinton classroom sizes are above the
Massachusetts average. Nancy Richard-Cavanaugh, School Committee, stated that Hopkinton’s
per pupil expenditure is lower than others. Joe Markey, School Committee, asked if there is a
summary of the proposed budget for the Town side, and it was noted that the budget
development process is ongoing. PPE needs for the next fiscal year was discussed.
Mr. O’Leary noted that the budget message asked for 2.5% budgets, and also asked that
departments evaluate what the impact would be of a 1.5% increase. He noted that the budget
development process is in better shape this year than last year at this time.
Mr. Herr noted that the biggest challenge is contract negotiations, and that officials can’t be tone
deaf when people aren’t working or have taken pay cuts. He noted that all this good work can be
undone if officials are tone deaf during a pandemic, and it is not the year for big raises.
Select Board members left the School Committee meeting at 8:35 PM and the Select Board
meeting was adjourned.
Approved: January 5, 2021
Documents used at the meeting:
Presentation entitled: “Budget Report, School Committee Meeting, December 10, 2020”
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