Loading...
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Home
My Public Portal
About
20211116 - Select Board - Agenda Packet
TOWN OF HOPKINTON SELECT BOARD MEETING AGENDA Tuesday, November 16, 2021 6:00 PM Hopkinton Town Hall, 18 Main St, Hopkinton, MA - Room 215/216 The public may attend the meeting in person or via Zoom; meeting is also live-streamed via www.hcam.tv Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89750985963?pwd=Sys0enpVbVh0M2ZyZmZ1V1BUWHlxZz09 Passcode: 745916 Or One tap mobile : US: +13017158592,,89750985963# or +13126266799,,89750985963# Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 408 638 0968 or +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 Webinar ID: 897 5098 5963 International numbers available:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/klP7GwdKn 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER 1.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 6:01 PM PUBLIC FORUM 2.Residents are invited to share ideas, opinions or ask questions regarding Town Government. 6:10 PM CONSENT AGENDA 3.The Select Board will consider the following consent agenda: a.RESIGNATION - Accept the resignation of Chelsea Rockhold from the Youth Commission. b.APPOINTMENT - Confirm the Town Manager ’s appointment of Firefighter John Sheridan as a Traffic Constable, to a term expiring 6/30/2024. c.MARATHON FUND REQUEST- The Select Board will consider approving a fund request of $2000, by the Senior Center to help them fund exercise classes for the Seniors. Supporting Exhibits:Chelsea Rockhold resignation letter,Marathon Fund Request Form 6:15 PM NET ZERO RESOLUTION/CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 4.The Select Board will hear about a Net Zero Resolution and Climate Action Plan project from the Hopkinton Sustainable Green Committee. Supporting Exhibits:Position Paper;Presentation 6:25 PM COVID-19 UPDATE 5.The Select Board will receive an update on the Town’s response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. 6:30 PM POTENTIAL 2022 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING ARTICLES Page 1 6.The Select Board will discuss its own potential Town Meeting articles, including any General Bylaw Changes. The Select Board will review proposed amendments to the General Bylaws to remove gender references, and a request to accept an easement at 2 Oakhurst Rd. Supporting Exhibits:Draft General Bylaw Amendment - Gender Neutral Bylaws; Easement Plan 6:35 PM TOWN MANAGER REPORT 7.Town Manager will report on the following: a.Main Street Corridor Project Update b.FY23 Budget Update c.Municipal Water Supply PFAS Update d.The process for filling vacancies in elected office, including Town Moderator Supporting Exhibits:Town Manager Report 7:00 PM TAX CLASSIFICATION HEARING 8.The Select Board will hold a public hearing to determine the percentage of local tax levy to be borne by each class of real and personal property, in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 40 Section 56. Supporting Exhibits:Public Hearing Notice, Classification Memo, Powerpoint Presentation 7:10 PM LIAISON REPORTS/BOARD INVITES 9.Supporting Exhibit:FY 22 Liaison Assignments 7:15 PM FUTURE BOARD AGENDA ITEMS 10.Board members will identify future agenda items. 7:20 PM ADJOURN Correspondence to Select Board 1.Board of Appeals Notice of Decision - 62 Chamberlain Street Upcoming Select Board Meetings 1.December 7, 2021 2.December 14, 2021 3.January 11, 2022 4.January 25, 2021 The listed matters are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair to be discussed at the meeting. Not all items may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. Unless an agenda item is a posted public hearing, the matter may be considered earlier than the indicated time if there are last minute Page 2 cancellations or other unforeseen events which cause the Board to move more quickly through the agenda. Page 3 November 8, 2021 Dear Hopkinton Select Board Members, Please accept this letter as formal notification of my resignation from the Hopkinton Youth Commission, effective Monday, November 8, 2021. In light of recent events, I can no longer in good conscience participate on the Youth Commission. I appreciate the dedication and efforts of the many who have served before me, and the opportunity to advocate for the expressed needs of our town's youth. Sincerely, Chelsea L. Rockhold MARATHON RUM MUM. • Funding lo booby monied e19ID� ii i *wet" animas, of he/ - 6211 K ( C ‘StoS ; -- r -r ��»t) • Rocamileridod la vole dim Wemotlued ©ow■ilrs i �T - Moms hpro/id Ede c_ goodai'�YaOn t c Town Accountant • Tomourer Fund ores or Diperbasiii L1 Nov 10PH4.OtJ • f Position Paper for Climate Action Plan and Net Zero Resolution September 23, 2021 Purpose: Hopkinton recognizes climate change is a significant issue affecting our environment now and in the future. As such, steps need to be taken to mitigate the impacts of climate change on our local and global community. Achieving Net Zero, where Hopkinton is reducing and offsetting our community’s carbon emissions, is the ultimate goal of these efforts. We are following many communities around the world by undertaking this journey, which begins with three critical steps: drafting a Climate Action Plan, adopting that plan, and adopting a resolution setting a deadline for Hopkinton to become a Net Zero community. Tasks to Accomplish These Goals: In order to achieve the lofty goals before us, there are tasks that need to be completed to ensure stakeholder buy-in, appropriate evaluation of data and resources, adequate review of challenges and opportunities, and cohesive compilation of these findings. 1.Develop a scope or table of contents for the Climate Action Plan (CAP). Items in the scope may include: a.An inventory of existing GHG emissions produced within the community. i.Broken down by sectors 1.Transportation 2.Buildings and Heating 3.Industry 4.Energy/Electricity 5.Waste 6.Agriculture ii.May also be helpful to include historical information, if possible, to gauge how the generation of emissions has changed over the years. This should not be a large expenditure of effort, however - stay forward thinking. b.GHG reduction targets and timeframes. c.Strategies to reduce, or mitigate, GHG emissions. d.Strategies to improve the strength and resiliency of local infrastructure, roads, power systems, and social services for heat-vulnerable residents. e.A prioritized schedule for implementing selected strategies and monitoring progress. f.Discussion about when the Town would be realistically able to hit Net Zero, possibly under three or four different scenarios. 2.Identify stakeholders and develop a plan for “bringing them into the fold” for discussion purposes. Stakeholders may include: a.Town of Hopkinton officials, Boards, and Committees; b.Hopkinton Public Schools; c.Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce; d.Other Hopkinton business community members; e.Religious institutions within Hopkinton; f.Other resident groups such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, etc. g.Hopkinton residents at-large; h.Groups and organizations serving minority or disadvantaged populations; i.Senior Center/senior resident groups and organizations; j.Any other organizations serving residents that would otherwise be commonly excluded (whether intentionally or unintentionally) from discussions such as these; k.State and regional organizations such as MassDOT, MAPC, 495/MetroWest Partnership; l.State government leaders such as Sen. Spilka and Rep. Dykema; m.Federal representatives such as Sens. Warren and Markey, Rep. Auchicloss; 3.Determine the data required to properly evaluate the emissions generated by Hopkinton as a whole; 4.Discuss preliminary findings and proposed scope of work associated with the CAP; 5.Identify funding sources for outside consultants (if needed); 6.Develop a draft of the CAP; 7.Develop draft of Municipal Aggregation proposal; 8.Present final draft to stakeholders, relevant Boards and Committees; 9.Once finalized, begin discussion to determine the goal for the Net Zero Resolution; 10.Submit Net Zero Resolution for inclusion on Town Meeting Warrant. Hopkinton Sustainable GREEN Committee .. • A force of nature Presentation to the Hopkinton Select Board Autumn 2021 sO HopGreen.org E1@HopGreenMA greenchair@hopkintonma.gov Andrew Hayes, Chair Rebeka Hoffman, Vice Chair Amy Groves, Secretary Bob Gilbert Christine Coffman Donald Sutherland Geoff Rowland Kathy Yang Ken Parker Meena Kaushik Olivia Sward Paul Gallagher Peggy Barton Renee Dean Select Board Liaison: Mary Jo LaFreniere School Committee Liaison: Joe Markey Parks & Recreation Liaison: Laura Hanson 2 The committee is charged with providing leadership and practical solutions in promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible practices in the Town of Hopkinton that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save money, energy and resources. The Committee shall involve town residents in creating an environmental strategic plan that will promote environmental sustainability within all areas of the community . The Committee will assist town government, businesses and residents to take actions and implement affordable sustainable policies and practices in the areas of energy, agriculture, recycling, transportation, conservation and commerce. The Committee will work to increase the public's awareness of important environmental issues through education and outreach and will research financial resources to offset costs. . . . 3 4 Plus: a talk at the Library on Organic Land Care, advocacy for Black Earth Recycling.Art on the Trail display: “When they eat plastic for dinner, so do you!” This year’s booth at Hopkinton Polyarts. Reuse / recycling event: collected 2.5 truckloads of furniture, 1.5 truckloads of electronics. Pre-Marathon trash pickup day: 100 bags collected. Climate change impacts in Hopkinton Baseline (1971-2000)Mid-century (2050s)End of century (2090s) Average temperature 48.7 °F +3 - 6 °F +4 - 11 °F Weeks with max temp 90+1 week +1.5 - 5 weeks +2 - 11 weeks Weeks with min temp < 32 20 weeks -3 - 6 weeks -3.5 - 9 weeks Annual precipitation 45.4”+1 - 13 %+2 - 17 % Our greenhouse gas emissions In 2017, Hopkinton had emissions of 211k tons CO 2e. By subsectors •⅓ transportation •⅓ residential buildings •⅓ commercial & industrial buildings By fuel source •⅓ electricity (mixed fuels) •⅓ gasoline •⅕ natural gas •⅛ heating oil 5 Climate action white paper Climate action plan Proposed net zero resolution Greenhouse gas inventory Municipal aggregation proposal Norman Khumalo Town Manager John Gelcich Principal Planner Dave Daltorio Town Engineer Geoff Rowland HSGC Member Paul Gallagher HSGC Member Amy Groves HSGC Secretary Current workgroup: Work in progress: https://bit.ly/HopClimatePath Draft General Bylaw Amendment - Housekeeping/Gender-Neutral References Draft 7-21-2021, Elaine Lazarus To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws as follows: 1.By striking the following instances of the term “Chairman” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “Chair”: a.Chapter 5, Article I, Appropriation Committee, Section 5-3, Officers; regular meetings; b.Chapter 5, Article III, Section 5-11, Chairman, as the title of said Section and in the two instances in which it appears in Section 5-11. c.Chapter 5, Article VI, Section 5-23, Establishment; membership; terms; vacancies; appointments (2 instances). d.Chapter 123, Section 123-4, Historic District Commission, Subsection G (3 instances); e.Chapter 123, Section 123-5, Commission Meetings; Quorum. 2.By striking the term “his or her” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “their”, in Subsection C of Section 5-1 of Chapter 5, Article I, Appropriation Committee. 3.By striking the term “his/her” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “the employee’s” in Section 13-10 of Article V, Payment of Insurance Premiums in Chapter 13, Finances. 4.By striking the term “his” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “the” in Chapter 28, Section 28-6, Town Accountant. 5.By striking the term “his/her” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “their”, in the following provisions of Chapter 33, Personnel: a.Subsection C of Section 33-3, Personnel Board; b.Subsection E of Section 33, Personnel Board; c.Subsection F of Section 33, Personnel Board (2 instances); d.Subsection I of Section 33, Personnel Board; e.Subsection B of Section 34, Employee Handbook (2 instances); 6.By amending Chapter 55, Alarm Systems, Article I, Intrusion Alarms, as follows: 1 a.To strike the term “his” and insert in place thereof the term “any” in the first sentence of the definition of False Alarm in Section 55-2, Definitions; b.To strike two instances of the term “his” and insert in place thereof the term “their” in the 5th sentence of Subsection B of Section 55-3, Administrative rules. c.To strike the term “him” and insert in place thereof the term “them” in the first sentence of Subsection D (1) in Section 55-4, Control and curtailment of signals emitted by alarm users; d.To strike the term “he” and insert in place thereof the term “they” in Subsection D (2) of Section 55-4, Control and curtailment of signals emitted by alarm users, ; e.To strike the term “he is” and insert in place thereof the term “they are” in Subsection D (3) of Section 55-4, Control and curtailment of signals emitted by alarm users; f.To strike the term “him” and insert in place thereof the term “them” in the first sentence of Subsection D (4) in Section 55-4, Control and curtailment of signals emitted by alarm users; g.To re-number present Section 55-6, Testing of equipment, to Section 55-5; h.To strike the term “he has” and insert in place thereof the term “they have” in the first sentence of Subsection C of Section 55-6, False alarms. 7.By striking the term “his” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “their” in the definition of Fire Alarm System Owner in Section 55-9, Definitions, in Chapter 55, Alarm Systems, Article II, Fire Alarms. 8.By striking the term “his or her” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “their” in Section 87-3, Police Department Procedure in Chapter 87, Civil Fingerprinting (2 instances); 9.By striking the term “himself” in the first sentence of Section 91-1, Prohibited actions, in Chapter 91, Disorderly Conduct. 10.By amending Chapter 119, Fuel Storage Tanks, as follows: a.To amend Subsection B of Section 119-4, Registration of existing tanks, as follows: Notification of Fire Department. The Town Clerk must forthwith, give the Fire Chief a copy of the information filed for each tank that is registered according to Subsection A of this section. The Fire Chief or his their designee must check this information against Fire Department records, and.He may require evidence of 2 the date of purchase and installation if there is any question concerning the age of the tank. b.To strike the instances of the term “his” and insert, in place thereof, the term “their” in the following: 1) Subsection B(1) of Section 119-5, Standards applicable to the installation of new tanks; 2) Subsection A(2) of Section 119-6, Leak detection for existing and new tanks; 3) Subsection B(1) of Section 119-6, Leak detection for existing and new tanks; 4) Subsection E of Section 119-8, Administration. 11.By striking the term “his/her” and inserting, in place thereof, “their” in Subsection 125-2 of Chapter 125, Historic Preservation. 12.By amending Chapter 150, Door to Door Soliciting and Canvassing, as follows: a.To strike the term “his” and insert, in place thereof, the term “their” in Section 150-5.1; b.To strike the term “his” and insert, in place thereof, the term “a” in Section 150-7.3 (a); c.To amend Section 150-7.3 (c) as follows: Inform the occupant in clear language of the nature and purpose of his their business and, if he is they are representing an organization,the name and nature of that organization. d.To strike the term “himself” and insert, in place thereof, the term “themself” in Subsection 150-9.2 of Section 150-9; 13.By striking the term “by him” in the first sentence of Section 188-6 of Chapter 188, Unregistered Motor Vehicles. 14.By striking the following instances of the term “his” and inserting, in place thereof, the term “their”, in Chapter 195, Wastewater Collection System, as follows: a.Section 195-17, Pretreatment facilities operations, in Article III, Control of Prohibited Wastes; 3 b.Section 195-19, Protection from accidental discharge, in Article III, Control of Prohibited Wastes; c.Section 195-23, Equalization basin, in Article IV, Use of System for Discharge of Industrial Waste; d.Section 195-24, Control manhole, in Article IV, Use of System for Discharge of Industrial Waste; e.Section 195-25, Measuring device, in Article IV, Use of System for Discharge of Industrial Waste; f.Section 195-26, Grease, oil and sand interceptors, in Article IV, Use of System for Discharge of Industrial Waste; g.Section 195-36, Bypassing of pretreatment facilities, in Article IV, Use of System for Discharge of Industrial Waste; h.Subsection F in Section 195-41, Records and Monitoring, in Article V, Permit System for Industrial Discharge; i.Section 195-42, Duration of permits, in Article V, Permit System for Industrial Discharge; j.The first sentence of Section 195-44, Revocation of permit, in Article V, Permit System for Industrial Discharge; k.Subsection A of Section 195-44, Revocation of permit, in Article V, Permit System for Industrial Discharge; l.Subsection F of Section 195-61, Septage receiving procedures, in Article VI, Septage Waste Disposal; m.Section 195-75, Negative finding; objection to decision, in Article VII, Penalties and Enforcement Procedures for Industrial Users and Septage Haulers. Pass any vote or take any other action relative thereto. 4 Custom Nest Builders LLC 12 Lenox Drive Franklin, MA 02038 508-507-8096 August 24, 2021 Norman Khumalo 18 Main Street Hopkinton, MA 01748 RE: 2 Oakhurst Road; Assessors Map R28, Block 73, Lot 0; Land Court Certificate 0228 775 Dear Mr Khumalo, In accordance of Special Permit and Variance referenced above, approved February 17, 2021, Custom Nest Builders LLC owner of 2 Oakhurst, is offering the Town of Hopkinton a "School Bus Easement" as per approved site plan. I have attached a copy of the site plan for reference. Sincerely yours, Eric Buliung LC 99630 HOUSE LOCATION FOR f 4 OAKHURST ROAD WAS TAKEN FROM ASSESSORS DATABASE AND MASS CIS -I b 1 EXISTING RETAINING WALL 500 — AREA BETWEEN SIGHT DISTANCE TRIANGLE AND EDGE OF TRAVEL WAY TO BE KEPT FREE FROM FENCES AND VEGETATION ALONG SITE FRONTAGE WITH WEST MAIN STREET. NE LOT IS LOCATED WITHIN A ZONE X AS SHOWN ON FIRM/FEMA MAP 25017C0805F DATED JULY 7, 2014 ZONING TABLE ZONING DISTRICT: RESIDENTIAL LAKE FRONT MINIMUM LOT AREA: MINIMUM LOT FRONTAGE MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE MINIMUM SETBACK FROM STREET LINE MINIMUM SIDE YARD MINIMUM REAR YARD DAT;N AUG. 10_, 2020 REV. 11/ 30/2020 PRIWARED FOR CUSTOM NEST BUILDERS, LTC 12 LENOX DRIVE FRANWN, MASSACHUSETTS PROPOSED 9,077* SQ. FT 130' 12.9' 20.4' 12.1' N/A SITE PLAN 2 OAKITURST ROAD HOPKINTON, MA LOCUS _RoPo EXISTING STOCKADE FENCE (TO BE REMOVED) EXISTING GUARDRAIL NOTE: EXISTING HOUSE TAKEN FROM MORTGAGE INSPECTION PLAN DATED FEBRUARY 15, 1990 i /i4/fit ANDREW C. MURPHY P.LS. #35042 T - NITED l.('1ONSULTANTS lJ INC. 950 FRANKLIN MEW SUITE 11D WRENTHAM. MA5SACHUS3175 02099 1508-3134-eatio raz 606-an4-6665 To:Select Board From:Norman Khumalo Date:November 11, 2021 Ref:Staff Report - Select Board November 16, 2021 Meeting 1.Main Street Corridor Project:David Daltorio (Town Engineer/Facilities Director)and Michelle Murdock (Project Specialist) provided the following update: Work Performed Last Week ●Contractor continues to order materials and coordinate with the Town and VHB on shop drawing/ material reviews. ●Installation of Telephone and Communication Manholes. ●As directed by the DPW Director, the Contractor began to remove equipment, supplies, and materials from the Town snow dump. Construction Cost and Quantities through 10/30/21 Construction - $2,656,000 Work Completed - rounded (does not include every bid item) ●Catch Basins - 80 ●Drain Manholes - 40 ●Reinforced Concrete Pipe - 4,990 feet ●Ductile Iron Pipe - 727 feet ●Hot Mix Asphalt - 2,398 tons ●Gravel - 2,456 cubic yards ●Rock Excavation - 615 CY Community Contact (11/3/21 thru 11/10/21) ●Construction Advisory #21 was distributed via email on Friday, November 5. ●A total of 2 issues/concerns from the general public and 1 communication from a project abutter were received, reviewed and researched, and an email response was sent to the individual(s) who reported an issue Issues reported included:: 1 ●Children playing in Marshall Ave. lot -- caught on resident’s door camera. HPD contacted - kids no longer present but the gate was closed and locked. Gap in fence at back of lot repaired by contractor. ●Concern for noise levels when contractor unloads in the street on Marshall Ave. ●Thank you from project abutter for email sent advising of work scheduled to take place in front of her business. Work Anticipated Week of November 15, 2021 ●Installation of Ductbanks ■Start at EMH “CC” (101 Main Street) to EMH “BB” (96 Main Street) ●Start Traffic Signal conduits at intersection of Main Street and Wood Street --may move out to week of November 22 ●MassDOT Survey Crews to continue to locate limits of easements within the corridor ●Delivery of Electric materials Continuous and Upcoming Work ●MassDOT Survey Crews are scheduled to be within the corridor from Ash Street to Wood Street to continue to locate limits of easements. ●Project cameras with live stream link went live at the end of June. 135W-Marathon Start 135 West - Intersection 135 and 85 135 West - Intersection 135 and Wood 85N - Intersection 135 and 85 ●All work may impact traffic and require lane and sidewalk closures limiting access to driveways and entrances to businesses. Contractor is required to coordinate directly with impacted abutters in advance of this work. ●The ongoing work will likely require periodic lane closures. During this situation one lane of travel is scheduled to remain open at all times with alternating traffic being directed around the work zone. Police details will be directing vehicles, pedestrians, and bikers through the project work areas during regular working hours. Lane closures are not allowed before 9 a.m. ●Overall project schedule continues to be reviewed and monitored by MassDOT. Miscellaneous ●The Project website will continue to be updated throughout the Project. Visit the website to sign up for Project Updates. A QR Code has been developed for quick access. ●Project photos have been added to the website https://hopkintonmainstreet.com/construction-photos.htm 2 2.FY 23 Budget Update:The department operating and capital budgets are now due to the Town Manager.Based on the preliminary impressions,I will be recommending staffing increases in some town departments,including but not limited to the Hopkinton Public Library and the Department of Public Works (Tree Division). 3.PFAS Update:On November 9, 2021, the Town received the formal Notice of Non-Compliance (NON) from the MassDEP that the Hopkinton Water Department’s public water system exceeded the MCL for PFAS6 during Quarter 3, 2021 at the Fruit St. Pump Station entry point. Consequently, this triggers the following actions: a.Public Notification: The town has drafted the draft public notice for review by MassDEP; following which the Notice will be distributed by mail to all customers by 12/9/2021. Additional distribution methods will posting the Notice on our web pages, social media pages, and by an insert in the Hopkinton Independent. Within 10 days after distribution, the Town will submit a copy of the completed public notice and public notice certification form to MassDEP and the Board of Health. The town will update and redistribute the public notice every 3 months until the system returns to compliance. Such repeat notices will be submitted to MassDEP and the Board of Health within 10 days of distribution of each issuance. b.Monitoring: As long as the source remains in active status, the MCL violation triggers monthly monitoring for PFAS at the Fruit St. Pump Station locations. c.Violation & Corrective Action Plan: MassDEP’s formal Notice of Noncompliance (NON) requires the Town to formulate and submit plans for interim actions and long-term corrective actions to reduce the PFAS6 levels below the MCL within 30 days of the date of the NON. d.The Town is evaluating the following interim plans: i.Offering a credit off the water bills of customers in the sensitive subgroups (pregnant or nursing women, infants, and people diagnosed by their health care provider to have a compromised immune system), ii.Installing a water distribution kiosk at a Town property that dispenses water that is below the MCL for PFA, iii.Installing a temporary filtration system at well #6 that will filter the water to a level below the MCL for PFAS before it enters the distribution system. Long-term corrective actions include either constructing a permanent filtration system or an indirect interconnection to the MWRA water supply through the Town of Southborough. e.Website Update: The DPW updated its PFAS website to include the Q&A from the Public Informational Meeting which can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R-QhznSEMLEUSapqfCbEOHxP03vK wYtJKR2SVEns5s8/edit?usp=sharing 3 4.Filing Vacancies in Elected Offices:At its last meeting,the Select Board asked the Town Manager to review the process for filling vacancies in elected offices. The answer is: a.Town Moderator ref. Town Charter, Section 2-4, item d: (d) If there is a failure to elect, or if a vacancy occurs in the office of Town Moderator, the Board of Selectmen shall appoint a suitable person to serve until the next Town election. b.Select Board ref Town Charter, Section 3-1, item g: (g) If there is a failure to elect or if a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Board of Selectmen, the remaining Selectmen may call a special election to fill such vacancy and shall call such special election upon the written request of two hundred (200) or more voters if such request is filed with the Board of Selectmen not less than one hundred (100) days prior to the date of the next annual election. c.Town Clerk: ref. Town Charter, Section 4-1, item c: (c) If a vacancy occurs in the office of Town Clerk, the Assistant Town Clerk shall serve as Town Clerk until a new Town Clerk is elected and sworn into office. Should the Assistant Town Clerk be unable to serve as Town Clerk, the Board of Selectmen shall appoint an acting Town Clerk to serve until the next annual town election, at which the voters will fill the vacancy for the remainder of the original term. d.Planning Board, Board of Health, Board of Assessors, Board of Library Trustees, Parks & Recreation Commission, Board of Cemetery Commissioners, Housing Authority, Commissioners of Trust Funds Vacancies:ref the following SOP - Filling A Vacancy in Certain Elected Offices . 4 Town of Hopkinton Standard Operating Procedure Filling a Vacancy in Certain Elected Offices (Planning Board, Board of Health, Board of Assessors, Board of Library Trustees, Parks and Recreation Commission, Board of Cemetery Commissioners, Housing Authority, Commissioners of Trust Funds) Procedure Number HOP-SOP-002 Effective Date October 15, 2019; Revised Feb. 3, 2021 Triennial Review Date October 15, 2022 Responsible Office Office of the Town Manager 1.Purpose 1.1 This Standard Operating Procedure identifies the procedure for filling a vacancy in certain elected offices, when the vacancy occurs between elections, with the appointment term expiring at the next annual town election. 2.References 2.1 Town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts Home Rule Charter, sections 4-11(b) and 6-4. 2.2 M.G.L. c.41 § 109 3.Definitions 3.1 Certain Elected Offices - Planning Board, Board of Health, Board of Assessors, Board of Library Trustees, Parks and Recreation Commission, Board of Cemetery Commissioners, Housing Authority, Commissioners of Trust Funds. 4.Procedure 4.1 The remaining members of the board or committee, after the resignation creating a vacancy has first been filed with the Office of the Town Clerk, shall give notice to the Select Board and to the public of such vacancy. The notice shall be: a) by letter or email from the board/committee with the vacancy, to the Select Board and the Town Manager ’s office, and b) an announcement of the vacancy at a posted meeting of the board/committee with the vacancy. 4.2 The Town Manager ’s office will prepare and post a public notice of the vacancy. The public posting shall be for not less than 10 days. The notice shall contain: a) a 5 description of the duties of the office, b) a listing of the necessary or desirable qualifications, and c) instructions as to how to apply for the office. 4.3 A joint public meeting of the Select Board and the remaining members of the board/committee with the vacancy will be scheduled by the Town Manager ’s office, in coordination with the other board/committee, no sooner than 17 days from the date of the posting of the notice of vacancy. 4.4 A notice of the joint meeting shall be posted not less than one week before the date of the meeting on which the joint vote is scheduled to occur. 4.5 The appointment to fill the vacancy shall be made by an affirmative vote of a majority of the persons entitled to vote on the vacancy. 4.6 The Town Manager ’s office will notify the Town Clerk of the appointment vote. 5.Responsibilities 5.1 The Certain Elected Offices (board/committee) with the vacancy. 5.1.1 Notify the Select Board and Town Manager’s office by letter or email of the vacancy. 5.1.2 Announce the vacancy at one of its posted public meetings. 5.1.3 Coordinate with the Town Manager’s office with respect to scheduling a date for the joint meeting. 5.1.4 Attend and participate in the joint meeting to fill the vacancy. 5.2 Town Manager ’s Office 5.2.1 Prepare and post a public notice of the vacancy. 5.2.2 Coordinate with the board/committee with the vacancy to schedule a joint meeting for the appointment. 5.2.3 Post the notice of the joint meeting not less than 1 week before the scheduled joint meeting date. 5.2.4 Notify the Town Clerk’s office of the appointment vote. 6.Attachments 6 Appendix A - Sample Notice of Vacancy Appendix B - Sample Notice of Joint Meeting to Appoint 7.End 7 Appendix A TOWN OF HOPKINTON Town Manager/Select Board Office 18 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748 508-497-9700 August 14, 2019 Hopkinton Planning Board Vacancy Announcement The Planning Board currently has one vacancy and the Town is seeking candidates for the position. The term of office will expire at the May, 2020 election. The Planning Board is an elected board, whose members serve five year terms. The establishment of municipal Planning Boards is authorized by Mass. General Law, Chapter 41, Section 81A. Among its many diverse roles, the Board is charged with the following duties, which are contained in the General Laws and the Hopkinton Zoning and General Bylaws: ●Adopting a Master Plan for the Town; ●Serving as the local authority for the Subdivision Control Law; adopting Rules and Regulations governing the subdivision of land in Hopkinton; reviewing all preliminary and definitive subdivision plan submittals, and endorsing approval-not-required plans; ●Drafting and submitting zoning amendments for consideration by the Town; ●Serving as a Special Permit Granting Authority; ●Reviewing and proposing the acceptance of streets as public ways, with recommendation to the Town Meeting; ●Serving as Site Plan Review authority for non-residential Site Plans; ●Issuing permits to remove trees and stone walls within street rights of way on designated scenic roads; recommends roads for scenic road designation by Town Meeting. Interested parties must be a registered voter in the Town of Hopkinton and should apply on-line by Tuesday, August 27, 2018. To apply, please visit the Town’s website and apply through the online volunteer form here: http://www.hopkintonma.gov/hug . For further information about the duties of the Planning Board, please contact John Gelcich, AICP, Principal Planner, at 508-497-9745 or jgelcich@hopkintonma.gov. 8 Appendix B TOWN OF HOPKINTON SELECT BOARD/PLANNING BOARD MEETING AGENDA Hopkinton Town Hall, 18 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA - Room 215/216 Tuesday, September 10, 2019 7:20 PM Per Section 4-11(b) of the Town of Hopkinton Charter, the Select Board hereby gives notice that the Select Board and the remaining members of the Planning Board will vote to fill one Planning Board vacancy with a term to expire at the May 2020 Annual Town Election, on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 7:20 p.m. in Hopkinton Town Hall, 18 Main Street, Room 215/216. 9 TOWN OF HOPKINTON, MA _____________________________ TOWN HALL 18 MAIN STREET HOPKINTON, MASSACHUSETTS 01748 _____________________________ TAX CLASSIFICATION HEARING TOWN OF HOPKINTON On Tuesday,November 16,2021 at 7:00 PM a public hearing will be held in the Select Board Meeting Room 215 -Room 216 at Town Hall,18 Main Street, Hopkinton,MA,to determine the percentage of local tax levy to be borne by each class of real and personal property,in accordance with MGL Chapter 40 Section 56. Oral and written comments from the public will be accepted at the hearing. ### TOWN OF HOPKINTON Board of Assessors 18 Main St., Hopkinton MA 01748 November 16, 2021 From: Timothy M. O’Leary, Chief Financial Officer Via: Norman Khumalo, Town Manager To: Hopkinton Select Board, Hopkinton Board of Assessors The Finance Department presents this information to assist the Select Board and the Board of Assessors in discussing specific decisions on available property tax options; and also to provide a summary of Town property valuation for the year. The specific decisions for review are: 1.Whether or not to apply a Residential Property Tax Factor (percentage), which could shift the tax burden from the “residential and open space classes” to the “commercial, industrial and personal property classes.” 2.Whether or not to grant an Open Space Property Tax Discount. 3.Whether or not to grant a Residential Property Tax Exemption. 4.Whether or not to grant a Small Commercial Property Tax Exemption. Selection of a Residential Factor: The tax classification process allows cities and towns to establish different tax rates for different classes of property, which is known as a “split tax rate.” Split tax rates shift the tax burden from one class of property to another class of property. State law allows for a shift of tax burden in either direction between residential and the other classes of property (commercial, industrial, personal). Some communities with very large commercial, industrial, and personal property footprints shift taxes to those sectors to provide residential property tax relief. Because Hopkinton’s tax base is 83% residential valuation, it would take a very large increase in taxes on commercial, industrial, and personal property to provide even a small amount of relief for residential taxpayers. As an example, if commercial, industrial, and personal property taxes were increased by 25%, it would provide a 5.1% residential property tax reduction. Hopkinton has not adopted a residential factor in past years. 1 Open Space Discount State law allows the Select Board to institute a property tax discount for Open Space properties, also known as “class two” properties. The discount may reduce the amount of the tax levy paid by the open space class up to 25 percent. Under law, reducing the tax on this property category would shift the foregone tax to the residential class alone, resulting in a higher residential tax rate. There is only 1 community of 351 in the Commonwealth with the Open Space Discount. Hopkinton has not adopted an open space discount in past years. Residential Exemption State law allows the Select Board to institute a residential exemption for all residential properties that are the principal residence of the taxpayer on January 1. The exemption may be up to 20 percent of the average assessed value of all (class one) residential properties. The amount of the tax levy paid by the residential class remains the same, but because of the exempted valuation, the tax rate on the amount not subject to exemption goes up to satisfy the tax levy. This has two tax impacts. First, it shifts tax from principal residences to vacation and rental homes. Second, because a base amount of each principal residence is exempt from property tax, taxes rise on the amounts above the exemption amount, which typically increases taxes on higher value homes that carry a larger percentage of the tax burden. There are 15 of 351 communities in the Commonwealth that use the residential exemption, and they are typically cities with a high percentage of rental properties and towns with a high percentage of vacation homes. Hopkinton has not adopted a residential exemption in past years. (The once cent difference in tax rates for residential that arises from the Circuit Breaker Means Tested Senior Exemption is a tax difference, but it does not meet the criteria to be characterized as a split tax rate.) Small Commercial Exemption State law allows the Select Board to institute a small commercial exemption for all (class three) commercial properties that are occupied by businesses with an average annual employment of no more than 10 people and an assessed valuation of under $1,000,000. The exemption may be up to 10 percent of the assessed value of each eligible property. For a business to qualify, the Director of the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) must certify that it had an average annual employment of 10 or fewer people at all locations during the preceding calendar year. By July 1 of each year, DWD provides assessors with a list of businesses that met that employment criterion. If a sole proprietorship or partnership does not appear on the certified list, the assessors may determine whether it met the employment criterion for the preceding calendar year. In terms of tax rate impact, adopting a small commercial exemption increases the commercial and industrial tax rates. The amount of the tax levy paid by those two classes remains the same, but because of the exempted valuation, there is a shift in tax burden from the exempted property owners to all other commercial and industrial property owners. There are 14 of 351 communities in the Commonwealth that use the commercial exemption. Hopkinton has not adopted a small commercial exemption in past years. Summary of Valuation The total taxable value of taxable property in the Town is $4,853,014,321, of which 83% is residential and 17% is commercial, industrial and personal property. The average single-family property is assessed at $681,100 compared to $655,500 in the previous year (+3.9%). The average $681,100 residence represents 1.403 hundredths of one percent of the total valuation of 2 the Town’s property; meaning that the average homeowner pays 14.03 cents toward every $1,000 spent from the property tax levy. Last year, the average homeowner of a $655,500 home paid 14.55 cents toward every $1,000 spent from the property tax levy. Condominiums have an average assessment of $497,000. New growth for Fiscal Year 2022 is $200,044,595, generating $3,415,606 in tax dollars, compared to new growth of $126,970,570, generating $2,135,061 in tax dollars for Fiscal Year 2021. The largest categories of new growth include the personal property class at $113,947,740, (with about 77% of that increase tied to improvements at the Hopkinton LNG facility on Wilson Street); the condominium class at $61,769,550, with 137 new construction units; and the single-family class at $22,405,905, with 51 new construction units. 43.7% of all new growth recorded is connected to taxable personal property at the Hopkinton LNG facility. The condominium and single-family growth is the result of several building permits for new condominium construction at Legacy Farms North, the Trails Condominium, and new single-family construction; and building permits for items such as additions, bathrooms, decks, finished basements, garages, sheds and swimming pools. If the Town continues its prior practice of maintaining a single tax rate, residents can expect to see an average tax increase of approximately 2.86%on properties in place from prior years. Please recall that the projected tax impact includes about 0.56% tied to capital projects approved by voters at the polls as excluded from the tax levy limits, above and beyond the tax levy increase allowed under Proposition 2 1/2. Please also note that additions, renovations or other changes to an individual property would result in a further valuation increase and a higher percentage increase in the tax assessment and the tax bill. The following chart illustrates the percentage increase in property values by class over the last five years: The following chart shows the top ten taxpayers for Fiscal Year 2022, reflecting Eversource rising as the top taxpayer as the result of improvement work at the Wilson Street facility: 3 Top Ten Taxpayer List 2022 Real Estate Assessed Value 2022 Personal Property Assessed Value 2022 Total Value Hopkinton LNG Corporation $77,613,676 $114,245,160 $191,858,836 Dell/EMC Corporation $148,589,800 $1,193,940 $149,783,740 NSTAR Electric Company $2,605,600 $72,408,260 $75,013,860 IMP Hopkinton LLC $69,037,200 $46,530 $69,083,730 Breit MF Woodview Way LLC $62,666,800 $135,910 $62,802,710 NSTAR Gas Company $0 $27,855,300 $27,855,300 Golden Pond Resident Care $23,837,800 $103,540 $23,941,340 Paul Mastroianni $21,920,200 $0 $21,920,200 John F. Fitzgerald, Trustee $16,640,400 $0 $16,640,400 Verizon New England $636,300 $14,026,600 $14,662,900 I would like to thank the Board of Assessors, Lesley Ficarri, Gunajit Medhi, and Adam Munroe, for their outstanding contributions during the tax rate setting process. I would also like to thank Deputy Assessor Renee Chen, Senior Accounting Manager Ben Sweeney, and Treasurer/Collector Chris Heymanns for their contributions to the tax classification review process; along with the contracted support staff who helped the Town through this process in the absence of an appointed Chief Assessor. 4 SELECT BOARD LIAISON LIST FY 2022 - Approved Brendan Irfan Mary Jo Amy Muriel Norman Elaine FINANCE Appropriation Committee X Board of Assessors X Town Manager's Budget Advisory Team X Capital Improvement Committee X Cable Advisory Committee X PUBLIC SAFETY Animal Control X Fire Department X Police Department X PERMITTING Board of Appeals X Conservation Commission X Planning Board X Board of Health X Permanent Building Committee X EDUCATION School Committee X Reg. Voc. Tech School Committee X School Reentry Advisory Group X PUBLIC SERVICES Cemetery Commission X HUMAN SERVICES Town Clerk's Office X Personnel Committee X Council on Aging X Veterans Services X ADA Oversight Committee X Veterans Celebration Committee X Tax Relief Committee X CULTURAL/RECREATIONAL SELECT BOARD LIAISON LIST FY 2022 - Approved Brendan Irfan Mary Jo Amy Muriel Norman Elaine Hopkinton Cultural Council X Marathon Committee X Marathon Fund Committee X Public Library X Parks & Recreation Commission X Youth Commission X Community Preservation Committee X HISTORIC PRESERVATION Woodville Historic District Commission X Hopkinton Historic District Commission X Historical Commission X OTHER Sustainable Green Committee X Trail Coordination and Management Committee X Commissioners of Trust Funds X Lake Maspenock Dam Advisory Group X Fruit Street X Hopkinton Schools Athletic Field Subcommittee X Boston Athletic Association X APPOINTED BOARD/COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS Elementary School Building Committee (Life of the Project)X Irvine-Todaro Properties Advisory Group (Life of the Project)X Pratt Farm Master Plan Team (Life of the Project)X Upper Charles Trail Committee (3-year term expiring 6/30/22) X Open Space Preservation Commission (5-year term expiring 6/30/26)X Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board (2-year term expiring 6/30/22)X Metropolitan Area Planning Council Representative, Select Board member (Town Manager Appointment) X X MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (1-year term) X Number of X's:8 7 9 7 8 9 2 Number of maybes:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1)44 Ln. Mark J. Hyman, Chair John Coutinho, Vice Chair & Clerk #22-007 TOWN OF HOPKINTON BOARD OF APPEALS Town Hall 18 Main Street - 3rd Floor Hopkinton, MA 01748 508-497-9745 www.hoakintonma.uov NOTICE OF DECISION i ERi zbaQhonkintonma.gov November 4, 2021 Notice is hereby given that the Board of Appeals of the Town of Hopkinton, MA, on November 4, 2021, filed the following Decision in the Office of the Town Clerk: A Decision granting a Variance to Toll Brothers, 116 Flanders Road, Suite 200, Westborough, MA, pursuant to Sections 210-14C of the Zoning Bylaw to construct a single family dwelling at 62 Chamberlain Street, Hopkinton, MA, that does not conform to the street line setback requirement. A copy of the Decision may be obtained at the Office of the Town Clerk or the Department of Land Use, Planning & Permitting at the Town Hall, 18 Main Street, Hopkinton, MA. Appeals of the Decision, if any, shall be made pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 40A, Section 17, and shall be filed within twenty (20) days after the date of filing of the Decision with the Office of the Town Clerk. HOPKINTON BOARD OF APPEALS John Coutinho, Clerk ON