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Hopkinton Select Board
How the Hopkinton Select Board voted, from the Select Board’s official minutes. 5 Select Board members elected townwide for three-year terms. Irfan Nasrullah, elected in May 2018, joined the board; Todd Cestari left it (his last meeting was May 8, 2018). On May 22, 2018 the board chose Claire Wright as Chair and Brendan Tedstone as Vice Chair (each 5-0). The board was then called the Board of Selectmen. Covers 27 meetings, May 22 to May 15, 2019.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the Select Board do? It is the town’s executive board. It prepares the Town Meeting warrant (the list of articles voters decide), appoints members of many town boards, hires the town’s top staff, signs warrants to pay town bills, and grants licenses and permits.
Town Meeting, not the Select Board, votes the town budget and town bylaws.
Sources: Massachusetts Select Board Handbook (MMA) · Mass. Division of Local Services: the town budgetYour Hopkinton ballot: 13 quizzes, about a minute each.
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Members
Brian HerrMember · At-large · at 25 of 27 meetingsIrfan NasrullahMember · At-large · at 25 of 27 meetings"At X of Y meetings" counts the members the minutes list as present at the start of each meeting in this record. Members who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Loaded: Hopkinton Select Board minutes (the board was called the Board of Selectmen until spring 2019) from January 16, 2018 through September 15, 2026: 278 meetings and 2,338 votes. The town keeps the board’s minutes in its Laserfiche public portal back to 2002 (MassVoter has loaded 2018 on); they are typed documents with searchable text. Not here: executive-session minutes, except on 8 dates where the town has posted only the released executive-session minutes and no open-session minutes (May 9, June 6, July 20, September 5 and December 5, 2023; February 8, April 16 and May 21, 2024; shown with a note); about 20 meetings since 2023 that have a posted agenda but no minutes (for example January 2, January 16 and March 19, 2024, September 4, 2025 and March 26, 2026; some may have been cancelled); and meetings after September 15, 2026 (not posted yet). Most votes are recorded as a count (“Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0”), and since 2020 often with a roll call naming each member (“ROLL CALL: Amy Ritterbusch-Yes, Shahidul Mannan-Yes, Brian Herr-Yes, Joe Clark-Yes, Matthew Kizner-No”); split votes name who voted each way. We show each member’s vote as recorded. Where only a count is given, a count that matches the members present with no one voting no is shown as every member present voting yes; when the minutes say a member arrived late, left the room, stepped off the board or did not vote, and the count matches the members still voting, that member is left out with a note. Where a roll call lists a member twice, names a member the minutes do not show as present, or does not match its stated count, or a split count does not name who voted no, we show the count only, with a note. Town Meeting article recommendations made under a standing motion are listed one by one. At joint meetings, only the Select Board’s own votes are shown; where both boards voted together (for example to fill a vacancy), we show the Select Board members’ votes and give the combined count in a note. Motions that were withdrawn or got no second, with no vote recorded, are not listed. We will ask the town to confirm any noted vote.
Votes where members disagreed
Most board votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one member voted no or abstained, newest first.
Apr 23Propose/support the funding of the West Main St. location…Motion: to propose/support the funding of the West Main St. location (West…Passed 3–2 · No: Herr, Tedstone
April 23, 2019: Propose/support the funding of the West Main St. location (West Main St. to Downey St.)
To propose/support the funding of the West Main St. location (West Main St. to Downey St.)
Yes: Coutinho, Nasrullah, WrightNo: Herr, Tedstone
From the minutes
“MOVEDby Mr. Coutinho and SECONDEDby Mr. Nasrullah to propose/support the funding of the West Main St. location (West Main St. to Downey St.). Vote to Approve: Yes-3 (Wright, Coutinho, Nasrullah), No-2 (Herr, Tedstone)..” (Motion: Coutinho, second: Nasrullah)
Apr 23Propose/support the funding of the Wood St. sidewalk location…Motion: to propose/support the funding of the Wood St. sidewalk location (Proctor…Passed 3–2 · No: Nasrullah, Tedstone
April 23, 2019: Propose/support the funding of the Wood St. sidewalk location (Proctor St. to Walker St.)
To propose/support the funding of the Wood St. sidewalk location (Proctor St. to Walker St.)
Yes: Coutinho, Herr, WrightNo: Nasrullah, Tedstone
From the minutes
“MOVEDby Mr. Herr and SECONDEDby Mr. Coutinho to propose/support the funding of the Wood St. sidewalk location (Proctor St. to Walker St.). Vote to Approve: Yes-3 (Wright, Coutinho, Herr), No-2 (Nasrullah, Tedstone)..” (Motion: Herr, second: Coutinho)
Apr 23Recommend Article 23 - Sidewalk Master Plan Phase II…Motion: Article 23 - Sidewalk Master Plan Phase II (West Main St.…Passed 4–1 · No: Herr
April 23, 2019: Recommend Article 23 - Sidewalk Master Plan Phase II (West Main St. & Wood St.)
Article 23 - Sidewalk Master Plan Phase II (West Main St. & Wood St.):
Yes: Coutinho, Nasrullah, Tedstone, WrightNo: Herr
From the minutes
“Article 23 - Sidewalk Master Plan Phase II (West Main St. & Wood St.): Vote to Approve: 4 (Wright, Tedstone, Coutinho, Nasrullah) - 1 (Herr).”
Apr 9Approve the Section 12 Beer & Wine alcohol license.…Motion: to approve the Section 12 Beer & Wine alcohol license. Mr.…Passed 4–1 · No: Coutinho
April 9, 2019: Approve the Section 12 Beer & Wine alcohol license. Mr. Herr advised the applicant that the Board expects strict adherence to the license requirements, including maximum occupancy limits
To approve the Section 12 Beer & Wine alcohol license. Mr. Herr advised the applicant that the Board expects strict adherence to the license requirements, including maximum occupancy limits
Yes: Herr, Nasrullah, Tedstone, WrightNo: Coutinho
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mr. Herr and SECONDED by Mr. Tedstone to approve the Section 12 Beer & Wine alcohol license. Mr. Herr advised the applicant that the Board expects strict adherence to the license requirements, including maximum occupancy limits. VOTE to Approve: Yes-4 (Herr, Tedstone, Wright, Nasrullah), No-1 (Coutinho)..” (Motion: Herr, second: Tedstone)
Apr 9Approve an Entertainment License. The Board discussed whether to…Motion: to approve an Entertainment License. The Board discussed whether to defer…Passed 3–2 · No: Coutinho, Wright
April 9, 2019: Approve an Entertainment License. The Board discussed whether to defer action on the request until the Board of Appeals approves the entertainment use
To approve an Entertainment License. The Board discussed whether to defer action on the request until the Board of Appeals approves the entertainment use
Yes: Herr, Nasrullah, TedstoneNo: Coutinho, Wright
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mr. Herr and SECONDED by Mr. Tedstone to approve an Entertainment License. The Board discussed whether to defer action on the request until the Board of Appeals approves the entertainment use. VOTE to Approve: Yes-3 (Herr, Tedstone, Nasrullah), No-2 (Wright, Coutinho)..” (Motion: Herr, second: Tedstone)
Apr 9Forward ballot questions to the Town Clerk as follows:…Motion: to forward ballot questions to the Town Clerk as follows: 1)…Passed 4–0 · see note
April 9, 2019: Forward ballot questions to the Town Clerk as follows: 1) Shall the Town of Hopkinton be required to reduce the amount of real estate and personal property taxes to be…
To forward ballot questions to the Town Clerk as follows: 1) Shall the Town of Hopkinton be required to reduce the amount of real estate and personal property taxes to be assessed for the fiscal year beginning July first, two thousand and nineteen by an amount equal to $1,180,568?; 2) Shall the Town of Hopkinton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to purchase a Ladder Truck for the Fire Department?; and 3) Shall the Town of Hopkinton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to purchase an interest in land contiguous with the Town Hall property for the purpose of providing Town Hall parking and in one or more parcels of land for the purpose of providing municipal parking in the downtown?
Yes: Coutinho, Herr, Tedstone, WrightThe minutes say Irfan Nasrullah had not yet arrived or had left the room when this vote was taken; the count (4-0) matches the members in the room, so this member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mr. Coutinho and SECONDED by Mr. Tedstone to forward ballot questions to the Town Clerk as follows: 1) Shall the Town of Hopkinton be required to reduce the amount of real estate and personal property taxes to be assessed for the fiscal year beginning July first, two thousand and nineteen by an amount equal to $1,180,568?; 2) Shall the Town of Hopkinton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to purchase a Ladder Truck for the Fire Department?; and 3) Shall the Town of Hopkinton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to purchase an interest in land contiguous with the Town Hall property for the purpose of providing Town Hall parking and in one or more parcels of land for the purpose of providing municipal parking in the downtown? VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0..” (Motion: Coutinho, second: Tedstone)
Apr 9Recommend approval of the article titled "Acceptance of Town…Motion: to recommend approval of the article titled "Acceptance of Town Reports"Passed 4–0 · see note
April 9, 2019: Recommend approval of the article titled "Acceptance of Town Reports"
To recommend approval of the article titled "Acceptance of Town Reports"
Yes: Coutinho, Herr, Tedstone, WrightThe minutes say Irfan Nasrullah had not yet arrived or had left the room when this vote was taken; the count (4-0) matches the members in the room, so this member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mr. Tedstone and SECONDED by Mr. Coutinho to recommend approval of the article titled "Acceptance of Town Reports". VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0..” (Motion: Tedstone, second: Coutinho)
Apr 9Recommend approval of the article titled "Unpaid Bills from…Motion: to recommend approval of the article titled "Unpaid Bills from Previous…Passed 4–0 · see note
April 9, 2019: Recommend approval of the article titled "Unpaid Bills from Previous Fiscal Years"
To recommend approval of the article titled "Unpaid Bills from Previous Fiscal Years"
Yes: Coutinho, Herr, Tedstone, WrightThe minutes say Irfan Nasrullah had not yet arrived or had left the room when this vote was taken; the count (4-0) matches the members in the room, so this member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mr. Herr and SECONDED by Mr. Tedstone to recommend approval of the article titled "Unpaid Bills from Previous Fiscal Years". VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0..” (Motion: Herr, second: Tedstone)
Apr 9Recommend approval of the article titled "Property Tax Exemption…Motion: to recommend approval of the article titled "Property Tax Exemption Increase"Passed 4–0 · see note
April 9, 2019: Recommend approval of the article titled "Property Tax Exemption Increase"
To recommend approval of the article titled "Property Tax Exemption Increase"
Yes: Coutinho, Herr, Tedstone, WrightThe minutes say Irfan Nasrullah had not yet arrived or had left the room when this vote was taken; the count (4-0) matches the members in the room, so this member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mr. Herr and SECONDED by Mr. Tedstone to recommend approval of the article titled "Property Tax Exemption Increase". VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0..” (Motion: Herr, second: Tedstone)
Apr 9Recommend approval of the article titled "BRAVE Act -…Motion: to recommend approval of the article titled "BRAVE Act - Increase…Passed 4–0 · see note
April 9, 2019: Recommend approval of the article titled "BRAVE Act - Increase in abatement...cost of living", and to co-sponsor the four articles with the Board of Assessors
To recommend approval of the article titled "BRAVE Act - Increase in abatement...cost of living", and to co-sponsor the four articles with the Board of Assessors
Yes: Coutinho, Herr, Tedstone, WrightThe minutes say Irfan Nasrullah had not yet arrived or had left the room when this vote was taken; the count (4-0) matches the members in the room, so this member is not shown as voting.
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mr. Herr and SECONDED by Mr. Tedstone to recommend approval of the article titled "BRAVE Act - Increase in abatement...cost of living", and to co-sponsor the four articles with the Board of Assessors. VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0..” (Motion: Herr, second: Tedstone)
From the Hopkinton Select Board’s official minutes in the town’s Laserfiche document archive (Agendas & Minutes). We check every vote against the Select Board members present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Hopkinton Independent (photos by John Cardillo): Brian Herr and Joe Clark (May 2024), Shahidul Mannan and Matthew Kizner (May 2025); Amy Ritterbusch, Hopkinton Independent candidate questionnaire (June 2020).
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