MassVoter.com← Hopkinton Select BoardHopkinton Select Board · 2024–2025 Board · Regular meeting
October 1, 2024
8 recorded votes, 0 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF)
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Present: Brian Herr, Mary Jo LaFreniere, Amy Ritterbusch, Joe Clark, Shahidul Mannan
Absent: None
During the meeting:
- Shahidul Mannan took part remotely.
Every vote, in order
Consent Agenda
Approve the Consent Agenda: 1) accep a donation of $250 from the Hopkinton Garden Club for horticulture related books in honor of its 100th Anniversary Celebration; 2) confirm the Town Manager's...
To approve the Consent Agenda: 1) accep a donation of $250 from the Hopkinton Garden Club for horticulture related books in honor of its 100th Anniversary Celebration; 2) confirm the Town Manager's appointment of Cara Charles as Reference Librarian and Alyssa Fleuette as Public Safety Dispatcher; 3) accept the resignations of Anna Dorcey from the Historical Commission (associate member) and Krisanne Connell from the Trail Coordination and Management Committee
From the minutes
“MOVED by Joe Clark and SECONDED by Mary Jo LaFreniere to approve the Consent Agenda: 1) accep a donation of $250 from the Hopkinton Garden Club for horticulture related books in honor of its 100th Anniversary Celebration; 2) confirm the Town Manager's appointment of Cara Charles as Reference Librarian and Alyssa Fleuette as Public Safety Dispatcher; 3) accept the resignations of Anna Dorcey from the Historical Commission (associate member) and Krisanne Connell from the Trail Coordination and Management Committee. ROLL CALL: Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: Clark, second: LaFreniere)
Committee Appointments
Appoint Thomas Donahue to the Sustainable Green Committee, to a term expiring June 30, 2027
To appoint Thomas Donahue to the Sustainable Green Committee, to a term expiring June 30, 2027
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mary Jo LaFreniere and SECONDED by Shahidul Mannan to appoint Thomas Donahue to the Sustainable Green Committee, to a term expiring June 30, 2027. ROLL CALL: Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: LaFreniere, second: Mannan)
Request to Rescind
Rescind the bottled water rebate program for municipal water customers due to the successful completion and implementation of the PFAS filtration system
To rescind the bottled water rebate program for municipal water customers due to the successful completion and implementation of the PFAS filtration system
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mary Jo LaFreniere and SECONDED by Joe Clark to rescind the bottled water rebate program for municipal water customers due to the successful completion and implementation of the PFAS filtration system. ROLL CALL: Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: LaFreniere, second: Clark)
November 18, 2014 Special Town Meeting
Set the time for the Nov. 18, 2024 special town meeting at 7:00 p.m., to open the warrant for the Nov. 18, 2024 special town meeting and to close the warrant 10 days from the date of publication...
To set the time for the Nov. 18, 2024 special town meeting at 7:00 p.m., to open the warrant for the Nov. 18, 2024 special town meeting and to close the warrant 10 days from the date of publication of the Notice
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mary Jo LaFreniere and SECONDED by Joe Clark to set the time for the Nov. 18, 2024 special town meeting at 7:00 p.m., to open the warrant for the Nov. 18, 2024 special town meeting and to close the warrant 10 days from the date of publication of the Notice. ROLL CALL: Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: LaFreniere, second: Clark)
Committee Appointments, Continued
Appoint Heather Burton to the Conservation Commission, to a term expiring June 30, 2026
To appoint Heather Burton to the Conservation Commission, to a term expiring June 30, 2026
From the minutes
“MOVED by Mary Jo LaFreniere and SECONDED by Shahidul Mannan to appoint Heather Burton to the Conservation Commission, to a term expiring June 30, 2026. ROLL CALL: Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: LaFreniere, second: Mannan)
FY26 Budget Message
Adopt the Town Manager's proposed budget message: 1. Departments will prepare and document justification of budgets from the bottom up. Departments will use this opportunity to review approaches...
To adopt the Town Manager's proposed budget message: 1. Departments will prepare and document justification of budgets from the bottom up. Departments will use this opportunity to review approaches to current operations, with the goal to streamline and improve efficiency wherever possible. This may mean collaborating and sharing with other Departments in new ways. Departments will be prepared to discuss the review of operations for efficiency during upcoming Town Manager Budget Review sessions. Departmental budgets will be submitted to the Select Board after Town Manager review and recommendation. 2. Submissions shall be developed to provide level service budgets for FY26. 3. Recognizing that there may be special circumstances, requests for additional and/or expansion of services shall be clearly identified in the request and supported by documentation. Such documentation may include regulatory and statutory requirements or mandates, community growth, and community needs which aid the most vulnerable. 4. Department submissions shall highlight any one-time funding requests, i.e. those that will not be recurring in the future. 5. Departments are directed to provide metrics which support budget requests. 6. Irrespective of the Select Board's initial budget development direction, Departments should be aware that if revenue estimates are lower than expected, if deviations from financial policy that allow for spending at the directed level are not supported, if any tax levy overrid
From the minutes
“MOVED by Shahidul Mannan and SECONDED by Amy Ritterbusch to adopt the Town Manager's proposed budget message: 1. Departments will prepare and document justification of budgets from the bottom up. Departments will use this opportunity to review approaches to current operations, with the goal to streamline and improve efficiency wherever possible. This may mean collaborating and sharing with other Departments in new ways. Departments will be prepared to discuss the review of operations for efficiency during upcoming Town Manager Budget Review sessions. Departmental budgets will be submitted to the Select Board after Town Manager review and recommendation. 2. Submissions shall be developed to provide level service budgets for FY26. 3. Recognizing that there may be special circumstances, requests for additional and/or expansion of services shall be clearly identified in the request and supported by documentation. Such documentation may include regulatory and statutory requirements or mandates, community growth, and community needs which aid the most vulnerable. 4. Department submissions shall highlight any one-time funding requests, i.e. those that will not be recurring in the future. 5. Departments are directed to provide metrics which support budget requests. 6. Irrespective of the Select Board's initial budget development direction, Departments should be aware that if revenue estimates are lower than expected, if deviations from financial policy that allow for spending at the directed level are not supported, if any tax levy override necessary to support operations at target levels is not supported, or if centrally funded Departmental costs, such as municipal-wide employee health care and benefits, are higher than projected, Departmental budget growth may be constrained below the level noted, irrespective of any initial direction. ROLL CALL: Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: Mannan, second: Ritterbusch)
Town Manager Report
Appoint HarringtonHeep LLP as Town Counsel and Mirick O'Connell as Labor Counsel, with terms expiring June 30, 2025 with the understanding that a formal process to review FY26 options be...
To appoint HarringtonHeep LLP as Town Counsel and Mirick O'Connell as Labor Counsel, with terms expiring June 30, 2025 with the understanding that a formal process to review FY26 options be undertaken no later than February 1, 2025
From the minutes
“MOVED by Joe Clark and SECONDED by Mary Jo LaFreniere to appoint HarringtonHeep LLP as Town Counsel and Mirick O'Connell as Labor Counsel, with terms expiring June 30, 2025 with the understanding that a formal process to review FY26 options be undertaken no later than February 1, 2025. ROLL CALL: Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: Clark, second: LaFreniere)
, 2025. Future Agenda Items
Move to enter executive session for an update and strategy session regarding arbitration filed by former sergeant Timothy Brennan, pursuant to M.G.L. c.30A, Sec. 21(a) Purpose 3; to approve...
To move to enter executive session for an update and strategy session regarding arbitration filed by former sergeant Timothy Brennan, pursuant to M.G.L. c.30A, Sec. 21(a) Purpose 3; to approve executive session minutes; To allow Elaine Lazarus, Nicholas Anastasopoulos, Joseph Bennett and Scott van Raalten to participate in executive session; and not to convene in open session at the conclusion of the executive session
From the minutes
“MOVED by Joe Clark and SECONDED by Shahidul Mannan to move to enter executive session for an update and strategy session regarding arbitration filed by former sergeant Timothy Brennan, pursuant to M.G.L. c.30A, Sec. 21(a) Purpose 3; to approve executive session minutes; To allow Elaine Lazarus, Nicholas Anastasopoulos, Joseph Bennett and Scott van Raalten to participate in executive session; and not to convene in open session at the conclusion of the executive session. ROLL CALL VOTE Mary Jo LaFreniere-Yes; Amy Ritterbusch-Yes; Joe Clark-Yes; Brian Herr-Yes; Shahidul Mannan-Yes. Vote to Approve: Yes-5, No-0..” (Motion: Clark, second: Mannan)
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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