Town Manager Weekly Update - January 22, 2026
Elaine Lazarus
A significant winter storm is predicted for this weekend that may affect the hours of town offices and facilities on Sunday and Monday. Please watch the town website for cancellations.
Cold Weather Message from the Hopkinton Water Department
The weather forecast calls for very cold temperatures over the next few days. Extreme cold outside can lead to frozen pipes inside your home. To guard against frozen pipes, the Hopkinton Water Department recommends residents take the following steps:
Make sure there are no locations in your home where the water pipes are exposed to freezing temperatures. Locations such as under a cellar window, along outside walls or in closets, cabinets or under the stairs (in the case of split entry homes) are likely candidate locations for the cold air to collect and where pipes can freeze under these low temperatures. Opening doors to allow warmer air into these cold locations, insulating pipes and providing heat tape in cold locations will all help prevent frozen pipes. The key is to protect the pipes from being exposed to freezing temperatures.
If you do experience frozen pipes, locating the cold spot and providing a slow warming of the pipes is the proper method to resolve this situation. NEVER use a torch or other source of flame to heat the pipes. Quickly heating the pipes can lead to burst piping, and flames can start fires. Please call the Water Department if you need guidance or assistance in the event you have an issue with frozen pipes.
Grant Announcement
The Town was awarded a Water Management Act grant from MassDEP to support outreach efforts for water conservation. The scope of work for the $20,000 grant includes:
- developing an enhanced Water Conservation Education Plan,
- website update,
- outreach at community events (info booths at Recycle & Reuse Day in April and Annual Town Meeting), and
- supporting the HHS Environmental Club's pollinator garden project with drought resistant landscaping.
Sharps Disposal Containers in Hopkinton
New sharps disposal container locations:
Town Hall, 18 Main Street (outside of the building located at the end of the Handicap Ramp) Open: 24/7
Senior Center, 28 Mayhew Street (inside building)
Open: Monday - Thursday 8:30-4:00 p.m. and Friday 8:30-2:00 p.m.
For information about sharps disposal, call the Hopkinton Health Dept. at 508-497-9725
Apply for Assistance from Senior & Disabled Tax Relief Fund; Application Deadline Feb. 20, 2026
Hopkinton homeowners who are 60 and older or disabled are encouraged to apply for assistance with paying their property tax bills. Applicants must be at least 60 years old or have a state-recognized disability, and applicants must own and occupy a single-family home in Hopkinton as their primary residence. The maximum income for a household of one is $57,000, $73,000 for a household of two, $80,000 for a household of three, and $88,000 for a household of four.
The application is available online (Hopkinton Tax Relief Application Form .pdf), at Town Hall (18 Main St.), the Senior Center (28 Mayhew St.), the Hopkinton Public Library (13 Main St.), and from Youth and Family Services. The Treasurer’s Office will mail the form to those who call 508-497-9715 to request one. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, Feb. 20.
Coffee House - A Place for Us: The Music of Stephen Sondheim - January 29
Thursday, January 29, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, Betty Strong Room (Large Event Room) Hopkinton Public Library, 13 Main Street.
Experience the genius of one of Broadway’s most revered composers in A Place for Us: The Music of Stephen Sondheim. Pianist and vocalist Jay Daniels pays tribute to Sondheim’s extraordinary legacy with heartfelt interpretations of songs from Gypsy, A Little Night Music, and more. The concert also features a special sing-along portion, inviting the audience to join in selections from West Side Story.
FY 2027 Town Budget Process
The Town’s budget process for Fiscal Year 2027 (7/1/2026 - 6/30/2027) began this past fall, and continues to move forward. At the Select Board meeting on January 20, the Town Manager’s comprehensive budget was presented, and now the process moves to Select Board review. The Select Board meetings in February and early March will feature Town departments describing their budget requests, and at a meeting on March 10, the Select Board is scheduled to adopt a budget and forward it to the Appropriation Committee for its review and public hearing. All of these meetings are open to the public. The process concludes with a vote on the budget at the Annual Town Meeting on May 2. All registered voters may attend and vote on the budget at the Annual Town Meeting.
For more information, see the comprehensive budget proposal on the Town website at the 2026 annual town meeting link here: Town Meeting & Budgets
Feedback and comment on the Town budget is encouraged. Please note your thoughts, recommendations and comments about the Town’s budget using an online form, or paper versions that will be available at the Library and Senior Center. The form is accessible at this link or by using the QR code below: FY27 Budget Listening Form
You may also pass along your comments and recommendations to me via email at ela...@hopkintonma.gov. Thank you in advance for your comments and recommendations!
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