Town Manager Weekly Update - February 27, 2025
Elaine Lazarus
Hopkinton Commission on Disability - Survey
The Hopkinton Commission on Disability, in collaboration with the Hopkinton Police Department (HPD), is seeking feedback on the HPD's "Person at Risk" form. This form helps first responders identify special considerations for residents with mobility issues, cognitive issues, neurodiversity, mental health diagnoses, or any other factors that can keep community members safe during interactions with emergency responders. They are conducting a survey to help determine what questions should be added to or changed on the Persons at Risk form in order to make it more useful for a wider variety of people.
Please consider filling out the survey, and thank you!
Survey: https://forms.gle/xec6faFYcNkFJyyB9
Questions or comments can be emailed to codc...@hopkintonma.gov
Board and Committee Vacancies
The Town of Hopkinton is looking for volunteers to serve on the following boards and committees:
Cultural Council - 2 vacancies
Design Review Board - 1 vacancy
Historical Commission - 2 vacancies
Hopkinton Historic District Commission - 3 vacancies
Personnel Committee - 1 vacancy
Veterans Celebration Committee- 3 vacancies
Water & Sewer Advisory Board - 2 vacancies
Youth Commission (Middle/High School Rep)
Zoning Advisory Committee (2 Associate Members)
The Town website has information about the duties of specific boards and committees here: Town of Hopkinton, MA: Boards. Interested residents must apply via the Online Volunteer form on the Town website here: Town of Hopkinton, MA: Board Application
Senior Center March Newsletter: https://mycommunityonline.com/find/hopkinton-council-on-aging
You can view the newsletter at the link and also sign up to receive it by email.
Vendor Registration for “Celebrate at the Start Line” on April 19, 2025
Vendor registration for the "Celebrate at the start line" celebration on the Town Common is now open. Please join us in celebrating the start of the Boston Marathon on Saturday, April 19th from 11:00am to 3:00pm. For more information and to apply please visit: Hopkinton Parks and Recreation: 2025 Boston Marathon "Celebrate at the Start Line" Vendor Application
The weekend before Marathon Monday (April 21) is an opportunity for food, fun and events. Over the next month there will be more information about the events happening in Hopkinton that weekend, so stay tuned!
From the Town Clerk’s Office - Dog Licenses
The Town Clerk’s office kindly reminds all dog owners that the deadline to register your pup is April 1, 2025. To avoid a $25 late fee per dog, be sure to renew your license on time. (Exceptions may apply for dogs new to town or puppies turning six months old after the April 1st deadline.)
The annual license fee per dog is $10 for a spay/neutered dog with proof from a licensed veterinarian and $15 if the dog is intact. If you are 70 years of age or older, there is no fee to license your individual dog(s), but late fees are still assessed if you do not license on time.
To apply for a NEW dog license please CLICK HERE. If you are RENEWING a dog license please CLICK HERE to license your dog online. Please email town...@hopkintonma.gov if you have any questions, we're happy to help.
FY 2026 Town Budget Process
The Town’s budget process for Fiscal Year 2026 is underway. Town Departments have presented budget requests at the Select Board meetings on February 4 and February 18. More departments will present on March 4. At the Board’s March 11 meeting, the Select Board will vote to adopt a budget and forward it to the Appropriation Committee for its review and public hearing. All of the meetings are open to the public, and you may attend in person, via Zoom, or watch live on HCAM. The agenda is posted on the Town website.
These Town Departments will make budget presentations on March 4:
Finance, Human Resources, Town Manager, Town Clerk, Health, Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Land Use, Engineering/Facilities
The budget is not yet balanced, and over the last few weeks the financial picture has become more clear as revenue and expenditure estimates have become more firm. Next week I will have more detailed information about where things stand. At this time, there is a gap of about $1.5 million dollars that must be addressed.
All registered voters may attend the annual town meeting on May 5 and vote to adopt the FY 2026 budget for the Town. Budget documents, as they are created, are posted on the Town website at the link below. Each department’s presentation slides will also be posted: 2025 Annual Town Meeting & FY2026 Budget Documents I will be posting the presentations for March 4 tomorrow.
Number of Residential Building Permits Issued by Year - 1989 to 2024
Source: Hopkinton Building Department Monthly Reports
account are public records unless qualified as an exemption under the
*Massachusetts Public Records Law
<http://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/preidx.htm>*.