The Select Board at its meeting Tuesday thanked the town’s animal control officer and the owner of a dog it deemed “dangerous” a month ago for working together to implement measures to keep the pit bull from running loose off ithe property.
At the Sept. 23 meeting, the board heard testimony from neighbor Hannah Chase about the dog, named Thor. She described in harrowing detail how her boyfriend had to restrain Thor while she pried her cat from the dog’s teeth. Chase also recalled how the dog jumped a 4-foot fence and attacked three of her chickens, killing one.
Bill Proctor, the town’s animal control officer, appeared before the board to describe the progress made since the last meeting. He explained that he met with Gabriel Knupe, the pit bull’s owner, at his home at 50 Hayward Street.
“So far, the gentleman has replaced windows in the house,” he said. “He still has some crank-out windows, but they’re not where the dog is going to jump out of.”
He added that the back porch was fixed so the dog cannot escape. The owner has been walking the dog on a leash three times a day. Previously, Chase noted that Thor did not have a leash or a collar on at the time her cat and chickens were attacked.
“He’s doing everything that we’ve asked of him,” Proctor said of Knupe.
The one remaining item is the installation of a new fence. This is not financially feasible right now, according to Proctor.
Proctor recommended that he continue to monitor the situation. The board agreed.
“From my standpoint, progress is being made,” said chair Joe Clark. “We understand everything can’t happen right away. But it sounds like the dog’s been on the leash when people see it out.”
Conservation seat filled
The board unanimously voted to appoint Walter Garland to the Conservation Commission. His term will expire on June 30, 2027.
Garland, a former Board of Appeals member, has been a Hopkinton resident for almost 30 years. He said he had wanted to join the commission before but was waiting for a vacancy to emerge.
Said Garland: “I think I bring a level head to any conversation that the board might have. I would be honored to serve on the Conservation Commission.”
Member Matthew Kizner noted that the current and former presidents of the Lake Maspenock Preservation Association (LMPA), Michael Riley and Sabine St. Pierre, offered glowing recommendations on Garland’s behalf at the meeting’s start.
There is one additional seat open on the Conservation Commission.
FY 26 goals approved
Select Board members unanimously approved their goals for this fiscal year after discussing them over the last two meetings. These goals include:
- Balancing the FY 27 budgets and capital plan while minimizing tax impacts and avoiding a Proposition 2½ override;
- Ensuring safe, reliable and clean drinking water and achieving a standardized approach to setting municipal water and sewer rates;
- Preparing a strategic plan for the town that will integrate the charter review process outcome.
Trunk or Treat alcohol approved
After some discussion, the board unanimously approved a special temporary alcohol license for a Trunk or Treat event. It is scheduled for Oct. 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Resilience Fitness, located at 45R South Street.
Organized by Kellie Dow, the president of the ReMax Executive Charitable Foundation, the event intends to raise money to directly fund local families in need. Alcohol will be served by TIPs certified servers.
Main Street project updated
The board unanimously approved a request authorizing Town Manager Elaine Lazarus to execute a permanent license agreement with the owner of 96 Main Street as part of work for the Main Street Corridor Project.
A line of bollards needs to be installed at the Pleasant Street intersection for safety reasons, Lazarus explained.
“One of the issues there is that the base of the bollard is 10 inches wide,” she said. “The town has 8 inches of right of way.”
The property owner, Lazarus said, is willing to allow the installation to overlap onto the property. The license agreement would allow the town to install and maintain these bollards.
On a related note, Lazarus said trees were planted Tuesday at the Town Common. Plantings will branch out from there along Main Street.
Verizon plans to finish all its utility transfers by the end of October. Verizon and Eversource will coordinate with A.F. Amorello & Sons, the project’s construction company, about adjustments needed for paving work.
Amorello also will work on curbing and sidewalk repairs this week. The company plans to complete final paving work on the project’s west side by the end of October.
The grading at the intersection of 35 Main Street and Hoyt Way needs to be adjusted. Lazarus said it would be completed in the fall if time allowed. If not, work likely would begin in the spring after the Boston Marathon.
I can understand and appreciate that a fence is tough to go right out and purchase for anyone, but in the meantime, can he at least plug the huge gaps in the current makeshift fence with something?
That fence screams to me “I’m going to put this thing up so the town can get off my back”, but is in no way up to where it should be, even with attainable, low cost materials.