Since Feb. 4 we have seen the world around us change rapidly due to COVID-19. Throughout, your kindness, support, trust, understanding and responsibility for one another have reaffirmed why Hopkinton is a special community. Over the past 10 weeks, Hopkinton has shared 31 updates with you and has kept you abreast of the changes and stressed our commitment to your safety and well-being, while ensuring the continued delivery of services.

Hopkinton was quick to set up a dedicated COVID-19 website with frequently updated resources and updates. We have offered a number of virtual office hours allowing residents to drop in and join a video chat with staff from our Town Manager’s Office, Town Clerk’s Office, Treasurer/Collector’s Office and Principal Planner’s Office. Hopkinton now has an online chat system, accessible from our website pages, to allow for chat with live representatives from our Treasurer/Collector’s Office, Assessor’s Office and Town Clerk’s Office, with DPW coming online soon! You’ve already chatted with us over 130 times and given us a 98 percent satisfaction rating! Our commitment to continuing to offer our residents methods to engage with us remains strong. While our buildings are physically closed, we are open for business. You’ve visited our Community Impact Dashboard​ over 35,000 times!

In the 11 days from May 3 through 14, Hopkinton reported only two new cases of COVID-19. During this same time period, Hopkinton reported 42 recoveries, which brings our active case count to the lowest it’s been since April 19. This is promising news, and does reflect the overall trend in Massachusetts in recent days. As we move forward and prepare to enter Phase 1 of ​Governor Baker’s Four-Phase Approach to Reopening Massachusetts​, it’s important to continue to wear your face covering when appropriate and practice social distancing, frequent hand washing and good hygiene. While we are trending in the right direction, we aren’t yet out of the woods.

This update differs from our historical format. Below you will find a collection of previously shared links that may be helpful:

• Social Services/Mental Health/Mass 211
  ○  Call Mass 211 for info and help – start here if you need help or have questions and don’t know where to turn for assistance or guidance
  ○  Hopkinton Youth & Family Services Basic Needs Resource Sheet for COVID19
• Hopkinton / Local Resources
  ○  Hopkinton Declares State of Emergency
  ○  Social Distancing Guidelines
  ○  Real Estate Tax Extensions and Waiving Certain Fees and Interest on Late Payments
  ○  Annual Town Meeting and Election Postponed
  ○  Annual Town Election – more info
  ○  Vote by Mail FAQs
  ○  BAA postpones Boston Marathon to Sept. 14
  ○  Online Payments for Real Estate, Personal Property, Water Sewer Billing and Motor Vehicle Excise
  ○  Online Payments for Permits, Fees, and other transactions
  ○  Employer/Employee Attendance Decision Tree (Guide)
  ○  Construction Order
  ○  Hopkinton Face Covering Order
  ○  Parks & Rec – Summer Programming
  ○  Parks & Rec – Updated Refund Policy
  ○  COVID-19 Guide for Real Estate Sales Professionals, Contractors, Landlords and Property Managers ​
• State Resources
  ○  Massachusetts Declares State of Emergency
  ○  Massachusetts Extends Non-Essential Business Closures to May 18
  ○  Essential Services FAQs
  ○  Massachusetts Reopening Advisory Board
  ○  Massachusetts Four-Phased Approach to Reopening
  ○  Massachusetts Face Mask Order – Cover Your Face Information
  ○  Massachusetts Public Schools will not be reopening for the 2019-20 school year
  ○  Department of Public Health COVID-19 Weekly Dashboard May 6
  ○  Department of Public Health COVID-19 Weekly Dashboard May 13
  ○  Community Contact Tracing Collaborative
  ○  Massachusetts Frontline Worker Resources
  ○  Economic Impact (stimulus checks)
  ○  Travel Guidance – self-quarantine info
  ○  RMV Announces (more) Extensions
  ○  The deadlines to FILE and PAY federal and Massachusetts state income taxes are extended to July 15, 2020
  ○  Unemployment information
  ○  COVID-19 Relief Fund
  ○  Restaurants May Sell Beer and Wine with Food for Take-out
  ○  Municipal Governance Bill Signed
  ○  Complete list of Emergency Orders and Guidance from Mass.gov​

Our hearts go out to our residents impacted by this pandemic. Together we will pull through!