Tempers flared Tuesday when the Select Board reacted to a presentation on the town’s economic development strategy prepared by the Massachusetts Area Planning Council.

The board was required to review this presentation in order to be able to hire an economic development director.

Julia Chun, the town’s sustainability, economic development and equity project manager, introduced the plan. It is the culmination of a yearlong effort with the town, the MAPC, the Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Advisory Board.

Camille Jonlin, MAPC’s senior economic development planner, presented this plan to the Planning Board on Sept. 14. It recommended business retention and set a goal to attract new commercial ventures. It focused on South Street as a target area for redevelopment.

Improving public transportation also was prioritized. Promoting Hopkinton as a tourist attraction was a key economic driver.

Questions arise over fund, plan distribution

New EDAB chair Finley Perry said he was not aware of the presentation content beforehand but had spoken to HCC members about it. Chun had been scheduled to introduce it at the last EDAB meeting on Sept. 24 but was unable to attend.

“The sense that I get is that it’s a very well done, granular report in the sense that there’s lots of detail and an analysis that actually is useful,” he told the board.

Chair Shahidul Mannan, who originally proposed EDAB’s creation, said he supported the plan as “the beginning of our economic journey.”

“Given our budget pressures, we need clear priorities, which this plan is helping us identify,” he added.

His hope was that it would lead to the creation of an economic development office and the hiring of an economic development director. This has been discussed for many months. The town meals tax revenue has been targeted to fund these goals.

Lazarus said the town meals tax fund has “a little over $77,000.” She explained that, because the state legislature did not approve the fund’s creation until August, only the revenue generated during the fiscal year’s first quarter was included. Funds accrued previously were directed to free cash.

She addressed the issue after concerns were raised at the last EDAB meeting in a recent article in the Independent.

Hiring process for development manager OK’d

Vice chair Matthew Kizner asked why a new town employee would be hired when the town is “talking about a budget crisis.” He also questioned why the Select Board was being asked to approve a plan that EDAB has not yet reviewed.

Chun replied that the plan was circulated to steering committee members. There also were listening sessions for anyone who wanted to learn about the plan.

“I think we are undercutting [EDAB] at the exact same time you were asking us to empower them,” countered Kizner. “And I struggle to square up the dissonance.”

Mannan said he was “surprised” that EDAB had not reviewed it. But some members did attend steering committee sessions where he was present.

Member Amy Ritterbush pointed out that the report is 96 pages long and that stakeholders would need time to process it. She questioned whether the whole document was the actual plan the board was being asked to approve. Chun told her it was.

Perry said it was a “mistake” to approach the plan as something to vote to accept. He called it “a consultant report.”

“I don’t think you have to do anything more than say thank you,” he said. He added that members “should be a little more grateful.”

“I was trying to represent the empowerment of the delegated board here,” charged Kizner. “But the chair is sitting before me telling me that was stupid and I should be more grateful.”

Perry later apologized.

Ritterbusch asked if the board could approve the hiring of the economic development director. Lazarus said there is enough money in the account to do so.

Select Board member Joe Clark proposed a “happy middle ground.” He asked that the board allow the town to move forward with plans to hire the economic development director. Approval of the plan could follow at a future meeting.

Kizner balked. He said it was not logical to propose hiring this director without a clear job description in hand.

Clark asked Chun to compile a list of action items that the board could “move forward on quickly.” She agreed, noting it may be good to present it after the Special Town Meeting on Oct. 26.

The board voted 4-0-1 to approve authorizing Lazarus to begin the process of developing a job description for the economic development director. Kizner abstained.