The Board of Health at a brief meeting Monday night discussed the Health Department’s recent initiatives. Public Health Nurse Simone Carter described the Health Department as “quietly busy.” She said that the number of reported respiratory virus cases, including...
Mary Ellen Gambon
Conservation Commission split on decision to proceed with gas pipeline at Mass. Laborers facility
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night approved 4-3 the notice of intent hearing on the Massachusetts Laborers Training facility’s initially proposed gas line under the Wetlands Protection Act, the preferred option of the developer, after some...
Planning Board jolted by ongoing issues with Grasshopper Energy solar farm
At its meeting Monday night, the Planning Board chastised the proponents of two major projects that have dragged on for years to get their plans promptly in order, including the Grasshopper Energy solar array’s planting plan. Grasshopper Energy’s 2.4-megawatt...
UCTC responds to petition calling for disbanding, continues planning
The Upper Charles Trail Committee at its meeting Wednesday night briefly addressed two citizens’ petitions for the Annual Town Meeting warrant proposed by a local trails advocate, one that seeks to dismantle the current committee and form a new one with new members....
Health Department works to prevent opioid overdoses via naloxone program
At the Board of Health’s one-hour meeting Monday evening, Public Health Nurse Simone Carter announced that the state designated the Hopkinton Health Department as a Community Naloxone Purchasing Program affiliate, allowing it to distribute the medicine used to rapidly...
Parks & Rec endorses capital request for manual security gates at Sandy Beach
The Parks & Recreation Commission at its 80-minute meeting Thursday evening voted 4-0 to endorse a capital grant proposal to fund manual gates at Sandy Beach in order to increase security there. Commissioner Cynthia Esthimer has been serving as a member of an ad...
MassDOT: Fruit Street I-495 bridge reconstruction to begin in late spring
Reconstruction of Fruit Street’s Interstate 495 bridge will begin in the late spring as an initial step to remodel the interchange between I-495 and I-90, representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced at a two-hour virtual meeting...
Conservation Commission hears alternatives for Mass. Laborers gas line plan
The Conservation Commission met for more than three hours Tuesday night and voted 6-0 to continue a notice of intent hearing on the Massachusetts Laborers Training facility’s proposed gas line so that alternative routes proposed during the hearing could be reviewed....
Planning Board makes affordable housing planning a goal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZu4j4un4b8&list=PL8WekT6kxX1CwNNgtVPivQYbM7NakFJ_T&index=1 The Planning Board at its 90-minute meeting Monday night decided to make planning for affordable housing a key priority for this year, noting that the proportion of...
Community embraces diversity at MLK Interfaith Day
More than 60 people gathered at the Islamic Masumeen Center of New England on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the legacy of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at an interfaith celebration that explored how King’s work is reflected in this increasingly diverse...
UCTC discusses communication strategy, ‘holistic view’ of trail system
The Upper Charles Trail Committee (UCTC) at its 90-minute meeting Wednesday night discussed the inclusion of previous data from emails and a survey on the town website to help the public better understand the committee’s initiatives as well as to increase...
Parks & Rec reviews plans for pickleball courts off Fruit Street
The Parks & Recreation Commission at its two-hour hybrid meeting Thursday evening received an overview of the revised design plans for the public pickleball courts slated to be built off of Fruit Street, across from the dog park. Consultant Andrew Leonard...
Conservation Commission continues major hearings at request of applicants
Because only four of the seven commissioners on the Conservation Commission were able to attend Tuesday night’s virtual meeting, the applicants for the Massachusetts Laborers Training property on 37 East Street and The Trails development requested continuances of...
Planning Board approves warrant articles, talks goals
The Planning Board held its first in-person meeting of the post-pandemic era on Monday evening, and it unanimously approved several Town Meeting warrant articles and discussed board goals. Several proposed articles previously discussed in board meetings were...
As COVID surges, Health Department offers free test kits
The Board of Health at its meeting Monday evening discussed the latest variant of the COVID-19 virus and announced that the Health Department has an abundance of test kits to issue to residents who need them. Public Health Nurse Simone Carter said that “there has been...
Public pushback to proposed regional dispatch center grows louder
At a hybrid informational meeting Wednesday night held at the Hopkinton Senior Center, residents urged the town to take a step back from joining Grafton, Southborough and Westborough in a proposed regional emergency communications center (RECC), citing concerns about...
Regional dispatch discussion highlights positives, negatives
More than 20 people met with town officials Tuesday afternoon in a one-hour hybrid meeting to hear the pros and cons of Hopkinton potentially joining a regional emergency communications center (RECC). For those on Zoom, the meeting was marred by poor sound quality,...
Conservation Commission releases units for development at The Trails
The Conservation Commission at its two-hour meeting Tuesday night voted 4-1 to release two units on the open space mixed-use development (OSMUD) site plan for The Trails after some prolonged debate. The hearing was continued because the commissioners continued to...
Planning Board approves Morse Lane family subdivision, sets up site walk for The Trails
The Planning Board at its Monday night meeting voted 6-3 to remove a 1992 condition that restricted the number of allowable lots on the Capobianco family subdivision to four on Morse Lane, paving the way for a fifth lot to be configured on the property. At the start...
CPC approves $1 million cricket pitch request for CPA funding
At a brief public hearing Thursday night, the Community Preservation Committee approved several applications for fiscal year 2024 funding via the Community Preservation Act, including a $1 million proposal for the redesign of Pyne Field to include a cricket pitch....