Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

Health survey intended to identify, address community needs

PHOTO/NICK SCHOFIELD

The Hopkinton Health Department is seeking resident input on what the greatest public health needs are in the community and how it can help meet them.

“It’s an opportunity for residents to have their say in what we’re focused on,” said Health Director Shaun McAuliffe.

The survey is anonymous and can be filled out online via a Google Form. McAuliffe shared that he plans on printing copies of the form to have available at the Senior Center along with assistance for seniors to ensure greater accessibility. Anyone who is a Hopkinton resident aged 14 and older can participate, and the survey will remain open until July 17.

The survey asks questions regarding what residents consider to be a “healthy community,” and what health risks they might think are most important to address in town. It also focuses on substance use and other issues in adolescents and asks for suggestions on how the Health Department can tackle those problems.

“Whatever [residents] vote as their biggest concerns are what we’re really going to focus on,” said McAuliffe. “This really is an opportunity for them to shape how we operate.”

The health director explained that his department does have a strategic plan that is set to shape how it operates over the next five years. However, he stressed it was important to engage with community partners and residents to identify health concerns the department might not be aware of.

“I tend to operate with data,” McAuliffe said. “If I don’t have the data, I’m unable to make an educated decision.”

When asked what he expects to see as far as trends from the survey results, McAuliffe said he anticipated parents to have input on substance use in teens, seniors to focus on healthcare and vaccination concerns, and general concerns over the state of the town’s municipal water supply.

The overall effort, he said, is to make sure the Health Department is listening to the town and meeting its needs. “[The residents] pay my salary,” he said. “We work for the residents of Hopkinton; our job is to represent them. If I’m not representing them, then I’m not doing my job.”

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

The latest Schools Notebook highlights the 12 Hopkinton High School students who participated in the HOSA International Leadership Conference earlier this month.

A new on-ramp from I-495 southbound to I-90 eastbound is set to open July 9.

According to the latest Main Street Corridor Project update, A.F. Amorello & Sons will be on-site this week while crews continue driveway work at 25/35 Main Street.

Contractors will be out on Claflin Place on Wednesday morning to conduct street paving. Crews also were in the area on Sunday to repair a water main break.

Town meetings tonight include the Cemetery Commission (7).

Photo of the Day

Patrons gather in the bar at Carbone’s Restaurant on Sunday for an event after its official closing on Saturday. The gathering was intended as a final send-off, with cash sales from the bar to be donated to charity.

PHOTO/NICK SCHOFIELD