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.
Board to look at town counsel appointment process ahead of deadline
Ahead of a deadline at the end of this month, the Select Board plans to review its options for appointing town counsel.
The board discussed the issue during its meeting last Tuesday. During her report to the board, Town Manager Elaine Lazarus reminded members that they had asked for greater clarity on the process.
“The [Town] Charter requires the board to appoint town counsel annually,” Lazarus explained. “Current appointments expire June 30.”
Lazarus went on to explain that the Select Board had the option to put out a request for quotation (RfQ) to other law firms, should it decide not to continue with current representation. This would involve “receiving proposals from firms and interviewing them as part of that process,’ Lazarus noted.
Despite a brief question from member Matt Kizner regarding the June 30 expiration date, the board accepted Lazarus’ suggestion to table the issue until its next meeting when all members were available. Neither chair Joe Clark nor vice chair Shahidul Mannan were present at last week’s meeting.
The town currently is represented by the law firm Harrington Heep, with Bryan Bertram serving as lead counsel.
Harrington Heep has been representing the town through the divisive dismissal of Hopkinton Police Sgt. Tim Brennan and the subsequent arbitration that has followed. Brennan was let go in 2024 due to not reporting a sexual assault on a student committed by former Deputy Police Chief John “Jay” Porter.
Porter was found guilty of those charges Friday at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn.
The law firm also has been involved in a related matter where information about the victim in that case was not redacted sufficiently from documents released to the public. Bertram offered a public apology for the situation and has been working on helping the town develop a more robust redaction policy.
Latest News
Following a three-day trial at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn, former Hopkinton Police Deputy Chief John “Jay” Porter was found guilty on three counts of child rape Friday afternoon.
Members of the Hopkinton High School class of 2025 gathered in the school’s athletic center on Friday to celebrate their graduation.
Crews from MassDOT will be completing more overnight work on the I-90 east/I-495 north ramp in Hopkinton through Friday morning.
The Hopkinton Center for the Arts presents the musical drama “The Garland Show” on June 13, 14, 20 and 21.
Katherine Micciche, 75, passed away May 20. She was raised and educated in Hopkinton.
Photo of the Day
Macy McKibben looks out the window as she heads out from Hopkinton High School during Saturday’s Senior Car Parade.
PHOTO/WILLIAM DURFEE
Once again, the Independent omits key details and in the process unfairly maligns former Sgt. Tim Brennan.
“Brennan was let go in 2024 due to not reporting a sexual assault on a student committed by former Deputy Police Chief John “Jay” Porter.”
The paragraph should have included the fact that the victim was an adult woman(30 years old) when the abuse was disclosed. The way it’s written makes it sound as if Brennan knew of the abuse while it was happening.