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.

Letter asks town to consider ‘reasonable’ framework to balance free speech, market concerns

A customer checks out options from Meadowbrook Orchards during the Hopkinton Farmers Market in August. PHOTO/NICK SCHOFIELD

A letter sent from the Hopkinton Farmers Market to the Select Board and the Parks & Recreation Commission is requesting assistance in managing recent, alleged disruptions at the market caused by protesters.

Signed by nearly 30 vendors, the letter claims protesters gathering at Town Common during market hours on Sundays have been “verbally harassing and intimidating vendors and shoppers, obstructing walkways and areas used by vendors, and positioning disturbing signage in and around vendor booths in a manner that interferes with the ordinary operation of the market.”

The first appearance of a protester during the market on Aug. 30 resulted in a police response. The individual, who was advocating against abortion, allegedly showed a vendor who approached him a video of an abortion procedure. The vendor took the phone and threw it on the ground, according to the police report.

When police responded, the protester told the responding officer he wanted to charge the vendor with assault. The officer documented in his report that he told the man he “did not believe there was enough to charge the vendor at that time.”

In the letter, market manager Julie Beauchemin requested the town consider a “reasonable, constitutionally permissible framework for addressing these recurring disruptions.” Suggestions include providing a police liaison for the market, addressing harassment and intimidation of vendors, reviewing the town’s policies on competing uses of Town Common and designating demonstration areas.

Town Manager Elaine Lazarus said that there was little the Select Board could do about the issue. “[The common] is a public space, and it’s available for free speech by anyone,” she affirmed.

Lazarus explained that the Hopkinton Farmers Market holds a permit for only a portion of the common, and any permitting concerns at Town Common fall under the jurisdiction of the Parks & Rec Commission. She added that there are circumstances in which the whole common can be permitted for private events, though she only knew of that type of permit getting approved for the Boston Marathon.

When asked for comment, Parks & Rec chair Kyle Smith stated in an email that the commission was holding off until it had a chance to discuss the matter. He noted it would be an agenda item for a future meeting.

Beauchemin also shared her thoughts. “We’re grateful to the Town for listening to our concerns and continuing to support our farmers market community,” she stated in an email. “Our goal is to maintain a safe, welcoming, and drama-free environment where our shoppers and small businesses can thrive.”

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

The Select Board on Tuesday learned from the town’s chief financial officer that early projections for fiscal year 2028 forecast a $1 million deficit in the budget.

At its meeting Tuesday night, the Select Board raised concerns over the appropriateness of a number of citizens’ petitions submitted for the Oct. 26 Special Town Meeting.

The Elementary School Building Committee learned Tuesday that a contractor for the Charleswood School project had crews working unsupervised at the site on Saturdays for seven of the last eight weeks.

Consultants for the Charleswood School project updated the Conservation Commission about steps taken to remediate runoff issues at the site.

This week’s Police Log features two arrests, along with reports of a fence falling on a car, an erratic bus on South Street and a cat stuck in a crawl space.

The latest Arts Residency highlights Catherine Martin, a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet who works as a writing instructor for the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.

Town meetings tonight include the Charter Review Committee (6).

Photo of the Day

A snake peeks out from a grassy backyard near the center of town.

PHOTO/JERRY SPAR