The four Select Board candidates for two open seats shared their views on some of the major concerns facing Hopkinton at Tuesday night’s Meet the Candidates forum for the May 20 election. Topics ranged from bringing increased civility and recognition of residents’ input at government meetings to fiscal belt-tightening.

The event, sponsored by the Hopkinton Women’s Club for the 36th year, gave voters their first opportunity to hear from Select Board candidates Joe Clark, Brian Herr, Kyla McSweeney and Peter Mimmo in the town’s sole contested race.

Current Select Board chair Muriel Kramer and member Irfan Nasrullah are not seeking reelection. Kramer is pursuing a seat on the Governor’s Council.

While the candidates displayed different areas of expertise, their common ground focused on toning down the divisiveness in Hopkinton and working toward solutions rather than dwelling on recent controversies.

Political newcomer Clark said he was spurred to run because of the changes he has seen in the past two years in town. The son of former Hopkinton Fire Chief Ken Clark stressed his concerns over the number of town employees who have left and the residents who are contemplating moving because of the difficulty in downsizing to smaller homes.

Said Clark: “To see the town in a state where people no longer enjoy working here or don’t want to stay working here, that deeply hurts me.”

Herr said he decided to jump into the race to provide the Select Board with experienced leadership in a challenging time. He had served on the board for 12 years, including a stint as chair. His main concerns were the amount of debt service the town will experience over the next several years as well as the need to “reset and refocus our energy … as one community.”

McSweeney, an attorney and Cemetery Commission member, spoke about education and her budgetary expertise. She focused on the two current school building projects in the works and the “tough decisions” the town will face financially. She also voiced a concern echoed by the other candidates that residents are not feeling heard by their elected officials, which she said will be her priority.

Mimmo  spoke about supporting Hopkinton’s stellar school system, tax relief for seniors and support of green initiatives. He currently serves on the Board of Assessors and has worked as a civil litigator for the state for the past 20 years, enforcing anti-discrimination laws.

“Mostly, I want to make myself available so I can understand and interpret the will of the people,” he said, pledging to hold office hours if elected.

Citizen concerns addressed

A question submitted by former School Committee candidate Ashley Fogg asked the candidates how they would address election issues in the wake of last year’s divisive election, when she said she faced social media backlash. The candidates agreed that social media should be used to share information, not to engage in personal or political attacks.

Herr stressed he is a “big believer in respect” and that the race should focus on the issues. The other candidates agreed, with McSweeney saying she previously spoke with the other candidates about having mutual respect in this race.

One query stressed that residents felt they have not been heard at recent Select Board meetings and that they faced criticism for not running for office themselves.

“I think you’ve got to know what you’re signing up for with the Select Board,” said Clark. “This is front and center in town.”

Mimmo agreed, saying that people running for Select Board need to “have a thick skin.”

He added: “I would like to think that with a new Select Board coming on board with two new members that we’re able to bring the temperature down just a little bit.”

Herr reiterated the need for respect, noting that some people may not be comfortable voicing their opinions or running for office. McSweeney agreed, adding that “everyone has a voice” and should use theirs to “hold the Select Board accountable.”

Later in the forum, a question arose about why citizen concerns voiced in the public comment period are not immediately addressed. Several residents have voiced the same concern over multiple meetings without receiving a response.

Herr noted that Open Meeting Law prevents the Select Board from addressing questions on topics not on the agenda. That said, he stressed that members should take notes and place them on a future agenda for discussion. Multiple questions on the same subject should alert Select Board members to “the general will of the community.”

Mimmo agreed that the public comment period is not meant for back-and-forth discussion. But residents should feel their questions will receive a timely response.

“I think the theme here is that residents feel frustrated because they’re talking about recurring situations that aren’t being addressed,” added Clark.

Former Selectman John Coutinho asked if the candidates “know what a heavy lift” the position entails. He said his experience involved 20-30 hours per week of commitment, sometimes going to Boston to meet with legislators. McSweeney, Mimmo and Clark said they sought the advice of current or former members before deciding to enter the race.

Budget concerns take center stage

With two school building projects in the works and several budget operational overrides coming up for a vote at Town Meeting, the budget was a central topic of the forum.

Herr explained that debt service will rise from $7 million to $17 million in the next four years. This will impact the bond rating, which in turn increases interest rates, creating a “vicious cycle.” He suggested flatlining services for a few years.

Mimmo said that while investing in capital projects is important to maintain the school system, there will be a “budget crunch.” McSweeney agreed, although she pointed out the current space shortfalls in the schools that force some students to eat lunch as early as 10 a.m. and receive special education services in the hallways.

Clark spoke of balance, prioritizing “needs over wants.” He doesn’t want to cut services, because he said that has led people to leave town.

All candidates spoke of the need to aid older and economically challenged residents who are heavily impacted by the increased tax burden.

Encouraging commercial growth will help, but it will not totally alleviate the strain. Mimmo stressed the need to “market Hopkinton” to businesses, as well as for tax increment financing.

Herr said he hoped that when the Main Street Corridor Project is completed that businesses will occupy the currently empty storefronts. Having the infrastructure in place to support these businesses is critical.

Clark noted that business interests only represent 16% of the tax base. The lack of available land for commercial development creates another challenge.