The Select Board on Tuesday reviewed the fiscal year 2026 budget public safety requests, noting that some items that had not been approved in previous fiscal years’ budgets now are critical.

Meaghan DeRaad, the Hopkinton Police Department’s communications director, spoke about the HPD’s “dire need” for funds to upgrade the radio infrastructure. This request has been made for four years, she said. It now is a “major safety concern for our responders and for the general public.”

“We have several areas in town where we can’t talk via radio to our responders,” she said.

There is a placeholder warrant article requesting $3.2 million, but that number will be finalized next week. DeRaad said the upgrade may be able to be completed over two years to lessen the financial impact. The radio system also serves the Department of Public Works.

“I think this is absolutely necessary to ensure our citizens that they’re being taken care of in emergency situations,” said vice chair Mary Jo LaFreniere.

DeRaad added that it is necessary for her to have an assistant due to the increase in workload. She described working while she was out sick or on vacation to help the department. Town Manager Elaine Lazarus agreed that the position is necessary.

Added chair Brian Herr: “The department is the glue that pulls all the public safety together.”

HPD Chief Joseph Bennett explained that the majority of the department’s budget is for personnel, which is based on union contract negotiations. Step increases will raise the personnel budget by about 4.3%.

A major capital request is for three new hybrid police cruisers at $76,000 each, shared Deputy Chief Scott van Raalten. They are necessary because the department has added new officers.

Van Raalten noted that hybrids have caused “more problems” with maintenance than standard cars. Bennett added that while the HPD has committed itself to sustainability, the purchase of hybrid models is being discussed with his colleagues.

Hopkinton Fire Chief Gary Daugherty said the HFD is requesting $4,103,358 in its operations budget. While salaries comprise the bulk of that budget at nearly $3.4 million, Daugherty noted that this includes two years of step increases for firefighters.

He added that the older section of the Fire Station needs new circuit boards and electrical panels. The current ones have “a lot of rust and rot” affecting the circuit breakers. This necessitates a one-time cost of $5,300.

“I think it seems in line with what you’re trying to do,” said Herr.

On the capital side, a bathroom upgrade for the station’s living quarters was proposed. The current setup is from the station’s 1997 addition, and the only upgrade has been “a coat of paint” despite its being used for 24 hours every day.

Also, mechanical respiratory ventilators are needed for each of the ambulances at a total cost of $38,925. Some of the cost will be recovered through ambulance billing charges, Daugherty said, and the purchase will come out of the ambulance fund.

To trim budget requests, Daugherty said he did not ask for an additional fire prevention person. He had hoped this person would collaborate with the Board of Health. He noted that the two previous chiefs also sought funding for this position, but it never advanced.

Herr explained that many of the items termed “pay as you go” will come out of the free cash fund. This will not impact residents’ property taxes.

Lazarus said the current budget gap now is at about $1.1 million. When the budget review process began two months ago, there was a $4 million shortfall. Departments were asked to whittle down their requests to items that are absolutely necessary. Local aid was included in the state budget released last week, which will help lessen the financial impact.

Other department presentations will follow in upcoming meetings.

Police sergeants promoted to lieutenant roles

The board voted unanimously to approve the promotion of HPD Sgt. Aaron O’Neil and Sgt. Matthew McNeil to the rank of lieutenant.

“It’s a momentous day to be here,” Bennett said to a room packed with department and family members. He noted that these promotions continue to “build out the command staff” as the HPD reaches a full complement of officers.

One of the lieutenant positions opened when van Raalten was promoted to deputy chief in December. Bennett complimented van Raalten, O’Neil and McNeil for having “dug in and committed to the department,” particularly during the pandemic and while the department was understaffed.

Van Raalten noted that the two promotions create “distinct roles” of an administrative lieutenant and an operations lieutenant. The administrative lieutenant would handle duties including the supervision of detectives and school resource officers as well as maintaining the sex offender registry. The operations lieutenant will oversee the  development and training of new patrol officers.

Added van Raalten: “For a department that is growing by leaps and bounds, I couldn’t be more happy to have them at our side to assist us in developing our new officers.”

Previously, the department had a lieutenant and a “top-step sergeant,” Bennett said. The second lieutenant is being funded with “unexpended funds from open prior positions.”

Board members expressed their approval. Member Shahidul Mannan called the promotions “a great next step for building that next level of leadership.”

Town Meeting articles reviewed

The board reviewed the articles it is submitting for the May 5 Annual Town Meeting. While two are recurring articles, the board is submitting four other articles, two of which focus on economic development.

One economic article is for a home rule petition to establish an economic development special reserve account. This would be funded with meals tax revenue. Member Joe Clark said the language will need to be fine-tuned after the revenue receipts come in from the first quarter of the year.

A related article proposed creating an office of economic development. Lazarus explained that a bylaw would have to be drafted. It would work with the proposed economic advisory board.

Vice chair Mary Jo LaFreniere disagreed with the premise of “earmarking” revenue for a specific purpose. She said it should go into the general fund.

Member Amy Ritterbusch said designating that money for a department director was “a little premature” since there is no way to guarantee the funding.

Another article regarded the lease of the Center School to allow it to be used in a public-private partnership between the town and the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.

The last article discussed proposed that residents with private wells perform voluntary well testing for PFAS. They would not be required to disclose their findings.