Boards Members Apply Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board The purpose of the Hopkinton Affordable Housing Trust is to provide for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Hopkinton for the benefit of low-and moderate-income households. More information regarding the Powers and Duties of the Hopkinton Affordable Housing Trust and the Board is available on the Town's website at www.hopkintonma.gov, to the Town Clerk's Office and then under Hopkinton Bylaws (Chapter 5, Article VII). For more information regarding the Hopkinton Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board, please contact Elaine Lazarus, Assistant Town Manager, at 508-497-9701 or elainel@hopkintonma.gov. Appropriation Committee Board of Appeals The Board of Appeals shall have the following statutory powers under MGL c. 40A: Appeals. To hear and decide appeals by any person aggrieved by any order or decision of the Director of Municipal Inspections or other administrative official in violation of any provision of MGL c. 40A or of this Chapter. Special permits. Pursuant to MGL c. 40A, § 9, to hear and decide applications for special permits for which express provision is made in this Chapter; also, for special permits for uses accessory to an activity permitted as a matter of right which is necessary in connection with scientific research or scientific development or related production, whether or not the accessory use is on the same parcel as the permitted use, provided that the Board finds that such accessory use does not substantially derogate from the public good. Variances. Pursuant to MGL c. 40A, § 14, to hear and decide petitions for use and dimensional variances as set forth in MGL c. 40A, § 10. Use variances permit a use of land other than a use expressly permitted in a particular district. Dimensional variances authorize deviations from restrictions dealing with such matters as setbacks, frontage and lot size. If the rights authorized by a variance are not exercised within one year of the date of the grant of such variance, such rights shall lapse, unless otherwise extended by the Board of Appeals pursuant to MGL c. 40A. Board of Assessors The Board of Assessors shall perform the functions and duties required by the general laws for Boards of Assessors except the duties which are performed by the Principal Assessor as established by this Charter in Section 5-4. Board of Health The Board of Health shall make reasonable health regulations and shall enforce the laws relating to public health, the provisions of the state code relating to public health, and all local health regulations. The board shall have all of the other powers and duties, which have been given to Boards of Health by general laws, by charter, by bylaw or by other Town Meeting vote. Board of Registrars of Voters The chief duty of the Board of Registrars is to register voters. The Board is obliged to hold late registrations no later than 8:00 P.M. on the twentieth day preceding any election or town meeting. Registrars are obliged to sign or use a signature facsimile stamp to complete the certification of signatures on petitions and nomination papers. Capital Improvement Committee The Committee shall ascertain annually what capital expenditures will be required by the Town during the subsequent ten fiscal years. In making its determinations, the Committee shall consult with such officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the Town and its various boards and committees, as in its discretion it shall deem appropriate and beneficial. Department heads and chairpersons of all boards, commissions and committees of the town, whether elected or appointed, shall submit to the Committee, not later than the third Monday of November of each year, recommendations and statements for capital expenditures for the subsequent ten fiscal years. Recommendations for the subsequent five fiscal years will include operating cost estimates as deemed necessary by the Committee. Cemetery Commission The Town of Hopkinton maintains seven cemeteries: Mt. Auburn Cemetery - Mt. Auburn St. Evergreen Cemetery - Wood St. Main St. Cemetery - Main St. East Main St. Cemetery (aka Valentine Tombs, aka Episcopal Cemetery) - East Main St. East Hopkinton Cemetery - Clinton St. Granite St. Cemetery - Granite St. Bear Hill Cemetery - Pond St. Contact Claire Wright, Cemetery Commission Chair: cwright@hopkintonma.gov https://www.hopkintonma.gov/departments/department_of_public_works/cemetary_records_and_information.php Commissioners of Trust Funds Whenever any officer of the commonwealth, or of a county, city or town, makes a payment of public money to the treasurer of a city or town in the commonwealth, he shall furnish at the same time to the auditor of such city or town, or to the town accountant, if there is no auditor, a written statement of the amount of the payment, and the date and purpose thereof. Community Preservation Committee Hopkinton Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was established to identify the Town's needs, capabilities and resources with regard to community preservation. The CPC considers proposals made by groups and individuals to ensure they meet the criteria of the law, benefit the community, and are financially feasible. The Committee then makes recommendations to Annual Town Meeting. The CPC may include in its recommendations a request to set aside for later spending funds for specific purposes that are consistent with community preservation, but for which sufficient revenues are not immediately available. 9 Member Board: 3 At-Large; Permanent Representatives: Conservation Commission, Historic Commission, Planning Board, Parks & Recreation Board, Housing Authority, Open Space Preservation Committee. At-Large serve 3-year staggered terms; permanent positions serve 1-year terms. MGL 44B; Town bylaw Chapter 5 Section 23 Conservation Commission The Commission is the permitting authority specifically charged with the promotion and development of Hopkinton's natural resources, and the protection of wetland resource areas. The primary activity of the Commission is the administration of the Wetlands Protection Act (MGL 131, §40) and the Hopkinton Wetlands Protection Bylaw. The Commission also engages in planning, helping to acquire and manage open space, and encouraging and monitoring Conservation and Agricultural Preservation Restrictions. Constables Council on Aging The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a Council on Aging for the purpose of coordinating or carrying out programs designed to meet the problems of the elderly in cooperation with programs. of the Commission on Aging established under MGL c. 6, 73. Cultural Council Originally established as the Hopkinton Arts Lottery Council, under legislation enacted in 1979, this statute was replaced, in 1992, by M.G.L. Ch. 10, sec. 52-58. The purpose, under both statutes, has been to administer the distribution of funds provided by State Lottery, for a variety of cultural purposes. The Council may also conduct other activities to promote and encourage the arts. https://twitter.com/HopkCulturalCou https://www.facebook.com/hopkintonculturalcouncil https://www.hop-culture.org Design Review Board The Design Review Board shall review applications for site plan review submitted pursuant to Article XX. It shall evaluate such requests based on design criteria in this article. Its written findings shall be advisory to the Planning Board and shall be submitted to the Planning Board and the applicant along with any recommendations and conditions. Such findings shall contain explanation and rationale as appropriate. Elementary School Building Committee No. 2 (ESBC-2) Purpose: The Elementary School Building Committee – No2 (ESBC–2) shall be formed in accordance with the provisions of the Town’s Charter and Bylaws for the purpose of developing, evaluating, and, if appropriate, advancing a school building project worthy of the Town of Hopkinton, generally monitoring the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) School Building Grant Application process, advising the Select Board during the construction of an MSBA Approved Project, and communicating transparently with the residents of Hopkinton. Mission: To facilitate the development of a proposed solution to the operational and educational constraints of Elmwood School as well as the district more broadly, with attention to enrollment growth as well as academic programming needs, which will be supported by the voters of Hopkinton as well as the MSBA. Click here for the Hopkinton Elementary School Building Committee - 2 Make-Up and Charge document: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Drz1_Tp2wnoDNAxvltGWdZ45x2u7Mve0/view?usp=sharing Fence Viewer Fence Viewers may be called upon to act on matters in accordance with the relevant provisions of Mass. General Laws Chapter 49 (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleVII/Chapter49). HCAM Board of Directors N/A Historical Commission M.G.L. authorizes the establishment of an historical commission for the preservation, protection and development of the historical or archaeological assets of such city or town. Projects entrusted to the Commission include conducting research for places of historic or archaeological value, assisting cooperatively with others engaged in such research, and carrying out other initiatives for the purpose of protecting and preserving such places. Hopkinton Historic District Commission The Hopkinton Center Historic District was established by the townspeople in 1979, consisting primarily of properties surrounding the Town Common, the Common itself, and properties along the south side of Main Street, ending near the corner of Grove Street. A small portion of East Main Street is also included. In recent years, Center School and the Town Hall have been added to the district. The Hopkinton Center Historic District Commission is the reviewing authority responsible for regulating design within the Hopkinton Center Historic District. Historic Districts in Massachusetts have three major purposes, as stated in Ch. 40C of Massachusetts General Law: 1.) To preserve and protect the distinctive characteristics of buildings and places significant to the history of the Commonwealth and its cities and towns; 2.) To maintain and improve the settings of those buildings and places; 3.) To encourage new designs compatible with existing buildings in the district. Staff Liaison: Elaine Lazarus elainel@hopkintonma.gov https://www.hopkintonma.gov/departments/land_use_department/HHDC.php Housing Authority The Hopkinton Housing Authority shall conduct studies of the housing needs of the community and shall provide programs to make available housing for families of low income and for elderly persons of low income. The Hopkinton Housing Authority shall have such other powers and duties as are assigned to housing authorities by general law. Irvine-Todaro Properties Advisory Group CHARGE: The Irvine Todaro Properties Cluster Advisory Group shall work with the Director of Land Use, Planning and Permitting as follows: 1. Make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen regarding the design of an interactive public process; 2. Guide creation of a Master Plan for the Todaro/Irvine parcels; 3. Engage the Board of Selectmen throughout the process to ensure that the Master Plan reflects the community?s aspirations; 4. Provide assessment of the broader neighborhood context, the aforementioned uses and other uses appropriate for the site, quality of life and visual characteristics valued by the community; create a Master Plan for the parcels; 5. Gather input from a broad base of citizens by reaching out to the community through a community visioning workshop, and by conducting focus groups and surveys; 6. Conduct public education and outreach on the Master Plan process. Lake Maspenock Dam Advisory Group The Lake Maspenock Dam Committee was established by the Board of Selectmen to insure for the maintenance and care of the Dam. Lake Maspenock Weed Management & Control Advisory Group Pursuant to the powers granted to the Board of Selectmen by Section 3-2 of the Town Charter, the Board of Selectmen hereby charges the Lake Maspenock Weed Management and Control Citizens Input Group (Citizen Input Group) as follows: COMPOSITION: The Citizen Input Group shall consist of five (5) full members appointed by the Board of Selectmen. All members shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Selectmen and shall be Hopkinton residents. Specifically the membership shall be as follows: Full Members: One resident of the area in the vicinity of Lake Maspenock who has a background in weed management and control; One designee from the Conservation Commission; One designee from the Parks & Recreation Commission; and Two at-large members. CHARGE: The Citizen Input Group shall make recommendations to the Director of Public Works regarding measures to facilitate effective public participation in the formulation of the Comprehensive Weed Management and Control plan (The Plan) at Lake Maspenock. The Advisory Group may make recommendations regarding the following: Coordinating, consulting and providing methods and means for seeking public input, energizing public interest and support in the formulation of The Plan; Facilitating meetings and helping organize efforts towards ensuring effective public participation at the meetings and that public input is valued; Optimizing public buy-in to The Plan; Formulating methods and means of increasing public awareness about the benefits, risks and ecological impacts of The Plan. QUALIFICATIONS: Energy, commitment, available time, communication skills and ability to bring people together. Library Trustees Board The Hopkinton Public Library's Board of Trustees is a five-member elected board responsible for overseeing the library for the benefit of the community. Working closely with the library director, members are responsible for establishing library policies and plans, determining the final budget and conducting public relations. The board meets on the third Thursday, from September through June. Marathon Committee The Hopkinton Marathon Committee was established in 1979 to work in collaboration with the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), to ensure the annual running of the Boston Marathon is an exciting safe event for all concerned. The committee’s mission is to guide and help coordinate all B.A.A. efforts within the town, while always protecting the interests of Hopkinton. The Committee is comprised of 12 citizens appointed by the Select Board and up to 9 members representing Town Departments. Term length for at-large members is 3 years, and for Town Department representatives, 1 year. Marathon Fund Committee The Marathon Fund Committee was established in 1986 to make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen regarding use of the annual gift to the Town by the Boston Athletic Association related to the Boston Marathon. After allocating moneys to various expenses the Town incurs related to public safety and logistics for the race, the remaining dollars are allocated by the Marathon Fund Committee for student-athlete scholarships for Hopkinton high school seniors, as well as to fund grants to various needy community groups in support of recreation, athletics, and community. Open Space Preservation Commission The commission's goal is to acquire and protect land from development, to help preserve the rural character of Hopkinton. The commission evaluates undeveloped land, ranking parcels according to several criteria: overall size, wildlife habitat, plant species, watershed protection, recreation potential and proximity to other protected land. The development potential also is evaluated, in order to assess the value of the land, as well as the costs of town services if it is developed. Parks and Recreation Commission N/A Permanent Building Committee This committee's primary responsibility is to provide an efficient, professional mechanism for overseeing the design, construction, reconstruction, alteration or enlargement of buildings or other facilities owned by the Town or undertaken on land-owned, leased or operated by the Town. Committee Membership includes an architect, engineer, an individual who is primarily engaged in the construction business, and an individual with legal, accounting or finance experience. Personnel Committee The Personnel Committee's responsibilities are outlined in Town Bylaw Chapter 33. Specifically, the Personnel Committee shall work with the Town Manager and the Human Resources Director to provide guidance, feedback and advice on matters regarding Town employees. Planning Board The Planning Board consists of nine members, elected for five-year terms on a rotating basis. The Board’s duties include adopting a Master Plan for the Town (the current Master Plan was most recently updated in 2017), conducting studies, and, when necessary, preparing plans of the resources, possibilities and needs of the Town for submission to the Board of Selectmen for their consideration. The Planning Board serves as the local authority for the Subdivision Control Law; adopting Rules and Regulations governing the subdivision of land in the Town of Hopkinton; reviewing all preliminary and definitive plan submissions, and endorsing approval-not-required plans. The board also drafts and submits zoning amendments for consideration by the Town. When a zoning amendment has been put forward by any entity, the Planning Board holds the public hearing and also reports its recommendation to Town Meeting. https://www.hopkintonma.gov/departments/land_use_department/planning_board/index.php Pratt Farm Master Plan Team The Pratt Farm Master Plan Team may work with a Consultant as follows: 1. Make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen regarding the design of an interactive public process; 2. Guide creation of a Blueprint and Written Statement for the Pratt Farm; 3. Engage the Board of Selectmen throughout the process to ensure that the uses in the blueprint and written statement reflect the community?s aspirations including but not limited to a well site, community assisted agriculture, scout lodge and associated driveway access and off-street parking facilities, appropriate buffer zones, and trails and community day uses; 4. Provide an assessment of the aforementioned uses and other uses appropriate for the site, quality of life and visual characteristics valued by the community; create a Written Statement and Blueprint for the parcel; 5. Reach out to the community through charrettes, focus groups, and surveys; and 6. Conduct public education and outreach on the master plan process. School Committee The powers of the School Committee shall include, but are not intended to be limited to the following: To appoint a superintendent, and other officers as allowed by the general laws, to fix compensation and to define their duties, make rules concerning their tenure of office and to discharge them, to make all reasonable policies consistent with M.G.L.A. or Department of Education regulations for the administration and management of the public school system and for the conduct of its own business and affairs and to adopt a budget. Select Board The Select Board shall serve as the chief policy making agency of the Town, shall be responsible for the formulation and promulgation of policy to be followed by all Town Agencies serving under it and shall, in conjunction with other elected Town officers and multiple member bodies, develop and promulgate policy guidelines designed to bring all Town Agencies into harmony. Sustainable Green Committee The mission of the Hopkinton Sustainable Green Committee is to promote sustainable and environmentally responsible practices in the Town of Hopkinton. The Committee will assist town government, business and residents to implement sustainable policies and practices in the areas of energy, agriculture, conservation and commerce. The Committee will increase the public's awareness of important environmental issues through education and outreach. Tax Relief Committee The Tax Relief Committee was organized to provide assistance to residents of Hopkinton who need assistance in keeping up with the ever increasing property taxes that accompany the growth of our desirable town. Through an application process administered by the Committee members, eligible applicants are awarded up to a maximum of $500.00 per calendar year in support of their property tax bills. The goal of the Committee is to keep Hopkinton residents in their homes when fixed incomes or disabilities prevent them affording the town in which they own homes and live. Town Moderator Trail Coordination and Management Committee The TCMC will serve as a reference point for trails groups and the public, foster a user-friendly and open/transparent process, establish branding, promotion and public education, foster community engagement, and achieve sustainability. The TCMC will support and facilitate a coordinated approach to trail planning and management, comply with town plans, rules and regulations, and ensure the implementation of Town Meeting votes, adopted plans, regulations, regulatory decisions and board/committee actions. Trustees of the School Fund N/A Upper Charles Trail Committee Educate the residents of the town and developing the Upper Charles Trail in Hopkinton, from the Milford Town line to the Ashland Town line, which shall include the Hopkinton Center Trail. The Committee's responsibilities shall include, but shall not be limited to, planning, design, permitting, property rights acquisition and construction of the Trail and associated infrastructure. Veterans Celebration Committee This Committee was established to remember and honor our fallen Vets with an Annual Memorial Day Remembrance Celebration and to honor our local veterans with an annual Veteran's Day dinner. Veterans Grave Officer N/A Woodville Historic District Commission The Woodville Historic District was created by Town Meeting in May of 2005 to preserve and protect the unique heritage of the Village of Woodville. The seven member Commission was appointed by the Board of Selectmen at their 11 October 2005 meeting, each for a 3-year term. http://forms.hopkintonma.gov/land/historic Youth Commission PURPOSE: The Hopkinton Youth Commission is charged with identifying the emerging and ongoing needs of Hopkinton's youth and families. The Commission is responsible for creating community-wide opportunities that support long term well-being of all youth. Programs and activities supported by the Youth Commission shall promote an overall benefit to all youth and families. The Hopkinton Youth Commission should be creative, resourceful and seek collaboration with a range of partners to improve the wellbeing of all Hopkinton Youth. CHARGE: The Youth Commission's activities and programs will include but not be limited to: 1. Work in conjunction with the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager and all Hopkinton Town Departments that interact with youth and families; including but not limited to Youth Services Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Police Department, Hopkinton Public Library, Hopkinton Senior Services and Hopkinton Public School District. 2. Promote community education regarding youth and family issues. 3. Support programs and activities which raise awareness and encourage healthy adolescent development. 4. Collaborate with other organizations whose goals are aligned with those of the Hopkinton Youth Commission. 5. Develop recommendations for the Board of Selectmen regarding programs, projects and policies benefiting youth and families. 6. Set annual goals in conjunction with the Youth Services Department. COMPOSITION: The Hopkinton Youth Commission shall have seven (7) voting members who are Hopkinton residents and appointed by the Board of Selectmen for staggered three-year terms. The Hopkinton Youth Commission will also have the following non-voting members: Police Officer who regularly works with youth, two student representatives (one each from the Middle and High Schools) , and liaisons from the Youth Services Department, School Committee, Parks and Recreation Department, and the Board of Selectmen. In addition, the Commission may, from time to time, designate any number of auxiliary members who have accepted leadership roles in connection with one or more of the Commission’s programs or projects or goals. Auxiliary members are invited to participate actively in Commission deliberations, and are encouraged to seek appointment as voting or associate members when opportunities arise. Zoning Advisory Committee Its purpose is to review and develop proposals for zoning bylaw and zoning map amendments, and make recommendations to the Planning Board.