New Hopkinton elementary school proposal must pass special Town Meeting, win election

HOPKINTON — Voters must approve a proposal to replace the Elmwood Elementary School building in two different ways — during a special Town Meering on Nov. 13 and again in a special election on Nov. 28 — before the project can move forward.

The $158.4 million proposal needs a two-thirds majority at the special Town Meeting and a simple majority at the special election.

On Aug. 23, the Select Board voted 4-0-1 on the budget recommendation. Vice Chair Shahidul Mannan and members Amy Ritterbusch, Mary Jo LaFreniere and Irfan Nasrullah voted in favor, with Chair Muriel Kramer abstaining.

Enrollment is soaring: Hopkinton proposes building a new Elmwood Elementary School

Through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the town will be reimbursed as much as $61.5 million directly, which comes during the life of the project.

Jon Graziano, chair of the Elementary School Building Committee, previously told the Daily News that the town is projected to contribute between $106 million to $108 million after rebates. That number has since been lowered to $91.2 million after the MSBA voted last week to to increase its reimbursement, according to a report in the Hopkinton Independent.

New school would house up to 1,195 students in grades 2-4

The Independent also reported that a Hopkinton homeowner whose property is valued at $753,000 would pay an additional $1,086 on their annual property tax bill during the most expensive point of the project's 30 year borrowing period.

The new Elmwood building, if approved, will be designed to house up to 1,195 students in grades 2-4. The current Elmwood was built in 1965 and houses 559 students in grades 2-3, according to the school's website.

'Very clear majority': Funding for school addition was sole item on Hopkinton special Town Meeting warrant

Hopkinton had 4,163 students in its public school system during the 2022-23 academic year, with 627 of them attending Elmwood. Those numbers are up from 3,862 and 557, respectively, just three years earlier, according to state enrollment data.

By having the new Elmwood School also house fourth graders, Graziano said the district enjoys a "relief valve" from its recent rapid school population growth.

Should voters approve the proposal at both special Town Meeting and the subsequent special election, the project's design development is scheduled to begin in December and end next April. Construction is tentatively scheduled to take place between June 2025 and December 2027, with a tentative move-in date of January 2028.

Proposal to remove caucus process, party affiliation on ballots

Along with the Elmwood school project, Town Meeting will also tackle a citizens petition that proposes to change the nomination process for town elections.

In Hopkinton, any registered voter can get on the ballot by submitting nomination papers with the signatures of 50 Hopkinton registered voters. But prospective candidates can also qualify by being the top vote-getter in one of the town's political caucuses, or through a combination of the caucuses and nomination papers.

If the proposal before special Town Meeting passes, an article would remove the caucus process and would also remove political party designations beside those on the ballot for town elections.

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In a phone interview, Hopkinton Republican Town Committee Chair Jim Mirabile recognized both sides of the issue. He said the caucus process has value that some may not be aware of, but added that there could be a benefit in eliminating the party process in that it could prompt voters to take a closer look at individual candidates themselves, as opposed to voting along party lines.

The Hopkinton Democratic Town Committee did not respond to requests for comment.

Other items on special Town Meeting warrant

Along with the two articles, Town Meeting voters will also vote on the adoption of the specialized stretch code. The opt-in specialized stretch code is essentially a stricter set of regulations that build upon the state’s existing codes for making buildings more energy efficient. If approved, it would apply to new construction of both residential and commercial properties.

The measure has been adopted by around 20 Massachusetts cities and towns, including Worcester and nearby Sherborn. If adopted, the new regulations would go into effect on July 1, 2024.

Town meeting voters will also vote on the town acquiring three parcels, at 10 Walcott St., 14 Main St. and 0 Main St., as well as construction of a parking lot at 6 Walcott St.

Hopkinton's special Town Meeting will be conducted in open town meeting format and is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 13, at Hopkinton Middle School, located at 88 Hayden Rowe St.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Hopkinton Special Town Meeting Nov. 13 new Elmwood School proposal