Monday, May 16, 2022
Polls Open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM at Hopkinton Middle School
Candidate Statement
My name is Nancy Drawe (mostly known by my nickname Punky) and I am a candidate for a seat on the Hopkinton Housing Authority Board. I currently serve as an appointed member to finish a term of a resigned former member.
I was born in Hopkinton in 1954, but my family moved to Framingham after two years. We then came back in 1980 and a few years later, I moved back to Framingham, only to return to Hopkinton in 1991 to Davis Road, where my parents also lived. My two younger brothers and their families also live in Hopkinton.
I really wanted to become involved in the community, so I started out volunteering at the Hopkinton Senior Center as a computer tutor, a member of The Volunteer Advisory Committee and lunch hostess. I also wrote weekly columns about the center in The Hopkinton Independent and Hopkinton Crier, as well as on hopnews.com. I also reported activities from the center on hcam.tv stations weekly news program. I was also a member of the Veteran’s Celebration Committee for many years and I volunteered on the School Council at Center School. Two years ago, I was appointed as a member of the Senior Center’s Council on Aging Board. I love being part of this community and have made many long lasting friendships over the years.
I attended Emerson College in Boston, majoring in Creative Writing. I worked as a pre-school/daycare teacher in Framingham, then as a private nanny until I retired.
As a resident of Hopkinton Housing myself, I have attended most of the monthly board meetings over the last 20 years and have first hand experience in what our needs are. I was previously Vice President of the Brampton Circle Tenants Organization, where our job was to serve as liaisons to report the tenants concerns to the Housing Director and Housing Board members.
Now as a member of the Housing Authority Board, I am able to provide a direct voice and be an active advocate for the other residents. If elected, I will continue to work with the other board members as well as the Housing Director to maintain and improve Hopkinton Senior Housing.
Thank you for your support!
Candidate Statement
My name is Mary Jo LaFreniere and I am running for re-election to the Select Board.
In Hopkinton, we face many challenges as we struggle to accommodate our town’s growth. That’s why I believe that a strong financial and municipal background is so important for a Select Board candidate. In addition to serving on the Select Board, I served for many years on the Board of Assessors. I am a former Massachusetts Accredited Assessor and have served as a professional assessor for the towns of Holliston and Plainville. Here in Hopkinton, I have served as a Commissioner of Trust Funds and on the Tax Relief Committee. I have also had the opportunity to advocate for the town through my service on the Marathon Committee. At the State level, I was District Director for Senator David Magnani.
As a Select Board member, I have been honored to serve as liaison to the Board of Health, Parks & Recreation, Board of Assessors, Sustainable Green Committee, Cemetery Commission, Council on Aging, Tax Relief Committee, and Marathon Committee. As liaison to the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, I was delighted to help bring a wheelchair accessible bus route to the Hopkinton Senior Center.
If reelected I will focus on:
- Successfully completing the Downtown Corridor Project and attracting new business to the downtown area
- Continuing to attract business and industry to South Street and other commercial areas
- Keeping our school rankings high amidst the challenges of a pandemic
- Preserving Hopkinton’s natural resources with a special focus on climate action
- Encouraging the use of our unique open spaces
- Promoting the wonderful programs and resources at the Senior Center
- Helping us to return to a full Marathon each spring!
Our family moved to Hopkinton when our boys were three years old and three months old. Over the years I came to love our friendly town with its strong school system and beautiful natural environment. Now as the town grows, I hope to continue to serve all of our residents, old and new alike, and foster a sense of community so that we can all share the same wonderful Hopkinton experience that my family and I have enjoyed.
I respectfully ask for your vote on Monday, May 16, 2022.
Candidate Statement
My name is Beth Ann Malloy and I am running for the one-year seat on Hopkinton Housing Authority. I was appointed to the Housing Authority last year when a seat became available, and I hope to be able to continue.
I moved to Hopkinton in 1995, joining my husband Mike who bought his first house in town in 1991. We have found Hopkinton to be a very compassionate, safe, and caring community and we have enjoyed both living and working here. After our kids were in full day school I went to work for Hopkinton Public Schools for 9 years, working primarily with our intensive needs students. For the past 12 years I have been employed by the Michael Lisnow Respite Center. I am inspired by my friends there. My husband is a software engineer and has been with Dell/EMC for 25 years. We raised both our children in Hopkinton. Dillon is currently a mechanic at Westboro Toyota. Colleen is a paralegal at a law firm in Framingham.
Our family was very involved in the scout organizations in Hopkinton. I was an Assistant Cub Master for Pack 97. I lead both the girls and boys in our town through scouts. While with the scouts I purchased a program called “Lost in the Woods” from search and rescue. I wrote the script and taught the program to both Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts for many years. I also spearheaded a program we called ‘Hopkinton Helping Hands’. We coupled a Cub Scout Den with an elder citizen in town, offering yard clean ups and friendship. My goal was to bring young families and our elder community together.
Camp Sunshine in Casco ME is an amazing place where I have volunteered for 12 years. Camp Sunshine provides both respite and fun to children with life threatening illnesses and their families. I have generally volunteered for several sessions per year. Volunteering keeps my feet and spirit grounded. I spent many years volunteering with Project Just Because, Serenity House, and CAA and school drama programs. Our family has enjoyed dog rescue by fostering 19 pups, some of whom found homes in town.
I served on the Affordable Housing Fund Committee for 8 years. During this time we worked on adding to our inventory. Working with the Planning Board, we asked that future developers provide the town with units in lieu of cash payouts. I hope to continue to bring my organizational skills, strength, and knowledge to my seat on the Hopkinton Housing Authority. And I look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Hopkinton.
Candidate Statement
My name is Maria Elyse Barrett Mihajloski, Those who know me know me as Elyse, and I am running for a seat on the Hopkinton Planning Board. I am a hard worker, problem solver, and have a history of involvement with the town and volunteer groups in town. As our town continues to grow and change, I believe our board and committee members need to reflect that too.
My husband Todor and I have lived in Hopkinton for 4 years. We live in Downtown Hopkinton with our two children, a 4-year-old son, and a 2-year-old daughter. We very much enjoy the trails and parks around town. We would love to see more thoughtful well-planned growth in the downtown area and are anxiously excited for the corridor project to finish!
I graduated from University of Miami in Psychology and Neuroscience. Before having children, I worked at the University of Miami Hospital doing research in Psychiatry and Biochemistry. I am currently a stay-at-home mom with my two children and am very involved in different volunteer groups and committees around town. I am currently on the Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC), and I serve as a board member for both eHop and the Hopkinton Moms Group.
I believe it is important to have a planning board member who has a slightly different view about the town. As a parent of young children, I can bring this valuable perspective and complement the knowledge and skill sets of the current board members.
I believe my skills of research, critical thinking, problem solving skills and knowledge of various groups in town is a great compliment to the other board members. Being a member of eHop I try to stay up to date on town issues and having served on ZAC I feel I have an adequate background of town bylaws, and how committees are run in town.
Candidate Statement
My name is Anne Beauchamp. I am running as a candidate for re-election to the Hopkinton Public Library Board of Trustees, and would appreciate your vote.
I believe public libraries say a lot about a community and I am proud of how our library represents Hopkinton. I have always depended heavily on my local library; libraries have enriched every aspect and stage of my life. When I moved to Hopkinton in 2013, our library was ‘the little engine that could,’ being much bigger in soul than in physical presence. Thanks to our neighbors’ hard work and voters’ approval, we have a library facility that can embody our library’s mission to “inspire exploration, discovery, and engagement as we enrich and strengthen the social network of our diverse community.” I am excited for the opportunity to continue my work with the Board and the Library Director for the benefit of the community.
I graduated from Smith College and the University of Kansas. At Wellesley Public Schools, I lead equity-focused strategic use of educational data. With a husband and three daughters ages 6, 11, and 14, my main volunteerism has been leading my older daughters’ Girl Scout troops and supporting the troops’ works of community action. I have also been a classroom support volunteer and established and ran an accessible Santa visit event in town.
I would be honored to receive your vote of support in the Town of Hopkinton Annual Election on Monday, May 20, 2024.
Candidate Statement
Hello, for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Connor B. Degan and I am running for re-election as your Town Clerk. I have had the pleasure of serving two successful terms and I am confident that I will continue to respond to the needs of the position with the same excitement that I did on day one. I grew up here in Hopkinton and have watched the Town grow from a small suburb of Boston into a vibrant and diverse community that gains international attention once a year for the Boston Marathon. It is our opportunity to show the world through culture, civic engagement, and a wonderful business community that we are truly living our marathon motto, “it all starts here!”
As a graduate of Hopkinton High School, I went on to Roger Williams University where I obtained my degree in Political Science. Throughout college, I served as staff for a number of political campaigns before deciding I wanted to pursue public service myself. I proceeded to volunteer in the Hopkinton Clerk’s Office for just shy of a year before my predecessor announced her retirement. It was then that I had the opportunity to run for office and the privilege of being elected to serve as your Town Clerk.
The Town Clerk’s Office has many duties including administration of all elections, issuing certain licenses and permits, preservation of the Town’s historic records, ensuring government transparency as the Records Access Officer, codification of our bylaws and charter, just to name a few. The Clerk is also referred to by many as the unofficial “Face of Town Hall” to encourage civic engagement in the community and educate the next generation on the importance of the same. During my tenure I have supported a local Girl Scout project utilizing a mock election to help students learn about the voting process and cast their votes for a “Buddy Bench” for Hopkins School. I have also worked with scout leaders in Town to educate scouts on the importance of community service. I have enjoyed collaborating with eHop to show groups in the Town how they can support the community, I have successfully implemented large scale early voting and safe in-person voting during a global pandemic, navigated re-precincting the Town in a manner that is fair for all residents, and so much more. Thanks to the shared interest within the community, I have even been able to further my passion for voting rights by testifying on progressive election reform on Beacon Hill and signing a letter of support for the passage of the Democracy Restoration Act in DC, that aims to restore voting rights to ex-convicts who have served their sentence and are still deprived of their rights in many states.
Though 2020 impacted us all, I ended it on a wonderfully positive note by marrying the love of my life at a small private ceremony here in town at St John the Evangelist Parish, where I have been a parishioner since moving to town as a child, and an active volunteer for years. I am excited about the future of Hopkinton. I look forward to growing my family here and to continue to be an active member in the community – both personally and professionally.I am so fortunate to be your elected representative for the past two terms. I humbly request your vote on May 16th so I can have the honor to continue my service to the Town of Hopkinton and to the community that makes it the wonderful place it is.
Candidate Statement
Hi. I’m Sue Kurys and I’m running for re-election to the Commissioners of Trust Funds. The Commissioners oversee the disbursement of funds from Trusts bequeathed to the Town. Their principal duty is to ensure that the funds are used in accordance with the wishes of Hopkinton’s generous benefactors.
In addition to my experience from serving as a Commissioner over the last three years, my other service to the Town and community makes me well-qualified for this role. I am Chair of the Hopkinton Senior and Disabled Tax Relief. My service on local nonprofit boards has always been about ensuring donations and grants are used to further each organization’s mission.
I’ve held leadership roles in strategic planning, marketing and finance throughout my business career. My education includes an MBA from Stanford with a certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management and additional coursework in fundraising and philanthropy at BU.
I’ve lived in Hopkinton for over 20 years. The Trusts overseen by the Commissioners embody core values of Hopkinton’s past, present and future – education, community and the beauty of our Town. It would be an honor to oversee the use of these funds for the benefit of all residents. I respectfully ask for your vote for Commissioner of Trust Funds on May 16, 2022.
Candidate Statement
My name is Kyla McSweeney and I am running for a seat on the Select Board.
My husband James and I moved to Hopkinton in 2007 and are raising our children here. Quinn is 14 and in the 8th grade at Hopkinton Middle School, and Sierra is 11 and in the 5th grade at Hopkins.
I am a Director in the State Department of Early Education and Care, where I manage contracts and large grant programs requiring close attention to fiscal and regulatory matters. Formerly I was Director of the Children’s Corner at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. I also have a law degree from Suffolk University and have worked as a public interest attorney.
I have been involved in the town in various capacities in the 16 years I have lived here. I began my service on the Center School Council and then served on the Marathon School Council. I served on the committees in order to support the building of Marathon School and more recently the new Elmwood School. In 2021, I was elected to the Hopkinton Cemetery Commission and served as Secretary, which has familiarized me with the workings of town government. I have also been a Girl Scout leader in town for the past 6 years.
I believe that my fiscal and budgetary experience will be helpful in town budget matters. We have embarked on several ambitious projects in the past years such as the Downtown Corridor Project, a water remediation project, the new Marathon School and now additions to Hopkins and a new Elmwood School. These have tapped our resources, and many residents feel stretched by increasing tax rates. I believe we need to consider our planning with this in mind and think innovatively about how we can increase our revenues outside of raising residential tax rates.
My experience in law and policy has provided me with the ability to listen to different viewpoints and bring people together. Recent events and matters in town have resulted in a division of perspectives. I hope to be able to listen to diverse opinions of Hopkinton citizens and be respectful of the range of perspectives that residents have.
Having served in the role of Director many times and under different circumstances, I have experience attracting and retaining committed and professional employees, and I appreciate the need to do so. I believe we need to continue to seek strategies to attract high caliber candidates, support our town employees, and retain exceptional talent in all areas including public safety.
I feel that our town has much to be proud of including excellent schools, beautiful recreation areas, and a many committed volunteers. I hope to bring my professional experience and history of civic engagement to the Select Board, strengthening our community and applying a fresh perspective to the challenges ahead.
I respectfully ask for your vote on Monday, May 20 at the Middle School.
Candidate Statement
I am Peter M. Mimmo, a lifelong resident of Massachusetts, and I am running for Hopkinton Select Board. I am running for Select Board because I care about our town, and I’m concerned about the challenges facing our community. We all know these challenges, and they are far reaching. They range from a challenging budget to the quality of our water, and to the difficult issues concerning our Police Department. I believe I have the experience and temperament to help navigate our Town through these difficult issues.
Hopkinton has been my home since 2015. My wife Diane and our sons Andrew and Owen moved here from Northbridge where we lived for 14 years. As a Northbridge resident, I was appointed to the Town’s Personnel Board and served for many years. I also was privileged to serve on a Town Manager search committee, and our collaboration and hard work resulted in successfully hiring a Town Manager who worked for Northbridge for 10 years.
After moving to Hopkinton, I sought opportunities to serve my community. In 2022, I was privileged to be elected to our Board of Assessors, and I thank the voters for putting their trust in me. As a Board Member, I have worked with my colleagues and our Town’s professional staff to assure that property in our Town is fairly assessed, and to fairly evaluate applications for tax abatements, and approve applications for tax exemptions for our veterans, seniors, and those experiencing financial hardship. I have seen firsthand the professionalism and openness of our staff when engaged with residential taxpayers.
When I am not serving my community, I am a busy lawyer. I am an attorney with nearly 20 years of experience working for the Commonwealth as a civil litigator. I have worked in health and human services, public safety, and I am currently working for a state agency responsible for enforcing our state’s civil rights laws where I work toward the overarching goal of eradicating unlawful discrimination in employment, businesses open to the public, and in housing. I have dedicated my career to public service, and all of my professional accomplishments have centered around advancing the public interest for all the citizens of our Commonwealth.
Most of my work has been as a labor and employment counsel. In this role, I have conducted multiple investigations into employee misconduct, and defended the decisions of management and have held those employees accountable for their gross misconduct. Alternatively, when management makes a mistake, which does and will always occur, as counsel I would work with representatives of management, labor and the aggrieved employee to bring the matter to a fair resolution.
I have represented the Commonwealth in negotiating collective bargaining agreements with our state’s largest labor unions and resolved countless labor disputes. In this role, I have worked hard to build rapport with union leaders.
In my experience, whether as a municipal volunteer or as an attorney for our Commonwealth, I have come to appreciate some important values that I think are indispensable when serving the public trust. Transparency, honesty and following through on promises made were key to successfully navigating difficult, and oftentimes contentious disputes. Respect given was always respect earned, and I believe these principles apply with equal force to municipal government.
All of my work in public service has been rewarding, and I hope to continue to that service as a member of our Select Board.
I respectfully ask for your vote on Monday, May 20, 2024.
Candidate Statement
Hi, I’m Susan Porter, and I am running as a candidate for reelection to the Hopkinton Public Library Board of Trustees, where I am currently the Chairperson. I would appreciate your consideration in the Town of Hopkinton Annual Election this May.
This has been a trying time for all of us, and the library has certainly not been exempt. Besides the Covid restrictions on hours and patron access, we have had many personnel changes, including a new Director.
Because these changes, I feel that the Board of Trustees needs to maintain consistency and assist the new director, Nanci Hill, in familiarizing herself with Hopkinton and the Hopkinton Public Library. I and the Board look forward to working with her and are excited to see what she will bring to our library. To that end, I am running for reelection.
I have lived in Hopkinton for 46 years. My husband Michael and I raised our daughter Alexis here, and she now lives in town with her family.
I graduated from Boston University and worked as a Surgical Intensive Care Nurse. I retired several years ago from my position as a Health Care Consultant.
Candidate Statement
I’m Ellen Rutter. I’m running for Hopkinton Town Moderator. As your Moderator, I’ll bring a fresh perspective to Town Meeting. Moderator responsibilities include making sure that the Meeting is run according to our laws and Town Charter.
Hopkinton residents make key decisions at Town Meeting — including ratifying our annual ~$100M budget. It is an important forum for residents, committees and employees to help govern Hopkinton!
At Town Meeting in May 2018, I was the Deputy Town Moderator and in February 2019 I served as Acting Town Moderator for our Special Town Meeting. I’ve gotten good feedback on my approach at both meetings.
Throughout my career in marketing, meeting facilitation has been one of my primary responsibilities. In my current job, I facilitate complex meetings for a pharma company. I’ve been regularly recognized for effectively engaging all stakeholders, navigating complex discussions and getting to fair outcomes efficiently. I’m excited to bringing my experience and skills to the Town Moderator role.
I’ve raised my two kids in Hopkinton, where since 2000 we’ve appreciated the fabulous education our schools offer and enjoyed many town programs. My community engagement has included volunteering on my neighborhood board, serving on the board at my church and participating in local politics.
As Hopkinton grows, we need to ensure that all Hopkinton voices are heard. We need to manage our meetings effectively and efficiently. We need to keep Hopkinton moving forward.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and support on May 16, 2022.