Monday, May 19, 2025
Polls Open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM at Hopkinton Middle School
No results.
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 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 Shahidul Mannan and I am running for a seat on the Select Board. I have substantial experience with town activities and committees which address Hopkinton’s budget, growth, and school issues.
Currently I am serving on the Planning Board and I have also served on the Growth Study Committee. Recently I was appointed to the Community Preservation Committee as well. In the past, as a member of the town’s Appropriation Committee, I had the privilege of overseeing a balanced budget for seven years, keeping our taxes in check with underrides at a critical time while we had to support our schools and services to match the tremendous growth across town. I have an engineering degree and an MBA in finance. I am a technology professional with executive leadership experience in software and innovation for the last 20+ years.
My wife Nasiba and I came to the US 26 years ago and we are celebrating our 10th year in Hopkinton. We love spending time in our parks, lakes, and beautiful trails, as well as dining in our newly vibrant downtown. We have two children. Ryann is a college junior who attended the Hopkinton schools, worked at the Hopkinton Public Library and the Hopkinton Center for the Arts as a student, and is now studying business at Indiana University. Rayna is a 7th grader at Hopkinton Middle School and enjoys arts and music at the HCA.
I view the Select Board as the town’s critical leadership body, where members need to be engaged and knowledgeable about residents’ priorities and issues. Currently, Hopkinton is undergoing rapid growth, an increase in school size, a diversification of the town population, a revamping of the downtown area, and now Covid 19 related challenges. I will use my town experience in governance and professional expertise in finance to face these challenges. My diverse background, unique budgetary experience, and professional leadership expertise will complement the qualifications of our current board members and strengthen our town leadership. I promise to always listen to town residents‘ priorities and opinions. I will always reach out to new and old residents of all backgrounds because I believe we are one town, one community.
I respectfully ask for your vote in the Town Election 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
It has been my privilege to have served on the Library Board of Trustees, first as a member appointed by the Select Board on the first public board and several times as an elected official. During those terms I advocated for the library and worked with other board members and directors to establish library policies and assure that the library remains a bastion of free speech and is a welcoming place for all citizens of our community.
For the last several years I have been active in the Friends of the Library, helping to raise funds to cover items and programs that the town does not budget for. I look forward to serving the community as a Trustee once again and ask for your support on election day.
Candidate Statement
I am seeking re-election to the School Committee this May to continue to work on behalf of Hopkinton students, families and staff in providing for the educational well-being of all of our students, while still meeting the fiduciary responsibility we hold to the town. Emerging from the pandemic and in the midst of a youth mental health crisis, our students are experiencing greater social and emotional needs and learning gaps than we have seen in the past. They need leadership and advocacy at the School Committee level and collaboration with our town partners to meet them where they are at right now. I believe my background and record of commitment to the town and schools position me best to provide this leadership.
My Background: I have lived in Hopkinton for nearly 25 years and, along with my husband, Neil, moved here before starting our family. We currently have two children enrolled in the Hopkinton Public Schools, one at the Middle School and one at the High School, and two children who are graduates of Hopkinton High School. I have had the benefit of working with the schools in various volunteer roles across all grades over the years, including as a classroom volunteer, an HPTA (now HPTO) Board member, and a Middle School Council member. I also served on the board of eHop and reported for the Hopkinton Independent for over 10 years, many of which were focussed on covering the schools and the School Committee. The lens of my experiences and engagement with the schools sparked an interest in serving the schools in a greater capacity and I was first elected to the School Committee in 2016 with a commitment that I hold dear today to work on the vast array of issues impacting our schools and our students.
I graduated in 1997 with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Boston University and I have spent my professional career working in the mental health field. I am a psychiatric emergency services clinician and I conduct emergency mental health evaluations for youth and adults in the emergency room, the community and in my office. I have seen first hand the devastating impact the pandemic has had on youth mental health and I know some of the effects of the pandemic will continue to ripple through our schools for years to come. I have a history of working collaboratively on the School Committee with our state legislators and community organizations to increase programmatic opportunities and grant funding for our students and I believe such collaboration is especially vital to support our students in this increased time of need.
School Committee Tenure: I have served on the School Committee from 2016-2022 and I believe the breadth and depth of my experiences poises me to provide the leadership necessary on the issues facing our District in the coming years. During my tenure on the School Committee, I have served on many subcommittees, including as the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) liaison, the Hopkinton Youth Commission Liaison, the Irvine Todaro Property Advisory Group, and the Turf Field Oversight subcommittee. I have continued to serve for the past 3 years on the Bridge, which I helped establish, a subcommittee aiming to connect social economic needs of students with resources in the community to decrease barriers for students to focus in school. I am the current chair of the School Committee and I am on the negotiating team currently working on bargaining 3 separate union contracts in the District. I also work with the Budget Advisory Group and I am the liaison to the Select Board. Recently, I became the liaison to the English Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) and I am pleased to be able to work more closely with parents of children who are English language learners. I have not shied away from difficult decisions and complex problems facing our students, and if re-elected, I will commit to continue working on the diverse issues that face the School Committee with the transparency and community engagement that have been hallmarks of my work on the committee.
We know that success for each of our students may look different and even our District’s outstanding state and national rankings don’t tell the whole story. I have shown over my tenure that I am not a one or two issue candidate— I remain committed to diving in with equal passion for the many issues confronting our students and educators today. Here are a couple of issues I want to highlight which will continue to merit attention in the years ahead:
Growth in the District, driven in part by the excellent reputation of our schools, will continue to be a pressing issue for the schools to address, both in terms of our physical plant as well as our operating expenses. Enrollment projections indicate that the Hopkinton Public Schools will welcome an additional 700 students over the next 10 years. The Elementary School Building Committee is currently working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority on feasibility to address the constraints of the Elmwood School. As a School Committee and as a community, we need to look beyond Elmwood to determine how the District can best programmatically and physically meet these needs in a way that the tax payers can afford.
Bullying and bias-related incidents, During the pandemic, we saw an increase, not just on the national landscape, but here in Hopkinton of bullying and bias-related incidents. The divisions we have seen politically have trickled down to our students. The School Committee has been working through a sub-committee this year to update our Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan— all students need to feel safe in school in order to learn and thrive— but we need to increase collaborative work with the community to help increase the culture of inclusion, regardless of race, religion, economic status, gender identification, sexual orientation, ability, political views or other. Hopkinton is stronger when we work together.
Mental Health– Over the past 2 years, our youth have seen an exacerbation of the mental health crisis. I see this first hand at work, and I hear from too many people here in Hopkinton, that students are experiencing increased anxiety and depression and thoughts of suicide. Isolation of the pandemic, coupled with a decreased availability of higher levels of mental health care, has shifted more of the frontline care of our youth to the schools. The School Committee has added positions such as adjustment counselors and a Director of Social and Emotional Learning to help our students, but we need to continue to press forward and increase collaboration with local resources to ensure we are meeting the needs of our students. Additionally, we need to continue to expand opportunities for students to find their own unique paths to success— through increased support of Career, Vocational, Technical Educational offerings at the High School, extra-curricular programming, and hands on skills. Opportunities for students to feel successful in their own authentic interests supports emotional health.
I look forward to the opportunity to speak with more of you directly during the campaign season ahead and I respectfully ask for your vote for School Committee at the May 16 Annual Town Election.