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 Women’s
Club Candidates’ Night 2010
 by
Michelle Murdock, News Director
May 6, 2010
Candidates on the May 17 election ballot
had the opportunity to introduce themselves to Hopkinton
residents at a recent candidates’ night held on Thursday,
May 6 at the HCAM studio.
Sponsored by the Women’s Club and hosted by Nancy
Clark, the event has become an annual event prior to town
elections.
After the candidates’ opening
statement,
Clark
took questions from the audience.
The first question from resident Muriel Kramer was for
Planning Board candidates.
“The major function of the Planning
Board is to plan,” said Kramer, who wanted to know what the
candidates had planned for Hopkinton if elected.
Several candidates talked about Legacy
Farms, maintaining Hopkinton’s look and feel and continuing
the work in progress of the existing board.
Candidate Dick MacDonald was the only one to reference
the town’s Master Plan.
“The plan is in place,” said
MacDonald, “and we should be guided by the Master Plan.”
Other questions from the audience touched
upon the subjects of regionalization, conflicts of interest,
the next steps for Hopkinton as a green committee and support
for the Board of Public Works.
Most of the questions were directed to selectman and
Planning Board candidates and one for the Board of Public
Works.
One question directed specifically to
selectman candidates Todd Holbrook and Joseph Nealon asked
whether having relatives in the Town Clerk’s office would
pose a problem or conflict of interest, and if the candidates
had considered this.
Holbrook’s wife, Deborah Holbrook, is the Assistant
Town Clerk and Nealon’s aunt is the Town Clerk.
Holbrook responded that he had considered
it and had consulted with the Town Manager prior to taking out
papers, and had determined that no conflict existed.
Nealon echoed Holbrook’s statement that
no conflict existed and said he would step down from the board
if any conflict developed.
“I am forty years old,” said Nealon,
“and I have never told my aunt to do anything and I don’t
think she would listen.”
A question from resident Jane Moran asked
selectman candidates what the next steps were for Hopkinton in
its quest to become a green community, now that the stretch
code had passed at Town Meeting.
Holbrook admitted that he was not a
supporter of the stretch code, but now that it had been
adopted it could be used to market the town as a green
community. Nealon,
initially against the stretch code because he thought it would
be a deterrent to commercial development also said he would
support efforts to promote Hopkinton as a green community.
Ben Palleiko talked about the challenges facing
Hopkinton despite its designation as a green community, but
said he too would support any efforts to market the town as
such. And
John Mosher, chairman of Hopkinton’s Sustainable Green
Committee talked about other energy saving projects that could
be undertaken.
A question directed to the Board of
Public Works candidates asked about the priorities for the
future and what the candidates saw as goals for bolstering the
Department of Public Works.
Candidates Weismantel, Sonnett and Clark
talked about the importance of making sure that existing
projects such as the sewer connection to
Milford
and the construction of the wastewater treatment facility (WWTF)
stayed on track.
Kevin Kohrt mentioned a concern for the cost of the
treatment plant and the importance of pavement management to
maintain roads.
After almost two hours, the candidates’
night came to a close.
All candidates were allowed a closing statement which
summarized their experience, their positions on important
issues and their goals if elected.
All candidates asked for a vote on election day, so
mark your calendar and remember to vote on Monday, May 17 for
the candidate of your choice.
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