A joint meeting between the Hopkinton School Committee and Select Board on Thursday night exposed a divide over governance and process. The debate centered on one question: should the School Committee have approved $1.8 million in Loop Road paving without a vote at the Annual Town Meeting?

The School Committee says yes. The Select Board agrees, but only on the narrow legal question. By a 3-2 vote, the Select Board concluded that the School Committee acted within its legal authority. But the majority argued that legal authority and sound practice are not the same thing. Spending nearly $2 million without a Town Meeting vote, they warned, sets a dangerous precedent for how public funds are managed in a town governed by Town Meeting. Several Select Board members also noted the practical reality: if this project were put to a vote, it would almost certainly pass.

What Happened

The School Committee voted at a previous public meeting to approve a change order for the paving of Loop Road. The funds would come from leftover funds from the Hopkins Elementary School renovation project budget (finished under budget). That original project was authorized at a previous Town Meeting.

The Loop Road connects Hayden Rowe to the rear of the Hopkins and high school campus. It is used daily by students, buses, and parents. Both boards agree that the Loop Road needs repair.

School Committee Chair Kyla McSweeney called the joint session to explain the decision and answer questions. Select Board Chair Joe Clark, Vice Chair Shahidul Mannan, and Matt Kizner attended in person. Members Brian Herr and Amy Ritterbusch joined remotely.

The School Committee affirmed its decision at the start of the meeting. It was not putting the change order up for reconsideration.

The School Committee’s Case

Chief Financial Officer Susan Rothermich walked both boards through the history and rationale. Rothermich noted that the Loop Road was last repaired in 2013 under its own Town Meeting article. That repair covered approximately 1,100 feet from Hayden Rowe down the road. The engineer at the time estimated the work would have a lifespan of 14 years, bringing it to 2027.

Ten core samples were taken across the road as part of the Hopkins project assessment. Some samples showed a thinner pavement profile than expected. Part of the road was already failing, including an area that overlapped with the 2013 repair.

The School Committee: several factors made acting now the right call

First, a portion of the Loop Road was already included in the Hopkins project scope. Stopping at the edge of that section and returning a year later to finish the job would mean bringing contractors and supervisors back at a high additional cost.

Second, modular classrooms are scheduled to be relocated over the same stretch of road. Moving heavy equipment over freshly repaved asphalt is a problem. Moving it over a deteriorating road is also a problem. Doing both at the same time adds complications.

Third, heavy construction vehicles have been using the Loop Road for two years as part of the Hopkins project. That traffic accelerated the road’s decline.

The School Committee obtained legal guidance from its school council. Separately, the town’s own legal counsel was consulted. Both, according to the School Committee, confirmed that the change order fell within the authority granted by the original Town Meeting article for the Hopkins project.

Select Board Questions Whether Legal Authority Justifies Bypassing Town Meeting

The Select Board’s response was split, though a majority expressed serious reservations. Select Board member Matt Kizner was direct. He said he would have supported the project enthusiastically if it had come to Town Meeting. He acknowledged the legal authority to approve the change order. But he questioned whether legal authority and the right course of action were one and the same.

“We were so focused on if we could, we did not ask if we should,” Kizner said.

He called the decision a circumvention of the town’s capital expense process and said the community would not be pleased at being shut out of a nearly $2 million spending decision. He noted that the Loop Road had come before Town Meeting in the past, including the 2013 repair, and argued there was a clear precedent for doing so again. Kizner added that if the project had gone to Town Meeting, it would almost certainly have passed.

Select Board Chair Joe Clark echoed those concerns. He said the process for approving capital expenses in Hopkinton is through the Annual Town Meeting. He noted that the community had already been asking questions about the decision. Clark said he did not feel comfortable with residents not having a say in how roughly $2 million gets spent, particularly with a tight budget year ahead.

Clark also pointed out that the Annual Town Meeting warrant had been open as recently as January. He said articles are added to the warrant regularly before all details are fully resolved, and asked why this project was not included.

School Committee Cites Timeline in Defense of Decision

School Committee members responded that the timing did not allow for it. They said the Conservation Commission (ConComm) process was not completed until January or February. If ConComm had added requirements, summer paving would not have been possible. They also said the project costs were still moving targets as the renovation was underway.

Clark pushed back. He said other articles are placed on the warrant without final numbers and are refined up until Town Meeting in May.

Select Board member Brian Herr noted that the 2013 Loop Road work was its own separate Town Meeting article, establishing a precedent for community oversight. He said he fully supported fixing the road but believed residents deserved a vote.

Herr also raised the idea of going even further. He suggested that if a special town meeting were convened, the scope could include the adjacent parking lots, which are also in rough condition. Rothermich noted that adding the parking lots would require returning to the ConComm for additional permits, which would risk the entire summer timeline. The parking lot idea was set aside.

Vice Chair Shahidul Mannan took a more measured position. He said he understood the rationale and saw the practical benefits. He accepted that both legal counsels agreed the action was within the original authorization. But he said the situation offered a lesson for the future. He suggested that the town consider establishing clearer thresholds for change orders and that the charter committee might be worth engaging on the question.

Select Board member Amy Ritterbusch said she was comfortable with the explanation. She confirmed that both the school council and the town council agreed that the project was within the four corners of the original article. Ritterbusch raised the possibility of a special town meeting held within the Annual Town Meeting, but said she was not advocating for it. She called it an option if others felt strongly.

The Vote

Select Board Chair Clark called for a formal vote to capture the board’s position on record.

The motion, as approved, supports the School Committee’s decision to issue a change order using existing funds within the four corners already approved at a previous Town Meeting.

The vote was two to three against. Voting yes: Mannan and Rush. Voting no: Clark, Kizner, and Herr. The vote was non-binding. The School Committee retains the legal authority to proceed with the change order and has affirmed it will do so.

What Comes Next

After the Select Board adjourned, the School Committee continued discussing the matter among themselves.

School Committee members said they did not believe they had done anything improper. They noted that the expenditure was voted on at a properly noticed public meeting. Residents had the opportunity to attend and speak at that time.

Several members expressed openness to exploring whether a special article could be added to the May 2 Annual Town Meeting. That process would not require a separate town meeting and would not add significant cost. The School Committee was unsure whether the timing would work.

Susan Rothermich said she planned to attend the next Select Board meeting on Tuesday to continue the conversation. The School Committee closed the discussion by moving on to other agenda items.

Other Business

The rest of the meeting covered a full agenda.

Superintendent Evan Bishop presented his Entry Findings after nearly nine months in the role. Bishop described a district that is strong and academically high-performing. However, it has grown faster than its systems have kept pace.

He identified six themes from his listening process. They include: growth and system alignment, teaching and learning, behavior and mental health, communication and trust, expanding student readiness, and resources and facilities. In addition, he said a five-year strategic plan would begin development this summer.

New Hires

Bishop also announced the hiring of Amy Davenport as the next principal of Hopkinton High School. Davenport currently serves as principal of Westwood High School. She will begin on July 1.

The committee voted to approve Bishop’s appointment of a new Director of Student Services. They also approved a new Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, both contingent upon successful contract negotiations. The names are redacted from the public agenda pending those negotiations.

Donations

The committee accepted two donations. Junfu Zhang and Xue Song donated a Fender Deluxe Reverb guitar amplifier valued at $1,025 to the high school. The Hopkinton Parent Teacher Organization donated a Fender Rumble guitar amplifier and a Boss Katana bass amplifier. Its value is $1,014 to the middle school jazz band.

They approved installing a tray washer at Hopkinton High School. The washer will be paid from the food service revolving account.

In addition, they approved a $67,888 contract with Atkinson Carpet and Flooring. This is to replace flooring in 10 classrooms at Hopkinton Middle School. That approval is contingent on passage of the FY27 budget at the Annual Town Meeting.

The committee also approved the final travel for the Business Professionals of America team. They will attend the National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee from May 6 to 10. Also approved are travel expenses for the HHS Robotics team. They are competing in the VEX Worlds competition in St. Louis, Missouri, from April 20 to 25. Good luck to the Robotics Team!

The consent agenda was approved. It includes thirteen financial warrants totaling more than $9.7 million in capital, operating, and payroll expenditures. This, in addition to the TEC Quarterly Report and the minutes from the February 26 regular meeting.

Next Meeting

The next regular School Committee meeting is scheduled for April 9, 2026.