On December 15, Hopkinton’s Select Board reviewed the recent Eversource LNG leak at the Wilson Street facility. The board received a detailed update on the Dec. 8 liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipe leak and its impact.

Board members discussed the steps Eversource plans to take before restarting vaporization operations. The board also approved a bundle of consent items and renewed several annual licenses. It granted the Veterans Celebration Committee greater authority to sponsor future Independence Day parades in Hopkinton.

Public Forum

Marie Lascowski of Ashland challenged what she described as misleading statements about the state’s sex offender registry law. She said she contacted the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board. She referenced a letter from one of the board’s attorneys dated December 10, 2025.

Lascowski argued that the police could have provided the Select Board with specific registry details to inform its licensing decisions. She also requested an independent review of police leadership.

Hareendra invited people to a free World Meditation Day event. This will be held at the Hopkinton YMCA on Sunday, December 21, from 9:30 to 11:30 A.M. The session features a live, guided meditation broadcast with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Mr. Shankar is a respected spiritual leader and UN-recognized ambassador of peace. Everyone is welcome—no experience needed.

Karen Crum objected to recent changes to Public Forum procedures. The changes include a cap on the initial comment period and restrictions on repeated comments on the same topic. She said the Public Forum is the primary chance for residents to speak on agenda items. She urged the board to reconsider the changes.

Public Forum Statement from the Chair

The Select Board has begun sharing information and responses to questions and issues raised during the public forums. Chair Clark shared information about matters raised at the following meetings: September 23, October 21, November 4, November 18, and December 2. 

“With the continued comments about swatting and other recent events, the safety of every resident remains our primary responsibility as a town and as a board. We appreciate everyone who has spoken during these meetings and want you to know your concerns have been heard.”

Clark continued, “Through the Town Manager, Select Board members have been in ongoing dialogue with our public safety leaders in the community and at the state level. We anticipate providing a full update at a future board meeting. This will include a discussion of a potential recommendation to have an independent agency review Hopkinton’s public safety and emergency response policies. That concludes our comments for this evening.”

Fire Chief Gary Daugherty gave an update on the Dec. 8 LNG leak

The leak occurred at the Eversource plant on Wilson Street. He said the Fire Department got a 911 call around 9:30 A.M. about a gas leak near 52 Wilson St.

Dispatchers told the crew it was at the plant, so they upgraded their response to a full first alarm. When fire crews arrived, plant staff showed them the leak’s location. Daugherty said firefighters got to work immediately—coordinating vapor suppression, establishing incident command, and initiating air monitoring.

Daugherty also called in the state hazmat team to check neighborhoods behind the facility. They found no gas readings outside the immediate leak area. The response lasted several hours because Eversource had to drain about 1,500 feet of pipe safely. The incident wrapped up around 5 P.M.

Eversource representatives Molly Cullen (community relations specialist) and Jim Blackburn (director of financial gas) also presented information. Blackburn described the facility as Eversource’s largest LNG site in New England, with three storage tanks. The site stores LNG produced in summer months and vaporizes it back into gas in winter to support regional supply. Blackburn said the plant supplies roughly 40% of the gas to NStar customers.

Blackburn said the leak occurred around 9:18 A.M. Operators shut down pumps and started emergency shutdown actions within about two minutes, he said. Initially, they thought it was water. But then, they identified LNG, isolated the line, and called the Fire Department to help control vapors. Blackburn said the facility’s response matched prior drills. These included a tabletop exercise and a full-scale drill conducted with the Fire Department.

The leak occurred on the “uphill” side of Wilson Street, which Blackburn described as the older vaporization and delivery infrastructure. The line involved was installed decades ago and has experienced thermal movement. This is due to extreme temperature swings as the system cycles between ambient temperatures and cryogenic LNG conditions. Blackburn said Eversource had planned to upgrade pipe supports along that line in the summer. He said the incident likely would not have happened if the project had been completed sooner.

Board members pressed Eversource on accountability, routine inspection practices, and the timeline for restarting operations.

Select Board member Matt Kizner asked when Eversource’s internal investigation would conclude. He wanted to understand the changes being made to the facility’s risk profile. Blackburn said the investigation was ongoing and a report would be produced. Initially, it will be for regulators, including the Department of Public Utilities (DPU). He said that Eversource would be willing to review the report with town officials. Blackburn also said Eversource would not release the report publicly due to security and public records concerns. They would, however, share the information in person with designated officials.

Kizner questioned whether routine maintenance should have identified support issues earlier. Blackburn said Eversource’s concern was not with the pipe itself, but with pipe supports and “anchor locations.” He noted that Eversource removed insulation, examined high-stress locations, identified the leak site and another failure upstream, and made repairs. He said other inspected locations were in design condition. Blackburn said Eversource plans to implement a more robust pipe-support inspection program that goes beyond visual inspections from ground level.

Select Board member Brian Herr asked about notification timing and whether the plant followed its documented emergency plan. Blackburn said the plant called the Fire Department about 10 minutes after the leak occurred. After the leak was confirmed, shutdown actions were initiated, and immediate site safety measures were implemented. An emergency response guide was developed in collaboration with the Fire Department and a consultant. The response followed that plan.

Blackburn said the facility was offline for vaporization while repairs were underway. However, other plant operations continued to store LNG in tanks safely. He noted Eversource anticipated restarting vaporization “this week,” pending DPU review. Blackburn said the DPU had visited the site three times the prior week and planned another inspection the next day.

Before moving on, Chair Joe Clark said the update was intended to provide residents with context on what happened. Fire officials said they plan to meet with Eversource for a review next year. They added that the board may be invited to attend.

Consent agenda: licenses and appointments

• A 2026 seasonal population estimate of 18,893 for an annual Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission requirement.
• A farmers market license for Spicy Water Distillery to sell spirits at the Hopkinton Farmers Market on Sundays from Dec. 21 to March 16, 2026, with sampling rules outlined by the state.
• Confirmation of the town manager’s appointment of Christopher Nelson as assistant water and sewer manager. Additionally, Samuel Jack Hammond was appointed as a full-time public safety dispatcher.

Kizner urged a more deliberate approach to staffing requests amid budget pressures. He noted that the board had already agreed to post the positions before the appointments came forward for confirmation.

Veteran’s Celebration Committee expanded to sponsor the July 4 parade

The board voted unanimously to amend the Veterans Celebration Committee’s charge. It now includes sponsoring an Independence Day parade and providing financial support.

The change would allow the committee to use town insurance and funds for costs such as police details. Board members said the modification clarifies that the parade is a town-supported event and helps stabilize future planning. The chair also noted there were two vacancies on the committee and encouraged residents interested in the parade to apply.

License actions: renewals, hours change, and extensions

The board approved a change of manager for the VinBin’s Section 15 all-alcohol retail license from Christina Lombardi to Richard Lombardi. Lombardi told the board he has owned the VinBin locations for about 20 years and said employees complete TIPs training and focus on compliance, including preventing sales to minors. All required background checks were clean.

The board also appointed Charles “Chuck” Wade to the Sustainable Green Committee for a term expiring June 30, 2028, after staff said the committee’s review process supported the appointment.

For annual business license renewals, only a limited number were ready because many required inspections were still pending. The board voted to renew licenses that were complete, including:

• Common victualer-related renewals for South Street Donuts, Dunkin’ Donuts (78 West Main St.), and The Spoonery.
• A Section 15 package store all-alcohol renewal for Marty’s Fine Wines.
• A municipal street license renewal for the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority.
• A Class 2 license renewal for WSAB Enterprise.

The board then considered The Hopkinton Spoon separately because it requested expanded alcohol service hours. State law prohibits alcohol service before 10 A.M. on Sundays, but weekday start times are at the board’s discretion.

After hearing from the Spoon’s owner, the board voted unanimously to renew the licenses and allow alcohol service:

• Monday through Saturday: starting at 8 A.M.
• Sunday: starting at 10 A.M.

The board then voted to extend the remaining annual licenses through January to allow inspections and paperwork to be completed. Members discussed Hop-Yo, which had not applied. The board approved extensions through Jan. 13 and required Hop-Yo to apply by Dec. 31 to use its extension.

Annual Town Meeting warrant opened for May 2026

The board voted to open the 2026 Annual Town Meeting warrant on Jan. 2, 2026, with a closing date of Feb. 1, 2026. The Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for May 2 at the middle school auditorium.

Brian Herr urged residents to be mindful of tax impacts as articles are proposed. He said a recent Town Meeting vote reduced the levy slightly (i.e., lowered the amount by which taxes will rise). Residents should still expect tax bills to rise in January.

A future warrant could cover energy program funds and a possible town EV charging station.

Town manager report: project updates, vacancies, and budget outreach

Town Manager Elaine Lazarus provided a status update on the remaining work for the Main Street Corridor bike lane project. Items still pending include green-painted street crossings, striping and markings, traffic signal activation, signs, bike racks, and a bike repair station.

The board approved posting two positions:

• A DPW heavy equipment operator vacancy.
• A sealer of weights and measures position is described as required for inspections following the prior sealer’s death.

Planned budget listening opportunities were discussed. This includes sessions at the library and senior center, as well as an online budget forum. The online forum drew the most feedback in the prior year.

Next steps

Clark said the board anticipates a future update on public safety matters. This will include the discussion of a potential independent review of Hopkinton’s public safety and emergency response policies. Additionally, the board will continue reviewing license renewals as inspections are completed. They’ll begin a deeper discussion of Town Meeting warrant topics in January.