Hopkinton Town Election, May 19, 2025, will feature a contested race for the Select Board. Three candidates—incumbent Shahidul Mannan, Matthew Kizner, and Jeffrey Doyle—are vying for two seats. This year’s race will also decide who replaces retiring member Mary Jo LaFreniere.

About the Select Board

The Select Board is Hopkinton’s chief policy-making body. It is charged with establishing town policy, overseeing the town manager, and ensuring that municipal services are provided to the community efficiently and effectively. Members serve three-year terms and are integral in preparing the budget, hiring top officials, and engaging the community around key issues.

HopNews has interviewed all three candidates for the two seats. We will begin in alphabetical order with Jeff Doyle.

Doyle has lived in Hopkinton his entire life, and his family roots go back decades. Our conversation covered his professional background and vision for the Town’s future. Moreover, it provided insight into Doyle’s priorities, values, and approach to public service.

Professional and Personal Background

Doyle is a Sales Director at Trust Cloud, a cybersecurity start-up. Most of his career has been in startup-type environments (read: he is used to working long hours). He highlights his experience teleworking and working with remote colleagues as transferable skills to municipal governance.

Doyle’s family settled in Hopkinton in the 1930s. His grandfather, E. Aubrey Doyle, served as an athletic director. Doyle’s father, Aubrey, is recognized for his contributions to the Historical Society and his involvement with the Green Committee. Doyle’s commitment to Hopkinton runs deep: “I knew,” he said, “well before high school that I wanted to come back to Hopkinton to start a family.”

Main Concerns and Objectives: Fiscal Responsibility

In Doyle’s view, budgeting is the Town’s most significant issue, balancing supporting schools with being fiscally prudent in other areas. He noted the push-and-pull between residents wanting low property taxes and high-quality amenities: “It’s about striking that give-and-take balance to keep the town happy.” Doyle urges the community to consider a longer-term outlook for seniors, future residents, and families with school-aged children.

Water Infrastructure

Doyle is apprehensive about the Town’s water supply. The Town must either build multiple treatment plants or join the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), which will require financial and operational compromises.

Doyle called for as many facts and options as possible. He said a transparent, data-driven approach was imperative: “Let’s get a full picture of the options as quickly as possible so we can make the best-educated decision.”

Business Development and Economic Growth

Doyle lamented that Hopkinton is perceived as not being business-friendly. Doyle recalled the Town’s economic vibrancy during EMC’s heyday. He wants to urge the Select Board to take action to attract new businesses. He even suggested creating a small business development office. Doyle says attracting new businesses is key for the future of Hopkinton.

Community and School Support

Doyle has strongly supported Hopkinton’s schools, saying they are a significant attraction for families. However, he also advocates for examining school spending, just like any other department, to ensure efficiency. Doyle envisions reviving the small-town community spirit he fondly remembers from his youth, with increased support for local sports and events to cultivate a sense of belonging and pride.

Approach to Governance and Decision-Making

Doyle stressed the importance of public service, transparency, and community involvement. He praised the current Select Board members for being attentive and open to differing viewpoints, contrasting with past boards.

When asked how he would approach controversial issues, Doyle highlighted the necessity of gathering all relevant information and making decisions based on facts rather than political pressure or preconceived notions. “You need to gather all the facts; you need all the information available so you can make the best decision with what you have instead of just jumping to a conclusion based on what you think it should be,” he explained.

Personal Values and Community Vision

Doyle’s deep ties to Hopkinton have shaped his desire to help the town thrive for decades. He talked fondly of growing up here and hoped his daughter and other young people would want to stay in Hopkinton. Doyle’s approach is practical and community-minded. It is rooted in tradition but tempered with innovation and fiscal prudence, balanced with investment in the Town’s future.

Doyle’s interview revealed a candidate rooted in Hopkinton’s past and committed to its future. His platform is fairly ambitious without being particularly ideological and well-drawn enough to leave itself open to fiscal prudence, infrastructure, community investment, and business opportunities.

Doyle’s focus on transparency, data-driven decision-making, and public service makes him an informed, pragmatic observer and candidate for the Select Board.