PRST-STD U.S. Postage PAID Hopkinton, MA 01748 Permit No. 109 ECRWSS Postal Patron
HOPKINTON INDEPENDENT Vol. 24 | No. 20 | September 27, 2023
Select Board addresses police hiring controversy By Jerry Spar Managing Editor
T
PHOTO/
KICKING IT
Hopkinton High School soccer player Georgie Clarke dribbles past an Ashland defender during their game Sept. 5. The Hillers, one of the top teams in Eastern Massachusetts, opened the season with six straight wins. See story. Page 22.
Cast and crew members prepare to film a scene at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts for the movie “Atomic Poop.”
H
aving just retired after a successful 30-year career in the television industry, Bob Gilbert — producer of “Ask Bob” and “Let’s Talk” and vice president and general manager of WABU-TV Boston — had plans, which included travel, fun with friends and working on the fixer-upper he and wife Susan Scannell Gilbert recently had purchased in Hopkinton. Two weeks later, COVID struck … and plans changed. “Everything just shut down, you know? And I got bored pretty quickly,” Bob said.
Police | 16
INSIDE
Movie magic for local couple By Courtney Cornelius Contributing Writer
he police hiring controversy dominated much of the Sept. 19 Select Board meeting, as members held a discussion with Chief Joseph Bennett about the department’s policy and how board members could become more involved. The controversy started at the Sept. 5 meeting, when members voted 4-1 to delay the promotion request for two Hopkinton Police Department officers to the rank of sergeant. During the public forum portion of the Sept. 19 meeting, Officer Nick Walker, representing the police union, noted the department’s staffing issues and accused the board of making the situation worse. “Since December of 2020, the Hopkinton Police Department has lost 17 members,” Walker said. “Only one of those officers retired. Fourteen of them are active law enforcement officers in other agencies to this day. They chose
COMMUNITY
Health Dept. shuts down home-based food operations
14
NEWS
Elderly man rescued but dies 4 days later
17
SCHOOLS
Proposed new building in line for additional reimbursement
19
Movie | 8
SOLD $60,000 OVER ASKING
Thinking of Making a Move? Call Kim!
22 Kimball Road, Hopkinton Springwood Estates 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath
508-808-1149
Hff
FOEMMEL Fine Homes
Scan to get the value of your home
22KIMBALLROAD.COM
Sold for $1,150,000
Kim Foemmel •• 1 Lumber Street, Hopkinton •• FoemmelFineHomes.com