Panel recommends finalist for town administrator

Select Board · Meeting of October 26, 2026

Hopedale's search committee recommended one finalist for town administrator after reviewing 44 applications. Committee chair Jennifer Damon said the panel rejected using an outside search firm because it would draw from "the same pool" and could require a far larger salary to lure a candidate from another town. The Select Board separately accepted $111,360.99 in donations, appointed Stephanie Leclerc as full-time treasurer and collector effective Nov. 13, and approved Joseph LeClaire as a full-time firefighter and EMT effective Nov. 2.

Member Carole Mullen raised concerns that a $40,000 Collins Center efficiency-study contract may have been signed with no identified funding source, saying, "I don't understand how we would sign a contract when we didn't have the money lined up." The board opened the warrant for a Nov. 17 special town meeting.

In the full story:

• Consent Agenda: Donations and Appointments
• New Business: Special Town Meeting Warrant and Town Counsel Rate
• Town Hall Parking, Condo Fee and Maintenance Concerns
• Old Business: Town Hall Surplus Property
• Streetlight Conversion Study
• Town Administrator Search Committee Report
• Board Member Updates: Ball Fields, Route 16 Property and Website
• Collins Center Efficiency Study Funding Question
• Future Agenda: Draper Complex Rezoning Discussions
• Lot A Pavement Regrind Disposal
• Executive Session: Rossidi Litigation
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,800 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of October 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.