Town of Hopkinton

Personnel Homepage

Human Resources Dept. Online

Maryrose DeGroot
Human Resources Director

This Committee administers the Town’s personnel policies, as found in the Town’s Personnel By-Laws. Requests for changes in job descriptions, or for the establishment of new positions are brought to the Committee for its approval and subsequent Town Meeting action. Changes in rates of pay for Town employees who are not covered by collective bargaining agreements are recommended yearly, and voted on at the Annual Town Meeting in May.

The Committee developed a new and more comprehensive Salary Administrative Plan in 2001. The plan addresses deficiencies in the old SAP by bringing all job descriptions up to date and fairly compensating the team employees by establishing pay ranges based on those descriptions. The Committee also began the process of building a professional personnel department by hiring a part-time Personnel Director.

Comments & Questions
	The Personnel Committee schedules meetings the LAST Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm and more often if needed. If you have an issue for the Personnel Committee please contact the Personnel Department directly at 508-497-9769 or email maryrose@hopkinton.org. Current Vacancies in the Town of Hopkinton.
Mission Statement
	To create new, and improve existing, personnel policies and procedures that foster a team approach for all departments as they work to serve the citizens of Hopkinton. Moreover, we strive to create an environment that encourages employee feedback.

This is a five member board and members are appointed for staggered three year terms.

Seasonal Employment Application Summer 2008
(PDF File)

Committee Members

Dr. Ezat Parnia, Chairman
Ezat was appointed to the Personnel Committee in June, 2002. He is the Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment Management as well as professor of management at Cambridge College. Ezat has designed a number of management development programs for leading corporations and provided consulting services to a number of not-for-profit organizations. Prior to his tenure at Cambridge College, Ezat was the program director of the Professional Development Programs at the University of Hartford where he was responsible for the design and delivery of management development programs. Ezat received his BA from the Institute of Political Science; his Master of Public Administration degree from University of Hartford, Master of Arts and Doctoral degrees from Claremont Graduate University.

Kathy Laflash
Kathy has been a member of the Personnel Committee since 1995. During her tenure, she has negotiated progressive labor agreements and has been involved in the hiring of many positions in town including Fire Chief, Police Chief, DPW directors as well as Police Officers and the promotions of Sergeants at the Police Department. She is an employee of NSTAR Gas and has been a labor representative for the bargaining unit for 25 years, currently 9 years as the President. She brings her open-mindedness and labor resources to the committee. Kathy was born and raised in town and lives with her husband Jim and son Matthew, who is the 8th generation to live in Hopkinton.

Bob Levenson
Bob joined the Hopkinton Personnel Committee in 2005. He has been in the field of Human Resource Development since 1988, holding positions in Human Resource Management, Training and Development, and Leadership and Executive Development with Data General Corporation, Liberty Mutual Group, and EMC. Bob is currently the Director of Global Talent Development for Millipore Corporation. Prior to his career in HR, Bob spent several years in social services, working with mentally retarded adults for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, and in the Massachusetts State Prison in Walpole for the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. Bob has a BA in Political Science from Boston University, and an MBA with a concentration in Organizational Studies from Boston College. He has lived in Hopkinton with his wife Maura and their 3 children, Patrick, James, and Claire, since 2000. Bob is a member of the Hopkinton Marathon Committee and the organizing committee for the Sharon Timlin Memorial Road Race to Cure ALS.

Thomas Sheridan
Tom Joined the Hopkinton Personnel Committee in 2007. Tom is currently the Director of Human Resources for Bluelinx Corporation a Fortune 500 Wholesale Building Products Company based in Atlanta. Tom is responsible for all Labor Relations for over 40 bargaining units as well as all Field HR and Safety in the United States. Tom has served as the Director of Corporate Staffing and Labor Relations for a major airline (Midway Airlines) and he has also worked in the Senior Human Resource role for a publicly traded Cable TV and Telecommunications company. Besides his 20 years in Human Resources, Tom's business operations background includes running major airport operations for both Continental and Northwest Airlines. Tom and his wife Lori have lived in Hopkinton since 1998 with their son Connor a Junior at HHS and daughter Lauren a 6th grader at Hopkinton Middle School.

Maryrose DeGroot, Human Resources Director
Maryrose began her employment with the Town of Hopkinton in July of 2007. She brings to the position nearly10 years of human resources experience. Prior to her current position she worked as a consultant specializing in the staffing of engineers and high level IT people Maryrose’s experience also includes work in the construction industry, and was employed as the Human Resources Manager at Next Generation Children’s Centers. In addition to being certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Society of Human Resources Management, Maryrose received a dual Bachelor degree from The State University of New York, College at Cortland and a Master’s degree in Human Resource Administration from Framingham State College.

Updated: 04/29/08