Brigette Peterson prides herself on building strong, long-lasting relationships in her professional and personal lives, dating back to her days growing up in Marlborough and Hudson.
“I was always kind of involved,” the 1982 Hudson Catholic High School graduate said of her community involvement in Marlborough and Hudson. “I couldn’t go anyplace where I didn’t know somebody.”
Being stopped at the grocery store or the football field changed only briefly when Peterson and her husband, Mark, moved west to the rapidly growing central Arizona town of Gilbert in 1995.
After a few years of learning about and volunteering in the community, Peterson ran for a seat on the town’s Planning Commission, a role she held for 14 years. She took the next step in her political career in 2014 when she was elected to Gilbert’s town council. Peterson served two terms before resigning last March to run for mayor.
HUDSON Hudson hit the century mark for new coronavirus infections last week, the highest number of new cases in a single week since the outset of the pandemic.
An even 100 residents tested positive for the virus between Dec. 28 and Jan. 3, three more than the previous weekly high of 97 new infections during the week of Dec. 14-21, according to the Board of Health’s weekly update.
The town has tallied 929 total cases since March. Of those, 110 remain active, 815 have recovered and four have died, according to the Board of Health.
Hudson has set new highs in number of weekly cases several times since mid-November as cases in town, the state and country surge.
HUDSON It will be a busy start to the new year for the Board of Selectmen.
Board members at their first meeting of 2021 on Monday are slated to schedule a public hearing to allow residents to share input on the board’s desire to change its name from Board of Selectmen to Select Board, begin the fiscal 2022 budget process and consider supporting the Hudson Cultural Alliance’s bid for a $200,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to purchase the armory.
Select Board?
The board in December requested Town Counsel Aldo Cipriano to look into how to make the change from Board of Selectmen to Select Board. Selectman John Parent suggested the change, saying it would send a positive message of inclusion to the community.
MARLBOROUGH Several key issues will likely go before the City Council in 2021, including zoning to attract more life sciences companies to Marlborough, a proposed 140-unit apartment complex at the former McGee Farm and the annual city spending plan.
City Council President Michael Ossing outlined some of the significant measures expected to come before the council in the new year.
Life sciences
The city already has a strong reputation as a hub for life sciences companies, but Marlborough leaders plan to strengthen that distinction in the coming year.
Ossing anticipates new zoning will come before the council to make Marlborough even more attractive for life sciences companies to move to the city.