With two new members and a new chairman, the Hopkinton Board of Selectmen is off and running with several projects already in the works.

At the Monday, March 24, board meeting, selectmen assigned new committee posts for the upcoming year.

New selectman James O’Brien will be a representative for Planning and Zoning, Greener Hopkinton and Recreation commissions, while fellow newcomer Chris Lawless will be a member of the Conservation and Recycling committees.

Scott Flood will be the board liaison on the Economic Development committee, Tom Congoran on the Roads and Budget committees and George Langwasser will be on the Open Space, Sewer and Senior Recreation committees.

Langwasser, the board’s former chairman, said it will be different being only a board member, rather than the leader of the five-man board.

“I am going to be a good board member and provide all the help and my experience to the other board members, and particularly the new chairman. I’ll be a little more relaxed this year,” said Langwasser.

As the board’s new chairman, Flood said, the position comes with additional responsibilities.

“My expectation is that I look forward to working with the new board and moving the town forward in a congenial fashion,” said Flood.

Langwasser said he looks forward to what Flood will be able to bring to the table for the new selectmen.

“I think he brings some leadership for some newer board members, and he’ll be able to rely on his experience as we face the year ahead,” he said.

One area Flood has been involved with during his time as a selectman is Bio Energy, a topic that will be resurfacing in the near future.

“The reality is the board may not have a lot to do with it given how the permitting happens at a state-wide level,” said Flood. “Now that election and budgets are over, we can spend some time thinking about it. It’s going to take the new members a while to get up to speed on it. Any time you have some knowledge with a subject it makes it easier.”

Another project the board will be taking on over the next month will deal with how much authority the town administrator position will be given. According to Flood, after that restructuring is done, the position, currently interim, will be filled permanently.

The restructuring of the town administrator will also include restructuring how department heads work together with selectmen.

“On a day-to-day basis, it would be helpful to have someone who can address issues that come up, and that person can address it with the department heads. The selectmen can define that position any way they see fit,” said Flood.