Kenneth Hopkins dispelled any question last week that he is running for reelection and what he plans to accomplish in a second 4-year term.

And Barbara Ann Fenton Fung, who he suggested might want to put aside thoughts of running for  mayor, sounded like a candidate when told what Hopkins had to say.

“I like to consider myself the education mayor,” Hopkins said at the outset of a two-hour chat with the Herald Thursday morning that ranged from the observation that community gatherings have regained popularity in the wake of the pandemic with the Veterans Day parade and tree lightings high on the list to plans for Budlong Pool, the proposed $40 million bond issue to complete school renovations, industrial developments on Comstock Parkway, village developments and the prospect for a Costco, which he said is in a holding pattern right now. He added, “I know Costco still wants Cranston.”

His bid for a second term came up when the conversation turned to schools. Hopkins stepped through how the bond money would be spent if approved by voters.

“I want to complete the educational component before my term is up. I want to see it completed,” he said.

But his term comes to an end next December.  How could all of that – new Gladstone and Eden Park Schools being the major projects – be completed in a year?

“These are things I started,” he said. He went on to stress the importance of education for the growth and future of the city.

“The more educated the society, the less burden down the road,” he said. Hopkins defended his first term in office, saying the city has nearly “overcome a budget shortfall we walked into.”  He put that deficit at $12 million, adding “I didn’t throw anybody under the bus,” a clear reference to former Mayor Allan Fung who he didn’t name.

Barbara Ann Fenton Fung had this to say in an email, “One full fiscal year into the Hopkins administration, a period in which he never sought our advice, there was a twelve million dollar deficit.  It seems he did a bit too much frivolous spending on his taxpayer funded SUV and ridiculous office renovations, instead of paying attention to city finances.  We (Barbara Ann and her husband Allan)  are completely embarrassed that we ever supported him - is he lying or is it that he doesn’t show up at work enough to know what’s going on?  Mark him absent from his responsibilities. “

So, how in terms of school projects, is Hopkins  going to make it  happen?

“I’ll be here another four years,” he said.

He is bolstered by the results of a recently completed poll by Joseph Fleming. And what of the possibility, as has been rumored, of a Republican primary with Barbara Ann Fenton Fung?

Referring to his record, he said, “I don’t think the incumbent mayor should even have to deal with a primary…I hope she backs off once she sees our fundraising.” And should there be a primary and he loses or fail to win reelection, “I’m going golfing.”

Sounding like a candidate already, Barbara Ann said, “Sometimes a change in leadership is necessary when a mayor can’t understand basic accounting, tosses programs for people with disabilities to the curb, and squanders once in a generation federal funds.  When Allan left office, Hopkins touted that there was a three million dollar surplus for the end of that fiscal year - Allan’s last budget,” she wrote.