October 16 Select Board Brief

The Andover Select Board met on Monday, October 16 in the School Committee Conference Room at the Andover Public Schools Administrative Offices. The warrant and other logistics of a resident-petitioned special town meeting were central topics of discussion during the meeting. The Board voted to hold the special town meeting on November 20 at 7:00 PM, and added a two-part warrant article seeking funds for schematic design of the full Andover High School building project and an interim approach.

Beyond actions related to the special town meeting, the Board addressed safety concerns at a critical intersection, approved the appointment of a new Chief Assessor, and approved a calendar for the 2024 Town Election and Annual Town Meeting.

Introducing Doug Heim

Andover Welcomes New Town Counsel

This month, the Town of Andover welcomed Doug Heim to the position of Town Counsel. A resident of Andover, Doug brings extensive experience in municipal law and a strong commitment to the community to the position. He most recently served as Town Counsel in Arlington, Massachusetts, a position he held for nearly a decade, providing valuable experience leading a legal department in a comparable community with a Town Meeting form of government.

Andover’s Town Counsel serves as the chief legal adviser to Town Meeting, the Select Board, Town Manager, and all Town Departments, making it a role that impacts virtually every Town function.

The appointment of Doug Heim marks the first time that the Town of Andover has named a Town Counsel since 1990 when Tom Urbelis was appointed to the role. Urbelis retired after 33 years of service to the Town of Andover last month. Following an extensive selection process, Doug’s appointment was recommended to the Select Board by Town Manager Andrew Flanagan and approved by the Select Board on September 18. He began his role on October 10.

Town Accepting Project Proposals for Third Year of Participatory Capital Budgeting Program

Do you have an innovative idea to enhance a public space in Andover, make your neighborhood safer, or expand services offered by the Town? Now is your chance to turn those ideas into a reality.

The Town of Andover is now accepting applications for projects to be funded through the FY2024 Participatory Capital Budgeting program. The program empowers residents to weigh in on how a designated portion of the Town’s capital funds should be spent by submitting proposals for projects or programs in the community. To be eligible for funding, projects must be a one-time expense, and to be on Town property or serve a municipal purpose.

The deadline to submit a project proposal for this year’s program is January 14, 2024. The application is available on the Town’s website at the link below. 

A total of $80,000 is available to fund eligible projects, comprised of general funds appropriated by Town Meeting as part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. 

MBTA Communities Working Group Announces Recommendation for Location of Compliant Multi-Family Housing Zone

On Thursday, October 12, the Town of Andover's MBTA Communities Working Group and Planning Division hosted a community conversation to provide an update on the Town’s process to review and implement the MBTA Communities multi-family housing law in Andover. The meeting provided an opportunity for residents to provide input on the location and other details of a potential zone as the Town prepares to bring a zoning bylaw article to Town Meeting in 2024 to achieve compliance with the law.

The MBTA Communities zoning law requires communities that communities hosting MBTA service, including Andover, create at least one district in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right, meaning that development within the district may take place without the need for a special permit or other discretionary approval. Andover is considered an MBTA community because of the Town’s two commuter rail stations on the MBTA’s Haverhill Line, located in Downtown and Ballardvale.

Thursday’s community conversation, the latest in a long series of public engagement sessions regarding the law hosted by the Town of Andover, came shortly following the Working Group’s vote to recommend a location of a compliant zone.

Town Releases Information Guide on the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail Project

The Haggetts Pond Rail Trail project seeks to improve the existing trail along the western edge of Haggetts Pond to make it more welcoming and usable to all residents. When completed, the trail will be the first town-sponsored ADA accessible trail in Andover.

Throughout the last several months the Town of Andover has conducted extensive outreach to residents and has made a number of changes to the trail's design based on public input received to ensure that the project aligns with the preferences of the community.

For an updated overview of the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail and answers to frequently asked questions about the project, check out our online information guide at the link below.

Town to Host Hazard Mitigation Plan Kickoff Meeting on Friday, October 27

The Town of Andover is committed to making our community more resilient from natural hazards and reducing our overall vulnerability. The Town was recently awarded a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update our Hazard Mitigation Plan. We invite residents and businesses to participate in the first public meeting focused on this project, which will be held on October 27, 2023 at 9 AM virtually on Zoom. Details on how to join the Zoom meeting are available at the link below.

Public input is critical when communities update their local Hazard Mitigation Plans (or HMPs). Andover’s updated HMP will prioritize actions that 1) reduce community risks from natural hazards; 2) benefit environmental justice populations; and 3) implement climate adaptation best practices to address climate change. The plan will focus on natural hazards of greatest concern in Andover and take stock of the resources available to address the community’s greatest vulnerabilities. The HMP will also focus on anticipating the impacts of climate change for the first time.

The first public meeting will provide an overview of the planning process; a discussion of the natural hazards of greatest concern, including but not limited to: floods, winter storms, Nor’easters, hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, dam failures, power outages; an overview of the project goals and critical assets; and conclude with the next steps and discussions. Please email Andover’s Director of Sustainability, Joyce Losick-Yang, at Joyce.Losick-Yang@andoverma.us no later than October 26, 2023, 4:30 PM for additional details and any questions on how you can participate.

Andover Veterans Services Invites Community to Recognition Ceremony for Vietnam Veterans on Saturday, October 21

Andover Veterans Services invites members of the community to attend a Vietnam Veterans Recognition Ceremony on Saturday, October 21 at 12:00 PM at the Andover Youth Center Gymnasium. The event will honor the more than 200 Vietnam War Veterans living in Andover. Boston Bruins Anthem singer, Todd Angilly, will be performing the National Anthem.

The ceremony comes following recent enhancements to Andover's Vietnam Veterans Memorial in The Park, including the addition of headstones for each of the eight Andover residents killed in the line of duty during the War.

Town of Andover Job Board

The Town of Andover is currently seeking qualified individuals to fill various positions within our organization. Learn more about exciting opportunities to join our team and grow your career at the links below, and apply online today. 

Chief People Officer & Human Resources Director - Human Resources
Custodian, Second Shift - Facilities
Maintenance Mechanic, HVAC - Facilities