July 11 Select Board Brief

Select Board Approves Application for Development of Affordable Home on Mary Lou Lane, Revision to ARPA

Funding Framework, and Voluntary Contribution Agreement 

with Phillips Academy 

The Andover Select Board held its first meeting of the fiscal year on Tuesday, July 11 in the School Committee Conference Room at the Andover Public Schools Administrative Offices. The Board considered and approved several significant items during the meeting, including an application for the development of an affordable single-family home at 13 Mary Lou Lane proposed by Andover Community Trust, the reallocation of funding received by the Town through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support major community priorities, and a 10-year Voluntary Contribution Agreement with Phillips Academy. 

Complete Streets Prioritization Plan

Town Hosts Complete Streets Prioritization Plan Kick-Off Meeting, Invites Residents to Share Input Through Online Public Comment Map

The development of a comprehensive plan that will guide the creation of safer, more inclusive roadways across Andover was initiated on Thursday, June 29, as the Town hosted its first Complete Streets public meeting. Dozens of residents were on hand at the kick-off meeting held at the Cormier Youth Center to learn more about the program and to contribute suggestions on existing traffic safety challenges throughout the community and opportunities for improvement.

Complete Streets are roadways that make travel safe, comfortable, convenient, and accessible for all travel modes – including walking, biking, transit, and vehicles – for people of all ages, and abilities. The Town of Andover began the process of participating in the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Complete Streets Funding Program last year by adopting a Complete Streets Policy. The policy, approved by the Select Board in October, establishes the Town’s commitment to creating a roadway network that accommodates the needs of individuals using a variety of transportation modes.

The next step to enable the Town's full participation in the program requires the creation of a Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. The plan will draw from input provided by residents and other Town planning efforts, including the Capital Improvement Program, Andover Master Plan, Sidewalk Master Plan, and roadway safety audits to create a roadmap for future infrastructure projects. The plan will identify potential roadway improvement projects, their locations, and estimated construction cost, placing them in a prioritized list based on evaluation criteria.

Following the kick-off meeting, the Town launched an online public comment mapping tool that allows residents to indicate places in Andover where they have observed traffic safety concerns and infrastructure deficiencies. The comment tool will remain open until September 15. Input garnered through the map will be used to help identify priority areas for implementing Complete Streets projects. Add your comments by clicking the link below.

Scenes from the Town of Andover's Fourth of July Celebration

Andover came to life with patriotic spirit on the Fourth of July as hundreds of residents turned out for a morning full of festivities. The celebration began at 8:30 AM at the Robb Center, where the Select Board greeted residents of all ages and served up nearly 500 pancakes. At 10:00 AM, a lively contingent of youngsters and parents formed up for the Annual Fourth of July Spirit Parade, traversing a short but densely-lined route from the front of Town Offices to Whittier Court. The morning-long celebration culminated at the gazebo in The Park at the corner of Bartlet and Chestnut Streets, where a brief ceremony was held featuring a performance by a fife and drum battalion, and a reading of John Adams’ famous letter to Abigail Adams foretelling the significance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Shawna McCloskey of Andover Elder Services Receives Commonwealth Heroines Award

Shawna McCloskey (center) pictured with State Representative Tram Nguyen (left), and State Representative Frank Moran (right) at 2023 Commonwealth Heroines Award Reception.

The Commonwealth Heroines Award recognizes women from across Massachusetts who make unheralded contributions that make their communities and neighborhoods better places to live. Each year, members of the state legislature select one woman from their district to receive the award. This year, Representative Frank Moran nominated our very own Shawna McCloskey of Andover Elder Services for the honor. Shawna was presented with the Commonwealth Heroines Award at a ceremony held at the State House on Friday, June 23.

Shawna has dedicated more than 20 years of service to Andover Elder Services. Through her leadership of the Meals on Wheels and Transportation programs, Elder Services has been able to deliver 236,430 meals and provide more than 40,000 rides to seniors during her tenure. Her compassion and constant willingness to go the extra mile has made an indelible impact on countless seniors in Andover.

“Shawna has gone above and beyond to ensure that our seniors are provided with every accommodation possible to allow them to live a fulfilling, independent lives,” said Representative Moran. “I am grateful to have someone such as her working within our community to provide for our neighbors.”

Andover Recreation Partners With Special Olympics Massachusetts to Host Inclusive Pickleball Tournament

This July, Andover Recreation is organizing a fully inclusive pickleball tournament to bring pickleball enthusiasts and the greater North Shore community together in support of Special Olympics Massachusetts.

The first-ever Andover Unified Pickleball Classic will take place on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at Recreation Park (Pomps Pond) – 147 Abbot Street, Andover, MA, 01810. The inclusive tournament will pair 40 pickleball players and 40 Special Olympics athletes for Round Robin play from 9:00AM – 3:00PM, followed by playoffs from 3:00PM – 4:30PM to name a winning duo.

“This is a great opportunity for our community to come together and see why pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the US," said Director of Recreation Chris Dempsey. "We are very excited to partner with the Special Olympics for the first ever Andover Unified Pickleball Classic."

Summer Music Series Lights Up Downtown Andover Every Thursday Night

Downtown Andover is the place to be any night of the week, but it will be even more lively on Thursday nights this summer thanks to the Andover Summer Music Series. Live musical performances will take place weekly from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM in front of Old Town Hall. 

The series kicked-off on July 6, and will continue through August 24. Round up your friends and head to Andover to experience live music all summer long!

Andover Day Set to Take Place on Saturday, September 23 in Downtown Andover

The date is set for Andover's biggest community event of the year. Mark your calendar and make a plan to head to Andover Day on Saturday, September 23 from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Downtown Andover will come to life with music, entertainment, food, refreshments, and over 200 vendor booths. Main Street will be closed all day for the festivities.

Booth sign-ups are now open for both Andover and non-Andover businesses. Visit the link below for more information.

The Town of Andover is now on Threads, a new text-based social media app launched earlier this month. Connect with us on this platform for another way to remain informed on the latest news from Andover Town Offices and to share your thoughts on Town projects and initiatives.

Andover High School Building Committee and Project Team To Host Community Forum on Schematic Design Process

In June, the Select Board voted to approve the Campus 2 with New Auditorium design for the proposed Andover High School project. The option was previously recommended unanimously by the Andover High School Building Committee and School Committee. Following the Select Board’s approval of the design, the Schematic Design phase has commenced and the project team is working with Andover Public Schools and the AHS Building Committee to better define the scope of the project.

As part of this process, the AHS Building Committee is currently evaluating potential cost-saving measures and added scope items that will be decided during Schematic Design. A detailed overview of these decisions can be found here. Most recently, at their meeting on June 29, the AHS Building Committee voted to remove the parking garage and porous pavement from further exploration.

Members of the community are invited to learn more about the Schematic Design process, design timeline, and project scope items currently under consideration by attending the Andover High School Building Committee's next Community Forum on Monday, July 24^th at 7:00 PM at Memorial Hall Library.

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. 

Behavioral Health Clinician - Police Department

Town Counsel - Town Manager's Office

Maintenance Mechanic - HVAC & Mechanical - Facilities