Select Board Meeting Brief
Board Receives Update on FY 2024 Budget Recommendation, DEI Efforts, and Continues Review of Town Meeting Articles
The Town of Andover’s ongoing efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion, and the Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal were among the topics of discussion as the Select Board gaveled-in on Monday, February 27 at the Robb Center’s Lifelong Learning Room. The meeting also saw the continuation of the Board’s review of warrant articles for the upcoming Annual Town Meeting, as recommendations were issued on eleven articles.
MBTA Community Conversations
Town Kicks-Off Public Engagement on MBTA Communities Zoning Law
The Town of Andover’s Planning Division is in the initial stages of evaluating new multi-family zoning requirements for MBTA communities, and is calling on residents to join the conversation on Wednesday, March 1 to help define what the process will look like in Andover.
The MBTA Communities zoning law, enacted as part of a 2021 economic development package, requires communities that host MBTA service, or that are adjacent to communities hosting MBTA service, create at least one district in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right with a density of at least 15 units per acre.
Andoverma.gov Redesign
Town of Andover Launches New Website
If you’ve visited andoverma.gov in recent days, you’ve likely noticed that the site has a new look. Following a comprehensive redesign process, the Town launched a fully updated website on February 14, intended to be more user-friendly, accessible, and responsive.
Recognizing that the website is often the first stop for residents seeking municipal services or information about Town government, a working group comprised of staff from the Town Manager’s Office and Information Technology, and consultants from the Town’s website vendor, CivicPlus, began a wholesale assessment of the Town’s website in 2022. The priority during the redesign effort was to ensure that the site aligns with the current standards and usage patterns of Town residents. Website analytic data, user feedback, and best practices identified among other municipal websites were considered to achieve this goal.
Robb Center Welcomes New Chef
Jim Swasey Joins Andover Elder Services as Manager of Food and Nutritional Services
The Robb Senior Center’s kitchen is a focal point of the recently renovated home of Andover Elder Services. One of the few full commercial kitchens within a senior center in Massachusetts, it is a bustling hub of activity during all hours of the Center’s operation as staff and volunteers prepare food for on-site meals, home delivered meals, catering services, and special events.
Beginning this month, a new Chef is behind the counter of the busy kitchen as Jim Swasey joins Andover Elder Services as Manager of Food and Nutritional Services. With more than 25 years in the culinary world under his belt, Swasey has hit the ground running in his early days in Andover and is looking forward to leveraging his unique experience to expand nutritional services and programming at the Robb Center.
EV Infrastructure Comes to Downtown Andover
Town Opens Electric Vehicle Charging Station at 89 Main Street
The Town of Andover is making strides in contributing to the expansion of the region’s electric vehicle infrastructure. Last week, the Town announced the opening of its first publicly accessible Electric vehicle (EV) charging station, located Downtown in the parking lot at 89 Main Street.
Use of the Level 2 charging station, which will be open 24 hours a day, costs $1.50 per hour, with an additional charge after the first four hours. Two vehicles can charge from the station at a time. Users can reserve time and pay through the ChargePoint App, or by credit card.
The charging station was funded by a $48,518 grant secured by the Town of Andover through the state’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (MassEVIP).
Andover Winter Fest 2023
Residents Take to the Shore of Pomps Pond for a Day of Winter Festivities
In recent years, Andover Winter Fest has taken place atop a frozen Pomps Pond. Despite a spell of unseaonably warm weather preventing the Pond from freezing in time for the annual tradition this year, Winter Fest 2023 went off without a hitch. On Sunday, February 19, hundreds of residents came out for a day of fun winter activities, including Saint Bernard-pulled sleigh rides, ice harvesting lessons, a turtle tracking exercise led by Zoo New England's Field Conservation team, and a live water rescue demonstration by Andover Fire Rescue. The event was hosted by the Conservation Commission and Andover Recreation, and made possible by a long list of volunteers and sponsors.
Scholarship Opportunity With A Historic Connection
Trustees of the Punchard Free School Accepting Scholarship Applications
Established in 1851, the Trustees of the Punchard Free School have provided educational support to Andover students for over 170 years. Initially chartered to oversee the construction of a public high school funded by the bequest of Benjamin Punchard, the mission of the Trustees has evolved since its founding. Today, the Trustees maintain and administer two separate funds for the support of the Andover High School; one that supports the post-high school education of AHS seniors, and another that supports clubs and special projects at the school.
The deadline for graduating AHS seniors to apply for a scholarship from the Trustees of the Punchard Free School is April 2, 2023. Applications can be submitted online at: www.andover.dollarsforscholars.org.
Topping Off Ceremony
Community Invited to Celebrate Milestone in West Elementary and Shawsheen Preschool Project
On Friday, March 10 at 10 AM, the final steel beam will be raised to form the structure of the new West Elementary and Shawsheen Preschool in a “Topping Off Ceremony.” Members of the community are invited to join Andover Public Schools and the Town of Andover to commemorate the milestone. The event will be held at the school building site, located at 58 Beacon Street, Andover, MA.
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