2014 Annual Town Report
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22001144 AANNNNUUAALL TTOOWWNN RREEPPOORRTT TTOOWWNN OOFF AANNDDOOVVEERR M A S S A C H U S E T T S TOWN OF ANDOVER 2014 ANNUAL REPORT PREPARED BY THE TOWN MANAGER PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 40, SECTION 49 OF THE GENERAL LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS AND ARTICLE II, SECTION 4 OF THE GENERAL BY-LAWS OF THE TOWN OF ANDOVER TOWN OF ANDOVER BOARD OF SELECTMEN 2014 2014 Board of Selectmen, from left to right: Paul J. Salafia; Brian P. Major; Mary T. O’Donoghue; Alex J. Vispoli; Daniel H. Kowalski, Chairman; and Reginald S. Stapczynski, Town Manager The Town of Andover, more than a place to live, is a way of life. Its legacy of democracy shall be preserved. Each citizen should experience the treasures of nature, history, individual respect, neighborhood, and learning. As resources and energy allow, each of these gifts from the past will be enriched in the present for those yet to be. Vision Statement of the Board of Selectmen BOARD OF SELECTMEN Term - 3 Years Elected by Citizens in March Member Date of 1st Appointment Term Expires 1. Daniel H. Kowalski, Chairman March 2012 March 2015 24 Enfield Drive 978-809-3444 dkowalski @andoverma.gov 2. Brian P. Major, Vice Chairman March 1997 March 2015 11 Odyssey Way 978-470-3428 [email protected] 3. Paul J. Salafia, Secretary March 2011 March 2016 283 South Main Street 978-475-3462 [email protected] 4. Mary T. O'Donoghue March 2014 March 2017 69 Salem Street 978-337-8159 [email protected] 5. Alex J. Vispoli March 2004 March 2016 7 Alison Way 978-475-7661 avispoli@andovem1a. gOY TABLE OF CONTENTS BOARD OF SELECTMEN 1 TOWN MANAGER . 3 DIRECTORY OF DEPARTMENTIDIVISION HEADS... 9 DIRECTORY OF COMMITTEES & BOARDS. 10 FOUNDERS' DAY . 13 ELECTED STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS 17 HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? 18 FINANCE & BUDGET 21 ASSESSORS . 21 CENTRAL PURCHASING 22 COLLECTOR/TREASURER. 23 TOWN CLERK 26 TOWN COUNSEL 29 HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT 31 POLICE DEPARTMENT 32 ANIMAL CONTROL. 34 DETECTIVE DIVISION 33 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 35 OPERATIONS DIVISION 32 RECORDS DIVISION 32 TRIAD 35 FIRE RESCUE 38 MUNICIPAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT 43 PLANT AND FACILITIES DIVISION 43 BUILDING MAINTENANCEIELECTRICALIMECHANICAL FACILITIES SERVICES 44 FORESTRY ..... 47 PARKS & GROUNDS . 48 SPRING GROVE CEMETERY 47 VEHICLE MAINTENANCE 48 PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION ... 52 ENGINEERING .. ... 52 HIGHWAY .. ... 53 WATER TREATMENT PLANT 54 MEMORIAL HALL LIBRARY 61 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 63 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING 64 BUILDING DIVISION 64 CONSERVATION DIVISION 66 ELECTRICAL INSPECTION 65 HEALTH DIVISION 68 PLANNING DIVISION 71 ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 74 DIVISION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES. 78 DIVISION OF ELDER SERVICES . 83 DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES. 87 VETERANS SERVICES 91 SCHOOL DEPARTMENT 96 GREATER LAWRENCE TECHNICAL SCHOOL . 104 COMMISSION ON DISABILITY 106 PRESERVATION COMMISSION 107 HOUSING AUTHORITY 109 JOHN CORNELL FUEL ASSISTANCE FUND 111 MARGARET G. TOWLE FUND 111 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 112 PUNCHARD FREE SCHOOL 131 TOWN MEETING MINUTESIELECTION RESULTS. 137 TOWN OF ANDOVER Town Offices 36 Bartlet Street Andover, MA 0 I81 0 978-623-8225 www.andoverma.gov Dear Fellow Andover Citizens: It has been my pleasure and honor to have served you as Chainnan of the Board of Selectmen over the past year. 2014 has brought continued challenges, transition, and progress to our Town. While some things were unexpected, and others well planned, the Town has met them all with a unified sense of mission and commitment to community. Here's just a few notable things that happened last year: In the area of major Town projects, 2014 was a very busy year. Projects included the successful completion and opening ofthe new Bancroft Elementary School; groundbreaking and the start of the Cormier Family Youth Center; and a renewed and refocused effort to address the needs of the Ballardvale Fire Station. The Board of Selectmen also initiated and carried out a thoughtful and deliberate process for considering the needs for a new Municipal Services facility, as well as evaluating the various options for either relocating the various public works functions on a number of Town-owned and private parcels of land, or redeveloping the existing site on Lewis Street. Although ultimately the Board did not converge on a best course of action during this recent round of discussions and review, our due-diligence efforts this past year helped to fm1her define the associated issues, objectives and options for addressing this complex subject. The Board also dealt with the very controversial Tennessee Gas pipeline expansion project being proposed by national energy giant Kinder-Morgan that would carry natural gas from Pennsylvania to n011hern New England. Their initial plan proposed routing a lateral line through a large portion of Andover, impacting the Town's water protection district, conservation lands, and public schools. Through the Board's leadership and advocacy efforts, which included conducting public meetings and identifying alternate routes, the Town was successfully able to 1 persuade Kinder-Morgan to revise their plans and to redirect their proposed pipeline in a way that significantly reduced the impacts to Andover. Other smaller but none-the-less important items include: merging the Town Accountant's Office into the Department of Financial Services, along with reorganizing the Town Accountant's and Assistant Accountant's positions to include new internal auditing functions; promoting enhanced communications and transparency of Town government by making more board and committee minutes quickly accessible online, and expanding the Town's social media presence; sponsoring "Solarize Andover," a grass roots solar energy initiative that resulted in the installation of solar panels on 88 additional homes in Andover; and securing state approval and grant funding to remove two dams along the Shawsheen River to allow increased utilization of this important natural resource for recreational activities. These are just a few of the many exciting things that we have accomplished in 2014. As time moves Andover forward into the future, our community stands poised at a cross roads. Many town-wide challenges and important decisions stand before us - decisions that will help shape Andover for the next quarter century or more. But Andover has always taken its challenges head on, and we will continue to do so as we move forward together. On behalf ofthe Board of Selectmen, we thank you for your continued interest, involvement, and participation in your town government and community ofAndover. Res~v Daniel H. Kowalski, Chairman Andover Board ofSelectmen 2 TOWN OF ANDOVER Town Offices 36 Bart1et Street Andover, MA 01810 978-623-8225 www.andoverrna.gov MEMORANDUM TO; The Honorable Board ofSelectmen and the Citizens ofthe Town ofAndover "The third space is not home (the 'first space') or work (the 'second space '.) A third space is an in-between space. It may be a coffee house, a martini bar or a bistro. Third spaces are generally busy and locally owned. " This quote from Rebecca Ryan's book, Live First, Work Second captures the heart and soul ofMain Street Andover. Between the public spaces, such as Memorial Hall Library and the Old Town Hall and the front plaza, and the private spaces like the boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops, the downtown is vibrant, attractive and the third space where the community wants to gather. Beginning five years ago with the Main Street Improvement Project, the Library's outdoor patio last year, and the extensive work at the Old Town Hall this Summer, the Town has laid the foundation for the third space and now private landowners are investing and improving their downtown properties. These public and private third spaces enrich our lives and the life of the community by offering opportunities to come together and enjoy. In 2014 Andover celebrated the completion of several noteworthy third spaces. The Bancroft Elementary School was completed in the Spring and welcomed the incoming classes in September. The new school replaced the original school built in the late 1960's with an open classroom floor plan. The new Bancroft is a certified LEED Silver facility, 107,000 square feet in size and designed to seat 680 K-5 students. The new Deyermond Sports Complex on Blanchard Street was opened in the Spring. This sports area replaces the former Deyermond Field off Chandler Road. The "new" Deyermond has three regulation size little league diamonds and a full size soccer field. Both Andover Little League Baseball and Andover Soccer Association provided financial support to make this complex a reality. The public-private partnership created here is a good model going forward. In the Fall the Selectmen dedicated the newly renovated meeting room in the Town House, also known as the Old Town Hall, in honor of long-time Town Moderator, James D. Doherty, by naming this room the James D. Doherty Town Meeting Hall. This significant event along with other improvements to the building - new handicap access ramp and rebuilt plaza area with ample seating, landscaping and the Town of Andover seal in granite - demonstrate the Town commitment to create third spaces for all to enjoy. 3 The Cormier Family Youth Center, a joint partnership between the Town and the Andover Youth Foundation, began construction. This facility will provide the Town's youth and their families with a 21,000 square foot facility dedicated to providing wholesome programs and activities for young people and the larger community. And last, but not least, the long-awaited Dog Park was opened on Conservation land. This unique park provides canines and their owners with a treed environment in a safe fenced area. This project was another partnership of the Town, the Conservation Commission and the Friends of Andover Dog Park. It is these financial stakeholders like "the Friends" that make projects true community spaces.