September 18, 2023

• Select Board adopts set of 39 priorities as Strategic Goals and Objectives for FY2024;
• Receives Update on “Quad Board” Meeting on Andover High School Project; and
• Approves appointment of Heim as Town Counsel.

ANDOVER, MA – The Andover Select Board held its first meeting of the month on Monday, September 18 at the Robb Senior Center. During the meeting, the Board voted to approve strategic goals and objectives for 2023-2024, finalizing a set of priorities that will guide the Town’s work in key areas throughout the year. The Board also received an update on the financial impact analysis of the proposed Andover High School project that will be presented during next week’s “Quad Board” meeting. In a significant personnel development, the Board approved the appointment of Doug Heim as Town Counsel, the first appointment to the position since 1993.

The meeting also marked the conclusion of the Board’s annual performance review of Town Manager Andrew Flanagan, as they voted to approve an “exceeds expectations” rating based on evaluations completed prior to the meeting. 

Strategic Goals & Objectives

The Select Board reviewed and voted to approve a set of strategic goals and objectives for 2023-2024. The approved list of priorities contains 39 goals and accompanying deliverables across the areas of administration and finance; resident response management and engagement; capital improvements; economic development and housing; active transportation; river and open space access; energy and sustainability; and diversity, equity and inclusion. 

The adoption of strategic goals and objectives is an annual process undertaken by the Select Board and is intended to establish a roadmap for the work of the Board and the Town Manager in key areas throughout the year. The Board initiated this process during a goals workshop held on July 17, during which Town Manager Andrew Flanagan presented a preliminary set of goals produced through an extensive internal process that considered the status of goals set for the previous year, and additional priorities of the Select Board that have emerged in recent months. Certain goals were carried forward from last year, or adapted to reflect changed implementation status, while others were added for the first time.

The list of goals and objectives approved by the Board on Monday incorporates input exchanged during the July goals workshop and additional feedback provided in the two months since the preliminary list was released.

The full list of strategic goals and objectives approved by the Select Board can be viewed online. 

Quad Board Meeting
 A joint meeting of the Select Board, School Committee, Finance Committee, and Andover High School Building Committee (SBC), referred to as a Quad Board Meeting, is scheduled for Wednesday, September 27 at the Robb Senior Center’s Lifelong Learning Room. The meeting will focus on the financial impacts of the proposed Andover High School Building project.

Town Manager Andrew Flanagan provided the Select Board with an overview of the financial modeling that he intends to present during the Quad Board Meeting. The content of his presentation will be based on input received in recent months from the members of each Board and Committee during outreach that he has conducted along with CFO Patrick Lawlor. 

Flanagan noted that the financial analysis presented to the Quad Board will focus strictly on the impact of the proposed building project selected by the SBC, and will not include a comparison between the different building options considered by the SBC in the past.

According to Flanagan, his presentation will delve into the impact of the proposed project on the Town’s bond rating and how a downgraded rating may influence interest rates on future borrowing and the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Further, Flanagan intends to provide analysis regarding potential future reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). He will also discuss the cost of the project to taxpayers, comparing implications of beginning a project in the immediate term versus at a future date when a significant portion of the Town’s exempt debt will be retired. In addition, the presentation will include an overview of an analysis conducted by Standard & Poor’s, and a comparative analysis of the project's potential impact on residential property values.

Flanagan also stated that he plans to outline a potential interim high school project that would make short-term investments in the facility to address critical needs, including additional classroom space and HVAC improvements. According to Flanagan, throughout his preparation for the Quad Board meeting, Board and Committee members have frequently requested analysis regarding an interim solution that would allow the Town to delay a full scale project until a future date when circumstances are more favorable. 

In April, the SBC voted unanimously to recommend the “Campus 2 with Auditorium” design option as the preferred concept for the Andover High School Project. The design was selected based on its relative cost effectiveness, limited impact to students, and shorter construction timeline compared to other options, according to comments made by Committee members. The estimated cost of the project is $480,847,000 based on the preliminary cost analysis.

The project is currently in the schematic design phase. An additional $1.3 million in funding is needed to complete the schematic design process for the selected building option. 

The Quad Board meeting is intended to facilitate the process of building consensus among members of relevant Boards and Committees on the most prudent next steps. 

The meeting will be televised and streamed live by AndoverTV, and will be available to be streamed on-demand in the following days at andovertv.org. 

Appointment of Doug Heim as Town Counsel 
The Select Board approved a consent agenda containing several noteworthy appointments by the Town Manager, including Doug Heim as Town Counsel. The Town Counsel is the chief legal adviser to Town Meeting, the Select Board, Town Manager, and all Town Departments.

A resident of Andover, Heim brings to this critical role both a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to the community. He currently serves as Town Counsel in Arlington, a position he has held since 2014. Prior to his tenure in Arlington, Heim served as the Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Boston from 2011 to 2014 and also for New York City from 2006 to 2011. 

In introducing Heim to the Select Board, Town Manager Flanagan emphasized his expertise in municipal law, adept management of legal responsibilities in a Town Meeting form of government, and an impressive history of litigation on behalf of municipal governments in both State and Federal courts. 

Heim will begin his service as Town Counsel on October 10, replacing Tom Urbelis, who is retiring after serving in the position since 1993. 

Following Urbelis’ announcement of his intention to retire in April, Flanagan announced plans to hire in-house Town Counsel, rather than retaining an outside firm to fill the role. This option will be more cost efficient for the Town given the frequency with which Town departments rely on legal support. 

As described by Flanagan, the position is one of the most important in the organization, impacting virtually every Town function. As such, a robust, multi-layered process was conducted in selecting a new Town Counsel. Every Town department was represented in the hiring process, which entailed three panel discussions intended to assess candidates in the areas of general government and Town meeting, permitting and land use, and public contracts and municipal projects. Heim was the unanimous selection of all participants at the conclusion of this intensive process. 

As previously announced by Flanagan, the Town Counsel will head a new Legal Department created to support the varied and complex activities of the organization. The department will include a Legal Administrator position and a budget for outside counsel for support in specialized areas of law, including labor relations.

Town Manager Performance Review
The Select Board finalized its annual performance review of Town Manager Andrew Flanagan for Fiscal Year 2023, issuing high marks across eight categories of evaluation. 

Prior to the meeting, members of the Board independently completed evaluations rating the Town Manager’s performance from 1-5 in the areas of personal characteristics, professionalism, communications and public relations, Board support and relations, community leadership, organizational leadership and personnel management, financial management, and planning and organization. Flanagan received an average rating of 4.2 or greater in each category, and a total composite rating of 4.39 out of 5 – earning him an “exceeds expectations” distinction.

In evaluations submitted by members of the Board,  the Town Manager’s strengths included the following: financial planning, recruiting and retaining a talented leadership team, innovation in maintaining the Town’s bond rating, and strong energy in difficult situations . 

Other Actions 

• The Board approved One-Day Liquor Licenses for a beer garden and wine garden during Andover Day, which is sponsored by the Andover Chamber of Commerce and will take place on Saturday, September 23. 
• The Board conducted interviews of applicants for positions on the Board of Registrars of Voters and the Retirement Board. Keith Saxon was appointed to the Board of Registrars, and Deidre Lockhart was appointed to the Retirement Board.
• The Board approved amendments to the Town’s Alcoholic Beverages License Policies & Regulations pertaining to special licenses for events and one-day licenses for outdoor events on Town owned property. The amendments were suggested by the Health Division, codify long-standing practice, and are intended to clarify guidelines regarding service of food during events where such licenses are issued. 

The full meeting can be viewed online through AndoverTV.

The Select Board is scheduled to meet next on Wednesday, September 27 prior to the Quad Board Meeting.