Select Board Reviews Alcohol Licensing Policy Updates, Receives Presentation on Supportive Day Program Assessment, and Continues Policy Guideline Review

ANDOVER, MA – The Andover Select Board met on Monday, April 14 in the Select Board Meeting Room at Town Offices. The meeting included several items of discussion, including a series of applications for alcoholic beverage licenses and associated updates to the Board’s alcohol policy guidelines.

The Board also received a presentation from Director of Elder Services Jane Burns regarding a recent needs assessment of the Robb Center’s Supportive Day Program, as well as plans to launch a new in-home companion care pilot this summer. Additionally, Town Counsel Doug Heim presented a prioritization framework for the Board’s ongoing review and reorganization of its Policy Guidelines, an effort that aims to streamline the document and incorporate updated policy areas based on Board members’ input.

Other actions included the reappointment of the Town Accountant, an announcement from the Town Manager regarding staffing changes in the Sustainability Office, and a public hearing on the renewal of Comcast’s cable license.

Alcoholic Beverage Licenses
The Select Board considered five applications related to alcoholic beverage licenses, including four one-day license requests for outdoor events on Town property. In accordance with the Board’s policy guidelines, these applications required review and approval by the Board.

The Board approved an application from Matchplay Golf and Sports Lounge to serve alcohol during the Colleen Ritzer Memorial Run, as well as two applications from Oak and Iron Brewing Co. to operate beer gardens at Clown Town and Andover Recreation’s Concerts in the Park series. Additionally, Marble Ridge Winery received approval to serve wine during the Concerts in the Park series. In each case, alcoholic beverages will be served within a designated, secured area as part of larger community events. Applicants provided detailed plans for access control, security measures, and layout of the service areas. The licenses will be issued pursuant to limits on the number of drinks available to each person, and police will be present for the events. 

The Board also approved an alteration of premises for Perry’s Plate, located at 89 Main Street, allowing the restaurant to continue serving alcoholic beverages in an outdoor dining area situated within the public right-of-way.

Following these approvals, the Board engaged in a broader discussion on its alcohol licensing policy. Deputy Town Manager and Town Clerk Austin Simko—whose office is responsible for overseeing liquor licenses—joined Town Counsel Doug Heim to present a series of proposed updates to the Select Board’s Policy Guidelines related to liquor licensing.

The Board voted to approve a revision aligning the policy to a recent change in state law that allows “farmer brewers,” such as Oak & Iron Brewing Co., and other types of licensees to obtain permits to sell their product at farmers markets. The revision formally recognizes this new permit category and sets an associated application fee.

The Board also adopted a policy amendment clarifying that one-day alcohol license applications for events held on private property may be reviewed and approved administratively by the Town, and do not require Select Board action. However, the Board opted not to vote on a separate proposal that would have extended administrative approval authority to one-day license applications for events on public property, such as those considered earlier in the meeting .This policy may be revisited by the Board at a future meeting.

Supportive Day Program Assessment
Director of Elder Services Jane Burns provided an overview of a recent needs assessment completed for the Supportive Day Program. The assessment was conducted in partnership with the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Gerontology Institute, whose Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging led the research effort. Although Dr. Caitlin Coyle, Director of the Center, was not in attendance, Burns presented the findings and outlined recommendations resulting from the study.

The Supportive Day Program (SDP), based at the Robb Center, is a self-sustaining, fee-based initiative operating Monday through Friday. The program offers structured social engagement and therapeutic activities such as music therapy, fitness, art, and “brain games,” while also providing support to caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment or other conditions. Participants receive a nutritious daily lunch, transportation, and health monitoring in a safe and engaging environment.

Burns noted that the program serves a particularly frail population—many with early-stage dementia or mobility challenges—and is currently limited to 12 participants per day. Caregivers often struggle with logistical challenges in preparing loved ones for the program, and enrollment has fluctuated due to health concerns such as COVID-19 and seasonal illness.

In 2024, Andover Elder Services received a $45,000 grant from the Massachusetts Office of Aging and Independence (formerly EOEA) to conduct a formal needs assessment of the program and broader caregiver support in the community. UMass Boston led this work, which included a town-wide survey with over 1,000 respondents, three focus groups, 17 key informant interviews, and a literature review. Nearly 40% of survey respondents had caregiving experience within the last five years, and many reported spending 20 or more hours per week providing care. The most commonly cited needs included access to in-home care, transportation to appointments, and sitter or companion services.

Based on the assessment’s findings, Burns announced a new pilot program called "Connections at Home," which will extend the Robb Center’s model of care to participants’ homes. Unlike traditional home care, the program is designed as a social model focused on engagement and caregiver respite, delivered at a lower cost. The pilot will launch with per diem staff—such as retirees or students in nursing and social work—and is initially intended for current participants in the Robb Center’s Connections Club. Activities will mirror the in-center experience and include conversation, games, outdoor walks, lunch, and medication reminders.

Funding for the program will come from the Supportive Day Program’s revolving fund and private pay fees, with longer-term support anticipated through a contract with AgeSpan in 2027. Program policies are expected to be finalized in the spring, with hiring and training of companion staff occurring through the summer and full enrollment anticipated to begin in August.

Burns emphasized that the pilot will complement the existing Supportive Day Program and broaden access to residents for whom in-center care is not suitable. Participants will be able to engage with both the center-based and home-based services as appropriate. 

Select Board Policy Review
Town Counsel Doug Heim provided the Select Board with a presentation outlining the next phase of the Board’s comprehensive review and revision of its Policy Guidelines, an ongoing process that Heim is leading at the Board’s request. The effort is aimed at producing a more accessible and thoughtfully organized document.

Heim’s presentation focused on identifying the Board’s priorities for the next round of policy updates. Board members had previously submitted their individual recommendations to Town Counsel, with several areas of consensus emerging. The policy section governing “Board Operations: Officers, Employees & Appointments” received unanimous support from the Board as the top priority for revision. Additional policies receiving majority support for near-term updates included those related to Finance and Investments, Water and Sewer, and final adjustments to the section on Board Procedures, Powers, and Values.

Board members also indicated interest in advancing updates or additions in the areas of Land Use and Recreation, Alcohol Licensing, Town Meeting procedures, and Fees and Public Records. Heim noted that potential new policy areas identified by the Board include Communications, Budgeting, and Financial Forecasting.

Heim recommended that the Select Board move forward with a phased update schedule, beginning on May 13 with a first reading of revisions to the Board Operations section on Officers, Employees, and Appointments. The Board is also expected to formally retire the now-redundant Procedures, Powers, and Values section at that time. Revisions to the Finance/Investments and Water & Sewer sections are expected to follow at the June 5 meeting.

The Board voted to adopt the proposed policy revision schedule.

Other Actions 

• During the Town Manager Report, Town Manager Andrew Flanagan announced that Director of Sustainability & Energy Joyce Losick-Yang will be moving on from her role with the Town following Town Meeting to pursue a new opportunity with a non-profit organization focused on affordable housing development . Joyce has served the Town for five years, amassing a significant record of accomplishment that includes securing nearly $3 million in grants for sustainability initiatives, and developing the Town’s first Climate Action Plan. 
• The Select Board voted to reappoint Town Accountant Hayley Green to a three-year term beginning on July 1, 2025 and continuing through June 30, 2028, and authorized Town Manager Andrew Flanagan to sign a contract with her on its behalf. The Town Accountant is one of two positions appointed by the Select Board, along with the Town Manager. 
• An initial public hearing was held relative to the renewal of Comcast’s license to provide cable service in the Town of Andover. Several members of the community spoke on the value of AndoverTV, the Town’s local cable access television service, during the hearing. 

 The full meeting can be viewed online through AndoverTV. The next regular meeting of the Select Board is Monday, May 13. The Board may also meet briefly prior to Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, April 29 at Andover High School.