Select Board Votes to Recommend Approval of FY2027 Budget and Capital Articles, Receives Update from MBTA on Burham Road Bridge Project

ANDOVER, MA – The Andover Select Board met on Monday, March 16 in the Select Board Room at Town Offices. The Board voted to recommend approval of the FY2027 budget and a series of capital articles that will appear on the Annual Town Meeting warrant, marking the culmination of the extensive public review process of both the recommended budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The budget totals a net of $252.6 million, and reflects the Town's continued commitment to fiscal discipline while making strategic investments aimed at addressing the evolving needs and priorities of the community.

The Board reviewed and made recommendations on several other Town Meeting warrant articles, voting to recommend approval of a stand-alone capital article to fund construction of Phase 2 of the Chandler Road Recreation Area, as well as articles related to the Ambulance Revolving Fund and updates to the Ballardvale Historic District bylaw. The Board also received a presentation from the MBTA on an upcoming preservation project on the railroad bridge over Burnham Road, which will require a full road closure for approximately eight months beginning in late March, and recognized Dorothy "Dee" DeLorenzo with a proclamation marking her retirement after nearly two decades of service as minutes taker for the Board.

MBTA Bridge Preservation Project on Burham Road
The Select Board received a presentation from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on an upcoming preservation and maintenance project on the railroad bridge that carries the MBTA Haverhill Line over Burnham Road. The project is part of the MBTA's broader Structures Preservation and Maintenance Program and is managed entirely by the MBTA. While the project will have a direct impact on a local roadway, the Town has limited oversight over the project.
The bridge, which also carries CSX freight traffic and Amtrak passenger service in addition to MBTA commuter rail, is in need of several repairs including reconstruction of the bearing seats, repointing of the stone masonry abutments, and blast cleaning and repainting of the bridge steel. The work will require temporary shoring of the structure during construction.

 Because the nature of the repairs requires full access to the bridge and the roadway beneath it, the relevant part of Burnham Road will be fully closed for the duration of the project. Construction is anticipated to begin at the end of March 2026 and last approximately eight months, with completion expected in October 2026. During the closure, traffic will be detoured via Haverhill Street, Arundel Street, and Rock Dundee Road. The MBTA indicated that abutters have been notified by flyer and that residents with questions can contact the MBTA's structures maintenance team directly at StructuresMaint@mbta.com. 

Members of the Select Board raised questions about whether pedestrian access along Burnham Road could be maintained during the closure. The MBTA representatives informed the Board that maintaining a pedestrian pathway under the bridge during active construction work would pose unacceptable safety hazards and that pedestrian access would not be possible for the duration of the project.

FY2027 Budget 
The Select Board voted to recommend approval of the FY2027 Budget, which will appear before Town Meeting as Article 4. The vote marks the culmination of an extensive review process that began with the release of Town Manager Andrew Flanagan's recommended budget on February 6. The budget was presented to the Select Board during two regular meetings and reviewed in depth during a day-long Saturday budget workshop held jointly with the Finance Committee, during which all Department and Division heads presented their proposed budgets and reported on progress toward strategic goals over the past year.

The proposed FY2027 budget totals $258,684,234, less budgeted revenues of $3,547,826 and indirect offsets of $2,506,756, for a net total of $252,629,652. The budget was developed in adherence with the principles of the Town's Long-Range Financial Plan and within the constraints of Proposition 2½, using conservative revenue assumptions that incorporate modest increases in state aid and reduced new growth estimates. Town department budgets are proposed to increase by 2.75 percent, while the School Department budget is proposed to increase by 3.74 percent inclusive of all transfers. The budget includes a 12 percent increase in health insurance costs, which Flanagan identified as the greatest source of pressure on the operating budget.

The budget includes critical proposed staffing additions aimed at meeting the evolving needs of the community. In the Fire Rescue Department, the budget proposes the addition of two firefighters as part of a multi-year plan to fully staff a third ambulance, as well as the creation of an Assistant Fire Chief position to support department administration, EMS oversight, and risk management. Outside of public safety, the budget proposes a Transportation Program Manager and Capital Projects Manager in the Department of Public Works and a part-time Assistant Town Counsel. Through offsetting adjustments elsewhere in the organization and the use of non-general fund revenues, these additions represent a net increase of approximately 1.0 full-time equivalent within the general fund.

Capital Improvement Program Articles 
The Select Board voted to recommend approval of a series of capital articles that will appear on the Town Meeting warrant, reflecting the recommendations of the Town Manager's FY2027–FY2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The full CIP was released by Town Manager Andrew Flanagan on November 14 and has undergone extensive public review since then, including a “tri-board meeting” held in December with the Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee. 

The capital recommendations are reflected in a series of articles organized by funding source. Article P5, the FY2027 Capital Projects Fund, totals $3,237,200. Article P6, covering capital projects funded through general fund borrowing, totals $9,238,000. Article P7, covering capital projects funded from free cash, totals $4,807,000. Article P8, covering capital projects funded through the Water and Sewer Enterprise Funds, totals $26,335,000. The Chandler Road Recreation Area, which represents a significant standalone investment, was separated into its own article. 

In total, the CIP includes just over $50 million in capital investments for FY2027, funded through a combination of general fund revenue, borrowing, free cash, special dedicated funds, and water and sewer enterprise funds. Flanagan noted that the plan meets the Town's target of allocating 7 to 7.5 percent of the combined Town and School operating budgets toward capital investment while maintaining the Town's debt and reserve benchmarks. Notable investments in the program include Phase 1 of a Town-wide sidewalk program at $5 million, Year 1 of an updated water main replacement program at $12 million, $2.2 million for replacement of Andover Fire Rescue's Ladder 1 truck, $1 million for technology improvements, and $200,000 for trash and recycling toters as part of the Town's transition to automated solid waste collection. The program also includes $26.3 million in water and sewer enterprise fund projects, reflecting significant ongoing investment in Andover's water and sewer infrastructure.

Chandler Road Recreation Area
The Select Board voted to recommend approval of a stand-alone capital article would appropriate $5 million to fund construction of Phase 2 of the Chandler Road Recreation Area. The funding would be drawn from a combination of $4 million in general fund borrowing and $1 million in free cash.

The Town acquired the 44-acre Chandler Road property in 2022 following a vote of Town Meeting with the intent of expanding recreational opportunities in Andover. The property is being developed in phases. Last year, Town Meeting appropriated funds to support the design of Phase 2, and the Town engaged landscape architecture firm Activitas to lead the design process. This year's article provides funding for the construction of the designed work based on a preferred design concept developed by Activitas over recent months.

Throughout the design process, the Town has conducted extensive engagement with residents to identify priorities for the site, including through public meetings and a widely circulated community survey. The survey identified field lighting, synthetic turf fields, walking and running trails, and a playground as the highest priorities among respondents. Activitas developed a preferred design concept that captures those priorities, incorporating a synthetic turf field, a playground of approximately 5,000 square feet, natural grass warm-up and free play areas, a cross country loop for Andover High School, walking and running trails, and a security gate to manage after-hours access. The design was also refined following feedback gathered at a community meeting in January, with adjustments made to parking placement to provide relief to abutters, field orientation to work with existing grades and reduce construction costs, and fencing along abutting properties.

The synthetic turf field at Chandler Road will be held to the same standards the Town has applied to other turf projects in Andover. No crumb rubber infill will be used; only organic infill material will be permitted. A heat modification policy will be in place to protect users during periods of high temperatures. PFAS product testing will be included in the bid specifications to ensure non-detect results, and a plan for end-of-life recycling of the turf surface will also be required as part of the bid specifications.

Other Town Meeting Warrant Articles
The Select Board also reviewed and voted to recommend approval of two additional warrant articles.

Bylaw Amendment: Ambulance Revolving Fund 
This article proposes a bylaw amendment to establish a revolving fund for revenues generated by the Town's ambulance service. Under the proposed structure, ambulance service revenues would be deposited into the fund and used to offset the costs of personnel, supplies, and equipment, including capital equipment purchases. The fund balance would carry over from year to year, providing a dedicated and sustainable source of funding to support ambulance operations.

Bylaw Amendment: Ballardvale Historic District
Deputy Town Manager Austin Simko and members of the Ballardvale Historic District Commission presented a proposed update to the bylaw governing the Ballardvale Historic District, which was established by Town Meeting in 1995 to preserve the distinctive architecture and character of one of Andover's historic mill villages. The update is the product of an extensive community engagement process that included five publicly televised commission meetings, a community survey that yielded 206 responses, and two public forums for Ballardvale residents. The revised bylaw modernizes and consolidates the existing language, eliminates redundancies, and adds several new exemptions from commission review, including retaining walls under four feet, solar panels, satellite dishes, and many actions that do not require a building permit. The update also introduces an expedited approval process for applicants who make requested modifications, and reframes the bylaw's purpose to more explicitly call for balance between historic preservation and the practical needs of residents living in the district.

Other Actions 

• The Select Board recognized Dorothy "Dee" DeLorenzo with a proclamation upon her retirement after nearly two decades of service as minutes taker for the Board. The proclamation recognized the vital role that accurate and thorough minutes play in maintaining the transparency and public record of the Board's proceedings.
• During the Town Manager's Report, Deputy Town Manager Michael Lindstrom provided an update on the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail project. Lindstrom reported that a contractor will return to the site the following week to complete installation of a railing along the new ADA-accessible boardwalk, work that has been delayed due to weather conditions. The installation is expected to take approximately two weeks, after which the new trail will be open to the public.

 The full meeting can be viewed online through AndoverTV. The Board is scheduled to meet next on Monday, March 30.