Andover Town Meeting Passes Pension Plan, West Elementary, Budget

ANDOVER, MA — Andover voters passed most warrant articles at the annual town meeting Saturday, including the Fiscal Year 2022 budget and the "integrated financing plan" of pension bonds and the West Elementary building project.

Almost the entire warrant was passed at the eight-hour meeting, with just two resident-petitioned articles failing and a handful of others being withdrawn.

The $212.9 million Fiscal Year 2022 budget passed in full, with an effort to strip out the town manager's budget failing. Residents upset about the firing of Youth Services Director Bill Fahey sought to vote no confidence in Town Manager Andrew Flanagan but were told by Town Moderator Sheila Doherty that town meeting has no standing on operational affairs.

An amendment that would have separated the $608,990 for the town manager's office from the rest of the budget failed and the rest of the budget passed fairly quickly.

The other two most hotly-awaited items passed relatively easily, following extensive discussion. The town's proposal to issue $146-175 million in pension obligation bonds to cover the town's unfunded liability passed with nearly 90 percent of the vote. Voters also voted to borrow $114 million for a new West Elementary and Shawsheen Preschool.

The two major debt articles, which combined form the town's "integrated financing plan," will also need to win approval in a June 15 special town election.

The closest vote was on Article 30, an article petitioned by resident Lindsay Coscemi to spend $75,000 from Free Cash on cleaning up the town-owned portion of the Merrimack River. Overcoming opposition from town officials, who said it could be done more cheaply, the article passed 118-113.

Two other citizens-petitioned articles, both brought by Joe Albuquerque, failed. Article 31 would have changed the date of the town election while 34 would have created a noise and vibration standards bylaw. Albuquerque withdrew articles 32 and 33, which would have set term limits for town offices and created a non-binding town government method ballot question.

Town officials noted that the Town Governance Study Committee is considering many of the issues addressed by Albuquerque's articles.

Article 29 and a handful of the minor housekeeping articles were also withdrawn, by town officials.

Article 35, to purchase the 44-acre Park Family Property, passed. An amendment that would have limited its use to recreation and open space, with no other municipal purposes, failed.

Article 37, which expands outdoor dining on public property, passed, but with an amendment barring signage on public property. Article 38, a zoning change to allow more outdoor dining on private property, also passed.

All other articles passed unamended. The full warrant is available here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.