The deadline to register to vote for the Annual Town Meeting is this Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Residents may register online at the Massachusetts Secretary website with a Massachusetts driver's license or ID number, at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, by mail, or in person.

The last date and hour residents can register to vote in person is Saturday, May 4, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at North Andover Police Headquarters, 1475 Osgood St, North Andover.

In accordance with the Department of Revenue's mandate for cyclical property inspections every ten years, the Assessor’s office will be inspecting all homes on the following streets during April, May & June 2024:

Hawkins Lane, Ingalls Street, Jerard Place, Johnny Cake Street, Johnson Street, Laconia Circle, Lacy Street, Liberty Street, Long Pasture Road, Lyons Way, Marian Drive, Middleton Street, Mill Road, Oakes Drive, Old Cart Way, Olympic Lane, Oxbow Circle, Paddock Lane, Palomino Drive, Patton Lane, Penni Lane, Pheasant Brook Road, Puritan Ave, Raleigh Tavern Lane, Salem Street, Scott Circle, Shannon Lane, Sharpners Pond Road, Spring Hill Road, Sterling Lane, Stiles Street, Stonewedge Circle, Sugarcane Lane, Sullivan Street, Summer Street, Sunset Rock Road, Tucker Farm, Turnpike Street, Turtle Lane, Webster Woods, Wildwood Circle, Willow Ridge Road, Willow Street, Windkist Farm Road, Windsor Lane, and Woodchuck Lane.

These inspections will involve photographing and measuring the exterior of the home and structures, as well as requesting access to inspect the interior.

The inspections will be carried out by the Assistant Assessors of North Andover.  They will be in marked town cars, and have photo identification issued by the Town of North Andover.

Also remember, the department is constantly reviewing properties that have recently sold and properties with open permits, so you may see us in your neighborhood frequently.

Should you have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the Assessor’s office at 978-688-9566.

You can find a list of the streets/roadways that are being inspected this quarter on our town website.  Thank you for your anticipated cooperation as we work to fulfill this Department of Revenue obligation.

*ICYMI – Articles of the Day 6 – 12

As we ready for Town Meeting on May 14, 2024, the Town will be presenting information every day on different warrant articles.  2024 Town Meeting Warrant

Article 6: Amend General Bylaw Article V- Tree Warden
This is a housekeeping article that will delete some language in our bylaw that is contradictory.  

Article 7: Investment of Trust Funds
This is a local option being recommended by the Town Treasurer.  This local option allows municipal treasurers to apply the Prudent Investor Rule to optimize returns on trust fund investments.  This would give the Treasurer a wider selection of types of investments to choose from.  The Treasurer would be required to invest and manage the trust assets a prudent investor would base on the needs of the Town.

Article 8: Approve payment of prior year bills
The Town has two bills that came in after the fiscal year closed for 2023 that they need a vote in order to pay.  This requires a 4/5th vote of Town Meeting.

Article 9: Appropriation – Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Year 2025
This article funds the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan for FY25.  The Town has a five year capital improvement and capital budgeting plan, which it updates annually.  The Town’s Capital Improvement plan can be found in the Town’s FY25 digital budget book, which is available here: https://town-north-andover-ma-budget-book.cleargov.com/15062/introduction/transmittal-letter

This year’s capital improvement plan continues to implement Facilities Master Plan II and more information on that plan can be found here: https://sites.google.com/northandoverma.gov/fmp-2-0/home.  This year the Town will vote on whether or not to move forward with design for Fire Station 2’s renovation.

Article 10: Report of the Community Preservation Committee – Appropriation from Community Preservation Fund
This article lays out what projects will be funded using Community Preservation Act funding in FY23.  To learn more about the Community Preservation Act, please visit https://www.communitypreservation.org/about

To learn more about the Town’s Community Preservation Committee and to see the FY25 project applications, please visit https://www.northandoverma.gov/community-preservation-committee

Article 11: Set Salaries and Compensation of Elected Officials

This article sets out what various elected officials salaries should be in FY25.  This article is voted on annually.

Article 12: Revolving Fund Spending Limits
Every year Town Meeting authorizes the Town’s revolving accounts and sets spending limits for those accounts.  A revolving fund separately accounts for specific revenues and earmarks them for expenditure by a board or officer without appropriation for particular purposes to support the activity, program or service that generated the revenues.  Town Meeting authorizes the revolving account, its use, and how much can be spent from the account each year.

To learn more about the different types of revolving accounts, visit here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/revolving-funds-chart-non-school-department-program/download

Behind the Scenes Spotlight – Thank you, Jenn Fresen

Ever wonder why North Andover’s Town Meeting has its own logo? Or where the new art for each year’s public awareness effort comes from? That’s the work of local designer and social media consultant Jenn Fresen. Beginning with a flyer for our first ever al fresco town meeting in 2020, Jenn voluntarily contributes a new design annually. The images serve as an official invitation to North Andover's most consequential public event and are intended to be as bold and vibrant as the meeting itself.  Click here to see all the prior year images.

Message from the Moderator and Simplified Rules of Parliamentary Procedure

Town Meeting Straw Poll

Town Meeting Straw Poll
May 14, 2024 Annual Town Meeting

North Andover continues to be a laboratory for what Town Meeting may be like in the future.  Once again we are testing whether deliberative results from Town Meeting represent the opinion of the citizenry at large.  For the fourth time we will be conducting a straw poll inviting citizens to state their opinion on each article whether or not they attend Town Meeting. The straw poll, launched electronically via the town website, will be live through Town Meeting until its adjournment.  Comparative results will be published post the adjournment of the meeting.  The votes in this straw poll will not count but merely be an expression of opinion of the people who chose to make that opinion known. Completing this is not a substitute for attending Town Meeting as all deliberative benefits and power is in the room.  You are invited to do both – express your opinion here AND come to Annual Town Meeting on May 14th at 6:30pm on the North Andover High School.

Please click here to read the Message from Moderator Mark DiSalvo and the North Andover Town Meeting Simplified Rules of Parliamentary Procedure.