TM Approves Dam Removal, Tech Upgrades

Andover's Annual Town Meeting finished the remaining 23 articles on the warrant last night, including some that will help local students, improve the environment and make Andover an easier place to do business.

Voters approved $2.5 million for technical infrastructure, connectivity, hardware and telecommunications equipment. This money will go towards consolidating the town's four data centers into two shared data centers, and overhauling the town's classrooms with all the technology and wireless capabilities they need.

The town also approved a bylaw change that will make take-out services an accessory use when someone is trying to open an eatery in town. This means applicants no longer have to obtain a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals to open a take-out eatery and removes one obstacle for potential businesses moving into town.

Town Meeting voters also approved three articles related to the in Shawsheen Village. The dam is being removed to restore migratory fish habitats and improve the The first two articles were related to the town "taking" the land where the dam is and taking a temporary chunk of land for deconstruction. The third article would provided $125,000 in fence and masonry improvements to the area after the dam is removed.

Roughly $1.4 million was approved for major water main replacement in town and 530,000 was approved for improvements to the West Middle School.

The article regarding the lease of land at 126 Tewksbury Street for solar facilities was withdrawn.

Find a complete list of Andover's 2012 Annual Town Meeting results in a file attached to this article.