Click here for a guide to Town Meeting.
About 300 residents approved next year's town budget, and approved additional money to study options for creating a new Municipal Services Facility and renewable energy facilities on town land, during the first night of Andover's 2011 Annual Town Meeting.
Voters also amended parking bylaws to be more new business-friendly, lowering the number of spaces new business will need to move into the downtown district.
Turnout was low on Wednesday night, April 27, with many empty seats throughout the high school's field house. No official numbers on voter turnout were available immediately after the first night's meeting, but 279 voters were counted during the renewable energy facility vote, which was narrowly approved, 154 to 125.
Six articles were withdrawn during the first night. All other articles, leading up to article 31, were voted on and the full list of results is included below.
Town Meeting will continue Thursday night, April 28, at 7 p.m. at the Collins Field House at Andover High School. Registered voters are encouraged to arrive early. Articles that have not yet been voted on include bylaw amendments for an Open Space Residential Design special permit, for creating a new business overlay district on River Road and to ban bow-hunting on public, town-owned land in Andover.
No. Article name, Result
1 Annual Town Election, informational only
2 Election Not Required by Ballot, passed by majority
3 Salaries of Elected Officials, passed by majority
4FY-2012 Budget, passed by majority
Budget motion: Public Safety, passed by majority
Budget motion: Gen. Govt., passed by majority
Budget motion: Public Works, passed by majority
Budget motion: Plant/Facilities, passed by majority
Budget motion: Library, passed by majority
Budget motion: Community, Youth and Elderly Services, passed by majority
Budget motion: Unclassified, passed by majority
Budget motion: Public Schools, passed by majority
Budget motion: Sewer, passed by majority
Budget motion: Water, passed by majority
Budget motion: Gr. Law. Tech, passed by majority
Budget motion: Obligations, passed by majority
5 FY-2012 Capital Projects Fund Appropriation, passed by majority
6 Budget Transfers, passed by majority
7 Supplemental Budget Appropriations, passed by majority
8 Free Cash, withdrawn
9 Unexpected Appropriations, withdrawn
10A Grant Program Authorization, passed by majority
10B Road Contracts, passed by majority
10C Town Report, passed by majority
10D Property Tax Exemptions, passed by majority
10E Contracts in Excess of Three Years, passed by majority
10F Accepting Easements, passed by majority
10G Rescinding Bond Authorizations, passed by majority
11 Granting Easements, passed by majority
12 Unpaid Bills, withdrawn
13 Chapter 90 authorizations, passed by majority
14 Revolving Accounts, passed by majority
15 Transfer from Overlay Surplus, passed by majority
16 School Building Maintenance and Renovation, passed by majority
17 West Middle School Green Repairs, passed by majority
18 Municipal Services Facility, passed by majority
19 Conservation Land Acquisition Fund, withdrawn
20 Grant Application for Fosters Pond Conservation Land, withdrawn
21 Renewable Energy Facilities-Feasibility Study for Municipal Land — Yes by manual count. 154 in favor, 125 opposed.
22 Long-term Renewable Electricity Contracts, passed by majority
23 DPW Vehicles, passed by majority
24 Town bridge Evaluation and Repairs, passed by majority
25 Pearson Street Parking Lot, passed by majority
26 High Plain Road at Fish Brook Design and Engineering, passed by majority
27 Jerry Silverman Fireworks, passed by majority
28 Elderly/Disabled Transportation program, passed by majority
29 Insurance Recovery Transfer, withdrawn
30 Funding OPEB Trust Fund, passed by majority
31 Zoning By-law Amendment - Off Street Parking Requirements, passed by majority
