A presentation by the Devens Economic Analysis Team at Volunteers Hall Tuesday night drew only three Harvard residents, not counting team members and reporters. The Devens team scheduled the meeting to present to the public its most recent findings concerning the economic outlook of Devens. According to a notice in the Press two weeks ago, “The DEAT was established by the Harvard Board of Selectmen to project a municipal operating budget as if Harvard were to regain its historic portion of Devens, and to assess other economic conditions related to municipal operations.”
One optimistic observer suggested the low turnout was because many residents expect the Press to cover such meetings, making their attendance unnecessary. It could also be because, with Christmas approaching, many families are reserving their weekday evenings for shopping and decorating. Whatever the case, we hope residents who weren’t able to make it to the meeting take the time to read the Devens team’s annual report. It’s available online (http://www.harvard.ma.us/Pages/HarvardMA_BComm/DEAT/DEAT%202012%20Annual%20Report.pdf), and the Press reported the highlights in the Oct. 26 issue.
We understand why it’s hard to get excited about the Devens question. A state decision on the disposition of the former military base seems a long way off, and it probably is. But when it does happen, if Harvard isn’t prepared, the town could be in for a rough transition. If the town finds itself in a position to reclaim the land within its historic boundaries, it will be facing the largest and most complex land-use decision it has ever made. There are a lot of benefits to Devens—existing infrastructure for water and sewer, for example—but also some potential drawbacks, including the headache of administering the area and connecting it to Harvard, both physically and culturally. It’s never too early to plan for that, but a plan that encompasses the needs and wants of the entire community of Harvard is only possible if the entire community participates.
We hope you’re paying attention, and we support the work of town boards and committees who are including Devens in their long-range planning.
