Town Meeting: April 6
Town Meeting will be held Saturday, April 6, noon, at the Bromfield School’s Cronin Auditorium. The warrant will contain 26 articles for residents to vote on. Printed copies of the Town Meeting booklet are available in Town Hall. To view and print a copy, which includes the warrant and reports from the Finance, Capital, and Community Preservation committees, go to harvard-ma.gov, click on “News & Announcements,” then on “Annual Town Meeting & Election.” harvard-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif676/f/uploads/final_031124.pdf
Town Election: April 9
The Town Election will be held Tuesday, April 9, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Bromfield School. Up for election are candidates for town moderator, Select Board, School Committee, Harvard Public Library trustees, and Warner Free Lecture trustees. See “Who’s on the ballot?” and “Candidates answer Press questions ahead of April 9 Town Election” in this edition.
Also on the ballot are two questions. One is a two-tiered Proposition 2½ override for the town budget. The other asks voters to let the town borrow as excluded debt $9.9 million to reconstruct and renovate the DPW facility.
Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month, and officers of the Harvard Police Department are showing their support by wearing a specially designed autism patch on their uniforms.
A limited number of Harvard Police autism patches are available for $10 each during April or until they are sold out. To buy a patch, come to the police station and see Sgt. Callahan or Trish, or phone 978-456-8276, Tuesday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Cash or checks accepted, with checks payable to “Harvard Police Association.” Proceeds will be donated to the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.
Townwide Cleanup
The 2024 Townwide Cleanup and Garlic Mustard Pull will take place April 25-28. Follow these steps to join:
1. Sign up for a road segment at SignUpGenius, https://bit.ly/2024Cleanup-GM.
2. Pick up supplies at Westward Orchards, 178 Mass Ave., April 24, 2 to 4 p.m. and April 27, 9 to 11 a.m.
3. Collect trash and garlic mustard any time between April 25-28. Leave bags of trash on the side of the road. The DPW will begin pick up on Monday, April 29.
4. Log back in to report how many bags of trash you collected, whether you saw any garlic mustard, and whether you pulled it.
For questions about the cleanup or SignUpGenius, email Harvard.Cleanup@gmail.com; for questions about garlic mustard, email garlicmustard.harvard@gmail.com.
Sarah Watson Scholarship applications
Financial assistance is available to college students from trust funds left to the town by Sarah Watson. Applications, which are available on the town website on the Select Board and Town Administrator’s pages, must be returned by Aug. 1 to Attorney David Taylor, u/w/o Sarah A. Watson 55th Item, c/o Adams & Blinn, 1900 West Park Drive, Suite 280, Westborough, MA 01581. Taylor will make the final decisions on scholarship awards.
Forum on Open Space and Recreation Plan
Harvard’s Open Space Committee has released a draft of its 2024 Open Space and Recreation Plan. The plan, which contains results of last spring’s resident survey, may be viewed on the Open Space Committee page at www.harvard-ma.gov. The committee will hold a virtual public forum Wednesday, April 10, at 7 p.m. to present a summary of the plan and accept public comments. Written comments may also be submitted to the conservation agent by email at lallard@harvard-ma.gov or dropped off at the Conservation Commission’s office at Hildreth House, 15 Elm Street.
The recommendations in the plan are in Sections 7, 8, and 9. The Zoom link will be posted on the town’s website.
Land protection grants
The Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council has opened its 2024 land protection grants program to support projects that protect and enhance the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit rivers.
Applications will be accepted through June 14 for projects in the communities along the wild and scenic-designated rivers including Ayer, Bolton, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Lancaster, Pepperell, Shirley, and Townsend. View the request for proposals and grant application at wildandscenicnashuarivers.org. For information contact Lucy Wallace, at lbwallace34@aol.com.
Test your water
The Board of Health reminds residents to test their well water every five years (at a minimum); any time a change is noticed in color, smell, or taste; and in preparation for home sale. The Board of Health can provide a list of local water testing laboratories and a list of approved water samplers. More information is available at harvard-ma.gov/board-health/pages/water-quality.
Loaves & Fishes
The Loaves & Fishes food pantry, 234 Barnum Road, Devens, serves food to people in need who reside in Ayer, Devens, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Littleton, and Shirley. Pantry hours are Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon (closed Fridays before Saturday sessions); first Tuesday, 5 to 7 p.m.; third Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.Visit https://loavesfishespantry.org/ for more information.
