The Devens Jurisdiction Framework Committee, the group convened in 2018 to explore options for the future governance of Devens, has not been idle, in spite of the absence of a key stakeholder.
At its May meeting, the committee unanimously approved a draft request for a proposal (RFP) to hire a financial consultant to conduct a comprehensive fiscal analysis of Devens. The scope of work outlined in the request is a snapshot of what the committee deems essential in evaluating future approaches to the governance of the Devens Regional Enterprise Zone.
The consultant would assess the cost and structure of municipal services, project revenues and expenses over the next decade, and model how governance and service delivery might function under various disposition scenarios. The study would inform future decisions about whether Devens, now managed by the state’s MassDevelopment agency, should be reabsorbed by the surrounding towns of Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, become its own town, or establish a new form of government. Chapter 498, the law that governs the redevelopment of Devens, specifies that the three towns, the Devens Enterprise Commission, and MassDevelopment must recommend to the Massachusetts governor and Legislature “a permanent government structure for the ongoing operation and administration of Devens” on or before July 1, 2033.
The RFP calls for three deliverables: a full inventory and assessment of current municipal services and capital projects, a dynamic 10-year financial model adaptable to multiple governance scenarios, and a robust plan for communicating those findings to the public.
The level of public engagement requested is significant. The consultant would be responsible for creating accessible materials—including plain-language summaries of the process used to collect the data and create a model, as well as maps, graphics, and a standardized presentation—to be used at public meetings. The consultant would also be asked to help plan public meetings and respond to questions from the community.
The RFP was drafted by a working group of the DJFC that included Ayer Town Manager Robert Pontbriand, Devens Enterprise Commission Director Neil Angus, and Devens resident Jim Geller.
Committee calls for MassDevelopment to return
But while the committee is ready to move forward, two critical pieces are missing: funding and the cooperation of MassDevelopment.
In April 2022, although a charter member, MassDevelopment withdrew from the Devens Jurisdiction Framework Committee—a move the committee says has significantly stalled progress. In a June 18 letter to MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal, DJFC Chair Victor Normand requested that the agency return. The letter was endorsed by the representatives of every remaining stakeholder on the committee, including the towns of Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, the DEC, and a representative of the Devens residents and businesses.
“MassDevelopment is an essential partner in the future of Devens and in ensuring that the success they’ve achieved to date is long lasting,” Normand wrote. He asked that MassDevelopment designate representatives to attend monthly DJFC meetings and participate directly in the implementation of the study, particularly by sharing operational and financial data.
Normand emphasized that time is running short. “2033 is only eight years away and time is of the essence with respect to developing a professional recommendation for disposition,” he wrote, warning that the lack of state involvement has “stymied efforts to move forward.”
He also pointed to recent developments—including the removal of housing and commercial development caps and recommendations for more residential units from Gov. Healey’s Task Force on the Future of Housing at Devens—as further reasons for MassDevelopment to return to the table.
“The future success of Devens and the question(s) and issue(s) of disposition will be best achieved with a robust, public process with all key stakeholders at the table working collaboratively,” the letter states.
As of Wednesday, June 25, Bal had not responded.
Funding plan falls apart, grant redirected to school study
Originally, the DJFC hoped to fund the consultant study with a $300,000 Housing Choice grant awarded in 2024, thanks to support from state Senators Jamie Eldridge and John Cronin and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC). The town of Ayer and the Devens Enterprise Commission (DEC) were designated administrative sponsors, intended to act on behalf of the DJFC, of which they are members.
However, EOHLC concluded that the DJFC’s proposed use of the funds—a financial and governance study—did not fall within the grant’s intended scope, and the committee then formally withdrew from the grant.
Rather than let the money lapse, town officials from Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, along with the DEC, proposed redirecting the funds toward a school needs assessment to analyze regional enrollment trends, facility needs, and how future development in Devens may impact local schools. The idea aligned with four recommendations from the governor’s housing task force, which also included assessments of public buildings, increased community engagement, and a traffic and parking study.
EOHLC approved the change. Ayer Town Manager Pontbriand, who had helped write the original grant application, explained the decision in an email to the Harvard Press.
“Rather than have the grant funds simply returned to the state to be reprogrammed elsewhere, we felt that the funds should still benefit our region and the issues of Devens,” Pontbriand wrote.
The revised effort will be led by the town administrators and school superintendents from Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, along with the DEC director. Ayer will remain the grant administrator. The final report will be a public record and shared with the DJFC and other stakeholders.
Pontbriand said the DJFC was informed of the change at its June 11 meeting and will continue to receive updates as the school study progresses.
A ready plan, still on hold
With the grant redirected and MassDevelopment still absent, the DJFC’s RFP for a financial consultant remains on hold—technically complete, but inactive. Committee members describe it as “on the shelf,” ready to be issued if funding becomes available and all key partners are engaged.
Normand, in his letter to Bal, urged MassDevelopment to reconsider its position and rejoin the committee’s work.
“The future of Devens, the Region, and the Commonwealth will be best served in this manner,” he wrote.
Until then, the DJFC’s vision for a professional, data-driven public process to shape Devens’ future remains just out of reach—prepared, but waiting.
