Town Meeting is Sept. 27
The continuation of May’s Town Meeting will take place Saturday, Sept. 27, at noon; three articles will be on the warrant. The Special Town Meeting will follow at 1 p.m. with five articles to consider. .
Stay safe during hunting season
Residents are reminded that hunting season is now open for Canada geese and black bears, and that hunting is permitted in state wildlife management areas. The 2025 summary of hunting season dates is available at mass.gov/doc/2025-fishing-and-hunting-season-summary/download. Safety information for hunters and nonhunters alike is at mass.gov/outdoor-recreation-safety-tips.
Borrow from Library of Things
The Harvard Public Library maintains a collection of nontraditional items collectively called the Library of Things. Categories include recreation, tools, equipment, puzzles, and board games, and most items are available for checkout. Review the catalog and policies for use at harvardpubliclibrary.org/services/library-things.
Wear your life jacket
The state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife reminds residents that wearing a properly fitted personal flotation device could save your life. Hypothermia, the lowering of internal body temperature, can develop within minutes, and can make it difficult to swim, paddle, or stay afloat. In Massachusetts, life jackets must be worn by canoeists and kayakers from Sept. 15 to May 15 and by youth under 12 years old at all times.
September is Emergency Preparedness Month
Gov. Healey has declared September 2025 as Emergency Preparedness Month to encourage planning for disasters and other types of emergencies. Visit Mass.gov/ready to find emergency preparedness tips available in several different languages, safety tips for specific threats and hazards, preparedness resources from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Department of Public Health, and the Massachusetts Office on Disability, and other information.
Learn about proposed zoning bylaws for town center, Ayer Road
The Planning Board will host an information session Thursday, Sept. 25, 6 p.m., at the library’s Volunteers Hall. Residents can learn about the two new bylaws to be voted on at the Sept. 27 Town Meeting. One bylaw, the town center overlay district, would update allowed uses and dimensional zoning requirements for the center of Harvard. The other would update the design, use, and dimensional requirements for Harvard’s commercial district, which runs along Ayer Road from the Route 2 interchange to Myrick Lane near the Ayer town line.
Boy Scouts seek new members
The Harvard Boy Scouts are seeking new adventurers for their 2025-26 program of exploration. New to Harvard this year is Troop 7001, which is accepting girls into the Scouting America program. Contact Gary Madison at gmadison@hobbsmadison.com or 978-502-3468 for more details.
Shop at Devens farmers market
The next Devens farmers market will be held Tuesday, Sept. 16, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and will continue every other Tuesday through Oct. 14. The market offers locally grown fruits and vegetables, and is at the corner of Elm and Jackson roads, across from the Fire Station.
For information visit devenscommunity.com/meetings-and-events and scroll down.
Avoid risk of mosquito-borne diseases
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health tracks Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus based on reports of mosquito testing. Maps of risk levels by town are at mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-arbovirus-update.
- The current risk level for West Nile virus in Harvard is moderate, with mosquitoes in the southeast part of Devens as well as in Boxborough and Bolton testing positive.
- The current risk level for EEE in Harvard is low.
