Norman Rockwell (1894–1978), Freedom of Speech, The Saturday Evening Post, February 20, 1943. Oil on canvas, 45 3/4″ x 35 1/2″. The Norman Rockwell Art Collection Trust, from the permanent collection of the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Massachusetts NRM.org © 1943 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, Ind. All rights reserved. CurtisPublishing.com.
This month, voters in Andover are called upon to make important decisions that will set our taxes and guide our town for the coming year. We’ll elect over a dozen of our neighbors to positions in Town and School District governing bodies, and we’ll close the books on 2013 with the annual Town Report.
This month’s Beacon coverage of this very important season includes:
• Coverage of important issues we’ll vote on at School District Meeting on Monday, March 3, and at Town Meeting on Tuesday, March 11.
- proposed budgets for 2014
- a $1 million road construction bond
- planning to replace the Lawrence Street bridge
- buying a new police cruiser
- semi-annual tax billing
- zoning ordinance amendments (vote on March 11 before 7 PM, not at Town Meeting)
• Coverage of local and state candidates in the elections on Tuesday, March 11, plus sample ballots.
• The Town Warrant we’ll vote on at Town Meeting.
• The School District Warrant we’ll vote on at School District Meeting.
Important Dates
Here are the dates you need to keep in mind in order to participate fully in this important time of year:
Thursday, February 27 – Last day for new voters to register at the Town Clerk’s office
Saturday, March 1 – Supervisor of the Checklist available to correct the checklist and register new voters, Town Hall, 11 to 11:30 AM.
Monday, March 3 – Andover School District Meeting, AE/MS Gym, 7 PM.
Monday, March 3 – Andover Village District Meeting, Andover Town Hall, 7 PM.
Remember the check-in policy for Town Meeting!
Registered Andover voters will need to check in at Town Meeting to get an Andover Voter Card and a set of color-coded yes/no
ballots. Check-in for Town Meeting will start at 6 PM.
During the meeting, if a show-of-hands vote becomes necessary, cardholders will vote by raising their voter card in the air. Only hands holding a current voter card will be counted.
For a ballot vote during Town Meeting, a voter simply shows their Andover Voter Card to the ballot clerk and casts the appropriately-colored yes/no ballot they were given at check-in. Each ballot vote will have a different colored ballot card. This procedure should speed things along.
“Remember,” Moderator Dan Coolidge cautions, “you only get one Andover Voter Card and one set of yes/no ballots. If you lose them, they can’t be replaced.”
Tuesday, March 11 – Voting, AE/MS Gym, 11 AM to 7 PM. Register to vote with valid ID.
Tuesday, March 11 – Andover Town Meeting, AE/MS Gym, 7 PM.
Tuesday, March 18 – East Andover Fire Precinct Meeting, East Andover Fire Station, 7:30 PM.
Wednesday, March 19 – Andover Fire District Meeting, Andover Fire Station, 7:30 PM.
For more info, contact the Town Office at 735-5332 or TAdmin@nullTownOfAndover.org.