Page 37 - BOXFORD

BOARD OF SELECTMEN

2015 was a testament to successful implementation of well-planned initiatives. We are
pleased to report on many of those initiatives that came to completion this year. As a
volunteer board, the Board of Selectmen continues to strive to implement the will of the
residents of Boxford. As we provide this summary of the efforts and results of past year,
we want to thank all of our volunteers and staff that help make these decisions come to
life.

Boxford Common Project (Haynes Land)
After seven years of planning the town brought forward to the highest attended Town
Meeting in our recent history a proposal for recreational fields and conservation lands. In
partnership with private donations and the Community Preservation Committee, Boxford
Common was approved by vote of 661 yes to 290 no.

This multi-phase project will construct two full size multi-use playing fields with parking
and stormwater controls. Boxford Common will also include playground equipment, a
paved walkway and acres of undisturbed conservation land with trails for passive
recreation. In addition, as a part of the project, a turtle nesting area was constructed to
encourage growth of the endangered Blanding Turtle population.

Boxford Common is a phased project and will take a year and a half to complete. A
premier recreational field construction company, R.A.D. Sports, was chosen to build
these two fields – one grass and one synthetic turf. The first phase of the project was the
creation of a turtle habitat nesting area. In partnership with the Massachusetts Executive
Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and under the watchful eye of a wildlife
biologist, this phase was constructed and approved. The first field is now under
construction.

The Board of Selectmen appreciates the many years of work by volunteer committee
members and the Boxford Athletic Association to shepherd this project though long
multiple regulatory approvals and designs. When complete Boxford Common will be a
rich addition to the fabric and life of the Town of Boxford.

Personnel & Benefits
We begin our reflection on 2015 noting that similar to all Massachusetts’ municipalities,
Boxford continued a long-term funding plan for its Other Post Employment Benefits
(OPEB) liability. In 2015, the Town established an ongoing appropriation in the
operating budget to fund OPEB liability.

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