Approved ARPA Projects

The Town has an internal committee of staff that reviews project proposals submitted by department heads for consideration of ARPA funding. The committee does its best to prioritize projects that respond to input received during community engagement efforts, align with long range planning goals, and strengthen the community as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.  If acceptable, the committee recommends to the Select Board projects be funded with a portion of the Town's ARPA allocation.  The Select Board must then vote to approve that recommendation. 

As of March 2024, approximately $8,942,253 of North Andover's $9.3 million in ARPA funding has been committed.  See below to learn more about how this funding is being utilized.

COMPLETED PROJECTS:
  1. Miscellaneous Covid-19 Related Expenditures ($12,525.21):  Procurement of Covid-19 rapid tests during the height of the pandemic that were distributed to the School Department, Town staff, and seniors.
  2. Utility Bill Relief ($238,988.08):  This program provided immediate relief to residents who were struggling to pay increasing utility costs. Working with National Grid, the Town identified 650 low income customers who received three credits of up to $100 on their electricity bill over the winter months. Additional funds were utilized to provide credits for residents who are not on the low income list, but met income requirements set by the Town. This program is now closed.
  3. Conversational Spanish Course for Town Employees ($30,000): 60 hours of training provided by Northern Essex Community College that resulted in staff being able to better serve the town's Spanish speaking residents.
  4. Cybersecurity Software Upgrade ($42,000)
  5. Community Health Assessment ($40,000):  Funded a portion of a community health assessment developed cooperatively with the Town of Andover.
  6. Public Health Professional Development ($17,791.94)
  7. School Security Enhancements ($297,000)
  8. Acquisition of Great Pond Road ($100,000):  Covered a portion of the cost for the Town to acquire the 400 Great Pond Road property.  $1.7M was approved at 2022 Annual Town Meeting to be appropriated from the Town's Water Enterprise Fund for this acquisition.  400 Great Pond Road; Assessor’s Parcel 064.0-0137 in the Town of North Andover property records, and described in Land Court Certificate number 9888 recorded with the Essex County North Registry of Deeds, is 7.8 acres.  The property abuts Lake Cochichewick and contains a home that encroaches into the Lake, which hampers the Town’s ability to raise the Lake's water level to store water reserves for the Town’s drinking water supply.  Acquisition of the parcel allows the Town to protect the public water supply by raising the Lake level, controlling the development and use of the parcel and potentially providing public access to Lake front.

  9. 400 Great Pond Road Feasibility Study ($84,545):  The 400 Great Pond Road Steering Committee procured the services of a qualified consultant (Machado Silvetti) that evaluated the costs, opportunities, and feasibility of the following three options for the 400 Great Pond Road property (click here to view final report and other related documents):

    1. Retain the structure and update to be ADA compliant for public uses.  This option should include an analysis of annual costs to operate and maintain.

    2. Demolish the structure and create a three season pavilion on a filled foundation.

    3. Demolish the structure, fill the foundation and create a safety buffer from water.400GPR Study

  10. COVID Impact on Staff Wellness Program ($2,000): Provided an interactive, educational, and in-person program for staff over four (4) sessions/programs.  The program included the following components: The impact of Covid upon professional lives and personal mental health; specific focus on loss, depression, and anxiety; discussion about the stigma of mental health, how and when to reach out and access support, and how to support a colleague/friend; listing of town and local resources that support mental health; specific focus on self-care – what it is, why it is important, and what it might look like for each participant.
  11. Police Department Community Resource Dog ($21,109.26):  Funded the procurement and training of an English Cream Golden Retriever - Officer Scarlett - who is handled by Community Impact Unit Officer Mark Wilson and provides therapeutic relief to town residents and organizations.  Click here to learn more about this project.
  12. Wilson Reading System Training ($9,750): One of the most prominent issues facing North Andover Public Schools coming out of the pandemic is the need for specialized reading instruction for students. Staff training is necessary to meet these needs.  ARPA funded Wilson Reading System Level 2 Certification training for 13 staff members who had already received Level 1 Certification.  This program is made up of four (4) courses that cover the advanced levels of the Wilson Reading System.
PROJECTS UNDER WAY:

Water/Sewer Infrastructure:

  1. Sewer Pump Station Enhancements ($3.5M): To develop engineered plans for upgrades and repairs for all sewer pump stations in town, to replace the Willows pump station with a gravity line that will lead to the Jasmine Pump Station, and to make other repairs/upgrades as funding will allow.
  2. Sutton Street Water Main Enhancement ($750,000):  Will fund the cleaning of an existing 8" cast iron water main along Sutton Street (at Marblehead Street, under the railroad tracks) and the installation of a structural lining.  The cast iron pipe was installed in 1898 and in need of this repair.  Cast iron pipe is susceptible to fracture which could have devastating effects due to its location under the railroad tracks.  Cleaning the pipe will improve water quality in the area.  The project funding is $250,000 for engineering and $500,000 for construction.
  3. Middle School Drainage Improvements ($100,000):  This funding will be used to upgrade drainage at North Andover Middle School, in conjunction with the project to construct its addition, to conform with drainage upgrades being completed on Main Street. The drainage pipe is being increased in size and the project will extend from the school construction zone to Main Street. 
  4. Rea Street Sewer Connection ($315,000): This funding will be used for engineering and construction to install approximately 230 feet of gravity sewer that will connect to and use the new Rea Street sewer pump station. This area was developed with dry sewer lines for future connection and has the benefit of protecting the nearby wetlands from the existing septic systems.

    Transportation / Road Infrastructure:

    1. Downtown Streetscape Improvements ($300,000): Will support the full design, engineering, and permitting of streetscape improvements that were initially conceptualized in the Town's Downtown Improvements Master Plan.  This funding will be leveraged against $325,000 coming from the Town's Columbia Gas Municipal Discretionary Fund, making for a project total of $625,000.
    2. Osgood Street / Great Pond Road Intersection Improvements ($300,000):  Will support the full design, engineering, and permitting of improvements at the intersection of Osgood Street and Great Pond Road that were initially conceptualized in the Town's Route 125 Corridor Study.  The Town was successful in securing a $1.24 million grant from the State's MassWorks Infrastructure Program to fund construction of this project.
    3. Sutton/High/Chadwick Complete Streets Project ($243,500):  This project leverages $397,271 in State Complete Streets funding, to complete the reconstruction of the intersection of Sutton, High, and Chadwick Streets.  The project will include realignment of High Street and Chadwick Street to create two (2) standard T-Intersections, provide new sidewalks with ADA-compliant ramps, create a new crosswalk at Columbia Road, and will entail re-striping and repaving of the project area. Complete Streets
    4. MBTA Commuter Rail Feasibility Study ($45,883):  Leveraging a $75,000 State Earmark, these funds will support the development of a study to examine the feasibility of siting an MBTA Commuter Rail Station in North Andover, with a focus on Osgood Landing.  The Town contracted with engineering firm Jacobs to help it produce the study.  Click here to review the project's scope of work.

    Schools:

    1. Special Education Audit ($40,000) - North Andover Public Schools procured the services of a qualified consultant to conduct an extensive review/audit of the Special Education Department and the services provided to its students and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning and development, determine how well it is meeting student needs, and how it might better service students going forward.
    2. Emergency Preparedness Assessment ($60,000) -  The School Department will procure the services of a consultant to conduct a security and emergency preparedness assessment that will provide an independent appraisal of safety measures already in place, and recommendations for enhancing those measures with improvements at the building and district levels.
    3. Emergency Radios for the Schools ($45,000) - Replace aging analog radios currently in place and give each school a digital radio in the main office as an additional communication tool in case of emergency.

    Open Space and Recreation:

    1. Rail Trail Phase I Development ($25,940):  Continues the planning and development of a first phase of a Rail Trail in North Andover, which is planned to run from the driveway of the High School on Osgood Street to the intersection of Dale Street and Marbleridge Road.
    2. Open Space and Recreation Plan Update ($53,000):  Supports the development of an updated Open Space and Recreation Plan, which is currently underway.  The new Plan will have a timeline of seven (7) years.  Click here to learn more.

    Mental Health:

    1. Full Time Community Support Case Manager ($70,000):  Funds this position in the Police Department full-time.

    Seniors:

    1. Elder Services Age-Friendly Initiative ($35,000):  Enabled the Elder Services Department to work with the UMass Boston Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging, Gerontology Institute to develop a needs assessment that will include a demographic analysis, community forums, a sample survey, focus groups, and interviews.

    Diversity/Equity/Inclusion:

    1. Town-wide Equity Audit ($150,000):  Funding will support the development of a Town-wide equity audit, which will involve hiring an outside "equity expert" to conduct a comprehensive audit of the school department and Town departments in all its interactions and policies with students, staff, residents, businesses and other stakeholders. It will entail interviews, focus groups and surveys to help in the assessment and to help develop recommendations for corrective actions.

    Public Safety:

    1. Radio Encryption / Interoperability Upgrades ($62,401.47)
    2. Police Department Cameras ($90,000):  This project will fund the procurement and installation of video camera systems - to be monintored, as needed, by the North Andover Police Department - at major intersections and prominent locations throughout town, as well as a camera in front of and behind Town Hall.  The locations of cameras will include: 
      1. Main St. @ Rte. 125
      2. Main St. @ Sutton St.
      3. Sutton St. @ Rte. 125
      4. Massachusetts Ave @ Osgood St.
      5. Rte. 125 @ Rte. 114
      6. 120 Main St. (Town Hall)
      7. Massachusetts Ave. @ Rte 125
      8. Rte 114 (Turnpike St.) @ Peters St.
      9. Massachusetts Ave. @ Waverly Rd.
      10. Rte. 114(Turnpike St.) @ Rte. 125 (Andover Bypass)
    3. Fire Department Emergency Services ($250,000):  Will fund training and equipment that will augment the Fire Department's emergency response capabilities.  Examples of how the funding will be utilized includes downpayments for new emergency vehicles, storage for additional personal protection equipement (PPE), emergency shelter supplies, and outfitting of an emergency response training area (and Emergency Operations Center - EOC).  
    4. Field AEDs ($65,000):  Will fund the procurement and installation of 15 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at Town athletic fields and playgrounds.
    5. Emergency Pet Sheltering Equipment ($10,000):  Will fund procurement of equipment and supplies for the sheltering of domestic animals, to be utilized by the Town's Animal Control Officer, in the event of an emergency sheltering operation.

    Library:

    1. Library Van ($480,000): To procure, outfit, and staff a van that will be operated by the Stevens Memorial Library.  The van will enable the Library to provide its services throughout town.

    Youth and Recreation:

    1. Youth and Recreation Services Staff ($172,010):  Provides funding to hire additional Youth and Recreation Services staff person that will be trained to work with young teens to address social and emotional issues.  This person will also share time working with the School Department.

    Veterans:

    Veterans Support Fund ($20,000):  Funding, to be managed by the Town's Veterans Services Department, that will support veterans and/or their surviving spouses for emergency needs.

    Sustainability:

    1. Energy / Sustainability Manager Position ($150,000):  Will support the hiring of an energy / sustainability director/manager for a period of two (2) years to manage initiatives that will advance the Town's sustainability profile. The position will develop and administer policies and programs, and apply for and manage energy savings/sustainability grants.

    Community Engagement:

    1. Community Engagement ($40,500): For procurement of third party professional community engagement services (polling, surveys, and general community outreach) that measures how residents feel about various issues. Results will be used to guide ARPA expenditures.  Click here and scroll down to the "Community Outreach/Input" section of the page to learn more about these efforts.

    General Municipal:

    1. ClearGov Digital Budget Book and Capital Budgeting Programs ($36,300):  Provides funding for two years of service for ClearGov's Digital Budget Book and Capital Budgeting programs, which will provide the Town with better efficiency in creating both the budget book and capital budget, while also providing better transparency and access to these documents for the general public.

    2. Part-time Salaries ($155,383.41)