Harvard officials have sometimes likened their ability to influence planning for the future of Devens to that of a passenger on a tour bus, one whose steering wheel is firmly in the hands of MassDevelopment.
But this week the selectmen (and to a lesser extent the Planning Board) seemed in a rebellious mood, unwilling to endorse the four zoning changes sought by MassDevelopment, even if withholding support comes at the expense of the neighboring town of Shirley or impedes efforts to woo a major bio-pharmaceutical firm to the region at a moment when MassDevelopment officials say the market for such deals is hot. Instead, our officials seem determined to force a broader discussion of what comes next at Devens and bring MassDevelopment to the table.
Perhaps our leaders are right in wanting to call a timeout and take a few months to rethink Harvard’s Devens strategy. But it’s not clear the rest of the town agrees. Perhaps there’s more support for senior housing and medical offices in Shirley than the selectmen want to acknowledge, despite the risks detailed by the boards. Perhaps a majority of voters want to give MassDevelopment the tools it needs to bring another Bristol-Meyers Squibb to the area.
That’s the beauty of town meeting: Though boards can propose—or decline to support—plans for the future of Devens, only voters have the power to decide what happens next. Only by hearing out the selectmen, our Planning Board, informed neighbors, and MassDevelopment officials can we arrive at a consensus, or at least a vote that reflects the will of a majority. It’s through the give and take of a town meeting debate that we educate ourselves, learn what’s at stake, and then form an opinion.
So what’s the will of the town? We urge our readers to head for the Hildreth Elementary School cafetorium on Monday night, June 8, prepared to question, listen, learn, and then cast your votes.
