Joe Hutchinson, chairman of the Master Plan Steering Committee, kicks off the visioning meeting. (Photos by John Sharko)

Brint Ferguson of the Cable Committee records the workshop.

To help Harvard plan for the next 10 years, the Master Plan Steering Committee asked townspeople some straightforward questions at a forum on Nov. 19: What do you like or value most about Harvard as it is now? What do you see as a problem or a drawback for the town?

Between 65 and 70 people spent the sunny Saturday morning at the old library, discussing those questions and setting priorities for issues facing the town.

Sue Brown of Brown Walker Planners, hired to assist the steering committee, laid out the framework for the discussion.

"Imagine that you are the decision maker," she told participants, "and you can make Harvard your dream community."

But she also set one limitation.

"You cannot go back to the past," she said.

Attendees then broke into six discussion groups to talk about Harvard's strengths and weaknesses. Their responses showed a surprising consensus.

Town residents talk during a break in the workshop.

The best thing about Harvard, according to many respondents, is its open space and rural environment, including its agriculture. Equally prized is its small-town scale, with government through Town Meeting and volunteer boards. Residents also praised the high quality of the schools, the preservation of the town's historic heritage, and its sense of community.

Maggie Green jots down notes from the group's brainstorming session.

Longtime residents Elsie and Phil Shut listen to a speaker.

Participants likewise expressed broad agreement on what they found least appealing about Harvard: polarized town politics that interferes with civil discussion; dependency on cars, even for short, local trips; a shortage of affordable housing, especially for seniors who wish to downsize but remain in town; and a lack of appropriate commercial development such as a convenience store, a pharmacy, or a restaurant where people can get together.

In identifying problems that the town must solve, participants gave high priority to the need for financial sustainability. To some, this meant increased commercial development to absorb part of the burden currently borne by residential property taxes. To others, it meant long-term restructuring of taxation to replace the property tax with other sources of revenue. And some looked to increased regionalization, more equitable state aid, or other solutions to deal with the issue.

"This is an opportunity for people to say what they want for this town," said Joe Hutchinson, chairman of the Master Plan Steering Committee.

State law recommends that the Master Plan must be updated every 10 years. In this first phase of the process, he said that the focus is on vision and goals.

Hutchinson said that the next step is for several working groups to develop a draft based on the issues and priorities that emerged from Saturday's discussion. Hutchinson noted that volunteers are needed for those groups.

Once the draft is complete, residents will have the opportunity to react to it through a survey. The final version of the plan will be presented at the Annual Town Meeting.