Devens disposition, a topic that has simmered in the background of town affairs since the closure of the former Army base as an active-duty installation in 1996, has once again risen to the top of the town’s “to-do” list. The Board of Selectmen is to be commended for taking action to move the discussion forward, with an eye toward bringing it to a timely resolution.

When disposition “scenario 2B” was defeated at Town Meeting two years ago, Harvard voters said they needed more information before making a decision on the issue. Some of this information is finally forthcoming: in June MassDevelopment presented Harvard, Shirley, and Ayer with revenue data for the former Army base. Now the three towns await expense data.

Issues around Devens disposition are complex. This is a topic voters should pay close attention to, taking advantage of all the opportunities to stay informed—especially at meetings of Harvard’s Board of Selectmen and the Joint Boards of Selectmen, which represents the three towns. Whatever the final outcome is, it will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects on the town of Harvard. The Devens disposition issue is ultimately in the hands of the voters and deserves careful consideration by an educated electorate.