Harvard, along with Ayer and Shirley, has been wrestling with the topic of Devens disposition for years. A look at Harvard newspapers from eight to 10 years ago shows townspeople struggling to understand some of the same Devens issues today’s residents are trying to understand. People who have lived here for a long time are familiar with the complexity of the issues, but might wonder why the process doesn’t seem to have moved forward much.

One answer might be population turnover, which causes a need to cover the same ground repeatedly to bring all residents up to speed on the issues. People start to understand the issues, then leave. New people move in, knowing little, if anything, about Devens disposition. They come in in the middle of the story, which must be explained again. Sometimes the story changes a little, due to lack of understanding on the part of those telling it.

We are lucky that some of the people who have been deeply involved in Devens disposition over the years are still in town and still remember the history, understand what the process requires, and know what drives the process and why. Those people will tell you that Devens disposition is the most important issue the town has ever faced and, once decided, will affect the town, for better or worse, forever. This is not one that can just be left to town officials. Residents who care about this town owe it to the town and to themselves to get involved and learn about the issues, so that when the time finally comes for a vote, they can make informed choices that will move the process ahead to a conclusion that will stand future generations of Harvard citizens in good stead.

How can residents get involved and stay informed? They can attend meetings of the Joint Boards of Selectmen and Harvard Board of Selectmen, or, if that’s not possible, they can watch the meetings when they are broadcast on cable TV. They can read documents related to the history of the disposition process, available at Town Hall or on our website, www.harvardpress.com (where there is also an opportunity to discuss the issues with other Press subscribers). They can present their questions and concerns to town officials. And when the time comes, they can cast informed votes for Harvard’s future.