In a significant shakeup of town agencies, Harvard Town Administrator Tim Bragan has decided to mothball a key management position and will not reappoint its current occupant.

The $1.9 million Harvard received from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Biden in 2021, may be destined to fund projects to provide contaminant-free water to the town’s water district. 

Harvard’s Christmas tree on the Common is barely five years old, but needs to be removed after being severely damaged from a fungal disease that thrived in last summer’s rainy weather.

The state reported 16 new COVID-19 cases in Harvard for the week ending May 14, eight  fewer than was reported  the previous week, bringing the town’s cumulative number of state-reported cases since the pandemic began to 651.

As the number of COVID-19 cases in the state continues to climb each week at a faster pace than the week before, town and school administration have not yet asked everyone to put their masks back on. Instead, in town buildings, recommended masking has morphed into “strongly recommended.”

Before Moderator Bill Barton took up the first article at Annual Town Meeting last Saturday, Stu Sklar, chair of the Select Board, said he wanted to start with a shout-out to the Harvard Fire Department.

With no contested races or controversial ballot measures this year, Tuesday’s Town Election was marked by the lowest turnout in at least a decade. Only 281 people—about 6% of Harvard’s registered voters—cast ballots, either in person or as absentees.

The turnout at this year's Town Meeting was the lowest this century, drawing 175 attendees—approximately 4% of registered voters—who made their way to a cloud-like circus tent on the Bromfield School’s Mass. Ave. field at noon to consider 56 measures put forward on this year’s warrant.

The site of an old Army barracks in an area of Devens known as Salerno Circle might help Harvard get out of the business of trying to provide contaminant-free water to its customers in the town’s water district.