North Andover Select Board Reappoints Bates as Chair, Accepts $225,000 College Donation

Select Board · Meeting of July 20, 2026

North Andover Select Board accepts $225,000 from Merrimack College and advances China Blossom development review. The board unanimously accepted the donation at its July 20 meeting, with $100,000 directed to the fire department and $125,000 to police, covering capital projects cut during what Town Manager Melissa described as "a really tight budget year." Assistant Town Manager Andrew Shapiro presented a revised version of a proposed mixed-use development at the former China Blossom site on Sutton Street — now reduced to 108 units in a single building, down from 124 in two buildings — though Shapiro noted the plans arrived "right before our meeting today" and key concerns about undersized sewer infrastructure and Sutton Street traffic remain unresolved. The board also continued a Lawrence Municipal Airport request to waive building permit fees that could total $100,000 on a $7 million to $7.5 million terminal replacement project, pending consultation with the building commissioner before the August 17 meeting.

In its annual reorganization, the board unanimously reappointed Laura M. Bates as chair, Brian E. Roache as licensing chair, and Dave Kres as clerk.

In the full story:

• The board approved the following in rapid succession, all unanimously
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,990 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of July 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.