ATHOL – With the infusion of a new state grant, the town can complete updates to its master plan.

Last year, Athol received a $49,000 Planning Assistance Grant from the state to update elements of the master plan.

Two chapters in the plan – one dealing with open space and recreation and the other with natural and cultural resources – were updated following deliberations of the Master Plan Committee and input from local residents collected via survey.

Now comes word that the town has received a $125,000 Community Planning Program Grant from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. Assistant Town Planner Heidi Murphy, who has been spearheading the effort to update the master plan, said she was grateful to have received the grant.

“This grant will allow us to pick up where we left off,” said Murphy. “When we last finished up we had two new chapters; this grant will provide for a consultant to help us complete the other chapters.”

Those chapters, she said, will include transportation, economic development, housing, land use, community facilities and services, and public health.

“This basically funds the completion of the entire master plan,” said Murphy.

Murphy said because the consultant’s contract will top $50,000, the town will need to advertise for bids. She said the BSC Group, which has worked with Athol before, was the consultant for the first phase of the master plan review.

Murphy added that, “Athol chose to voluntarily include a public health element, which is not required for approval from the commonwealth. Athol is a very forward-thinking community, and some of the top goals for this chapter include reducing food insecurity, youth development and substance abuse prevention, along with enhancing domestic violence and sexual violence prevention, outreach and education.”

At Murphy’s urging, Athol recently took a step in raising awareness around the issue when the Selectboard unanimously voted to proclaim October Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“The town really embraced this concept,” she said. “Even the library has set up a table on Domestic Violence Awareness Month showcasing books which will educate residents, and the town clocktower is lit purple for the rest of October in recognition of the month.”

Murphy said the new Master Plan Committee won’t convene until January to begin its work.

“There are some people from the last Master Plan Committee who have said they’re willing to help out again and then I’m looking to get a few new members,” she said.

Murphy said having some citizen representatives, people who are not administrators or employees of municipal departments, would be helpful.

“If there’s a gap, it would probably be in the area of community facilities and services,” Murphy added. “It would be really helpful to have someone with a financial background; someone on the Capital Program Committee or Finance Committee, the EDIC (Economic Development and Industrial Commission) or anyone who has done long-range capital planning.”

Anyone interested in serving on the Master Plan Committee can contact Murphy at 978-721-8519 or email hmurphy@townofathol.org.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.