The Groton Board of Selectmen announced today (1/26/2012) that they are continuing their search for a site to construct a new Center Fire Station. The Board of Selectmen has focused their review on the original Tier 1 Sites identified by the Center Fire Station Relocation Committee last Spring. Some of the sites originally identified were not pursued at the time due to cost of the land or the land owner was not interested in selling their land. The Board of Selectmen reached out to the land owners of several sites to determine if circumstances have changed since last Spring.

One of the sites identified by the Center Fire Station Relocation Committee that was of interest to the Board of Selectmen for further study is land owned by the Lawrence Homestead Trust on Farmer’s Row that abuts the current Public Safety Building. The land is approximately 11 acres and is currently classified as Chapter 61A Agriculture Land. The Board believes that carving out a 2+ acre site closest to the Public Safety Building would provide a good location for the Center Fire Station. The Board has reached out to the Trustees of the Lawrence Homestead Trust to determine their interest in this potential acquisition. Discussions are on-going and the Board hopes to have a resolution on this within the next month. The Board is in the process of determining value and suitability of this land and is working with the Trustees to determine the viability of this acquisition.

This is not the only site under consideration by the Board of Selectmen. The Board is also working with the Prescott Re-use Committee and their consultant, Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype, Inc., to determine if the Prescott School can be converted into a Fire Station. In addition, land owned by the Electric Light Commission on Station Avenue is still under active consideration.

The Board of Selectmen is planning on holding public hearings over the next several months prior to the Spring Town Meeting to obtain input from residents and the general public on these possible sites for the Center Fire Station. Additional information will be released as it becomes available. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to provide input on this matter by contacting the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager either through email at Selectmen@townofgroton.org or by writing to the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager at 173 Main Street, Groton, Massachusetts.

A new job has been posted on the Human Resources page for a Part-time Desktop Support Specialist. For more details click here.

Click here for a list of open seats for the May 22, 2012 Annual Town Election. Nomination papers are now available from the Town Clerk's Office for those interested in running for office.

The deadline to file nomination papers bearing the signatures of at least 49 registered Groton voters is Tuesday, April 3 at 5:00 PM.

Contact the Town Clerk at 978-448-1100 or townclerk@townofgroton.org for more information.

Massachusetts will conduct its Presidential Primary on Tuesday, March 6, 2012. The deadline to register to vote for this election is Wednesday, February 15, 2012.

New voters must be registered by February 15 to be eligible to vote in this primary election. Once registered, the voter is eligible for all future elections when voting from the same address.

Voter registration is done at the Town Clerk’s office, 173 Main St., Groton during normal business hours. The office will be open until 8:00 PM on February 15 for the purpose of voter registration. The Clerk can be contacted at 978-448-1100 or townclerk@townofgroton.org.

This primary election will choose presidential candidates for each political party. The party winners of the primary election will then run in the General Election on November 6, 2012. A note about primary elections - Only voters registered in a political party holding a primary, or “unenrolled”, are eligible to vote in a primary election. If one is registered in a political party (i.e. Republican, Democrat or Libertarian), one is entitled to vote in that party’s primary, only. If one is registered as “unenrolled” (independent), the voter may chose the primary ballot of any of the parties.

Please contact the Town Clerk at 978-448-1100 or townclerk@townofgroton.org if you have any questions.

Click here to view the preliminary budget. Future versions will also be posted on this website.

In accordance with the provisions of MGL Chapter 41, Section 81D, the Groton Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 7:45 PM in the Town Hall, 173 Main Street (second floor meeting room), to consider adopting the "Groton Master Plan, Town of Groton, Massachusetts, Prepared for Groton Planning Board – Land Use Department, Prepared by Community Opportunities Group, Inc., Dodson Associates, Ltd; and Fay, Spofford & Thorndike, Inc.," dated September 2011.

The Groton Master Plan is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk and Land Use Department Office in the Town Hall, in the Groton Public Library, and on the Town’s website at: http://www.townofgroton.org/xml/town/Master_Plan/Groton_Master_Plan_2011.pdf

The Town of Groton does not discriminate on the basis of disability. Further, a signed translation of this public hearing will be provided for the hearing impaired upon request by contacting the Planning Board at (978) 448-1105 at least one week prior to the hearing.

The Town of Groton invites you to consider the following affordable housing properties that are presently for sale in Groton. Please refer to the information packet associated with each housing unit to learn about the application process and any eligibility requirements.

Groton Residential Gardens – 3 units. See the information packet and click here for a copy of the model deed rider.

Fawn Terrace - one unit. See the information packet and click here for a copy of the model deed rider.

Academy Hill development - one unit. See the information packet and click here for a copy of the model deed rider.

Squannacook Hill - five units. See the information packet and click here for a copy of the model deed rider.

For detailed information about hunting in Groton this year, click here. For other detailed information about state hunting regulations, visit this site.

After an extensive cleanup effort, the Nashua River Rail Trail is fully open. Enjoy and stay safe.

Click here to read the 2011 Groton Community Preservation Plan put forth by the Community Preservation Committee.

Everything relating to the Center Fire Station relocation has been collected and posted on this page, including the 279 Main Street appraisal, FAQs, site sketches on the GELD site and 279 Main Street site.

We are pleased to offer a link to the final 2011 Master Plan. Here it is.

A letter-sized drop box is now available at the rear of Groton Town Hall. Available 24 hours, this has been installed for the convenience of residents who prefer to drop tax bills, census forms, water bills and the like "after hours" and weekends.

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges has completed its report of the Groton-Dunstable Regional High School; please click here to read it. You can find more information on the District's website.

Town residents and small businesses now have 20 opportunities per year to properly dispose of household hazardous waste, such as cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, paint, auto fluids, etc. The Devens Regional Household Hazardous Products Collections Center will be officially open on August 3, 2011. Hours of operation are from 9AM to noon on the first Wednesday and following Saturday of each month. The Center is located at the Devens Department of Public Works Facility off of Buena Vista Street.

Click here for more information.

The complete submission for the Boynton Meadows, 134 Main Street, may be viewed at: http://www.townofgroton.org/xml/town/planning_board/134_Main_Street/

The 2011 Annual Town Meeting designated 134 Main Street a Priority Development Site, pursuant to MGL Chapter 43D. Copies of all materials are on file in the Land Use Department in the Town Hall (second floor). Public hearings will be advertised in the Groton Herald in accordance with applicable laws. Please contact the Land Use Department at 978.448.1105 with any questions or for more information.

The Historic Commission is happy to present the final archaeology report for residents to review. (Please note: the file is large -- 17mb. Right click and save the document to your computer for the best experience.)

The Groton Town Hall is a designated U.S. State Department Passport Acceptance Agency. Passport applications are available at Groton Town Hall, and can also be downloaded from the Department of State. This website also contains information on documents and photos required, fees charged, and answers to travel-related questions. We recommend that you complete your application, gather the necessary documents, and obtain passport photos prior to arriving at our office.

Effective May 1, 2011, Groton Town Hall will accept passport applications on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, and Monday evenings by appointment. Please arrive at least 1/2 hour prior to closing time, with extra time if more than one family member will be applying at the same time.

Please bring two checks to cover your passport application fees. Passport payments consist of a US Department of State fee and an Acceptance Agent fee. Payments must be made by check or money order. We're sorry, but no credit or debit cards are accepted. Fees are explained here. Please call 978-732-1881 for more information about passport acceptance at Groton Town Hall.

The Groton Assessors Department is happy to announce that you can now get detailed property information online. Click here to search by location, owner name or map/lot/unit. For more information, please visit the Board of Assessors page.

The 2011 organizational chart for the Town of Groton can be found here.

Click the "Online Payments" item under the Quick Access links or here for more information.

Visit the gallery!

Groton, founded in 1655, has a population of 10,406 (2006 Town Census) and is located in the Nashoba Valley area in northwestern Middlesex County. The town is governed by Town Meeting. With an area of 32.54 square miles, Groton is the largest town in Middlesex County. There are 106 miles of plowed or maintained roads within the town. Town Hall is 320 feet above sea level and the highest elevation is at Chestnut Hills at 516 feet above sea level.

This section provides information about Groton's town government as well as federal, state, and county officials.

Groton Town Hall