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Serving the Communities of:

Billerica
Chelmsford
Dracut
Dunstable
Lowell
Pepperell
Tewksbury
Tyngsborough
Westford

Town of Chelmsford

 

TOWN OF CHELMSFORD

INCORPORATED 1655

TOTAL AREA: 22.8 Square Miles

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Board of Selectmen/Town Manager/
Representative Town Meeting


Chelmsford's website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOWN SERVICES:    

TOWN CONTACTS (as of December 2007)

Board of Selectmen:
Samuel Chase – Chairman
Philip M. Eliopoulos - Vice Chairman
Claire Jeannotte - Clerk
William Dalton
Patricia Wojtas
Phone: (978) 250-5201

Town Manager:
Paul Cohen 
Phone: (978) 250-5201
Email: pcohen@townofchelmsford.us

Town Clerk:
Elizabeth L. Delaney 
Phone: (978) 250-5205
Email: bdelaney@townofchelmsford.us

Building Inspector:
Anthony F. Zagzoug
Phone: (978) 250-5225 

Community Development Director:
Evan Belansky
Phone: (978) 250-5231
Email: ebelansky@townofchelmsford.us

Planning Board:
Susan Sullivan - Chairman
Pamela L. Armstrong   - Vice Chair
S. George Zaharoolis - Clerk
Ann McGuigan
Richard Johnson

Robert C. Morse
Robert P. Joyce
James M. Lane Jr - Alternate
Phone: (978) 250-5231

Conservation Commission:
David J. McLachlan - Chairman
Brian Reidy - Vice Chairman
Darren A. Guertin - Conservation Agent
Christopher Garrahan
Anthony Omobono
Ruth Luna
W. Robert Greenwood
William R. Vines
Phone: (978) 250-5248

Board of Health Director:   
Richard J. Day
Phone: (978) 250-5241
Email: rday@townofchelmsford.us

Housing Authority Director:
David Hedison
Phone: (978) 256-7425

Public Works Director and Town Engineer:
James E. Pearson
Phone: (978) 250-5228
Email: jpearson@townofchelmsford.us

Public Water System:

Approximately 95% of the town is serviced by public water systems through one of the community’s three water districts – Chelmsford Center Water District; North Chelmsford Water District or East Chelmsford Water District. 

Trash Collection:

The Town has curbside trash collection and recycling. In FY98, Chelmsford residents disposed of 14,620 tons of solid waste and recycled 3,370 tons. 

Sewer:  

Sewer Commission:
Barry Balan - Chairman
John Souza - Vice Chair
George Abely - Clerk
Richard Day
Jeffrey Miller

The Chelmsford Sewer Project, underway since 1984, reached an important milestone in 1998 with the start of sewer line construction in East Chelmsford. This area was the last section of Town envisioned for sewers in the 1984 Wastewater Facilities Plan. That plan outlined an implementation program for sewering 68% of the Town. Design began in 1998 on the final phase to sewer the remaining 32% of Chelmsford. 75% of the Town is under town sewerage as of the summer of 2000. 

Library:  

Public Library Director: Becky Herrmann (978) 256-5521 bherrmann@mvlc.org

The Chelmsford Public Library underwent renovations and expanded its size and holdings in 1999. The Town also has a satellite library – the Anna C. MacKay Memorial Library on Newfield St. in North Chelmsford. 

Schools:

The Chelmsford School System is made up of five K – 4 elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. 1999 – 2000 enrollments for all Chelmsford Public Schools are 4,069. The town is also one of seven member communities of the Nashoba Valley Technical High School. 

Public Safety:

Chelmsford Police Department is staffed by 58 permanent officers and the Fire Dept. roster totals 62 firefighters and officers. 

Chief of Police: Chief James Murphy Ph: (978) 256-2521 Email: chiefmurphy@townofchelmsford.us

Chief of Fire Dept: Chief Jack Parow  Phone: (978) 250-5267 Email: jparow@townofchelmsford.us  

Rail:

Commuter rail service to North Station, Boston is available at Lowell Gallagher Terminal or at the newly renovated North Billerica Station (travel time 40 mins). Freight rail service is available from Guilford Transportation, contact number: (978) 663-1073 

Bus:

Chelmsford is a member of the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA). Fixed bus service is provided, and paratransit services, including medical trips to Boston, are available for the elderly and disabled through LRTA’s Road Runner program.   

FY2003 TAX RATE: Residential - $13.13 per $1,000, Commercial- $13.13 per $1,000

Tax Collector/Treasurer: Carol Lambert Assistant Treasurer  Ph: (978) 250-5210

Population Trends – CHELMSFORD 
(Updated May 25, 2002)

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

# Change 1990-2000

% Change 1990-2000

  15,130

  31,432

  31,174

  32,383

  33,858

 1,475

  4.6%

 

Persons by Sex (2000 U.S. Census) 

Male

16,364

Female

17,494

 

Age Distribution (2000 U.S. Census) 

 

Persons

%

Under 5

  2,264

  6.7%

5 – 14

  4,784

14.1%

15 – 44

13,630

40.3%

45 – 64

  8,762

32.9%

65 & over 

        4,418

      13.1%

   

Race and Ethnicity (2000 U.S. Census) 

 

Persons

%

White

 31,520

 93.1%

Black

 266

 0.8%

Am Indian, Eskimo or Aleut

      23

 0.1% 

Asian or Pacific Islander

  1,563

 4.6%

Hispanic Origin 

     418

      1.2%

 Households (2000 U.S. Census) 

1980

1990

2000

9,588

11,453

12,812

 

Household Size (2000 U.S. Census) 

 2.61 Persons per household 

Poverty Status (2000 U.S. Census) 

Persons Below  Poverty Level:

Chelmsford

Mass.

 938

573,421

 2.8%

9.3%

 

Households by Type (2000 U.S. Census)                                  

 

Households

%

Married Couple/ Family

9,307

   72.6%

Female Householder

1,148

   9.0%

Non-Family Household 

 3,505

   27.4% 

   Income Distribution  (2000 U.S. Census) 

 

Households

%

 Less than $10,000

      523 

 4.1

$ 10,000 - $ 14,999

      400

 3.1

$ 15,000 - $ 24,999

      887

   6.9

$ 25,000 - $ 34,999

      847

   6.6

$ 35,000 - $ 49,999

  1,693

 13.2

$ 50,000 - $ 74,999

   2,589

 20.2

$ 75,000 - $ 99,999

  2,247

 17.5

$ 100,000 - $149,999

2,555 

    19.9 

$ 150,000 - $199,999

   672 

      5.2 

$ 200,000 or more

   413 

      3.2

 

Sources of Income (2000 U.S. Census) 

 
 

  # of Households

  Average Income

Wage & Salary

 10,820

                $80,310

Social Security

 2,360

$7,827

Public Assistance

  411

$3,946

Retirement

 1,823

$7,951

 Supplemental Security

 1,823

$7,951

 

HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS 

Housing Units (2000 U.S. Census) 

1970

1980

1990

2000

8,559

9,813

11,815

13,025

 

Median Household Income (1990 U.S. Census) 

  1970

1980

1990

 2000

$13,867

$26,248

$54,191

$70,207

 

Median Home Sale Price (Banker & Tradesman) 

 

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

1 – Family

$149,750

$159,555

$166,000

$190,986

$240,000

Condo

$94,900

$95,250

$106,000

$125,950

$154,000

All Sales 

$127,490

$133,250

$138,800

$159,000

$199,200

 

Housing Unit Permit Data 

1990 

1992

1994

1996 

1998 

 2000

100

141

216

69

103

43

Housing Breakdown by Occupancy (2000 U.S. Census) 

  TOTAL HOUSING UNITS

  13,025

 
 

Total Occupied Units

12,812

          98.4%

Owner Occupied

10,743

          83.9%

Renter Occupied

2,069

          16.1%

               Total Vacant

              213

            1.6%

LAND USE CLASSIFICATION (Mass. GIS 1991)  

CHELMSFORD LAND USE

ACREAGE

% OF TOTAL

Residential

6,874.74 Acres

46.5%

Commercial

376.89 Acres

2.6%

Industrial

528.66 Acres

3.6%

Agriculture

590.17 Acres

4.0%

Open Space/ Recreation

  5,283.2 Acres

35.8%

Transportation/Mining/Waste

  748.16 Acres

5.1%

Water

  370.02 Acres

2.5%

TOTAL ACREAGE  

        14,771.84 Acres

       100%

 

RECREATION 

Chelmsford Recreation Commission
50 Billerica Rd Chelmsford, Ma. 01824
Kelly Hebert – Interim Recreation Director (978) 250-5262

Recreational Facilities 

Cranberry Bog Reservation  (164 acres)
Hiking, wildlife observation, fishing 

George B.B. Wright Reservation (110 acres)
Hiking, nature observation 

Lime Quarry Reservation (64 acres)
Hiking, nature observation 

Lowell Sportsman Club (64 acres) private)
Fresh water fishing, target archery, shooting 

Chelmsford Country Club 31.5 acres) (municipal)
Golf, sledding 

Chelmsford High School (52 acres)
Baseball/softball, cross country skiing, football/soccer, general play, hiking, nature observation, organized events, tennis.   

Russell Mill Pond and Forest (132 acres)
Hiking, horseback riding, nature observation, fishing, boating, soccer 

Thanksgiving Ground Forest (48 acres)
Fresh water fishing, swimming, hiking, nature observation, boating 

McCarthy Jr. High School (42 acres)
Baseball/softball, football/soccer, general play, nature observation, tennis, walking/jogging 

Freeman Lake (77 acres)
Swimming, boating (non-motorized), skating 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

Employment Base – 1999  

LABOR FORCE – 2000

21,583

# Residents Employed

21,188

# Residents Unemployed

395

Chelmsford Unemployment Rate

1.8%

NMCOG Region Unemployment Rate

   2.5%

State Unemployment Rate 

         2.6%

 

Employment by Industry Sector – 2001 (Mass Division of Employment & Training ES - 202 Series)

Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing

222