Andover, North Andover Selectmen Meet for Border Check and Perrier

If you were on Route 133 at the Andover/North Andover town line Saturday morning, you may have seen some adults standing on the side of the road drinking from red Solo cups.

Those were actually your selectmen.

But don't worry, the cups were filled with Perrier sparkling water and the temporary loitering was part of state law.

According to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 42 Section 2: "The boundary markers of every town shall be located, the marks thereon renewed, and the year located marked upon the face thereof which bears the letter of the town locating its boundary, once every five years, by at least two of the selectmen of the town or by two substitutes designated by them in writing. The marking shall be made with a paint or other suitable marking material."

So for centuries, selectmen from Andover and North Andover have met at one of the town line markers and determined the town line is still where was before, and they've labeled the town markers with that year.

The town line markers are small stone pillars on the side of the road. The Route 133 stone has been there since the 1950s, according to the years painted on it.

On Saturday, North andover Selectmen Rosemary Smedile and Dick Vaillancourt joined Andover Selectmen Alex Vispoli and Paul Salafia to reaffirm both the town line and the friendship between the two communities.