Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Smells like...victory

So I was two for two last night at the illustrious Amherst Select board meeting.

At 6:40 pm I was on the agenda to request the SB (that’s shorthand for Select board) designate the intersection in South Amherst, where the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School just opened, a “school zone” so the DPW can go nuts with signage. They unanimously agreed, but thought there may be a step or two more in the process so they would get back to me.

And at 7:00 we had the joint meeting between the SB and Amherst Redevelopment Authority a quasi-state agency thankfully independent of town government to replace an open seat. Great minds must think a like as we unanimously voted in Peg Roberts (an icon in downtown development).

And nothing should be made of the fact that she was the only applicant. Since it was known very early on she had applied anybody else with lesser qualifications--that would be the entire town--would have thought twice about even bothering. And (Schools take note) qualifications count.

All in all a great night for a troublemaker like me, who occasionally receives “payback” via a totally different issue: For instance, I think the shameful two-thirds vote of Amherst Town Meeting not to fly the flags on 9/11 was more an anti-Larry Kelley vote than it was against the flag, coming only two weeks after the May 1’st property tax Override (to “save our schools”) went down in flames.

Well at least kids will be safer in South Amherst; and now we can get to work expanding the downtown-parking garage.

2 comments:

  1. Hi there,

    You are chosen to represent your country in the first international blog
    WUB (World United Bloggers)

    The aim of this blog is to prove to the world that differences in language, religion,race and nationality do not make us hate each other and we can make this world better if we express our opinions with respect to others.

    If you agree to join us please send e-mail with your nick name , age , country and your blog address to sharm_lover@hotmail.com where you will be sent an activation mail which makes you entitled to contribute in WUB, your name as one of the contributor will automatically be updated.Please read the rules before you start any posting in WUB where you will also find the aims of this WUB.

    Thanks
    Chief WUB,


    Sharm .

    www.worldub.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Sharm,

    Thanks. I'll give it a shot.

    In Amherst I'm a somewhat lonely minority--but nationwide, I'm considered quite representative.

    How are things in Egypt these days?

    ReplyDelete