The $140,789 budget increase in Conservation and Development an 18.9% increase over last year's budget, funding a much needed additional housing code inspector, a part-time planning consultant, plus an additional administrative assistant survived an assault from activist and former Select Board member Hwei-Ling Greeney, who moved to ax the amount from the Town Manager's budget unanimously approved by the Select Board.
The town, UMass (and this blogger) have declared war on rowdy student party houses scattered like weeds among residential neighborhoods. The additional building inspector is a key asset in curbing unsafe, unsanitary, overcrowded conditions that rile long established neighbors and casts a shadow over the town's image and reputation.
Town Meeting overwhelmingly passed the budget on a voice vote.
Actions speak louder than words. They need more than inspections. That's a band aid - responsive instead of proactive. They need zoning regulations, and houses should not be converted into apartments in a college town - ever.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. But it's a start. And after 50 years or so, about time!
ReplyDeleteWhy did Ms. Greeney try to get rid of this?
ReplyDeleteI wish I had fifty cents for every time over the years someone either wrote or uttered sentences with both "why" and "Ms. Greeney" in them.
ReplyDeleteHad to do with CDBG monies being used (Community Block Development Grant)to fund human services.
ReplyDeleteA little complicated, but I think it boils down to: she wants the town to build a homeless shelter, or have the ARA make one part of the Gateway Corridor project.
I still believe the Town is ignoring a clear and present danger. The need for a 6th ambulance and the firefighters to staff it should not be dismissed. $200,000 for the ambulance that will be in service for 8-10 years and 6 additional firefighters at $330,000 per year is not insignificant, but the cost could be covered by the ambulance fund and further offset but by ambulance billing that would be generated that is currently being lost to Northampton Fire, Belechertown EMS, South Hadley Fire, and Granby Fire, who are coming to Amherst 100 times a year to treat and transport patients because our Fire Department ambulances were already committed.
ReplyDeletedoesn't amherst have the largest planning dept in western mass? plus lots of consultant fees for planning? are any other budget areas going up by 20%? what gives?
ReplyDeleteThe price you pay for Amherst's pure democracy form of government, that gives amateurs the reigns of power.
ReplyDeleteThe Planning Department has to support (and hold hands) with about half of Amherst's 54 boards and committees.
And when dealing with state and federal regulations, the boards and committees need professionals looking over their shoulders.
that's a ridiculous statement.
ReplyDeleteFolks in Jackson, Michigan found your blog (see article about Larry S in the Gazette)
ReplyDelete"This blog concerning Mr. Shaffer is probably what you saw; personally, I'd take it with a very large grain of salt because, if they want to, any loose cannon in the world can get on the internet these days and say whatever that want to say about someone else with little regard for the truth of a matter."
Yeah, my sitemeter picked it up this afternoon when I noticed a sudden ten-fold increase in folks coming here from Michigan Google searching "Larry/Shaffer/Amherst".
ReplyDeletePretty ironic the Anon in Michigan questions MY integrity when I published public documents (everybody wanted kept secret) to clearly show his secretary suddenly leaves town with a $23,000 taxpayer payout.
He gets $62,000 to leave the same day after divorcing his wife and following another woman who originally served on the "citizen search committee" that approved him for the Amherst town manager job.
Priceless.
Not much of an article in the Gazette--just a headline and a link to the other sleepy, toothless, tired old watchdog "paper" in Michigan.
Hey, Jackson, Michigan:
ReplyDeleteCan you say "Boy Scouts selling Christmas trees?"
Forget the philandering; let's just look at the political tone-deafness.
Or how about the Select Board monologue about how much he wanted to retire?
He was our horn-dog; now he's yours.
Maybe the planning dept should hire an employee to monitor all the planning consultants it hires. Wait-maybe they already have.
ReplyDelete