Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Termination

Atkins Corner trees on West Street

Two of the least surprising official decisions to emanate from Amherst Town Hall so far this week are--in chronological order--the Select Board's unanimous vote on Monday night to kill the Committee on Homelessness, age four, and this afternoon's decision by the tree warden to allow termination of 15 more trees around Atkins Corner, some of them age 40-something.

Although in this case the Shade Tree Committee voted unanimously not to vote on the permit application because they considered the process a charade. In a previous round their unanimous vote to deny the permit was overruled.
Hwei-Ling Greeney Committee on Homelessness Chair

Since Atkins Corner construction is a state project the town and its committees have no power. So why even bother voting?
Shade Tree Committee. Alan Snow, 2nd from left, Tree Warden

Ah, if only passion was the paramount factor in deciding these controversial cases--a stay of execution would be guaranteed.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The big story here: getting Diana Stein's SB vote to make termination of the COH unanimous. Not easy.

The Bulletin's cup will runneth over with Hwei-Ling and her persecution complex for a week or two, because (big secret) they love her.

Larry Kelley said...

Love her? The Bully did editorially support Greeney's opponent when she lost her Select Board seat a few years back.

Anonymous said...

Can we now lure Milestone Ministries back? Or do we have any other providers for the shelter? November 1 is coming up fast.

Larry Kelley said...

I believe "Craig's Doors: A Home Association Inc" put in a bid.

They are a social service organization spearheaded by Kevin Noonan who spoke at the Select Board meeting a couple months back defending the Committee on Homelessness.

Anonymous said...

Good point and important distinction on Hwei-Ling.

The Bulletin staff love her because she provides good copy: at least one feature story, a letter from her explaining how we as an insensitive, uncaring community have hurt her feelings yet again, then several testimonial letters from her supporters, including her husband, telling us how much she's done for the community, and, possibly, a more restrained rejoinder from a Select Board member outlining in neutral terms why they did what they did. It can go on and on and on for as many as three weeks.

The Commentary page of the Bulletin thrives on residents like Hwei-Ling.