Sunday, October 2, 2011

A dying wish granted

Hwei-Ling Greeney, Reikka Simula Gooden: Committee on Homelessness

So in spite of the Amherst Select Board terminating with extreme prejudice the Committee on Homelessness, their influence advocating for the downtrodden living lives of voiceless desperation on the streets of Amherst continues to reverberate, like one of those more subtle east coast earthquakes.

The committee had recommended to town officials the shelter needs to open by November 1st, so a Request For Quotes needs to be issued by September 1st, and the town needs to chose a provider by October 1. All to better meet the needs of the homeless.

Those deadlines have all been met with Friday's announcement that Craig's Doors was awarded the $101,000 contract to run the Homeless Shelter, located in the basement of the First Baptist Church at the gateway to UMass.

That too was a recommendation of the Committee on Homelessness to the Select Board; their dying wish so to speak. At their final meeting (September 8) before SB termination (September 12) the committee voted unanimously to recommend Craig's Doors, the only entity who responded to the RFQ, with two members--Laura Quinn and Kevin Noonan--former members of the now defunct Amherst Committee on Homelessness.

Indeed a case where the good they did was not interred with their bones.

First Baptist Church
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 2, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    This was all part of the plan....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Larry KelleyOctober 2, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    Well the Select Board probably should have let the Committee On Homelessness in on it.

    Then maybe they would have walked to the gallows with more spring in their step.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hwei-Ling GreeneyOctober 2, 2011 at 3:26 PM

    I mis-spoke. I meant the deadline for RFQ response is September 1.

    Hwei-Ling

    ReplyDelete
  4. Roach PatrolOctober 2, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    Uh oh, Larry "Roach-man" Shaffer up to his old tricks again?


    Now where's that can of raid?


    http://www.mlive.com/business/jackson-lansing/index.ssf/2011/09/some_jackson_city_officials_su.html


    http://www.enterprisegroup.org/news-story/933/


    "What has the EG done for the city? Well, old President Steve Czarnecki used the EG as an illegal real estate broker to get then board member, William Deary, his sweet land deal across from Jackson Catholic Middle School. So, I guess we could say that the EG absolutely brings business and jobs to Jackson. However, don't use my tax dollars to fund any more illegal activities all in the name of "free enterprise." Glad the old EG board is long gone - they all flew the coup before any charges could be filed."



    "Forget it! My tax dollars should be spent with more return on the dollar. And I don't mean 2 hour luncheons and travel expenses or a big formal banquet after hours. There are way too many perks going to these beaurucrats that totals out to money wasted. If I decided to play their game, do you suppose the city council would let me have $100,000 to blow???? I think not. It amounts to who is scratching the city manager's back! City council has been elected and entrusted to spend our tax dollars WISELY. This is not the way to do it."


    Yep, incubated in Amherst, infecting the planet...

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousOctober 2, 2011 at 5:46 PM

    My oh my.

    "City Manager Larry Shaffer, who is on The Enterprise Groups board of directors, said the organization is an important partner with the city and he will provide input on the citys needs."

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousOctober 2, 2011 at 10:45 PM

    The key question in any situation involving policy in Amherst is:

    Does this make Hwei-Ling happy or not?

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousOctober 2, 2011 at 10:57 PM

    Wonder how Larry S is treating the employees at his new stomping grounds.

    When they say their first hello to Larry begins the inevitable journey to his next sweet severance package.

    Isn't government service great?

    ReplyDelete