Friday, October 23, 2015

Fab Friday Over Amherst

 Always colorful downtown Amherst

Not nearly as much going on this weekend vs Homecoming last weekend, but the weather is certainly hospitable other than a little wind.

This is of course the weekend before Halloween which this year falls on a Saturday and coincides with daylight savings end.   One more hour to party or for us old fogies an extra hour of sleep.

This weekend will act a little like the canary in the coalmine as an indicator of how bad things could get over Halloween.

So far the the past two months have been extraordinarily quieter than the past three or four years for the same comparative time period.

Let's hope it stays that way.

Puffer's Pond still showing color although today's wind may loosen lots of leaves

Cowls Road in North Amherst finally getting repaved at a cost of $172,000


Hampshire College R.W. Kern Center (middle left)

Hampshire College recently hosted a tour to show off their new to the South Amherst skyline R.W. Kern Center "Living Building".  Which of course costs more than your average bear, projected at around $11 million.

Thus if Stephen Kulik's legislative bill to allow municipalities to tax private education institutes at 25% of their assessed value, this building alone would generate $55,000 annually.  ($20.54/$1,000 times one-quarter of $11 million assessment)

Currently Hampshire College, who requires Amherst Fire Department services about as often as Amherst College, pays the town nothing in Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.  Amherst College, on the other hand, paid the town $130,000 this year.

Hampshire College will also be hosting next weekend their traditional but decidedly offbeat  Hampshire Halloween (with a tagline of "Trip or Treat") that always seems to require extra AFD medical coverage.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Must be so nice to not have to work. Charmed life, this Kelly.

Anonymous said...

Wow! You are always looking on the negative side. Wishful thinking?

Larry Kelley said...

Not at all.

I'm just more informed than you.

Which is why you come here in the first place.

Anonymous said...

You are more informed? No, you started a business with your parents' money, sold it when you could, now you just fart around town like a true townie, poking yr nose into everyone's business.

Larry Kelley said...

Actually I founded the business in 1982 for less than $10,000 with my own money, only my mother was alive at the time and I did not sell it five years ago, I closed it.

I only poke my drone into public business.

But yes, I am a "true townie."

Anonymous said...

Actually, Larry I think the job you're doing is great. So much for these other nitwits. Anons or not.

Larry Kelley said...

Thanks.

There's only one or two of them but they are dedicated little trolls.

Anonymous said...

Is there a timeline or date of completion set for Cowls Rd? I would assume it's fairly close to complete, but I'm curious nevertheless.

Larry Kelley said...

Thanksgiving.

Anonymous said...

Do you know why Hampshire is allowed to have such insanely loud music at their events? Many of us neighbors have complained in the past, only to be told it is private property. Well, don't others on private property get a nuisance ticket for less noise than that?

Larry Kelley said...

Amherst College every now and then has functions that create a fair amount of noise and they usually just tell them to keep things down (but never issue tickets).

They probably figure Hampshire College is, no offense, somewhat in the boonies (although I'm a mile away and I can hear it); and it only happens but "once a year."