Town Meeting redirected the preliminary path hatched by town officials to deal with four major building projects by turning down the two-for-one $67 million Mega School that would have orphaned Fort River, a preferred site for the new DPW thus allowing the new South Fire Station to occupy their former (really) old site next to my house.
Fort River Elementary School
Last night Town Meeting added more delay by voting down the $350,000 for Schematic Design of the DPW a kind of stage 2 process, but did approve $75,000 for South Fire Station stage 1 study. But if that study shows the DPW site to be the best choice for the new Fire Station then that confirms the additional delay of a at least a year.
Current DPW is located in 100 year old former Trolley building
And the town has already squandered 50 years delaying the new South Fire Station.
Preliminary figures bandied about for the new Fire Station are in the $12 million range and the new DPW three times that with no state reimbursement. The Jones Library expansion/renovation in the $32 million range with the state paying $15 million, private donations of $5 million, and a taxpayer Debt Exclusion Override of $12 million.
And the just torpedoed $67 Mega School was to be 50% state funded the other half a Debt Exclusion Override.
AFD Central Station a sardine can for expensive equipment
If the town really wanted to score points with some of us curmudgeons they would tap our $12 million in stashed away reserves and light a fire under the new Fire Station process.
With that vital necessity out of the way the other projects stand a better chance because the town would have demonstrated it knows how to set priorities. (For a change.)
Which buildings are a priority and why? How much can taxpayers spend without hundreds and hundreds of thousands of taxes being added to their bills? How will tax increases affect retired people and people on low incomes? Does the town need state of the art buidlings or just very good ones? How can we reuse and renovate the buidlings we have? How about a budget for each project before the designs are drawn? These questions were asked in town meeting this week by ordinary citizens elected by other ordinary citizens. Is anyone listening? Are the Jones Trustees? The Select Board needs to step up and lead here.
ReplyDeleteLarry, I can't tell whether you are happy or unhappy by the votes of Town Meeting on the capital projects. I have heard nothing but "build Larry a fire station" for the 43 years I have been a Town Meeting member. No one could be happier than I that we can cross this project off the blackboard--finally. Hilda
ReplyDeleteWe're still a long ways from popping champagne corks to celebrate the New South Fire Station Grand Opening, but it was a significant step in the right direction. Finally.
ReplyDeleteThe first station is absolutely necessary, although it would be nice if a S. Amherst fire station would actually be located in S. Amherst. The new DPW is a boondoggle and should be killed. It's an unnecessary burden on the taxes on retirees that are barely making ends meet in paying our outrageous taxes as it is. Same with the library expansion. It was pushed forward by college professors and others that are out of touch with the financial pain some in our community are already feeling.
ReplyDeleteThe town is moving way too fast on deciding whether it needs to build a new fire station and new dpw. We have enough fire stations and the old dpw works just fine. What do they need a new building for? The work they do is outside, on the town properties and such. They could be housed in a tent for that matter since the building is of no consequence.
ReplyDeleteSlow this down. Moving way too fast. Who is trying to rush this through and waste our precious few town dollars. Where are your priorities? We do not need a new dpw or another fire station. This town is so small. What a waste of money both of these ideas are. South Amherst does NOT need a new fire station. No one's house has burned down in South Amherst because a truck couldn't get there in time.
Why slow it down....looks at the fact and decide...move on.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's only been 50 freakin' years.
ReplyDeleteI need an exact explanation on why we need a new dpw building. Can't the DPW fixed it's own building as needed. I am SURE they could improve their efficiency and fit in a little roof work. Does anyone believe those guys work hard?
ReplyDeleteHow much is a new well field or reservoir going to cost?
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:16 has it exactly right. We are capped in terms of water capacity. That is unless there are heretofore unknown of pipes running west and downhill from the Quabbin.
ReplyDeleteUnless a new well taps a different and forever separate source of groundwater.
Any hydrologists care to weigh in?
Anon 7:42...do you mean hydroponics?...I am into hydroponics!
ReplyDeleteNo. Drain & Dredge the Atkins.
ReplyDelete"Yeah, it's only been 50 freakin' years."
ReplyDelete50 years or a hundred years makes no difference. Town hall is old but we're not knocking that down.
Actually I said we've been talking about a new station for 50 years. Central Station was built in 1929 back when fire apparatus was a tad smaller.
ReplyDeleteTown Hall had a major $4 million renovation 15-20 years ago (which failed as an Override twice and then Town Meeting did it anyway with borrowing).
I think, like with the presidential election, the people have had it. Amherst is a decent place to live, right? The sky is not falling right?
ReplyDeleteWell if it was, then maybe, just maybe, you could start to justify the taking of countless millions of dollars. The people have figured out that the government is over spending.
4 types of spending.
1 spend your money on you
2 spend your money on other people
3 spend other peoples money on you
4 spend other peoples money on other people
1 goes well, 2 goes ok, 3 is done with little concern of the cost and 4 has no incentive to be efficient, effective or a value.
1 is you taking care of your family, 2 is giving a gift 3 is taking a gift and 4 is public spending.
Anyone who supports 4 ownes their neighbors poverty as much as they own the poor education the kids get...that the parents already neglected. I think preventing poverty is more important. Glad this bs got shot down.
Is there a general understanding of why Amherst taxes are so high? I lived here for many many years then moved to Somers CT, a small town. My taxes dropped by over 1/2 and I bought a larger house. The services the town provides are very similar to Amherst. I'm sure someone has outlined this previously.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to figure out where Amherst can lower some spending so these important proejects can be funded without raising the already ridiculously high property taxes.
The high average cost per student in our public schools.
ReplyDelete"Town Hall had a major $4 million renovation 15-20 years ago"
ReplyDeleteAs did Central Station.
If it is the high cost Larry, how much better of an education do Amherst students get vs. those in Somers CT? How do we measure the value Amherst students (I mean taxpayers) are getting relative to Sumers students (I mean tax payers) get. I guess students dont measure value or need to, it is a free ride for them and almost free for their families.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest factors on the RIO of local education is how many students who get the locally funded education stay local (or like the trash, it will go down the road). Any data on what percentage of students and therefor the huge educational investment, stay in Amherst....and how about this figure relative to other towns? Then an evaluation of how much those students contribute back to the town over time would be warranted, as my experience it is usually the losers that stick around, and cost the town even more money by either not being able to pay their way or pushing for endless funding of their local welfare programs. This is literally what the town is buying, unless it really is just a hand out to parents for being fertile. Surely this is one of the big topics talked about in justifying such an investment...or what are we talking about....as I want more money too and it would be great to not have to pay some of my biggest obligations (like educating my children) too.
Something tells me that the kids in Somers will learn how to grow up without needing as much welfare from their neighbors vs. kids in Amherst who learn how to be quite needy from the town elders.
And some fringe folks are worried about what kind of example Trump is for the kids....time to start looking in your welfare funded mirror.
No Central Station did not have a major renovation over the past 20 years. Lots of band aid fixes (some of them expensive).
ReplyDeleteHere's a thought for a change-instead of making a few quid for piss-and then killing-nay-murdering-some innocent bystander-the alcohol establishments-liquor stores-bars & restaurants-nightspots- SHOULD PAY A FAIR SHARE OF TAX INCREASE..for all the death and carnage they visit on the community-like the man brutally slaughtered by the bus shelter-in front of the restaurant with multiple counts of illegally liquoring up even multiple bar hoppers..YA THUNK ??!! Just say'n..Go Figure..time for some commonplace-commonsense !!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that capacity was added by building a whole new fire station in N. Amherst.
ReplyDeleteYeah, in 1972.
ReplyDeleteCheck you date. It was much later than that.
ReplyDeleteDecember 5, 1975, but who's counting.
ReplyDeleteHey what's up with Kurt? And someone tell Rick hood to calm down!
ReplyDeleteJust Kurt being Kurt.
ReplyDeleteDo not forget that $309000.00 of taxpayer money allotted for the children of the town's schools went to pay off Geryk. And how much was spent on the Gardner fiasco? All that protection and investigation and legal fees? That money should have gone to the kids or to repairing and maintaining the school buildings. How quickly we forget! I think all future spending needs closer observation by Amherst taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely DO NOT NEED another fire station. We live in a small town. Our current fire stations are completely adequate. Why do you want to spend money the town doesn't have? Are you trying to price people out of town by raising our taxes through the roof?
ReplyDeleteAnd the thought of building a new dpw is beyond ridiculous. Those guys don't a building. What is this Palm Beach? Do you think we're made of money?
Cut the crap. I'll be working hard against both of these stupid ideas.
Why does the DPW have so many trucks???
ReplyDeleteExcepting snow removal, if many of them are specialized equipment that's rarely used, wouldn't it be a whole lot CHEAPER to contract that out?
And if the issue is vehicles being stored outdoors, what about a couple of cheap Quonset Huts?
But isn't the larger question why so many vehicles?
They HAVE to have all those vehicles so three or four town guys (employees) have something shiny to ride around in. Ever see a guy digging a hole? One working 10-12 watching... Cut the staffing and we would need less trucks. Much cheaper to send things out to bid. Professional companies do better work in much less time.
ReplyDelete