tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post6242550201860489895..comments2023-10-17T22:56:42.784-04:00Comments on Only in The Republic of Amherst: Party House e-x-p-a-n-s-i-o-nLarry Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-15923181579823856472012-04-15T19:41:26.141-04:002012-04-15T19:41:26.141-04:00ed, I wonder if you will continue to comment about...ed, I wonder if you will continue to comment about your issues with amherst after you vacate, or do you plan to "move on"?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-90834630400422820312012-04-13T23:32:08.709-04:002012-04-13T23:32:08.709-04:00I have a much simpler solution -- the Dana/Prescot...I have a much simpler solution -- the Dana/Prescott/Enfield/Grenwich solution -- the legislature revokes Amherst's charter -- MA is a commonwealth and can do this with just a majority vote of the legislature and SCOTUS upheld their right to do this in the 1930s.<br /><br />Amherst ceases to exist on New Year's Eve. All of Amherst becomes a state reservation, like the Quabbin. The state mails everyone a dollar and takes title to all the property in town -- just like they did the Quabbin -- and SCOTUS upheld this too. (You can sue the state for your fair market value, but at your own expense.)<br /><br />South Amherst is partitioned off and annexed to Hadley, East Amherst to Pelham, North Amherst to Leverett. Everything from Puffer's Pond to Cushman Village and due East and diagonally to the Jewish Community/Second Congo Church, then down to Pomory Lane and down it to the Hadley line becomes a state-administered reservation known as "University."<br /><br />Policed by MSP, EMS/Fire provided by the state -- possibly a combined Forest Fire/muni fire department hybrid, the UMPD absorbed into the MSP like the MDC was. All property taxes paid directly to the state. Water provided directly out of Quabbin, the sewer plant moved from it current location to South Amherst and discharged into the brook by Mill Valley road. (This eliminates all need for pumping stations as sewerage can now flow DOWNHILL and not have to be pumped up to UMass.)<br /><br />This would be great for students, great for UMass, great for the state -- and it would suck to be a townine. Just like it sucked to live in Enfield 80 years ago...<br /><br />Do not forget that the people who do the grunt work on Beacon Hill are recent UM grads, who HATE Amherst with a passion......<br /><br />Disincorporate Amherst. Disassemble Amherst. F*** Amherst!Dr. Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-6571145432560341872012-04-11T00:58:09.707-04:002012-04-11T00:58:09.707-04:00"unlike you, mr. (phil) jackson grew up here...."unlike you, mr. (phil) jackson grew up here."<br /><br />maybe, but i bet i've been paying my own way in this town longer than he has, and longer than most people i know who grew up in this town and still live here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-71826300944295235682012-04-10T13:55:28.284-04:002012-04-10T13:55:28.284-04:00Hadley has some nice stores, and it won't matt...Hadley has some nice stores, and it won't matter. The point is to remind Amherst the stone age is one university away.Separation of Statenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-77875892411047151842012-04-10T08:32:21.936-04:002012-04-10T08:32:21.936-04:00Yea, good luck with that- the university provides ...Yea, good luck with that- the university provides you with so many venues to consume alcohol on campus!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-43666018878902501262012-04-09T16:20:40.441-04:002012-04-09T16:20:40.441-04:00Which is why I am advocating for separating UMass ...Which is why I am advocating for separating UMass from the town. We should use our own private force (as well as keep the student force) and ignore the town, it's obvious students aren't welcome there. The state can even take the funds saved and give them to the school than the town, which obviously doesn't need financial help. UMass can become it's own self-contained atmosphere and remind the town that it is the economic juggernaut and only reason it is on the map.Separation of Statenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-55969858628435607502012-04-09T14:17:12.366-04:002012-04-09T14:17:12.366-04:00Well, except for a Fire Department and EMT ambulan...Well, except for a Fire Department and EMT ambulance service, which are a tad more expensive than voting scanners.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-20449855295420997172012-04-09T14:04:49.264-04:002012-04-09T14:04:49.264-04:00So, addressing that minor, minor, (very irrelevant...So, addressing that minor, minor, (very irrelevant) detail it would still make sense. Let the town fallow back to the farming community it once was and break all UMass "Amherst" ties. Return the scanners, the school can manage on its own I am sure.Separation of Statenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-71084290129462869032012-04-09T06:43:56.450-04:002012-04-09T06:43:56.450-04:00Actually UMass was given it's own on campus vo...Actually UMass was given it's own on campus voting status (with two very expensive scanners) and turnout was so poor, they nixed the idea.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-12230576108843216532012-04-09T04:43:26.151-04:002012-04-09T04:43:26.151-04:00UMass has a mission to the public, to promote high...UMass has a mission to the public, to promote higher education. Bigger does not mean better, but when the higher education businesses... er... I mean private schools refuse to take more students on board, lower tuition, or conduct any research on behalf of the public while receiving all the benefits of a non-profit the town will unfortunately have to bear a higher student burden as UMass picks up the slack. <br /><br />This is why I advocate for UMass to be more removed from the community, and should not be counted in the town's population. The funding for extra "citizens" to the town from the state should stop in exchange for moving as many students onto campus as possible. Constructing our own post office, restaurants, fire department, grocery store, etc. would sever any town-school connections, be them legal, academic, or financial. The school is large enough to warrant its own voting district, and the gerrymandering of districts would cease as UMass would effectively become its own zone.Separation of Statenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-62928180069777297662012-04-08T06:01:59.974-04:002012-04-08T06:01:59.974-04:00let me know when the burning happens so I can come...let me know when the burning happens so I can come get Emily's gate beforehandc.a.n.t.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-58322215203133350872012-04-07T22:00:55.607-04:002012-04-07T22:00:55.607-04:00Whatever.
Don't ask me to cry when the town g...Whatever.<br /><br />Don't ask me to cry when the town gets burnt flat...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-34273900386508002012-04-07T21:27:44.723-04:002012-04-07T21:27:44.723-04:00Actually it's Kelley. And yes, it is the resp...Actually it's Kelley. And yes, it is the responsibility of a landlord to enforce discipline rather than our police department having to do it. <br /><br />And the "Nuisance House Bylaw" allows for $300 fines TO THE LANDLORD on the 3rd offense of the tenants, so they damn well better start enforcing some discipline.<br /><br />Unlike you, Phil Jackson grew up here. So I think he knows the lay of the land.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-15800590281329919302012-04-07T21:21:57.698-04:002012-04-07T21:21:57.698-04:00I must say I do agree with anon 1:49 - did Jackson...I must say I do agree with anon 1:49 - did Jackson somehow not get where he was moving to when he bought a house on Lincoln Ave? People driving on HIS road to get to school and work, college kids partying on the weekends in HIS neighborhood... <br /><br />Also... is it the responsibility of a landlord to "enforce discipline rules"? (in fairness i guess those are maybe Mr. Kelly's words?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-27773929434512145012012-04-07T15:13:09.633-04:002012-04-07T15:13:09.633-04:00I do hope we will get ample warning when Ed reache...I do hope we will get ample warning when Ed reaches critical mass. It will be massively entertaining and I want to be sure to get a front row seat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-3001306247206538792012-04-07T10:22:00.297-04:002012-04-07T10:22:00.297-04:00Wait... Where is it that you live, Ed?
I thought ...Wait... Where is it that <i>you</i> live, Ed?<br /><br />I thought the town was supposed to wither and blow away as the university enrollment declined. What's happening with that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-38657549879704800032012-04-07T09:57:42.289-04:002012-04-07T09:57:42.289-04:00Ed, my 14 year old figured out how to use the park...Ed, my 14 year old figured out how to use the parking machines and you can't? Maybe that's why its taking you so long to get a degree.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-66337496662996358262012-04-07T07:55:25.382-04:002012-04-07T07:55:25.382-04:00According to a Jim Wald tweet yesterday, some guy ...According to a Jim Wald tweet yesterday, some guy paid a parking ticket at Town Hall entirely in pennies. It's not like you're getting back at The Man by messing with the front desk clerk. <br /><br />She made him wait while counting the coins (slowly I bet) and refused to take Canadian pennies.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-10231601431799234932012-04-07T00:38:31.091-04:002012-04-07T00:38:31.091-04:00Larry, it is 6,500 beds that are planned in three ...Larry, it is 6,500 beds that are planned in three phases --- the 1,500 is just the first phase.<br /><br />Now remember that there are only 5,500 in Southwest.<br /><br />I will cry no tears for Amherst. You all get to live in the cesspool you deserve, and I hope you enjoy it.<br /><br />AND YOUR NEW PARKING MACHINES SUCK! And the pendantic bitch of a parking officer who couldn't bother to show me how to use it myself was the final straw -- F*CK Amherst! Perhaps I should write a response to Stephanie in her newspaper....Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-22572750910961935052012-04-06T22:10:34.120-04:002012-04-06T22:10:34.120-04:00But even with the 1,500 beds going up at the Commo...But even with the 1,500 beds going up at the Commonwealth College new dirt they still have a net deficit of housing over the next five or ten years.<br /><br />One big reason Gateway could have been such a major win-win for everybody.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-80804293793245271242012-04-06T22:04:21.115-04:002012-04-06T22:04:21.115-04:00(Are UMass enrollments going up?)
Yes, that has b...(Are UMass enrollments going up?)<br /><br />Yes, that has been the stated policy of the last two chancellors, to make UMass better by making it bigger. Larry no doubt knows the figures from the discussions about Gateway, etc., but the plan has been to go from roughly 17K to roughly 22K undergrads. What I remember, which may not be right, is that most or all of the expansion would come from dorm building, some of which has already happened.DaveMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00779581893863396042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-55105542010184425932012-04-06T18:45:21.490-04:002012-04-06T18:45:21.490-04:00Anon 6:00 pm:
Do we really need either at this poi...Anon 6:00 pm:<br />Do we really need either at this point? Are UMass enrollments going up? UMass has built new dorms in recent years, and it seems as though are more than enough apartments and apartment complexes for college students already. <br /><br />just-wonderingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-69163863940564043942012-04-06T18:00:40.467-04:002012-04-06T18:00:40.467-04:00It's either more dorms or more home conversion...It's either more dorms or more home conversions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-51287157335982828952012-04-06T15:08:34.893-04:002012-04-06T15:08:34.893-04:00What a crazy decision, especially in light of all ...What a crazy decision, especially in light of all of the partying that has been going on at that house already while it's been a "one-family". <br /><br />I hope this isn't a start of even more conversions of homes to higher-density student dwellings.<br /><br />*ugh*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-82701629320838618492012-04-06T13:59:27.694-04:002012-04-06T13:59:27.694-04:00OMG, Anon 1:49:
Yeah, that's how bad it is. ...OMG, Anon 1:49:<br /><br />Yeah, that's how bad it is. One irate neighbor quoted Planning Board member Jonathan O'Keeffe from a few months back saying conversion of single family homes to mega student housing was a major problem, but at least this house keeps them contained near UMass, and keeps them out of Amherst Woods, South Amherst, etc.<br /><br />But if you peruse my rogues gallery of 'Party Houses of the Weekend', you will find them spread out all over Amherst and not just the usual suspects: Sunset Ave, Phillips and Fearing Streets.Larry Kelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.com