Not My Job

UMPD

Back when I was working for United Parcel Service under the auspices of the Teamsters Union, where our hourly pay for unskilled labor was almost four times minimum wage (with full benefits), the non-Teamsters UPS foreman who were company men always said "please" and "thank you" when giving orders to us pack mules.  

Strangely enough, as simple a curtesy as it was, it actually helped to sooth the usual labor/management friction. Although when real issues arose, the fallout could be downright dangerous.

   UMPD APD Joint Patrols

So I can see both sides of this grievance:  UMass police officers don't like being "inversed" to do work that is not spelled out in their contract, while their bosses want to ensure positive relations with the town of Amherst.

Meanwhile the hotspot areas saturated with students living off campus, don't get the full attention they deserve.  And it's the neighborhoods that will suffer.

So can we "please" figure this out before UMass comes back in session?

"Thank you!"

A Really BIG Deal

 Town Manager to Select Board:  "Very, very close" (to a deal)

The five year "Strategic Agreement" with our #1 client for pubic services -- UMass/Amherst -- expired June 30, 2012.   But the contract was extended for one year after former Town Manager Larry Shaffer (and his secretary) suddenly left town just when the agreement was expiring.

Town Manager John Musante told the Select Board last night that a new "partnership" was "very, very close" to being a done deal.

The previous agreement paid the town $350,000 for ambulance protection but was supplemented recently by an additional $80,000 to cover extra AFD weekend staffing to keep up with a spike in demand, all too much of it alcohol related. 

But, the previous agreement also clearly stated:  "If in the future the town vacates Mark's Meadow, UMass may reimburse the town for a portion of the net cost of educating students living in university tax-exempt housing."

The town did indeed (amazingly) close down Mark's Meadow in 2009 -- saving $800,000 in town tax monies the first year.  But nobody ever bothered to reopen the "strategic agreement" to seek reimbursement for the most expensive municipal product Amherst produces:  education.

In 2009 ARPS reported 55 students enrolled from UMass tax exempt housing, and most recently (back in March, when the Town Manager requested the current figures) the number stood at 57.

At the current cost to Amherst taxpayers ($18,388 per pupil) for our elementary schools, that alone comes to $1 million.

 Current Emergency Response Statistics.  Graph courtesy Tom Valle Secretary Local 1764

UMass also absorbs about one-quarter of Amherst Fire Department services (Umass has a police department but not a fire department) and AFD's annual budget is $4.13 million, so that's another $900,000 in UMass costs borne by Amherst taxpayers. 

In 2010 the University of Vermont (10,459 undergrads, 1,540 grad students) paid Burlington (population 42,282 with one-third of all property tax exempt) $1,100,000 or THREE times what the University of Massachusetts (21,373 undergrads, 6,196 grad students) paid Amherst (population 34,874, with one-half of all property tax exempt).

And UVM has their own ambulance service!

Therefore, no matter what the spinmeisters at UMass News and Media Relations say, anything less than $1 million per year for our "partnership" over the next five years is a bad deal.    

Bring On The Consultants

Steering Committee co-chairs Nancy Buffone, David Ziomek (left)

The Town Gown Steering Committee had their final meeting of the year Tuesday and passed their collective hands over the final RFP draft for a consultant to help navigate the stormy waters that arise between two large independent entities -- in this case the town and UMass, a flagship University in a state that cherishes education.

As usual there were a couple points of friction:  Actual Amherst demographics are hard to measure precisely: how many year round residents of the town overall and how many off campus students there are nine months of the year.  And what is the exact make up of on-campus students since some of them take online courses  and therefor not physically present.

But the real point of friction came from immediate neighbors in the audience who took offense at the line "Community resistance to new growth has been consistently high." Yes, in a bureaucratic document, God forbid directness.

Jack Hirsch went so far as to say the line was aimed directly at "Save Historic Cushman," a relatively newbie organization in the generations old BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) movement.

John Fox also read a prepared statement decrying a "secret document" that had been commissioned by Town Meeting a few years back as part of the ill-fated Gateway Project.  That traffic study, like this town/gown consultant effort, was a joint effort overseen by UMass procurement department, and seems to have simply been misplaced in the shuffle.

Or as Stephanie O'Keeffe explained,  "There are so ... many ... damn things going on."



In fact the final report still has "draft" stenciled across the front page.  And Mr. Fox never did point to any scandalous factual findings that would give anyone a reason to want it keep secret. 

Committee member Rolf Karlstrom also brought up concerns about the document reflecting all the final tweaks just discussed and urged the committee to hold off voting until a final document could be emailed to the entire committee, since one-third were not in attendance at the start of the meeting.

 Rolf Karlstrom (far right)

And in fact, by the end of the meeting only 12 of the 24 member remained.  Of course if the steering committee were subject to Open Meeting Law the unanimous vote would be invalid since a 50% attendance of a governmental body does not constitute a quorum. 

Amherst Joint Patrols Thrown Out

UMPD mounted patrol, Phillips Street (off campus) last April

The highly publicized and certainly effective joint patrols between UMass Police Department and Amherst Police Department around the periphery of our flagship campus are -- at least for the time being -- no more.

Killed off by a legal challenge initiated by the New England Police Benevolent Association, legal representatives for the UMPD rank and file. 

Their problem with the Mutual Aid Agreement is not just that it increases their workload. UMass police officers do not receive the same benefits as town officers, but the MAA has them performing the same job.

The Mutual Aid Agreement was signed back in 2007.  Then Town Manager Larry Shaffer and Select Board Chair Gerry Weiss had championed the initiative as a means of mitigating off campus rowdy student behavior.

And as an excuse not to hire more Amherst cops.

At the time Patrick Archbald, Deputy Chief of UMass police was quoted in the Daily Collegian:   "The agreement removes a hurdle to taking police action, and in turn, we hope it will make both our communities safer.  All stakeholders were motivated in this effort by making safer communities and doing so in the most economically feasible way. The 'MAA,' made perfect sense for everyone."

Last year the public safety departments moved even closer together via weekend "joint patrols" on streets immediately adjacent to the sprawling campus.  The results? A less rowdy spring.  Far less rowdy.  

When I asked specifically about how well the joint patrols worked over last Spring UMass PD Chief John Horvath replied:

  "UMPD dedicated more officers to supporting APD with off campus issues in spring 2013.  The two departments have worked together for a long time and there are good relationships built, while new ones are forming.  It is my intention to continue to work with APD, Chief Livingstone and the Amherst & Hadley communities to support them when needed, while respecting the jurisdictional boundaries that are established."

 

Meadow Street Townhouse Apartments main entry (off campus). Last April

So where do we go from here?  Chief Scott Livingstone confirmed "my request for budget FY15 addresses manpower concerns...."  That request, however, has to survive Amherst Town Meeting, a legislative body not always champions of public safety.  Besides, FY15 does not start until July 1st -- too late for this coming Spring.

 

UMPD hands out ticket last April on Fearing Street (town property)

This morning Chief Horvath responded:

"The spirit of action and cooperation in my previous quote still stands.  UMPD will continue to support both the Amherst and Hadley Police Departments when requested under our mutual aid agreements.  Most recently, Chief Livingstone and I have been discussing ways our departments can further assist one another in meeting our collective goal of a safe community.  We will continue to collaborate on how to better provide police service that is in line with legal mandates, as well as challenges unique to the area.  The mutual aid agreement between the University and the Town of Amherst is being reviewed by legal representatives and we will seek to implement the recommendations that are provided."

Because of the demand spike on weekends for ambulances (too many of them dealing with overly intoxicated students) UMass donated an extra $40,000 per semester to bolster AFD response capability.

And later today a joint super committee made up of high-ranking UMass and town officials will put the final touches on a Request For Proposal being issued for a consultant to help with town gown relations.  Especially as it relates to rowdy off campus behavior.

UMass needs to step up to address this disturbing development; before the flowers bloom in May.

Higher Education?

The out-of-control party at Amherst College, aided and abetted by uninvited UMass students, stands out even when viewed through the staid prism of a public safety weekend run report.

All seven weekend emergency responses to Amherst College are of the nuisance kind. 

   Amherst College Disturbance by larry_kelley_1

Public Safety Is Paramount

 Town Gown Steering Committee 

The second meeting of the UMass Amherst Town Gown Steering Committee, a dream team of top UMass and town officials charged with preparing a Request For Proposals to hire a town/gown consultant, got a tad testy this evening over the issue of public safety.

The  "discussion outline" had four main bullet points for the proposed consultant to consider:  Housing, Economic Development, Transportation and Public Safety.

But some were concerned it was an unreasonable amount to ask of a consultant on a $60,000 budget proposal and a tight timeline for completion.  So a little condensing was in order.

Amherst police Chief Scott Livingstone did not take kindly to Andy Churchill declaring, "Housing and Economic Development -- especially private taxable housing -- are most important."

To which Chief Livingstone replied, "I don't know if there is anything more important than public safety. I don’t want to see it completely dissed.  I was biting my tongue in the first meeting.  We can’t just ignore it.    It needs to be included in some form."

Demonstrating the seamless cooperation between their public safety departments of late, UMPD Chief John Horvath  jumped in with backup:  "I support Scott.  I don’t want public safety dissed either.  Quality of life is not necessarily criminal activity."

Chief Horvath went on to explain one of the major complaints he hears from impacted neighborhoods are problems of noise, unkempt conditions, and increased traffic -- nothing necessarily "criminal," but  they have a pervasive negative impact on everyday citizens.

Meeting was held at UMPD headquarters community room

Amherst Finance Director Sandy Pooler agreed:  "Public safety is a key ingredient of town/gown relations.  Building more housing may be the way to improve quality of life.  That is a solution to a problem, not an end in itself. "

Former town planner, now UMass planner, Niels la Cour stuck a conciliatory note saying public safety is "implicit" in any proposed housing projects.  Dave Ziomek used an even better term: "permeates".

The next key item on the short list now narrowed down to two, "Economic Development", also briefly generated sparks when Dennis Swinford, UMass Director of Planning suggested UMass has "excess capacity" during the summer, so tourism promotions could be a common goal.

To which Amherst Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe quickly shot back:  "Economic development is from the town side.  UMass is untaxed.  We are looking for Research & Development spinoffs off campus."

During the Public Comment period. at the end of the hour and forty five minute meeting, Walter Wolnik reminded the committee of the importance of modifying the "Pacheco Law" so the University could work with private developers to build student housing that would generate tax revenues to the town.  

Pierpont Dorm Fire

UPDATE:  Assistant Chief Lindsay Stromgren report below:

Amherst Fire Department responded to yet another box alarm, this one at Pierpont Dorm in the Southwest area of UMass at 9:36 PM last night.  First units on the scene reported "heavy smoke in the basement" and an additional tone was issued calling in all off duty personnel. 

The fire, believed to be an electrical malfunction, started in a dryer and smoke and water damaged was contained to the basement area.  One person on the scene (a Resident Assistant) was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital as a precaution for non life threatening exposure to smoke.

A little after 11:00 PM AFD dismissed off duty firefighters, the building fire alarms were reset and students were allowed back in the building for the night.

In an email this morning from Assistant Chief Lindsay Stromgren:

The call came in at 2130 initially for an outside fire so two engines were sent, then was updated while they were enroute to be heavy smoke in the basement so a Box alarm was toned out for the department.  It turns out it was a fire in the basement laundry room, behind one of the dryers, which was extinguished with a small amount of water from the hose that the first in crew advanced.  A secondary fire had started outside as a result of burning debris being blown out the dryer vent into a vent shaft next to the building that was full of leaves. This fire was extinguished by another crew with a fire extinguisher.  The fire alarm had been activated by the heat detector in the laundry room but it did not get hot enough to activate the sprinkler system although there was one present.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation but is not suspicious; it appears to have involved one of the dryers but not the clothes that were in the dryer.  Damage was limited to the dryer, some duct work and electrical conduits, and minor smoke and water damage in the room and hallway.   All residents were allowed to return to their rooms after about 1 ½ hours.  One resident was found to have not evacuated his room on the same level as the fire when the alarm sounded and his name has been forwarded to the Dean’s office for disciplinary action.

Other than that however a relatively quiet weekend for AFD as many students had gone home:

   AFD Veterans Day weekend.pdf by larry_kelley_1

Hot Time For AFD

 5 ambulances at Cooley Dickinson Hospital Halloween night/morning, all for ETOH

 These (now) public documents speak for themselves (scroll down to UMass).  Volumes.

AFD Nov 1st weekend.pdf by larry_kelley_1

Halloween was pretty scary:

   AFD Halloween:  Scary!

Yes, it's getting worse:

Graph by Tom Valle, Firefighters Local 1764

UMass Riot Aftermath

Umass Southwest concourse just after midnight

UPDATE 9:30 PM

So not only did we garner the awful headline in Boston Magazine highlighting our town having more arrests than Boston, now UMass has been awarded the #1 ranking by Barstool Sports, the King of Juvenile, for 2013 "World Series College Riots". 

#####

In Eastern Hampshire District Court this morning 15 UMass students had "not guilty" pleas entered in their behalf by Judge John M. Payne Jr. who asked each individual perp if they planned to hire an attorney.

Most did not know, saying they would have to "ask their parents."  The Judge then strongly hinted they should consult an attorney before they come back to court later in January (and I don't think it's because the Judge is concerned about the defense attorney business).

Yes, once again a tiny minority of of troublemakers brings disrepute on the vast majority of hard working, law abiding students you wouldn't mind having your own kids befriend.  Hard to believe little old Amherst had more arrests than in Boston. 

AFD extinguished a dumpster fire at Hobart Lane 12:30 AM

Charged by UMPD with "Failure to Disperse",  "Rioting" with a mixture of "Resisting Arrest", 'Disorderly Conduct " or Assault & Battery on an officer" thrown it:

Zachary Orcott, Molly Fitzgerald, John Milligan, Patrick Rogers, Miranda Murphy, Carolyn Malone, Travis Connolly, Nicholas Barry, Lawrence Green, Alexander Booth, Casey Adams, Michael Bertrand, Evan Jacob, Jonathan Ennis, and Justin Markuson.

Nice doggy!

Note full containers of water being hurled about

UMass Riot MVPs

 The mounted patrol led the charge

So once again a throng of Umass students got a tad out of control, refused to comply with orders to disperse and were then convinced to go back to their dorms by a combined assault of horses, dogs, a sound truck issuing high pitched alien like noise and a small army of police -- some looking  like Darth Vader in their riot gear.

 

UMPD firing pellets into the crowd (burning sugar)

But it was the horses that commanded the undivided attention of the crowd, as they hurriedly went into retreat mode.

UMass police made at least ten arrests and there were no injuries.  AFD was called by the father of a student saying she was asthmatic and having problem breathing because of the chemicals shot into the crowd by police pellet guns.

 Back up army of police followed the horses chasing the crowd north to Massachusetts Avenue

Turns out UMPD only used burning sugar and the kids thought it was tear gas, thereby bringing about almost the same result.

 State PD and UMass EMS EMTs

UMass had provided a large screen TV, food, bouncy houses, and a multi-station barbecue set up in Southwest to try to give the students something to do, but by the time the game ended the crowd had grown into the thousands.

 Haze over playing field opposite Southwest from barbecues 

Then some nitwits decided to climb the trees in the center of the courtyard, and then full bottles of water started flying in the cops direction.

Sound truck emitted high pitch annoying sound

That's when police moved in to end the celebration almost at the stroke of midnight.

Steering A New Course

The Town Gown Steering Committee met this afternoon, appropriately enough, in the "Amherst Room" on the tenth floor of the Campus Center, bringing together 22 committee members that reads like a "who's who" of heavy hitters.

Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy

And to top it off Chancellor Subbaswamy and Town Manager John Musante attended the inaugural meeting.  Although the Chancellor left early with the parting comment, "May the Red Sox win, and may our students celebrate peacefully."

Co Chairs David Ziomek and Nancy Buffone (center)

The committee is charged with developing a Request For Proposals to hire a consultant (for $60,000 or less) who can create a blueprint for mutually beneficial action steps each partner can undertake to deal with growth and change.

Problems that need to be addressed include the creation of more (taxable) student housing, economic development and the quelling of rowdy student party houses in residential neighborhoods.

8 Qualifications for Town/Gown Consultant

The Committee will issue the RFP by December 1, review the proposals and interview finalist through January, and award the contract by February 1.  Over the following three months the Committee will continue to meet and hold public forums with a completion date of May 1st for a new joint Master Plan.

This Steering Committee follows in the wake (with many of the same members) of the successful Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods Working Group that crafted a precedent setting Town Meeting approved (by super majority) "Rental Registration and  Permit Bylaw" that goes into effect January 1st. 

No Riot, Lots of Rangers

UMass Southwest Towers, built 1963

UMass Police Department did not need riot gear last night, Mass State Police and Amherst Police Department were not required for backup and the horse patrol with their majestic mounts did not have to push back a large unruly crowd of fired up youth.

In other words, no Red Sox riot last night. 

The rain of course helped.  A few minutes before midnight, with the game down to the final three outs, the cloudy conditions gave way to a decent downpour.  Not a deluge, but enough to make you think twice about dawdling outdoors unprotected.  And no, alcohol does not count. 

At 11:57 PM (with the game outcome now obvious) UMPD command issued the bulletin:  "All cadets remain at your posts.  Do not take midnight break."  A few moments later the game finishes and a collective cheer could be heard echoing around the Southwest Towers.

At 12:25 AM UMPD command issues another bulletin:  "Hold your positions for another 15 minutes."

And at 12:45 AM the order to stand down and "report back to your stations for reassignment." 

But then, at 12:58 AM:

UMPD Dispatch:  some media cameras just arrived and the students are "performing" for them.
— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) October 20, 2013

And again, at 12:59 AM:

UMPD:  cameraman from ch22 news has been asked not to stir them up.
— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) October 20, 2013

You Can Come Home Again

UMPD units lead the UMass Marching Band up North Pleasant Street  into town center

UMass Amherst -- the flagship of higher education and the town's largest employer -- brought pomp and circumstance to the downtown this afternoon on a picture perfect fall day with an old fashioned homecoming spectacle, a perfect mix of small town parade and energetic pep rally.

 

UMass Amherst Chancellor Subbaswamy leads a cheer

Chancellor Subbaswamy promised the civic event would become an annual affair. Even better next year, because the Minutemen will actually return home to play three games at newly renovated McGuirk Stadium.  

An excited Football Coach Charley Molnar.  Afterward MC Tony Maroulis said that's his usual state.

 

Town Manager John Musante tells youthful crowd, "You're always welcome here."

Belly dancers.  My favorite float

 

UMPD officer on a majestic mount.  My daughter's favorite 

More (workin') horses

 

UMass ROTC

Business Improvement District Trolley

The Huddle Continues

John Kennedy, Kumble Subbaswamy left, Stephanie O'Keeffe, John Musante right 5/15 Town Meeting

So yeah, five months after Amherst Town Meeting approved spending $30,000 for yet another study, the 'Mega Powers That Be' have finally gotten around to forming a -- you guessed it -- "steering committee."

At this pace we should see concrete results by the next Summer Olympics.

The September 30 Public Scolding Paid Off

A New Deal

 

AFD North Station Friday morning 10/4, calm before the storm

The "5 Year Strategic Agreement" with UMass/Amherst, now well into its 7th year (expired 6/30/12), reminds me of a tech nerd who upgrades their older beloved computer using the Dr. Frankenstein approach of installing a new plug-in card or mother board rather than just buying a new computer.

UMass last year paid the town $363,718 for fire/EMT protection, mainly because UMass has its own police department (larger and better funded than Amherst PD) but not a full time fire/ambulance department.

Recently UMass coughed up an additional $80,000 to staff two town ambulances on weekends to deal with the spike in calls somewhat due to "substance abuse" calls (mainly alcohol).  So at the very least, that extra $80,000 should become a permanent part of the new-and-improved "Strategic Agreement."

The Town Manager had an excuse last year for simply extending the agreement because, after all, he was only named Town Manager in 2010; and of course there was that coup d'état at UMass that brought down Chancellor Holub in 2011, although allowing him a lame-duck extra year.

 UMass accounts for 19% of AFD calls

There's absolutely no question the extra weekend staffing is both vitally necessary and well utilized.  In fact, the 1st weekend of October, even with all the extra staffing, AFD still had to call in two mutual aid ambulances from Northampton and one from Belchertown.

 Mutual aid still required 8 times this past September, but down from an average of 15 in previous 2 years

UMass accounts for 19% of calls thus far this year. And with the extra $80K UMass pays Amherst for additional weekend ambulance coverage they will pay us a total of  $443,718 this year.  But AFD's budget this year is $4,114,438. 

So their fair share (19%) should come to $781,707. And that extra $337,989 would cover adding AFD staff on the weekdays as well.

Because it's also apparent additional staffing is needed NOT just on weekends.

 A Wednesday night delay

Weekends were made for ...

 Phillips Street (or maybe a zombie movie) just after midnight

So as weekends in a "college town" go -- especially this being the last one of summer -- things went relatively smoothly.  Of course APD, UMPD and AFD were busy as could be, but not to the breaking point.

Cooperation between the town first responders has always been outstanding, but the integration between town police-and-fire and UMass police and Environmental Health & Safety has gotten much better over the past year or so. 

This weekend UMPD was very visible at Party House responses -- even a few miles from campus.

The magic hours seem to start just after midnight through about 2:00 AM as both Friday-into-Saturday and last night into-this-morning there were times when APD was backed up on noise complaints, some of them being held for upwards of a half-hour before units could respond.

AFD, even with a shift of thirteen on (4 extra paid for by UMass) each night there were times when all five ambulances were on the road -- with many of those calls ETOH (alcohol OD) students.

The roving herds of students were not as much in evidence Friday but w-a-y more so last night into this morning.  No signs of the "Walk This Way" crew either night trying to redirect traffic off Fearing Street, which was the usual Grand Central Station last night.

Although late Friday night there were times when Sunset Avenue, contiguous with Southwest towers, was almost impassible by car due to foot traffic.  Not so much because the students were in overwhelming numbers, but simply because the groups of a dozen or so decided to walk in the middle of the road.

Considering that is also the time drunk drivers are out it's only a matter of time before a bad interaction between car and pedestrian occurs.  Early this morning for example APD  bagged a drunk driver at the still busy with foot traffic Fearing/Allen Street location around 1:30 AM.

When calling for back up the officer on scene told dispatch the vehicle had "clipped the curb pretty good."