Steady As She Goes

Budget Coordinating Group this morning

The budget season for Amherst and affiliated towns now starts to gear up, even though the Governor's budget will probably be a month late since this is an "election year".

This morning the Budget Coordinating Group, made up of members of our Public Schools, Library and Select Board, met for the first time since January.

First order of business was to elect co-Chairs.  Finance Director Sandy Pooler said the usual practice was to elect the Chairs of the Finance Committee and Select Board, but since SB Chair Aaron Hayden was Missing In Action they elected rookie SB member Andy Steinberg and FinCom Chair Kay Moran.

Although Steinberg was recently chair of the Finance Committee, so perhaps a bit of an echo chamber in the making.

Sandy Pooler said he was feeling "pretty good" about the budget process on the town side:  No cuts, employee salary budgets are settled at a rate the town can afford, health insurance will be manageable, and although no additions are expected it would be nice to make some additions, "particularly police."

Library Director Sharon Sharry extolled the benefits of "inter-library loans" which allows her to keep down the "acquisition budget" to state minimum standards, although the Jones Library still circulates more material than Springfield, the third largest city in Massachusetts.

Amherst Public Schools Finance Director Sean Mangano told the advisory group he thought the 2.2% increase allocated to the public schools "should be adequate", although he expressed concerns as to whether this took into consideration the Charter/Choice reimbursements, which Pooler confirmed it did not.

The Regional Schools lose a ton of kids (75) to Charter Schools -- particularly the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School -- and every one costs the equivalent of the high average cost per child of Amherst education, just over $18,000 (vs state average of about $14,000).

Whereas the students who come to Amherst via School Choice only generate $5,000 in revenues from the sending town.

Mangano told the BCG that in the immediate future things are only going to get worse as Smith Vocational is expanding its offerings and the Chinese Charter School is also physically expanding and adding grades 10-12.

Conditions Of The Deal

 North end of town:  Red headed bastard stepchild?

Mary Wentworth, who made her name in a losing battle for Congress 30 years ago, complained last night to the Planning Board about the recently announced $1.5 million grant from the state to bury utility lines in the north end of the downtown.

 Town Manager Musante extolling the virtues of development to Governor Patrick

She told the board, in speaking against a mixed use mega-development (1 East Pleasant Street) immediately adjacent to the proposed improvements,  "No one else had approved the deal, which is a BIG help to those who wish to profit off our town."

So I can imagine this new information -- that the "deal" has a string attached -- is NOT going to go over well with those who are concentrating fire at the 1 East Pleasant Street project and pretty much development of any kind.

Apparently the condition is the town has to "match" the grant by doing improvements at the adjacent  East Pleasant/Triangle Street intersection, which has been targeted for improvements for a quite a while.

Over the summer the Public Works Committee did vote unanimously to approve the idea of a roundabout at that intersection, but "only if it does not cost town money."

Triangle/East Pleasant Intersection (circled in red)

Last spring Amherst Town Meeting (who never met a development it liked)  turned down an easement proposal to take slivers of land to allow for the roundabout. 

DUI Dishonor Roll

On average, 2 out of 3 Americans will be involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime

When are people going to realize that a 3,000 pound car is a dangerous weapon?  Would you attempt bomb disposal while drunk?  Or walk a tightrope stretched across the Grand Canyon?

Probably not, because self preservation would kick in.  So why do people think they can get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of alcohol, an act that kills 10,000 Americans every year?

Click to enlarge/read

Cindy Drake, age 49, stands before Judge Estes in Eastern Hampshire District Court

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And let's hear it for Hadley PD!  Not only did they take an impaired driver, James Duffy, age 47,  off the road -- but they also went to their Facebook page to tell the world about it.  Now if we could only get them to start releasing mug shots ...

The Governor Came Calling

 Governor Deval Patrick

In what may be his last visit to Amherst as Governor, Deval Patrick spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of 150 gathered at Kendrick Park, representing a cross section of business, education and political leadership in our little college town.

And since he was announcing a state $1.5 million infrastructure improvement grant for the north end of town center, immediately across the street from where he was speaking, the crowd only got more enthusiastic.  The money will fund relocating ugly utility lines underground. 

 Town Mgr Musante, Governor Patrick, Stan Rosenberg

In his speech future president of the Mass Senate and forever resident of the town, Stan Rosenberg called Deval Patrick, "The best governor for public higher education in more than forty years.  Absolutely ... no question about that!"

 

Kendrick Place will benefit by the $1.5 million state grant, aesthetically speaking 

Third Chances

 Kyle Kielbasa stands before Judge John Payne 12:30 PM today

Judge John Payne did not agree to the prosecution's request to "revoke bail" for Kyle C Kielbasa, arrested on the day of the Blarney Blowout for waiving a handgun around while under the influence of alcohol at the popular Hanger Pub & Grill on University Drive.

On the charges of Driving Under the Influence lodged yesterday after a spectacular accident on Bay Road around 4:40 PM that caused closure of the busy road for the rest of the night, Judge Payne entered a plea of not guilty and continued the case until November 7.

The prosecution pointed out that Mr. Kielbasa was under a "no alcohol" order from the previous incident and that both serious incidents (waiving a gun, crashing a car) indicate that when he drinks he "gets dangerous."

The prosecutor told Judge Payne a 911 caller was following behind Kielbasa and reported him as an erratic operator, and the first police officer on the scene of the wreck reported an "overwhelming smell of alcohol."

His lawyer freely admitted Kielbasa has a problem with alcohol.  He has been going to AA meeting, getting therapy and even had a doctor prescribe medicine that blocks the craving for alcohol.

 Yesterday's accident on Bay Road.  Photo by Michael Seward

But after recent hand surgery the pain medications clashed with the anti-alcohol medicine, so he gave up on the anti-alcohol medicine and started back using alcohol. 

Judge Payne said he would not revoke bail but would, however, "ratchet it up":  Kyle Kielbasa must now report to his probation officer three times per week (with alcohol testing), attend five Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week, reside with his parents, and maintain an 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM curfew. 

Terminate With Extreme Prejudice

 New sign at Crocker Farm Elementary School

Town Manager John Musante told the Amherst Select Board -- who in addition to being water/sewer and liquor commissioners are also in charge of holding "dog hearings" for dangerous canines -- that the pit bull who attacked two children at Crocker Farm School the 1st day of school has been "euthanized".

The owner never responded to a letter from the Commonwealth giving them seven days to request a dog hearing before the Select Board, thus allowing the board to wash their hands of the mess.

Animal Welfare officer Carol Hepburn could have placed the dog up for adoption but considered it beyond hope of rehabilitation, as in unsafe. 

Since the children had to undergo painful, frightening anti-rabies protocol it's no wonder the owner never came forward to claim the dog.  Not worth the lawsuit from parents I suppose.

And since the owner was irresponsible enough to allow the dog to roam free on a school playground while school was in session, not surprising they were irresponsible enough to allow the dog to be terminated.

Petition failed to sway school officials decision to ban dogs during school hours

Bait & Switch?

Clearly petitioner Vince O'Connor told Amherst Town Meeting that Article #38 was not a vote to increase the Community Preservation Act tax -- I mean "surcharge" -- from 1.5% to 3%. 

It was instead that most cherished of Democratic principals to simply allow the voters of Amherst the God given right to double the tax, err, "surcharge."

But if you read the state "summary" for Question 5 on the November 3 state ballot it clearly gives the impression that Amherst Town Meeting supported the tax increase itself. 

Kind of like the confusion that takes place every year at Town Meeting when the Finance Committee unanimously supports CPA spending articles.  What they are really supporting is the fact that the appropriation is "an appropriate use of CPA money."  In other words it's not illegal.

But isn't that why we spend $100,000 per year on a Town Attorney?  The Town Attorney does vet Community Preservation Act articles for anything that could be challenged so why do we need the Finance Committee's opinion when they are not legal experts?

Such is the charmed life of all things CPA.