Down The Drain

Town Manager Paul Bockelman is proposing a 4.1% hike in water rates which will have to be approved by the Select Board, our illustrious water commissioners.

In his proposal/memo to the SB he points out that Amherst -- even with this price hike -- will have lower than state average costs for water/sewer.  He also compares us directly with our neighbors Hadley, Northampton and Belchertown.

Fair enough I suppose, but in order to get a true comparison with those nearby communities why not compare our overall property taxes to them as well?

For instance Hadley is $11.15/$1,000 or half of Amherst's $21.22/$1,000 while Belchertown is $17.97/$1,000 and Northampton $16.16/$1,000.

Thus the average single family home in Amherst pays $7,078 in taxes this year,  a Hadley homeowner only $3,477, in Northampton $4,865 and Belchertown $4,512.

Statewide, Amherst is in the top 3% for property taxes.  Yikes!

And let's not forget Amherst has never not increased property taxes the full 2.5% allowed by law so when Mr. Bockelman debuts his budget today to the Select Board/Finance Committee just that simple amount will cost the average homeowner another $175 next year.

So I'm really not impressed with the average water bill going up "only" $18 per year.  Why not take that out of the extra $2,500 or so we already pay per year (compared to our neighbors)?

Public Safety Fair Share

Hampshire College from on high

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Amherst Fire Department had it's busiest year ever in 2016, and with a budget of $6.3 million (plus $500,000 for Dispatch Center operations) it's one of the more expensive public services the town supplies.

But considering their professional expertise can oftentimes be the difference between life and death, not too many people who benefit by those skills will complain.

Whether your a homeless person passed out drunk in the center of town on a freezing morning or a high ranking town official suffering from heart failure their response is the same:  quick, courteous and professional.

Although fire calls are less than 25% of total responses battling The Beast is still a priority.  Anyone who has ever been a major structure fire knows all too well the devastation that results.

Amherst is half owned by tax exempt entities which shifts a huge burden on homeowners, apartments and our tiny commercial base to fund vital services. 

UMass, Amherst and Hampshire College all pay their fair share for water/sewer services provided by the town and all three have their own security/police force, but how about Fire/Emergency Medical Services?

UMass paid us $500,000 in 2016 for AFD ambulance services while Amherst College chipped in $120,000.  Hampshire College paid us not a dime.  Nothing.  Zilch.

Yes, Hampshire College was only responsible for 3% of total AFD calls but on a $6.8 million total overhead that still comes to $188,000.  And Amherst College got off cheap, since their 4% share would come to $251,712.

As did UMass, where a 15% share comes to $943,920.  In other words both UMass and Amherst College are only paying us about half their fair share.  Although a Hell of a lot better than Hampshire College who does nothing.

If Amherst College and UMass paid us those extra amounts owed and Hampshire STARTED paying us $188,000 annually, that money would allow for a desperately needed staff increase and provide funds to help cover the $12 million new Fire Station.

American Bandstand

Proposed site is a natural amphitheater on east side of common somewhat in the center

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The Amherst Business Improvement District is hoping to see Frederick Law Olmsted's original vision for our historic Town Common realized with the installation of a permanent bandstand to be used as a performance venue three seasons out of the year.

The Town Common has hosted at least two "permanent" bandstands and two temporary ones over the past 150 years, but in 1991 town officials turned down the offer from the Rotary Club to construct and donate a permanent structure (costing $20,000) near where Mr. Olmsted envisioned it.

The idea will need the okay of the Historical Commission, Design Review Board and of course our keepers of the public way, the venerable Select Board.

Let's hope they don't screw it up this time.

   Bandstands on the Amherst Common by Larry Kelley on Scribd

Tell Us How You Really Feel

Jones Library Director Sharon Sharry

The privately owned Town Meeting listserve (with over 200 members) had another one of those amusing incidents of a member sending out a reply all when she meant to send to only one like minded compatriot.

   Another "reply all" boo boo by Larry Kelley on Scribd

And this is not the first time Ms. Greenbaum has done that.

It certainly highlights just how acrimonious the Jones Library expansion debate has become.

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Although since the Jones Library, like the listserve,  is also privately owned and controlled by the Jones Library Board of Trustees, Library Director Sharon Sharry does not really have to worry about her job status since they seem to be on the same page when it comes to the expansion.

This Spring the annual Town Meeting will vote to allow the Library to apply for state funding ($15 million) from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, which only requires a majority vote.

The harder sell, required a two-thirds vote, will happen at the Fall Town Meeting where the Library Board of Trustees will be asking for the town match, a Debt Exclusion Override of $12 million.

Preaching To The Converted

From single Wildwood to co-located $67 million Mega School

Since the Amherst Select Board unanimously approved placing the $67 million Mega School Override question on the November 8th ballot as well as the Fall Town Meeting warrant a week later, where it failed to garner a majority vote, it's a forgone conclusion they will again unanimously recommend to the January 30th Town Meeting a yes vote. 

So I find it amusing that school supporters will pack the Select Board meeting tonight to ensure they give it another unanimous thumbs up recommendation.

Not so amusing is the clear violation of state ethics law regarding conflict of interest where an Amherst School employee, on company time, using a company computer, and internal listserve sent out a rally cry for the demonstration at tonight's Select Board meeting.

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Steps of Amherst Town Hall 6:20 PM

Over 20 years ago the State Ethics Division found Town Manager Barry Del Castilho in violation because he used a town typewriter and four sheets of paper to write a column for the Amherst Bulletin supporting a $4 million Override to renovate Town Hall (which twice failed with voters).

Busiest Year Ever

Expensive machines are not much good if you can't properly staff them

To anyone who has been paying attention over the past year it comes as no surprise that 2016 was the busiest year on record for the beleaguered Amherst Fire Department:  6,513 total call or a 30% increase from ten years ago when the department last had a staffing increase.

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EMS runs made up 78% of total responses so it's no wonder the Ambulance Fund is well ahead of schedule to intake the $2.4 million projected by the Town Manager last year.  As of January 1st, with FY17 exactly half over, the fund has generated $1.6 million in revenues.

In other words AFD ambulance receipts cover more than half their $4.5 million total annual budget.

 Click to enlarge/read

If the ambulance fund does intake a hundred thousand or so over the initial projection this year why not reinvest that back into the "business" by hiring more firefighters?  Last year Dispatch had to issue 423 calls for "station coverage".

 This could have been a disaster

On January 1 Holyoke FD had to respond to a major structure fire with one less engine company because of a "brown out" brought on my budget cuts.  Three people died in that conflagration.

That same day Northampton FD had to respond to Amherst town center to transport a citizen who fell on the ice because all our firefighters were tied up on other calls.

 NFD on scene Amherst town center 1/1/17

Bare minimum staffing, a problem statewide, is playing Russian roulette with public safety.  Overly educated Amherst should be smarter than that.

When One Door Closes

B2, After The Fall

I'll start with the good news: Birdie (B1) is back from the dead.

A few days after inhaling too much smoke at the Alpine Commons fire back in early June her electronics starting acting up and she refused to connect with satellites for GPS lock so none of the motors would fire up.

Alpine Commons June 4th

Now she connects to satellites quicker than ever allowing smooth firing off all four motors. Although she still does not like freezing weather, so her missions will be short in duration and short in range.

The bad news? It pains me greatly to report, B2 had a catastrophic incident on her last mission only about 10 seconds from safely landing next to me.

15 minutes into a flight I lost sight of her and hit the return home button which brings her back to initial launch site at an altitude of 70 feet. I set that height because it's just high enough to clear any buildings or trees in town center.

I actually had her in sight (and sound) and was just about to take over manual control when she listed 45 degrees and plummeted to earth. Solid earth, as in concrete.

But ever the trooper, her final photos came out fine, and even though three of four engines were destroyed on impact the remaining one still fired up after I reinserted the battery.

B2 briefly put a flag back up on Hampshire College main flagpole

B17's were famous for returning to base with two or sometimes even three engines out. And of course the "Miracle On The Hudson" demonstrated how a big old commercial jet can still glide after 100% engine failure.

But a quadcopter relies on all four engines for a balanced lift. Should one fail, it's an instant death spiral. Even a passive fall from 70 feet up would be fatal.

 Birdie, back from the dead

Perhaps that's why the original Birdie suddenly returned to life. Imbued with the warrior spirit of B2.