Fire In The Sky!

The Evergreens is owned by Amherst College and is part of the Dickinson Museum Complex

 

While in overly educated Amherst you don’t really have to worry about “some stupid with a flare gun” burning an important building to the ground, fire is by its very nature a devastating creature born of surprise:

A pot left unattended on a stove, a cigarette disposed of in the wrong way or the spark from a plumber’s torch, and before you know it the ravenous beast is in full feeding frenzy. 

 First Congregational Church is located in the Dickinson Historic District

Yes AFD Central Station is less than a mile away from either The Evergreens or the First Congregational Church, but these days chances are the first engine on the scene of a box alarm may not have enough staff aboard to actually start fighting the fire.

So in mere minutes hundreds of years of history could be lost ... forever.

The Community Preservation Act Committee heard both fires suppression proposals last Tuesday night -- a $358,000 request from the First Congregational Church and $200,000 for The Evergreens.  

Amherst College plans to match the CPA grant so that is why their request is comparatively low, although CPA Chair Mary Streeter wondered why the College was not paying more.

Another member pointed out the CPA Committee has less than $2 million to fund all the requests before them while Amherst College has $2 billion in its endowment. 

The First Congregational Church packed the meeting with supporters but the CPA Committee was not overly receptive, wondering why for instance the Amherst Historical Commission ranked their request last in a recent recommendation letter to them even after suggesting the amount be reduced to $200,000 for "parity" with The Evergreens request.

Church supporters point out that in addtion to the "dramatic gothic presense" it provides the building is also used by Not Bread Alone,  Alcoholics Anonymous as well as the presence of a pre-school.  

 More than half the room cleared out after First Congregational Church hearing

And the Church is know for taking public stands on sometimes controversial social issues like gay rights, race issues or taking an anti-war stance.  A cowardly thief stole both their rainbow flag and an anti racism banner last summer demonstrating not everyone in Amherst is a tolerant progressive.

Some on the CPA Committee worry that by giving these two privately owned buildings expensive fire suppression systems it would open up the floodgates for others to apply.  And at the age of 257, Amherst has a bevy of historical buildings.  

 Henry Hills & Son matching mansions would probably love a new fire suppression system

The CPA Committee will make their final report to Town Meeting by the begining of March.  A positive recommendation is not 100% guarantee that an item will be funded,   but a negative recommendation is certain death.

Grace Church in town center.  Not asking for CPA money (yet)

Pot Battle Brewing

55 University Drive formerly The Hanger (who moved across the street)

Even before the Amherst Select Board took up discussion of a letter of support/non opposition for a medical marijuana facility at 85 University Drive, Chair Alisa Brewer mentioned another request had come in that morning for yet another facility.

   Amherst Medical Pot Facility #2

 55 U drive circled, 85 U drive far right

Since they did not disclose the location -- 55 University Drive -- until this morning this request will not be voted on at Monday night's regularly scheduled meeting since Open Meeting Law requres an agenda item must be posted 48 hours in advance.

And yes, the proposed location is only a snowball throw away from 85 University Drive (currently just a concrete slab), the location approved by the Select Board at Monday night's meeting.

Little Library Expansion Looms Large

Jones Library may purchase land behind them from Amherst Historical Society

Last week Jones Library Director Sharon Sharry updated the Finance Committee about plans for the Library expansion/renovation, and this morning added the Joint Capital Planning Committee to the list.

The Library project is maybe just a step behind the $65 million Wildwood School Building Renovation project. Fortunately both the Schools and Jones Library have the advantage of state money covering half the costs.

   Jones Library Expansion Timeline

The ornate bank building next door, owned by Barry Roberts, is off the table as an acquisition for the expansion as is Central Fire Station. The bank building, with an assessed value of $2.3 million, would be cost prohibitive and taking it off the tax rolls would only add to that cost year after year.

And the Fire Station will hopefully be sold to a private developer to help finance the new South Fire Station with an expanded mixed use building springing up in its place.

 Cramped Central Station opened in 1930 when emergency equipment was a tad smaller

Knowing that four major building projects totaling upwards of $100 million in town money are now being talked about, the Library Director assured the JCPC,  "We will renovate as much as possible, expand as little as possible, to keep the price as low as possible."

Sharry said the Library is also seeking Historic State Tax Credits that could result in a few million towards the construction costs.

 CVS lot behind Jones Library could become site for new parking garage, which would solve library parking concerns

High Cost Of Another Possible Temp Position

Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, SB Chair Alisa Brewer

Happy headhunter Bernie Lynch suggested the Select Board set the pay scale for a permanent new Town Manager at $155,000+, a tad higher than the $151,000 or so John Musante was making at the time of his untimely death. 

Peter Hechenbleikner, at his first meeting as Temporary Town Manager, suggested that it was actually kind of low by eastern side of the state standards.  Although certainly high enough to generate interest and bring in resumes.

Bernie Lynch tells SB he's had about a dozen responses of interest thus far

Applicants will need ten years experience in overseeing a municipal operation as a minimum qualifier and there was some discussion about the use of the term "seasoned" vs "tested," which they later went with.   Apparently "seasoned" is a term that favors middle aged white males.

Because the 9 member Charter Commission will form this March 29 and could very well create a government minus a Town Manager, the Select Board thought it wise not to require residency as part of the job requirement.

Buying a house in Amherst is of course more expensive than, say, Hadley; and even renting an apartment in town is a lot higher than our neighboring communities. 

Of course that alone would give the new Town Manager an insight into one of the larger problems facing Amherst:  affordable housing.

And with Amherst being in the top ten statewide for property tax rates, all our residential housing has onerous annual overhead costs.

Timeline to a new Town Manager

Mega School W12 It Is

 

The Wildwood School Building Committee voted unanimously (with 2 abstentions) to support the W12 phased in construction plan to replace both Wildwood and Fort River in one fell swoop with the state picking up 53% of the costs.  

 Nick Yaffe made the motion to support W12

The motion to support this one of final four plans was made by current Wildwood principal Nick Yaffe, seconded by Superintendent Maria Geryk and then quickly supported by the vast majority of the large committee via a show of hands.

 Wildwood Building Committee raises their hands for W12

A major attraction of W12 is its phased construction process that does not require "swing space" aka temporary classroom space for children displaced by construction.

A new building is constructed next to the current Wildwood and then all the children are moved into the new building.  Wildwood is then demolished and the other half of the project is completed.

 

Amherst Town Meeting (by a two thirds vote) will need to approve a debt exclusion Override this coming fall to fund the project, then the Select Board has to vote to place it on the 2017 annual ballot where the voters have the final say.

Let Us (Safely) Cross!

 Applewood is on south side of West Bay Road, across from Eric Carle Museum

Residents of Applewood, an upscale retirement community in South Amherst, have petitioned the Amherst Planning Board for a couple of crosswalks to connect them to Hampshire College, The Eric Carle Museum and the Yiddish Book Center just across the street.

 Atkins and double rotaries are also on south side of West Bay Road

West Bay Road has certainly gotten busier since the creation of the double roundabouts in front of Atkins Country Market five years ago, located on the same side of the road just below Applewood.

   Applewood Petition Crosswalks

Hampshire College is installing a solar array just below the Eric Carle Museum on the north side of West Bay Road starting any day now, so maybe the town can talk them into doing the crosswalks. 

 This field on north side of West Bay Road will become large solar array

Especially since they pay the town nothing in Payment In Lieu Of Taxes for AFD emergency services, unlike that other private college who pays us $120,000 per year.

Comcast Cable Renewal

Amherst Media is also currently looking for a new home

The Cable Advisory Committee, that once every ten year entity, is about ready to send out the Request For Proposal to Comcast for the renewal of their ten year franchise agreement worth over $6 million per year to the corporate giant.

Based on the desires of subscribers heard over two ascertainment hearings the Committee will be requesting $2.2 million in one time capital outlay to replace cameras, computers, routers, as well as replacing the entire transmission line for Amherst Media, our local access TV provider.

Ten years ago that amount was only $450,000 but the transmission lines were not then part of the renovations.  And while it's hard to calculate exactly, if approved Comcast will pass along that cost to subscribers and it will be in the $2/month range.

The Select Board will hold a public hearing after Comcast responds to the RFP, which will have a 30 day deadline.

The general public can then weigh in on whether they still support the change and/or improvements to service they requested knowing what it will cost them over the next ten years.

Last night the Amherst Select Board authorized Amherst Media to spend their own money ($18,000) on an audit of Comcast.  This morning the Cable Advisory Committee requested their attorney to go ahead with hiring a consultant to do that two year audit, even though he previously opined against it.

In addition the CAC  will be sending a memo to new Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner requesting he persue UMass over a possible illegal cable franchise.

UMass switched from town approved Comcast to Charter a few years ago for the 13,000 or so students who use cable and the Amherst Select Board never granted them a license.

Something that costs Comcast $300,000 per year.

Bottom left:  Steven Brewer, President Amherst Media Executive Committee and Alisa Brewer Chair Amherst Select Board attended this morning's CAC meeting

Our Survey Says

Wildwood School Building Committee will chose a $60+ million design tomorrow

Results of a Public Documents Request for emails concerning the school survey of staff and parents regarding the Wildwood Building options:

Amherst School Survey Backstory

Plenty Pot For You

Building will be constructed next to 101 University Drive just north of CVS and Post Office

For the second meeting in a row the Amherst Select Board has pot on their plate.

Last week it was blowing off Extravaganja on the Town Common and this week it's being more receptive to a medical marijuana facility that hopes to locate at 85 University Drive.

The Select Board is being asked to provide a letter of support or non opposition which curiously enough the state weighs exactly the same.  Giving politicians a little bit of cover since they can allow the project to move forward but at the same time are not portrayed as supporters.

And since the Select Board took great pains last week to say they have no problem with the (First Amendment protected) "message" of Extravaganja pot rally -- only its large size -- to now turn down a medical marijuana facility might look a tad hypocritical.

The town wisely approved a Planning Board zoning tweak (Article 13), which requires a two-thirds vote of Town Meeting, back in November of 2013 which of course was a response to the medical marijuana referendum passing on a state level the year before.

Interestingly if the town had not passed Article 13  the rules would default to a state statute which requires 500 feet distance from a pharmacy or anyplace children congregate.  And the CVS, with a licensed pharmacy,  would easily fall with that 500 foot range.   Article 13 only requires a 300 foot buffer.

Once the Select Board approves their letter of non opposition MassMedicum still needs to acquire a Special Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, and that requires a unanimous vote off all three members.

Of course you have to wonder what will become of these highly regulated medical marijuana facilities should the recreational use of pot pass muster this coming November.

Will the state set up a different category of license for recreational providers?   They would then have a greater market which could bring down prices so consumers with  medical needs will start shopping there as well.

The Cost Of Capital

Town has $3,147,629 available with $3,337,267 in requests from Department heads for FY17

The Joint Capital Planning Committee -- made up of key players from Schools, Library, Town and Finance Committee -- had their first meeting of the year yesterday morning and overall the (short term) news was not so bad.

As usual there are more requests for new equipment or building repairs than there is money, but last year the deficit was twice as much.

The JCPC will continue to meet most Thursdays over the next two months until every department request has been scrutinized.  Of course Town Meeting has the final say, but they always pretty much abide by JCPC recommendations.

The Committee also spent time discussing the major impact four new buildings -- Wildwood School, Jones Library, DPW and South Fire Station -- will soon have on upcoming budgets. 

Before abandoning ship Finance Director Sandy Pooler came up with an excel spreadsheet that shows the tax impact of the four projects depending on whether a debt exclusion Override is used, or just tying to finance it within the budget via borrowing or combinations thereof.

Interestingly back in 1994 Town Meeting twice approved $4+ million Overrides to renovate Town Hall, both of which were turned down by the voters.  Town Meeting then borrowed the money and did the project anyway, staying within the regular budget.

 

A Blessed Building

St Brigid's Church, built 1924

For the second year in a row the Amherst Select Board has declared February 1st "Amherst Irish Day aka St. Brigid's Day" a celebration of all things Irish -- the hard working folks who helped build this town back when Miss Emily was hibernating in her upstairs room.

Yes, it specifically started only last year (even though the Irish have been here since 1840s) to counteract the idiotic "Blarney Blowout", a Frat Boy slander of the Irish with particular emphasis on highly profitable alcohol sales.

Fortunately, with the assist of 225 police officers, the Blarney Blowout last March was a blow over, and will be again this year.  While the Amherst Irish Association event was a resounding success.

When St. Brigid's was first built it dominated the downtown and was one of the largest buildings in Amherst.   Then in the mid-1960s UMass started to grow exponentially with those Southwest Towers reaching for the sky.

But St Brigid's is still -- and hopefully always will be -- a stirring symbol. 

Conservation Kerfuffle

Wentworth Farm is 80+ acres of open space with Owen's pond in the middle

Last night's Conservation Commission meeting was one part awkward and another part heated as local farmer Matt Kotfila was denied a request to farm one acre of Wentworth Farm and he did not take kindly to that.  In the least.

He was particularly incensed the Commission did not contact all three of his references before a subcommittee of ConCom and Agricultural Commission decided to not recommend to the full board his Request For Proposal response saying it was "not quite ready" and just wasn't a "good fit".

 Matt Kotfila appears (briefly) before Conservation Commission last night

He gave a brief speech that was tinged with anger and closed with, "It can either be a field for dog poop or a field to grow food to help feed poor people."  The Conservation Commission then quickly voted unanimously "Not to issue the license" and will put the property back out to bid.

Mr. Kotfila stormed out of the meeting saying sternly, "You should be ashamed of yourselves!"

Housing: A Human Right

Hwei-Ling Greeney, director of Amherst Community Connections, went before the Amherst Community Preservation Act Committee last night to defend her proposal to house five "chronic homeless individuals" in apartments for three years at $83,819 per year, or a total request of $251,457.

A recent headcount concluded Amherst has 19 chronically homeless individuals within our town borders.  And on most days you can see them in the downtown panhandling, or simply hanging around with nothing to do.

 Hwei-Ling Greeney appears before Community Preservation Act Committee

Yes that $251,457 works out to $16,763 annually per person, but these days the average welfare recipient in Massachusetts cost taxpayers almost three times that.

And Ms. Greeney pointed out that in 2012 Amherst police had 775 calls related to the homeless for a budget cost of $58,000.

And AFD often has to transport overly intoxicated (or drug related) homeless individuals from the downtown to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, with a high likelihood those $1,000 trips go unpaid.

Community Connections asking price includes not just the high cost of a one bedroom apartment in Amherst, but an additional case worker who will provide individuals with metal health support services which will hopefully cut down on their involvement with APD and AFD.

The CPA Committee was not overly receptive to the request due to its high cost, untried paradigm and the concern it may not be restricted to down on their luck individuals with some solid connection to the town.

CPA Chair Mary Streeter acknowledged the great need but suggested Ms. Greeney go back to the proposed landlords and see if she can negotiate a lower rent. 

The Committee currently has $1,778,747 available but they have 14 proposals before them that add up to more than that.

In March the Committee will make their final decision over which projects to recommend to Town Meeting.  And Town Meeting almost always takes their advice.

Charter Two for One?

As of 10:05 this morning 8 candidates have returned their Charter Commission nomination papers with the requisite 50 voter signatures required.  Another 15 have taken out papers but not yet returned them.

Yes former Select Board Chair Gerry Weiss and his wife Jenifer McKenna are among those names that are now guaranteed to appear on the March 29 ballot.

Obviously married couples don't necessarily think alike, but if they have lasted that long under one roof they probably are not opposites like Oscar and Felix.

The new Charter for Amherst is going to the the most important document of our generation.

 Three newest wannabes

Let's hope voters choose 9 Charter Commissioners with a varied background, who can bring strong independent thinking to the process.

DUI Dishonor Roll

Anthony-Denson Rivera, age 25, took the Ch24D deal offered by ADA Bob Opsitnik (rt)

Yes the number of drunk driving arrests on weekends so far in 2016 has been exceedingly low, this being the first.   Which is of course a very good thing.  But the year is still young.

 Click to enlarge/read

 ADA Opsitnik confirms he has never lost a trial where a legally admissible Breath Test was used

 

Cost of a Ch24D disposition

Party House of the Weekend

21 Goldenrod Circle

No offense to my New England Patriots loving friends, but I'm pretty sure if our heroes had pulled out a last minute victory the Party House pickings would have been far more ubiquitous.

Thus the first weekend of the spring semester goes down as a relatively quiet one.  Let's hope that continues.  Especially in March.

For the you-know-what weekend.

The Bad Boys appeared before Judge Connolly and they were each assessed a $300 fine with four months probation.

No Charter Cheerleading

Amherst Select Board, the executive branch of town government

The Amherst Select Board heard from two Kopalman & Paige ("The leaders in pubic sector law") attorneys last night on the do's and dont's of all things Charter change.  Most of it common sense, which this current Board has in abundant supply.  

Prior to the March 29 election the Select Board can do nothing out of the ordinary to influence voters one way or the other on how to vote especially if expends taxpayer funds.  No use of snail mail, email list serves, extra notices on the town website, etc.

Joel Bard and Lauren Goldberg update Select Board on Charter matters

After the election the 9 member Charter Commission becomes like any other town body but with the added bonus of $5,000 in town funds, guaranteed office space and direct use of the town attorney. 

And again the same hands off rules apply with the Select Board for dealing with the more epic vote of passing the new Charter.

The Select Board can assign one of its members as liaison to the Charter Commission to attend every meeting and report back to his/her Board, and Open Meeting Law even allows for a quorum of Select Board members to attend any Charter Commission meeting as long as they do not participate in a "deliberative" manner.

The Select Board can, however, take a formal vote as to whether they support the new Charter and issue a press release.  

Interestingly the Interim Town Manager sneaked a pay raise into the upcoming FY17 budget for the Select Board going from a $300 annual haul all the way up to $1,500 (plus an extra $500 for the Chair).  

Yes, a long ways from the $9,000 Northampton City Councilors make -- but still a solid move towards a more professional government. 

Something needed now more than ever.

No Pot For You!

Extravaganja last April 18th, 2015

While the Amherst Select Board did not take an actual vote, their comments seemed to indicate they were in unanimous agreement with Interim Town Manager (for another week anyway) Dave Ziomek refusing to issue a permit this year for the 25th annual Extravaganja pot rally on the historic Town Common.

AFD Chief Nelson (left), APD Chief Livingstone (right)

APD Chief Scott Livingstone and AFD Chief Tim Nelson agreed the rally had outgrown the capacity of the Town Common and represented a potential threat to public safety.  The Select Board took pains to say they were not concerned with the message/content of the event, simply its size.

Connie Kruger pointed out they were a victim of their own success.  But now that she has two grandchildren she has become "more conservative," and public safety is paramount.

Terry Franklin, citing First Amendment, threatens to bring in ACLU

Longtime event organizer Terry Franklin threatened a lawsuit based on First Amendment grounds.

Stop! In the Name Of Common Sense

Valley View Drive intersects directly with South East Street

Acting as "keepers of the public way" the Amherst Select Board will vote tonight to install a stop sign at the intersection of Valley View Drive and South East Street, a 4.4 mile "scenic byway" that connects Main Street to Bay road.

That was just one recommendation that came out of a recent traffic study done by CDM Smith, costing $7,800, that found speeding was a concern, so an additional three speed limit signs, costing $1,700 total, will also be installed.

Interestingly a corresponding increase in accident rates was not uncovered as the problem area of South East Street had a 2.45 MVM (Million Vehicle Miles traveled) accident rate vs state average of 3.74 for this type of roadway.

DPW will hold off on adding a Yield sign near Stop sign in front of South Congregational Church in favor of an intersection redesign somewhere down the road

A Penny Wise Investment

Big changes coming to our little college town

Fortunately after the voters approve the Charter Question at this coming March 29 election the Town Treasurer -- according to state statute -- has 20 days to credit the Charter Commission account with $5,000.  No questions asked.

Since Town Meeting could very well be exterminated by the new government the Commission proposes, they may not be overly friendly about appropriating seed money, which is kind of like a federal penitentiary charging death row inmates an electricity surcharge to power the electric chair.

The nine member Commission that will also be elected on March 29 has 18 months maximum to come up with a new government proposal, but there is no minimum limit.  Then all it requires is a majority vote of the electorate at an annual election.

The Commission can issue a mid-term status report, hold at least two public hearings (1st one within 45 days of election) and must snail mail their final report to all the registered voters in town, so the $5,000 allowance is probably too low.

 Click to enlarge/read

Interestingly after the first Mayor/Council/Town Manager idea failed at the ballot box in 2003 by only 14 votes the boundlessly determined Stan Durnakowski went out and got enough signatures to bring it back two years later.

A legal firefight ensued when the Select Board, at the time led by Anne Awad and Gerry Weiss, refused to mail along with the Charter the letter of introduction by 7-of-9 Charter Commission members outlining why they came up with the new proposal.   Which of course was done the 1st time around.

 Select Board annual town report 2005

Yes this is the same Gerry Weiss who became Select Board Chair a few years later and co-conspired with Town Manager Larry Shaffer to tax the Boy Scouts Christmas tree sales on Kendrick Park.

And then trampled the First Amendment rights of the July 4th Parade Committee by denying them a parade permit because they refused to let unregistered protesters march in their private parade.  Something the town's municipal 250th Parade Committee would also do a few years later.

And yes, Mr. Weiss and his wife Jenifer McKenna -- as loyal followers of the status quo -- have taken out nomination papers for Charter Commission.

Those who adamantly resist any change (that must be voter approved) in our inefficient overly guided by self-interest current government, need to answer the simple question:  what are you afraid of? 

Mr Weiss is also not a big fan of transparency