Walk The Walk

Amherst Select Board reading draft of response written by Temp Town Mgr Peter Hechenbleikner

While the all-white Amherst Select Board was reading a proclamation designating June 12 "Race Amity Day," a small mixed gender group -- black, white and somewhat in between -- who had turned out to support Aisha Hiza, the single mom banned from all school grounds for advocating on behalf of her bullied little girl sat stoically in front of them. 

 Aisha Hiza 2nd from left Vira Douangmany Cage (behind her to left) Amilcar Shabazz far left

The main reason Aisha and her supporters showed up to this Select Board meeting tucked away in a back labyrinth of the Regional Middle School was to hear the response penned by Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner to Vira Douangmany Cage's volatile email the week before, branding the Select Board as enablers of social injustice by not addressing what many see as just such a case with Ms. Hiza.

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 Draft response from Select Board to Vira Douangmany Cage

The draft letter was -- to say the least -- disappointing.  A classic dodge simply saying it's not our department.



But the Select Board will take it up again at their next meeting back in Town Hall, and now that Town Meeting is dissolved they will also be taking Public Comment at the start of that meeting.

I'm sure the public will have lots to say.

Town Meeting Terminates

Vince O'Connor (There's no place like home)

The 258th Annual Town Meeting dissolved last night after taking a little less than 1.5 hours to dispose of the last five articles on a lengthy 45 article warrant.

Of course over the course of those nine sessions the legislative body averaged an extra 10 minutes late coming to a quorum so that the last session could have been avoided if people had showed up on time.

The 9th and hopefully final night of the 258th #Amherst Town Meeting in now in session (11 minutes late).  Let's storm the beaches.

— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) June 6, 2016

Vince O'Connor ruled the night as he had three of the remaining five articles all of them "citizens petitions" that only required ten signatures to get on the warrant.

Article #44 was the most interesting of the three and since Town Meeting had taken up Article #45  last month it would be the final article of the session.

A bill promulgated by the Mass Municipal Association would allow cities and towns to tax tax-exempt entities .25% of what they would normally pay on their lands and buildings if they were regular homeowners or businesses.

Unfortunately UMass would be exempt since they are a state institution, but it would formalize payment from our other institutes of higher education, Amherst and Hampshire College.

This year Amherst College gave us $120,000 for Amherst Fire Department services, although Town Meeting earlier this session approved $190,000 in Community Preservation Act money for a fire suppression system at Amherst College owned The Evergreens, so this year it's a net loss.

But Amherst College is still the number one taxpayer in town as all of their houses rented to professors are on the tax rolls as is The Lord Jeffery Inn (or whatever they will change the name to), and unlike the town owned Cherry Hill Golf Course the college owned Amherst Golf Course also pays property taxes.

Hampshire College on the other hand pays nothing and requires AFD services almost as much as Amherst College.

 AFD Engine 1 on scene Kern Center for false fire alarm 5/23/16

Thus if they simply paid their fair share we could afford to hire a few more public safety personnel and maybe next time there's a major structure fire the first responding engine would have a full crew aboard.

 

Engine 1 (top center) only had 1 FF aboard upon arrival Alpine Commons

Town Meeting passed article #44 by an overwhelming majority 146-7.

Paul Bockelman, our new incoming permanent Town Manager, is a Hampshire College graduate and Director of Finance for the Mass Municipal Association.

Negotiating a strategic agreement with both Amherst College and his alma mater Hampshire College should be job #1.

a fitting end to #AmherstMA Town Meeting: @amherstac reading from his own blog via a laptop. Life imitating, . . . oh, I give up. :)

— Citizen Wald (@CitizenWald) June 7, 2016

Fire Is The Devil's Only Friend

AFD Engine 1 (far left)  Engine 2 (center) Hadley Ladder truck (right)

 Morning after:  fencing already erected around building

Besides the beep, beep, beeping of a smoke detector still doing its job this morning at Alpine Commons the scene is pretty much what you would expect walking (or flying) over a battlefield after the guns have gone silent.






Yesterday was a different story of course.  The sights and sound and most particularly the smell of a major structure fire is something you simply never forget.  But as long as there are no casualties at least it's a scar that will one day heal.

AFD Engine 1 was first on the scene but it's hard to get anything done when the only person aboard her was a captain from Central Station.

Engine 2, the aerial, arrived soon after from North Station with three aboard and after hooking up to a hydrant started spraying up to a 1,000 gallons of water per minute from above.

At the time of the box alarm 8 professional firefighters made up the on-duty shift (although it goes down to 7 for the summer), but 4 were tied up on two ambulance calls.  

Slowly the reinforcements arrived:  Hadley with an invaluable Ladder Truck, Northampton, Pelham and South Hadley with pumpers and Belchertown providing station coverage in case another fire should come calling.

AFD Ambulance One and South County EMS also provided an ambulance to the scene mainly to monitor and assist all the firefighters battling the elements as well as the fire.

Naturally I asked Chief Nelson about staffing:

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Another problem is Ladder 1 is out for repairs.  At almost 30 years of age that may end up being the new normal.  Not a good thing considering the newer buildings going up in Amherst are five stories.

Aging equipment, skeleton staffing and a Fire Station badly in need of replacement.  Such is the life our full-time career firefighters.  Yes, skill goes a l-o-n-g way in overcoming major obstacles.  As does a little luck.

One of these days skill alone, with our limited numbers, will not be enough. 

Alpine Commons Fire

Smoke could be seen from a long way off

Smoke and fire billowed from the roof

Engine 2, the quint, was quickly on scene

Firefighters from Hadley, Pelham, Northampton, South Hadley, Belchertown and South County Ambulance joined every available member of AFD including the Call Force to go toe to toe with a stubborn fire that wreaked havoc on an 8 unit apartment building, but fortunately not finding human flesh to consume.

 West side where fire originated

Although at least one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion due to hot muggy weather, and performing strenuous activity in heavy turn out gear.

 Turnout gear is especially hot on a day like today

 Hot, demanding, dangerous work

The fire apparently started around 1:30 PM at the far western end of the building but managed to make it all the way to the far east end via the attic, the Achilles heel of circa mid-1970s or 1980s construction. 

AFD E2 left Hadley Ladder right

Amherst Engine 2, an aerial which can throw up to 1,000 gallons per minute from the top of her 75 foot ladder and Hadley's Ladder Truck with slightly better capabilities took up positions at each end of the building and unleashed water as though it were Niagara Falls.



But The Beast was having none of that and continued to consume the wooden two story building at a ravenous rate. 

The opposite end of the building from where the fire first started

After just over four hours of pitched battle, by 6:00 PM, The Beast was put down.

 The building will be uninhabitable for a long, long time (if indeed it's salvageable)

The Outrage Grows

 

Amilcar Shabazz, formerly Amherst School Committee & former Chair Equity Task Force

The chorus of outrage over the treatment of Aisha Hiza, a black single mom standing up for her bullied daughter only to be hit with an all-school property stay away order over ten weeks ago, are now reaching a deafening peak.

On his Facebook page Amilcar Shabazz, UMass Faculty Advisor for Diversity & Excellence, issued a stern statement to Amherst and Pelham officials that will be hard to ignore.

More like impossible.

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Safety Violations Found Amity Street Fire

219 Amity Street:  Tragedy avoided, barely

Normally I use public documents to back up my fiery rhetoric. But in this case I don't really have to.

I will let Amherst Inspection Services report sent to absentee owner Jamie Cherewatti speak for itself.

Loudly.

   219 Amity Fire Inspection Report

Click on headline '219 Amity Street Fire Inspection Report' to go to Scribd to better read document

Preventable Deaths = Priceless

11 Phillips Street

Any good fire prevention expert will tell you the best way to prevent fire related deaths is not to let The Beast form in the first place.  And nothing is better at accomplishing that then a sprinkler system.

Number two on the list is an early warning system that allows notification to residents to get out of the structure as quickly as possible i.e. smoke or heat detectors as well as simultaneously sending notification to a professional alarm monitoring company.  

But those detectors are worthless if they have been purposely disabled or simply not maintained properly, like changing the battery every year.

Take 11 Phillips Street -- and I wish somebody with eminent domain powers would take that entire street -- for instance:   In Eastern Hampshire District Court last week Fire Prevention Officer Mike Roy won yet another "disabling a smoke detector" case.

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While an $800 fine may seem steep for Mr. Weiner had AFD pressed to keep the mater criminal he would could have served up to two years in jail because the charge is a felony.

Instead, in a Clerk Magistrate Hearing, he was found "responsible" but as long as he abides by the four conditions the matter will be dismissed in November.

 Terms of settlement written up by his lawyer

And since he is one of only four who supposedly lives at 11 Phillips (but notice he identified himself as a "Fraternity Vice President ... hmmm) and rent is a whopping $4,800 per month, I think he -- or his Fraternity -- can well afford the fine. 

Beats being dead.

APD Community Liaison officer Bill Laramee (left) and absentee property owner Stephan Gharabegian this morning at 45 Phillips Street after first meeting at 11 Phillips Street

 AFD Fire Prevention Officer Mike Roy files complaint with Eastern Hampshire District Court on 4/26

Charter Jitters KO Ms. Capriola

Maria Capriola dropped out after being chosen new Town Manager

As I figured the main reason Maria Capriola dropped out at the last minute for relocating to Amherst as our new Town Manager from her current home and position as Assistant Town Manager in Mansfield, Connecticut was Charter Commission related.

   Amherst new Town Mgr Executive Sessions

Uprooting your family and moving out of state to a job that could be replaced in two years by a Mayor is a pretty big risk. And she doesn't look like the high risk type to me.

In the new Town Manager contract signed last night with Paul Bockelman he is guaranteed six months salary if his job is terminated by a change in government or he can stay on for that last year at full salary but will no longer be the top dog.

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Of course at that point you probably have a new Mayor making less money than Mr. Bockelman, which may strain their relationship a tad.

Two Sides To Every Story

Peter Hechenbleikner and Alisa Brewer at last night's SB meeting

At last night's Select Board meeting, after confirming a new Town Manager, Chair Alisa Brewer brought up the school issue that has caused consternation over the past ten weeks and has now grown into a full fledged public relations nightmare.

School Committee member Vira Douangmany Cage issued Amherst and Pelham officials a vitriolic statement urging them to address the Aisha Hiza school stay away order as a social justice issue.  And to remain silent is to endorse the injustice.

After a brief discussion the board asked Temporary Town Manager Pete Hechenbleikner to write up a response for their June 6th meeting although Ms. Brewer seemed to suggest a resolution of the matter may happen before then.

In response Mr. Hechenbleikner said, "Select Board is not privy to a lot of the details.  If social injustice is being done then silence is not appropriate.  I know more than the Select Board, and there’s no social injustice being done."

Aisha Hiza begs to differ:

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School Committee Coup D'etat?

Trevor Baptiste (right), Superintendent Maria Geryk (left)

The first half hour of last week's Regional School Committee meeting was taken up by an attempt to "reorganize" the Committee i.e. vote in a new chair, coincidentally enough to replace one who is on Maria Geryk's enemies list.

During Public Comment at the RSC April 12 meeting Mr. Baptiste allowed friends, supporters and fellow ARHS grads to read a letter decrying Aisha Hiza's ban from all Regional school grounds for advocating on behalf of her bullied child.

Some members and school officials thought it was out of order since the incident originated at Pelham Elementary School which is not part of the Region and therefor beyond the purview of the Regional Committee.

Geryk started the meeting as Chair and immediately wished for them to "reorganize."   Chair Trevor Baptiste was having none of it and the bickering began.

Geryk was relying on a previous tradition where the Region would reorganize after local town elections as well as state law that says committees must do so within ten days of said elections, which happened more than a month ago.

But Baptiste pointed out that law does not apply because the Regional Committee is not elected they are appointed by the local school committees and his town, Pelham, has yet to appoint one of their members to the Region.

Amherst School Committee Chair (and automatic member of the Region) Katherine Appy pressed for the reorganization although she told Mr. Baptiste it was nothing personal.  

Interestingly at yesterday's Joint Capital Planning Committee meeting, composed of two members each from the Finance Committee, Select Board, Library and School Committee, one School Committee member was MIA.

 Joint Capital Planning Committee yesterday (minus one School Committee member)

Ms. Appy told the JCPC that Rick Hood had not run for reelection in the March 29 election and the School Committee (which has met twice since then) has not yet appointed one of their own to replace him on the JCPC.

With neither side seeming to budge a compromise motion was made and approved to have the Regional School Committee reorganization take place at their June 14th meeting, and by then Pelham would have appointed a member to the Region.

I'll be bringing popcorn to that meeting (and a fire extinguisher).

Is Silence Ignoring?

 Trevor Baptiste, Vira Douangmany Cage, Regional School Committee

Select Board Chair Alisa Brewer briefly allowed a discussion about a strongly worded email they received today from School Committee member Vira Douangmany Cage asking why they have remained silent on the matter of Aisha Hiza.

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Ms. Hiza you may remember was issued a "stay away" order on March 15 by Amherst Regional Public School Superintendent Maria Geryk after she vigorously demanded school officials do something about the bullying of her young daughter at Pelham Elementary School.

School Superintendents have extraordinary power when it comes to issuing such an order, kind of like the combined power of a Clerk Magistrate and District Court Judge, but without much due process.

 Alisa Brewer:  "Silence is not ignoring.  We're not taking the easy way out"

   
The Select Board tasked Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner with coming up with a statement by their June 6th meeting so they can't be accused of remaining silent.  Mr. Hechenbleikner told the Select Board he "knew more than they did, and there's no social injustice being done."

Chair Alisa Brewer said "We are supportive of solving the stay awat order as quickly as possible" and then added, "The situation has been a very tension filled conversation across the community."

That it has. 

Bockelman It Is

Paul Bockelman, new Town Manager

After about 20 minutes sequestered away in a side office room adjacent to the Town Room the Amherst Select Board returned from executive session to confirm Paul Bockelman as new Town Manager for three years starting August 22, right around the time our beloved students come flocking back to town.

Select Board retreated behind closed doors 

Mr. Bockelman would know that of course since he lived in town as a college student who graduated from Hampshire College many years ago.

Yes, it would have been a little better if the term of the contract was only two years because now Town Meeting loyalists will use that last year buyout as an excuse to vote against a Charter Change, switching our form of government from Select Board/Town Manager/Town Meeting to Mayor/Council.

Three Year Employment Contract

 Town Press Release

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Select Board member Connie Kruger signing the contract

DUI Dishonor Roll

3x as many males were arrested for drunk driving than females in 2014

Amherst Police made no arrests for drunk driving over the long holiday weekend, a time when alcohol consumption probably goes up a tad.

Although, like rowdy student behavior, that can be weather related and Memorial Day itself was a bit wet for outdoor barbecues.

One arrest did occur in Amherst, however, by Amherst College Police Department.  Yes, they do have power of arrest and will sometimes come to the aid of our police on busy nights when APD low staffing inhibits proper responses.

 John Bedford, age 32, stands before Judge O'Grady

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In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Tuesday both individuals decided to hire their own private attorney and will appear again for pre-trail in July.

 Brett Rogers, age 22, stands before Judge O'Grady

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In & Out Sweets

Insomnia Cookies opened last week in time for the Community Fair

Town center -- the heart of our business district -- lost a somewhat established business but gained a new one to keep things in balance.  Such is the trying nature of small business.

 For sale or lease

FroyoWorld frozen yogurt opened a few years ago in direct competition with GoBerry pretty much across the street, but now their freezers are shut down.

Amherst is not so much a mecca for frozen treats as iconic Ben & Jerry's couldn't survivive in the downtown and equally revered Bart's Ice Cream was saved by a last minute buyout and their name change to Amherst Ice Cream.

The big advantage with cookies is they are easy to deliver, which I'm sure will make up the major portion of Insomnia Cookies business.

After all, who doesn't like warm cookies delivered to your door at 3:00 AM?

3 Strikes

Claude Bolling (poster at Town Hall)

Besides tying up ambulances for frequent transports to the hospital, scaring away customers in the downtown and leaving unsightly debris in their favorite haunts another problem with our homeless population is some of them can be downright dangerous.

Over the weekend APD arrested Claude Bolling for Assault & Battery on a family member.

Because of the two year old domestic abuse law designed to protect victims the justice system will not release any paperwork concerning that crime.

But Mr. Bolling had two other charges.

In Eastern Hampshire District Court today in front of Judge William O'Grady he had his bail revoked for the previous offense of "failing to register as a sex offender" (which has to be done annually) and he had a Superior Court Warrant outstanding for a probation violation.

He is currently being held for up to 90 days in the House of Correction on the bail revocation, so he will not see the "streets of Amherst" for a while.