Battle of the sexes, continued...

Jeff Bagg, town planner/liaison. ZBA: Hilda Greenbaum, Barbara Ford, Eric Beal

Last night the Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals heard testimony concerning the appeal of a "cease and desist" order by the Amherst Building inspector for a conversion from Sorority to Fraternity at 38 Nutting Avenue on the outskirts of UMass, close to the notorious former Frat Row.

The board made no decision, continuing the public hearing to November 3, as new materials had arrived just that afternoon from opposing attorneys.

According to town attorney Joel Bard, "If the board were to uphold the Building Inspector's determination that a change from a sorority to a fraternity constitutes a change in use under Section 9.22, the Board would need to identify some non-subjective, quantifiable differences between these two institutions. For example, testimony from police and fire departments, or from other Town official documenting the fact that fraternities are a more consistent drain than sororities on the resources of emergency responders or other officials could be a basis for specific findings that the two are different uses."

Maybe they should use my "Party House of Weekend" series, which clearly shows young men are many times more likely to engage in rowdy behavior. Or just go back five or six years when Frat Row was still active. Of course the Frat on the other end of the street--374 North Pleasant--is still active and shows up periodically in the police logs.

Another B-I-G difference between the two is sororities ban alcohol on the premises, obviously frats do not.

Attorney James Heffernan closed his presentation with a thinly veiled threat, pointing out to the three member board that municipal officers who violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment could be sanctioned on a "civil rights" violation.

Attorney James Heffernan

Attorney Bard counters in writing: "There would be no equal protection violation in upholding the Building Inspector's decision unless the Board based its decision solely on subjective, gender-based impressions or opinions instead of identifying quantifiable differences between the two institution."

The sorority had approximately 40 women living together and the frat currently has 30. While the case is under appeal they can continue to call 38 Nutting Avenue home. Last year the building generated $179,000 in rental income and was assessed by the town at $1,087,400.

If the ZBA does not overturn the Building Inspector's order--and it takes a unanimous vote to overturn--the ongoing rowdy student behavior will have chalked up yet another innocent victim.

About 30 people showed for the Public Hearing. Opponents on left, supporters on right

Gang of 4 hears good news

Amherst confluence of four committees

Finance Director Sandy Pooler crunched the numbers for next year's (FY12) operating budget tonight at a joint meeting of the Finance Committee, School Committee, Select Board, and Library Trustees (affectionately known as "The gang of four"), and--in spite of the sputtering economy--the outlook was rosy as long as the spending increases keep to 2.8%, enough to provide level services.

The town finished the year with a $1.1 million surplus, which reverted to Free Cash. Total reserves (Free Cash and Stabilization) now stand at $5.6 million--not counting the cushion (around $1 million) in the Amherst Regional School's "Excess and Deficiency" savings account.

While the state is usually portrayed as the skunk in the room, an extra supplemental appropriation of $514,000 coming in for FY12 spruced up their bad guy image among town officials. The local option hotel/motel and meals tax tallied a handsome $495,000 in FY11, up $150,000 from the previous year--and with the historic Lord Jeffrey Inn coming back on line soon, that amount should go up even higher in FY12.

The property tax is of course far and away the town's main revenue source, contributing 63%, with state aid a distant second at 20%. And within that property tax, the disparity between commercial and residential continues to be an embarrassment.

In the current fiscal year residential taxpayers contribute 91% of the tax base compared to commercial/industrial at a pathetic 9%. In 2002 it was 89% residential to an anemic 11% commercial/industrial.

Half of Amherst is owned by tax exempt entities: Amherst College and UMass coming in at #1 and #2 respectively, with the town itself #3 (mostly conservation land) and Hampshire College #4. UMass makes annual Payments In Lieu Of Taxes of $325,000 for Fire and Ambulance protection, Hampshire College does not. Amherst College kicks in $100,000 every now and then.

Town Meeting will vote next month on a couple of warrant articles that could help turn around that dismal commercial/residential ratio by stimulating commercial smart growth development. A $40,000 appropriation for a townwide housing marketing study but with particular emphasis on the Gateway Corridor area for a proposed commercial mixed use project, and Form Based Zoning in the North Amherst and Atkins Corner Village Centers.

Of course Town Meeting is also one of the main factors in stonewalling development of any kind as the BANANAs (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) can usually muster the 34% minority vote required to kill a business friendly zoning change.

Highlighting success, a few at a time

Maria Geryk (far left) Amherst Regional School Committee to her left

Last night the Amherst Regional School Committee (representing Amherst, Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury) heard a polished presentation from a small group of High School students concerning the Minority Student Achievement Network conference they attended in Columbia, Missouri courtesy of Maria Geryk, who found the money in her Superintendent's budget to cover costs.

The well dressed, polite students apprised the committee of their "action plan" to give back to the system they had learned to negotiate (some of them the hard way) and actually thrive, by becoming mentors to Middle School kids--teaching by example the benefits of hard work, discipline and family teamwork.

Proud parents swelled the audience demonstrating how invaluable family involvement is to academic success.

When asked what style of teaching worked best: challenging or coddling, a young woman responded in favor of the former. Another young man articulated how poverty plays an important role in disrupting education, something parental oversight helps to overcome.

Committee Member Steve Rivkin picked up on the benefits of higher expectations, even for poorer kids, by bringing up the $16,413 average student cost of education in Amherst--not known for a tough disciplinarian style-- compared to state average ($13,052), with relatively modest test scores to show for it.

Math results were particularly disappointing--especially among low income students.

He also criticized the deteriorated physical condition of Wildwood and Fort River elementary schools, calling them "substandard," while floating the idea of temporarily moving more grades (5-8 rather than current 7-8) into the underpopulated Middle School so renovations could occur at those older, less inviting schools.

Human Resource Director Kathy Mazur gave a brief presentation on Regional enrollment projections for the next five years showing a steady decline from the current 1,592 in 2011-12 year to 1,425 in 2016-17. The Regional school system enrollment peaked in 2001-02 with 1,668 total students.

Steve Rivkin

This dark drizzly evening, the Amherst schools hosted an Open House. Crocker Farm Elementary School, where my daughters attend, was packed with staff, students and parents. Maybe one reason Crocker Farm tested better than state average in math.

The sun also rises

Truck scalping bridge strikes again!

South East Street bike path overpass

No, not the Snell Street bridge that is being replaced next year at a $1 million cost while only growing a few inches taller, no wider and closing a busy road for many months; the other bike path overpass a mile-and-a-half or so to the south east on/over, naturally, South East Street.

That one too has a low clearance, but at 10 feet still matches what the Snell Street Bridge will rise to after the state spends $1 million.

On Sunday around dusk, a new-to-the-area driver piloting a Ryder rental truck was jolted by the sudden piercing screech of metal scraping metal. A confrontation the bridge, even as old as it is, always seems to win.

Party House (s) of the Weekend

24 North East Street, Amherst

UPDATE Tuesday morning: See Anon Comment (from the entire student population of UMass) 12:26 AM. Honestly, I can't make this up.

#########################

Okay, today we have a tie. Naturally I can't resist the somewhat rare "girls gone wild" scenarios, so the apartment at 24 North East Street (a normally quiet neighborhood) earns the dubious award--especially since it's also hard to resist stupid drunk boys trying to act chivalrous in front of the girls, and getting arrested as a result. The old if-you-can't-free-them-join-them routine

According to Amherst Police Department logs:

1:19 AM (early this Monday morning). Cleared: 1:49 AM

Upon arrival to listed location officers observed excessive music and voices coming from apartment #9. Approximately 20+ guests at location. All four listed residents were uncooperative even after being advised of the TBL (town bylaw) for noise. All four placed under arrest for TBL violation. As officers were departing male party began pounding on hood of cruiser demanding the release of the four females who were arrested. Male party placed under arrest.

Rachel Dickey, 40 Packet Landing, Pembroke, MA, age 20
Kellie Lynn Mirtle, 5350 Granby Dr, Yorba Linda, CA, age 20
Caitlin Shore, 73 Cooley Ave, East Longmeadow, MA, age 21
Chelsea Goldrick, 36 Ridge Road, Hampden, MA, age 20
Philip Caraciolo, 14 Radburn, Hauppauge, NY, age 23

Ownership Card for #9 condo

Meanwhile in an another part of town, we have the more typical party boys acting like animal house frat boys:

286 Belchertown Road, Amherst; valuation $486,800

12:23 AM (early Saturday), cleared 12:48 AM

Loud party observed upon arrival. While attempting to clear the residence of its 300+ guests, a male party later identified as a resident, opened a second story window and began to urinate onto the roof. Alexander Banzy's genitals were in full view of approximatley 100 guests now outside in the driveway.

Benzy and a second resident were placed under arrest for TBL noise violation. Benzy additionally charged with indecent exposure.

Patrick Martin Comerford, 118 Grove St, N Attleborough, MA, age 21 Open Container violation
Reagan Eckler, 70 Newton St, Southborough, MA, age 19, Noise violation
Alexander Banzy, 45 Sylvanus Wood Ln, Woburn, MA, age 21, Unlawful Noise, Indecent Exposure
Nicholas Repko, 185 Highland Ave, Ludlow, MA, age 20, Under 21 possession liquor

Property Ownership card for 286 Belchertown Rd (note prominent UMass connection)

Recovery

I drove through picturesque Wilmington, Vermont only a day before the normally tame Deerfield river rose up in rage and unleashed damages of biblical proportion. I remember regretting not having my camera, as the town was bustling with tourists drawn to its charm that carefree summer afternoon.

This afternoon I retraced my return to Amherst from Arlington, Vermont through Wilmington on a bright beautiful afternoon much like the one six weeks ago, and the town seemed as vibrant now as it did then.

Vermonters are survivors.

Never too much

29 Commemorative Flags now adorn downtown Amherst

Usually, Amherst forgets a sanctioned occasion or two for unfurling the 29 commemorative flags to observe the "official" holidays our--at the time overly PC--Select Board approved on the night of September 10, 2001, an ever-so-routine meeting in the People's Republic.

But this weekend we have the opposite case, where they put them up for an occasion not on the list: Columbus Day. Not that I'm complaining. Anything we can do to adorn the downtown is fine by me--and nothing is dressier than the American flag basked in brilliant sunlight.

Now if I were the critical type I'd point out that the town goes out of its way to commemorate someone accused of starting the genocide and enslavement of Native Americans, but this coming 9/11 will refuse to fly these very same flags to remember 3,000 Americans slaughtered on a stunningly gorgeous Tuesday morning, simply because they were Americans.

And if I were the really critical type, I would now roll my eyes and murmur, "Only in Amherst."

Never give up

The die is cast

SB:Jim Wald, Diana Stein, Alisa Brewer, Aaron Hayden, Stephanie O'Keeffe

The Rubicon has been crossed, the newspaper put to bed, as the Amherst Select Board signed the warrant for the Fall Town Meeting at approximately 12:15 PM on an otherwise bright fall Friday.
Town Meeting commences on November 7, and will not conclude until all 18 articles are acted upon.

For sure article #17, bringing Form Based Zoning to North and South Amherst village centers, will be the most controversial item, resulting in a l-o-n-g debate; as will article #5: $40,000 for a town wide "market study" of the exceedingly tight Amherst housing market, something that will be attacked as a taxpayer subsidy benefiting real estate agents and developers.

Both articles will primarily come under fire for fear they will be instrumental in producing more "student housing," the bogeyman of Amherst. The Gateway Corridor Project, a joint effort between UMass, the town and the Amherst Redevelopment Authority was the most recent project to suffer from this paranoia.

The final article (#18), an advisory to the Select Board to revive the Committee on Homelessness--terminated only last month--could also generate plenty of discussion, but since it is the last article on the warrant, perhaps members will be burned out and less likely to talk until the cows come home.

Fall Amherst Town Meeting Warrant

Raise the bridge

Snell Street Bridge

The Department of Conservation and Recreation will replace the Snell Street Bridge later this fiscal year and while they're at it--even though reusing the current abutments--will raise it by 6" to 8," which should help reduce instances of truck scalping that occurs when 10' moving vans forget to do the math.

The bridge was originally built to serve the Central Mass Railway Company but became part of the Norwottuck Rail Trail in 1993. Amherst College--the largest landowner in town--is donating a temporary easement on their adjacent property to allow a convenient detour while the overpass is closed for construction.

A tale of two detours, or an inconvenient truth: l-o-n-g red line will be the detour for 90% of the project duration, shorter red/blue lines combination (center) is for construction access to project, but occasionally open to weary travelers

So long Steve

No longer smiling at Apple

I remember the first time Steve Jobs made a difference in my life, and strangely enough it had to do with business, something that at the time his products were shrugged off as just "toys"-- mainly because they were so simple to operate.

In the mid-to-late 1990s the Amherst Athletic Club was going full throttle with just over 750 members. The tagline I always used on WRNX and WHMP radio ads for the club was, "Big enough to own the best equipment, but small enough to know your name."

But when you have that many members, it's hard to actually remember everyone's name.

So I decided to institute a membership card system using photos, figuring a Polaroid camera was simple enough to operate with instant results. But the cost of instamatic film came to almost a dollar per photo, so just to enter all the current members would cost $750.

Enter the Apple QuickTake digital camera. I found a used one on that newfangled thing called the Internet for about half the upfront instamatic film cost and from then on all the digital photos were free.

We started out with a Mac Plus computer, moved to an SE-30 then a couple Quadras, and a few Powermacs, always a generation or two behind because of cost--but each machine got progressively better.

Now I use a MacBook Air and it harnesses the power of a desktop, with the ease of intuitive software Apple made famous, all in a package only slightly thinner than Mr. Jobs was on the day he introduced it.

Apple also pioneered Desktop Publishing with the invention of the LaserWriter printer, allowing anyone a voice via pamphlets--the journalistic equivalent of a personal printing press. Now of course we have the Internet with the unlimited power to publish in real time made stunningly simple by the technology Apple introduced or improved upon.

God knows how many barrels of ink will be consumed over the next few days for ubiquitous print media stories deservedly honoring Steve Jobs; ironically enough, President Obama said it best: "And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented."

None of which require ink.

Time magazine stops the presses

Form Based Zoning moves forward

The Zoning sub-committee of the Planning Board voted 2-0 one absent to recommend to the full Planning Board "Form Based Zoning" for Atkins Corner and North Amherst Village Center be placed on the warrant for the upcoming Town Meeting starting next month.

And a few hours later the full board voted 5-1 to make it so (Richard Roznoy the only "No").

The Select Board will sign the warrant on Friday.

The form based code requires the maintaining of an architectural look and feel for any new development occurring in those village centers. Because it's zoning, the article requires a two-thirds vote of Amherst Town Meeting, which starts November 7.

While the areas impacted are only the two village centers at the far ends of Amherst, the passing of the article will be a positive indicator for the Gateway Project near Amherst center--connecting the commercial downtown with UMass.

The Amherst Redevelopment Authority is strongly in favor of rezoning the Gateway District, and Form Based Zoning will help enable the public private partnership to work .

Jonathan O'Keefe, Robert Crowner, Richard Roznoy, David Webber, Constance Kruger, Stephen Schreiber

A (somewhat) rational response

Sorry for Partying has left a new comment on your post "Another hectic weekend for APD":

Geeze I'm starting to wonder what you would even write about if these "kids" weren't having a good time - every other article is about "the party house of the week". If Amherst is so interesting and great without college students then find better material. You practically re-write the police log...

I wonder if you've ever experienced a "good time" as a young adult. Sing or dance with friends? Get rowdy? Consume an alcoholic beverage, perhaps? If you had one fun bone in your body I bet you'd understand why college students behave this way. That Peter Clark kid has a good point - what's a party without music?

Contrary to popular belief, most UMass students actually do school work throughout the week. Getting into this school isn't as easy as it once was, the class of 2014's average high school GPA was a 3.61. (compare that to Boston University's class of 2014 that had an average GPA of 3.6) So when the weekend rolls around I think most of the students deserve to party, drink and make some noise without being charged $300 for a noise violation.

I have had nothing but good times with great friends at this school. It's unfortunate that more and more people have been getting arrested. What's funny is that I've partied at most of the houses featured on your "blog" and they've been GREAT. I can remember each one like it was yesterday - Tracy Circle, PIKE, Meadow Street, Townhouses, South Prospect and Summer Street! The guys at these houses are incredible too, if you actually went out of your way to meet and interact with some of the student body I'm sure you would agree.

"Did you know the airport was there when you moved in?" UMass Amherst has been around way longer than you have, and so has the partying. Why should it stop living up to the name ZooMass? I talk to alumni and they reminisce on the glory days - did you ever have those? Did you ever go to a party with 100+ of your closest friends? Do you even have 100 friends?

This school is the best thing that has ever happened to me. And honestly I feel bad, because if I remember correctly you have a daughter - who will NEVER get to experience the UMass I did, If she even chooses to go here. Which, by the looks of it, you probably wouldn't let that happen. Heaven forbid she drink and dance at a party in college with tons of people. Although if she does decide to go here, I hope she doesn't get arrested for playing music too loud and drinking with her friends - wouldn't that just come back and bite you in the butt.

If you could wrap your head around the fact that these parties and gatherings are what complete the college experience, I think you'd have a better understanding as to why these things happen. We don't do it to spite the community or the police force - we do it because we enjoy partying. Hobart Hoedown has been a UMass tradition - and although you weren't the person who decided to have the police and riot force posted up on the street that day, you're part of a community that supports that. We have four years where it's socially acceptable to party our butts off and have the time of our lives and then we have to grow up and participate in real-life. If you could go back in time and relive a day of college - what would you wanna be doing? Sitting in a living room playing a board game on a Saturday night with 5 of your closest friends or be dancing to loud music in a house drinking wiith 100 - 200 of your friends?

...please enlighten me

Thanks for writing--as opposed to using text speak. I'm actually coming up on only the one year anniversary of my popular "Party House of the Weekend" series," which commenced on October 18th; and since then I have put up 58 posts under the tag "nuisance house" out of 1,696 total posts (not counting this one) or .034%--hardly "every other article."

And my family first moved to Amherst in the early 1850s--before UMass was founded.

Interesting, isn't it? When you shine a spotlight or hold up a mirror to their actions people often respond with criticism of the messenger who is simply holding the mirror/light, and try to portray them as somehow overly fixated.

I also notice that my Party Boy, newsworthy friends Peter Clark and Emerson Rutkowski have changed their names on Facebook, as though that is going to throw off the Google stain effect.

But you bring up a good point. Where do you draw the line between kids just having a good time and behavior that simply should not be tolerated by civilized adults, assuming you believe--as I do--that 18 to 22-year-old students are adults and civilized?

I found the perfect example on Peter Clark's Facebook DJ business page (a link he has now deleted) and sent it to the Amherst Select Board and acting Town Manager. It's called 121 Meadow Street and it consists of a little over nine minutes of raw video documenting the "party" at 121 Meadow Street. A party that soon thereafter became a "riot" with rocks and bottles hurled at responding Amherst police officers.

The state of Massachusetts recently passed a "crowd control" law which requires one sober employee for every 250 people at an event. This was in response to the tragic Rhode Island station nightclub fire that killed 100 people who were--just prior to that--having a "good time."

If I had to guess that 121 Meadow Street party, at it's peak, would have required 5 or 6 sober crowd control personnel. At about the five minute mark you can hear one of the tenants of the house saying plaintively, "I gotta get this car out of my driveway..."

What if it was a life or death emergency where every second counts?

That same night the Amherst Fire Department was swamped with calls--many of them UMass students having had too much to drink. Our Town Manager slipped and fell last month and was seriously injured. The quick response of AFD probably saved his life. But what if all the ambulances were too busy with drunk kids to have gotten to him in a timely manner?

A while back a sitting Select Board member's husband needed an ambulance, but they were all tied up with UMass type calls. A Northampton ambulance had to bring him to the hospital.

Although 121 Meadow Street is Ground Zero for student housing, there have been numerous parties just like that in residential neighborhoods (sounds like you attended a few) that are not dominated by student abodes--where average people go to work or school, deal with life in a responsible mature manner, and need to get some sleep.

They also take pride in maintaining their property and hate it when a neighboring house looks like a trash dumpster that was hit by a wind storm. Or when Party House patrons deposit cups, bottles, cans, vomit--or worse--on their property.

Oldest saying in the book my young friend: "All things in moderation."

Glad they are not Union 666

Methinks SEIU888 is sending the town of Amherst a message. Probably has something to do with the Town Manager recently being awarded a 9.8% raise, or the million dollar surplus the town has averaged over the past five fiscal years. Or maybe the Devil made them do it.

################################

SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION

SEIU/888: 8 Hours of work, 8 Hours of Sleep, 8 Hours of Recreation promoting healthy, balanced, hard working union members.

Resolved on September 29, 2011 by the Town of Amherst Employees chapter of SEIU 888:

We will donate to the Amherst Survival Center (at Thanksgiving): $888.00

We will donate to the Senior Center Thanksgiving Dinner: $88.80

We will donate to the Amherst overnight shelter (Craig’s Door): $88.80

In these tough economic times, even though we have been offered a Zero percent COLA, we feel we need to extend a helping hand to our neighbors and colleagues. These funds were rebated back to the chapter five years ago.

Death Row Pardon!

Black Walnuts near Hampshire College main entrance

So it's hard to believe after all the trees the state has whacked for the Atkins Corner Project that these four beauties, otherwise known as black walnuts, were about to be sacrificed as well: "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot," or in this case a multi-use path more commonly referred to as a "bike path."

Yikes! The Amherst Shade Tree Committee would have impaled some town and state officials with the splintered remains.

But just in the nick of time Hampshire College rode their white horse to the rescue by granting the town a permanent easement on their property for a reconfiguration of the multi-use path, thus saving the four black walnuts. Three cheers for Hampshire College.

Now if we could just get them to contribute towards police and fire protection from the town, I would send my daughters there someday. (Well, maybe not.)

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring avoids the hot seat (for now)

Million Dollar Decision

ALPHA CHI OMEGA

Is a fraternity the same as a sorority? If you ask neighbors I'm sure the response would be a resounding "NO". So is allowing one but not the other tantamount to being Un-American--as in violating the equal protection clause contained in the 14th Amendment? We will soon find out.

On August 26 Amherst building inspector Peter Fein issued a "cease and desist order" to the owners of 38 Nutting Avenue, a privately owned UMass sorority (Alpha Chi Omega) since 1964 now wanting to go the all-male route by leasing out the premises to a fraternity (Pi Kappa Phi).

Apparently sororities, like newspapers and telephone booths, are an endangered species.

The building--with an approved occupancy for 60 people--is currently assessed at $1 million, generating $17,000 annually to the town in property taxes and according to the seller generates $179,000 gross annual rental income. If the Zoning Board of Appeals should uphold the building inspector's order and the structure becomes vacant or it should revert to a family dwelling, the assessed value will drop dramatically.

In fact the assessed value already dropped $55,300 from the previous year.

Since the Sorority is located in the same neighborhood as Frat Row--five notorious party houses now demolished--safe bet neighbors will show up to the October 13 Zoning Board public hearing to argue in favor of the town's interpretation of the zoning to prevent the all male transformation.

Stay tuned.

Frat House 374 North Pleasant St, Sunday morning

###############################

ZBA October 13, 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM @ Town Room, Town Hall

Alpha Chi Omega – Appeal of the Building Inspector’s Cease and Desist order, regarding the use of the premises as a fraternity house, under Section 10.1 of the Zoning Bylaw, at 38 Nutting Avenue (Map 11A, Parcel 87, R-G Zoning District). ZBA FY2012-00006 – Winnifred Manning – To install a five foot fence within the required front yard setbacks, under Section 6.29 of the Zoning Bylaw, at 61 Fearing Street (Map 11C, Parcel 99, R-G Zoning District).

Sales listing for 38 Nutting Avenue, Amherst

Property card for 38 Nutting Avenue, Amherst

Living Within Our Means

Stephanie O'Keeffe ctr rt, David Ziomek acting Town Manager ctr left

Last night the Amherst Select Board--at member Alisa Brewer's urging--telegraphed a "No Override" budget for FY12, unless an emergency comes up between now and the drop-dead January 16, 2012 deadline for the Town Manager to present his budget.

I think they are starting to get it. An Override should always be a last resort for those times when an unforeseen emergency arises. Besides, with an average $1 million surplus over the past five fiscal years, they would have had a hard time selling one to the voters (even with Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe's PR skills).

Benefits of Bad Weather

Who would curse Indian Summer gracing us on weekends over the rest of the month? Public safety professionals for one. (And perhaps grumpy Internet trolls who live in their parents basement and never go outside anyway.) At this morning's police briefing Detective Dave Foster attributed the somewhat quiet--as in less riotous--weekend a result of the wet weather, dubbing it a "friend."

Amherst Fire Department Chief Tim Nelson concurred saying this past weekend's, 9/30, lower number of ambulance (35) firetruck runs (13) compared to last weekend's, 9/23, ambulance (67) firetruck runs (12) was "directly attributed to weather."

Last year when Amherst Police Department Captain Jennifer Gundersen visited a journalism class at UMass she said,“Weather dictates the activity. In the spring we hope for rain every weekend. We also hope for the Red Sox to lose. Just one weekend can drain our budget as overtime has to be paid for some officers.”

Perhaps the town should think about adding a new position to the budget: rain dancer.

Party House of the Weekend

694 Main Street, Amherst

There was a time in Amherst history when I could walk from the house I grew up at on High Street down Main street all the way to the Pelham line and never once pass a house only occupied by students. Now I would be hard pressed to find any of the former.

Take this house for instance at 694 Main Street. Cut to the police report:

12:14 AM (early Saturday morning)

RP (reporting party) Reports loud noise coming from listed location

Upon arrival, approximately 30-40 people on front porch talking loudly and consuming alcohol. When advised of the noise complaint, one party indicated that his neighbors needed to learn that this is a college town.

Citation issued to that party.

Party cleared out. All residents were advised of consequences if APD need respond this evening

Summons issued:
Elan Katz, 9 Ridgewood Drive, Wantagh, NY age 21
##################################

Yes folks it gets better. Honestly, I can't make this up:

2:36 AM

RP reports loud voices at listed location

Loud music upon arrival. Listed parties taken into custody.

Refer to Arrest:

Elan Katz, 9 Ridgewood Drive, Wantagh, NY age 21
Daniel Schiatta, 32 Eastern Drive, Kendall Park, NJ, age 21
##################################

So I guess the moral of this story is, if you are being a Nitwit don't defend your uncivil behavior, and after the cops give you a ticket for being a Nitwit--don't go continuing the activity into the very early hours of the morning.

Property ownership card for 694 Main Street, Amherst

A dying wish granted

Hwei-Ling Greeney, Reikka Simula Gooden: Committee on Homelessness

So in spite of the Amherst Select Board terminating with extreme prejudice the Committee on Homelessness, their influence advocating for the downtrodden living lives of voiceless desperation on the streets of Amherst continues to reverberate, like one of those more subtle east coast earthquakes.

The committee had recommended to town officials the shelter needs to open by November 1st, so a Request For Quotes needs to be issued by September 1st, and the town needs to chose a provider by October 1. All to better meet the needs of the homeless.

Those deadlines have all been met with Friday's announcement that Craig's Doors was awarded the $101,000 contract to run the Homeless Shelter, located in the basement of the First Baptist Church at the gateway to UMass.

That too was a recommendation of the Committee on Homelessness to the Select Board; their dying wish so to speak. At their final meeting (September 8) before SB termination (September 12) the committee voted unanimously to recommend Craig's Doors, the only entity who responded to the RFQ, with two members--Laura Quinn and Kevin Noonan--former members of the now defunct Amherst Committee on Homelessness.

Indeed a case where the good they did was not interred with their bones.

First Baptist Church

Beware the Fitness Zombie

Peter Earle returns, four doors down from his old haunt, only smaller @ 3,000 sq ft

After the death of his full sized, full service health club almost one year ago, Peter (the-Duke-of) Earle has arisen from the grave and will soon haunt the Happy Valley fitness scene with a woman only operation, touting "services and programs that make fitness, fun, easy and affordable."

At $14.95/month--affordable for sure--but still expensive compared to Planet Fitness, the 'King of Cheap', at $9.95/month. Or the $50 million UMass Recreation Center, which is free to students, his preferred target demographic:

When Gold's Gym was at its peak (2006) they helped promote a Mixed Martial Arts event at the Mullins Center whereby Earle sent an email blast to young female members enticing them to participate in a "hot body bikini contest."

So the $64,000 question is, can this (re)start-up business survive at low membership price points in an already saturated competitive market when odds are against start ups celebrating a 2nd or 3rd birthday--especially when you exclude half the market?

Considering Peter Earle's checkered past in the field of fitness, about as much chance as a sand castle weathering a tropical storm.

Earle opened Gold's Gym--the gold standard of fitness franchises--on University Drive, Amherst in 2003 with two very experienced partners who owned a handful of successful Boston area Gold's. Only a year later the two experienced partners fled back to Boston. For good reason.Fools Gold

New partner, attorney Joanne Delong, bought in with a 50% deed to a dilapidated business condo in Amherst center that mysteriously burned just prior to opening as a tanning salon, and then years later when Earle tried to cash in that ownership learned the paperwork was never properly filed at the Registry of Deeds, thus making it worthless to him. Did I mention Ms. Delong was an attorney?

Cooper Mine tanning salon: never opened for business

They cut corners by dropping the Gold's Gym name to save on the franchise fee and remade themselves as "The Leading Edge." That too soon lost its luster.

This past October 18, the club suddenly closed with only a couple hours notice to employees and members, leaving behind unpaid workers, unhappy customers--most of them owed refunds--and a whopping $250,000 bank debt.

A couple months later, on Christmas morning no less, Amherst Police discovered Mr. Earle in the shuttered business trying to abscond with truckloads of exercise equipment only five days after filing papers for a new fitness business in Keene, NH. His former partner was not amused.Former fitness room, now Amherst Brewing Company

And neither are his former employees or numerous customers still owed money from the sudden implosion of 'The Leading Edge'. Earle's Craigslist ads for hired help are shadowed by postings from previously burned anonymous victims who issue a warning highlighting Earle's shady business practices.

Of course it makes sense that Earle would wish to hire a manager to oversee Amherst operations for a degree or two of separation, as he would not want to be on site when ghosts from Christmas past stop by seeking repayment.

Indeed, PT Barnum may still be correct about "a sucker born every minute." But now, with the Internet "wisdom of the crowd," the suckers--and everyone else--stand a fighting chance against hucksters like Peter Earle.

################################

Since the demise of Gold's/Leading Edge, 3 fitness facilities have opened in Amherst:

Jazzercise, South Amherst

Personal training center and Aerobics Studio close by, East Amherst

The Deathstar! $50 million UMass Rec Center (free to students)
#######################################################

Craigslist: Personal Trainer (Amherst)

---

Be advised that Fit Women / Fit Nation are the same people who used to own the leading edge/gold's gym in Amherst. They closed that business very abruptly last October and STIFFED virtually all of the staff, trainers, instructors, and members on their way out of town. They have a lot of nerve to think that they can slink back into Amherst under a new name and open a very similar business in such a small community. People will remember how they were treated and many of us were treated very badly! There are lawsuits and fair labor hearings in progress so you should avoid this one like the plague!

UMass shows off new Police Station

A boatload of state and local officials sat under the big tent this morning to hear Chancellor Robert Holub sing the praise of the new $12.5 million UMass police station and the men and women who now call it home, as well as the outstanding relationship shared by public safety officials in the town of Amherst and neighboring Hadley.

Chancellor Robert Holub

The new station has its own emergency dispatch center causing UMass to opt out of a regional dispatch Amherst is pursuing. Obviously town officials did not hold any grudges, as Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe and SB members Diana Stein and Alisa Brewer attended as did acting Town Manager Dave Ziomek, Fire Chief Tim Nelson, Assistant Chief Lindsay Stromgren, APD Captain Jennifer Gundersen and other high ranking members of those departments.

Stan Rosenberg, the consummate pro, eschewed the poor quality PA system

UMPD Chief Johnny Whitehead has a lot to smile about

Intersection upgrade makes it easier for UMPD and AFD to get rolling

No, the horse did not speak...or cut the ribbon

Give 'em enough rope...

Click to enlarge read, especially pull quote mid right

UPDATE Friday morning:
Make that really BIG time as the Bulletin's sister publication The Daily Hampshire Gazette also published the article today on the front page above the fold using the perfect pull quote (sub headline) that closes the article and will probably close out the UMass academic career of one Peter Clark.

UMass is having a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new $12.5 million police station this morning which will be well attended by UMass and town officials. I hope one of the higher ranking Amherst public officials brings a copy of the newspaper for the Chancellor.

####################

So my Party Poster Boys from last week have now made the B-I-G time: Above the fold cover story on this week's venerable Amherst Bulletin. Yes, now they have their 15 minutes of famous notoriety.

And for what? Fighting for the right to party! Somebody ought to write a song.

Of course the Bulletin is a family newspaper so they could not mention the childish "F_ck The Fines" Facebook group the boys founded last winter after earning $1,200 in fines for rowdy behavior in a South Amherst neighborhood, and another $1,800 after the second incident.

Since Peter Clark is an aspiring DJ, he will probably see this PR bonanza as a good thing for business. That is of course assuming he is not expelled from UMass under the new Code of Conduct extension to cover off campus behavior.

All the Chancellor need do is read the closing quote.

#####################################

In FY11 (ended June 30) town bylaw fines brought in: Noise, $24,735; Nuisance, $10,200; and Open Container, $20,235. Or a combined amount large enough to fund an additional police officer.

Rogue Elephant in the Room

So I'm a tad disappointed with my print friends at the Gazette and Springfield Republican for not mentioning in their front page articles covering UMass President Robert Caret's on campus press conference yesterday that he plans to get tough with rowdy student behavior we have already seen too much off this month.

Ch 22 TV used the term "strongly discipline offenders" but since they did not put quotation marks around it I have to assume that is the impression Caret gave the reporter,Jackie Bruno, in response to her question. Maybe since it was Ms. Bruno asking the question the print folks--who tend to dislike TV journalism--chose to ignore it.

The Mass Daily Collegian also mentioned it in passing but opted to highlight Caret's other Pollyanna idea of addressing the problem, what I consider the "oatmeal cookie' approach: Student ambassadors living in the impacted neighborhoods to facilitate two way conversations.

But all bricks-and-mortar reporters highlighted Caret's wish to move from top 50 public university nationwide to top 25 in "research". If that ambitious goal is to be met, he needs to recognize the inverse relationship between top research institution and top party school: One excludes the other!

Stupid Criminal of the Weekend

What's black and white and not to be messed with? Yes, an APD patrol car--otherwise known as a squad car--became the victim of B&E MV (breaking and entering motor vehicle) early Saturday morning (1:10 AM) in front of the Allen House Inn on lower Main street.

The nitwit managed to break into the cruiser and was arrested--but not before putting up a (drunken) attempt at fighting. He is charged with breaking and entering in the night time for a felony, underage possession of liquor and resisting arrest.

Maybe for his encore he can break into a jail cell.

Jackson Haley, 27 Lovell Street, Westminster, MA, age 20

Party House(s) of the Weekend

53 Meadow Street, North Amherst

So as I expected, APD busted #53 Meadow Street for noise violations late Saturday night (see yesterday's report) but they also hit them with the more serious charge of "nuisance house." Rather than simply being handed $300 tickets--times each charge--the responsible parties were arrested, hands cuffed behind their backs and then transported to the police station where the bail bondsman usually shows up in the early AM to process at $40 each all those netted during the long night.

Overturned potty on Meadow Street

Arrested for Noise and Nuisance House violations:

Ryan Casey, 10 Cabot Rd, North Andover, MA, age 22
Brian Bartolucci, 103 Blueberry Pond Dr, Brewster, MA, age 22
Jeffrey Rigney, 13 Harlow Rd, Marshfield, MA, age 23
Salvatore Cacciatore, 653 Beaver St, Waltham, MA, age 22

Assessor Property Card for 53 Meadow Street

Rivaling the party at Meadow Street but with double the number arrested on the same charges of noise and nuisance house violations, the tenants of 62 Summer Street also merit a note of dubious achievement.

Arrested for Noise and Nuisance House violations:

Timothy Higgins, 7 Norwich Lane, Methuen, MA, age 20
John Coschigano, 7 Apple Tree Road, Bethel, CT, age 20
Adam Dorfman, 65 Wilkeshire Blvd, Randolph, NJ, age 21
Steven Pesapane, 8 Shadetree Ct, Stoney Brook, NY, age 20
Philip Taberner, 1 Bramble Hill Rd, Methuen, MA, age 21
Kevin Miller, 68 Temple Dr, Methuen, MA, age 20
Marc Jesi, 27 Castle Circle, Peabody, MA, age 20
Nicholas Fabrizio, 342 Pelham St, Methuen, MA, age 21

Property Card for 62 Summer Street

Another hectic weekend for APD

1057 North Pleasant Street, Amherst @ 6:45 AM Sunday

Saturday night as the witching hour fast approached, a half dozen squad cars and the large transport van (referred to as a "paddy wagon" way back in the day) converged on the center of Meadow Street directly in front of the main entry to Townhouse Apartments, where students had been congregating all night long--fueled by warm humid air and beer.

Like Old West cowboys, APD herded the massive crowd of students away from Meadow Street--which by then had become impassable to cars--back into the confines of the sprawling apartment complexes that consists almost entirely of UMass students.

Then they turned their attention to the large house on the slummy side of Meadow Street with all the cars parked on the lawn, which had been attracting overloaded taxis for most of the night--contributing to the gridlock on Meadow Street.

As the officers moved as a unit towards a side entrance where a few residents were still milling about I heard the clang of an empty beer can ricochet off the road at their feet.

This congested, claustrophobic--dangerous--scene of too many students and too few cops was replayed on Phillips Street, Hobart Lane, and upper North Pleasant Street between 10:00 PM and 1:00 AM. With students crossing those roads freely back-and-forth in droves, I'm amazed there were no people vs car incidents.

Meanwhile, back in Amherst center McMurphy's and Stackers had lines of young people waiting to get to the bar, while next door a friendly crowd formed in front of Antonio's Pizza, happily chowing down. Cell phones chirped, a street musician played the xylophone and an incessant car alarm was almost drown out by the cacophony of loud conversations coming from consumers all along the busy street, looking for something to do.

Just another late Saturday night in our little (college) town.

374 North Pleasant Street, Amherst @ 6:40 AM Sunday