The (low) Price of Peace & Quiet

 Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods department proposed budget (draft)

One of the sillier criticisms leveled at the Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods Working Group is that the body did not have a tenant as part of their genetic makeup.  Which is kind of like saying all gynecologists have to be women.

But the other concern I've heard voiced by a somewhat sensible center of impacted landlords (besides the #1 issue of a "permit") is that rookie Building Commissioner Rob Morra is "empire building" and his newly expanded empire will be expensive to maintain and unworkable with the burdensome workload.

So yes, while the overall proposed budget for the new Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods department seems high at $218,000 keep in mind that two thirds of that ($157,500) will be covered by "user fees" i.e. the $100 annual fee for landlords.

And with the median rent in Amherst now at $1,108 per month, landlords are going to have a tough time portraying $100/year as onerous.

Thus the real increase in costs to the operating budget is only $60,500 ... or about what the town spends annually subsidizing the game of golf.  

Those Daring Young Men

AFD Engine 1 and Amherst College PD are on the scene of a chimney fire at a house on Hitchcock Street, one of the few on that street not owned by Amherst College.  Command was terminated at 11:11 AM.

Orchard Valley Grows Again

36 Longmeadow Drive, Amherst

The house at 36 Longmeadow Drive, built back in 1970, has been demolished and crews are busy going about the construction of a new five bedroom house owned by CIL Realty using $232,000 federal tax subsidized monies to purchase the property and another $445,000 to build a new home.

Interestingly CIL put out a press release almost two years ago touting the $12 million MassDevelopment tax exempt bond issue to fund the acquisition of thirteen properties in eleven municipalities for the construction of community based group homes for the disabled.  What's interesting is Amherst was not on the list. 

Of course after the forever battle over Butternut Farm low income project only two doors down from the proposed group home, I can't say that I blame them for keeping things quiet.

According to Building Commissioner Rob Morra the construction project is pretty much immune from local zoning law due to the the "Dover Amendment".  So, for instance, the home will be allowed to house five unrelated occupants in violation of the towns usual cap of four. 

And because 36 Longmeadow Drive is now owned by a non-profit, tax exempt entity, the property could go off the tax rolls.

Butternut Farm, 12 Longmeadow Drive, Amherst

The Prosecution Rests

 Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods meeting 3/19

At their lucky 13th and final meeting, the Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods Working Group voted 12-1-1 to specifically add "bad behavior" as a legitimate reason for enforcement action under the proposed bylaw, which in the most egregious of cases can result in the revoking of a rental permit.

Obnoxiously loud disruptive party houses that erode the quality of life in Amherst neighborhoods far and wide are the main reason the Safe & Healthy Neighborhood Working Group came into being.

Although vociferous neighbors are still concerned the new General Bylaw -- if endorsed by the Town Manager and then Town Meeting -- will not be ironclad enough to solve their problems with unruliness.

 

Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek Chaired SHNWG

The Select Board will decide, obviously yes, at their April 8 meeting whether to place the new General Bylaw on the warrant for the Spring Town Meeting, where it will require a simply majority vote.  Over the years Amherst has flirted with rent control and rental registration, neither of which proved effective.

Although this time around, the seriousness of purpose is almost palpable.

Maurianne Adams still has reservations

Development Delayed

Map of proposed development (click to enlarge)


Due to a trivial paperwork error neighbors in North Amherst will get an extra couple weeks to raise the $6.6 million required to match the developer's offer via the town's "right of first refusal" that goes hand in hand with property protected by the state's Chapter 61A conservation law.

Last night the Select Board voted to send a letter to W.D. Cowls, Inc informing them of the bureaucratic boo boo and advising company president Cinda Jones that the 120 day clock has not started ticking.

NIMBYs have filed a petition article with Amherst Town Meeting calling for the use of eminent domain to take the property from Cowls to sabotage the land sale/development deal that will bring desperately needed, taxable student housing to Amherst with convenient access to UMass.

Proponents request Town Meeting appropriate only $1.2 million for the hostile taking, and it's unclear how the other $5.4 million would suddenly materialize.

Rising Sun Over Amherst

To commemorate the arrival tomorrow of middle school students from Kanegasaki, our Sister City for past twenty years, the flag of Japan now shares a town hall turret with Old Glory and the Massachusetts state flag.

Not far from Amherst Town Hall the weathered United Nations flag flies from a dedicated pole, and underneath the flag of Tibet recently flew freely to symbolize a yearning to be free.

But of course this coming 9/11, the commemorative American flags will not be allowed to fly in the downtown.

Blarney Blowout Fallout Continues

 Did the "Blarney Blowout" downtown cause riot in North Amherst?

The normally staid Amherst Select Board became uncharacteristically animated this evening when discussing the events of last weekend where riotous behavior on the day of the now infamous "Blarney Blowout" pushed our first responders to the breaking point.

And with all our ambulances and police patrol personnel tied up dealing with drunken college aged youths, average citizens who fund both departments with their tax dollars would have been left waiting if an emergency had occurred.   

 

Vice Chancellor for University Relations John Kennedy

Select Board member Jim Wald seemed to think UMass was trying to blame the town for the riotous event at Townhouse apartments simply because the "Barney Blowout" bar promotion was allowed to occur downtown this year.  SB member Alisa Brewer went so far as to say it was "flat out ludicrous"  and she was "ashamed" of the Letter to the Editor penned by administrator John Kennedy making that association.



The always sedate town manager announced a set of initiatives to address the problem as we head into peak springtime weather:  Musante has asked UMass to keep Health Services open later on weekends to help deal with drunken students, and to provide two staffed ambulances.

He has also requested increased joint patrols between APD and UMPD around the problem areas such as Townhouse Apartments and has authorized AFD Chief Nelson to use overtime to add staffing during the problems weekends coming up.

Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe pointed out that even after her strong lobbying effort prior to the Blarney Blowout, the University did not send out a mass email to all students warning about bad behavior.  She said they were afraid it would serve to "advertise" the event.  

O'Keeffe said the charges and counter charges now ricocheting between the University and the Town demonstrate a "sign of frustration."

Well at least they are not throwing cans and bottles at each other ... yet.

The Republican Reports/Suggests

Fireground: East Hadley Road Command

 The Boulders, South Amherst

A fire broke out on the upper floor apartment of the The Boulders Apartment complex in South Amherst around 1:30 this afternoon.  The complex has been undergoing exterior renovations over the past few months but the apartment that caught fire was occupied.

Fortunately no injuries to tenants or firefighters.

AFD Chief Tim Nelson in command

AFD equipment on scene

 

 Muddy conditions and a construction container inhibited access

Firefighter mopping up

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A couple hours later AFD responds to a brush fire on Bay Road in deeper South Amherst. Careless disposal of ashes

DUI Dishonor Roll

U Drink, U Drive, U Need A Lawyer (or a Mortician)

While Mr. Sermeno was not charged with driving under the influence, he was arrested for driving in the heart of downtown Amherst after his license had been suspended for refusing to take a chemical test only the week before.  Yes, APD is sagacious when it comes to potentially impaired drivers.

Amherst police seized the license plates, had the vehicle towed, and escorted Eneida Aracelli Sermeno to jail.

#####

On March 13 at 1:00 a.m. Mr. Pavlenkov made a right turn on red where he should not have, and that turned up all sorts of other problems:

 

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And run of the mill speeding by Joshue Baldwin early on the morning of 3/14 led to a bevy of charges, including DUI:

On March 15 around 1:35 a.m. a lights violation brought added attention to Rob Orlando on South Pleasant Street, not far from town center. He was arrested for DUI:

#####

And at almost the exact same time in the heart of the North Amherst commercial center, a failure to stop/yield led to a bevy of more serious charges for Matthew Caliri:


 

There's A Place For Us

"Most Fabulous Story Ever Told"  has certainly stimulated "discussion"

A High School announces a play, adults are insulted, controversy rages: letters to the editor, editorials, the ACLU -- via Bill Newman -- enters the fray, and before the curtain rises folks form picket lines holding signs championing both side of the issue.

Sound familiar?

Well if you're from Amherst, the PC capital of the Happy Valley, all too familiar.  But what I find fascinating is the Amherst Regional High School principal in 1999, Scott Goldman, allowed "West Side Story" to be cancelled because of "racial stereotyping."   Really.

Yes, for the first and only time in history a production of "West Side Story" was censored.  In overly enlightened Amherst, of all places.  Although a few years later it went on without controversy at a high school in nearby Holyoke, which has a much higher Hispanic population.  

Whereas only five years later Amherst became the only high school in the nation to allow teenaged girls to perform "The Vagina Monologues."

But now 14 years later Mr. Goldman, principal of Pioneer Valley Performing Arts charter school, stands firm defending "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told."  I wish he had shown that kind of backbone 14 years ago.

Why is it okay to censor art as "sensitivity" to perceived racism but not to protect against perceived blasphemy?

What high school kid does not like to tweak adults, create controversy, and garner their 15 minutes of fame early in life?  

Of course "art" should stimulate discussion and challenge the status quo, but sometimes it seems high schools pick their plays simply for the side benefit of free advertising brought on by all the controversy.

A generation from now "The Vagina Monologues" and "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told" will be long forgotten.  "West Side Story" however, will still be dancing up a storm. 

Aerial Heirloom

Camperdown Elm at Pratt Field briefly slips the surly bonds of earth 

After spending pretty much the whole day yesterday preparing the precious Camperdown Elm for its brief but important journey of 30 yards, but then deciding to bring in a bigger 100 ton crane, today's effort went off perfectly.

A BIGGER 100 ton crane did the trick

About a dozen workers from Bartlett Tree Experts demonstrated why "experts" are part of their name and made the successful move this morning in a little less than two hours.

Only one branch from the top of the Camperdown Elm snapped off at the initial start of the launch, bringing an audible reaction from the small crowd who gathered to watch the spectacle.

 Relocation of the Camperdown Elm completed

Handle With Care

A bevy of workers prepare the Camperdown Elm for a safe move 

A large crew from Connecticut based Bartlett Tree Experts spent pretty much the whole day trying to move the stately Camperdown Elm from the center of harm's way at Amherst College Pratt Field, but in the end gave up for the day and sent out for a bigger crane.  Yes, I said a b-i-g-g-e-r crane.

Work is expected to resume tomorrow, if the crane arrives.

Crews abandoned the effort today to await a BIGGER crane

Camperdown Elm, all wrapped up and ready to go

Our Next US Senator Comes A Calling

Curt Shumway, owner of the Marriott Hotel talking to Dan Winslow on right/center

Good crowd turned out to welcome Winslow back to the Happy Valley

Dan Winslow center:   Hard to miss in a green tie

The Republican Reports

Gray Street Command

 Three car garage behind 106 Gray Street is  a total loss

A fire broke out shortly before 4:00 PM Thursday afternoon in a garage at 106 Gray Street immediately adjacent to Amherst Regional High School, which was not in session.

Amherst Fire Department made quick work knocking down the blaze.  There were no injuries, but the garage was a total loss.

AFD Chief Tim Nelson (X1) on the scene

Video and action photo below by John Edwards with permission (unlike Gazettenet)

 

 Ladder 1 on the scene

The High Cost of Safety

Dare I even breath the word?

Dare I remind you of that stunningly sad Friday morning when our run of the mill routine was suddenly and forever broken.  By a madman ... with a gun.  Unleashing barrage after barrage of .223 caliber bullets on our most innocent, priceless possession: Children.

And the teachers and staff parents entrusted them with, who died defending their helpless young students in a heroic attempt to uphold that trust. 

Newtown.  Sandy Hook Elementary School.  A tragedy of epic proportions now forever known by either moniker.  What 9/11 did for airline security, Newton has done for school security. 

Take Amherst's three elementary schools for instance.  This morning the schools director of facilities and maintenance Ron Bohonowicz paid a visit to the Joint Capital Planning Committee to defend capital item requests for the upcoming fiscal year.

Ron Bohonowicz, Director of Facilities and Maintenance, right 

One such item is $150,000 for new "columbine" locks on all doors in the town's three elementary schools (average cost $300/lock) ) as well as panic bars for the inside of doors.  Currently the Middle School and High School have such locks. 

In addition to physical upgrades the schools have also instituted new security procedures for parent pick up, lock the main doors and use security cameras to screen visitors, plus have periodic security inspections with APD and AFD.

$150,000 for locks and panic bars is, indeed, expensive.  But so are the cost of funerals.  

A Little On The Top

Former Fiber Arts Building downtown Amherst this morning 

Work continues on the building Amherst College purchased four years ago for $2.3 Million, even though it was only assessed at $1 million.

Activist Vince O'Connor tried to get Amherst Town Meeting to take the property from Amherst College via eminent domain but like a lot of Vince's initiatives these days, the best laid plan did not go very far.

Amherst College planes to turn it into office space.

Expensive Parking

Machines are poorly lit, confusing, batteries die, and are slow to respond (uses 2g technology)

Actually the price of parking in downtown Amherst is relatively cheap, fifty cents per hour. But if you use the convenience of a credit card, which accounts for 34% of our revenues, the bank transaction fee gobbles up 27% of that, a significant portion.

And since the town is tied into the current machines, which run on proprietary software, there's no way to switch vendor's now.  So rather than raise the bridge the Select Board is thinking about lowering the water:  instituting a two hour ($1.00) minimum charge for use of credit cards.



Although, as Finance Director Sandy Pooler points out, it would almost be cheaper to make very short term parking free -- except of course the town generates significant revenues on parking tickets.

The old stuck between a car and a parking meter.

   Amherst Parking Costs: Credit Cards