Party House from the Past

621 East Pleasant Street, formerly known as Babetown, early November

Just to show our Building Department means business when issuing tickets for zoning violations, aka slovenly behavior, I give you this morning's proceeding in Eastern Hampshire District Court where Building Commissioner Rob Morra put in an appearance to follow up on tickets written to 621 East Pleasant Street for, among other things, cars parked on the lawn rather than in the driveway.

My more ardent readers -- who especially like to read the comments -- will remember 621 East Pleasant was the household that was going to file suit against me for shining a light on their not so neighborly behavior.

The owner of the house, Robert Bonsall, failed to appear this morning in Civil Court; and if he does not appear in Criminal Court on 12/20 to answer the charge he will be arrested.  Merry Christmas. 

Red Is The New Black

Cherry Hill Golf Course: always stormy  

Red ink continues to outline Amherst's municipal white elephant -- the appropriately titled Cherry Hill Golf Course.  Set against a bright blue sky background it might make an all-American logo for government waste and mismanagement.

Last year the beleaguered business lost $47,000 and this year -- at the half way point -- they are again on target to lose well over that amount.

Of course town officials will write it off as almost a wash or talk about "net operating profits" conveniently ignoring the hidden costs -- employee benefits, ($37,529) and capital improvements ($26,654).

Yes, the FY14 "operation budget" is $240,100 but the real cost of running the golf business this year is $304,283.  And with total revenues now at season closure standing at only $90,701 (below last year's $96,537) safe bet the course will not even generate the $242,569 total it did in FY13.

So my conservative projection for total losses in the this fiscal year finishing June 30 is $60,000 -- or a little over the cost of one full time firefighter, police officer or yes, even a teacher (well, almost). 

Next year (FY15) will be exponentially worse since the (hidden) capital improvements cost will be in the $100,000 range.

Time to board up the sinking sand trap.

Five year plan for capital improvements (not part of "operation budget")

Frisky Friday

 

APD on scene 66 Pine Street 12:55 AM

Well okay, technically early Saturday morning.  The late night  "Bewitching Hours" between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM when the Zombie herds start to stagger in a synchronous swarm:

Police and medical personnel responded quickly to 66 Pine Street, North Amherst around 12:35 AM for reports of a "stabbing to the neck."  Although upon police arrival the victim claims to have suffered the injuries in a fall.

A police officer rode in the ambulance with the victim to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and patrol officers on the scene (five cruisers at one point) called for a memory card for the camera and a detective.  Police also escorted two witnesses back to APD headquarters to give statements. 

Upon arrival at CDH the severity of his injuries were such that he was quickly shipped off to Baystate Medical Trauma Center in Springfield.  One of my sources used the term "multiple stab wounds," adding "He's lucky to be alive."

66 Pine Street, North Amherst

This morning neighbors report the house was blocked off by yellow crime scene tape as State Crime Lab investigators were on the scene. 

While police were still investigating what happened at 66 Pine Street a report came in at 12:55 AM (from private security on site)  for a fight involving up to 10 college aged youth at Townhouse Apartments a few hundred yards down the road.  UMPD was called in to respond.

And at 1:35 AM Engine 4 (Call Force) and Engine 3 responded to Brandywine Apartments in North Amherst for a drunk 23-year-old male who had punched a wall injuring his hand, and was then talking about suicide.

Since all of our ambulances were tied up, Northampton Fire Department had to respond.

@amherstac wow, what is in the water in North Amherst tonight? Or—maybe it is alcohol rather than water at work
— CitizenWald (@CitizenWald) November 16, 2013

And then, about an hour ago, this news of the weird:

AFD  en route Hamlin Dorm UMass for male student who thinks he awoke to a broken leg.  Reports drinking heavily last night.  Umm, yeah.
— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) November 16, 2013

MassLive catches up with story

In The Matter Of ...

Anyone who has ever lost precious personal items in a sudden catastrophe knows that hollow feeling of helplessness that washes over you, along with guilty thoughts of what maybe you could have done to prevent it. 

Last April a dozen UMass students working on end-of-the-semester projects, or maybe just blowing off steam playing games (or wasting time on the Internet) suddenly felt that sick empty feeling that comes with first realizing your computer has vanished.  Stolen.

 UMass Du Bois Library

A serial thief, Christopher Desjardin age 30,  had staked out the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, making it his personal hunting preserve.  With Mac laptops his BIG game. The perp would stalk students with Macs (a fairly ubiquitous prey) and wait for a moment of inattention.  Then simply grab and go. 

Unlike a stolen bike, car or television -- which insurance (or parents) can quickly replace -- a laptop has untold hours of irreplaceable work invested within its hard drive.  Thus the devastation is squared.

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Wednesday, Desjardin, with a public defender who cited his "remorse, guilt, shame", pled guilty to all 13 charges, 12 of them larceny over $250 and one for larceny under $250 (tools stolen from Amherst College).

The Du Bois Library only has one main point of entry, which is monitored by surveillance cameras, and after a thorough review UMPD narrowed down Desjardin as a suspect.  Plus another victim had given chase and was able to give police a description and identify him on surveillance tapes.

During a police stake out at the library he struck again, was followed by a UMPD officer to his car and quickly arrested red handed. 

Drugs played into his less than sophisticated methodology, as police recovered two hypodermic needles with heroin residue inside his vehicle. At least two of the expensive laptops were hawked at "Family Pawn Shop" in Springfield for a total of $550, well below Ebay potential. 

After reading all the charges Judge Poelher asked him "Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?" to which he responded, barely above a whisper, "yes."

The prosecution had recommended a one year sentence in the House of Correction with 6 months served and 6 months suspended with mandatory "drug treatment." 

The Judge seemingly went beyond the prosecutor's request sentencing him on each charge to 18 months (rather than 12) six months served, twelve months suspended, two years probation, mandatory drug treatment, write a "letter of apology" to each victim and make restitution. 

But the sentences are all "concurrent" rather than front to back, meaning his total time served for all 13 sentences is only six months and even that could be reduced by the sheriff in charge at the jail. 

Not a lot of time considering all the heartache induced... and labor lost.

Tip Of The Spear

Amherst Police will be assigning more officers to problem areas around UMass for alcohol enforcement thanks to a $10,000 state grant.  Good news for beleaguered neighbors since the underage youth walking down a public street with an open container of beer can soon become a noisy worker bee in a party house hive.

On busy party weekends the first wave of arrests usually commences a couple hours before midnight with underage drinking or open container violations, so at the very least it gets those party minded individuals off the streets for the night.

And So It Begins ... Again

 

I don't pretend to understand all the intricacies of "Common Core," but I do know there are a goodly number of parents greatly concerned about its implementation in the Amherst Regional Public Schools.  

Anyone interested in staying informed on a grass roots roots level can send an email to: amherstforeducation@gmail.com

 #####

All,

I just wanted to say sorry for the delay in getting everyone’s email together.  I offered to put this together as it seemed there were many parents who needed help getting organized with other parents.

For those of you who don’t now me, I have served on two School Councils, helped various SC members run for election, volunteered on Playground rebuilds, was a member of the K-16 math council, served on a few teacher hiring committees, and various other informal groups working for better schools.

My kids are no longer in the Amherst school system but from my experience in working for change I learned a few things and from others who came before me working for change.

All that being said, I hope at a minimum, I am able to get like minded parents contact information to each other.   I hope this helps each of you reach a broader community concerned with education in general and specifically today, the MS math curriculum.

To start I will be sending out a group email so each of you can contact each other.  Depending on what the group wants I can set up a list serve (which is an email that goes out to the group each time it is responded to), possibly a web site or blog depending on time and group desires.

Many people have asked if there is a meeting with Rhonda Cohen.  To my knowledge no one has come forth telling me of a group meeting.  From my experience with Rhonda she has no problem meeting with parents in groups or one on one.  If someone on this list is so inclined they could set up that first initial meeting and share it with the group.

I would recommend that each person who is posting realize that with the number of people in this group you consider all documents public documents.  Emails are easily shared.  If you would not say it in public you probably don’t want to write it here.

Also I know several of you well or fairly well and there are is a wide range of satisfaction with the schools system.  Keeping comments respectful as well as having a thick skin to harsher comments that may happen from time to time is important when working with a group.  You all want the option for strong math curriculum and likely strong curriculum in general for those kids who need or desire it.  I am sure many of the people on this list feel the need for good education on social justice issues and quality special needs education as well.  If you feel the need to vent (and we all do at times) in a way that may that may offend others in the group please try to send you communication to those very aligned with your mind set.

This being said, let me know what I can do (from experience or technical aspects) to support you and we will go from there.

Good luck

Michael Jacques

We're #1,100! We're #1,100

 ARHS

Yeah, somehow being number 1,100 on Newsweek's list of top public schools in America doesn't provide a catchy cheer.  But that certainly is not much of a problem, since being number 1,100 is nothing to cheer about.

Amherst is founded on education and it remains our #1 economic driver; our revered town symbol is the book and the plow (although the new town flag managed to sneak in wheat which was never in much abundance around here). 

Amherst -- by at least one suspect survey -- is the #1 college town in America and our sister city UMass is in the top whatever -- depending on which PR flak you believe.

 Amherst College trades the #1 in America spot with arch rival Williams College every other year or so, but we have our Minor League team -- Amherst Regional High School -- ranked at 1,100.

Or what critics might point out is the bottom half. And it's not like they are underfunded at an average cost of $18,026 per child, or 25% over state average of $13,636.

DUI Dishonor Roll

One out of every five college students has admitted to drunk driving

Melissa Morrissey, age 22, must have thought she was trying out for a role in Fast & Furious.  Yeah, vodka will do that.  

And it was precisely her dangerous driving that garnered the attention of high ranking UMPD officer Lt. Jessica Moore.  Ms. Morrissey ignored those hard to ignore flashing blue lights and continued to recklessly retreat from the law, even ignoring a spotlight.

When finally blocked in and forced to stop by another marked cruiser Morrissey put up a fight, as did the other occupant of her scud missile, Anthony Haight, age 23.  

   Just another DUI arrest

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Tuesday both Perps pled "not guilty" and had their cases continued.  

#####

Also in District Court on Tuesday for a DUI offense, Arthur Copstein pled innocent and told the Judge he would hire an attorney (considering the car he was driving, no wonder), for a January 16 pre trial hearing.

   APD make DUI arrest

Party House of the Weekend

 858 E. Pleasant Street, Friday around midnight

As officers noted in their "Statement of Facts", 858 East Pleasant Street is located in a traditional residential neighborhood  -- albeit somewhat close to UMass --  made up of single family homes that a generation ago were actually occupied by your basic American nuclear family.

Although it really doesn't matter where you are located these days, since obviously somebody was bothered by all the noise.

And just as a generation ago, when a police officer tells you to shut down the loud party do not leave them standing in the cold as you continue to party.  Otherwise you will be arrested, like these four young ladies:

Elizabeth H. Galeucia, 22, 7 Gibbon Road, Hopkinton; Serena A. Seferian, 21, 10 Augustus Road, Lexington; Jillian Simmons, 22, 85 Glen Meadow Dr, Northford, CT;  and Julia S. Tomaszewski, 22, 217 May Street, Worcester.

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Tuesday before Judge John Payne Jr.,  all four women represented themselves, and had pleas of "not guilty" automatically entered in their behalf.

But they all turned down the prosecution's standard offer of a deal:  Criminal charge diverted to Civil charge with payment of the town's Noise Bylaw $300 fine.   Their cases were continued to January 23rd.

   APD Party House bust 11/9/13

In other Amherst related action this morning in Eastern Hampshire District Court, a noise/nuisance case settled by Judge Payne last month was heard by another magistrate (one defendant must have changed his mind), Judge Patricia Poelher.

John L. Tremblay now argued that the officers were dispatched to another Salem Place unit (#16) and then came upon his party (#17) and arrested him for noise and nuisance.

The prosecutor read the police report that stated the original complaint cited noise in the "area of apartment #16".  The Judge then said the caller could still have been referring to his party since the term "area" was used.  Mr. Tremblay then told the Judge that his apartment (#17) is in a "completely different apartment building" than #16, making it sound like it was far removed.

Judge Poelher bought it, and the original $300 fine was reduced to zero.  But she did say somewhat sternly:  "Your neighbors have lives ... they work for a living.  Someday you're going to be in their position."

Trembley responded politely "Yes your Honor," then left the courtroom wearing a Cheshire Cat smile.

#17 Salem Place

Of course I couldn't resist measuring the distance between apartment #16 and #17 located in adjacent cramped buildings.  About 25 yards, across an open paved lot. 

Public Safety Is Paramount

 Town Gown Steering Committee 

The second meeting of the UMass Amherst Town Gown Steering Committee, a dream team of top UMass and town officials charged with preparing a Request For Proposals to hire a town/gown consultant, got a tad testy this evening over the issue of public safety.

The  "discussion outline" had four main bullet points for the proposed consultant to consider:  Housing, Economic Development, Transportation and Public Safety.

But some were concerned it was an unreasonable amount to ask of a consultant on a $60,000 budget proposal and a tight timeline for completion.  So a little condensing was in order.

Amherst police Chief Scott Livingstone did not take kindly to Andy Churchill declaring, "Housing and Economic Development -- especially private taxable housing -- are most important."

To which Chief Livingstone replied, "I don't know if there is anything more important than public safety. I don’t want to see it completely dissed.  I was biting my tongue in the first meeting.  We can’t just ignore it.    It needs to be included in some form."

Demonstrating the seamless cooperation between their public safety departments of late, UMPD Chief John Horvath  jumped in with backup:  "I support Scott.  I don’t want public safety dissed either.  Quality of life is not necessarily criminal activity."

Chief Horvath went on to explain one of the major complaints he hears from impacted neighborhoods are problems of noise, unkempt conditions, and increased traffic -- nothing necessarily "criminal," but  they have a pervasive negative impact on everyday citizens.

Meeting was held at UMPD headquarters community room

Amherst Finance Director Sandy Pooler agreed:  "Public safety is a key ingredient of town/gown relations.  Building more housing may be the way to improve quality of life.  That is a solution to a problem, not an end in itself. "

Former town planner, now UMass planner, Niels la Cour stuck a conciliatory note saying public safety is "implicit" in any proposed housing projects.  Dave Ziomek used an even better term: "permeates".

The next key item on the short list now narrowed down to two, "Economic Development", also briefly generated sparks when Dennis Swinford, UMass Director of Planning suggested UMass has "excess capacity" during the summer, so tourism promotions could be a common goal.

To which Amherst Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe quickly shot back:  "Economic development is from the town side.  UMass is untaxed.  We are looking for Research & Development spinoffs off campus."

During the Public Comment period. at the end of the hour and forty five minute meeting, Walter Wolnik reminded the committee of the importance of modifying the "Pacheco Law" so the University could work with private developers to build student housing that would generate tax revenues to the town.  

Pierpont Dorm Fire

UPDATE:  Assistant Chief Lindsay Stromgren report below:

Amherst Fire Department responded to yet another box alarm, this one at Pierpont Dorm in the Southwest area of UMass at 9:36 PM last night.  First units on the scene reported "heavy smoke in the basement" and an additional tone was issued calling in all off duty personnel. 

The fire, believed to be an electrical malfunction, started in a dryer and smoke and water damaged was contained to the basement area.  One person on the scene (a Resident Assistant) was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital as a precaution for non life threatening exposure to smoke.

A little after 11:00 PM AFD dismissed off duty firefighters, the building fire alarms were reset and students were allowed back in the building for the night.

In an email this morning from Assistant Chief Lindsay Stromgren:

The call came in at 2130 initially for an outside fire so two engines were sent, then was updated while they were enroute to be heavy smoke in the basement so a Box alarm was toned out for the department.  It turns out it was a fire in the basement laundry room, behind one of the dryers, which was extinguished with a small amount of water from the hose that the first in crew advanced.  A secondary fire had started outside as a result of burning debris being blown out the dryer vent into a vent shaft next to the building that was full of leaves. This fire was extinguished by another crew with a fire extinguisher.  The fire alarm had been activated by the heat detector in the laundry room but it did not get hot enough to activate the sprinkler system although there was one present.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation but is not suspicious; it appears to have involved one of the dryers but not the clothes that were in the dryer.  Damage was limited to the dryer, some duct work and electrical conduits, and minor smoke and water damage in the room and hallway.   All residents were allowed to return to their rooms after about 1 ½ hours.  One resident was found to have not evacuated his room on the same level as the fire when the alarm sounded and his name has been forwarded to the Dean’s office for disciplinary action.

Other than that however a relatively quiet weekend for AFD as many students had gone home:

   AFD Veterans Day weekend.pdf by larry_kelley_1

Schools & Fires

Hampshire College and Hadley business block fires occurred Sunday 10/27

As a favor to a friend I recently covered the cute charity promotion "Amherst Mega Dessert Crawl."  Weekends are fairly slow, as I usually see about a 33% drop in readership, so I don't mind doing what newspapers refer to as "puff pieces". 

But then something kind of interesting happened.  My concerned-school-parents clientele hijacked the comments section, although the first comment did at least acknowledge what the post was originally about.  

By the time the dust settled a week later the article had generated 65 comments.  Not exactly a new record (235) but still w-a-y over average (11).  And triple the normal readership.  

One Comment mentioned the recent Regional School Committee Meeting where Chair Kip Fonsh bullied other members for not being mindless cheerleaders for the Amherst Regional Public Schools, branding it cannibalism.

Alerted by that Anon,  I grabbed the snippet off the Amherst Media website and posted a brief two paragraph story with the video.   Once again comments are through the roof (82) and number of visitors triple to quadruple a normal mid-week post.

Which just goes to illustrate pent up frustration with our public schools -- especially relating to open transparent communication with parents who are, after all, customers.  And Amherst is in the top 10% statewide for average per child education cost.

The last weekend in October three stories all came together in a perfect storm to rocket readership by 500%:

Hampshire College cancelling an Afro funk band for Halloween because they were "too white" first cracked open the floodgates; the fire a little later at Hampshire College Greenwich Dorm cranked them open even wider; and then only hours later the ravenous fire in Hadley destroyed the dam entirely.

 Hadley, when The Beast came calling

But major structure fires, fortunately, are far and few between.  Unlike the omnipresent --not to be confused with omnipotent -- Amherst Regional Public Schools.

 ARPS Middle School:  No algebra for you!

Amherst Honors The Deserving

Amherst American Legion Post 148 and Amherst VFW Post 754 Color Guard

In one of the best turnouts in many years over 50 people braved the brisk weather to assemble in town center this morning on the 11th month of the 11th day at the 11th hour to honor and remember those who put their lives on the line defending our cherished freedoms.

 Crowd included town officials, aging veterans and families

Veterans Agent Steven Connor said it best, almost as an aside:  "If you see a veteran today, thank them for the their service."  Or on any day.

Veterans Agent Steven Connor right, Town Manager John Musante left (cute kid background)

 

Ageless WW2 veteran Arthur Quinton recites "In Flanders Fields"  (from memory)

 

Main town flag was at half staff, then raised briskly back to the top of the pole

Can You Hear Us Now?

Atkins Farm Country Market deep South Amherst

Since the founding of our country the "right to petition our government"  under the vital protection of the First Amendment has been a cornerstone of American freedoms.

The infamous -- some would say sacrilegious -- cancellation of West Side Story at Amherst Regional High School in 1999 started out with a petition circulated by an attractive 17-year-old that garnered 158 signatures in one day.

Of course a year earlier that same High School had 300 kids sign a petition to Superintendent Gus Sayer demanding reinstatement of off campus privileges so kids could smoke (presumably cigarettes).

The ancient tried and true petition approach has, unlike newspapers, transitioned brilliantly into the digital age.  MoveOn.org, a somewhat (sarcasm) left leaning organization sponsored by gazillionair George Soros, has made it as easy as eating apple to pie to start an online petition.

And you can tell it attracts a broad spectrum of petitioners -- not just uber liberals -- because currently Cinda Jones, a somewhat Conservative, has one gaining steam.

Her (naturally) business oriented petition seeks  to entice Atkins Country Market in South Amherst to open a satellite operation on the other side of town.  More specifically, in her about-to-be-built Trolly Barn, a mixed use 12,000 square foot commercial/residential building. 

Not one to take chances, the petition originally had a goal of 50 signatures which was attained within hours of going live, then reset to 100; and after that goal was quickly reached, reset again to 200.  And probably will be reset once more to 500 when that milestone is reached.

Interestingly North Amherst neighbors staunchly opposed to Ms. Jones other endeavor -- selling land for 175 units of student housing known as The Retreat -- have signed the petition.  So it must be a good idea.

At the very least each petition signatory should get a coupon for a free cider donut.  Or, perhaps, a used "Stop The Retreat" lawn sign. 

The Business of Education

 Yes, Amherst existed before UMass (and Amherst College).  Town center circa 1839

With Umass Amherst almost ten times larger than our other two colleges combined, perhaps the Amherst of today is better described as a "University town" .  But it wasn't always so. 

The founding in town center of the Amherst Academy (1814), which soon became one of the top private schools in the state, set in motion a paradigm shift.  Because soon thereafter, as an educational outgrowth, Amherst College was founded on top of a hill (1821) at the southern end of town center.

Johnson Chapel, Amherst College built 1837

This shifted the balance of social/economic power away from the East Village, which had the initial advantage of water power via the Fort River, to what is now the heart of downtown Amherst.

And whenever a strong magnet arises for people of all persuasions -- in this case education -- the shopkeepers are close behind.

 

Merchants Row, 1870.  Buildings in foreground were "mixed use" with Fraternities above ground floor

In a standing room only presentation yesterday at the Strong House Museum in town center, local historian Ed Wilfert brought to life the story of "Merchants Row", a block of buildings on the west side of the town common with pretty much the same footprint today as 150 years ago.

 

Merchants Row today 

Anchored on the northern end (corner of South Pleasant and Amity Streets) where the Bank of America is now, the Amherst House was as grand a hotel as you could ask for, and at four stories one of the biggest buildings in Amherst.

And at the southern end, the First Baptist Church (built in 1835).

 First Baptist Church recently renovated by Amherst College for office space

 

The Amherst House

Historic photos from Jones Library collection

The July 4th 1879 conflagration decimated Merchants Row.  The ferocity of the fire was such that even brick buildings could not withstand its wrath.  The Beast was aided by a lack of proper firefighting tools as town center had no running water, even though a town committee only a few years earlier had strongly supported it.

 All that remains after the July 4, 1879 fire

The Amherst Hotel was rebuilt as nice as ever but then in 1926 burned down again, even though by then, with Town Meeting approval, town center had running water piped in from the high ground of neighboring Pelham.

Every time buildings burned in the downtown land underneath was dug out a little deeper before rebuilding, and the soil recycled over on the town common which was originally -- by today's standards -- wetlands.

Ed Wilfert, "perpetual amateur scholar"

While the stately Amherst Hotel is now long gone, Amherst still has a bustling Merchants Row.  UMass, to the north, has become a veritable Juggernaut -- the flagship of higher education in the state.

Amherst Town Meeting is still around, and too many years ago a town committee highly recommended the town build a new fire station.  Thus far, a recommendation unfulfilled. 

Those who fail to learn from history ...

#####

The Jones Library atrium currently has Ed Wilfert's presentation materials about Merchants Row on display (and you can often spot Ed around the library).

Do Over

Sunderland Road, North Amherst

As any of you North Amherst natives know Sunderland Road was repaved last year using the environmental "green" technique of "Recycled Hot Emulsified Asphalt Treatment,"  or "ReHeat" for short.

The efficient ReHeat technique chops up old pavement, adds in hot asphalt emulsion additives and puts it back down ... all in one quick pass. 

The method even costs a little less than the traditional approach.  Except in the case of Sunderland Road, it didn't work.  Potholes started appearing even before the first winter was done.

So the DPW is doing it over and Gallagher Asphalt of Thornton, Ill. repaid the town for most of the projected cost.  Other problems were discovered not related to their original work, and the repaving job they did on North Pleasant Street and University Drive seem to be fine.

I'm told the road repaving is scheduled for Thursday, barring any snow.  Businesses in the North Amherst Village Center will be pleased.

Charge Of The Retreat

Landmark Properties recently filed a "Preliminary Subdivision Plan" for The Retreat (along with a check for $10,000), an upscale student housing development bitterly opposed by many North Amherst "neighbors."

147 acre woodland was sold by W.D. Cowls, Inc to Landmark Properties for $6.5 million 

The Amherst Planning Board has 45 days to respond, thus the upscale project will come up for public discussion in December.  This is only a preliminary round of hearings where the Planning Board offers advice and guidance, so it's not a drop dead approve/disapprove thing.

 Henry Street welcome sign

Sure to be controversial -- or I should say more controversial -- are the two "secondary entrances" on Henry Street and Flat Hills Road.   Primary access is on Market Hill Road where a service stub was put in when the Atkins Water Treatment plant was constructed back in 1994 on land sold to the town by W.D. Cowls, Inc.

Market Hill Road access near Atkins Water Treatment Plant

Henry Street is of course the home of Amherst's famous Salamander Tunnels, a save the salamander project that brought Amherst international media attention 25 years ago.

Landmark plans to work closely with the Hitchcock Center for the Environment to ensure the little critters do not become extinct in North Amherst (although they are not endangered anywhere else in the country).

 Why did the salamander cross Henry Street?

The proposed "Cluster Subdivision" consists of 123 lots, comprised of 175 total housing units -- 104 duplex, 71 single family -- for a total of 641 beds.  By clustering the units in a tighter manner more of the natural environment can be forever preserved.

This plan will, however, require Site Plan Review waivers from the Planning Board over frontage and setbacks.  Otherwise, to achieve the same number of units allowed by right, much of the open space would need to be sacrificed.

According to the recent state certified Housing Production Plan: "Housing supply has not kept up with increasing demand, resulting in higher housing prices and residents paying more than they can afford to live in Amherst."

Solutions?  The Housing Production Plan continues, "Appropriate housing for students, both on and off campus, in order to reduce the demand on the housing market in Amherst."

Amherst's number one demographic -- because of the University of Massachusetts -- consists of "college students" by a whopping 59.4% of our total population.  Landlords cater to this market by buying up older homes in the heart of residential neighborhoods, expanding their capacity and cramming them full of students.

Providing safe, convenient housing for 641 students with on-site management at The Retreat could free up 160 single family houses that could revert back to their original target audience:  families.  

The housing crisis in Amherst is the single most vexing problem to arise over the past generation.

We must not retreat from simple sound solutions.

The Retreat: a blueprint for positive change

This One's For You

Staff Sgt. Brett Carnathan, age 32, U.S. Air Force

Rest in peace Uncle Brett. <3 #halfstaff #Sargent #love #military http://t.co/GGVIk91PGk
— Melanie Sheehan (@MelanieSheehan_) November 7, 2013

Amherst will observe Veterans Day with a brief service on the North Common at 10:45 AM, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Town Meeting Clean Sweep

Amherst Planning Board

The Amherst Planning Board hit a grand slam home run this evening as all of their zoning articles passed Town Meeting by over a two-thirds vote, despite the usual gloom and doom concerns about "student housing".

Since the state considers medical marijuana  a "protected use" it's coming to Amherst one way or the other, but with the passing of Article 13 the town has some say in where and how it develops.

Surprisingly Article 14, making it easier to construct a duplex as long as one side is permanently "affordable", came the closest to failing.  Once again the spectre of student housing was the concern, since the duplex does not have to be "owner occupied." 

Not like a profit minded developer is going to construct a brand new house with one side forever "affordable" and the other side rented out to party animals who add wear and tear like a herd of buffaloes.

 Standing vote to "call the question" to end debate

Article 15 would make it slightly easier to construct dorm-like housing on six lots (three on North Pleasant Street and three on Olympia Drive) very near the #1 provider of housing customers, UMass.  After a Tally Vote the article passed handily 112-51.

Article 16 simply clarified whether it was the Planning Board or Zoning Board who had jurisdiction in issuing modest waivers on dimensional requirements.

Articles 17 and 18 were technical fixes, mostly semantic, requested by the Building Commissioner to set in stone practices that previous Commissioners have used for over 25 years.

North Amherst resident Melissa Perot spoke for five minutes from the podium against Article 18 and the next speaker from the floor was her husband who branded it "spot zoning".

They failed miserably to convince Town Meeting.  Which set the stage for an even bigger failure as Article 19, also the handiwork of Melissa Perot, would undo parts of Article 18 that just passed overwhelmingly.

And by that same massive margin her tilting at windmills article went down to defeat.



#20, the final article, was the typical feel good Amherst kind of statement:  Divestment of funds in fossil fuels.  Over the Finance Committee's 6-0 objection (even though the resolution is non binding) Town Meeting overwhelmingly passed the Al Gore inspired article.

And then everyone hastened to their cars.