Blarney Blowout: A Defining Event

March 8, 2014 a date which will live in ... memory

If you asked the average citizen in Amherst (or nationwide for that matter) how this past spring party season compared to previous years in our little "college town," safe bet most people would respond that this one was the worst.

Of course that attitude would be indelibly due to the March 8 Blarney Blowout, where thousands of students went on a rampage resulting in 58 arrests, thousand of tax dollars spent on first responder overtime and vandalism repairs, and a $160,000 study commissioned by UMass Amherst.

My gut feeling -- as someone with his boots firmly on the ground these past few years -- is  this past spring was, overall, a lot quieter than last year.  Turns out I was correct.

According to APD Captain Jennifer Gundersen noise related calls for service decreased almost 30% this year versus last year, and arrests and/or $300 tickets issued for noise were down a whopping 40%.

Yes "nuisance house" arrests and/or tickets were about the same -- but that only reinforces the notion that it's a hard core tiny minority of students who cause the major problems and give all students a bad name. 

Meanwhile, in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Wednesday the Blarney Blowout arrests continue to meander their way through the system:

 Richard Leahy, age 20

Edward Estey and Richard Leahy both took plea deals offered by the prosecution.  Six months probation, $200 "restitution fee" to the Amherst Police Department (although the money will go into the town's General Fund) and a letter of apology to APD of no less than 150 words.

The public defender tried to talk Judge Mary Hurley out of the six months probation for Richard Leahy because he lives in New Jersey.

The Judge shook her head side-to-side saying rather sternly, "I saw video of the Blarney Blowout.  These kids puts their lives, the lives of police officers and others in jeopardy disrupting the community.  I think six months probation is more than a fair disposition."

The lawyer quickly agreed. 

 Edward Estey, age 23

Mighty Vince Strikes Out

Vince O'Connor

Maybe Vince O'Connor should have led off his first of four presentations with a "thank you" to Town Meeting for even allowing his first -- and by far most controversial article -- to be moved to tonight, since it came up on Monday and he was not present to present it.  

And attending a basketball game in Springfield is not exactly a great excuse not to be present. 

After about an hour of discussion O'Connor's motion to authorize the Select Board to forcefully take by eminent domain a building recently purchased by Amherst College failed in a most telling way:  Town Meeting, by a 81-72 Tally vote, supported a "Motion to Dismiss."

Even more telling, that definitive motion was made by one of the least liked members of the august body.

Next up O'Connor's resolution to support a House Bill that would allow Section 8 vouchers to count as affordable housing units to artificially keep Amherst above the 10% Subsidized Housing Inventory failed on a voice vote.

His last two articles -- tax credits for landlords with Section 8 low-income tenants and reconfiguring the Rental Bylaw Implementation Group -- would have failed outright if voted on as originally presented, but each article was saved by being "referred back to a committee." 

A nice way to send them off to die quietly (with at least a little dignity).  

Tonight's Town Meeting wrap up:   Four citizen petition articles disposed of -- all of them from Vince O'Connor. 

DUI's Coming and Going

 Evan Pollard

In Eastern Hampshire District Court this morning Evan Pollard, age 24, took a standard 24D disposition for his drunk driving arrest on an early Sunday morning (1:30 AM) April 6th.

As he was turning from Kellogg Avenue onto North Pleasant Street in the heart of the downtown police observed his vehicle cross wide over the yellow lines. And it went downhill from there:

Upon stopping him the officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol, and noted Mr. Pollard had glassy eyes, slurred speech. When performing the Field Sobriety Test he took the wrong number of steps, and used his arms to help balance while trying to stand on one foot.

Pollard also admitted to the officer he had, "a couple beers at McMurphy's." He also blew a .13 on the breathalizer back at the station.

The Public Defender told the Judge Mr. Pollard had no prior record and he has just graduated from UMass. The Judge imposed $600 in fines, 45 day loss of license, and $65/month per month probation fee for the next 12 months.

When the Judge asked where he had his last drink, Pollard replied, "McMurphy's Uptown Tavern."

Meanwhile, on Monday morning, Amherst police arrested Katherine Roberts for DUI.  

Inside Town Meeting

 

Town Manager and most of Select Board vote "No" to moving Vince O'Connor's land grab article to tonight

A couple of non binding "resolutions" passed Town Meeting Monday night -- the drone ban and let's buy a $3 million apartment complex -- but both of them were so watered down via revisions that they will have no impact whatsoever on the real world.  Not that Amherst lives in the real world.

Just as academics in our enlightened community decry the public schools "teaching to the tests," it seems Town Meeting activists are tailoring their petitions simply to pass Town Meeting.  Not a very high hurdle to clear.

The original drone article stated that "No agency of the town will operate drones capable of violating the constitutional rights of residents ..."  Since any drone is "capable" of that, the wording pretty much amounted to a ban.

But what passed Town Meeting was reworded to say nobody can operate drones, "In a manner that violates the constitutional rights of residents."  Which is kind of like saying no baseball bats will be used in a manner to purposely break the heads of residents.

Gerry Weiss significantly watered down his article from telling the Select Board to take Echo Village Apartments by eminent domain to, "It is the sense of Town Meeting" that town officials should continue to negotiate with Jamie Cherewatti for purchase of the apartment complex.

Maybe he should have just said, "Pretty please."

DUI Dishonor Roll

Liberty Lynn, age 34 

Interestingly my friends in the bricks and mortar media jumped on this scary DUI case because Liberty Lynn had a child in the car with her (as well as an Amherst homeless person, "known to the police").

But the thing about drunk drivers is they are a threat to kids everywhere because even if they are alone in their car they can all too easily crash into another vehicle filled with kids.

Liberty Lynn is the sister of Patrick Lynn who was arrested by Amherst police six weeks ago in Amherst town center for DUI -- 4th offense!

Liberty Lynn DUI part 1 by Larry Kelley

Part 2

   Liberty Lynn dui part 2

Look, Up In The Sky!

UPDATE 10:30 PM  To no great surprise Amherst Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to ban drones on a local level and to ask our federal representatives to file legislation to stop international "targeted killings."

Meanwhile, somewhere in the bowels of Hell, Osama Bin Laden smiled.

 #####

Just as some folks in Amherst view the American flag as a "symbol of terrorism and death and fear and destruction ...," so too will drones be viewed in only a negative light. 

Yes this is Amherst, where 30 years ago we became a "nuclear free zone."

Associated Press 5/18/1984

Soon to be a, "drone free zone."




Source: CriminalJusticeDegreeHub.com

The Terrorists Win

Targeted teacher of color Carolyn Gardner -- the victim of numerous anonymous racial incidents since last October -- will not return to teach in the Amherst Regional Public School system for the rest of the school year Principal Mark Jackson announced to the entire High School student body over the public address system on Friday.

The last straw appears to have been the incident on Wednesday, when yet another anonymous note was discovered in the library with a threat about bringing a weapon into school, and the perp signed the note "Carolyn Gardner."  Amherst police determined the threat not to be "credible."

Since the anonymous notes and graffiti have been discovered in rest rooms of both genders it would appear there are multiple offenders, possibly copy cats simply wishing to get a day off from school -- especially now that the weather is nice.

I'm told students reaction was not one of anger or even excitement, but more of a somber "disappointment and shame."  Because the school system -- and the entire town -- had lost.

To a Cowardly Anon Nitwit, otherwise known as a Troll.

Only makes you wonder, who's next?

A Fatal Mistake

 Rolling Green Apartments: Side A of the building (photo: Steven O'Toole)

Fire is a most formidable foe.  Because it doesn't feel anything except the urge to feed.  And it doesn't care about you, your friends or loved ones, or what your future plans are.

The State Fire Marshal's investigation report of the January 21, 2013 Rolling Green Apartments fire, issued over a year after the disaster, could not establish a cause for the fatal inferno.

Rolling Green Apartment 202 Side C of the building

 

AFD report by initial on scene commander

Investigators are certain, however,  the fire started in Jake Hoffman's bedroom, and that he was initially dragged unconscious out of his burning room by his best friend.  Hoffman awoke however, and sprinted back into harms way saying, "Fuck this, I'm putting the fire out."

(Editors Note:  Bold black overlay is state officials redaction, white out is mine)

   Rolling Green Fire: Eyewitness Report

By then the beast was fully formed, a raging inferno well beyond the taming capabilities of an untrained amateur.  Especially one with reflexes and judgement dulled by too much alcohol.

Firefighters were driven from the apartment by a partial roof collapse and had to back their way down the same stairs Hoffman's roommate had originally used to drag him to safety.   They found Jake Hoffman a few hours later under a pile of debris, in the bathroom.

Alone.

   Final Report Rolling Green Fire

 

Targeting Development

When a roundabout becomes a bullseye

The significant downside of requiring a two-thirds vote of Amherst Town Meeting for anything remotely related to development reared its ugly head once again on Wednesday night.  The failure to attain that hefty super-majority may have sabotaged the common sense upgrade to a major intersection on the outskirts of town center.

If article 32 passed it would have significantly enhanced the prospects for a state grant to cover all the construction costs.

As usual a majority supported the article (79 "Yes" to 62 "No").   And that majority comes in handy when someone tries to kill the article by "referring it back" to a board or committee for further study, as happened with this seemingly benign article.  That motion failed by majority voice vote.

Article 32 won a majority, but not the two thirds required to pass

The issue did not seem to be the improvement of the intersection (with the roundabout being only one of three options).  The real issue is NIMBYs wanted payback for the Planning Board approving Kendrick Place, a five story mixed use building that will target, gasp, student renters.

And in the little college town of Amherst, just the mention of  "student renters" is fighting words. 

Ruh Roh!

Jake:  Licensed and good to go

In addition to chasing moose and bears when they trespass on our little somewhat urban community, Animal Welfare (not to be confused with "control") Officer Carol Hepburn also tracks all the dogs in town.  All 1,400.

May 31 is the deadline for license renewal and this year is shaping up to be the the worst as about 700 dog owners have not taken the responsibility to do their civic duty and keep Fido legitimate.  The cost is only $5, but come June 1 the late fee escalates the total cost to $30.

Yes, that's a steep late fee.

Proof of rabies vaccination is the only requirement, which is of course a public safety concern.  And if your dog ever gets lost and is recovered the license can be traced back to home sweet home.

Carol even reports that she oftentimes delivers the wayward dog back to its home.

Moose On The Loose

Animal Welfare Officer Carol Hepburn, APD, Amherst College PD and Environmental Police played hide and seek most of the morning into the early afternoon chasing a young moose dangerously close to Amherst town center.

 APD blocking Hitchcock Street leading to Amherst College track

Police shut off traffic at a number of locations but had to move quickly as the moose did not want to cooperate with attempts at herding, so a marksman was called in.

Environmental cop with tranquilizer gun

The first two attempts to bring the beast down with a tranquilizer shot failed, but the third attempt was the charm. 

One moose down for the count

Paid a visit to Amherst College President Biddy Martin

Moose by Martin pic.twitter.com/3ytduVjlzk
— Biddy Martin (@Biddy_Martin) May 15, 2014

ARHS Open For Business

ARHS 8:00 a.m.

Only in Amherst would the routine start of a school morning be considered newsworthy. 

Amherst police were on scene in probably about the same number as TV media as a huge throng of students entered the building just before 10:00 a.m. and just after a brief cheer for the class of 2014.

 Students enter school 9:55 a.m. under Principal Jackson's (far right) watchful eye

Now if we can just get through the rest of the school day without an anonymous note or graffiti left in a bathroom or an old fashioned bomb threat, that would be good. 

Although not overly newsworthy. 

Another Day, Another Threat @ ARHS

Amherst Regional High School

Blaming The Victim

Talk about cyber bullying! Not to mention lousy writing

 

Camila Carpio, a shrill senior at Amherst Regional High School, started a petition on Change.org yesterday imploring Amherst School officials to ban Dylan Akalis from participating in the ARHS graduation ceremony next month at the Mullins Center.

Oddly enough, Principal Mark Jackson had informed Dylan and family on Friday that he was indeed banned from the June 6 graduation ceremony.

While Ms. Carpio was somewhat correct in saying he was the, "white, male, senior High School student who threatened to bring a gun to school" she is wrong about him "racially harassing black students."  More like the other way around.

She's also wrong about Dylan "not being allowed to return to Amherst High School."  School authorities issued a 12 day suspension after the January 27 "unforeseen circumstances" school closing:  Ten days for the Facebook threat and two days for using the "N-word" (the five letter version ending in A).

The parents decided to keep him out for the rest of the year because school authorities had done little to nothing to the three black students who threatened him -- one of whom laid hands on him.

Since this regrettable drama started over 3.5 months ago no media outlet (or blog) has mentioned Dylan's name.  Yet Camila Carpio does so in an Internet petition which has the potential to be viewed by millions.

With factual errors bordering on libel.

Amherst NAACP promotes the petition on their Facebook page

 Camila Carpio ranting at January 28 Regional School Committee meeting

Springfield Republican Reports

No Ceremony For You!

 

Amherst Regional High School in bloom

Perhaps the most memorable rite of Spring around our education oriented Happy Valley is graduation day -- especially High School graduation.

A special time with your friends to celebrate what seemed like endless years of dedication and focus, all together as one BIG happy family, perhaps, for the very last time.

But this coming June, as some 240+ ARHS seniors march down the isle of the Mullins Center in their caps and gowns to the tune of "Pomp & Circumstance," one young man will be absent.

In fact he's been absent since January 27 -- the day Amherst Regional High School failed to open due to an "unforeseen circumstance." 

Dylan Akalis, age 18, a white Holyoke resident who "choiced in" to ARHS was on the receiving end of racial bullying by three black students because he dared to use the "N-word" (5 letter version ending in A) as a term of endearment with a friend who is black.

After repeated fruitless attempts by Dylan and his father (a school employee) to get the schools to protect him, Dylan desperately took matters into his own hands by naively posting a vague "threat" on a Facebook confessions site.

School Superintendent Maria Geryk quickly spotted the anonymous post, but by 3:00 a.m. Monday morning (January 27th) town  Information Technology Director Kris Pakunas had identified Dylan as the poster.

Amherst and Holyoke police interviewed the Akalis family that morning but the High School was closed anyway as a "precaution," while state bomb squad officers searched the building.  No bombs were discovered and Amherst police concluded that Dylan had never actually brought a handgun to school.  Ever.

The three black youth who bullied Dylan went unpunished while Dylan was banned for 12 school days, and his parents then decided to keep him out for the rest of his senior year.  Fortunately he already had enough credits to graduate.

Even the Schools internal investigation corroborated Dylan's story, concluding:  "There were separate behaviors during the series of events that are consistent with the definition of both bullying and racial harassment."

On Friday, May 9,  in a meeting with ARHS Principal Mark Jackson, Dylan's parents were shocked to learn he would not be allowed to march in the ARHS Mullins Center graduation ceremony -- even though Dylan has earned his diploma.

Principal Jackson seemed more concerned about public relations than safety, claiming that allowing Dylan to march with classmates could be disruptive.  However, no media have published Dylan's identify, so you have to wonder how a backlash could occur when the audience would not even recognize him?

Yes, the three black students and their parents know Dylan, but since they are all Juniors why would they attend the graduation ceremony this year?

If Dylan was a teacher of color being racially harassed, the Schools would have provided him a bodyguard.  But since he's just a white inner-city kid who will be attending Holyoke Community College rather than Harvard or Yale, he's on his own.

Makes you wonder how many other kids Amherst Public Schools write off because of the color of their skin?  Or should I say, lack of color. 

Town Meeting: The Horror ... The Horror!

Amherst Planning Board in the hot seat

If you ever wondered why the Charter change movement came ever so close to replacing Town Meeting with a more efficient City Council ten years ago, last night's session provided a grim reminder.

After an hour-and-a-half discussion that ranged from BIG government has no right to intrude on artists and piano teachers, to slumlords are ruining our neighborhoods, Town Meeting failed to muster the two-thirds vote required (90 yes, 76 no) to pass a simple Home Based Businesses zoning ordinance. 

The measure would simply have brought Amherst into the 21st century by categorizing and approving home based businesses and giving the Building Commissioner the authority to grant waivers to keep things simple.

 Building Commissioner Rob Morra, leading the Charge of the Light Brigade

And unlike the new Rental Registration and Permit system the Building Commissioner also oversees, there would be no registration fee for a low-impact businesses like teaching piano, guitar or knitting.

Head Planner Jonathan Tucker pointed out his mother used to teach piano at her home in South Amherst.  And there is a difference between having one or two students per day more as a hobby than seeing a half-dozen or more students daily as a full-time profession.

The Planning Board was one-for-two however as Town Meeting, after an hour of discussion,  did approve rezoning land owned by Hampshire College around Atkins Farm Country Market to "Village Center" thus allowing mixed use (commercial and residential) development to take place.

Property above and along side Atkins Farm Market rezoned to Village Center:  ("If you build it ...")

Unlike our other two institutes of higher education, Hampshire College pays NO Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.  UMass pays $325,000 and Amherst College pays $90,000 annually (although they insist on calling it a "gift")  for the protection of Amherst Fire Department.  And Hampshire College requires about the same number of responses as Amherst College.

Thus allowing them to develop these parcels with a mix of business and residential will at least add to the tax rolls and maybe help alleviate an exceedingly tight rental market. 

Currently the tax base in Amherst is exceedingly lop sided with residential making up 90% and commercial only 10% of the revenue generating tax base.

Gonna Need A Bigger Fence

Vandals left their mark on the town owned water tower on E. Pleasant Street

Umass just last summer refinished the larger of the two water towers located atop Orchard Hill on East Pleasant Street at a cost of just over $1 million dollars.

I guess the huge blank canvas was too much for vandals to ignore even though a new six foot high fence was recently erected around both towers.  The smaller one is owned by the town of Amherst.  

Adjacent larger water tower owned by UMass was also hit

 

Both water towers are enclosed by a standard 6 ft chain link fence

The Company You Keep

 APD on scene College Street Saturday 4:00 p.m.

While there were somewhat loud graduation parties all over Amherst on Saturday afternoon into the overnight (10 complaints) -- many of them with live entertainment -- Amherst police made no arrests and issued no $300 fines.

These parties were more like traditional family-and-friends ceremonial affairs rather than exclusively "college aged youth" gatherings we've seen and heard all semester, so apparently the presence of older adults tends to keep things from getting out of control.

Perhaps all party houses should be forced to have a grandparent move in after the second noise offense.

No AFD runs at all to UMass for ETOH (alcohol intoxication) students: 

   AFD runs Graduation Weekend

An Unattended Death

UMass Amherst: Not exactly a drug free zone

UPDATE January 24, 2015

My sitemeter tells me a bevy of folks are now coming to this post after doing Google searches for "heroin death UMass Amherst" or something similar, no doubt in response to the ABC 20/20 episode aired last night, which interestingly enough used the same alias for Eric Sinacori as did the Boston Globe, "Logan."

So they can interview his Mom on camera and show his picture, but not use his real name?

And I wonder when the next student dies of a heroin OD supplied by an on campus dealer who was free to ply his pernicious trade because UMPD can no longer use student informants, will 20/20 cover that?

####

ORIGINAL REPORT 

Although nestled in a quaint little New England town, UMass/Amherst, the flagship of higher education in the state, is virtually a city unto itself.

So it's not overly surprising that death on occasion comes calling, even to the young of age.

Last Fall two sudden unattended deaths occurred that were (initially) covered by the local media -- Eric Sinacori, age 20, and Evan Jones, age 19.  Although technically Sinacori died off campus in his Puffton Village Apartment.

But since they both died in the town of Amherst the medical examiner files a certificate of death with the Town Clerk, although it takes up to six months. 

In Evan Jones case, death was caused by a "seizure."

In Eric Sinacori's case the injury occurred because of "Illicit substance abuse," and the immediate cause of death was, "Acute Heroin Intoxication."

Governor Deval Patrick and Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan have declared war on opioid abuse.  At a press conference in late February, DA Sullivan called the surge in drug overdoses, "A public health crisis" while citing, "19 deaths in Hampshire and Franklin counties since November 1st, 2013." (Twice the rate of the rest of the state.)

And since Mr. Sinacori died just prior to November 1st he would have pushed the DA's list to 20 deaths! 

Last week in the little town of Deerfield, three individuals were saved from death by heroin overdose over the course of three days by a quick spray of Narcan.

Governor Patrick has signed off on allowing first responders statewide to carry Narcan, as well as friends and family of opioid users (with proper training).

Today UMass graduates 5,500 dedicated young adults who have worked hard over the past few years to attain their degrees.  Governor Patrick is the keynote speaker.

I hope he remembers the students who will never make their graduation ceremonies.

The Cost Of Education (In a College Town)

Amherst School Committee: in the hot seat

Town Meeting went pretty much as planned Wednesday night.  The Elementary and Regional School budgets all passed rather handily after a fair amount of discussion, but not a whole lot centered on cost -- as reflected in the (not so)average cost per student.

The Elementary Budget of $21,490,563 represents an average cost per child of $19,136 and the Regional Middle and High School budget of $29,618,478 represents $20,328 per student.  State average is dramatically lower at $13,636 per student.

Or another way of looking at it is Amherst spends at the Regional level $6,692 more per pupil than state average.   Thus the 1,457 students projected next year cost almost TEN MILLION DOLLARS ($9,750,244 to be exact) over state average.

One reason for the high cost (which are fast approaching private school price points) is "administration cost"  is 66% over state average.   And even though an overhead showed a slight increase in the percentage of the elementary budget eaten up by administration, it generated no discussion from the floor.

Overhead used at Town Meeting

Mass Dept of Education data base

Early in the Elementary School budget discussion Town Meeting member Walter Wolnik read a statement praising the financial prowess and presentation skills of Rob Detweiler, the Schools Director of Finance who mysteriously disappeared three months ago.

Wolnik wished to know if and when he would return to his duties? 

 

School Superintendent Maria Geryk and Sean Mangano (Dettweiler's replacement) listen to Walter Wolnik's statement

Detweiler was on paid Administrative Leave for six weeks (costing taxpayers $15,000) and is still on unpaid Administrative Leave.  School Superintendent Maria Geryk confirmed that he, "will not return in his role ... I appreciate your support of Mr. Detweiler, however I will not be speaking further about the reasons why he is no longer in this role."

Typical layout of classrooms at Wildwood. "Temporary walls" (going on 25 years now) don't go all the way to the ceiling

Article 17 was also an expensive school item, a $1 million Feasibility Study of Wildwood Elementary School (built 1970)  with 60% of that picked up by the state.   As usual some folks had sticker shock over the $1 million price tag even though it's really only $400,000 of town money.

But the motion passed with a solid two-thirds majority, solid enough that no standing or tally vote was required.  And the very next article, to rescind a $400,000 appropriation from last year for new boilers for Wildwood School, passed after a long discussion, thus covering the town's share of the feasibility study.

Since that study will eventually lead to a new school or major renovation (with the state picking up 60%) it doesn't make sense to replace the boilers now at 100% town cost.

 Amherst Elementary Enrollment Trends (going down, down, down)

Town Meeting Strikes Again

Amherst Town Meeting counted standing vote

Two episodes from Monday night's Town Meeting 3rd session, one amusing one not so much.

During a discussion of borrowing $322,000 for mega lawnmowers used to groom the massive amount of open space property the town owns, member Shavahn Best moved to reduce the amount by over one-third and have the DPW shop on the Internet for battery operated mowers.



When DPW Chief Guilford Mooring threw up a photo of the mower in question there was little question as to whether an electric mower could do the job.  Actually no question at all.

Town Meeting overhead of DPW mower request

Town Meeting almost unanimously voted to spend $151,000 for 20 acres of open space property (2/3 state money) in East Amherst, the same property they voted down 72 "Yes"-90 "No" back in the Fall when it required a two-thirds vote to pass.

Town officials, not taking any chances, removed the term "eminent domain" from the article and since the town was using CPA money ($41,785) it then only required a majority vote. Not that it mattered since the "Yes" votes were thunderous.  

The very next article Town Meeting once again near unanimously voted (death to the lone malcontent) to place on the November ballot a doubling of the CPA tax from 1.5% to 3%. 

Amherst already has the highest property tax rate in the area ($20.97/$1,000 compared to Hadley $10.64/$1,000).

The huge financial burden for homeowners in Amherst is they make up 90% of the tax rolls and commercial property only 10%.  Even more debilitating, half the property in Amherst is owned by tax-exempts, meaning the other half -- home and business owners -- have to carry twice the weight.

That tax exempt disconnect only worsened with the 20 acres in East Amherst acquired by the town on Monday night.

And if you are a commercial property owner, the first $100,000 in valuation is NOT exempt from CPA (costing you an additional $62.37).   If you own property in the downtown, there's the Business Improvement District extra surcharge to pay as well.

When Town Meeting voted an increase in the water/sewer rates the Town Manager defended it as "only" a couple dollars per month.  Now the CPA tax increase will add "only" $69 per year to the average home ($113 for a commercial property).

Adding to an annual tax burden that's already too big a burden.  More so if you own commercial property.  Even more so if it's located in the downtown BID area.

No wonder Amherst is considered an unforgiving place to do business. 

Party House of the Weekend

31 Shumway Street, owned by CIBA, LLC

Not only did they tie up APD, but AFD as well (as did a couple other locations)

In Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday all four agreed to pay the $300 town bylaw fine fee to settle the matter.