Mullins Center Mellowing?

Skrillex show was promoted on PVTA buses

Unlike the Fantazia concert last month at the UMass-owned but privately-managed Mullins Center, AFD was able to handle the alcohol induced floodgates that seem to open with certain music acts, not to single out Electronic Dance Music -- but EDM sure seems to do it.

Last night "Mullins Center Command" stationed on site (personnel, but not the ambulances) for the Skrillex show handled 22 total patients, 15 treated and released but another seven requiring ambulance transport to the Cooley Dickinson Hospital vs 11 transports to CDH for Fantazia.

 Easthampton and South Hadley FD staging at AFD North Station for Mullins Center EDM show

AFD Chief Nelson requires the venue to hire two out-of-town ambulances to supplement AFD although they were still not enough to prevent AFD ambulances from joining in the convoy to CDH.

At the Fantazia concert, however, in addition to five AFD ambulances and the two out-of-town ambulances, we still had to call in Northampton FD via mutual aid for a college aged youth with a serious head injury.

 A3 at Mullins Center last night for ETOH college aged female

So yes, last night was a LOT better.  But still unacceptable. 

UMPD was busy all night as well

"Psychological & Emotional Abuse"

 A benign Calvin Terrell appears before angry parents 10/3/14 at the Middle School

The Special Education Parent Advisory Council, a state mandated organization whose charge is to give advice to the District and advocate for children with special needs, heard members brand Calvin Terrell's 10/2 presentation at Amherst Regional Middle School "psychological and emotional abuse" at their 10/15 meeting.

The advisory group members expressed dismay with Amherst Public School officials response to the fiasco saying, "This slow and anemic response is not acceptable."  Indeed!

   Amherst SEPAC on Calvin Terrell Draft Minutes

Interestingly the schools did launch an Internet survey of Middle School parents but refuse to release the actual ANONYMOUS responses, citing privacy concerns.

But their "analysis" shows a majority (54%) had problems with the presentation and only 15.5% thought his work "should continue".

WHMP radio takes up the issue

Show Me The Money!

Aaron Gornstein announces $1.6 million tax credit to a crowd of about 50

For the second time in only two days state officials have come to Amherst bearing gifts. BIG ones:

On Tuesday the Governor announced a $1.5 million MassWorks Grant to relocate utilities underground in the north end of town center, and today Housing Undersecretary Aaron Gornstein announced a $1.6 million tax credit for Beacon Communities Development, the new owner of Rolling Green Apartments.

 Select Board, Housing Sheltering Committee, Housing Authority, Rolling Green residents and town staff on hand

The money will allow the private company that specializes in affordable housing to do much needed "deferred maintenance." Last Spring Amherst Town Meeting approved $1.25 million in Community Preservation Act money to go towards the $30 million deal.

 Representative Ellen Story "This is amazing!" (keeping the units affordable)

With the preservation in perpetuity of 41 units of affordable housing at Rolling Green (but all 204 units will count towards the SHI) the town stands a better chance of staying above the 10% Subsudized Housing Inventory, which inoculates against a developer coming into town doing a Ch40B development.

 Mark Epker President Beacon Communities Investment LLC

Happy campers

Town press release

Steady As She Goes

Budget Coordinating Group this morning

The budget season for Amherst and affiliated towns now starts to gear up, even though the Governor's budget will probably be a month late since this is an "election year".

This morning the Budget Coordinating Group, made up of members of our Public Schools, Library and Select Board, met for the first time since January.

First order of business was to elect co-Chairs.  Finance Director Sandy Pooler said the usual practice was to elect the Chairs of the Finance Committee and Select Board, but since SB Chair Aaron Hayden was Missing In Action they elected rookie SB member Andy Steinberg and FinCom Chair Kay Moran.

Although Steinberg was recently chair of the Finance Committee, so perhaps a bit of an echo chamber in the making.

Sandy Pooler said he was feeling "pretty good" about the budget process on the town side:  No cuts, employee salary budgets are settled at a rate the town can afford, health insurance will be manageable, and although no additions are expected it would be nice to make some additions, "particularly police."

Library Director Sharon Sharry extolled the benefits of "inter-library loans" which allows her to keep down the "acquisition budget" to state minimum standards, although the Jones Library still circulates more material than Springfield, the third largest city in Massachusetts.

Amherst Public Schools Finance Director Sean Mangano told the advisory group he thought the 2.2% increase allocated to the public schools "should be adequate", although he expressed concerns as to whether this took into consideration the Charter/Choice reimbursements, which Pooler confirmed it did not.

The Regional Schools lose a ton of kids (75) to Charter Schools -- particularly the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School -- and every one costs the equivalent of the high average cost per child of Amherst education, just over $18,000 (vs state average of about $14,000).

Whereas the students who come to Amherst via School Choice only generate $5,000 in revenues from the sending town.

Mangano told the BCG that in the immediate future things are only going to get worse as Smith Vocational is expanding its offerings and the Chinese Charter School is also physically expanding and adding grades 10-12.

Conditions Of The Deal

 North end of town:  Red headed bastard stepchild?

Mary Wentworth, who made her name in a losing battle for Congress 30 years ago, complained last night to the Planning Board about the recently announced $1.5 million grant from the state to bury utility lines in the north end of the downtown.

 Town Manager Musante extolling the virtues of development to Governor Patrick

She told the board, in speaking against a mixed use mega-development (1 East Pleasant Street) immediately adjacent to the proposed improvements,  "No one else had approved the deal, which is a BIG help to those who wish to profit off our town."

So I can imagine this new information -- that the "deal" has a string attached -- is NOT going to go over well with those who are concentrating fire at the 1 East Pleasant Street project and pretty much development of any kind.

Apparently the condition is the town has to "match" the grant by doing improvements at the adjacent  East Pleasant/Triangle Street intersection, which has been targeted for improvements for a quite a while.

Over the summer the Public Works Committee did vote unanimously to approve the idea of a roundabout at that intersection, but "only if it does not cost town money."

Triangle/East Pleasant Intersection (circled in red)

Last spring Amherst Town Meeting (who never met a development it liked)  turned down an easement proposal to take slivers of land to allow for the roundabout. 

DUI Dishonor Roll

On average, 2 out of 3 Americans will be involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime

When are people going to realize that a 3,000 pound car is a dangerous weapon?  Would you attempt bomb disposal while drunk?  Or walk a tightrope stretched across the Grand Canyon?

Probably not, because self preservation would kick in.  So why do people think they can get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of alcohol, an act that kills 10,000 Americans every year?

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Cindy Drake, age 49, stands before Judge Estes in Eastern Hampshire District Court

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And let's hear it for Hadley PD!  Not only did they take an impaired driver, James Duffy, age 47,  off the road -- but they also went to their Facebook page to tell the world about it.  Now if we could only get them to start releasing mug shots ...

The Governor Came Calling

 Governor Deval Patrick

In what may be his last visit to Amherst as Governor, Deval Patrick spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of 150 gathered at Kendrick Park, representing a cross section of business, education and political leadership in our little college town.

And since he was announcing a state $1.5 million infrastructure improvement grant for the north end of town center, immediately across the street from where he was speaking, the crowd only got more enthusiastic.  The money will fund relocating ugly utility lines underground. 

 Town Mgr Musante, Governor Patrick, Stan Rosenberg

In his speech future president of the Mass Senate and forever resident of the town, Stan Rosenberg called Deval Patrick, "The best governor for public higher education in more than forty years.  Absolutely ... no question about that!"

 

Kendrick Place will benefit by the $1.5 million state grant, aesthetically speaking 

Third Chances

 Kyle Kielbasa stands before Judge John Payne 12:30 PM today

Judge John Payne did not agree to the prosecution's request to "revoke bail" for Kyle C Kielbasa, arrested on the day of the Blarney Blowout for waiving a handgun around while under the influence of alcohol at the popular Hanger Pub & Grill on University Drive.

On the charges of Driving Under the Influence lodged yesterday after a spectacular accident on Bay Road around 4:40 PM that caused closure of the busy road for the rest of the night, Judge Payne entered a plea of not guilty and continued the case until November 7.

The prosecution pointed out that Mr. Kielbasa was under a "no alcohol" order from the previous incident and that both serious incidents (waiving a gun, crashing a car) indicate that when he drinks he "gets dangerous."

The prosecutor told Judge Payne a 911 caller was following behind Kielbasa and reported him as an erratic operator, and the first police officer on the scene of the wreck reported an "overwhelming smell of alcohol."

His lawyer freely admitted Kielbasa has a problem with alcohol.  He has been going to AA meeting, getting therapy and even had a doctor prescribe medicine that blocks the craving for alcohol.

 Yesterday's accident on Bay Road.  Photo by Michael Seward

But after recent hand surgery the pain medications clashed with the anti-alcohol medicine, so he gave up on the anti-alcohol medicine and started back using alcohol. 

Judge Payne said he would not revoke bail but would, however, "ratchet it up":  Kyle Kielbasa must now report to his probation officer three times per week (with alcohol testing), attend five Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week, reside with his parents, and maintain an 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM curfew. 

Terminate With Extreme Prejudice

 New sign at Crocker Farm Elementary School

Town Manager John Musante told the Amherst Select Board -- who in addition to being water/sewer and liquor commissioners are also in charge of holding "dog hearings" for dangerous canines -- that the pit bull who attacked two children at Crocker Farm School the 1st day of school has been "euthanized".

The owner never responded to a letter from the Commonwealth giving them seven days to request a dog hearing before the Select Board, thus allowing the board to wash their hands of the mess.

Animal Welfare officer Carol Hepburn could have placed the dog up for adoption but considered it beyond hope of rehabilitation, as in unsafe. 

Since the children had to undergo painful, frightening anti-rabies protocol it's no wonder the owner never came forward to claim the dog.  Not worth the lawsuit from parents I suppose.

And since the owner was irresponsible enough to allow the dog to roam free on a school playground while school was in session, not surprising they were irresponsible enough to allow the dog to be terminated.

Petition failed to sway school officials decision to ban dogs during school hours

Bait & Switch?

Clearly petitioner Vince O'Connor told Amherst Town Meeting that Article #38 was not a vote to increase the Community Preservation Act tax -- I mean "surcharge" -- from 1.5% to 3%. 

It was instead that most cherished of Democratic principals to simply allow the voters of Amherst the God given right to double the tax, err, "surcharge."

But if you read the state "summary" for Question 5 on the November 3 state ballot it clearly gives the impression that Amherst Town Meeting supported the tax increase itself. 

Kind of like the confusion that takes place every year at Town Meeting when the Finance Committee unanimously supports CPA spending articles.  What they are really supporting is the fact that the appropriation is "an appropriate use of CPA money."  In other words it's not illegal.

But isn't that why we spend $100,000 per year on a Town Attorney?  The Town Attorney does vet Community Preservation Act articles for anything that could be challenged so why do we need the Finance Committee's opinion when they are not legal experts?

Such is the charmed life of all things CPA.

One Car Crash Bay Road

 Live wires!

Amherst Police expect Bay Road to be closed for an "extended period" as Western Mass Electric is dealing with a utility pole snapped in half by an impaired driver who rolled his vehicle into the pole at high speed around 4:40 PM.

Heavy police and FD presence

AFD originally started transport to Cooley Dickinson Hospital but rerouted to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield (25 miles away), which has a critical care unit.

Amherst police have called in Amherst College Police to assist and AFD has toned out for three off duty firefighters to report in for "station coverage."  Belchertown police closed off Bay Road as it enters their town.

 Injured driver being loaded aboard A4, safely staged about 100 yards from scene of the crash

An Amherst police officer is also on board the ambulance  because the driver will be charged with Driving Under the Influence.

Another Unattended Death @ UMass

 At 7:45 PM only two police vehicles were on scene

UPDATE 2:30 PM

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UPDATE 10:30 AM  NorthWestern District Attorney spokesperson Mary Carey confirms no foul play suspected in last night's unattended death at McNamara Dorm:

 Click to enlarge/read

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Original Post midnight last night:

UMPD and State Police are investigating the "unattended death" of a female student at McNamara Dorm in the Sylvan Residential area of UMass that occurred early Sunday night.

The body was first discovered around 7:30 PM. Although AFD was called to the scene, they did not attempt transport to a hospital.

UMPD and the state Crime Prevention And Control (CPAC) unit were on the scene until around midnight.  The family of the deceased was escorted by UMPD to a nearby hotel.

By 9:00 PM another three police vehicles were on scene

Dance The Night Away

 

UMass Haigis Mall 10:15 PM Friday

This coming weekend -- and in a "college town" the weekend begins on Thursday -- should be a notable one for our understaffed public safety departments.

 The crowd was exuberant but, fortunately, well behaved

On Friday night UMass PD came very close to calling in the Amherst Police Department for help dealing with a large crowd (700-1,000) of somewhat scantily dressed youth congregated at the Haigis Mall awaiting bus rides to Holyoke for an Electronic Dance Music event, a fundraiser for breast cancer promoted by a local fraternity.

That event was so popular the Fire Marshall shut down entry soon after I took these pictures, and most of the crowd above did not actually board the rented yellow school buses.

 AFD responded to the scene for an over intoxicated student

The UMPD officer in charge told Dispatch to hold off since "APD probably has their hands full about now," and indeed call response at the time was delayed by up to an hour as Amherst police were dealing with the simple routine of weekend in a college town when the weather is still warm.

On Thursday the Mullins Center hosts Skrillex a notable EDM artist, and of course the following weekend is Halloween -- the mother of all excuses to party hardy.

Main ingredients in the making of a not so perfect storm. 

I'll See Your Blarney Blowout & Raise You

 Keene State College this afternoon (Seth Meyer photo)

Looks like police in bucolic Keene, New Hampshire didn't read the $160,000 Davis Report deconstructing police response to the March 14 Blarney Blowout.

And by the looks of photos posted to social media the drunken angry crowds do not appear quite as large as those faced by Amherst and UMass police that ignoble day.

 Blarney Blowout March 2012

When alcohol fueled college aged youth start throwing beer bottles and cans -- some of them full -- police simply have to act.  And if they are not wearing riot gear there's a much greater chance of the officer being injured.

 Blarney Blowout March 2013

It really is a chicken and egg kind of thing.  If rowdy youth listened to heavily outnumbered police and dispersed rather than dangerously escalating things via thrown objects, tear gas would not fill the air.

Blarney Blowout March 8, 2014

Our Survey Says ...

Calvin Terrell stands before angry public school parents

In yet another front page Gazette follow up -- pretty much a rewrite of a Masslive story from earlier this week -- concerning the disturbing presentation that occurred to our Middle School children on October 2, results from a parent survey that I requested via Public Documents Law  (thus far ignored) for the raw results gets a brief mention.

 Calvin Terrell:  Not my fault!

As I suspected, a majority (54%) of the 103 parent/guardians responding had problems with the presentation.  And only 15.5% thought the Schools should "continue the work begun by Calvin Terrell."

Considering the "work" to fight racism and bullying is an admirable goal, not a very good overall response to such a leading open ended question. 

Of course if the aging Gazette actually had children in the schools they would have actually received the survey and would know that it was anonymous. Doesn't get much more "private" than that.

Thus when the Schools do get around to responding to my Public Documents request and blow me off  like they did the diffident Gazette with the old "information that could be considered student records" thus protected by state privacy law, I will call them on it. 

What Other Admins Make

Maria Geryk, Sean Mangano, Mike Morris

Just so I'm not accused of being an Irish sexist bully picking on a female CEO by publishing Maria Geryk's five (5) year taxpayer funded contract, here's the other two contracts for recently promoted males. 

   Mike Morris ARPS Contract

Interestingly Mr. Morris gets three (3) years as Assistant Superintendent and Mr.Mangano only gets two (2) as Finance Director.  

   Sean Mangano Contract ARPS

Not that I would accuse anybody of sexism because of that.

Also have to wonder in his contract what is meant by "good cause" under the termination heading?  Since his predecessor Rob Detweiler simply disappeared, aka was fired, back in January for what may have been "good cause".

But since the Schools refuse to talk about it, we will never know.

Don't Feed The Trolls

2nd day in a row for above the fold headlines (both racism and Ebola)

In response to the first incident of racial vandalism aimed at black teacher Carolyn Gardner at Amherst Regional High School back in October last year, Amherst school officials simply covered it up.

It was only after an incident of student bullying that led to a Facebook "threat" and the dramatic closing of the High School that ongoing incidents of racism and bullying became public.   Although it didn't fit the Politically Correct agenda because it was black on white bullying.

So I have to wonder what would have happened at UMass if officials and the impacted students had simply cleaned up the graffiti and said nothing?  

Yes racism is intolerable, but then so is nuclear war.  One of those things where you don't get much of a public argument from an opposing view -- especially here in "Nuclear Free" Amherst.

Unless of course you're an anonymous troll.

Status Quo Budget

Four Boards:  Finance, Schools, Select Board and Library

When all was said and done, after a one hour rich-in-graphs presentation by Finance Director Sandy Pooler at tonight's Four Boards Meeting, the best guess for overall revenue increases next Fiscal Year  (FY16) is a comfortable 2.5%, or what Select Board Chair Aaron Hayden described as a "status quo budget."

 Current Fiscal Year Schools account for 52% of all spending

But with no increase in police or fire personnel, not an overly safe one.

Reserves of $9,152,345 this Fiscal Year best in ten years

Platinum Parachute?

Superintendent Maria Geryk, RSC members Lawrence O'Brien, Katherine Appy

So for those of you who honestly think the lap dog Regional School Committee and Union #26 would ever even remotely consider terminating the $168,000 per year contract of Amherst Pelham Regional School Superintendent Maria Geryk (and the free services of her husband Kurt) take a gander at her very recently signed five-year contract.

Although it was retroactive a full year (2013) it would still take a buyout of 3.5 years or $553,000 tax dollars.  Which, simply put, ain't gonna happen.

   Maria Geryk Schools Contract

What Are They Afraid Of?

Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in

   UMass Response: Open Meeting by Larry Kelley

Pretty quick response:

From: Manganaro, Kevin (AGO) (AGO) <kevin.manganaro@state.ma.us>
To: Larry Kelley <amherstac@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Oct 16, 2014 9:52 am
Subject: RE: Open Meeting complaint Amherst and UMass (There they go again) 

Hello Mr. Kelley,
Thank you so much for your e-mail. If you wish to file a complaint, you may do so on the appropriate complaint form by following the procedure found here:
http://www.mass.gov/ago/docs/government/oml/ago-open-meeting- law-complaint-form.pdf
The complaint must first be filed with the public body no later than 30 days after an alleged violation, or, if the violation could not reasonably have been known at the time it occurred, then within 30 days of the date when it could have reasonably been discovered. The public body then has 14 business days to respond.
Thank you, Kevin
Kevin W. Manganaro Assistant Attorney General

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From: Larry Kelley
To: kevin.manganaro
Sent: Thu, Oct 16, 2014 10:05 am
Subject: Re: Open Meeting complaint Amherst and UMass

Kevin,
Since the meetings have not yet occurred and there is an opportunity to avoid such a violation by having your office determine that they should be open meetings (I assume UMass personnel would abide by such a decision) how does one go about finding a form to fill out for that kind of a determination?
Larry

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