Drowning in quicksand.

Blogger's annual fight for flags fails
By SCOTT MERZBACH
Staff Writer

Friday, August 28, 2009

AMHERST - Commemorative American flags are not expected to fly over Amherst's streets Sept. 11, despite an appeal from an Amherst blogger who wants the Select Board to change its policy governing their use.

Larry Kelley, a Town Meeting member from South Pleasant Street, told the Select Board this week that it should have the 29 flags fly every Sept. 11.

"History will always remember what happened on 9/11, and I think the town should remember it," Kelley said.

Select Board Chairwoman Stephanie O'Keeffe told Kelley that the issue could be considered at the board's next meeting, on Monday, but only if another board member asked for a new vote. This did not happen.

"I had asked Select Board members to let me know by 9 this morning if they wanted to have this issue put on Monday's agenda," O'Keeffe said in an email Thursday. "None did."

Kelley's request came even though the Select Board last year approved a policy that will allow the commemorative flags to fly every three years, meaning the next time they will be up is in 2011, the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. This compromise idea was offered by former Chairman Gerry Weiss.

O'Keeffe has said she personally supports having flags fly every year Sept. 11, but understands this is not a sentiment shared by everyone.

"Last year we made a multi-year decision supported by a majority of the Select Board," O'Keeffe said.

Kelley pointed out that Aaron Hayden, who joined the board in November, has not been able to vote on the topic. On Kelley's blog, he refers to O'Keeffe's decision to leave the matter off the next agenda as a pocket veto.

During the public comment period, Ernie Dalkas, of East Hadley Road, talked about the recent injury suffered by Joshua Bouchard, an Amherst Regional High School graduate, who lost a leg in Afghanistan. Dalkas said this illustrates how Sept. 11 is still being felt.

Kelley said the date that 3,000 Americans were killed in new York, Washington and Pennsylvania remains important.

"Now you can't look down at a nine and an 11 without it striking at your soul," Kelley said.

O'Keeffe said the town annually commemorates the day by having a ceremony at the downtown fire station, which board members and others attend to reflect on the loss of lives.

On Sept. 10, 2001, the board set Patriots' Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day through Bunker Hill Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, and, every four years Inauguration Day, as the only days the commemorative flags can go up.

A stunningly sad symbol

Rob McAllister (2'nd from Rt.) Color Guard Amherst July 4 Parade 

Amherst native Rob McAllister (5th Core, Team 6, Airborne Long-Range Reconnaissance And Surveillance team. RTLW) is one of those genuine Small-Town heroes who would equally stand tall as a hero in any Big-City in America. After watching the Twin Towers fall on 9/11, he joined up at age 30--rather late in life for that kind of a job description where when used as directed you can die a horrible death.

Rob parachuted into Iraq two days after the “Shock and Awe” bombing campaign started in March 2003. He was wounded in an ambush a year later and awarded a Bronze Star with Valor. “His actions on the .50 caliber machine gun saved the lives of his fellow team members and allowed for the medevac of the wounded."

This morning I heard his familiar voice over the drone of a vacuum at the Golden Nozzle Car Wash on the Amherst/Hadley border. I was cleaning the inside of my Van because my wife was going to use it for the first time in a while and Robby was coming in for a car wash.

He said “I’m trying not to let this ruin my day, but obviously somebody resented my license plate and spit on my car.” I simply could not believe it and actually went to the back of his car to check, figuring it must me bird droppings. But sure enough, the rear-window exhibited a large glob of spit and on the side-window (a 90-degree angle away) another large glob.

Now if it were just one impact, I would think it was a mistake and the Nitwit spit in the air and the wind accidentally carried it to window and they were too lazy to clean it off. But two distinct hits at two distinct angles leaves little doubt it was intentional.

Rob McAllister's license plate is also very distinctive: A limited edition Veteran/Purple Heart plate that the state of Massachusetts issues (and does check the paperwork to ensure you are deserving.)

The Bully reported:

Cold hearted orb that rules the night...

UPDATE: Thursday noon: The Pocket Veto is Complete
Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 10:01 am
Subject: regarding Monday's SB agenda

Hi Larry --

I had asked Select Board members to let me know by 9:00 a.m. today if they wanted to include a discussion of the 9/11 commemorative flag policy on Monday's agenda. None did.

Just want to make sure that I keep you informed about this.

Take care.

Stephanie

Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 12:08 pm
Subject: Re: regarding Monday's SB agenda

Hey Stephanie,
Thanks, appreciate the timely update (but not so much the message).
Larry

Her Highness feels the heat

The Republican Reports:

A simple request...

UPDATE: 9:35 PM
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephanie O'Keeffe
To: amherstac
Sent: Mon, Aug 24, 2009 9:18 pm
Subject: 8/31 Select Board meeting

Hi Larry --

The Select Board will be meeting on Monday, 8/31. This was to be a meeting just about the Town Manager evaluation and goals, but due to the time sensitivity of the 9/11 flag request, we will also address that if any Select Board member requests that it be on the agenda. If no SB member requests it, that suggests that no one feels that the current policy needs to be revisited. As you noted, Aaron has not had the opportunity to vote on this issue yet, so I will make sure he understands that this is that opportunity, if he wants it.

I will be sure to let you know if it gets placed on the agenda.

Thank you for coming in tonight.

Stephanie

-----Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: stephanie@okeeffe.com
Sent: Mon, Aug 24, 2009 9:32 pm
Subject: Re: 8/31 Select Board meeting

Hey Stephanie,

Thanks for the update. Can't wait to see how it plays out. Even if the answer is No, I will of course be back next year (2010) at this same time, since according to the "3-year plan" the flags are not allowed up again until 2111--the tenth anniversary.

Larry
###########################################################################

UPDATE: 9:15 PM My digital editing video is being satanic so no clip upload tonight. Meeting is probably still going on so I don't even know yet if they are meeting on August 31 and if not the next scheduled meeting is on 9/14--a tad late to discuss flying the flags on 9/11.

Princess Stephanie seemed to be using the old "pocket veto," as she would not vote on something brought up during Question Period and stated she would not put it on the agenda for the 8/31 meeting--if indeed they meet that night. She did say, however, any other Select Board member could request to put it on the agenda for public discussion and a vote if they so desired. I'm not going to hold my breath.
#################################################################
-----Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: selectboard@amherstma.gov
Sent: Sun, Aug 23, 2009 12:56 pm

I will appear Monday night during the opening ‘Question Period’ as I have done every late-August since 2001 to request the 29 commemorative American flags fly in the downtown on 9/11 to mark the worst attack on American soil in our nation’s history.

Of course I’m mindful that last year you set a new policy allowing the flags to fly on 9/11 every third year citing Town Meeting’s vote (perhaps the most shameful in 250 years) by two-thirds against and only one-third for flying the flags every 9/11.

But I was always taught democracy is an all-or-nothing process; and that the majority rules. Would you have John McCain serve as President 46% of the time? Or based on a 7-2 Supreme Court decision, should 2 women out of 9 be denied the right to choose?

Besides, last year the 5-member Select board was down one member and the newest member has not been allowed to vote on this issue.

Larry Kelley

Amherst Redevelopment Authority
Amherst Town Meeting
5th generation resident
Citizen Journalist
#########################################
Stephanie O'Keeffe to you and Select Board - 46 min ago
To: amherstac
Cc: Select Board
Sun, Aug 23, 2009 1:30 pm


Hi Larry --

We will see you tomorrow night. Two things to note: we don't vote on anything during Public Comment period; and I don't expect Aaron to be at the meeting.

Take care.

Stephanie

########################################
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: stephanie@okeeffe.com
Sent: Sun, Aug 23, 2009 2:13 pm
Subject: Re: A simple request

Hey Stephanie,

Fair enough. Can't say I disagree with that policy. Just hope the full Select board meets one more time prior to the anniversary of that awful day.

Larry

That shameful (Only In) Amherst night at Town Meeting

Best reason in the world to change our form of government

Trees for the forest

Forest for the trees

No wonder the Town Mangler avoided public comment on the "draft report" of the blue ribbon committee commissioned over 1.5 years ago to analyze our $60+ million town budget. Like me, he probably can't figure out what the Hell they are trying to say.

Reminds me of my Umass freshman days where I would spew garbage into a paper and hope the Professor would separate the wheat from the chaff.

I find it odd they would collect and compare statewide data "selected on basis of population, per capita income, land area, median family income, equalized property valuations, and operating budget."

Students comprise about half of Amherst's 35,000 population. And as State Senator Stan Rosenberg has pointed out many, many times (when pressured to get more $ out of Umass for Payment In Lieu Of Taxes), the state counts students equally as year-round residents, the vast majority of whom work and make decent annual salaries.

Many students do not work, or work under the table--thus skewing the criteria for comparisons.

The major problem with Amherst is minor math: over half of town property is tax-exempt (owned by Amherst College, Umass, Hampshire College and the town Conservation Department). And of the half that is on the tax rolls, 90% are homes and only 10% commercial property.

Amherst needs more businesses and for the tax-exempts to step up and carry their bloated weight.

Click to enlarge/read (warning: snooze alert)

A coward dies a thousand deaths

So Scotland caved: they released a mass murderer on grounds of "compassion." The man convicted of blowing 259 innocent civilians out of the sky at 30,000 feet and killing 11 more on the ground below.

And only in Libya--or perhaps North Korea--would this monster be welcomed home as a hero.