A fitting symbolic tribute to George N. Parks

McGuirk Stadium 6:05 PM

Springfield Republican reports

So yeah, it would have been better if Umass did not lose by a lousy point (11-10) at the last minute--but at least the American flag outside the stadium was where it should have been.

Not sure if state employees did it under orders of the (local) 'Powers That Be' or some friends, students and admirers of George simply took matters into their own hands.

I was disappointed cycling down Massachusetts Avenue around 6:00 PM and seeing the main flags near Whitmore at full staff. The Springfield Republican published an article recently about today's commemoration ceremonies and mentioned the Governor gave his okay to flying the State flag at half staff to honor the memory of George Parks.

The Governor has no authority to order the American flag to half staff if not for a member of the military or a federal politician; he can do whatever he wants with the state flag.

But then, just around the corner at McGuirk Alumni Football Stadium, at the twilight's last gleaming: a respectfully large Old Glory flapping in the stiff breeze at half staff--as well it should be!

RIP George N. Parks.

Massachusetts Avenue near Whitmore Administration Building 6:00 PM

Jones Library Trustees make nice

Bonnie Isman,Director. Trustees: Chris Hoffmann, Emily Lewis, Pat Holland, Sarah McKee

So in spite of absentee Trustee (cutthroat) Carol Gray's disembodied head peeping in from Cairo, Egypt via skype, tonight's Jones Library Trustee meeting was exceedingly cordial.

The Trustees--those who could legally participate--unanimously accepted the retirement of 30 year Director Bonnie Isman (out the door on December 10) and tentatively discussed plans for her succession, which could include an "interim Director", or appointment of a current staff member (unlikely) or a appointment of a "team" of three current staff members to run things via committee.

And we see how well things went recently when a team of three Trustees decided to initiate a coup d'état and try to run the Library now don't we?

The big stick is having impact

Sounds like increasing fines to $300 for alcholol related infractions is getting the attention of the target demographic.

On Monday night the venerable Amherst Select Board heard this fresh faced, clean cut student make a plea for reducing the $300 fines for first offenders to community service instead.

Since only the start of the school year Amherst PD has issued approximately 140 of the town bylaw citations with the $300 fine. Ouch! Just think of how many textbooks can no longer be afforded.

Interestingly since the loosening of pot laws to a "civil infraction" police can only give out $100 fines for possession of less than an ounce.

Gateway Project: Another brick in the wall

Former Frat Row


Current Frat Row (shovel ready)

The Amherst Redevelopment Authority this evening voted unanimously to issue a Request For Proposals seeking a consultant to help define and flesh out the mixed use 'Gateway Project'--so named because it connects the northern end of Amherst town center with the main entry to Umass, our double Goliath: higher education flagship and #1 employer in Western Massachusetts.

The deadline for response is December 3 with a budget cap of $30,000. The ambitious project is a joint venture between Umass, the town and the Amherst Redevelopment Authority--a separate legal entity with the compulsory power of eminent domain.

The idea of course creates a win-win situation where Umass gets more housing (a minor win) for students and faculty while the town gets a desperately needed increase in the commercial tax base (a major win) now hovering below a pathetic 10%.

Neighbors of course complained most vociferously right from the getgo--even though we have yet to propose anything.

Heated controversy ensued just after the meeting adjourned (8:37 PM) and seemed to center around "Public Comment" not being heard before the vote to issue the RFP was taken. I for one, heard nothing remotely new or compelling in the 'Public Comments' portion of the meeting to change my vote on issuing the RFP.

ARA Member Peggy Roberts, bless her heart, tried to assure the neighbors that their concerns would be heard all along the way--and, in fact, already have been.

And so it goes...

Gateway Project RFP as voted by the ARA

From: Tucker, Jonathan
To: ARA Sent: Thu, Oct 14, 2010 3:42 pm
Subject: Minutes

For the record, Ms. Russell’s assertion at last night’s meeting notwithstanding, the most recent approved ARA minutes on the Town website are those of the meetings of July 7 and 14, not the meeting of June 23.

Jonathan Tucker

Planning Director

-----Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: ARA
Sent: Thu, Oct 14, 2010 3:56 pm
Subject: Re: Minutes

And for the record, all of the outstanding meeting minutes yet to be "officially approved"--including last night's--have been covered (almost instantly) on my very public blog for the whole world to see (and even Comment, if they wish).
Larry K

Jones Library: The friction continues...

The Republican Reports

Sent: Tue, Oct 12, 2010 1:33 pm
Subject: A public apology for my recently released email.

Recently, a personal email I sent a group of friends in reaction to Library Director Isman's retirement was made public. That email has understandably upset some people. I apologize for the tone of a personal email written in the heat of the moment. But one of my principles is you don't write anything in private that you aren't willing to defend in public. I genuinely believe that what happens over the next few months may determine whether our library can stay a first-rate institution.

I hope those who have read my letter understand the reason for my passionate reaction. At issue isn't a controversy over policy, nor clashing personalities, and it's certainly not about "politics". It's about what the rules are that define a library. We have been struggling with a constitutional crisis.

At heart the question is: who is going to run our library, professionals or politicians?

Fortunately, we trustees have agreed to the equivalent of turning to the Supreme Court for an answer and are hiring a facilitator to meet with us this November. The facilitator is also an expert on trustee/director/staff roles and relationships. She will be educating us on those in addition to helping us resolve our differences. I'm sure I have my share of misconceptions to be corrected, and there may well be more public apologies she'll be asking of me!

I remain hopeful this process will succeed. At our last two meetings we've demonstrated we can still work as a team. And if you look at the times we've kept away from trying to manage the library and stuck to governing it, I think this board can claim a pretty darn good record of accomplishments!

Chris Hoffmann
Trustee, Jones Library System

The "personal email" in question

UPDATE: 3:45 PM
-----Original Message-----
From: Emily Lewis
To: Chris Hoffmann and listserve

Let me say something now; I have been silent, but my silence, is not agreement.

THe board is not comprised of politicians. We are elected, but being elected does not a true politician make. I have no funds, no political party, no political leaning in my decisions. I am making no money at what I am doing. We have been elected to ensure that a public institution is not run without oversight or question, by a private person.

This is completely a controversy over policy, despite Chris' statement.

Further: the Supreme Court analogy is inaccurate at best.
We will be meeting with a facilitator to learn how to work together.
There may be advice; one can hope for this.
Further: I do not want any more apologies. I want direct discussion with me. At this point I do not trust my fellow trustee; what I want is that trust back....before the summer is when I had it.


That's it for now.
Thank you.

##############################################
Amherstma.gov:
MEETING TIME: 4:30 PM. Friday 10/15
LOCATION: Jones Library, Large Meeting Room.
LIST OF TOPICS: Agenda. Minutes: 7/27/10, 8/4/10, 9/28/10 for approval.
Public comment. Formal acceptance of the Director's notice of retirement.
Interim Director. Plans for seeking a new Director. Board priorities for
transition period.

Deja vu all over again.

So yeah, I know how easy it is for an aging chicken hawk who was once combat ready (at least in a hand-to-hand sense) to second guess those young--perhaps too young--warriors who failed at a rescue attempt in Afghanistan. And as a result, a young woman is dead: killed, apparently, by a hand grenade throw by friendly forces.

A hand grenade! I'm sorry, but if you are engaged in a surgical operation try using a scalpel rather than a chain saw.

I flashback 28 years to that other ill fated attempt to rescue hostages, where grenades also ended the mission...miserably. The 1972 'Munich Massacre'; which should have been a wake up call to all Americans that exceedingly evil forces are out there, and all they want is front page press and are willing to do anything--absolutely anything--to get it.

Hazards indeed

Yet another event we should never forget

What's the big secret?

So the reporter in me wonders what's the the big deal? Why did two Regional School Committee Chairs refuse to release current Interim Superintendent of Schools Maria Geryk's resume to elected members of the Amherst School Committee?

I'm told an interested party--who also happens to be an attorney--requested the resume in writing and was rebuffed. They however, did not use the magic words: "Public Documents Request."

Ms. Geryk recently updated her resume, but that one only becomes a public document if she applies and becomes a finalist for the current position she occupies, Superintendent of Schools--the highest paid public employee in Amherst.

She could easily, however, have it released now.

Thus, I would have thought she would desire the newer-and-presumably-improved resume released; but hey, that's just me--an unemployed blogger with a lowly Umass Bachelor's degree.