Shutesbury Library site contamination confirmed

 Shutesbury Library proposed site (former auto body shop)

As residents of Shutesbury hold their breath awaiting the decision of Judge Rup concerning the eligibility of voters in the contentious 522-522 tie Override vote, town administrator Rebecca Torres received confirmation from an environmental consultant that PCBs are indeed present at the site and an "Immediate Response Action plan" required by the state Department of Environmental Protection for PCP detection within 500 feet of drinking wells has been implemented.

Additional soil samples from beneath drum will be taken and analyzed

UMass Alumni Association chaos

A confidential "for internal audiences only" consultants report commissioned by Vice Chancellor of development and alumni relations Mike Leto using $24,500 of taxpayer funds discovered "Significant issues with respect to the UMass Amherst Alumni Association Board of Directors." The critique goes on to conclude "an in depth inquiry of volunteer issues and relationships would be strongly recommended in the near future."

UMass Amherst contributes $1 million annually to the finances of the Alumni Association which is independent of the University via a 501-(c) (3) non profit classification.  The report found: "UMAAA's $2.3 million in revenues are significantly lower than all aspirational peers, who also have nearly twice the number of alumni."

UMass Amherst has 226,046 living alumni with almost half--110,562--residing in Massachusetts (with 46,000 of them in Boston).

In 2010 the alumni association switched from a $40 annual dues paying model to a "let them all in" model making virtually all UMass/Amherst grads members.  At the time there were only 5,000 dues paying members or 2.2%, significantly below industry standard of 20% (+/-3)and well below the high water mark of 8,000 subscribing grads in 2001.

The report also sites 26,114 donating members but that figure represents anyone who ever donated to UMass for any reason most of them independent of the Alumni Association.  That number (12.3%) comes closer to industry standard, thus demonstrating that, on average, UMass alumni do have affection for their alma mater.

The report also reveals a bloated bureaucracy with  "more full time employee than either current peer."

Like the venerable Amherst K-12 public schools, it's not like all that extra money buys above average results:  "Campus partners rated Alumni programs/events and campus partnerships as fair-to-average," even though "a higher percentage of expenditures is spent on programs and activities."

In an overview the report discloses the problems have been ongoing "for over a decade", and reaches the level of "dysfunctional," which creates an atmosphere where "there are no winners."

Bentz, Whaley, Flessner go on to recommend "visionary, respected, and energetic staff leadership" and to accomplish this the "executive director should flatten the management structure so that she has more operational oversight of the association and more knowledge of the staff operations."

The volunteer board of directors "must cease the in-fighting and hostility that has been described as its mode of operation of over a decade."  Surprisingly the report does NOT recommend throwing money at the problem:  "The UMAAA has sufficient revenue for an organization of its size and alumni population.  Funding should be reallocated to support signature programming opportunities and reduce or eliminate funding for other programs."

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The report was dated March 7, 2011.

According to a Daily Hampshire Gazette article dated March 23, 2011 the report was being kept "under wraps":

"Ed Blaguszewski, a spokesman for UMass Amherst, declined to comment on reports of conflict within the Alumni Association."

"Anna Symington, the association's executive director did not respond to Gazette written requests for comments on the report."

"Mike Leto, the vice chancellor for development and alumni affairs, did not respond to a message left with his office seeking comment on why the report was commissioned and what it found."

"Sean LeBlanc, president of the Alumni Association, said in an email message that he took part in a conference call in January with the consultant, but declined to say what was discussed. He added that he hadn't seen the report and did not know what it contained."

"Representatives with Bentz Whaley Flessner did not return phone calls from the Gazette seeking comment on the report."

A sanitized report was released on May 12, 2011 with very limited distribution

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Fast forward to today:

Shorty after the consultants report was completed Executive Director Anna Symington suddenly retired.  Sean LeBlanc was replaced by Ronald Grasso as president of the Alumni Association in an election with no other contestants, garnering about 20 votes out of 33 board members eligible to vote.

A former "disgusted" member of that upper echelon with "nothing good to say about the Alumni Association" reports wanting "to quit half way thru my term, and I refused to run for another."

Groundbreaking!

Dr Kate (center) behind Ginger the therapy dog

About 100 friends, family, business consultants, employees and patients came together to celebrate the long in coming groundbreaking for the Atkinson Family Practice new medical facility on Research Drive in East Amherst.  The project--like all construction proposals in town--was vociferously opposed by neighbors for the usual reasons of traffic and noise.

Or maybe just because it represents progress.

Amherst Select Board member (and a patient) Diana Stein on left.  Dr. Kate: "This is one of the happiest days of my life."

From Wraps to Yogurt

Froyo World, a self serve yogurt bar, will open soon in the downtown location formerly occupied by "That's a Wrap" and before that "Ben and Jerry's".  Sounds a lot healthier to me--and if we have to have another "bar" in the downtown, I can't think of anything better for them to be serving.

A Public Nuisance

Mullins Center: A giant drain on Amherst public safety

Last Thursday night for a three hour period all five Amherst ambulances were stuck in a continuous loop between the UMass Mullins Center, a state owned entertainment venue, and the Cooley Dickinson Hospital, transporting 14 drug or alcohol overdose "victims," leaving AFD helpless to protect the town against medical emergencies requiring an ambulance.

These days the AFD is busy enough as it is.

Two months ago when the Mullins Center hosted a Rusko concert the results were almost as bad, with 8 patient transports in a very short period tying up all five ambulances.

This Saturday Amherst, UMass and State Police are on high alert for end of semester party hijinks.  Extravaganja, extolling the virtues of marijuana, is expected to attract 5,000 pot patrons to the town common.  Ominously, the Mullins Center is once again promoting a "performance"--Fantazia-- that appears to be tailor made to produce drug and alcohol overdoses.

A "360 degree dance experience" means folks will be engaged in physical exertion, combined with a tad too much alcohol or drugs in a warm venue under pulsating lights can quickly lead to medical problems.  

AFD will have 9 professional firefighters on during the day (normal staffing is 7) increased to 11 as darkness descends (three of them stationed at the Mullins Center) with an additional medic riding along with APD. Chief Nelson and Assistant Chief's Stromgren and McKay will also be hovering.

Still, the centre may not hold.

Terrifying enough we routinely play Russian roulette with a single round in the chamber, on Saturday night there may be as many as three.  Click, click...

Love Hurts

In addition to the federally funded "Cops in Shops" program that places undercover police officers in local package stores to nab underage youth with fake IDs, perhaps APD should initiate a bartender program in the downtown to catch over consumption of alcohol and even more important, provide therapy.

3:06 AM, early Sunday morning (in the pouring rain):

Two females were observed under the overhang of Moti.  Both were crying and visually upset.  I stopped to inquire if any issues existed?  One of the two females was scheduled to be married soon and tonight was her  bachelorette party.  The wedding, however, was called off tonight by the groom.  They were very upset.  A curtsey transportation was provided.

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APD scores a $55,000 state grant

Party Central Report

Unlike last weekend, when Amherst Police handed out seventeen $300 noise tickets, this past weekend was, according to detective Dave Foster, "remarkably quiet," with only six noise warnings and three $300 nuisance house tickets issued to one location at 16 North Hadley Road...although the same three individuals were also arrested for underage possession of liquor.

Perhaps it was a recovery pause after the blow out Patriots Day long weekend that included two drunk driving arrests, the death of a 24 year old motorcyclist from a wrong way driver, and a massive party at Puffers Pond that left the recreation area looking like a garbage truck exploded.

Police were of course pro active, with every available officer on duty.  They also arrested almost as many college aged youths as last week for underage drinking/open container violations, 24 this weekend ($7,200 worth of fines) vs 25 last week.  And unfortunately, like last week, two drunk drivers.

On Saturday early afternoon police called a landlord to inform him a party was brewing at one of his rentals.  According to police logs they then:  "Returned to speak with residence and advised them that our response there was imminent and that if called we would be taking enforcement action.  After being advised of options, parties decided to have an alcohol free picnic with 500 pounds of steak and lobster to eat."

Later around midnight College Street residents called APD to help assist with removal of "unwanted guests."  And police were only too happy to assist, removing "Approximately 80-100 from house and yard.  No problems, cleared with full cooperation of residents."

The weather was not a factor in the more civilized behavior, as the rain held off until almost midnight Saturday.  And the DPW did not spike the water supply with tranquilizers.  Maybe--just maybe--the civility sermon is getting through.  Maybe.


AFD: calm after the Thursday night Mullins Center fiasco