Cherry Hill Continues to Gush Red Ink

Cherry Hill should be closed because "it's the economy stupid."

A coin toss can decide the convenient excuse town officials will trot out for our municipal golf course continuing to squander taxpayer monies: The reliable standby going on 25 years now--inclement weather, or the more recent favorite--tough economy.  Actually of late they have been using them both in combination.

FY12 ended June 30 with total revenues standing at around $239,000 well under the projected budgeted amount town meeting was told they would intake, $268,000.  And those offsetting expenditures at $232,815 or a "net profit" of $6,185.  And that is the only math town officials ever wish to present.

But those expenditures do not include an additional $49,000 in hidden costs: $31,497 for employee benefits, $14,000 in capital improvements (a lawnmower) plus $3,300 in liability/clubhouse insurance.

Now do the math that small business owners (and homeowners) have to live by:  total expenditures $281,815 against total revenues of $239,000 or an actual loss of $42,815.  Yet our senile,arthritic, toothless, "watchdog" Finance Committee promised Amherst Town Meeting the business  "would show a small profit."

Even worse they dared to say "continue" to show a small profit.  In FY11, the previous year, accounting for the hidden costs Cherry Hill lost $40,000.  What the Finance Committee should have said is the course will continue to generate the same amount of red ink, or more.

The Fiscal year that just started has an extra $12,500 in capital expenditures (turf mower) over last year and next year the ailing operation requires $135,000 in hidden capital costs!


The Solid Waste Fund took a multi million dollar hit when the landfill closed as commercial haulers took their business elsewhere.  The transfer station was created to allow folks who do not have a private hauler to still manage their trash and recycling as well as for the town to dispose of its waste.

But rising fuel prices and the bottoming out of recycling reimbursements have squeezed the operation budget of the transfer station and for the first time in history town officials are actually considering closing it down to the general public, impacting 2,000 current customers--more than ten times the number of season pass holders at the Cherry Hill Golf Course.

The transfer station, however, finished the fiscal year in the black, unlike Cherry Hill.

Trash and recycling services are a necessity, golf is not!

 

Public Art: Both Sides of The River

Old Courthouse lawn Northampton city center

Amherst Cinema building town center

All About The Risk

At the Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee meeting this afternoon tree warden Alan Snow made it perfectly clear that his main priority is not to work with Western Mass Electric Company to "blue sky" power lines so that we citizens stay warm, comfortable and plugged in should inclement weather disrupt our urban canopy this fall or winter, potentially sending us all back into the dark ages.

And it's not to maintain the aesthetic beauty or practical environmental benefits provided by our tall friends either. 

No, it's simply to try to make sure large limbs or entire trunks do not crash down on innocent bystanders, their cars or homes.  In other words, risk aversion.



Committee Chair Hope Crolius reiterated how "surprised" the entire committee was when viewing the "trimming" in South Amherst, which at the previous meeting she described as the "slaughter on South East Street."

The Tree Warden responded that the electric utility calls it "enhanced trimming" and he did veto half of what WMECO wanted to whack.  Half! 

Maybe they were going to hire the Air Force for a napalm strike.
 

Hope to Hopeless

Leave it to the 'Powers That Be' to take one of the most endearing symbols of hope--a yellow ribbon tied around an old tree--and turn it into a symbol of death and destruction.

E Pleasant Street Sugar Maple in the Public Way

Yes, in the arbor genocide currently taking place throughout Amherst the victims are marked with a yellow ribbon--in some cases resembling the ribbon-like tie that was so popular as a car magnet to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Corner Triangle Street and Kellogg Avenue: Red Maple in the Public Way

South East Street Friday

South East Street Saturday

South East Street Friday

South East Street Saturday

The Grim Reaper

UPDATE 7/13/12 Looks like they found some different colored ribbon:

Shays Street

We know where you are

Amherst Police assisted State Police making an arrest Friday morning after a cell phone "ping" (where the carrier sends out a signal to locate and track a particular cell phone) gave authorities a general idea where the perp was hiding in North Amherst after being involved in a domestic abuse situation Thursday night in Shutesbury.

According to APD logs:


While doing area search a passing motorist stated he just observed suspicious white male in back yard on Henry Street who fled to railroad tracks.  Jacobsen observed walking down tracks where he was taken into custody.  Turned over at the scene to Massachusetts State Police.

Phillip Jacobsen, 78 Pelham Hill Rd, Shutesbury, MA, age 24, Arrested for Assault to Murder, domestic A&B

Some of you may remember Mr. Jacobsen as he was a test case in a public documents fight two years ago between the Daily Hampshire Gazette (when they were a tad less arthritic) and Northampton Police Department.

The Gazette requested his mug shot after he was arrested for--you guessed it--beating and attempting to murder his former girlfriend. NPD denied the request claiming the photo was protected because of Criminal Offender Record Information.

State Supervisor of Public Records Alan Cote sided with the Gazette and the photo was released.  But the decision was appealed and another ruling simply left it up to individual police departments as to whether mug shots could be released.

In this morning's Gazette police log article,  no mug shot or previous background accompanies the brief of Mr. Jacobsen's most recent exploits.

Phillip Huckleberry Jacobsen

Road Hazard

So for the second time this year a drunk driver ended up in front of my house, with the accompanying APD blue lights awakening my wife. I suppose if you have to be inconvenienced by a drunk driver, sleep interruption is far preferable to some of the other alternatives.

According to APD logs (3:16 AM early Sunday morning):

Pursuit initiated after suspect vehicle struck and heavily damaged a car in traffic.  Vehicle failed to stop and continued on after patrol car activated emergency blue lights.  Operator continued to speed away as his car disintegrated posing a significant public safety threat to any vehicles that would venture out as well as to himself.  Pursuit continued for a little over one mile.  Vehicle finally stopped adjacent to the DPW.  The operator was ordered from the vehicle, and upon exiting still had not secured his vehicle.  The car rolled several feet but stopped due to significant damage.  Party placed in custody for "failure to submit" to a police officer and additional charges.

According to an additional officer:

Front passenger tire was so heavily damaged it fell off during pursuit.  During interaction at scene clear signs of impairment were detected.  Montenegro refused field sobriety test and was combative and highly uncooperative.  Bail set at $2,5000.


Joseph T. Montenegro, 8 Kim Circle, Toland, CT, age 21:
Arrested for OUI liquor--2nd offense, operating to endanger, leaving scene of accident, failure to stop for police, speeding, marijuana possession.

You Can Beat City Hall

Well in this case, Amherst Town Hall.

So I had my 10:00 AM appeals hearing with Town Collector Claire McGinnis and gave her my story: No signs at the behind Town Hall hidden parking lot to inform us hapless motorists that parking enforcement is until 8:00 PM rather than 6:00 PM as it is in the more prominently located lots in front of Town Hall, with accompanying large signs prominently displaying those 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM hours.

So she voided my ticket received on a gorgeous Friday night 6:05 PM on my way to the truly tasteful Taste of Amherst.  Guess now I do not have to create a "I hate parking in Amherst" website....