The Retreat Moves Forward

 Can Salamanders read?

The i's have been dotted and the t's crossed (in triplicate) as the town on Wednesday received both by certified mail and delivery in hand the official notice of intent to remove property in northeast Amherst from Chapter 61 conservation for the whopping sale price of $6.5 million.

Yes THAT property off Henry Street -- the one that has aroused the fires of indignation from nearby residents in the historic village of Cushman and a few more from all over Amherst and a surrounding town or two.

The town of Amherst, upon receipt of the documents, has two deadlines:  30 days to question the notification process as flawed, and then another 90 days (assuming the paperwork is in order) to decide if they wish to invoke the "right of first refusal", or pass it on to another non profit land trust.

Either way, an intercepting entity would need to match the current offer of $6.5 million.  Yes, dollars.

Kind of like the epic blunder the town made 25 years ago taking by eminent domain the Cherry Hill Golf Course in North Amherst, costing taxpayers $2.2 million.  The largest land "purchase" in town history, and to the best of my knowledge the last time the town has wielded the potent power of eminent domain.  What some might refer to as "the nuclear option."

Adjusting for inflation the cost of Cherry Hill today would be $4.4 million, still a far cry from the $6.5 million cost of taking the 154 acres of woodland currently owned by the largest private landlowner in Massachusetts, W.D. Cowls, Inc.

And that of course does not include the legal bills resulting from a crossfire of attorneys from two major corporations.

This is one battle the town doesn't need:  sound the retreat!

Measuring The Damage

Alan Snow, Division Director Tree and Grounds for the town of Amherst, measures off the damage from last weekend's "Extravaganja" that attracted 6,000 pairs of feet to the town common.  

Mr. Snow confirms that our "loved to death" common will be reseeded after the town's "4th Annual Sustainability Festival" this Saturday.

A Most Deserving Honor

Stan Ziomek at the grand reopening of War Memorial Pool last summer

If institutional memory is worth its weight in gold then Stan Ziomek, with 89 years and counting under his belt, represents the motherlode.

Over 40 years as DPW Chief, one of the town's more hands on management positions, and sixty seasons of service to Amherst youth baseball, a program he founded, it would be hard to find someone who has shown more dedication to public service than Stan Ziomek.  Ever.

And the history of this town he loves so much stretches back a l-o-n-g way.

In addition to a scoreboard and playing field named in his honor, and being named Grand Marshall at the town's 250th Parade a few years back, the illustrious Select Board has designated this Saturday "Stan Ziomek Day" the only time in my institutional memory that such an honor has been bestowed.

In conjunction with that special day a banquet at the prestigious Marriott Courtyard hotel in Hadley -- "An evening to honor Stan Ziomek" -- will be held this Saturday at 6:00 PM.  Tickets are $75 and seating is limited.  Contact Tony Maroulis at the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce ASAP and tell him Larry (a former Little Leaguer) sent you.

Amherst Pharmacy Robbery #2

APD Shift Supervisor on scene Amherst Pharmacy 6:00 PM

UPDATE:  They got him!  Great job APD!

APD reports

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Original Post Wednesday late afternoon

The second pharmacy robbery this week (CVS in town center was hit Monday) was called in a little after 5:00 PM this afternoon. This time Amherst Pharmacy on College Street was the victim.

Amherst police are now searching (with a K9 provided by Orange PD) for a white male, wearing light blue jeans, purple sweatshirt, brown sneakers possible associated with a Subaru station wagon with Vermont license plate.

No weapon was used in either robbery and in both cases a note was passed to a sales clerk.

 

Perp who hit CVS on Monday

Badly Needed Competition

 356 College St.  From Pizza to Pizza

The number one reason Amherst has such a high property tax rate (well, besides the gold plated schools) is simple math:  half of all the property in town is owned by tax exempts and the other half is disproportionally make up of homeowners and rental units which shoulder 90% of the tax burden.

Commercial property makes up a desultory 10%.

So it's always sad to see commercial property become residential such as the old Watroba's General Store in North Amherst Center.  Which to be fair, happened a long time ago, well before the recent purchase by Jamie Cherewatti.

 

Watroba's General Store circa 1960s

From the book North Amherst and Cushman

But I find it telling that this 100 yard swap is taking place in East Amherst where Pioneer Valley Pizza is moving from 20 Belchertown Road, to 356 College Street.  Sure, maybe it's that they need less space than their previous 1,350 square feet spot, or maybe they got a better deal on rent.

10 Belchertown Road, former location Pioneer Valley Pizza

Or maybe it's because the building itself is in much better repair.

Yes it's the oldest saying in the evil book of capitalism: "When products compete they get better".  And what Amherst desperately needs is competition in the student rental business.  Because now, with such huge demand and a strangled limited supply, the competition is at best token.

If developments like The Gateway, now dead, or The Retreat, now under attack, were allowed to happen off-campus students would flock to them like swallows to Capistrano.   The Mom-and-Pop operations that do a despicable lousy job of upkeep would have to step up their game to compete, or sell out to a more responsible investors. 

Either way, increasing the supply of safe, quality and affordable housing is the answer.  And we need it now. 

Sunderland Barn Fire

AFD Engine 1 joined brethren fire departments from Hadley, South Deerfield and Montague assisting Sunderland FD put down a barn fire late this afternoon.  The barn was a total loss, but fortunately no injuries resulted.

 AFD Engine 1 on scene

South Deerfield FD Ladder truck

A Call For Back Up

Finally, a family oriented event for the rest of us at the UMass Mullins Center. 

Every day police, fire, and military personnel put their lives on the line for all of us civilians regardless of race, creed, color or social standing, allowing us to go about our daily routine without having to worry about outside intrusions, including catastrophic occurrences.

Or at least be comforted to know that should one of those events suddenly happen, trained individuals will run towards the disaster.

So it's only natural I guess for all those public servants to act like a big family when it comes to taking care of their own.  The Ice Stars For Wounded Warriors event at the Mullins Center this weekend is a prime example.

Even after an exhausting highly emotional week scouring the streets of Boston for cold blooded killers some of Boston's finest will make their way to Amherst on Friday for the hockey game portion (5:00 PM) of the benefit extravaganza. 

Yes police, fire, military and grateful talented members of the general public are all coming together to put on a show.  And I'm sure it will top anything Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland came up with back in the day.

All proceeds will be split equally between the Wounded Warrior Project and The One Fund Boston.

   Flyer for Ice Stars 2013

Hockey Teams Include:

Boston Police Department
    Belchertown Police and Fire Department
    Holyoke Firefighters
    Franklin County Deputy Sheriffs
    MAANG Red Legs
    Mass Fallen Heroes
    Worcester Fire Department
    Rhode Island State Police