Transparency Tweak

 

Amherst Town Flag, Town Hall

So better late than never, the village that -- like President Obama -- wants to be known for transparency has uploaded to our award winning town website all town employee salaries, mimicking the 18 month old state program known as "Open Checkbook."

Well, all town employees -- but that does not include the public schools who eat up the lions share of our $68 million budget.

Northampton, our sister city to the west, has been doing this for years now and of course my readers will note I uploaded both schools and town salaries a couple months ago.

And yes it still attracts a fair number of hits.  And will continue to do so since folks seem more interested in the schools than the town.

Breaking news bulletin from amherstma.gov

Editor's note: opening sentence contains sarcasm

Ready ... Aim ... Release

 

Scenic Bramble Hill Farm 

The Amherst Archery Academy held its first outdoor Olympic style archery competition this morning using tournament like rules and regulations, held at the wide open, bucolic Bramble Hill Farm on the outskirts of South Amherst.  

The "Spring Gathering" event was limited to students of the Amherst Academy but was so successful it may morph into a more open competition next year.

2 archers per target, 12 arrows to score

The monsoons of yesterday gave way to bright skies and dead still air, picture perfect for an outdoor event like this. Friends and family gather to the rear of the contestants with each archer in the line of just over a dozen firing six arrows per "end", times six ends (36 arrows) comprising a "round". 

Today's event totaled three rounds.

 Bow(dacious) line up

The Amherst Archery Academy was founded in 2011 by Kyle Bissell,  a level two certified USA archery instructor.  Around that same time the Hollywood blockbuster  "Hunger Games" sparked a wave of interest in archery. 

Archers on the line

Tight Squeeze

 

Snell Street Bridge 4:35 p.m.

So it took less than a year for our first somewhat serious accident to occur under the new Snell Street Bridge.  Obviously weather played a big role.  Fortunately no serious injuries.

It happened late Friday afternoon and by the looks of it the car coming down the slight incline hit her brakes and then slid on the wet pavement into the other car already in the underpass.

One woman was transported by AFD to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and both cars were towed from the scene.  Each vehicle had air bag deployment.   

Of course if the clearance under the bridge were a tad w-i-d-e-r people might not instinctively brake when they see another car already in the tight zone.

Last year's $315,000 state project did increase the height by 12", giving ambulances breathing room, but did not widen the space at all.

Editors note:  before taking picture I called 911, turned off one of the vehicle's engines, and helped one of the drivers find her glasses.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Washington Post Photo

No wonder Woodward & Bernstein always used payphones with Deepthroat

The number one role journalists play in a free society such as ours (although now I'm starting to wonder) is guarding the rights of "The People" from The Powers That Be.

And it's a little hard to be an effective watchdog when those all-powerful entities are tapping your phone lines or perusing at will your email inbox.

But according to President Obama -- even after Guantanamo,  Benghazi, and the drone program controversies -- his administration is "The most transparent administration in history."

Well as of a couple weeks ago I was thinking maybe somebody should get him a bottle of Windex.

But now, after the insidious invasion of privacy controversy of the past few days, brought to us by The Guardian, a British publication, an American reporter might want to ask our transparent President a follow up question:

Define transparency?

Pretty bad when the author of the Patriot Act is pissed

Too Much Sharing? (Not Enough Follow Up!)

Governor Deval Patrick: stone cold sober as a matter of fact

So maybe it's just my weekly fascination with drunk drivers, but I have to wonder how  Governor Deval Patrick got home to his giganormous retreat in the Berkshires after he "... got quite drunk, by myself" in a West Stockbridge restaurant that is at least 3.5 miles from Richmond.

Walk-- or stagger -- back perhaps?  Called a taxi?  Or a State Police helicopter?

Maybe -- just maybe -- the reporter could have asked?  Oh never mind, the "interview" took place at a Cambridge marketing firm.

Used to be a tabloid like the Boston Herald would run stories about the rich and powerful getting drunk and acting badly, then denying it.  Only to have a reporter interview a waitress to verify the drunken tomfoolery.

Now we have the exact opposite.  Oh how far the investigative watchdogs have fallen. 

UPDATE 4:15 p.m.

Well that didn't take long.  The Governor's press person issued a statement, sort of (while here in Amherst, no less).  According to the venerable AP:

A spokeswoman for the governor, Heather Johnson, said Thursday that Patrick was driven home that evening by his state police driver. She said the governor is always accompanied by a trooper when he goes out, but wasn't sure if the driver was elsewhere in the restaurant or waited outside.

"I'm a human being. Sometimes they do things," Patrick said Thursday while at UMass Amherst to announce a life sciences grant.

Sore Losers

In case a Town Meeting member decides to "Move to reconsider" badly beaten Article 43, the anti-business, socialistic land grab of 154 acres of private property in northeast Amherst, the Town Clerk should hand out dunce caps at check in Monday night as only a Nitwit would admit they were "confused" by the June 3rd discussion and vote.

The article lost 99-90 by way of a "Move to Dismiss."  My six-year-old, not yet even in 1st grade, understands the meaning of the word "dismiss." 

And I find it hard to believe anyone who saw my initial five-minute presentation could somehow find it "confusing," and think I was doing so in support of such a dangerously naive warrant article. 

But I'll let you be the judge of that:

Slow Down!

 Drivers ignore speed limit

So tonight's sometimes contentious joint public meeting between the Amherst Planning Board, Tree Warden Alan Snow and homeowner Mickey Rathbun to discuss the fate of ten public shade trees firmly rooted in the way of a new driveway was continued to July 17.

 A strategic mirror on the other side of driveway helps homeowners see oncoming traffic

The Planning Board gave Ms Rathbun a list of materials they need to see in order to make their decision about whether the trees can be removed:  An engineering study of the impacted area, copy of the traffic report done by the town, feedback from the DPW on if they will allow another curb cut, and photos of all the trees marked for extinction.

Ms. Rathbun complained, "It would be nice if I had a little more guidance."  To which Planning Board Chair David Webber responded, "That's the process."  Webber, who has been on the board four years, later stated this was "The most complex tree hearing in my experience."

 

Amherst Planning Board 6/5/13

After  the homeowners consulted with the Town Manger and DPW Director last year the town did do a traffic study which showed drivers do indeed drive too fast, with about 85% clocked at 40 MPH.  The town installed a 25 MPH sign, but drivers ignore it.

 Current driveway on left looking south, blind curve on right

Tree Warden Snow pointed out, however, that moving a driveway only 60 feet north with a car coming at 40 mph would still not allow enough time to avoid a crash. 

While only 4 or 5 trees stand directly in the way of the proposed new driveway the rest will be mortally wounded by root damage.  Therefor Mr. Snow insists 10 trees of varying width, totalling 127.5" would require removal.  At the current rate of $90 per inch for replacement costs, the homeowners would owe the town $11,475.

Mickey Rathbun address Planning Board, Alan Snow in background under town seal

Ms Rathbun seemed to be requesting a full fee waiver as the cost of the proposed driveway was already prohibitive.  Tree Warden Snow said according to the law a hardship waiver "was at the discretion of the tree warden."  But he also seemed to indicate it was something used for little old ladies on fixed income.

Planning Board Chair Webber then said, "We've never done a waiver."

Normally the Tree Warden has sole say in the removal of a public shade tree, with input from the Public Shade Tree Committee.  But since South East Street, originally established in 1704, is designated a "scenic road" the Planning Board also has equal say.  

Neighbor Janet McGowan agreed with Ms. Rathbun about the safety factor and even suggested the removal of the trees would "open up the views of the Pelham Hills, so the scenic aspect actually cuts the other way."

Kathleen Auble another neighbor and 15 year resident disagreed wholeheartedly:  " I don't want scenic trees taken down for a driveway."  Besides, she added "It will not be any safer."

 Marked for death

 

New driveway entrance on left current one, center, would remain