Historic Building Sold (Again)

 40 Dickinson Street, Amherst 

Amherst College, the number one landowner in town, just purchased the former Paige's Chevy, aka Classic Chevy, building at 40 Dickinson Street for $474,000.  A tad more than the former owner of Classic Chevy business paid for it back in August ($325,000) but still well below its assessed value of $548,200.

Thus if it goes off the tax rolls, like the vast majority of Amherst College owned property, it will no longer pay the town treasury just over $10,000 in annual property taxes.

The two-story brick building to the rear of the more recent office addition dates back to 1880,  so if Amherst College is going to raze the building to "put up a parking lot" they will need the permission of the Amherst Historical Commission.  Currently the Commission has the power to implement a one year demolition delay to protect historic structures.

The property also touches the overgrown remains of "Kelley Square", another historic, albeit forgotten, piece of history intertwined with the most historic figure in town history.

Or as faithful servant One-Armed Tom used to call her, "Miss Emily."

Retreat: Back to the Drawing Board

 Planning Board responded to preliminary presentation from 12/4/13

About the only surprise in this official Planning Board response to Landmark Properties proposal for the Retreat student enclave in North Amherst is the demand the roads throughout the complex be "public" rather than private. 

Although they seem to waffle a bit with the wordy "It is the Planning Board's preference that .. " intro, so maybe demand is not quite the correct word.

If the roads are private then that lessens the workload of the DPW and Police Department (but certainly not the already understaffed Fire Department).  And with the recent Mutual Aid Agreement Court decision killing joint patrols between APD and UMPD, I can see where having a private security force oversee the facility is a benefit to taxpayers.

Especially since the on-the-tax-rolls development will pay around $400,000 in annual property taxes; so the less services they use up in overhead the larger the net gain to the town treasury.

But much was made at the public hearing about the safety of roads that are not up to "public" standards (Walmart vs Neiman Marcus).  And the clientele using them will be somewhat the novice drivers.

So it looks as though that could be a deal breaker.   Your move Landmark. 

   Retreat PB Response

Another Joins The SB Race

 

Amherst Planning Board 6/5/13 Connie Kruger center 

In case you were wondering who would garner the second vote among first-Selectboard-candidate-out-of-the-gate Andy Steinberg supporters, the answer fell like snow from the heavens this afternoon: Current Planning Board member (and former town employee) Connie Kruger.

 Even better to balance the ticket, since she's a she.

 In her own words ...

Amherst Joint Patrols Thrown Out

UMPD mounted patrol, Phillips Street (off campus) last April

The highly publicized and certainly effective joint patrols between UMass Police Department and Amherst Police Department around the periphery of our flagship campus are -- at least for the time being -- no more.

Killed off by a legal challenge initiated by the New England Police Benevolent Association, legal representatives for the UMPD rank and file. 

Their problem with the Mutual Aid Agreement is not just that it increases their workload. UMass police officers do not receive the same benefits as town officers, but the MAA has them performing the same job.

The Mutual Aid Agreement was signed back in 2007.  Then Town Manager Larry Shaffer and Select Board Chair Gerry Weiss had championed the initiative as a means of mitigating off campus rowdy student behavior.

And as an excuse not to hire more Amherst cops.

At the time Patrick Archbald, Deputy Chief of UMass police was quoted in the Daily Collegian:   "The agreement removes a hurdle to taking police action, and in turn, we hope it will make both our communities safer.  All stakeholders were motivated in this effort by making safer communities and doing so in the most economically feasible way. The 'MAA,' made perfect sense for everyone."

Last year the public safety departments moved even closer together via weekend "joint patrols" on streets immediately adjacent to the sprawling campus.  The results? A less rowdy spring.  Far less rowdy.  

When I asked specifically about how well the joint patrols worked over last Spring UMass PD Chief John Horvath replied:

  "UMPD dedicated more officers to supporting APD with off campus issues in spring 2013.  The two departments have worked together for a long time and there are good relationships built, while new ones are forming.  It is my intention to continue to work with APD, Chief Livingstone and the Amherst & Hadley communities to support them when needed, while respecting the jurisdictional boundaries that are established."

 

Meadow Street Townhouse Apartments main entry (off campus). Last April

So where do we go from here?  Chief Scott Livingstone confirmed "my request for budget FY15 addresses manpower concerns...."  That request, however, has to survive Amherst Town Meeting, a legislative body not always champions of public safety.  Besides, FY15 does not start until July 1st -- too late for this coming Spring.

 

UMPD hands out ticket last April on Fearing Street (town property)

This morning Chief Horvath responded:

"The spirit of action and cooperation in my previous quote still stands.  UMPD will continue to support both the Amherst and Hadley Police Departments when requested under our mutual aid agreements.  Most recently, Chief Livingstone and I have been discussing ways our departments can further assist one another in meeting our collective goal of a safe community.  We will continue to collaborate on how to better provide police service that is in line with legal mandates, as well as challenges unique to the area.  The mutual aid agreement between the University and the Town of Amherst is being reviewed by legal representatives and we will seek to implement the recommendations that are provided."

Because of the demand spike on weekends for ambulances (too many of them dealing with overly intoxicated students) UMass donated an extra $40,000 per semester to bolster AFD response capability.

And later today a joint super committee made up of high-ranking UMass and town officials will put the final touches on a Request For Proposal being issued for a consultant to help with town gown relations.  Especially as it relates to rowdy off campus behavior.

UMass needs to step up to address this disturbing development; before the flowers bloom in May.

DUI Dishonor Roll

Yes it's hard to top the slaughter caused by an alleged drunk driver over the weekend in Easthampton, but either of these two Amherst DUI arrests -- Gino A Monsini and Dean Nemroff both age 22 --  could have been a comparable incident.

There but for the grace of God ...

 #####

Higher Education?

The out-of-control party at Amherst College, aided and abetted by uninvited UMass students, stands out even when viewed through the staid prism of a public safety weekend run report.

All seven weekend emergency responses to Amherst College are of the nuisance kind. 

   Amherst College Disturbance by larry_kelley_1

Party House of the Weekend

 227 East Pleasant Street, Amherst

For the second time this year Amherst Police responded to a noise complaint at 227 East Pleasant Street, only this time they handed out $300 tickets to three tenants for an expensive party total of $900.

Next time maybe they will answer the door a little quicker.  Or better yet, ensure there is no next time.