Attacking Distrust With A Retreat

Amherst, Pelham, Regional School Committees

About the only thing missing from this afternoon's multi-School Committees "retreat" was a group hug to start off the proceedings.

The Amherst and Pelham School Committees and the members who make up the 4 town Regional School Committee started off by placing dots on a poster board beside statements they deemed the most important.

Click to enlarge/read

"What has gone well and what needs improvement?" was the clear winner.

Most members thought the budget process went well this year but the evaluation of the Superintendent Maria Geryk not so well.  And of course topping the list for outright bad things, all the drama associated with the racial incidents and the factions that were formed within the Committees that carried over to the community.

 Fancy fixings at the meeting which was held in Valentine Hall, Amherst College

Amherst School Committee Chair Katherine Appy admitted, "Trust has been a big problem," adding "factions do drive us apart."  Pelham School Committee Chair Darius Modesto agreed saying, "The School Committee needs to change its tone, it's affecting the students."

Communication was constantly cited, as in, the Committees need to do a better job communicating with each other, School administrators and the general public.

Obviously the public becomes (greatly) concerned because public schools account for the lion's share of annual tax expenditures, and good schools help to maintain high property values.

Also discussed was the role of the School Committee.   Should they act as cheerleaders for administrators, or be more critical and "call them out" in the hopes of micromanaging them into better performing schools?

 Mike Morris Assistant Superintendent, Maria Geryk Superintendent

The former certainly has not worked all that well the past few years ...

 

A good crowd 2 or 3 times larger than the combined committees attended

Email from one of the "factions" drumming up support

Amherst Is No Ferguson

Police in riot gear disperse crowd at the gateway to UMass

Ever since the start of summer I've been anxiously anticipating the release of the Ed Davis study otherwise known as the Blarney Blowout Report -- not that I think taxpayers will get their $160,000 worth.

But now in the wake of the Ferguson, Missouri troubles, I'm hoping it doesn't come out for a while, at least until things settle down in that troubled town.

Other than the image of police clad in riot gear there's no real comparison between what is going on now and what happened in Amherst on March 8.  Although I'm sure clueless critics will try to make that association.

First off,  our police were outnumbered 50-1, as opposed to Ferguson where police seem to outnumber protesters. And at the Blarney Blowout, fueled by copious amounts of alcohol, police came under direct attack from the unruly mob via rocks, bottles and chunks of ice.

The effervescent event was covered by local media in real time and the national media quickly picked up those dispatches.  But no reporters were hassled by police, much less arrested. 

Amherst police do not use rubber bullets, military grade smoke bombs, or tear gas grenades, or patrol in heavily armored vehicles.

And they do not shoot unarmed citizens.

Ever.

Amherst and UMass police made 58 arrests at the Blarney Blowout

Party House E-X-P-A-N-S-I-O-N?

33 Phillips Street

Stephen Gharabegian, one of the more notorious absentee landlords in town, will go before the Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals on September 25 to request a Special Permit to "Change a 3 family house to 4 family house."

Of course these days "family" simply means four unrelated tenants, and on Phillips Street -- where Mr. Gharabegian (aka College Street and Knight Properties LLCs) owns four-out-of-nine dwellings -- that means UMass undergrad students.

Interestingly one main criteria for the ZBA in allowing such requests is, does it fit into the general character of the neighborhood?

And in this case, where 95% of the (supposedly) 64 tenants along the entire street are "college aged youth"-- many of them drawn by Phillips Street's rowdy reputation -- it's hard to imagine an increase of four residents can make a huge difference.

Kind of an "Escape from L.A." scenario where all the refugees are safely secluded in a giant makeshift holding area.  

Still, on general principles the ZBA should deny the permit.  Especially since the proposed expansion trips newer building codes that require a sprinkler system.  And thus far Mr. Gharabegian makes no mention of installing such a lifesaver. 

After the recent major fire at Southpoint Apartments or the fatal one at Rolling Green Apartments, where lack of sprinklers are grandfathered, who would argue that a such a safety system is too much of a burden?

   Mangaement Plan Lease 33 Phillips

A New Engine In Town

AFD new Engine 1 (2013 Typhoon/E-MAX 1500/750/30)

While there's no question AFD is badly understaffed and Central Station is badly in need of replacement, their equipment at least is top notch.

Let the training begin

This Bad Boy just arrived last week and is currently undergoing specialized small equipment installation and being stocked with routine supplies, but should be in service by the end of the month, just in time for the students return to our (currently) sleepy little college town.

The pumper was originally scheduled for purchase next year but the town moved it up to take advantage of low borrowing rates.  And when your talking $400,000 even a small percentage makes a big difference.  

Last May Town Meeting also approved an addition $20,000 for medical equipment and a specialized drug lock box to allow Engine 1 to act as a stop gap ambulance (but cannot transport a patient). 

 AFD Current Engine 1 ((2001 Cyclone ll 1500/750/30) at rest

Going out fighting:

In what may have been her last battle with The Beast as a frontline piece, Engine 1 was first to arrive Saturday at Southpoint Apartment major structure fire (unfortunately with only 1 firefighter aboard).

Engine 1, alongside Ladder 1 and Engine 2 Southpoint Apartments

No Surrender, Yes Retreat

 Amherst Pelham Regional High School

Silly me, I always thought that when you went "on a retreat" it encompassed more than a couple hours.  Seems the only difference between this "retreat" and a normal run-of-the-mill "meeting" is this one shuts out public comment.

After the last Jerry-Springer-like meeting of the Regional School Committee (well at least the last "official" meeting), I can see why they would like to avoid the general public.

But that is precisely the problem with our dysfunctional education committees:  losing touch with the people who put them in office, although all of them were elected in "contests" that drew less than a 50% voter turnout.

And losing sight of job #1: Providing high-quality education to all children, regardless of race, creed, color, religion ... or political affiliation. At a cost the average taxpayer can bear.

Southpoint Fire Damage (View From Above)

Southpoint Apartments (most fire damage to  rear center building)

Fire cause has been determined:  Tenant left (for the day) a pot on the stove

Considering it took an army of firefighters three hours to bring the stubborn Saturday afternoon blaze under control, I'm actually surprised there's not way more extensive damage to the roof of the structure.  

I just now noticed the time/date stamp on this iPhone video I took, which shows 5:02 PM on Saturday.  Considering the first AFD engine was still a few minutes away, kind of gives you an idea of how far along the fire was before a drop of water was brought to bear

And of course it did not help that the initial arrival truck, Engine 1, had only one firefighter aboard.

Frustrating statement from AFD Local 1764 regarding Southpoint Apartments fire:

   AFD Union Statement Southpoint Fire

Now if you really want to lose sleep tonight envision this scenario repeating itself three weeks from now at Townhouse Apartments in North Amherst, which is almost exclusively UMass students.

And on a Saturday at 5:00 PM too many of them will be under the influence of alcohol.

The extra staffing (4 firefighters) UMass pays for do not report for duty until 9:00 PM on the weekends.

Pay attention! (nothing to cheer about):

A Good Torch

 Flame of Hope enters town center

It wasn't all bad news on the public safety department front yesterday. 

The Western Massachusetts Law Enforcement Torch Run, a 3 mile jog from Amherst PD headquarters on Main Street to Kennedy Dorm Southwest area UMass, managed to step off at the scheduled start, 7:00 PM. 

As they were running up Main Street, South Hadley Fire Department was arriving for a fire alarm at Johnny's Tavern just opposite Town Hall.  All AFD personnel were busy fighting the major fire at Southpoint Apartments.

The Torch Run is a nationwide benefit to raise money for Special Olympics.  This local event is doubly beneficial as the torch run culminates with the lighting of a cauldron to signal the start of the Summer Games.

Line up at APD headquarters