Question 5? Hell NO!

Need I say more?

For my numerous friend outside the little bubble of Amherst don't be confused by this post. You will not see a Question 5 on your state ballot today as this is an "Only in Amherst kind of thing" brought to us by aging full-time activist Vince O'Connor (need I say more).

The amount it will cost taxpayers is "only $72" they say, which is like a Marine drill instructor having you do push ups until you're about to puke and he then puts a gun to your head and demands 72 more.

The money raised by the "surcharge" (since it's voluntary they don't call it a "tax") cannot be spent on the most pressing needs this town currently has: increased staffing in our overworked public safety departments.

In fact, most of it will go towards taking properties off the tax rolls in a town where over half the property already is off the tax rolls. So just say NO.

And while your at it, in the name a fiscal responsibility, vote for Charlie Baker and return Massachusetts to the good old days of sound spending brought to you be a, gasp, Republican.

The Best Laid Plans ...

 Town Gown Steering Committee:  high ranking UMass & town officials, and other stakeholders (although Chancellor Subbaswamy was MIA)

After almost exactly one year from their inaugural meeting (10/30/13) the sprawling 24 member Town Gown Steering Committee tonight heard the "final presentation" from U3 Advisors, their $60,000 consultant charged with honing a vision for joint development of the economic and housing kind.

 Standing room only crowd for the presentation

Essentially what we got was a repackaging of the ill fated Gateway Project, another one-year endeavor that used a $30,000 consultant to put forth a vision of a grand mixed use development with student housing along the North Pleasant Street corridor, using the University's two acre parcel, the former Frat Row.  A project resulting from a public/private partnership that would house students, provided commercial amenities, and pay property taxes.

 

Former Frat Row North Pleasant Street at the "gateway" to UMass

Now called by U3 the "North Pleasant Corridor"

Mass Ave plan uses UMass parking lots and Phillips Street, the slummiest street in Amherst,  for a mixed use development

 

Current map of the North Pleasant Corridor/Gateway area

Study after study and now again this final report have concluded that Amherst does not have enough housing, driving up prices and driving out low and middle income workers. And our demographic is obviously studentcentric, reflected by the fact that Amherst has the lowest median age in the state.

You simply cannot talk about housing without including students, but when you do that -- because of the rancid reputation fostered by an irresponsible few -- neighbors bristle.

That bristle helped to kill the Gateway Project, The Retreat student housing project in North Amherst and they seem overly determined to kill the 1 East Pleasant Street project in the downtown because it dares to embrace student renters.

Simply put the town and University need to come up with a public/private partnership that can build a development to house STUDENTS without being torpedoed by the Pachecho Rule.

Amherst resident Stan Rosenberg, a proud UMass graduate and l-o-n-g-t-i-m-e unabashed cheerleader for our flaghip University, is about to become President of the Mass Senate.

Surely he can steer a bill through the legislature to get not only approval for a public/private partnership, but an equally important component to any deal:  financing. 

No more studies, no more talk.  Just do it.

Halloween Haze (Alcohol That Is)

AFD Engines Fine Arts Center awaiting ambulance to transport ETOH student 1:15 am

One can only wonder how much worse it could have been if Mother Nature had not played the role  first-responders-best-friend by providing rain right about the time parties are getting warmed up. And on Halloween, the parties are ubiquitious as pumpkins on a front porch.

 Hampshire Halloween fireworks 8:00 pm

Hampshire Halloween, the biggest event of the year for Hampshire College, was far less intoxicating than last year when AFD had six transports for ETOH.

This year AFD Chief Nelson required 2 out-of-town ambulances stage on scene, just as they did for the recent Fantazia concert at the Mullins Center.

South Hadley and Easthampton ambulances were easily able to keep up with demand, as only three patrons required transport to Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Medics on the scene also treated and released three more.

UMass, however, staggered to a new record, easily surpassing last year's 9 transports for intoxication. This year there were 13 transports, half again as many!

Interestingly male immaturity, as it often does, predominated: 12 of the 13 transports were (young) men. Another three patients (2 men, 1 woman) were treated and released for too much alcohol.

Fortunately Mother Nature continues to smile on our beleaguered first responders, as tonight promises to be the proverbial "dark and stormy night."

Just two of many ETOH incidents after midnight Halloween

High Cost Of Amherst Education

 Amherst Regional High School

Last Spring with almost no discussion Amherst Town Meeting approved an elementary school budget of $21,490,563 and a Regional School Budget (grades 7-12) of $29,618,478.

Just those two budget items alone swallowed up 52% of total town spending, and are a major contributor to Amherst's crushingly high property tax rates.

The Regional School budget was also approved by Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury, our partner towns in the joint educational enterprise grades 7-12.  Although Amherst makes up 88% of the Region.

The Amherst Pelham Regional School Committee recently heard an enrollment update as of October 1st.  For the Region, 1,472 students.  Now divide that into the total operation budget and it works out to $20,121 average cost per student for this fiscal year FY15 (ends this coming June 30).

State average is around $14,000.  Now multiply that extra $6,000 or so we spend per student times 1,476 students: an additional $8,868,000. 

For the elementary school the figure is either $17,760 cost per student IF you include Kindergarten (1,210 total) or $18,770 per student if you do not (1,145 total).  State average is around $14,000.

And those exceedingly high average costs figures are only going to escalate as our population growth stagnates, and Charter and Vocational schools continue stealing away students at an alarming rate. 

If an ARPS student attends the Chinese Charter School in Hadley that costs the sending district their average cost per student, or $20,121 (once the state officially certifies that 2014 figure); but if a Hadley student comes to ARPS via School Choice, that brings with him/her only $5,000. 

 75 students leaving ARPS, taking with them  $20K in funding per student

Almost 90% of the school budget goes towards payroll.   For most taxpayers the first thing that comes to mind regarding "schools" is "teachers".

Interestingly the average teacher salary at ARPS, according to the state DOE website, is $75,452 -- not much over state average, which Boston Business Journal reports to be around $69,000.

It's even a closer match if you use HR Director Kathy Mazur's average salary figure of $70,557 for the Region.  Although the Region does have a lower student/teacher ratio than state average: 11.7 to 1 vs state average of 13.6 to 1.

So where does all the money go that leads to such a high average cost per student?  Surely not the paraprofessionals, janitors or lunch ladies.

 ARPS 2012 average cost  per student of $18,026 vs state average of $13,636 note higher cost of "administration"

The Amherst Regional Public Schools (1,478 students 7-12) have a bevy of administrators in the $100K club:

Maria Geryk $159,150
Mark Jackson $135,803
Faye Brady $121,147
Marta Guevara $116,821
Mike Morris $115,879
Maria Mendonsa $110,000
Miki Gromacki $106,578
Joanne Smith $106,336
Ron Bohonowicz $104,487
Kathy Mazur $100,767
Michael Malone $100,290


Northampton, with similar student enrollments (1,335 students 7-12), has only two administrators making over $100,000:  Superintendent John Provost and Director of Student Services Laurie Farkas.

Hmm ...

Amherst Public Schools Payroll database

Show Me The $

Carolyn Gardner

Click to enlarge/read

Masslive reports

Don't Mess With The Brook

The Brook (54% owner occupied)

The Brook, originally an apartment complex built in the roaring 1970s called Riverglade Apartments and then converting to condos in the late 1980s, is getting serious about safety.

Last night neighbors, management and Amherst Police officer Dominick Corsetti came together to continue discussing a "neighborhood watch" group.  They first met a month ago and already Trustees have taken suggestions of increased outdoor lighting, uprooting large bushes near individual entryways (where bad guys can hide) and printing up stickers announcing their watchfulness.

Other ideas ranged from having APD use the office they were meeting in as a "substation," where officers can stop in during routine patrols and take a break or do paperwork, to starting a blog so all residents can stay informed about what's happened in the 146 unit complex.

For security reasons the group also discussed having an email list serve or forming a Yahoo user group so only members would have access to sensitive information, such as when someone may be away on vacation or business and wants other members to keep an eye on their home.

With the staffing level of Amherst Police bordering on the dangerously low side, any preventative measures individuals can take themselves for their safety and security is a good thing.

 Current office that could jointly become APD substation

So collectively coming together only makes sense.   The more eyeballs the better.

Columbia/Justice Drive neighborhood across the street has had one for years

Lipstick On A Pig?

One East Pleasant (most recent rendering)

After 30 years of attending countless public meetings, some of them somewhat heated, I can honestly say the Planning Board hearing of 10/22 was the most vitriolic in my long experience.

 10/22 Planning Board hearing crowd, mostly NIMBYs

Although I did miss the "neighborhood meeting" a few years ago concerning the now dead solar farm installation on ye' old landfill.




The letter written by Steve Bloom of Lincoln Avenue was particularly biting.  Interesting that he was not present to read it himself, which may have contributed to the overall nastiness.

That kind of rhetoric would never be allowed on the floor of Amherst Town Meeting (can't question the motives of individuals) so maybe Planning Board Chair David Webber will consider using his gavel when the hearing continues ...

 

David Webber (ctr) PB Chair at 10/22 meeting