Hampshire College Bright Idea

Land located north side West Bay Road between Eric Carle Museum and Rt 116

Last night Amherst Town Meeting gave interim Town Manager Dave Ziomek the authority to engage in discussions with potential owners of large solar arrays for a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.

Interestingly enough that authority covers not just the deal on the town owned landfills but also extends to private landowners like Amherst and Hampshire Colleges, both in the top three for land ownership in town.

After a year of planning, Hampshire College is poised to start construction on a 2.5 megawatt array on the old Ives property off West Bay Road, directly opposite Atkins Country Market, who also installed a solar array three years ago to satisfy their energy needs.

The deal on the table with Hampshire College would generate $560,000 over the life of the 20 year project, or $28,000 per year.

Currently Hampshire College pays the town nothing for AFD services while Amherst College pays us $130,000 and UMass/Amherst about $455,000.

Vince O'Connor, in one of his more lucid moments, asked from the floor of Town Meeting if the authority of the Town Manager would extend to UMass/Amherst our #2 property owner in town.

 Solar array will save UMass $40,000 per year

And he pointed out the new 300 kilowatt solar canopy over the parking lot at the Robsham Visitor's Center as an example.

Finance Director Sandy Pooler shrugged his shoulders saying, "It's complicated."

UMass recently stopped paying the town's local option hotel tax on the Campus Center Hotel and they are holding hostage the $200,000 collected and put in escrow trying to coerce the town into signing a three year overdue "Strategic Partnership Agreement."

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

Amherst Town Meeting 7:01 PM (almost ready to start)

Proving the old adage about a stopped clocked being occasionally correct, Amherst Town Meeting managed to make it through an entire session without screwing up, completing the 15 article warrant last night in record time, two hours and forty five minutes.

Although the usual voices from the margin gave it a good college try.

Newer of ye old landfills already has a commercial Transfer Station located there

Best news to report is a large scale Solar array will come to the newer of the old landfills as that project has near unanimous support.

Ye old landfill

Despite the usual complaints from neighbors living in the upscale area next to the other, older, landfill Town Meeting gave the Town Manager, described by offbeat member Carol Gray as a "blank check," the right to negotiate Net Metering Credits, lease the newer/old landfill to SunEdison and negotiate with them a Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.

Let's hope the Town Manager does the same with ye old landfill and maybe throw in a few extra tall wind turbines as well.

North Common in front of Town Hall has not had major work in a generation or two

With little discussion Town Meeting voted almost unanimously for Community Preservation Act spending of  $190,000 for renovation to the historic North Common and $240,000 for an ADA pre-school playground at Crocker Farm Elementary School.

 Amherst Regional Middle School: currently grades 7&8 (used to include grade 9 as well)

The $150,000 spending item to renovate the Amherst Regional Middle School to allow Leisure Services and Supplemental Education (Rec Dept) to relocate from the Bangs Community Center so a community health center can move there did stimulate a bit of discussion although it still passed overwhelmingly.

Member Janet McGowan asked if this would preclude using the Middle School as a Kindergarten through 8th grade in the controversial restructuring now being considered for Amherst elementary education?

One of the excuses for not tapping the underused Middle School is that it is "owned by the Region", even though Amherst makes up more than 80% of the Region.

And this move of a town department into a region owned facility makes it look like recreation is more important than the education of children.

Ms. McGowan's question went unanswered.

Town Meeting concluded with an easy one, spending $170,500 (matched by a state grant) to purchase 141 acres in Pelham, aka "Romer Woods," adjacent to Hills Reservoir.  Amherst is nothing if not careful with its drinking water supply.

Romer Woods abuts Hills Reservoir, Pelham

Although, considering the controversies Amherst is famous for, many outsiders wonder what exactly is in our water supply.

Party House of the Weekend

289 East Pleasant Street

Yes this past Halloween weekend has given me plenty of material, sorry to say.

But the good news is two or three years ago this party house would barely have garnered a mention compared to the other three or four that were then part of the normal routine.

 click to enlarge/read 

All 3 underage bad boys paid the $300 fine and will be on probation for 4 months

Things are getting better.  Much better.

Don't Mess With Dash!

Although it looks to me like Dash can take care of himself

In addition to a UMass police officer and Amherst firefighter being attacked by an overly aggressive drunk young woman over the Halloween weekend our resident K9, Dash, was also messed with by a college aged youth.

That too is pretty stupid.

675 Main Street

 

@amherstac You reported my wrongful arrest on Nov 1 but never updated with the dismissal of charges that I requested via email. Why not?

— Brian Forgione (@BrianForgione) March 1, 2016

At the follow up hearing for Mr. Forgione, the charge of messing with Dash was dropped but he was put on four months probation for the other two charges.

Where Have All The Colors Gone?

Amherst Town Common Wednesday morning

Sweetser Park

Kendrick Park

 President's House Amherst College

Behind Lord Jeff Inn town center

UMass Amherst the flagship of higher education (shot from town center) 

Amherst College #1 property owner in town

DUI Dishonor Roll

Brittani N. Allen, age 24, stands before Judge John Payne

About the only good news concerning the 28 APD arrests over the Halloween weekend is only one of them was for (allegedly) drunk driving.

Of course the other way of looking at it is APD was so busy dealing with party houses, fights, and zombie herds of college aged youth traipsing about the neighborhoods adjoining UMass, that they really did not have the time to watch for drunk drivers.

In a packed Eastern Hampshire District Court Ms. Allen had a plea of "not guilty" entered in her behalf and her case was continued until next month.

How NOT To Treat First Responders

Alyssa Conkonis stands quietly before Judge John Payne

UMass police may only have had 4 out of the 32 arrests over Halloween weekend but this one wins the prize for most outrageous. 

All you party hardy types may want to repeat a mantra in your head before letting loose on a party night for when you see those red or blue lights flashing: "They're here to help me, they're here to help me."

And keep in mind they have probably been dealing with crap no normal employee would ever tolerate in their workplace. So cut them some slack will ya?

Don't fight, bite or -- most especially -- spit!

 Click to enlarge/read

Ms. Conkonis was released on her own recognizance, her $500 bail was returned (although $150 will be taken out for her court appointed attorney). She returns to Eastern Hampshire District Court on December 3.