AFD North Station strategically located next to UMass
Having listened to and covered up close a countless number of emergency calls over the past 12 months, I'm not surprised that 2015 was the busiest year ever for the Amherst Fire Department with a total of 6,363 calls, up 7.59% from last year's 5,914.
And that was accomplished without a 7.59% increase in staffing, the #1 problem now facing AFD. The cramped condition and sorry state of Central Station is closely followed problem #2.
Click to enlarge/read
This year AFD and Dispatch cost Amherst taxpayers around $5,000,000
UMass paid us $455,000 for emergency services this year and created 19.1% of the call volume, or $955,000 worth.
Amherst College paid the town $120,000 and created 4% of the call volume, or $200,0000.
Hampshire College paid us ZERO but created 3.1% of the call volume, or $155,000 -- enough to hire three new firefighters.
AFD on scene Hampshire College 8/30/15 for typical "cooking smoke" false fire alarm
The 2 buildings are on the west side of Kendrick Park
Despite the prominence of the two local developers involved (Curt Shumway and Barry Roberts) and that of their architect (John Kuhn) and legal counsel (Tom Reidy) the Amherst Historical Commission voted unanimously not to allow the vaporization of two buildings in the north end of downtown that have stood in that location for over 150 years.
John Kuhn, Barry Roberts, Curt Shuway (seated) attorney Tom Reidy (standing)
The main reason being, after 150+ years, they add a texture and feel to the neighborhood that would be forever altered by their destruction. And yes, a good number of neighbors turned out to reaffirm that before the Commission.
Vast majority of audience was in favor of demolition delay
In fact only one person from the audience spoke in favor of the demolition (Niels la Cour) reminding the Commission that Amherst needs commercial development and erecting hurdles via a demo delay only exaserbates the town's anti-business reputation.
Sarah la Cour also submitted a letter on Business Improvement District stationary supporting the demolition. Barry Roberts was of course one of the main architects of creating the BID.
Click to enlarge/read
The developers wish to build a four-story 20,000 square foot office building with possible retail on the ground floor. But not a bar or restaurant, Mr. Kuhn assured the Commission.
The area is zoned limited business which limits the height to only three floors so even if the Historical Commission allowed the demolition the project must still get a Special Permit from the Planning Board to go up the extra floor. That motion would require six of the eight members to vote yes.
Local researcher/historian Ed Wilfert presented his findings to the Commission
Attorney Reidy, after it appeared certain the delay would be enacted, requested perhaps making it only a six-month delay. But the bylaw only allows for a one year delay, and it's all-or-nothing. The Commission can, however, six months down the road lift the delay and allow demolition.
Developers can simply wait out the year and are then free to demolish the buildings or they could try to move them to a new location.
Opponents of Amherst For All's effort to collect the 3,215 required signatures to place on the March 29 ballot the question of forming a 9-member Charter Commission to come up with a new and improved local government failed to challenge a single signature.
After a simple majority vote of the Select Board, the measure goes on the ballot.
List of candidates who have taken out papers:
One addition: Gerry Weiss (former Select Board member)
Of these 11 potential candidates for the 9 member Charter Commission only Gerry Weiss and Janet McGowan refused to sign the Charter petition itself.
William O'Neil, age 24, stands before Judge John Payne
Amazingly Amherst police did not make a single DUI arrest over the New Year's holiday weekend, normally peak time for drunk driving. Hadley however, had a doozy:
Amherst Select Board member Jim Wald was arrested by Amherst police over the weekend and charged with "Assault on a family member," arraigned before Judge John Payne this morning in Eastern Hampshire District Court where his case was continued to January 28th for a Pretrial Hearing.
Click to enlarge/read
I have not felt this lousy about reporting an event concerning an Amherst town official since that sad Sunday morning in late September when I broke the shocking news of Town Manager John Musante's death at too early an age.
The relatively new Domestic Violence Law, in order to protect victims, requires police to purge from their daily logs any domestic abuse incident, aka Chapter 56A.
In addition, Eastern Hampshire District Court will not provide the police "Statement of Facts" that I rely on with my usual drunk driving or party house arrest reports.
I reached out to Mr. Wald asking him for a statement. But other than pointing out, "Not everything you read or hear is true or as characterized -- which is why in this country one is innocent until proven guilty," he did not have anything further to say.
Had it been a DPW worker, Dispatcher or Town Hall janitor you would not be reading this report. But Mr. Wald is a high ranking town official (although at $300/year he makes far less pay than any of those three other examples) who simply must be held to a higher standard.
And a reporter who decides whether or not to report a story based on personal feelings -- good or bad -- towards personalities involved, is a lousy reporter.
Cable Advisory Committee and Amherst Media Director Jim Lescault (rt)
The Cable Advisory Committee voted unanimously today to "formally request the town of Amherst authorize via our special counsel an independent 5 year audit of Comcast."
The $28,000 study is meant to uncover any under reporting over the past five years of cable revenues generated in Amherst.
According to the current license agreement -- which expires in October -- Comcast pays the town 5% of television revenues (but not Internet or phone) which goes to fund Amherst Media.
In the most recent quarter Comcast reported $1,569,509 in qualifying revenues and cut a check to Amherst Media for $74,599.44. The committee is also sending a memo to the Select Board on Friday outlining key negotiation requests they are seeking to be included in the new ten-year contract.
Should other cities and towns in the region join in with the audit process the $28,000 cost would be divided up equally, sort of like a class action lawsuit.
CACmember Sean Hannon, also the town's Information Technology Director, was going to hand deliver the $28,000 formal request to Interim Town Manager Dave Ziomek.
The coolest retro neon sign in Amherst will light up once more
Perhaps the greatest ally a small business owner can ask for is a supportive partner.
Either one in the actual business itself to help deal with the infinitely long to do list, or an understanding spouse who knows what you go through 24/7 and offers encouragement when circumstances conspire to overwhelm you.
The main reason Metacomet Cafe closed down somewhat suddenly last fall, after taking more than two years to serve its first burger, is because one of the two business partners -- a blood relative -- took ill, and is no longer in the picture.
Click to enlarge/read
The most recent note (dated 11/19/15) on the door from Spenser Hopton, who is decidedly still in the picture, said the Cafe would reopen by "next month." But now we're in the cold month of January and they still have not reopened.
So I called Spenser to inquire and was assured he has not given up. Metacomet Cafe will reopen by St. Valentine's Day. Yes I know, the dates seem to keep getting pushed into the future just far enough to allow breathing room.
And when you're now going it alone trying to run a business in town center -- the high rent district -- in a market where UMass unfairly competes with you and Internet trolls can savage you on Yelp (or those damn blogs) it's no wonder normal breathing is hard to come by.
Spenser learned a hard lesson from the brief time they were open last summer and will tweak things accordingly. The Cafe will offer a wider array of food -- serving breakfast, lunch and dinner -- with sit down friendly service.
Sounding more upbeat Spenser closed with, "I still have hopes the Metacomet Cafe will be cherished by the entire population -- both students and town folks."
And he's well aware this second chance is also a last chance.
