Time For Change

March 29:  Most important local election in the past 11 years

'Amherst For All' is coming under criticism for something they never did -- publicly call for Town Meeting termination -- from 'Amherst Town Meeting Works', who publicly whine about maintaining our antiquated form of government by begging a No vote on the March 29 ballot question concerning the formation of a new Charter Commission.

Of course this falls right into the same category of hypocrisy demonstrated by those candidates now running for the Charter Commission who refused to sign the initial petition that brought the question to the March 29 ballot in the first place.

At the very least it shows they do not have much confidence their side will triumph on the all important ballot question.

Even more hilarious is the new video from the undynamic hat duo, Mary Wentworth and Michael Burkhart, with their Pulitzer Prize investigative hatchet piece riddled with errors.



Because W.D. Cowls and Jones Properties donated a measly $200 each to Amherst For All, which was an organization with the stated goal of supporting a ballot question that simply allows voters the right to choose, is hardly a grand conspiracy.

I'm sure both companies gave many times over that this past year to local sports teams and social service agencies.  And Cinda Jones granddaddy also had a daughter, so he did not split his empire between just two sons.

She is also not the "biggest property owner in Western Mass."  Her multi-generational owned company, W.D. Cowls, Inc is.  In fact they are the #1 property owner in the entire state, although the vast majority of the empire consists of undeveloped woodlands.

 Note who two of the sponsors are (right column)

And if it was not for Barry Roberts buying the old College Drug Store in 1991 after a fire forced any redevelopment to include an elevator, that building would probably still be a downtown eyesore.

As well as the First National Bank building directly across the street that he purchased and renovated twenty years ago.  A building that currently has a prime vacancy after TD Bank moved out, but still costs Barry a bundle in property taxes. 

Eleven years ago Amherst Town Meeting Works raised almost $7,000 to defeat the Mayor/Council/Town Manager government that came out of Stanley Durnakowski's one man crusade to  collect the thousands of signatures required.

 Stan Durnakowski Amherst Bulletin column 2002

And Stanley had a prominent sign that was always by his side:  "Time For Change:  Sign This Petition For A Mayor For Amherst."

You can't get much more clear than that.  Yet 3,000 people still chose to sign his petition.

Yes, Amherst For All was non-committal when it came to clearly saying it was time to terminate Town Meeting, but that's certainly not why 3,500 people still chose to sign their petition.

And now they have formed a second organization, Amherst For Change, that will probably get more forthright with messaging.  At least I hope they do.

 Now you know who NOT to vote for (see 9 above)

Here's who you vote for!

Town Center Refresh

Amity Street parking lot is busiest in town

The heart of downtown will benefit by a comprehensive infrastructure improvement with the repaving of Amity Street, the complete overhaul of the popular town parking lot adjacent to Amherst Cinema and a new raised crosswalk in front of the Jones Library.

The DPW project will be done over the summer when our little college town slows down somewhat so as not to cause too much disruption to local small businesses and the site plan was approved by the Planning Board and Design Review Committee.

 Click to enlarge

 Center walkway will line up with crosswalk to Jones Library

The lot, because of more efficient design, will increase from 33 to 35 spaces with three of them handicapped accessible (up from only two now).

Medical Marijuana Trifecta?

Auction Barn in North Amherst possible home to medical marijuana dispensary

The Select Board on Monday night will be asked yet again for a "letter of support or non opposition" to a medical marijuana dispensary located at 169 Meadow Street in deep North Amherst, almost to the Sunderland line.

Although ever optimistic attorney Tom Reidy succinctly requests a Letter of Support, which the Select Board has opted to do for the previous two petitioners.  

The building is the former home of Kimball's Auction Barn who recently moved to Rt 9 Hadley after the 47 acre property was sold by W.D. Cowls to farmer Joe Czajikowski earlier this month.

Since there is not a state regulation concerning the number of dispensaries in a city or town theoretically all three could get state approval, although highly unlikely.

But who knows, if the ballot question legalizing recreational pot gets approved this coming November, we could probably provide more than enough business for three dispensaries.

DPW: No Place Like New Home

Current DPW cannot shelter much of their fleet

The long awaited new DPW Facility Planning Study will be presented to the Select Board on Monday night.  Main headline of course will be the $37 million price tag. Ouch!

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring points out this is still a preliminary plan with healthy contingencies built in, so prices should drop as the plan gets closer to breaking ground.

 Fort River School is the preferred site for new DPW

The town is currently in the throes of birthing four major costly building projects:  a new $65 million elementary school, a Jones Library expansion/renovation with published reports as high as $40 million, a new forever talked about South Fire Station which certainly will cost more than the $12 millions Joint Capital Planning Committee has used as a placeholder for years, and this DPW refresh at around $37 million.

The state will reimburse half the School and Library construction costs but even then we're looking at $50 million in town funds.  And there's no state reimbursement for DPW, so now we're up to $87 million; and the Fire Station can't be much cheaper than a DPW facility, so new we're well over $100 million.

Or one-tenth of a billion.  Yeah, that's real money.

Drink The Water

DPW is regrading the old landfill to improve drainage

The Water Supply Protection Committee met this morning and unanimously supported a statement/memo to DPW Chief Guilford Mooring declaring Amherst water is safe to drink despite rumblings from neighbors of the old landfill who hired a private environmental firm -- Roux Associates -- to provide ammunition in their war to prevent a municipal solar project.

   Amherst water is fine

 Water Supply Protection Committee

Concerned neighbors

The town recently signed an agreement with SunEdison for a 2.8 megawatt solar array on that wide open parcel and neighbors fear it will increase the probability of the landfill cap failing and creating an environmental disaster.

Plus it will make it harder for dog walking.

A Reasonable Balance?

Kendrick Place continues to draw fire

Despite the objections from both the Chamber of Commerce and Business Improvement District the Amherst Planning Board voted unanimously 5-0 with two abstentions last night to recommend a zoning article to Town Meeting that would better define what constitutes a "mixed use" building.

 Amherst Planning Board

The more restrictive aspects compared to current bylaw is the residential make up of the building would limit 4 bedroom units to no more than 25% of total units (for fear of student rentals by the bedroom) and the first floor must be 60% commercial vs the current vague rule that seems to allow an ATM or gumball machine to suffice. 

Vince O'Connor spoke in favor of the article, specifically citing Kendrick Place as an example of what should be avoided in the future.  And he lamented the loss of the Carriage Shops, which was entirely small business commercial shops, to be replaced by One East Pleasant, which is mostly residential.

 Vince O'Connor:  "Given the latitude for mixed use buildings there should be a better definition."

Although it remains to be seen if these new regulations if passed by Town Meeting (requires a two thirds vote) would apply to One East Pleasant Street, the companion project -- although much larger -- to Kendrick Place. Developers of those two projects,  Kyle Wilson  and David Williams, were in the audience last night but did not speak. 

Last year Town Meeting voted down a citizens petition article that was far more restrictive in defining what constitutes a mixed use building, so this Planning Board article is considered a good faith compromise. 

Kind of like fighting fire with fire. 

Unfair Profits?

27 Kendrick Place (Not to be confused with apartment building of same name)

A little less than two years ago then Finance Director Sandy Pooler purchased the little house at 27 Kendrick Place for $5,000 over the minimum asking bid of $220,000.

The house was left to the Amherst Housing Authority by former Select Board member and 30+ year  UMass German language professor Eva Schiffer.   And according to her last will and testament the house should be sold to a town employee at 60% of its market value (at the time appraised at $307,000).

When that did not work out the AHA went to probate Judge Linda Fidnick who ruled it was okay to simply sell the house outright as long as the proceeds went towards assisting low-income families. 

After the sudden death of Town Manager John Musante, when the town was still reeling from his loss, Mr. Pooler announced he was leaving for a job in his hometown.  Fair enough.  Who does not like working for their hometown?

But now the property he purchased for the bargain basement price of $225,000 is on the market for $350,000.  Thus even if he put $20,000 into the house over the past two years, a pretty healthy $100,000 profit wouldn't you say?

Ms.  Schiffer would not be pleased.