A Tree Grows In South Amherst

20.5" White Oak in front of 666 South East Street  (yellow caution tape around it)

The Planning Board voted 4-3 in favor of removing a 20.5" healthy white oak at the crest of a hill on scenic South East Street last night.  

But since Tree Warden Alan Snow disagreed with them, as did a single resident of the town who did so in writing, the controversy now goes to the Amherst Select Board, keepers of the public way.

 Alan Snow, Tree Warden; Christine Brestrup, Senior Planner

At their most recent meeting Monday night, at the urging of Mr. Snow, the Select Board officially declared April "Arbor Month."

Scenic Roads Public Hearing explanation

Unlike two and a half years ago this time the town is the petitioner to remove the tree, more specifically the DPW.  And yes Alan Snow is the DPW Director of Trees and Grounds, but his separate role as Tree Warden is a higher calling.

 Planning Board (still shy two members)

Assistant Town Manager Dave Ziomek told the Planning Board the removal of the tree would increase sight lines and improve safety ... a relatively "easy fix." 

But some members of the Planning Board thought that could contribute to an increase in speeding, a factor everyone seemed to agree was a problem on that road. 

In response to residents concerns over the past few years the town has installed new signs, increased police traffic enforcement, and trimmed trees along the roadway. 

 Sign at bottom of hill

Mr. Snow, however, reaffirmed the line he had drawn: "Pruning is one thing, but removal has to be taken seriously."

And in Amherst, it certainly is.

A Slight Miscalculation

Wildflower/Trilliam Way intersect bottom looking south

The Select Board on Monday night unanimously approved recommending to Town Meeting $3 million in borrowing to complete phase 2 of the Amherst Woods Sewer project.

 Click to enlarge/read

The original guestimate for the entire project was $4.2 million but then our consultant, CDM Smith, seemingly got it down to $3 million, which was approved by Town Meeting in 2011.

But during the final bid process it was discovered that estimate was a tad too optimistic.  By a LOT.

So the actual total cost is now $6 million, hence the need to borrow another $3 million.

The mistake was simply in properly estimating the cost of the work -- which was always really $6 million from the get go -- so it's not like they made a mistake that required costly additional correction work to rectify it.

And they are providing extra services without billing for it as a make good. 

Yes, the town is also using CDM Smith for the roundabout project at E. Pleasant/Triangle Street but DPW Chief Guilford Morring says that it's different set of consultants from another city branch.

 Iduna Lane (right) also on the list

Unlike the design mistake with the $10 million UMass Paradis steam plant that resulted in a total loss

DUI Dishonor Roll

About 300,000 people drive drunk daily with only 3,200 arrested

Once again we had a relatively safe weekend on our public roads when it comes to the significant dangers presented by impaired drivers.

Amherst police took only one driver, a college aged youth, off the road and charged him with Operating Under the Influence.

 Shear-Yashuv Shearammisha, age 22, stands before Judge Thomas Estes

Interestingly Mr. Shear-Yashuv took both the Portable Breath Test (not admissible in Court) and the official chemical breath test (Court admissible) back at the station with the same results, .12 -- or 50% over the limit.

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But it does go to show the PBT, widely used in the field, is accurate.

The other area arrest (in Hadley) we may see more of all too soon once recreational pot is legalized.  Again, the chemical breath test is interesting because it shows 0.0 for a reading, as obviously it is designed to detect alcohol, not pot.

So in this particular case the prosecution will have to rely on the observations of the arresting officer.

 Shane Leehim, age 26, stands before Judge Estes

   Hadley Pot Arrest

But Is She Overqualified?

Amherst College President Biddy Martin at reopening of Lord Jeff (does not require a microphone)

Precinct Five Town Meeting members, of which I am one, will meet on Tuesday to fill a vacancy for a three-year seat among three individuals who each received two write in votes on election day: Christopher W. Benning, Steven D. Heim and Carolyn Arthur Martin.

Not to be sexist, but she gets my vote.  If Biddy Martin can run Amherst College she sure as heck can handle Amherst Town Meeting.

I guess the real question is, can Town Meeting handle her?

Only 7 names appeared on the 3/29 ballot for 8 open seats

Charter Commission: So Far So Good

Town Clerk Sandra Burgess swears in the 9-member Charter Commission

The first meeting of the Amherst Charter Commission in over a dozen years went as well as could be expected, probably better.

All nine newly elected members showed up, the meeting started on time and the Commission organized itself with unanimous votes making Andy Churchill Chair, Mandi Jo Hanneke Vice Chair and Nick Grabbe clerk.

All three officers had been supported/endorsed in the election by Amherst For Change, an offshoot of the group who helped collect over 3,000 signatures required to force the potential change in government question on the ballot.

The Commission heard an Open Meeting Law primer from town attorney Lauren Goldberg who formerly worked for the Secretary of State and specializes in governmental issues like this.

She laid out the state mandated time frame starting with a public forum to get public comment that must be held within 45 days of the election, meaning not later than May 13th.

Within 16 months after the election they must publish their "preliminary report" and then within four weeks of that hold another public forum to get public reactions to the report.  And the drop-dead deadline is 18 months from their election to get their "final report" to the Select Board for placement on the town election ballot.

About 2 dozen spectators showed up for the meeting and it was broadcast by Amherst Media

As for discussion in general among the Commission it didn't take long for the battle lines to be drawn.  When Chair Andy Churchill brought up the $30K request of Town Meeting for charter related expenses the three Town Meeting loyalists -- Diana Stein, Gerry Weiss and Meg Gage -- balked.

They said it was too early in the process to be asking for so much money and it would breed discontent and suspicion.

Irv Rhodes worried about losing six months by waiting for Fall Town Meeting and he pointed out that if any money is left over at the end of the process it automatically goes back into the town coffers.

In his first act of diplomacy the Chair decided to put off the vote until their next meeting Monday night.

Churchill had gone before the Finance Committee last week and Select Board last night on his $30K proposal but both bodies requested he get a vote of the full Commission before they decide on whether to recommend it to Town Meeting.

Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner said he was paid $22K as a Charter consultant by Wellesley and he suggested the Commission stick to the $30K figure.

The first vote next week on the money request will be indicative of how the process will play out over the next year.  And two-thirds support is plenty enough.

What A Difference A Day Makes

Principal Bobbie Finocchio resignation is effective June 30th

From: Larry Kelley
To: Gerykm
Sent: Sat, Apr 2, 2016 4:40 pm
Subject: Bobbie Finocchio resignation

Hey Maria,

According to her hometown paper Ms. Finocchio signed a "three year contract" with you two years ago. So does that mean you will be paying her one full year to buy out her contract?

Or on the flip side, if the Public Schools help fund her doctorate at Boston College the past two years and paid relocation fees to bring her to Amherst in the first place is she refunding anything to Amherst to be released from that three year contract?

Larry

Click to enlarge/read

Winter's Last Offensive

Tuesday morning. Back to looking pretty

Truck into stump Belchertown Road (Rt 9), driver transported to CDH

Sunday the white stuff was just enough to make things look pretty, but on Monday it brought a little chaos, closing public schools (except UMass) and contributing to dozens of accidents all over our town and surrounding communities served by Amherst Fire Department.

 Mill Valley Road, Hadley: car into tree (no injuries)

Some drivers were fortunate in not finding a solid object to stop their vehicle after going into a slide on ice and simply needed a wrecker to pull them back onto the road.

 Car pulled back onto road South Pleasant Street

Others were less fortunate as bridge abutments, trees, telephone poles, stumps and guard rails brought their out of control vehicles to an instant stop.

Car into bridge abutment South East Street

DPW counterattacks, town center

Miss Emily and Mr. Frost yesterday:  having a pleasant conversation

Miss Emily and Mr. Frost today:  "What the Hell?!"