Grow Your Own

Mill Lane community gardens (yesterday)

Maybe once marijuana is decriminalized for recreational use the town garden plots will see an uptick in popularity.

The Conservation Department makes these Community Gardens available for a nominal fee, and for a town that prides itself on being green (both in clean energy and Irish senses) I'm surprised more people don't take advantage of the opportunity.

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UPDATE:  I'm now told the program is sold out, so I guess I will have to return for a reshoot in the next month or two.

 Amethyst Brook community gardens

Last year

Journey of a 1,000 Miles ...

AFD Central Station is too old and too cramped

The first real honest to goodness step in the right direction for a new South Fire Station was taken today, albeit a baby step.

 First meeting of DPW Fire Station Advisory  Committee in Town Hall today

The new 7-member DPW Fire Station Advisory Committee met for the first time this afternoon after being appointed by Temporary Town Manager Pete Hechenbleikner who initially chaired the meeting but then turned it over to elected Chair Lynn Griesemer, who also chaired the 2006 Fire Station Study Committee.

In his preamble Hechenbleikner told the Committee, "This work is incredible important.  You are the constituency, the advocates for these projects."

DPW Chief Guilford Morring said his new building is a little further along having already hired a designer who helped with a presentation to the Select Board a few months back for an 8.5 acre $37 million new facility.

 Some preliminary fire station work could start even before DPW moves out

The current DPW building has been identified as a location for the new Fire Station.

If the $65 million mega school is approved by two-thirds of Town Meeting in the Fall and a majority of the voters at the November election ballot that would free up Fort River School for the new DPW building.

The DPW Fire Station Advisory Committee will attempt to bring a funding request to the Fall town meeting to hire a designer and Owners Project Manager for the Fire Station to catch it up to the new DPW.

A Precious Thing

The Evergreens in October

While Town Meeting was somewhat unanimous in agreeing The Evergreens and First Congregational Church are priceless images that bring majesty (and foot traffic) to our Main Street Dickinson Historic District, there was still plenty of discussion about $390,000 in Community Preservation Act tax money for fire suppression systems.

Town Meeting approved $390K for First Congregation Church & The Evergreens 

The separation of church and state concerned some with the $200K request from the First Congregation Church, and even more were concerned that The Evergreens is owned by Amherst College, our #1 landowner who sits on a $2 billion endowment.

But supporters pointed out the College is matching the $190K request for The Evergreens and they contribute 15% of the annual operation costs to the Dickinson Museum complex.

Carol Gray in her usual acerbic way reminded Town Meeting that Amherst College was about to demolish the Little Red Schoolhouse to make way for a $200 million Science Center.

Little Red Schoolhouse facing west (Stone dorm in immediate background)

 Carol Gray locked and loaded

I voted "yes" simply because I worry that a No vote would have significantly delayed the installation of the sophisticated fire mitigation system, and I know all too well the devastating damage fire can unleash.

And it only takes minutes for the beast to grow unstoppable.

I did however abstain from the individual vote on First Congregational Church because I didn't want to mess too much (by voting no) with God.

 Town Hall had sprinkler system installed as part of $4 million renovation 20 years ago

Perhaps Town Meeting was a tad more civil last night (Carol Gray notwithstanding) because we started with cute kids from the Middle School presenting their warrant article to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day.

 Amherst Regional Middle Schoolers present to Town Meeting

As the town curmudgeon I usually vote "no" to these, but I figured there was no harm in showing empathy for wrongs committed a long, long time ago.  Besides, one of the petitioners is my daughter's BFF.

The article is only "advisory" so it has no real power to influence a Federal/State holiday, but it does send a symbolic message that Amherst is sensitive to the slaughter of innocent people.

The motion passed almost unanimously, to the great delight of spectators in the back of the room -- something not often seen or heard in sedate Town Meeting.

Yes, this is the same legislative body that voted down -- by two thirds vote no less -- my 2007 advisory article requesting the downtown commemorative flags fly every 9/11 for as long as the Republic stands to remember the innocents slaughtered on that unforgettable day. 

Maybe I should have had my daughter make the presentation.

Last Man Standing

Paul Bockelman is a Hampshire College graduate

The Amherst Select Board surprised Town Meeting at the start of our 6th session by announcing contract negotiations with their #1 pick for new Town Manager (by a 3-2 vote) Maria Capriola fell apart and they were appointing their #2 pick Paul Bockelman assuming they can finalize a contract.

 Click to enlarge/read

Staying in Connecticut

Ironically this came on the same day the Amherst Public Schools decided to redo a search for a new principal at Fort River School because of the three finalists only one remained.

But the difference here is the Select Board had used a very careful process right from the start that attracted 70 initial resumes distilled down to a final three, or the best of the best.

 Paul Bockelman at 4/27 public forum.  Bernie Lynch (left)

And then they set up highly public meet and greets so the general population could weigh in.

Because the Select Board had hired a temporary Town Manager, Peter Hechenbleikner (also not their first choice) who hit the ground running, they did not feel pressured to rush things.

Paul Bockelman has experience galore.  We're in good hands.

After all, #2 tries harder.

One is the Loneliest Number

Fort River Elementary School 

The revolving door for principals in the Amherst Public School System is certainly not slowing down any.  Two more announced their departures just in the past six weeks, each with only two years at the helm.

And some parents were not overly happy with the process to replace Bobbie Finocchio at Fort River School.

Out of three finalists only one remained (Doreen Cunningham) as Patty Bode, one of the finalists, was just assigned interim Principal of the Regional Middle School to replace Marisa Mendonsa.

   Fort River Principal Finalist Letter

Update:  They changed their minds

The Select  Board hired Bernie Lynch, a professional headhunter, who instituted a nationwide search for our new Town Manager.  Out of 45 good resumes a committee whittled it down to three and even though one dropped out at the last minute the Select Board still had two excellent candidates to chose from.

Although if they don't make an announcement tonight at Town Meeting about their chosen candidate, Maria Capriola, people are going to start wondering if she changed her mind.

Unlike the Town Manager search this school principal search has thus far involved far less public input.  Anointing the only remaining candidate could breed even more mistrust, making an already challenging job untenable.

The administration figured that out.  According to HR Director Kathy Mazur they are going to do a do over:

 Click to enlarge/read

Farming vs Housing

The parcel is currently assessed at $3,200

Even with the wholehearted support of the Planning Board, Select Board, Finance Committee and Housing & Sheltering Committee the rezoning of 5.79 acres on University Drive from office park to limited business just barely attained Town Meeting required two-thirds mark, 117 yes to 57 no.

Now the developer, UMass New Build LLC,  can move forward with a badly needed (mostly) student housing development consisting of 29 townhouse units with three of them set aside as affordable units.

Concept plan for 29 townhouses, 58 parking spaces on 5.79 acres (2.3 acres of it non buildable wetlands)

Since the property is in Chapter 61A it currently pays the town under $100 in property taxes, and obviously the high end housing development will pay in the six figures annually.

The town will have the "right of first refusal" once the deal is signed but since a disgruntled abutter leaked the potential selling price as $1.5 million, safe bet the town will not want to cough up anywhere near that to keep the 3 acre portion of the site in agricultural production.

Dysfunction Anyone?

 The Jones Library:  Amherst's living room

Perhaps in addition to the nifty new electronic voting clickers the Moderator should also consider another modern day device to assist him with keeping Town Meeting running smoothly: a stun gun.

In all my 25 years of as a Town Meeting participant/observer I have never seen such a display of unruliness bordering on bedlam. Brought to you by, who else, Carol Gray.

Carol Gray with a loaded weapon in her left hand 

Although the Moderator certainly could have handled things better, as "Points of Order" richocheted around the room like shrapnel from a Hellfire missile.

One thing an attorney is trained for is the give-and-take of cross examination. One little slip "opens the door" for a line of questioning that otherwise would be out of bounds.

By allowing the Jones Library delegation to talk about the building project in their presentation he invited Town Meeting members to follow suit, even if it was against his preamble speech to the membership that it would be ruled "outside the scope of the article."

 Historical Society property would have allowed expansion less destructive to green space

Not that I think the zoning change -- which requires a challenging two thirds vote -- was going to pass no matter how smoothly the presentation and follow up discussion went.

The privately owned Town Meeting list serve was a beehive of conspiracy theories all these past few weeks, so the failure was hardly surprising.

By killing the chance for the Jones Library to purchase abutting property from a kindred spirit, Town Meeting has set up the future renovation/expansion project for failure.

Even worse, it demonstrated our legislative body takes Ms. Gray seriously.  That alone is reason enough to terminate Town Meeting.