Safety Violations Found Amity Street Fire

219 Amity Street:  Tragedy avoided, barely

Normally I use public documents to back up my fiery rhetoric. But in this case I don't really have to.

I will let Amherst Inspection Services report sent to absentee owner Jamie Cherewatti speak for itself.

Loudly.

   219 Amity Fire Inspection Report

Click on headline '219 Amity Street Fire Inspection Report' to go to Scribd to better read document

Preventable Deaths = Priceless

11 Phillips Street

Any good fire prevention expert will tell you the best way to prevent fire related deaths is not to let The Beast form in the first place.  And nothing is better at accomplishing that then a sprinkler system.

Number two on the list is an early warning system that allows notification to residents to get out of the structure as quickly as possible i.e. smoke or heat detectors as well as simultaneously sending notification to a professional alarm monitoring company.  

But those detectors are worthless if they have been purposely disabled or simply not maintained properly, like changing the battery every year.

Take 11 Phillips Street -- and I wish somebody with eminent domain powers would take that entire street -- for instance:   In Eastern Hampshire District Court last week Fire Prevention Officer Mike Roy won yet another "disabling a smoke detector" case.

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While an $800 fine may seem steep for Mr. Weiner had AFD pressed to keep the mater criminal he would could have served up to two years in jail because the charge is a felony.

Instead, in a Clerk Magistrate Hearing, he was found "responsible" but as long as he abides by the four conditions the matter will be dismissed in November.

 Terms of settlement written up by his lawyer

And since he is one of only four who supposedly lives at 11 Phillips (but notice he identified himself as a "Fraternity Vice President ... hmmm) and rent is a whopping $4,800 per month, I think he -- or his Fraternity -- can well afford the fine. 

Beats being dead.

APD Community Liaison officer Bill Laramee (left) and absentee property owner Stephan Gharabegian this morning at 45 Phillips Street after first meeting at 11 Phillips Street

 AFD Fire Prevention Officer Mike Roy files complaint with Eastern Hampshire District Court on 4/26

Charter Jitters KO Ms. Capriola

Maria Capriola dropped out after being chosen new Town Manager

As I figured the main reason Maria Capriola dropped out at the last minute for relocating to Amherst as our new Town Manager from her current home and position as Assistant Town Manager in Mansfield, Connecticut was Charter Commission related.

   Amherst new Town Mgr Executive Sessions

Uprooting your family and moving out of state to a job that could be replaced in two years by a Mayor is a pretty big risk. And she doesn't look like the high risk type to me.

In the new Town Manager contract signed last night with Paul Bockelman he is guaranteed six months salary if his job is terminated by a change in government or he can stay on for that last year at full salary but will no longer be the top dog.

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Of course at that point you probably have a new Mayor making less money than Mr. Bockelman, which may strain their relationship a tad.

Two Sides To Every Story

Peter Hechenbleikner and Alisa Brewer at last night's SB meeting

At last night's Select Board meeting, after confirming a new Town Manager, Chair Alisa Brewer brought up the school issue that has caused consternation over the past ten weeks and has now grown into a full fledged public relations nightmare.

School Committee member Vira Douangmany Cage issued Amherst and Pelham officials a vitriolic statement urging them to address the Aisha Hiza school stay away order as a social justice issue.  And to remain silent is to endorse the injustice.

After a brief discussion the board asked Temporary Town Manager Pete Hechenbleikner to write up a response for their June 6th meeting although Ms. Brewer seemed to suggest a resolution of the matter may happen before then.

In response Mr. Hechenbleikner said, "Select Board is not privy to a lot of the details.  If social injustice is being done then silence is not appropriate.  I know more than the Select Board, and there’s no social injustice being done."

Aisha Hiza begs to differ:

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School Committee Coup D'etat?

Trevor Baptiste (right), Superintendent Maria Geryk (left)

The first half hour of last week's Regional School Committee meeting was taken up by an attempt to "reorganize" the Committee i.e. vote in a new chair, coincidentally enough to replace one who is on Maria Geryk's enemies list.

During Public Comment at the RSC April 12 meeting Mr. Baptiste allowed friends, supporters and fellow ARHS grads to read a letter decrying Aisha Hiza's ban from all Regional school grounds for advocating on behalf of her bullied child.

Some members and school officials thought it was out of order since the incident originated at Pelham Elementary School which is not part of the Region and therefor beyond the purview of the Regional Committee.

Geryk started the meeting as Chair and immediately wished for them to "reorganize."   Chair Trevor Baptiste was having none of it and the bickering began.

Geryk was relying on a previous tradition where the Region would reorganize after local town elections as well as state law that says committees must do so within ten days of said elections, which happened more than a month ago.

But Baptiste pointed out that law does not apply because the Regional Committee is not elected they are appointed by the local school committees and his town, Pelham, has yet to appoint one of their members to the Region.

Amherst School Committee Chair (and automatic member of the Region) Katherine Appy pressed for the reorganization although she told Mr. Baptiste it was nothing personal.  

Interestingly at yesterday's Joint Capital Planning Committee meeting, composed of two members each from the Finance Committee, Select Board, Library and School Committee, one School Committee member was MIA.

 Joint Capital Planning Committee yesterday (minus one School Committee member)

Ms. Appy told the JCPC that Rick Hood had not run for reelection in the March 29 election and the School Committee (which has met twice since then) has not yet appointed one of their own to replace him on the JCPC.

With neither side seeming to budge a compromise motion was made and approved to have the Regional School Committee reorganization take place at their June 14th meeting, and by then Pelham would have appointed a member to the Region.

I'll be bringing popcorn to that meeting (and a fire extinguisher).

Is Silence Ignoring?

 Trevor Baptiste, Vira Douangmany Cage, Regional School Committee

Select Board Chair Alisa Brewer briefly allowed a discussion about a strongly worded email they received today from School Committee member Vira Douangmany Cage asking why they have remained silent on the matter of Aisha Hiza.

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Ms. Hiza you may remember was issued a "stay away" order on March 15 by Amherst Regional Public School Superintendent Maria Geryk after she vigorously demanded school officials do something about the bullying of her young daughter at Pelham Elementary School.

School Superintendents have extraordinary power when it comes to issuing such an order, kind of like the combined power of a Clerk Magistrate and District Court Judge, but without much due process.

 Alisa Brewer:  "Silence is not ignoring.  We're not taking the easy way out"

   
The Select Board tasked Temporary Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner with coming up with a statement by their June 6th meeting so they can't be accused of remaining silent.  Mr. Hechenbleikner told the Select Board he "knew more than they did, and there's no social injustice being done."

Chair Alisa Brewer said "We are supportive of solving the stay awat order as quickly as possible" and then added, "The situation has been a very tension filled conversation across the community."

That it has. 

Bockelman It Is

Paul Bockelman, new Town Manager

After about 20 minutes sequestered away in a side office room adjacent to the Town Room the Amherst Select Board returned from executive session to confirm Paul Bockelman as new Town Manager for three years starting August 22, right around the time our beloved students come flocking back to town.

Select Board retreated behind closed doors 

Mr. Bockelman would know that of course since he lived in town as a college student who graduated from Hampshire College many years ago.

Yes, it would have been a little better if the term of the contract was only two years because now Town Meeting loyalists will use that last year buyout as an excuse to vote against a Charter Change, switching our form of government from Select Board/Town Manager/Town Meeting to Mayor/Council.

Three Year Employment Contract

 Town Press Release

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Select Board member Connie Kruger signing the contract