Controversial Deal Requires DO OVER

Laura Kent (right) first elected to Amherst School Committee 3/29/16

Union 26 will have to try once again to settle the controversial matter of Superintendent Maria Geryk wishing to break her contract and collect $309,000. 

Last night the combined Committees voted 5-3 in favor of the deleterious deal but Union 26 did not have a quorum and therefor should not even have been called into session.

Union 26 will try again on Monday, August 15th, probably in a secured bunker.

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On Aug 10, 2016, at 4:14 PM, Larry Kelley <amherstac@aol.com> wrote:

Hey Laura,

Are you going to call another joint meeting of the RSC and Union 26 to redo the vote on Maria Geryk's separation agreement? 

I'm about to file an Open Meeting Law complaint with you over last night's meeting not having a quorum of Union 26 members, but will hold off if you are in the process of "doing over."

Larry


From: Laura Kent
To: Larry Kelley
Sent: Wed, Aug 10, 2016 5:01 pm
Subject: Re: Last night's boo boo

Hey Larry,

Thanks for the email before doing that. I really appreciate it-  I talked to the Attorney Generals office this afternoon.  It is an honest mistake, I thought with Tara Luce recusing herself the body would sit at 5 and three of us present (4 voting).  The members of the Union are as follows: Tara Luce (Pelham Chair), Darius Modestow (Pelham Vice/ Union #26 Chair), Trevor Baptiste (Pelham Secretary), Katherine Appy (Amherst Chair), Phoebe Hazzard (Amherst Vice) and myself (Amherst Secretary)- 6 total.

There is a "rule of necessity" where Tara could have removed her recusal to meet quorum but I was unaware of that (from Ethics/Conflict of Interest law). I also have not heard or had any communication with her during this whole matter.

Darius is scheduling a meeting of the Union Monday morning and I will be having a Regional School Committee meeting on Wednesday at 6.  I am finalizing the RSC agenda right now and will get that off soon.  The votes of the RSC (quorum present) would be 4-3 from last night.

Thanks also for coming last night and staying post executive session, I know it was another long one.  If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Laura

Do Over!!!

Only two members of Union 26 were present last night

Last night was supposed to be a joint meeting of the Amherst Pelham Regional School Committee and Union 26, so with 100% attendance it would include 12 individuals.

But only seven bothered to show up for the Last Supper and another one -- Katherine Appy -- appeared via "remote participation" which means she does not count towards a quorum.

Since six of the seven were Regional School Committee members that constitutes a quorum for that body.

But Union 26 was not even close to a quorum (only 2 of 6).  According to Debbie Westmoreland, assistant to the (now dethroned) Superintendent:

"Union 26 is made up of the three officers (chair, vice-chair and secretary) from the Amherst and Pelham School Committees, so it is currently Tara Luce, Darius Modestow and Trevor Baptiste for Pelham and Katherine Appy, Rick Hood and Phoebe Hazzard for Amherst." 

While Rick Hood was in the room he is no longer a member of the Amherst School Committee so therefor cannot be a member of Union 26.  Katherine Appy was using "remote participation" which state law says you do not count towards the quorum and Phoebe Hazzard and Tara Luce were MIA.

This HUGE oversight certainly demonstrates how the School Committees were distracted by their  headlong rush to judgement.

   Maria Geryk ARPS Superintendent contract by Larry Kelley on Scribd

Note her contract is signed by Union 26 and Regional SC Chairs

The Other Shoe Drops

Aisha & Raheli Hiza:  Banned in Pelham

UPDATE:  The RSC voted 5-3 to give Maria Geryk a $310K buyout.  Ouch!

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Before our embattled, diffident Regional School Committee rubber stamps Maria Geryk's $300K platinum parachute they may want to consider another major lawsuit in the making.

Yes, Ms. Hiza has made it perfectly clear she's not interested in money, only justice.

But she will most certainly be appalled at a $300K payout to Geryk, when in fact it was the impetuous implementation of an unjust stay away order that led to her current downfall.

But if the RSC insists on rewarding that bad behavior, Ms. Hiza will most certainly reset her goals to an equal payout for the significant emotional damages inflicted on her and -- most especially -- her daughter.

The old, "Damned if you do and damned if you don't".  So why not do what's right?

   Aisha Hiza Lawsuit in the Making

School Committee Final Fiasco?

Regional School Committee 6/14, minutes before ousting Trevor Baptiste as Chair

UPDATE:  RSC voted 5-3 to give Maria Geryk a $310K buyout.  Ouch!

For the 4th consecutive time the Amherst Pelham Regional School Committee will retreat into executive session later today to perhaps finalize the deal struck with Superintendent Maria Geryk over the past three secret sessions, however, as he did previously Trevor Baptiste will request the Committee NOT pull the curtains like a Romulan cloaking device.

Rookie Chair Laura Kent already made it perfectly clear in a "confidential" memo illicitly leaked by the Daily Hampshire Gazette that she wants an immediate up or down vote on the offer -- which Sean Mangano, Director of Finance, estimates at between $280,000 to $300,000.

 Click to enlarge/read

Since the vote to confirm that duplicitous deal has to be made in public why not stay in open session and rip off the band-aid like a man? (Or woman as the case may be).

Mr. Baptiste is also concerned there has been no discussion of what a major impact that large settlement amount will do to day-to-day operations of the schools.

Not to mention the loss of an all powerful Superintendent at this critical time, with the Select Board just having approved placing a $33 million Override question for the Amherst Schools on the November 8th ballot.

The RSC can vote to approve the 1.5 year buyout, reduce the offer to one year, or simply fire the Superintendent for insubordination.

As Yogi once said, "It ain't over till it's over"

Alpine Commons Fire Update

Alpine Commons June 4th

Alpine Commons today

While an exact cause for the devastating fire that ripped through an 8-unit apartment complex at Alpine Commons on Saturday afternoon June 4th has not yet been determined, AFD Chief Tim Nelson said they have narrowed down the ignition point to the upstairs apartment on the west end.

Which explains why the fire quickly entered the attic, where it had an unobstructed route all the way to the eastern side of the building.

Both Chief Nelson and Building Commissioner Rob Morra agree the building is still salvageable but two months later nothing has been done besides erecting a protective fencing around the burned out hulk.

If the owners simply demolish it and start over or if the renovation exceeds 50% of the floor area -- and Mr. Morra suspects it will -- then sprinklers will be required by current building codes.

And considering the staffing levels at beleaguered AFD, sprinklers can be a lifesaver.

 The Fisher Hospice House fire 7/22, without sprinklers, could have been a disaster 

Fatal Bus Crash: Sad Update

Tragic accident occurred a little after 5:00 PM in the heart of Amherst center

The District Attorney's office is referring all questions to the Amherst Police Department concerning the fatal crash in Amherst town center last week that took the life of Andrienne Paquette from Chicopee, who was only 22.

 Adrienne Paquette

According to Chief Livingstone his department is awaiting the Medical Examiner's office final report but at this point, "it appears to have been a medical issue."

Meanwhile, a friend of the family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money towards the most unthinkable thing loving parents never in their wildest nightmares contemplate:  a funeral for their precious daughter. 

Just over half way there

Construction Overview (Way Over)

UMass towers over the town

Can you tell Amherst is a "college town"?

Almost all the new growth happening now is from our institutes of higher education, and one of the reasons cited for the unusually high water consumption during July was construction projects using the public water supply to wet down work areas in order to keep the dust from flying.

But I still love the new Design Building, a signature structure along the gateway road (North Pleasant Street) into the heart of  UMass.

 Design Building (Note drone training area in center)

Physical Sciences Building (Also on North Pleasant Street)

Another Solar Canopy going over Lot 44

Roof of Fine Arts Center being prepped for solar panels

Isenberg School of Management expansion looks like it will nuke three majestic Pin Oak trees

Amherst Collge Greenway Dorms (left) look done but Science Center just started

Hitchcock Center Living Building on Hampshire College campus

Olympia Place a privately owned (tax paying) dorm near UMass is now open

Former First National Bank building being renovated for Workbar, which should stimulate town center