A Fitting Investment

UMass undergrad Commencement Ceremony, May 8th

If UMass can spend a little over $300,000 on three "artists" for a free musical concert at the Mullins Center to attract students away from a boorish Blarney Blowout style of celebration, I sure don't have a problem with paying Neil deGrasse Tyson $25,000 (plus expenses) for this year's Commencement speech.

As I've mentioned more than once, last year's Blarney Blowout cost the University and Town more than a million in bad PR.  And had this year's event stumbled down the same sorry path, you could have easily doubled that amount.

College graduation is a once in a lifetime event.  Let's hope Mr. Tyson presents a memorable, out of this world, speech.

Globe story alone is worth a couple bucks

A Bridge Request Too Far

 Mill Street Bridge connects State Street and Summer Street

Last night the Public Works Committee voted unanimously to oppose the citizens petition article brought to upcoming Town Meeting by North Amherst resident Vince O'Connor to partially reopen the Mill Street bridge and allow two-way vehicular traffic via one lane using the center area of the closed bridge.

State inspectors deemed the bridge "dangerous"

In March of 2014 the Public Works Committee had also voted unanimously to support the same option eventually approved by the Amherst Select Board: to renovate the bridge for one lane vehicular traffic (yet to be decided which way) with a side order of bike/pedestrian path.

 Mill Street Bridge has been closed since summer of 2012, but still open to pedestrians and cyclists

That reconstruction project is scheduled to start in the 2017 construction season and will be paid for with state money.

Outer beams rusted and concrete foundation is washing away

Mr. O'Connor admitted the bridge is currently unsafe for two-way traffic and cannot support the weight of Amherst Fire Department emergency vehicle, but he pointed out it's the outermost steel beams on each side that are the problem, so the middle part of the bridge could support one car via one-way traffic.

 Vince O'Connor was unsuccessful with his pitch to the Public Works Committee last night

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring pointed out that you would need to place jersey barriers to keep cars from traveling on the unsafe areas thus taking up even more space making it tight for AFD vehicles or pedestrians and cyclists crossing at the same time with vehicles.

During the meeting Mooring texted Fire Chief Tim Nelson about the bridge who instantly responded, "I wouldn't even think about using it"

Long time Town Meeting member and North Amherst resident Hilda Greenbaum also complained to the Public Works Committee that more traffic is now funnelled through the main North Amherst village center intersection, which is a tad quirky.

Greenbaum threatened PWC Chair Christine Gray-Mullen  with  a lawsuit if she were injured or killed in a car accident in North Amherst center.

 N. Amherst intersection upper center: Montague & Sunderland Road split off

Committee members repeatedly suggested there was "nothing new" in the presentations coming before them now, considering the extensive public hearings they held over one year ago.  When they cut off discussion because of that, O'Connor stormed out of the meeting.

The Public Works Committee then voted unanimously (3-0 with 2 absent*) to strongly oppose the Town Meeting warrant article to reopen the bridge because it was "unsafe, costly to implement and still would not support the weight of an AFD emergency vehicle."

 * The PWC is currently looking for a new member.  With meetings like this, how can you go wrong?

 Bridge provides perfect perch to view Puffer's Pond waterfall

Better Off Dead?

Rout 9 Diner now defunct

The Gazette seems to think the ("self inflicted") death of this diner can serve as a role model for the restaurant trade on how not to do business.  Fair enough I suppose. 

But I still have not heard a single source say the boorish behavior some employees were accused of back in October continued unabated for the last five months up until Monday when the business suddenly closed their doors.  Forever.

 Today's editorial

 Since the "self inflicted" wounds proved fatal, do we declare it a suicide?

So did the Attorney General's office really need to come in guns blazing? 

Especially since their involvement seems to be simply handing off the matter to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.  

Considering the pace MCAD ambles along at most of the "young women" who worked at the establishment and were subject to bad behavior would see a settlement right around the time they are eligible for AARP.

Now, everybody gets nothing.

NIMBYs Cast A Giant Shadow

53 acre Old landfill on Belchertown Road is nothing if not wide open

About the only interesting thing to come out of last night's Amherst Media live coverage of the local election was the interview of the Town Manager, who is not known for his extemporaneous public speaking skills, by former Select Board member Judy Brooks.

Bricks and mortar media reporters who cover the Town Manager should take notes.

When she grilled him about the proposed solar array on ye old landfill the Town Manager, finally, admitted the project is "dead."

Killed of course by nearby neighbors who filed a lawsuit against the town for violating an old provision with the Department of Environmental Protection not to allow anything on the cap of landfill except for passive recreation.

The state legislature, in order to stimulate the sprouting of solar arrays on old landfills, passed legislation to nix such provisions but it came too late for Amherst.

 Solar array on Allard Farms Hadley, just over the Amherst border

The Town Manager explained last night that the solar market had since changed and tax incentives were no longer as advantageous, thus making the multi-million dollar green project unworkable.

This after spending $64,827 for contract negotiations with BlueWave Capital.

Score another one for the NIMBYs -- at the expense of the common good.

Amherst Woods neighbors were a tad too close for comfort

Apathy Wins Big

This homeowner called it

So no BIG surprises in yesterday's annual town election.  No little surprises either.  Turnout was a pathetic at best 7.5%.   Or with only 1,472 voters making the effort -- in an election costing taxpayers around $12,000 -- a little over $8 cost per vote cast.

The town really needs to follow UMass and create a PR Department to better promote the Amherst "brand."  Since we are famous for being so opinionated it is embarrassing to have such a lousy turnout for a local election -- the most fundamental aspect of civic engagement.

But the establishment will be (somewhat) happy with the results.  Phoebe Hazzard survived an election process snafu and ended up the top vote getter, beating out somewhat seasoned candidate Vira Douangmany.

Although two seats were open so both candidates will join the 5 member Amherst School Committee.

The last minute School Committee write in campaign to keep Lawrence O'Brien on the board failed to gain traction.  But first timer Victor Nunez-Ortiz did well for a write in candidate garnering 259 votes.

Election ballots are kind of like web pages: you want them to load quickly with as few clicks as possible to complete whatever task brought you there.  And taking the time to write in the full name of a candidate vs simply filling in a little oval is a lot to ask.

TracyLee Boutilier, the other winner in a somewhat contested Amherst Housing Authority race, like Vira Douangmany, is also somewhat seasoned as she ran for the AHA last year and lost to establishment candidate Peter Jessop.

With the town currently falling all over itself to address the problem of affordable housing the AHA could be instrumental in the upcoming political firefights.

It will also be interesting to see who replaces Paul Bobrowski, a level headed attorney, as Chair of the Amherst Housing Authority since he did not run for reelection.

Also on a second try Doug Slaughter won an uncontested seat on the still all white Select Board, our Executive branch of government.

The Select Board has not had a decent contest since 2007 when current SB member Alisa Brewer humiliated then Chair Anne Awad's husband Robie Hubley and "reversed her steady consolidation of power." 

Town Meeting winners (top 8 per Precinct for 3 year terms):

DUI Dishonor Roll

Every day in America another 28 people die from drunk driving accidents

If driving while texting is six times more dangerous than drunk driving what the heck is texting while driving under the influence of alcohol?

Obviously extremely dangerous, as evidenced by Gabriel Lopollo, age 38, crashing into another vehicle. 

Gabriel Lopolla was arrested early Monday morning and arrigned this morning

Click to enlarge/read

In Eastern Hampshire District Court this morning Lopollo had a plea of innocent entered in his behalf with his case continued until April 27 so he could hire his own attorney.

 Michael Flannery is arraigned on Monday morning before Judge Payne

At least Michael Flannery, age 25, gets bonus points for honesty.  Unlike the usual response of "two beers" Mr. Flannery admitted to the officer he had consumed five.  And his legally admissible in Court breath test confirmed that.

His DUI case was also continued until April 27 so he could hire a private attorney.

He Said, She Said

Andre Chris Edmund stands before Judge John Payne (from the lockup)

When a homeless woman soliciting money in front of CVS in downtown Amherst late Saturday rebuked his inappropriate advances, Andre Edmund, also homeless, allegedly starting yelling "Fuck you!  You're a racist, a fucking racist!"

Police were called to this rather high profile disturbance and Mr. Edmund, age 39, was located on the UM campus and placed under arrest.

 Click to enlarge/read

The Clerk Magistrate set bail at $2,500 so he was transported to the House of Correction to await arraignment and a bail hearing before Judge John Payne in Eastern Hampshire District Court on Monday morning.

The Commonwealth requested $1,000 cash bail telling the Judge that Mr. Edmund has a history of drug and alcohol problems, served a year in jail in 2008 for a cocaine conviction and that this charge now before the Court was a "very serious matter which could result in a jail sentence."

The Public Defender told the Judge Mr. Edmund has been clean since 2011 and although currently homeless (he gave Craig's Doors Homeless Shelter as his address) Hwei-Ling Greeney had found him an apartment in Amherst starting April 1st.

He further went on to state confidently that his client, "strenuously denies these charges and looks forward to fighting them in Court."

Judge Payne imposed a $1,000 "personal surety bond", meaning if Mr. Edmund fails to appear back in District Court on May 5th he will be charged that amount and a "failure to appear" arrest warrant will be issued.