Typical TM demographic: Older, white, with 2 much time on their hands
If this is material that passes for a hatchet job these two country bumpkin impersonators may want to start patronizing a better arms dealer.
First off they need better props. Who in Amherst still reads a newspaper? Yes an older crowd for sure, which is the prime make up of Amherst Town Meeting. But invoking that particular demographic is pretty much preaching to the converted.
Over one-third of the registered voters in our little college town are "college aged youth," and they have not picked up a newspaper since the last time they used a phone booth.
And if you're going to call out people by name at least get their names right. "Suzie" la Cour, the Business Improvement District director, may have been a cheerleader in her youthful past but her name is Sarah.
And her husband Niels left Town Hall Planning Department for UMass, at least according to former Town Manager Larry Shaffer's announcement on the floor of Town Meeting, because he got a $10,000 raise. So who wouldn't leave?
Just as one must assume Hope Keenan recently left her marketing gig at the Business Improvement District in favor of a UMass job because of better pay.
Or maybe it was just to have less dealings with entitled socialistic has-beens-and-never-weres who wish for our downtown to stay forever locked in the Eisenhower era.
When asked why he frequented a fixed game the gambler responded, "Because it's the only game in town." Which is why of course 13-of-20 Amherst For All Steering Committee members are Town Meeting members.
And anyone who has spent so much as one night in Town Meeting knows all too well how outmoded, cumbersome and naive it is.
Can you imagine a multi-million per year corporation being run by a group of 135 or so (out of the 240 who bother to show up) rank amateurs who come together 10 or 12 nights per year to run things?
Apple Inc would be in the business of selling real (organically grown) apples.
The other laughable charge directed at Amherst For All Steering Committee is that they are "All white, with no disabled and no low income." Talk about the pot calling the kettle of color.
Anyone looked around the floor of Town Meeting lately? (Or anytime over the past 256 years).
Amherst Town Meeting counted standing vote May, 2014
Amherst For All is now over two-thirds of the way to target goal of 3,215 signatures of registered voters who agree it's time to study our current form of government and come up with a better one.
Thus these two Town Meeting cheerleaders will someday soon be out of their obviously all too coveted volunteer job.