When will they ever learn?

So you have to figure that maybe--just maybe--the denizens of this humble abode at 88 Pelham Road on the border of Amherst/Pelham will get the message: don't invite over 300 Facebook friends (on a Sunday night no less), allow them to consume copious amounts of alcohol and then get belligerent with responding officers of the law--especially in the town of Amherst.

And why might they now get the message? Yeah, maybe because cars parked illegally around the humble abode were ticketed and a few towed; or that one "guest" was arrested for "disorderly conduct".

But mainly because the three responsible "tenants" were each issued two $300 tickets--one for "noise violation" and the other for being a "nuisance house". $600 each, times three. Ouch!

Bet that is more than next month's rent. Although in Amherst, maybe not--especially since this particular choice piece of real estate, valued at $292,700, sold last year to Onesta Properties LLC c/o Pipeline Properties Inc for $320,000.

And the mortgage payment on a 300-K fixed rate loan these days is about $1,800 month. Then add on the whopping Amherst property tax rate.

Pipeline Properties Inc does show on their extensive list of Amherst rental property a location nearby (6 bedrooms, but only 1.5 baths) at 109 Pelham road for a measly $3,000 per month.

Interestingly enough, Pipeline does post on their website under General Rules the following warning: "You live in a community and have neighbors, please be respectful of them, there is a noise ordinance in the each town and you can be fined for violating this. You are responsible and liable for the actions of your guests."

Let's hope the $1,800 in fines will drive home the point.

Amherst PD scores major Federal grant

Demonstrating the collaboration businesses refer to as a strategic alliance, the Amherst Police Department and Umass PD will share a $173,643 Justice Department grant to better deal with domestic violence and sexual assault.

Considering last year (the most under reported story of the year), 10 Amherst woman, 5 children and another 6 students on the Umass campus endured the traumatic crime of rape, this money will be exceedingly well spent.

APD reports (on a blog no less)

Springfield Republican reports, in paper and ink no less (but with a big circulation)

A fitting symbolic tribute to George N. Parks

McGuirk Stadium 6:05 PM

Springfield Republican reports

So yeah, it would have been better if Umass did not lose by a lousy point (11-10) at the last minute--but at least the American flag outside the stadium was where it should have been.

Not sure if state employees did it under orders of the (local) 'Powers That Be' or some friends, students and admirers of George simply took matters into their own hands.

I was disappointed cycling down Massachusetts Avenue around 6:00 PM and seeing the main flags near Whitmore at full staff. The Springfield Republican published an article recently about today's commemoration ceremonies and mentioned the Governor gave his okay to flying the State flag at half staff to honor the memory of George Parks.

The Governor has no authority to order the American flag to half staff if not for a member of the military or a federal politician; he can do whatever he wants with the state flag.

But then, just around the corner at McGuirk Alumni Football Stadium, at the twilight's last gleaming: a respectfully large Old Glory flapping in the stiff breeze at half staff--as well it should be!

RIP George N. Parks.

Massachusetts Avenue near Whitmore Administration Building 6:00 PM

Jones Library Trustees make nice

Bonnie Isman,Director. Trustees: Chris Hoffmann, Emily Lewis, Pat Holland, Sarah McKee

So in spite of absentee Trustee (cutthroat) Carol Gray's disembodied head peeping in from Cairo, Egypt via skype, tonight's Jones Library Trustee meeting was exceedingly cordial.

The Trustees--those who could legally participate--unanimously accepted the retirement of 30 year Director Bonnie Isman (out the door on December 10) and tentatively discussed plans for her succession, which could include an "interim Director", or appointment of a current staff member (unlikely) or a appointment of a "team" of three current staff members to run things via committee.

And we see how well things went recently when a team of three Trustees decided to initiate a coup d'état and try to run the Library now don't we?

The big stick is having impact

Sounds like increasing fines to $300 for alcholol related infractions is getting the attention of the target demographic.

On Monday night the venerable Amherst Select Board heard this fresh faced, clean cut student make a plea for reducing the $300 fines for first offenders to community service instead.

Since only the start of the school year Amherst PD has issued approximately 140 of the town bylaw citations with the $300 fine. Ouch! Just think of how many textbooks can no longer be afforded.

Interestingly since the loosening of pot laws to a "civil infraction" police can only give out $100 fines for possession of less than an ounce.

Gateway Project: Another brick in the wall

Former Frat Row


Current Frat Row (shovel ready)

The Amherst Redevelopment Authority this evening voted unanimously to issue a Request For Proposals seeking a consultant to help define and flesh out the mixed use 'Gateway Project'--so named because it connects the northern end of Amherst town center with the main entry to Umass, our double Goliath: higher education flagship and #1 employer in Western Massachusetts.

The deadline for response is December 3 with a budget cap of $30,000. The ambitious project is a joint venture between Umass, the town and the Amherst Redevelopment Authority--a separate legal entity with the compulsory power of eminent domain.

The idea of course creates a win-win situation where Umass gets more housing (a minor win) for students and faculty while the town gets a desperately needed increase in the commercial tax base (a major win) now hovering below a pathetic 10%.

Neighbors of course complained most vociferously right from the getgo--even though we have yet to propose anything.

Heated controversy ensued just after the meeting adjourned (8:37 PM) and seemed to center around "Public Comment" not being heard before the vote to issue the RFP was taken. I for one, heard nothing remotely new or compelling in the 'Public Comments' portion of the meeting to change my vote on issuing the RFP.

ARA Member Peggy Roberts, bless her heart, tried to assure the neighbors that their concerns would be heard all along the way--and, in fact, already have been.

And so it goes...

Gateway Project RFP as voted by the ARA

From: Tucker, Jonathan
To: ARA Sent: Thu, Oct 14, 2010 3:42 pm
Subject: Minutes

For the record, Ms. Russell’s assertion at last night’s meeting notwithstanding, the most recent approved ARA minutes on the Town website are those of the meetings of July 7 and 14, not the meeting of June 23.

Jonathan Tucker

Planning Director

-----Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: ARA
Sent: Thu, Oct 14, 2010 3:56 pm
Subject: Re: Minutes

And for the record, all of the outstanding meeting minutes yet to be "officially approved"--including last night's--have been covered (almost instantly) on my very public blog for the whole world to see (and even Comment, if they wish).
Larry K

Jones Library: The friction continues...

The Republican Reports

Sent: Tue, Oct 12, 2010 1:33 pm
Subject: A public apology for my recently released email.

Recently, a personal email I sent a group of friends in reaction to Library Director Isman's retirement was made public. That email has understandably upset some people. I apologize for the tone of a personal email written in the heat of the moment. But one of my principles is you don't write anything in private that you aren't willing to defend in public. I genuinely believe that what happens over the next few months may determine whether our library can stay a first-rate institution.

I hope those who have read my letter understand the reason for my passionate reaction. At issue isn't a controversy over policy, nor clashing personalities, and it's certainly not about "politics". It's about what the rules are that define a library. We have been struggling with a constitutional crisis.

At heart the question is: who is going to run our library, professionals or politicians?

Fortunately, we trustees have agreed to the equivalent of turning to the Supreme Court for an answer and are hiring a facilitator to meet with us this November. The facilitator is also an expert on trustee/director/staff roles and relationships. She will be educating us on those in addition to helping us resolve our differences. I'm sure I have my share of misconceptions to be corrected, and there may well be more public apologies she'll be asking of me!

I remain hopeful this process will succeed. At our last two meetings we've demonstrated we can still work as a team. And if you look at the times we've kept away from trying to manage the library and stuck to governing it, I think this board can claim a pretty darn good record of accomplishments!

Chris Hoffmann
Trustee, Jones Library System

The "personal email" in question

UPDATE: 3:45 PM
-----Original Message-----
From: Emily Lewis
To: Chris Hoffmann and listserve

Let me say something now; I have been silent, but my silence, is not agreement.

THe board is not comprised of politicians. We are elected, but being elected does not a true politician make. I have no funds, no political party, no political leaning in my decisions. I am making no money at what I am doing. We have been elected to ensure that a public institution is not run without oversight or question, by a private person.

This is completely a controversy over policy, despite Chris' statement.

Further: the Supreme Court analogy is inaccurate at best.
We will be meeting with a facilitator to learn how to work together.
There may be advice; one can hope for this.
Further: I do not want any more apologies. I want direct discussion with me. At this point I do not trust my fellow trustee; what I want is that trust back....before the summer is when I had it.


That's it for now.
Thank you.

##############################################
Amherstma.gov:
MEETING TIME: 4:30 PM. Friday 10/15
LOCATION: Jones Library, Large Meeting Room.
LIST OF TOPICS: Agenda. Minutes: 7/27/10, 8/4/10, 9/28/10 for approval.
Public comment. Formal acceptance of the Director's notice of retirement.
Interim Director. Plans for seeking a new Director. Board priorities for
transition period.

Deja vu all over again.

So yeah, I know how easy it is for an aging chicken hawk who was once combat ready (at least in a hand-to-hand sense) to second guess those young--perhaps too young--warriors who failed at a rescue attempt in Afghanistan. And as a result, a young woman is dead: killed, apparently, by a hand grenade throw by friendly forces.

A hand grenade! I'm sorry, but if you are engaged in a surgical operation try using a scalpel rather than a chain saw.

I flashback 28 years to that other ill fated attempt to rescue hostages, where grenades also ended the mission...miserably. The 1972 'Munich Massacre'; which should have been a wake up call to all Americans that exceedingly evil forces are out there, and all they want is front page press and are willing to do anything--absolutely anything--to get it.

Hazards indeed

Yet another event we should never forget

What's the big secret?

So the reporter in me wonders what's the the big deal? Why did two Regional School Committee Chairs refuse to release current Interim Superintendent of Schools Maria Geryk's resume to elected members of the Amherst School Committee?

I'm told an interested party--who also happens to be an attorney--requested the resume in writing and was rebuffed. They however, did not use the magic words: "Public Documents Request."

Ms. Geryk recently updated her resume, but that one only becomes a public document if she applies and becomes a finalist for the current position she occupies, Superintendent of Schools--the highest paid public employee in Amherst.

She could easily, however, have it released now.

Thus, I would have thought she would desire the newer-and-presumably-improved resume released; but hey, that's just me--an unemployed blogger with a lowly Umass Bachelor's degree.

And so it ends (badly)

UPDATE: Sunday night 8:15 PM (What more can I say?????)

Dear Chris Hoffmann, Bonnie Vigeland, and Will Bridegam,

Your letter below, Chris, I received from a Friend of the Library. Usually, when a writer mentions someone in a letter, the writer sends a copy to that person. When writing on behalf of the Jones Library Board of Trustees you should send a copy to all trustees. But clearly from the tone of this letter, you were not writing on behalf of the Board but instead attacking the action of one member and insulting three members.
You failed to copy all of these fellow trustees.

Measured criticism of the action of a fellow trustee is perfectly legitimate, indeed an obligation, but in my view should be done face-to-face or within the Board itself, not to a presumably broad number of “undisclosed recipients.” Insulting language is completely inappropriate. And, as your elder, I will add that insulting one’s elders is also inappropriate.

You apologized once at a Board meeting for losing your temper at meetings, and said that you'd "meant no disrespect" for other trustees. I hoped you would not do it again.

But you have.

Your latest example of the trustees’ “harassment”, the queries Sarah McKee has been making into how other library trustees are informed of a library’s finances, is not harassment in any sense. Instead it is an example of a trustee working on behalf of the Board and the financial stability of the library. Sarah’s research rises directly from the request made to Bonnie back in March, described in the minutes of the March 19th meeting, that she provide monthly cash statements and information on all library accounts. Bonnie has been providing cash statements, as you know, but we still do not have complete information on monies from gifts and bequests. Trustees at other libraries say they are amazed that the Jones Library trustees do not have this information. Such information is absolutely necessary to meet our fiduciary obligations. The Massachusetts Public Library Trustees' Handbook, a publication of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, lays down clearly that trustees' responsibilities include "[k]nowledge of the library's financial base and ... [k]nowledge of supplementary sources of revenue." Page 7.1.

You say: “Would you apply for a job knowing you'll be starting out with the level of harassment and muzzling that Carol, Pat, and Sarah are certain to be dumping on you? Would someone who agrees to come to the Jones with the expectation of playing second fiddle to the Carol faction even be someone you'd want running our library?” I take great personal offense at your language of “harassment” and “muzzling” and “dumping”, and your snide term the “Carol faction.” Your asking people “to put Carol and Sarah in their place as an annoying but impotent minority” is a rallying cry of the most undignified sort. I respect Carol and Sarah as I do all the trustees, present and past, who have contributed to the Board’s work for the library.

I also have great respect for the many good works done by the Friends of the Library. To Bonnie Vigeland, president of the Friends, and Will Bridegam, our former trustee and emeritus librarian of Amherst College, and to those who signed the August 3rd petition for a review committee, I hope you will do independent research into Chris’s accusations of harassment.

Chris, I am pleased that both you and Bonnie are willing to go forward with the facilitation, and I am also pleased that you are urging others to run for trustee of the library. May the best people win.

Sincerely,
Patricia Holland
President, Jones Library Board of Trustees


From: Chris and Anne Hoffmann
Date: October 8, 2010 8:50:38 PM EDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: [Friends] Bonnie's resignation announced, and a plea for candidates.

As most of you already know by now, today Bonnie Isman announced her retirement, effective December 10th.

I was at the Jones this afternoon to talk with her. Unsurprisingly, she's in a very good mood thinking about her upcoming life of leisure. Her decision to retire now is largely personal -- it is a good time in her life to retire. But I'm sure the harassment from board has taken its toll on her and influenced the timing.

As just the latest example of harassment, yesterday I learned that Sarah had been talking with the director of the Forbes library and has wants to get a meeting between Pat, me, and their treasurer. Sarah continues to believe our accounting practices are negligent (or worse) and won't even listen to the accountants we hire to go over the books who are continually telling her everything is OK and our current methods are quite good. Sarah was actually upset with me because I cc'ed Bonnie and Tina in my reply to a message she'd sent to Pat, nme and the Forbes' director: Quoting: 'I find it disturbing that you included Bonnie and Tina on an email that I'd sent to Pat and you only. It is up to Trustees to specify the financial reports to be made. This is not to exclude the staff. It is to bring them in further down the line. It would waste their time to bring them in now.' This is how bad things are, folks.

Bonnie and I both want the planned meeting with the facilitator to go forth. So does everyone in the staff I talked with while there. I hope there will be no resistance from the rest of the board. If there is, I'll be sure to let you know.
________________________________________

And now my plea from me to you:

It's clear that next year's Jones Trustee election will be one of the most critical ever

A search for a director will take at least six months. The two people elected next spring will almost certainly be a third of the votes cast for our next director. Since we were founded in 1921, The Jones has had only five directors! They tend to stay for a long time. We have got to make a wise choice.

Beyond the problem of choice, also think about the work environment potential applicants are going to have to consider. Would you apply for a job knowing you'll be starting out with the level of harassment and muzzling that Carol, Pat, and Sarah are certain to be dumping on you? Would someone who agrees to come to the Jones with the expectation of playing second fiddle to the Carol faction even be someone you'd want running our library?

Folks, I've asked for help before. But I really mean it this time. Someone needs to step up and agree to run. Even if you can only commit to a single term, that should make all the difference. If we can create a solid core of rational people who are able to put Carol and Sarah in their place as an annoying but impotent minority, in three years' time the trustee culture should be so improved that finding replacements won't be the nearly impossible task it is now.

Next year, I am up for reelection. Pat's second term is up. I don't think she wants to run again, but you know Carol is going to be putting a lot of pressure on her to stay. So we need one REALLY GOOD new candidate in case this becomes a contested race.

A Select Board member recently told me "we ignore the Library Trustee [races] at our peril". Indeed we do. Please. Help. Step up.

Chris

##########################################
Original Post Saturday morning

Forever Jones Library Director Bonnie Isman announced her retirement, effective December 10, 2010. Yes, this is roughly the time frame cold bloodedly calculated by Trustee Carol Gray--currently ensconced in Cairo, Egypt--but I'm sure Ms. Isman figured out that her pernicious presence would be felt over the next year since she refused to resign as Trustee and would haunt future meetings via Skype.

Score one for the bad guys.

Freedom's just another word...

So a Mississippi Judge who obviously--like a few too many judges--thinks of himself as God, threw an attorney in jail for failure to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Although the attorney did respectfully stand while the courtroom came to attention.

In the 1995 Hurley decision the Supreme Court unanimously decided that the First Amendment also prevents an individual or group from saying something they do not wish to say. In this case a private parade committee; thus, as a private organization, the judges upheld the notion that they can select which messages are expressed to onlookers and which messages are not.

The town of Amherst already ran afoul of this clear-as-day decision when they tried to deny the privately run Amherst July 4 Parade Committee a permit due to restrictions on the signs that marching groups could carry. You know, the very same rules the town used when it organized a 350th Anniversary Parade.

The ACLU instantly set the People's Republic strait, and the Parade continues in the traditional old fashioned way.

The greatest freedom our flag represents is the right to burn it.

But I do indeed cringe when unbalanced individuals or groups push the envelope, such as a pastor threatening to burn the Koran on 9/11, or the KKK wanting to publicly dress up in their sheets or neo-nazis to march through Skokie, a heavily Jewish suburb of Chicago.

The Supreme Court yesterday heard oral arguments about whether a whacko religious group that should be ignored has the right to hold homophobic signs while picketing outside the funerals of American soldiers who died for their country in far off Iraq or Afghanistan. Icky. Icky. Icky!

But, that is the price we pay for our freedom. I remember once seeing my wife and another dear old friend wearing burkas, and it was not a pretty sight.

Fuck the ACLU

What do I love most about the American Civil Liberties Union?

If local, state or federal authorities squelched my blog now over that provocative headline, and I called Bill Newman, Western Mass ACLU Director, he would instantly do everything in his considerable power to fend off the government intrusion on my First Amendment rights, all without sending me a bill.

Just as the national chapter did in the 1971 Supreme Court case of Cohan V California.

I first met Mr. Newman back in November, 1999 when I invited him to speak at a public rally on the Town Common I organized to protest the cancellation of 'West Side Story'. To date, the People's Republic of Amherst is the only entity in history to nix the award winning play.

And in his brief presentation he said, "The way to deal with bad speech is with good speech and more of it--not censorship." Although I'm sure he did not for a moment believe 'West Side Story' actually constituted "bad speech."

So yes, I despise Cowardly Anonymous Nitwits who march under white sheets, or an organization that advocates for sex between men and boys, or protesters who picket the funeral of American military personnel with homophobic signage--but that is the price we pay for our most cherished American ideal, the Freedom of Speech. A small price indeed.

So thank God (yes, another freedom I have) for the ACLU these past 90 years!


The Springfield Republican reports

Just say No

So my friends over at Localocracy have an interesting discussion/poll happening now at the request of my ultra-transparent blogger cohort Catherine Sanderson asking, "Should Amherst elementary schools continue to be part of Union 26?"

A century old alliance where Amherst now provides 90% of the students and 95% of the funding, but only gets an equal vote when it comes to hiring a Superintendent. And since the Region is considering hiring one soon (or keeping the current one) it is certainly an issue worth pursuing.

The yes votes are the usual suspects who were associated with the schools back in the glory blank-check days when the schools could spend money like the rains falling from leaden skies. Perhaps the 'high water' mark represented by the $215,000 purchase of portable classrooms three years ago for Marks Meadow Elementary School that were never used as classrooms, and now sit idle as the town wisely downsized this past fall by closing the facility.

Town Meeting was warned about buying the portable classrooms

After the rains

A reflection of absence

How do you demonstrate to future generations the enormity of the devastation incurred that awful day? How do you balance the heartfelt wishes of the multitudes who lost loves ones and create something that is respectful--but not so exceedingly stark that only the bereaved would visit?

A once in a lifetime oppertunity, that over 5,000 designers desired and only one, Michael Arad, was chosen. And he new going in that he would have to "get it right," both in the design phase-- and even more importantly--the execution.

While he may look young for such an awesome responsibility remember, Maya Lin (who served as a judge on this "contest") was only 21 when her design for the Viet Nam War Memorial was chosen over 1,400 others.

And both designs share the same haunting concept of actually seeing the names--all the names-- of the dead.

"Reflecting absence" vividly drives home the point by illustrating the Twin Towers with two large reflecting pools, standing in their former footprint, framed by low walls containing all the names of the victims etched in bronze.

Tonight at Umass, Mr. Arad spoke to a packed crowd of about 120--probably pushing the envelope of what the room is certified to hold. And at first glance, his design doesn't look as though it pushed any envelopes at all. The New York Post headlined their initial reaction with, "It Stinks!"

He opened with a photo of a bakery near Ground Zero he would pass in those early dark days, displaying a cake with a graphic of the Twin Towers and etched in confectionery the motto "We will never forget."

At first he thought it tacky, but then realized the owners were humbly using their own particular skills to commemorate this astonishing event. And as an architect he started to think how he could use his skills to make sure nobody would ever forget.

After a thorough 45 minute presentation, the first question from the audience concerned "the conspiracy" and whether he considered how to incorporate the concept of a "controlled demolition" bringing down those magnificent towers.

Arad cut the Nitwit off with a curt, "This is my presentation, not your. I'm not going to answer that!"

Like the Viet Nam Memorial, "Reflecting Absence" will become a mecca for future generations of Americans--and citizens from the around the world.

Michael Arad. A little background

NY TImes showing a lot more respect than the NY Post

Sleepless in Cairo

Zzzzzzz
Carol Gray awake (sort of)

It was 2:10 AM her time but only 7:10 PM our time when (Mother) Mary Streeter fired up her Macbook Pro laptop in the Jones Library Trustees Room to synch with Carol Gray via Skype W-A-Y over there in Egypt.

So yeah, I suppose it's understandable Ms Gray was sound asleep in the seated position.

Ms Streeter took umbrage at my attempt to photograph Library Trustee Gray looking like a zombie and quickly covered the screen with a sheet of paper.

Gotta wonder how alert and worthwhile Ms. Gray will be in future Library meetings if the Attorney General decides it is okay for her to remotely participate via Skype.

And let's hope she doesn't snore.

Spectators who did not hide from the camera.

UPDATE: 9:45 PM Meeting must be over as somebody from Cairo, Egypt just arrived via a google search for Larry Kelly blog (sic)

9/11 epilogue. To be continued...

So my friend Tom Porter emailed me last night wondering if Cinda Jones ever forwarded me the photos she took (with a very nice camera) on the morning of 9/11 in Amherst Town Center. He was six minutes late feeding 'loose change' in the meter and our ultra efficient parking enforcement folks issued a $10 ticket at 9:24 AM.

Of course I could not help but be reminded that nine years earlier on that awful morning about that time Governor Swift had sent all non essential state employees home and my wife reported how eerie it was to drive back to Amherst that afternoon on the Mass Pike with the all the toll booths abandoned.

I wonder how many parking tickets were issued in downtown Amherst nine years earlier around that time with the bells, bells, bells of St Brigid's church clanging away to signal that something had gone terribly wrong on an otherwise gorgeous Tuesday morning.

And Mr. Porter did not want me to attempt to fix the ticket--not that I could. Although I have been told now by two Town Manager's that if I get a parking ticket while on an official ARA (Amherst Redevelopment Authority) business they could indeed "fix it." So I guess the mechanism does exist.

Mr. Porter simply wanted to print the photo to enclose with his check to town parking director Claire McGinnis to demonstrate he was doing something worthwhile that caused that (expensive) six minute overage.

Something worthwhile indeed.

9/11/10 in the People's Republic

ARA update: Remembering George N. Parks

So like all Amherst Redevelopment Authority meetings these past six months, tonight was nothing but 'Gateway Project.' And once again Deputy Chancellor Todd Diacon and Executive Director of the Office of External Relations Nancy Buffone showed up to demonstrate the continuing commitment of our major partner, Umass.

But if I were a cub Collegian reporter covering tonight's meeting, my lead fact would be that Umass will have a celebration ceremony to remember/honor/commemorate Marching Band Director George N. Parks on October 16--'Homecoming Day'-- at the Mullins Center, which has a seating capacity of 10,000... so that may be big enough.

Runner up fact: Deputy Chancellor Diacon confirming that the $182 million for student housing announced today in the Springfield Republican will have no impact one way or the other on the Gateway Project.

The 1500 bed dormitory will be in the center of campus (thus tax exempt) and God only knows how long that will take to get built since it will be a public undertaking as opposed to the Gateway Project which, like the Isenberg School of Management addition/renovation mostly funded by Jack Welch, will be farmed out to the private sector.

And finally, the ARA is now going to hold off on rushing a Request For Proposals for a consultant on the Gateway Project as we wish to carefully absorb more public advice--besides just the immediate neighbors who have given us continuous input.

The Springfield Republican reports

George N. Parks Facebook memorial page: 10,000 friends and still growing!

Turn about fair play?

UPDATE: Wednesday afternoon. So who needs the caterpillar-like mainstream media, as Mr. Wald reports on his blog that last night the Historical Commission he chairs heard tons of testimony--almost all of it against the plans of the People's Republic of Amherst to nuke the property--and continued the hearing until next week.

Jim Wald reports

#######################################
So it will be interesting tonight to see if the Amherst Historical Commission treats the town of Amherst the same combative way it has private entities lately by enforcing a one year demolition delay of a quaint old New England farmhouse and this old barn, the "Hawthorne Property" recently purchased by Amherst for $500,000 in free money--otherwise knows as Community Preservation Funds.

The Historical Commission recently forced the town's largest landowner, Amherst College, to delay for one year the demolition of an 80-year-old fence around one of its many properties. Chairman James Wald declared it a matter of principal: "We're making a statement that preservation is important."

Our appointed history aficionados also forced the Cowles family to delay the destruction of a 100 year old barn in North Amherst that CEO Cinda Jones laments is in danger of collapse.

Perhaps the Historical Commission should keep its eye on the prize, as Town Meeting is potentially going to vote the formation of a Historical District in and around the Dickinson Homestead that would automatically limit new development and renovations to existing structures.

But, if impacted neighbors and homeowners get the impression our Commissioners are a tad too militant then they will fight the creation of Amherst's first Local Historic District which, in itself, would be somewhat "historic" and requires a two-thirds vote of Town Meeting.

Unfortunately, in the People's Republic of Amherst, the NIMBYs usually win.

ARA road trip report

If Hanover, NH represents the after picture for smart successful mutually beneficial development, our recent trip to Mansfield, CT provided the perfect before picture.

After endless design discussions dating back to the 1970s groundbreaking is imminent on Storrs Center, a $250 million urban mixed use development that will create something we here in Amherst take for granted--an actual town center with a town green providing a laid back ambiance attractive to everyday folks whose numbers will no doubt increase with the addition of 700 market rate rental units.

Like the proposed 'Gateway Project' in Amherst, a partnership where the town benefits by increasing taxable commercial development, stimulating jobs and local commerce while the educational institution benefits by increasing quality housing to attract more students and professors.

The ambitious 'Storrs Center' is a joint development between Mansfield town officials, UConn--the dominant employer in the region--and the local business community who operate in the University's shadow.

The school and the town split equally the $250,000 annual budget of the Mansfield Downtown Partnership a sort of Chamber of Commerce created for just this project (with only two full time employees.)

Besides the Amherst Redevelopment Authority, new Amherst Town Manager John Musante and Amherst Chamber of Commerce executive director Tony Maroulis, Umass Deputy Chancellor Todd Diacon and Executive Director of the Office of External Relations Nancy Buffone also attended, demonstrating the commitment to the 'Gateway Project' from our flagship educational partner.

Now of course, it's up to Amherst Town Meeting to provide a vital component of the deal by rezoning the land in question to allow the mixed use development that will revitalize the neighborhood and our downtown.

Main Street Mansfield now: NOT a scene Rockwell would have painted.

This WW2 era building owned by UConn will be demolished, the pavement torn up and the open space turned into a town center green.

The day the music died

George Parks demonstrating Power and Class.

UPDATE: Monday morning So unless you have been living in a cave somewhere you probably know the Umass Marching Band put on a hell of a performance in Michigan before the largest live crowd in their entire history. The football team also came close to pulling off a Cinderella win as well.

My ultra reliable source at the State House indicates the Chancellor can order the flags on campus to half staff on the day of George Parks memorial service as can the Town Manager or Select Board order the municipal flags to half staff on town property as well.

A fitting tribute to a most deserving individual.

###############################
Even though he was immersed in something macho martial arts guys might mistakenly think a tad wimpy, I remember the first time I met George Parks at my karate studio about 15 years ago when he signed up his two children and would often come watch me teach their lessons.

I could tell instantly he was a dedicated father. But when I soon thereafter witnessed him perform as Umass marching band leader, I was even more impressed with his physical ability to control and coordinate a massive wave of college kids with loud instruments like a perfectly trained border collie herding sheep.

A few years later I called him up, not knowing if he would even remember me, to ask a favor. Without hesitation he volunteered to perform with whatever band members he could muster.

Since the first band practice did not happen until mid-month, acquiring a decent ensemble on 9/11 was not easy. But he reported that morning to the Amherst town common--the first anniversary--with about a dozen kids, and they played like it was Carnegie Hall.

The last time I talked to George was almost exactly a year ago at the UMass groundbreaking ceremony for the George Parks Marching Band building. I asked him is he could muster a few kids on 9/11/11 for the tenth anniversary ceremony and he instantly responded, "Of course!"

But now he's gone. I'm sure tomorrow--because of the discipline he instilled--the Umass marching band that was his life will play their hearts out in the Michigan Big House.

And I'll bet, somewhere, George N. Parks will be smiling.




Yes, slightly unreporter like of me to yell, "Looking good Boss!" as he passed. He of course noticed me standing dead center in the middle of the road to get the shot and although he never broke his rigid disciplined march or even moved his head, just as he passed he gave me a wink.

The Springfield Republican, sadly, reports

-----Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: Sh.Events@state.ma.us
Sent: Sat, Sep 18, 2010 9:14 am
Subject: Flags to half staff request

Suzzette Waters
State House Events
Bureau of State Office Buildings

Hey Suzzette,

If ever a Massachusetts state employee deserved the flag to fly at half staff to mourn his stunningly sudden loss, it would be George N. Parks. And I know first hand what a believer he was in our country, its values and that he strove to instill that in countless thousands of students over the past thirty years--mainly by example.

He played for Presidents and football fans and kids at Christmas. He will always be remembered in our hearts

Could you mention this simple request to the Big Boss?

Thanks!

Larry K

http://onlyintherepublicofamherst.blogspot.com/

ARA road trip

6:55 AM

Off to Storrs, CT with the Amherst Redevelopment Authority and new town manager John Musante to check out how our neighboring community and UConn have done development catering to a mix of students and locals.

Safe bet none of those town officials heard Mr. Musante on ACTV declare Amherst the "best college town in America."

Terms of the deal

Since Mr. Musante spent about a third of his acceptance speech talking about his contract negotiation, let's hope he remembered not to take too unfair advantage of the circumstances to tap the treasury he will now oversee; and even though they retreated into secret session to discuss the terms of that new contract (and Mr. Shaffer's going away present) the Select Board will, under Public Documents Law, have to release all of the details.


-----Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: selectboard@amherstma.gov
Sent: Thu, Sep 16, 2010 3:28 pm
Subject: Public Documents Request

Amherst Select Board

Could I please get the minutes of the Executive Session held 9/13/10 to negotiate the retirement benefits of outgoing town manager Larry Shaffer and the new contract for appointed town manager John Musante and a copy of any contracts agreed to that night.

Thanks,

Larry Kelley

With a reference like that

Since it was a forgone conclusion assistant town manager John Musante would ascend to permanent town manager to replace the suddenly departing Larry Shaffer, I figured why bother weighing in with an opinion even though I was recruited at the last minute to donate my analysis for Localocracy

The Select Board public "discussion" contained this hidden gem: a former Select Board Czar who moved to another nearby town but wanted to maintain her Amherst elected position and lied in a letter/statement published in the Amherst Bulletin about the status of her Homestead Declaration (positive proof she was no longer fit to serve in Amherst) took the time to write a recommendation for Musante.

I'm not sure what is more frightening: Our new town manager being heartily endorsed by the likes of her, or that Princess Stephanie "considers it to be a very important letter."

Barbarians at the gate

So the ever community conscious Amherst Police Department is holding a citizen outreach event tonight at the Crocker Farm School from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM to educate South Amherst residents about staying safe in their castles.

A serial series of burglary break ins have occurred over the past six weeks in the neighborhood late at night while homeowners are asleep.

Growing up on Amherst's Crow Hill a generation ago, I can't even remember a time when we locked our doors. Of course that was also back when the milkman made deliveries to our front porch. Back before the University of Massachusetts built Southwest High Rise dorms and the phallic Du Bois Library to accommodate a surge of students more than doubling the population of a former farm town.

Note to Perp: if you break in my house under cover of darkness, getting within 50 yards of my sleeping family, I will do everything within my aging powers to rip your heart out and shove it down your throat.

APD award winning community outreach blog

9/11/10 in the People's Republic

Umass Daily Collegian reports

Following the pattern of all the previous anniversaries of this seismically horrific event, today was another carbon copy of the stunning weather we started to enjoy that awful morning.

I wonder if perhaps the pernicious mastermind actually calculated how early-to-mid September generated consistently beautiful weather in the Eastern Standard Time zone so his rookie pilots would have a better chance of steering their captured weapons to target.

The ceremony at Central Fire Station was short and haunting. The flag at half staff, a lone bagpiper playing Amazing Grace and the lonely chime of a fire station bell signaling a "last alarm".

Town center was as busy this morning as I remember it nine years ago. Although this year we had a lot of company in town center with folks holding signs for DA candidate Dave Sullivan who was also present. Like many of his supporters he thanked me for being there simply to remember the greatest tragedy of our lifetime.

House representative candidate Daniel Sandell made an extended appearance as well, and the incumbent he is trying to unseat, Ellen Story came and stood with me for the last half hour or so. She had been at the Granby Public Safety Building grand opening and reported how well they marked the memory of 9/11.

Yes, the Umass Republic Club did appear and brought dozens and dozens of flags they planted around town center. And a special thanks to Cinda Jones and Tom Porter for standing to remember.

Patriotic cutie.


Patriotic Dog

Does President Obama remember 9/11?

UPDATE: 8:15 AM, 9/11/10

And today the bright sun and severe clear blue sky only reaffirm the memories of that morning. I honestly can't remember a 9/11 over the past 9 years where the weather was anything less.

I just checked my sitemeter and over the past hour had 14 visitors and 8 of them came doing a search under the term "flags fly at half staff on 9/11?" or something very similar. Kind of shows the President could have done a better job getting the word out a tad earlier


UPDATE: 6:25 PM 9/10/10 Finally, he remembered
Although you gotta wonder how many Federal, State, City or Town officials were still at their desks that late on a Friday afternoon.
##########################################
5:30 PM (original pissed off upload)

Yeah, yeah I know he's scheduled for a photo op or two tomorrow, but for Christ's sake where the Hell is the Presidential Proclamation to fly American flags at half-staff on 9/11?

And if memory serves, President Bush made it a permanent day for them to fly in that position of mourning, so I guess there's no need every year to reissue the edict--but he did it last year and this morning I received an email from my patriotic buddy at the State House reminding Massachusetts authorities to fly their American flags at half staff:

-----Original Message-----
From: Waters, Suzzette (BSB)
To: 'amherstac@aol.com'
Sent: Fri, Sep 10, 2010 11:33 am
Subject: Half Staff Notification for September 11, 2010

Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation for September 11, 2010, Patriot Day, the American and Commonwealth Flags should be flown at half-staff at all state buildings from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, September 11, 2010. Once issued, the presidential proclamation should be available for viewing here.

If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact us.

Suzzette
Suzzette Waters
State House Event Coordinator
Bureau of State Office Buildings
##########################################

She helpfully included a hot link to the White House Presidential proclamations webpage, but when I clicked it, the most recent concerned "Labor Day." Since late this morning I noticed two updates: "Grandparents Day" and "Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week."

But here it is 5:30 PM and nothing concerning 9/11. Bad form Mr. President!

9/11 remembered

So now Amherst is really in trouble as they have pissed off the Umass (Young) Republican Club, who will march to downtown (or maybe catch a cab) on 9/11 to display 150 American flags to protest the decision of the People's Republic not to unfurl the 29 commemorative flags; the ones that do fly on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, where we remember those have sacrificed so greatly for our country--with far too many coming as a response to 9/11.

And am I only the only one in the area annoyed by those ubiquitous radio ads for Umass football saturating the airwaves these days with a hackneyed cliched format highlighting the military, combative aspects of football?

Forgivable at first, but now they are being used to hype ticket sales to tomorrow's home game against Holy Cross which just so happens to occur on 9/11.

Sent this to my counterpart at Umass--as in I'm a critic, he's a highly paid flack.


Original Message-----
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: edblag@admin.umass.edu
Sent: Fri, Sep 10, 2010 11:06 am
Subject: 9/11 and Umass football

Hey Ed,
So those football radio commercials are pretty annoying (and I'm pro military) but now it kind of merges/conflicts with 9/11.

And I would never suggest America should give up going about its business on that day, but it would be nice if perhaps somebody in charge of the game on Saturday had a moment of silence at half-time or maybe even just before kickoff as a sign of respect.

Larry K

9/11/10

How can you forget! How can any American possibly forget?

Those magnificent Twin Towers, standing at attention for a generation, suddenly, without warning--like bolts out of the blue--GONE. Victims of evil beyond civilized imagination. A new world order etched in the blood of thousands of innocent civilians.
###################################
Last year's post (some things never change):

It's been far too many beers, too many tears and not nearly enough years--as the pain is still palpable. But mostly on THAT anniversary, especially during THOSE morning hours when the September sun is usually bright against a clear blue sky and daily routine sets a seemingly safe steady course.

Where were you when you heard the news? And as bits and pieces of information first floated in, when did you figure it out? Did you worry about a friend or loved one now suddenly thrust in harms way? Did you wonder what landmark, loaded with innocent people, was next?

Nine years or ninety, we must never forget.

I will be standing silently in town center on the morning of 9/11 from 8:45 until 10:30 (also attending Amherst Fire Department ceremony in front of Central Station at 9:45 AM) clutching an American flag and my three-year-old daughter. Feel free to join me, if only for a moment or two.



Amherst Ground Zero commemorative flag

Not just an Irish thing

DA race gets desperate

So former Assistant District Attorney Mike Cahillane's campaign for District Attorney is pulling out all the stops as they just trumpeted an endorsement from Amherst School Committee Chair Irv Rhodes.

Bonus points, I suppose, because Irv is black. Especially since Cahillane's boss, Elizabeth Scheibel came into such criticism for pressing forward the Jason Vassell case which was recently pretty much dismissed--a case Mr. Cahillane had a big hand in prosecuting.

Gotta wonder about Cahillane's campaign spinmeister using the People's Republic of Amherst as representative of the hard working 'Happy Valley', all those normal towns and cities that encompass the Northwestern District like Hadley, Hatfield, Belchertown, Easthampton or South Hadley.

Speaking as a 5th generation Amherst resident, I think not. And Mr. Rhodes will probably catch some grief for not clearly spelling out that he was speaking strictly for himself and not the Amherst School Committee, a charge SC member Catherine Sanderson is pelted with all the time for daring to have an open, transparent blog reporting school committee concerns.

Earlier today Dave Sullivan's campaign picked up yet another heavyweight endorsement from longtime judge (retired) Alvertus J. Morse.

#####################Cahillane campaign press release:
Amherst School Committee Chair Backs Cahillane for DA

“I am Irv Rhodes, chair of the Amherst School Committee and member of the Regional School Committee and I am writing to endorse and support Mike Cahillane for District Attorney.”


“Mike has extensive prosecutorial experience as can be witnessed by his
experience working as an Assistant District Attorney in the very office that
he seeks as a candidate for District Attorney. I am particularly impressed
as a former educator, with Mike's track record of fighting cybercrime by
going into schools to conduct workshops with kids as young as those in the
first and second grades. Additionally Mike has done a number of training
sessions with school administrators, guidance counselors and other staff on
how to identify and prevent bullying behavior and he wants to expand this
outreach, if elected, because he knows that it is important to prevent crime as well as prosecute those who break the law.”

Irv Rhodes

Labor Day in the People's Republic

10:00 AM

The vast majority of Americans slaughtered on the morning of 9/11, just a week after celebrating Labor Day, were toiling at their place of employment after settling in for just another routine Tuesday.

Of course, that is what the cowardly, malevolent mastermind counted on for maximum damage. And had the first plane impact been only an hour later and many floors lower the carnage would have been exponentially worse.

Amherst can fly the 29 commemorative American flags to celebrate the Labor movement in America (hardly a non-violent affair) but will remove them tomorrow, leaving barely a trace of the red-white-and-blue to inhabit the downtown this coming 9/11.

Ludlow knows how to honor, respect and remember 9/11

"The horrer...the horrer!"

Sorry madam Chair it really, really is about how "horrible 9/11 was." And that, precisely, is all it's about!

Will Amherst remember?

UPDATE: 7:15 PM. Okay, so I was wrong. Never bet on Amherst to do the right thing. Tonight the illustrious Select Board voted 3-2 against flying the American flags in the downtown this September 11. Mr Wald and Ms. Brewer voted in favor. O'Keeffe, Hayden and Stein voted no.

And in fact, they made the current once-every-three-year policy even more restrictive by voting to fly them only once every five years.

The Springfield Republican reports

The Amherst Bulletin 9/11/08
##############################################

10:30AM

So when the sound and the fury subsides the Amherst Select Board tonight will, inevitable, do the right thing and allow the 29 commemorative flags to fly in the downtown this year to remember our most tragic losses on 9/11.

I say this knowing Chair Stephanie O'keeffe is a politician first but a flag lover second and would never go on record voting against the American flag. Seasoned Select Board member Alisa Brewer is one-for-one voting to fly the flags annually, and obviously rookie member Jim Wald, a historian by trade, will support it since the only reason it's on the brief agenda tonght is because he requested it; otherwise, as Stehanie said on Monday"'the policy (not flying them this year) would stand."



The Springfield Republican reports (as usual, Comments are the best)

UMass, ARA, Town partnership leaps forward!

Today Chancellor Robert Holub signed a strategic agreement with the Town of Amherst and the Amherst Redevelopment Authority to greatly enhance the gateway to UMass, the state's flagship of higher education.

The agreement calls for a conveyance of property formerly knows as "frat row"-- a seedy collection of blighted buildings purchased by the University and demolished a few years ago. The Gateway Project will bring urban renewal to the neighborhood with a mixed used commercial development of higher end student housing and commercial business connecting the downtown with the University.

With the incoming Umass freshman class the largest in history this agreement will go a long way towards keeping Umass an attractive destination for students and faculty as well as boosting the downtown and Amherst's commercial tax base.


click link below to read agreement:

Agreement with Umass/ARA/Town

It only comes but once a year

12:30 PM Select Board to discuss/vote flags fate for 9/11

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephanie O'Keeffe
To: Larry Kelley
Sent: Tue, Aug 31, 2010 11:56 am
Subject: 9/11 flag policy to be addressed

Hi Larry --

You're in luck. We have to schedule another meeting this week to discuss plans for an Interim Town Manager. A Select Board member has requested that we also take up the 9/11 flag question, so we will.

The flag discussion will be our first item: 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, 9/2 in the Town Room. The agenda (soon to be posted, if it isn't already) notes five minutes for the discussion, but that is just because I need to start the Interim discussion immediately after it, and I have no untimed items to fill any blank space that might result if I were to schedule longer than is needed. The flag discussion will take as long as it needs to.

Take care.

Stephanie

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephanie O'Keeffe
To: Larry Kelley
Sent: Tue, Aug 31, 2010 1:09 pm
Subject: room change

... make that the First Floor Meeting Room, not the Town Room.

Sorry for the confusion.

Stephanie

#################################

9:30 PM. Hot copy (last night). Updated 2nd video posted at 10:00 PM

So I guess I will just let the videos of tonight's illustrious Amherst Select Board meeting speak for themselves.

Interesting that the Chair blows me off by saying the Open Meeting Law requires anything to come under discussion be posted 48 hours in advance on an official agenda thus they could not possibly now take a simple vote on this 9/11 flag issue, yet an hour later they go into a surprise "executive session" to talk about the Town Manager's retirement package.

These days they just throw "executive session" on every agenda and if you don't use it there is no violation. Tonight it does appear on the agenda but as an "untimed item".

After an hour in secret session they come back into public session to announce Mr. Shaffer is gone as of 9/30 with four months salary (about the same as School Superintendent Alberto Rodriguez absconded with when he suddenly flew the coop a few months back).

The joys of competition

Million dollar health club, Amherst $19.99/month for students
Million dollar health club, Hadley. Under $8.50 per month
$50 million UMass Recreation Center: $0.0 for students

The joys of dealing with the general public

So one of the interesting things about running a "business" that attracts a broad spectrum of the general public is that it attracts a broad spectrum of the general public.

Take Umass/Amherst for instance--the flagship of higher education in Massachusetts.

Although UMass charges more for out-of-state students and,amazingly, in this trying economic time they are actually targeting such students. Either way, when dealing with 20,000+ "costumers" there are bound to be a bevy of personal headaches.

And when you take your "business" seriously you try not to alienate a single soul (if I dare use that religious term).

As a "non traditional" student currently furthering my education I receive all the routine emails from UMass Central Command. Recently I recieved one from a Vice Chancellor describing how the first week of classes conflict with "Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year."

He goes on, however, to point out "University policy ensures that no student will be penalized as a result of a religious observance, but it requires advance notification to course instructors by each observant student."

By "observant" I think he meant those students who actually take their religion seriously and plan to observe the solemn occasion rather than just those students who are observant enough to check their email to discover a potential good excuse for sleeping in on those days.

Then a little later another email from the same Vice Chancellor expanding on his original dispatch:

"Since sending the message about Rosh Hashanah I’ve learned that the major Muslim religious holiday, Eid-al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan also occurs during our first week of classes. I apologize for my oversight and take this opportunity to make certain that all observant students of either recognized religion realize that special circumstances are in play during the first week of a semester, namely that an instructor encountering a student on the roster who is not present at the first two meetings of a class may drop the named student from the class."

And this of course segues me (in the longest delayed lead of my entire career) to the current fire-and-brimstone controversy over a mosque opening near Ground Zero. Freedom of religion is as bedrock an American principal as the First Amendment. And while I spend a tad more time concerned with the latter I can't help but equally respect the former.

Indeed, sometimes I find myself hesitating and then holding my nose while defending the rights of nitwits to spread their pernicious propaganda. But the alternative is far worse.

In the case of the mosque near Ground Zero, I don't even have to hold my nose. The cowardly zealots who attacked us on 9/11 represent Muslims in the same way Oklahoma City bombers Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols represent Americans.

They don't!

Change indeed

So the Gazette today reports the Amherst Chamber of Commerce doling out their annual awards at an upcoming expensive dinner party and former Amherst Bulletin 'Amherst Center' columnists Baer Tierkel, Andy Churchill and Clare Bertrand are receiving the "change agent award."

Not bad considering they were cut from their rotation at the Amherst Bulletin for failing to disclose conflicts of interest during the election last spring. And about the only "change" they will be tenaciously gerrymandering this coming election is to defeat Catherine Sanderson for School Committee.

Sentinels at ease

Barnes airport Westfield 9:30 Am


Amherst Fire Department 1:30 PM

The controversy continues

Well, sort of. The print edition of the Amherst Bulletin hit the ground this morning and like the good old days where you read the breaking news in the major dailies and then waited till the end of the week for Time and Newsweek to provide more in depth coverage, the editorial/commentary section this week is chock full of analysis of the raging controversies in town.

Mainly the Jones Library running battle between the Evaluation Subcommittee and the more normal members of the full board of Trustees.

Interestingly columnist Jim Oldham, an anti-devevelopment compatriot of cutthroat Carol Gray, takes Trustee Chris Hoffmann to task for daring to blow the whistle on Ms Gray's covert war against longtime Library Director Bonnie Isman.

Charging that he "chose attacks in the press and on blogs over debates in the boardroom as the way to express his position." Hmm...of course Mr. Oldham's attack on Chris Hoffmann occurs in his monthly Bulletin column otherwise known as "the press."

And Mr. Oldham is a co-founder of the new regional school discussion blog--an infomercial for the Regional High School--along with Shutesbury School Committee Chair Michael DeChiara, who wanted the DA to shut down public officials who blog namely Catherine Sanderson.

The above the fold front page lead story concerns cutthroat Carol as well--as she is now, mercifully, safely ensconced in Egypt (well...safe for Amherst but maybe not Egypt) and wants to tenaciously hold on to her Jones Library Trustee position for the next year using video conferencing on the web via skype to attend meetings.

Which is fine of course for tuning in to keep in touch, but not so good for the back-and-forth required of public meetings.

The Bulletin must have felt a tad guilty for holding the presses last week so the Evaluation Subcommittee could pen their poor excuse for recent bad behavior, as the editorial basically says enough! They cite that the Eval committee has met an astounding 50 times over 115 hours since January.

Can't disagree with their conclusion: "It's time to bring the director's review process to a close." But now that Ms. Gray is gone, things will simmer down dramatically anyway--especially if somebody can hit the mute button when she visits via skype.

If you can't beat 'em

So Michael DeChiara, the Shutesbury school committee chair who complained to the DA about public officials who blog--a thinly veiled attempt to censor Catherine Sanderson's School Committee blog--is now involved as technical consultant with a new blog promoting the schools.

A thinly veiled attempt to counter Catherine Sanderson's well established, popular blog that has a bad habit of calling them as she sees them.

No doubt this new blog--along with the "Vote yes for Amherst" yahoo listserve--will be used to hammer Ms. Sanderson in the School Committee election this spring. Fortunately, Ms. Sanderson has a bigger hammer.

Treading in a sandpit

So I’m a tad surprised the Town Manager and our Leisure Services recreation empire have not issued one of those disingenuous press releases trumpeting how terrific the Cherry Hill Golf course—our municipally owned White Elephant--performed this past year (FY10 ended June 30)

And indeed, compared to all too many years this past one was a hole in one, with "expenses" of $217,220.94 and overall revenues of $250,381.04. Although the town manager and LSSE did project last year that Cherry Hill would intake $262,000; and none of that $12,000 difference comes out of their hides.

But still, before you conclude the business turned a profit of $33,000 those “expenses” do not include that pesky $25,000 in employee benefits or $7,000 for clubhouse and liability insurance paid out of separate, hidden, parts of the town budget.

And this year they did not have any capital items (like last year’s $22,000 lawnmower for instance), which of course begs the question: why no capital items?

A golf course is exceedingly hard on heavy equipment, and since a study done five years ago discovered two-thirds of Cherry Hill’s extensive collection of heavy machines were beyond their rated lifespan, kind of makes you wonder?

Deferred maintenance is an easy but shortsighted way to make a budget look good.

And this past March the DPW had to scurry out to the golf course (at the expense of many other more important things they do) and help spruce it up for an early spring opening.

When the Amherst Redevelopment Authority met with Hanover Town officials recently regarding development they did with Dartmouth College for our proposed Gateway Project with Umass, town manager Julia Griffin mentioned how refreshing it was to be away from her former gig in the capital city of Concord—mainly because of the tough politics and the constant drain on the city budget from two municipal white elephants: an airport and a golf course.

Sooooo, I guess it could be worse…


-

Ass't Town Mgr John Musante: Hate that damn capital! (makes me twitch)