AFD & Town Reach Agreement (Tentatively)

 

AFD @ Orchard Valley fire last month

Town Manger John Musante told the Amherst Select Board he has come to terms with the Amherst Fire Department on a new three year contract.   The good news for all concerned is that for the first time in over 20 years, minimum staffing level would move up a notch ... to eight on duty.

But only when our three institutes of higher education are in session. Still, an improvement.

In  the early 1970s the department had a minimum staffing level of seven.  In 1976 it dropped to six and would not return to seven until 1992, where it has remained ever since.  Last year the department handled 5,490 emergency calls.

Musante was short on details since nothing has been signed, but he did indicate the union would be receiving a raise (probably 2%) and that a town approved drug and alcohol policy would be enforced.  Local 1764 will vote on the contract sometime before the New Year. 

A Little Guidance

 Alisa Brewer (right) gives SB update report on Regional School District Planning Board

It's not often you see one bureaucracy asking another much bigger bureaucracy in writing to provide mid-course feedback about whether they are on the correct heading.  Almost a private sector kind of thing, to avoid wasting everyones' valuable time.

But it does kind of indicate how this proposed "hybrid" school region is a last minute development.  The main difference in creating a new region (the old idea) vs simply modifying the current regional agreement (the new idea) is that Amherst -- 88% of the region -- will vote on this at an annual Town Meeting rather than a direct ballot vote of the people.

Leverett, Pelham and Shutesbury -- since they do not have a representative Town Meeting -- would vote either concept via their open Town Meetings. 

But in Amherst it makes a BIG difference.  Which is all fine, if you trust Amherst Town Meeting. 

How The Grinch Stole A Christmas Tree

 Amherst Boy Scouts Kendrick Park Christmas Tree oasis

Another less heartwarming Amherst tradition coinciding with the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Sale in Kendrick Park -- also dating back 50 years -- is the tradition of nitwit college aged youth trying to steal one of their Christmas trees.  And getting caught.

The Judge usually fines them $100 each with the fine money going to the Boy Scouts; so in this case, $400 for the attempted theft of one $40/tree.

One Tin Soldier Rides Away

Tom Laughlin, aka Billy Jack

Billy Jack arose with feet flying at a time when America needed him most.  We were mired in the Vietnam war -- piped into living rooms nightly around dinner time with unappetizing "body counts," while newspapers were filled with stories of unrest on our college campuses -- then, along came a hero.

A kick ass one at that.

Tom Laughlin was an anti-establishment renegade both on screen and off.  He wrote, directed, produced and starred in Billy Jack, the story of an ex-Green Beret, half-Native American, a Vietnam vet who took on powerful monied interests to protect the innocent.

The film was made in 1969 when the anti-war movement had grown to an overpowering force, only a year after the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King.

Consequently it took another two years before the film made it to theaters as Laughlin won a suit against Warner Bros. who became nervous with its anti-establishment theme and wanted to shelve the movie.   So Laughlin distributed the film himself.  

The movie about a loner doing the right thing ends up being distributed by a loner.

In addition to championing the underdog and demonstrating the true power of resolve, Billy Jack also stimulated an interest in martial arts schools, helping waves of kids increase confidence and discipline in pursuit of those masterful kicks.

The film also set the stage only a few years later for the greatest martial arts movie star of all time to enter the scene, Bruce Lee.

Over the years rumors would be pop up about a new Billy Jack sequel but nothing ever seemed to come of it.   Nor will it, ever.  On December 12, at age 82, Tom Laughlin passed away. 

So stand and raise a right fist, to remember the man who refused to compromise.

Government Shutdown?

Amherst Town Hall inaccessible at the moment

Just after 6:00 PM last night, as our first real winter storm was starting to pick up steam, an emergency call came in reporting a contained "stove fire" at 711 Main Street about a mile downhill from town center.  

The first unit on the scene reported heavy smoke and -- even more alarming -- that the fire was not contained within the stove.  A "box alarm" was struck, automatically toning off duty personnel and call firefighters.

Two engines and an ambulance responded,  and the fire was quickly knocked down without injury.

 711 Main Street.  Large wood structure

 Total time on scene, just over an hour. 

I asked Assistant Chief Stromgren how unusual it is for a stove fire to break out of containment, wondering if the fire literally burns through the metal or does it just become so hot it transfers the heat to adjacent combustible materials?

He replied:

"It is a little unusual but does happen, as in this case.  The fire actually finds its way up and out thru the vent for the oven.  This fire was fueled by plastic Tupperware type products that had been stored in the lower half so it had a lot of fuel and burned hot enough to actually melt the metal vent louvers on the front of the oven."

As usual the incident was handled in a coordinated manner by public servants doing their job while the rest of us sheltered in place.

Dispatchers notify both APD and AFD and whoever is first on scene reports back initial impressions.  

In this case that initial assessment instantly escalated the response via a box alarm.  APD then shuts down Main Street above and below the house so firefighters can run a line to the nearest hydrant.  The chaplain also responds to help comfort the victims.

And the DPW had been out since early afternoon making sure the streets were passable for all us citizens but even more important -- emergency vehicles.

Because fire needs very little time to become a killer beast.

Learning From History

 332 West Street tobacco barn circa 1916 (now under a one year demolition delay)

Amherst recently received  $10,000 in matching funds out of the Survey and Planning Grant Program overseen by the Massachusetts Historical Commission to hire a consultant to map out historic outbuildings (carriage houses, barns, sheds, etc) in the downtown and village centers.

 

35 Triangle Street, Carriage House built for Leonard Hills 

Conversion of single family homes to student rentals could threaten many of these structures sprinkled throughout the town.

According to Community Development Planner Nate Malloy:

"The inventory is not regulatory in nature. If a structure is identified, surveyed, and inventoried, it is not required to be preserved, nor does its presence on the inventory prevent it from being altered or demolished. This is an exercise in documenting what outbuildings are in the community. The intent is to use this inventory to raise awareness of outbuildings and their importance to the cultural heritage and physical character of the community."

 98 Spring Street

The money matches $10,000 Amherst Town Meeting already approved from Community Preservation Act funds, bringing the total budget to $20,000.  Target goal is 100 structures, and Mr. Malloy is confident the consultant will have no trouble finding that many to inventory.

Owners are encouraged to provide the Town and consultant with any background information about their property and the structure identified under this program.

Lessey Street carriage house

 

Hawthorne Farm shed

The Horror ... The horror

"Obviously a Major Malfunction"

UMass McGuirk Stadium expansion (20% over original budget estimates, naturally)

The only thing I question in the "Failure To Launch" minority report issued by members of a break away group from the Ad Hoc Committee on FBS Football is the title.

Umass BIG time football indeed launched but, like the 1986 Challenger space shuttle mission, it quickly ran into major difficulties. 

According to the "official" report of the Ad Hoc Committee on FBS Football, the Big Business  of Umass football in FY13 cost $7,639,732 in overhead, took in $1,995,633 in revenues for a loss of $5,644,099 in taxpayer dollars.  Up from FY11 $3,100,000 the (pre-FBS) season two years before. 

And this year (FY14) it will be even worse, with total losses projected at $6,312,074. 

Let's see, with the team's 2-22 record that works out to $6 million per victory.  And yes, UMass football has always been a loser economically, but even if you factor in  FY11 losses (before going FBS) the total increase in subsidy these past two FBS years is $8,606,833 or $4,303,416 per victory.

Reminds me of comedian Tommy Smothers line during the height of the Vietnam war protests when he calculated the average cost per Viet Cong killed thus far in the ill-fated war was just over $600,000. "Heck, we could buy them off for a lot less than that."

So you have to wonder if the intangible benefits of BIG time football -- prestige and ego -- are worth $12 million?  And as an "opportunity cost," weight how many deserving students could be afforded the opportunity for a life altering education via scholarships.

Or even if you simply wish to keep the money within the realm of athletics, you could revive men’s tennis, gymnastics, or women’s volleyball and gymnastics, all cut in 2006 to save money.

Committee chair Nelson Lacey said Failure to Launch & UMass football index which have been distributed here are not from Ad Hoc committee
— Matt Vautour  (@GazetteUMass) December 12, 2013

Boston Globe reports

Bring On The Consultants

Steering Committee co-chairs Nancy Buffone, David Ziomek (left)

The Town Gown Steering Committee had their final meeting of the year Tuesday and passed their collective hands over the final RFP draft for a consultant to help navigate the stormy waters that arise between two large independent entities -- in this case the town and UMass, a flagship University in a state that cherishes education.

As usual there were a couple points of friction:  Actual Amherst demographics are hard to measure precisely: how many year round residents of the town overall and how many off campus students there are nine months of the year.  And what is the exact make up of on-campus students since some of them take online courses  and therefor not physically present.

But the real point of friction came from immediate neighbors in the audience who took offense at the line "Community resistance to new growth has been consistently high." Yes, in a bureaucratic document, God forbid directness.

Jack Hirsch went so far as to say the line was aimed directly at "Save Historic Cushman," a relatively newbie organization in the generations old BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) movement.

John Fox also read a prepared statement decrying a "secret document" that had been commissioned by Town Meeting a few years back as part of the ill-fated Gateway Project.  That traffic study, like this town/gown consultant effort, was a joint effort overseen by UMass procurement department, and seems to have simply been misplaced in the shuffle.

Or as Stephanie O'Keeffe explained,  "There are so ... many ... damn things going on."



In fact the final report still has "draft" stenciled across the front page.  And Mr. Fox never did point to any scandalous factual findings that would give anyone a reason to want it keep secret. 

Committee member Rolf Karlstrom also brought up concerns about the document reflecting all the final tweaks just discussed and urged the committee to hold off voting until a final document could be emailed to the entire committee, since one-third were not in attendance at the start of the meeting.

 Rolf Karlstrom (far right)

And in fact, by the end of the meeting only 12 of the 24 member remained.  Of course if the steering committee were subject to Open Meeting Law the unanimous vote would be invalid since a 50% attendance of a governmental body does not constitute a quorum. 

Make Them Real

Newt Gingrich showing off his iPhone 4

Tonight in the ornate Johnson Chapel located on the equally ornate Amherst College campus in the left leaning town of Amherst, Newt Gingrich entertained a crowd of almost 700, mostly students, but a smattering of older folks as well.

 Huge crowd in Johnson Chapel, Callista Gingrich front row

He started out by holding up his iPhone 4 calling it, "the most powerful public health device in America today." Furthermore he insisted smart phones should be given to school children everywhere as an access pathway to education.

Like an enthusiastic science professor he went on to extol the virtues of 3D printing and regenerative medicine to revolutionize health care, although he's concerned the FDA slows down innovation and prevents products from making it to the market.

 Plenty of questions

He championed the Google driverless car, pointing out the army is using the technology for supply trucks which reduces the cost in lives should a convoy come under attack.  Although he asserts we lost the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, costing taxpayers trillions of dollars and inflicting thousands of casualties among our troops.

But his views on energy would lead to a brief firefight with two young ladies later in the question period.  Gingrich championed fracking and horizontal drilling as a means of increasing dramatically the production of domestic oil.

In North Dakota oil production increased thirty fold and wages went up 50% as a byproduct of the energy boom, where even McDonald's employees make $15/hour.

Gingrich aimed his most vitriolic criticism squarely at our nation's seat of power:   "Washington has no interest in fixing things"; or "The Senate as an institution has been decaying for 20 years."  He pointed out he was in D.C. a few days ago and there was a dusting of snow which resulted in the Federal Government shutting down sending all their employees home (even though the White House lawn was still green).

"How do you think that makes the taxpayers in Buffalo, New York feel when they trudge to work through a typical snowstorm"?

 Newt leaves the stage

He closed by recapping his faith in new technology and new ways of doing things:  3D printing, driverless cars, online learning.  "The challenge for your generation is to make them real."

Historic Building Sold (Again)

 40 Dickinson Street, Amherst 

Amherst College, the number one landowner in town, just purchased the former Paige's Chevy, aka Classic Chevy, building at 40 Dickinson Street for $474,000.  A tad more than the former owner of Classic Chevy business paid for it back in August ($325,000) but still well below its assessed value of $548,200.

Thus if it goes off the tax rolls, like the vast majority of Amherst College owned property, it will no longer pay the town treasury just over $10,000 in annual property taxes.

The two-story brick building to the rear of the more recent office addition dates back to 1880,  so if Amherst College is going to raze the building to "put up a parking lot" they will need the permission of the Amherst Historical Commission.  Currently the Commission has the power to implement a one year demolition delay to protect historic structures.

The property also touches the overgrown remains of "Kelley Square", another historic, albeit forgotten, piece of history intertwined with the most historic figure in town history.

Or as faithful servant One-Armed Tom used to call her, "Miss Emily."

Retreat: Back to the Drawing Board

 Planning Board responded to preliminary presentation from 12/4/13

About the only surprise in this official Planning Board response to Landmark Properties proposal for the Retreat student enclave in North Amherst is the demand the roads throughout the complex be "public" rather than private. 

Although they seem to waffle a bit with the wordy "It is the Planning Board's preference that .. " intro, so maybe demand is not quite the correct word.

If the roads are private then that lessens the workload of the DPW and Police Department (but certainly not the already understaffed Fire Department).  And with the recent Mutual Aid Agreement Court decision killing joint patrols between APD and UMPD, I can see where having a private security force oversee the facility is a benefit to taxpayers.

Especially since the on-the-tax-rolls development will pay around $400,000 in annual property taxes; so the less services they use up in overhead the larger the net gain to the town treasury.

But much was made at the public hearing about the safety of roads that are not up to "public" standards (Walmart vs Neiman Marcus).  And the clientele using them will be somewhat the novice drivers.

So it looks as though that could be a deal breaker.   Your move Landmark. 

   Retreat PB Response

Another Joins The SB Race

 

Amherst Planning Board 6/5/13 Connie Kruger center 

In case you were wondering who would garner the second vote among first-Selectboard-candidate-out-of-the-gate Andy Steinberg supporters, the answer fell like snow from the heavens this afternoon: Current Planning Board member (and former town employee) Connie Kruger.

 Even better to balance the ticket, since she's a she.

 In her own words ...

Amherst Joint Patrols Thrown Out

UMPD mounted patrol, Phillips Street (off campus) last April

The highly publicized and certainly effective joint patrols between UMass Police Department and Amherst Police Department around the periphery of our flagship campus are -- at least for the time being -- no more.

Killed off by a legal challenge initiated by the New England Police Benevolent Association, legal representatives for the UMPD rank and file. 

Their problem with the Mutual Aid Agreement is not just that it increases their workload. UMass police officers do not receive the same benefits as town officers, but the MAA has them performing the same job.

The Mutual Aid Agreement was signed back in 2007.  Then Town Manager Larry Shaffer and Select Board Chair Gerry Weiss had championed the initiative as a means of mitigating off campus rowdy student behavior.

And as an excuse not to hire more Amherst cops.

At the time Patrick Archbald, Deputy Chief of UMass police was quoted in the Daily Collegian:   "The agreement removes a hurdle to taking police action, and in turn, we hope it will make both our communities safer.  All stakeholders were motivated in this effort by making safer communities and doing so in the most economically feasible way. The 'MAA,' made perfect sense for everyone."

Last year the public safety departments moved even closer together via weekend "joint patrols" on streets immediately adjacent to the sprawling campus.  The results? A less rowdy spring.  Far less rowdy.  

When I asked specifically about how well the joint patrols worked over last Spring UMass PD Chief John Horvath replied:

  "UMPD dedicated more officers to supporting APD with off campus issues in spring 2013.  The two departments have worked together for a long time and there are good relationships built, while new ones are forming.  It is my intention to continue to work with APD, Chief Livingstone and the Amherst & Hadley communities to support them when needed, while respecting the jurisdictional boundaries that are established."

 

Meadow Street Townhouse Apartments main entry (off campus). Last April

So where do we go from here?  Chief Scott Livingstone confirmed "my request for budget FY15 addresses manpower concerns...."  That request, however, has to survive Amherst Town Meeting, a legislative body not always champions of public safety.  Besides, FY15 does not start until July 1st -- too late for this coming Spring.

 

UMPD hands out ticket last April on Fearing Street (town property)

This morning Chief Horvath responded:

"The spirit of action and cooperation in my previous quote still stands.  UMPD will continue to support both the Amherst and Hadley Police Departments when requested under our mutual aid agreements.  Most recently, Chief Livingstone and I have been discussing ways our departments can further assist one another in meeting our collective goal of a safe community.  We will continue to collaborate on how to better provide police service that is in line with legal mandates, as well as challenges unique to the area.  The mutual aid agreement between the University and the Town of Amherst is being reviewed by legal representatives and we will seek to implement the recommendations that are provided."

Because of the demand spike on weekends for ambulances (too many of them dealing with overly intoxicated students) UMass donated an extra $40,000 per semester to bolster AFD response capability.

And later today a joint super committee made up of high-ranking UMass and town officials will put the final touches on a Request For Proposal being issued for a consultant to help with town gown relations.  Especially as it relates to rowdy off campus behavior.

UMass needs to step up to address this disturbing development; before the flowers bloom in May.

DUI Dishonor Roll

Yes it's hard to top the slaughter caused by an alleged drunk driver over the weekend in Easthampton, but either of these two Amherst DUI arrests -- Gino A Monsini and Dean Nemroff both age 22 --  could have been a comparable incident.

There but for the grace of God ...

 #####

Higher Education?

The out-of-control party at Amherst College, aided and abetted by uninvited UMass students, stands out even when viewed through the staid prism of a public safety weekend run report.

All seven weekend emergency responses to Amherst College are of the nuisance kind. 

   Amherst College Disturbance by larry_kelley_1

Party House of the Weekend

 227 East Pleasant Street, Amherst

For the second time this year Amherst Police responded to a noise complaint at 227 East Pleasant Street, only this time they handed out $300 tickets to three tenants for an expensive party total of $900.

Next time maybe they will answer the door a little quicker.  Or better yet, ensure there is no next time.

And So This Is Christmas

AFD E2 arriving Amherst College late Saturday night  

UPDATE Sunday morning

About two hours after the large disturbance at Amherst College tied up (too) many of our public safety personnel, AFD and APD responded to a real (accidental), potentially deadly emergency, a chimney fire.

Had that fire occurred just two hours earlier,  the response may not have been as well coordinated ...

Original Post:

After an invasion by many hundreds of UMass students to the posh grounds of Amherst College this evening to crash an unofficial Christmas party, with escalating incidents of mayhem -- pulling fire alarms, breaking windows, spraying fire extinguishers, and trashing an outdoor Menorah -- Amherst College PD called for reinforcements.

 AFD Engine 2 on scene Crossett Dorm Amherst College

 

APD preparing to stage

Amherst Police responded in force. Amherst Fire Department was already on scene for the false alarm as well an overly intoxicated student.  After a half dozen cruisers activated their lights, horns and sirens, the quad was quickly cleared.

 APD and ACPD push crowd from south to north off the quad toward College Street

 Amherst firefighter among the crowd

A Love For Books

 George Goodman (right)

If you can't trust long-time civic minded "Friend of the Jones Library" George Goodwin with a key to the historic building, who can you trust?

Although, since it's an original key dating back to 1928, it may not still work.

 Former (forever) Library Director Bonnie Isman presents the gifts of, naturally, books

This morning in the Trustees Room Ellen and George Goodwin Room, friends, patrons and lovers of the Jones Library came together to honor a long-time champion, George Goodwin.

His co-champion wife Ellen passed away early last month, but as MC Tina Swift pointed out, she was still there in spirit.

"Unprovoked And Dastardly Attack"

USS Arizona 12/7/41

USS Arizona today

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (12/7/41)



“With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt (12/8/41)

Total killed at Pearl Harbor 2,402

Attack begins:  7:48 a.m.

USS Arizona explodes: 8:10 a.m.

USS Arizona:  1,177 killed in action, the highest loss of live in US naval history. 

Merriest Maple Yet

Merry Maple, UMass Marching Band

Okay, so it may not be visible to the astronauts aboard the space station, but it certainly is bright enough to warm the heart of the most curmudgeon of Amherst citizens (including me).

Well done Business Improvement District, well done.