There's a Killer On The Road

Newman Galati aka @Newmasaur (Used without permission)

Amherst police only made one OUI Liquor arrest over the weekend but it was a doozy ... Newman Galati, age 22,  a repeat offender.  He had come over the Notch by Atkins Country Market in deep South Amherst heading toward Amherst town center not-all-that-late Saturday night driving erratically and with his headlights off.

 

Newman Galati, booking photo, courtesy APD

Amherst police pulled him over on South Pleasant Street (about 350 yards from my house) a beer can throw from town center and immediatley noticed the fresh front end damage to his vehicle.  He was arrested on a host of charges:

APD arrests driver on South Pleasant Street near town center Driving Under Influence (erratically and without headlights)
— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) July 19, 2014

And Then There Were None

 

Pat Kamins landlord, Rob Morra (on right)  Building Commissioner

Amherst Building Commissioner Rob Morra reports the most recent Rental Permit Bylaw enforcement actions taken by his office to bring into the compliance the final dozen properties (out of 1,300) has been successful.

Only one remains -- 84 Grantwood Avenue -- and they have told him the "application is in the mail."

 A dozen years ago the Board of Health made an ill fated attempt to bring about Rental Registration but it was mostly ignored; and after the contentious "Smoking Ban in Bars War" from a few years earlier the Board seemed reticent to take on the enforcement challenge.  

Naysayers with a vested interest claimed the current implementation of the common sense bylaw, with its nominal $100 annual fee, would be a logistical nightmare and that the Zoning Board would be overwhelmed with hearings to approve the parking component of the program. 

But all of that sound and fury has apparently signified nothing.

100% compliance now sets the stage for rental occupancy peak season when students return next month.  So the next big test is yet to come.  

Red Ink Runaround

 

Cherry Hill Clubhouse cost $4,365 liability insurance, not part of "operation budget"

Okay, I'm big enough to admit when I'm wrong.  Eight months ago I predicted Cherry Hill Golf Course, the town's most insatiable White Elephant, would squander $60,000 in FY14 (just ended June 30).

Instead the beleaguered beast lost $87,739 -- or well over the cost of a firefighter, police officer or teacher.  Also well over the $47,141 in tax monies it lost last year or $40,132 the year before that.

As usual the business overran their operation budget by $6,696 and missed their target revenue goal by $12,495, a 9.4% reduction from last year's total revenues.

But when you add in those other significant hidden costs -- employee benefits, capital/equipment, insurance -- that do not show up as part of the "operation budget" -- the red ink flows like the River Jordan.

Amherst Town Meeting took Cherry Hill back in 1987 by eminent domain using an "emergency measure" provision that made the action "Referendum proof."  A malevolent move that cost $2.2 million dollars ($4.4 million in today's dollars), the most expensive land acquisition in town history.

And of course it was inspired by North Amherst NIMBYs who wished to stop a modest 134 unit housing development in their backyard.  In fact the developer offered to deed the entire golf course to the town for $1 as all he wanted was the land overlooking it for housing.

In a July 7 memo to the illustrious Select Board, Cherry Hill cheerleader John Musante (who also happens to be the Town Manager) stated:  "This ongoing evaluation will likely include revisiting the cost-benefit of privatizing operations of the Cherry Hill Golf Course."

Even if we lease it out for $1 the town still greatly benefits because taxpayers would avoid subsidizing hefty annual losses, and the commercial business would go back on the tax rolls.  Last year Amherst College, our largest landowner, paid the town just over $15,000 in property taxes for their nine hole golf club.

And if we can't find anyone to take it off our hands to continue providing the luxurious game of golf, then other uses should be found.  Like solar for instance.  

Former cornfield, East Hadley Road, Hadley

Coming & Going

Mango Mango, 61 Main Street, Amherst

While food aficionados celebrated the opening of two new restaurants in the downtown -- El Rinconsito Cuscatleco (Salvadoran) and The Taste Thai Cuisine of Amherst -- those same foodies will probably miss Mango Mango located only a mango throw away.

The eclectic cozy lunch and dinner operation opened in the former location of Fresh Side five years ago and closed rather suddenly yesterday.  The lack of a liquor license probably didn't help. 

Restaurants have one of the highest failure rates of any business, with over half failing to celebrate their fifth birthday.

But chances are that location will be up and running again this fall ... as a restaurant.

A Rising Tide?

 

The Amherst Regional Public Schools must be feeling the heat over their high average per student cost ($18,026 vs state average of $13,636) as this morning they issued a  link to a blog post rationalizing their high cost of administration, which of course contributes to the high average per pupil cost.

Interesting that they blame the evil state and all those "reports to Department of Elementary and Secondary and Education" which of course "are not optional."  Okay fair enough, the state is fairly anal with statistics and reports.

But they are probably fair-and-balanced enough to require such things from ALL public schools in the state. 

So why then is ARPS 60% over state average with "administration" costs of $789 per pupil while state average from all the other schools dealing with DESE reports is only $471 per pupil?

Either ARPS has too many administrators, or the perfect number they have are paid too much. 

Saving Energy One Building At A Time

 AFD North Station, first occupied 1975

39-year-old AFD North Station will get some cosmetic energy tweaks over the next year and a half courtesy of a $165,539 state Green Community grant, two-thirds of which goes to the funky but aging fire station and the other one-third to Town Hall.

The apparatus room, which dominates the center of the building, will switch to a more efficient infrared heating system at a cost of $20,558, and added insulation for the walls at a cost of $64,973.  

The last item, a "Demand Control Ventilation " system, will be installed at a cost of $23,977.  The system automatically adjusts the heating/cooling and ventilation to fit the changing usage of the building during the day/night, although since North Station is staffed 24/7, probably not a great money saver.

Town Hall also received $56,031 for a DCV sysstem. Since Town Hall is pretty much a 9-5 work operation with limited evening hours for meetings, the system will probably pay bigger dividends than the one at the fire station.

Amherst Town Hall,  first occupied 1890

The Joint Capital Planning Committee has been putting off for the past four years recommending the $12 million for a new South Fire Station.  And staffing levels at Central and North Station now routinely require Dispatch to issue tones for off duty personnel or the hourly Call Force (Engine 4) to report in for "station coverage."

UMass recently reiterated their pledge of $80,000 to staff two extra ambulances over the weekends while schools are in session, but there are still times when all five ambulances are swamped, and mutual aid is required.
 

How Many & What Kind of Weapons?

 

Amherst Regional High School

Obviously taxpayers who fund the very expensive overhead costs ($18,026 per pupil vs state average $13,636)  of our Amherst Regional PUBLIC School District have a right to know about weapons confiscated in the High School.
  
Parents with kids in the system, even more so. 

APD en route Amherst Regional High School to pick up and dispose of "previously confiscated weapons over the years."  Yikes.
— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) July 16, 2014