Town Manager Report for February 5, 2024
Photo:amherstma.gov
Source: amherstma.gov
Editor’s note: Town Manager Paul Bockelman submits a comprehensive report to the Town Council, usually at the first Town Council meeting of each month. The reports, usually 9 to 16 pages in length, provide up-to-date information on what is happening within and across town departments. The Manager’s Report is usually one of the last items on the agenda and is often taken up late at night, leaving little time for Bockelman to do more than mention a few highlights and this is usually all that gets entered into the Council minutes. What follows is a complete, unedited version of the Town Manager’s Report. All Town Manager Reports are available here on the Town’s website.
TOWN MANAGER
• Professional Update: At the MMA Annual Meeting, I was sworn in to serve as the 2nd Vice President of the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association, which includes membership on the organization’s Executive Committee and membership on the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Board of Directors.
• Massachusetts Municipa\ Association (MMA): Members of the Town Council and several staff attended the MMA’s Annual Meeting and Trade Show on January 19th and 20th at the Hynes Convention Center. This is the largest gathering of municipal officials in the Northeast. Senators Warren and Markey, Governor Healey, and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll all spoke during the conference. And there were dozens of workshops which we attended.
• Community Outreach:
• Cuppa Joe with Paul:
▪ I was joined by about 15 residents and members of the CRESS Interim Leadership Team on Friday, January 5th for the latest “Cuppa Joe with Paul”. Thanks to all who attended. The next Cuppa Joe will be either February 23rd. Watch for a notice on the Town’s website.
• Radio: I have been making a monthly appearance on WHMP’s “Talk the Talk” radio show. Most recently, on Friday we discussed Winterfest, budget challenges, roads, State legislation, and MMA leadership.
• Committee Vacancies:
• Charter Review Committee: The Town Council is accepting applications for the 2024 Charter Review Committee. The Committee is a multiple-member body appointed by the Town Council in accordance with Charter section 9.6: Periodic Review of Charter, which states:
The Town Council shall provide, in every year ending in a 4, for a review of the Charter by a special committee to be established by Town Council. All members of the committee shall be voters not holding elective office when appointed. The committee shall file a report within 1 year recommending any changes to the Charter which it deems necessary or desirable, unless an extension is authorized by vote of the Town Council. The Town Council shall vote upon the recommendations in the report within 90 days of receipt of the committee’s recommendations. Action on all proposed charter changes shall be governed by Section 9.1 of this Charter.
The 2024 Charter Review Committee will be composed of nine voting members who must be registered voters in Amherst. The membership shall reflect the diversity of the Town of Amherst population. The term of service is to conclude upon presentation of a final report to the Town Council. For more information on the 2024 Charter Review Committee see the Committee Charge.
DEPARTMENT UPDATES
• Administration and Finance
o Town Clerk:
▪ Postcards: All registered voters should have received a postcard from the Secretary of State’s office which allows voters to apply for a mailed ballot by returning the postage-paid postcard. The Town has received around 2,000 postcards so far – some are for all elections, some just for the primary, some a mixture of elections. They have all been entered for all elections this year and we are expecting ballots by Feb. 2nd.
▪ Election Dates: Here are some important election dates:
• Last day to register to vote: 2/24 by 5:00 pm (the Town Clerk’s office will be open on that Saturday);
• Vote by Mail application deadline: 2/27 by 5:00 pm;
• In-person early voting begins Sat, 2/24 (10:00 to 4:00), and then continues
Mon-Fri, 2/26-3/1 from 8:00 to 4:30;
▪ Census forms: Census forms are being processed which ensures a voter remains listed as active. A voter is made inactive if they haven’t answered their census or the confirmation postcard which is mailed out in May. Therefore, everyone will be able to vote as an active voter in the March primary as long as they’ve answered last year’s census.
▪ Dog licenses: Dog licenses are due by April 1st. These will be processed during the next month or two.
o Finance:
▪ Resident Capital Requests: Request forms are available now on the Town’s website. Requests must be submitted by February 29th. Here is a link to the form: https://www.amherstma.gov/FormCenter/Committee-Forms-3/Resident-Capital- Request-for-FY2025-190
▪ Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions for qualified residents are available. Are you a Veteran or legally blind? Are you 65 years old or older or have an accessory dwelling unit that is occupied by your parents or in-laws? If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be eligible for an exemption on your real estate taxes. Want to learn more online about the exemption applications? https://www.amherstma.gov/106/Exemptions Applications are available online at www.amherstma.gov/94/Assessors or in the Assessors Office. Please call us at 413-259-3024 or email at assessors@amherstma.gov The deadline to file for the fiscal year 2024 is April 1st.
▪ Budget:
• Finance Staffing: Former Amherst Finance Director Sandy Pooler has agreed to return to the Town. Sandy was Amherst’s finance director from 2011 to early 2016, will be coming back on a regular, part-time basis to support the Town Council, town manager and finance team on capital planning and capital projects and financial projections for FY25. Sandy retired from his position as town manager in Arlington last summer. He also served as the chief administrative officer for the City of Newton, and has extensive experience in financing major construction projects including two MSBA funded schools (Newton North High School and Arlington High School) and a public works facility in Arlington. Pooler is one of the most experienced and intelligent finance officers in Massachusetts and will provide additional support for our current financial team, which is made up of Treasurer/Collector Jennifer LaFountain and Comptroller Holly Drake, who are co-interim finance directors, and Clerk of the Council Athena O’Keeffe, who is coordinating and reviewing department budgets and developing final budget documents. He will handle budget projections and the capital improvement program and update the financial plan for the major capital projects, including the new elementary school that will break ground in the coming weeks at Fort River, the expanded and renovated Jones Library, also to get underway this spring, and a new Department of Public Works headquarters and fire station in South Amherst.
• Budget Coordinating Group (BCG): We are working on determining the best time to hold a BCG meeting, as the Finance Team is working on updated budget projections. We have received the numbers from the Governor’s budget. We need the rates for Health Insurance.
• Schools Budgets: The School District is working on its budgets for FY25.
Key dates:
o February 13th – Public hearing on elementary schools budget
o February 17th – Four Towns Meeting
o February 27th – Public hearing on Regional School District budget
▪ Human Resources:
• Searches: The Human Resources Department has been managing numerous search processes including searches for the Police Chief, Finance Director, and Director of Community Responders. We are making progress on all of them.
o Director of Community Responders: The search committee has recommended finalists to the Town Manager and I am reviewing and interviewing now.
o Finance Director: The search committee is reviewing applications and interviewing candidates.
o Police Chief: The search committee is preparing to interview candidates.
o Information Technology (I.T.): The Town’s I.T. Director was invited to join the State Cyber Resilient Massachusetts Working Group. https://masscybercenter.org/cyber- resilient-massachusetts/cyber-resilient-massachusetts-working-group
o Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Department: The office is in the middle of one of its busiest times of year.
▪ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: The DEI Department organized a very well attended event on January 15th to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King. Many members of the Town Council joined the Human Rights Commission to read the
Town Council proclamation and participate in a community reading of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s. speech “The Quest for Peace and Justice” at the Bangs Community Center.
▪ Black History Month:
• The flag raising ceremony and reading of the Town Council’s proclamation by most Town Council members was held on February 1st at Town Hall.
• The ceremony also unveiled the extensive exhibit in Town Hall of the Black Experience in Amherst. The exhibit will be on display during the month of February. Thanks to the DEI Department, CRESS Department, and Public Art Commission for helping to make this exhibit happen. Please stop by…and help improve the exhibit by suggesting other events and names that should be included as we continue to develop the content of this exhibit.
• Other exhibits are on display at the Jones Library, the Civil War tablets at the Bangs Community Center, and a revitalized and enhanced exhibition by Ancestral Bridges at the Frost Library at Amherst College that features new photography, artifacts, and rare documents, inviting a deeper exploration of the lives and contributions of this long-neglected community. There will be an opening celebration filled with engaging remarks from community members and delectable cupcakes courtesy of Carefree Cakery on Tuesday, February 6th from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
▪ National Day of Racial Healing: This event was rescheduled due to inclement weather. The new date is February 29th from
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Crocker Elementary School. Join the Conversation. “We can’t heal or create greater racial equity if we don’t know each other. Racial healing involves building trusting relationships that help us work together to address the impact and damage caused by racism. Changing the systems that separate us starts with challenging our individual impulses to separate. On this National Day of Racial Healing – and year round – find a way to connect across racial and ethnic differences with people who we share our community with.” We can start by joining the conversation. Registration is not required, but it is appreciated. Please Click here to register.
▪ Spring Festival Celebration:
• The Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion welcome in the Year of the Dragon. Learn about the origins and traditions of Spring Festival. Enjoy a Dragon dance and other traditional Spring Festival dances and songs.
• There will be activities for all and lunch will be provided by our favorite local restaurants. Saturday, FebruarY 17, 2024 Amherst Regional Middle School
• Schedule of Events!o 10:30 a.m. The origin and traditions of Spring Festival Dr. Lily Soh
o 11:15 a.m. Dragon dance and other traditional Spring Festival dances and songs performed by East Culture, Inc.
o 12:00 noon Reading of the 2024 Spring Festival Proclamation read by Town Council
o 12:15 p.m. Lunch provided by our favorite local restaurants
o Registration is not required, but it is appreciated. To register Click
▪ Staffing: The Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion continues to serve on the] Interim Leadership Team established by the Town to support the CRESS Department. The DEI Director leads the team that includes Fire Chief Tim Nelson, Police Sergeant Janet Griffin, and CRESS Implementation Manager Kat Newman to help stabilize the department.
▪ CORE Equity Team: Core Equity Team Members are staff members who self- identified and self-selected to learn about and promote issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Some CORE Equity members will serve as facilitators in the National Day of Racial Healing events.
▪ Committees: DEI staff continue to support the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee (CSSJC) and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) meet monthly.
▪ Community Visioning: The Department is working on a community visioning process with a focus on public safety and social justice. Dr. Barbara Love conducted a Train the Trainer session for Liberatory Visioning which required a significant time commitment and was well attended.
▪ Reparations: The Town Council is reviewing the recommendations and I have requested legal advice on several questions and funding options. The Town Attorney is researching and working on a legal analysis for the Council.
▪ Resident Oversight Board: On January 10th, 18th, and 21st, the DEI Department hosted listening sessions to hear Amherst residents’ experiences with the Amherst Police Department. These sessions grow out of the work begun by the Community Safety Working Group (CSWG) and the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee (CSSJC). The CSWG recommended the formation of a Resident
Oversight Board for the Police Department. These listening sessions are some of the foundational steps towards the formation of a Resident Oversight Board. Resident Oversight Board forums ended with over 70 residents responding to the survey, a final report will be forthcoming.
▪ Police Protocols: Work on police protocols will be a priority for the permanent chief, once appointed.
▪ CRESS: See the update on the CRESS Department below.
▪ Youth Empowerment: Surveys have been distributed with plans for in-person follow up.
Public Safety
o Police Department:
▪ Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and Co-Response: The Town’s CIT program is
funded by an annual Department of Mental Health (DMH) grant. The DMH grant provides the Town with funds for training and provides a clinician for co- responses. Our new clinician has extensive experience prior to coming to CSO. It is important to note that the clinician works for CSO and not the Town of Amherst Police Department. The new clinician will coordinate her services outside of the Police Department just as her predecessor did, which includes working with the Town’s CRESS Department, Craig’s Doors, etc.
o Fire Department:
▪ Hazard Mitigation Plan Update: The Fire Department was awarded a grant of $34,200 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The grant will support the Town’s efforts to update its current plan by addressing the mitigation of multiple hazards that may affect the Town, including flood hazards, winter storm hazards, wind hazards, wildfire hazards, and geologic hazards. When the plan is completed, the Town will be eligible to be designated an MVP Community, which may lead to increased standing in future funding opportunities and will signify the Town’s commitment to building resiliency and preparing for climate change.
o Community Responders Department:
▪ Harvard University Government Performance Lab: The CRESS Department began work with the Harvard University Fellow assigned to the Town of Amherst. This work will focus on dispatch protocols and department policies and procedures. The work will be informed by the larger consortium of communities doing similar work throughout the country that have been invited to participate by Harvard University.
▪ Utility Assistance Programs: The Community Responders are spreading the word about resources available to Town residents to help people stay warm and meet their essential needs this winter. Community Responders assist individuals to understand and access help that may be available. This listing includes on-going programs that can help renters/homeowners during the frigid winter months.
▪ CRESS Hours of Operation: Remember CRESS is here to help! Just call 413-259- 3370 or stop by the office, located on the second floor of the Bangs Community Center.
• Monday – Friday: 8:00AM – 4:00PM (walk-ins welcome)
• Saturday: 10:00AM – 6:00PM (accessible via phone/appointment)
▪ Staffing: Three new responders began their duties on January 16th. They are undergoing training and supporting CRESS activities. Training will be completed by March 1st. The search for a new Director of Community Responders is making good progress, as reported above.
▪ Training:
• The CRESS Department hosted a Mental Health First Aid workshop for first responders from all Town public safety departments.
• One CRESS Responder attended the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) block: Western Mass CIT TTAC. Two CRESS Responders will attend the upcoming (February 2024) block
• Police Sergeant Griffin, a member of the Interim Leadership Team, instructed the one-hour “Working with Victims of Domestic Violence:
Crisis, Trauma, and Challenges” portion of the CIT block
• CRESS Implementation Manager Kat Newman instructed the one-hour
“LGBTQIA+” portion of the CIT block
• Two CRESS Responders attended a 2-day CIT Youth training
• Two CRESS Responders and the Implementation Manager attended a day- long Mental Health First Aid training.
• Community Services
o Public Health:
▪ Respiratory Illness Update:
• As the winter wears on, we expect rates of respiratory illness to peak and then begin to come back down. It looks like this is happening now in our region, meaning that we are likely in the middle of the respiratory illness season. In previous years, we’ve seen multiple humps, so it’s possible that these rates could kick upwards again.
• Wastewater surveillance reports showed a significant spike in COVID at the beginning of January – reaching what is considered above substantial levels of infection (>1 million gene copy equivalents per liter) – but the level quickly began to decline. Levels continued to dip and rise slightly over the last few weeks but have now plateaued and are at lower than substantial levels.
• Nationally, the number of people seeking healthcare for respiratory illnesses is still high but declining rapidly. COVID-19 continues to be the leader in severe disease, leading to more hospitalizations than other respiratory diseases. This trend is mirrored in Hampshire County where emergency department visits and hospitalization admissions for respiratory illness have been decreasing over the past few weeks. COVID-19 is responsible for the majority of the hospitalizations.
• This is not an inevitable situation! The percentage of people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the US is disappointingly low(41% among those over 65 compared to 75% flu vaccine coverage). Compare these statistics to those of the UK where more than 70% of the eligible population is vaccinated for COVID-19 and where flu hospitalizations surpassed those for COVID-19 this season.
• According to data from the Mass Department of Public Health, only 20% of Amherst residents received the most recent COVID booster.
• Our Public Health Nurse is able to vaccinate people who are uninsured and under-insured for COVID and flu on site at the Department and can guide people who do have insurance to places where they can receive these vaccines in the community. The Department will offer flu vaccine for uninsured folks until at least March and plans to keep COVID vaccine on hand for those who are uninsured for the foreseeable future. We are promoting our vaccine service to community agencies and partners in the town and are still offering COVID tests to folks who drop in at the Department, although our supplies are beginning to run low.
▪ Vaccine: A vaccine clinic was held at Meadow View apartments on the afternoon of January 18th through the Public Health Excellence grant. Although attendance at the clinic was lower than we had hoped for, the event presented an excellent opportunity to cement partnerships with the management of the Meadow View apartments, and to plan more community-oriented public health outreach and education efforts in the future.
▪ Hepatitis: We are collaborating with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to offer an in-service training on Hepatitis for Bangs Center staff on February 28th. We will then be partnering with the Musante clinic to offer a Hepatitis A vaccine clinic for guests and staff of Craig’s Doors at their congregate shelter in March. These activities are being organized in response to an alert the State sent to all municipalities about 6 Hepatitis A cases among people in the Boston area and in Hampden County who were unhoused and reported injection drug use. No uptick in cases has been reported since then but we are focusing on prevention by working to ensure that folks at high risk for contracting Hepatitis have access to vaccinations.
▪ Mental Health Awareness: Public Health worked with the Recreation Department to organize a series of trainings/activities on ways to foster mental wellness in our community. The series kicked off on January 30th with a session about the Winter Blues, which was part of WinterFest. The next training in the series will be a session on QPR – Question Persuade, Refer: three steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide – that will be held on February 13th from 6:00 to 7:30 in the Town Room. More sessions in the series are being planned in collaboration with CRESS and the Wildflower Alliance.
▪ Public Health Community Needs Assessment: The Community Health Needs Assessment recently submitted by a team of University students is being used as a jumping off point for the Town’s program planning. Staff will be developing a plan which will be reviewed and shared widely.
o Recreation:
▪ National Girls and Women in Sports Day:
• The Amherst College Department of Athletics, in partnership with the Town of Amherst and Amherst Recreation Department, is hosting the National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Amherst College Alumni Gym.
• This event is dedicated to honoring the achievements of girls and women in sports and aims to recognize the power of sports and play in unlocking limitless potential.
• NGWSD at Amherst College will provide girls in grades 4-6 with a unique opportunity to explore various sports, play, and have fun together. The event will feature activities led by women’s sports teams, including: squash, basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, field hockey, lacrosse, golf, cross country and track & field.
• The program will kick off in Middleton Gymnasium at 10 a.m. with a warm welcome and introduction by Dr. Emily Jones and Jennifer Chuks.
Sydni Spencer will lead a group warmup session, concluding with an
exciting cheer to set the tone for the day. Girls will then be divided into teams so they can try different sports and games.
• Parents and guardians will remain on the premises; however, they will have the opportunity to attend presentations by our nutritionist and receive
details about local sports and fitness organizations. Additionally, refreshments will be provided.
▪ WinterFest Amherst 2024: Embrace the Magic of Winter in Our Community: Recreation staff organized a robust schedule of Winterfest activities. Full calendar of events is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uovlNvixMXacdRuJl2NijeYHDpC2UnZ0X fixyfsNmfA/edit
• Highlights:
o Winter Wonderland Family Science at Hitchcock Center (January
27th): The WinterFest kicks off with the enchanting Winter
Wonderland Family Science event at the Hitchcock Center. Families are invited to explore the wonders of winter through
hands-on activities, engaging exhibits, and educational experiences.
o 1st Annual WinterFest Games at Mill River Recreation Area
(January 27th): Experience the thrill of friendly competition or just have fun with friends at the 1st Annual WinterFest Games, taking place at the Mill River Recreation Area. We’ll have a variety of games, activities and a nature walk with Kestrel Land Trust to help you get outside and active regardless of whether there is snow on the ground.
o 1St Annual Winterfest Craft Fair at the Amherst Regional Middle School (January 28th). Featuring over 40 local artisans and craftsmen, is thrilled to unveil the inaugural 1st Annual WinterFest Craft Fair, promising a delightful showcase of unique, handcrafted treasures.
o Snow Ball Intergenerational Dance at the Bangs Community Center (February 1st). In collaboration with the Senior Center, all ages are welcome to join us for an afternoon of music and refreshments.
o Dazzling Fire and Ice Festival and Luminaria on the Town
Common (February 3rd): The grand finale of WinterFest Amherst
2024 will be the not-to-be-missed Fire and Ice Festival on February
3rd. The Town Common will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland with mesmerizing ice sculptures, live entertainment, and a breathtaking display of luminaria, creating a truly unforgettable experience for all attendees.
o Daily Events and Nightly Excitement: Throughout the week, Amherst will come alive with a diverse range of events and activities, offering something for everyone. From outdoor adventures to winter sports, WinterFest Amherst 2024 aims to celebrate the spirit of our community in the winter
season
▪ Survey Says! The Recreation Department is looking for input and feedback through a Community Survey. The survey is confidential and anonymous. We will use the
community’s information to assess the needs, assets and opinions of those we seek to serve. Paper versions of this survey can be found at the Amherst Recreation Office, the Jones Library, The Munson Library, Senior Center and at the Town Hall Mezzanine (also known as the Town Manager’s Office). Additional Info…
▪ Staff: The Town recognizes and thanks Helen MacMellon for her many years of service to the town and her lengthy career. Helen retired on December 29th after 12 years of service to the Town. We cannot thank her enough for having touched so many lives and being steadfast in her efforts to help every senior who visited the center. With her departure, we welcome Lucas Schildbach as the new Social Services Coordinator for the Senior Center. As well as Benjamin Meharenna as the new Activities Coordinator.
▪ Newsletter:
• The new January-February newsletter from the Department of Senior Services – which includes a listing of all of the dozens of workshops and meetings being offered by the Department – Amherst Senior Spirit, is now
available:
https://www.amherstma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/16662
•
The Director of Senior Services announced that at the beginning in January, the Senior Spirit will no longer be mailed. In an effort to reduce paper consumption and overhead costs. They will be switching to an electronic delivery format. This means the Senior Spirit will only be sent electronically. Hard copies will be available for pick up at the Senior Center. People without computers or internet access should call to request a paper copy be mailed, please call the Senior Center (413) 259-3060. Feel free to also email us at seniorcenter@amherstma.gov with questions.
• To sign up for the electronic version of the Senior Spirit, create an Amherst Town website account, then go to: https://www.amherstma.gov/List.aspx , click the envelope icon, and follow the instructions. You can also view the newsletter
archive by going to: https://tinyurl.com/seniorspiritarchive .
o Veterans Services:
▪ Veterans Community Breakfast for All. Please make an effort to stop by for a cup of coffee.
Sponsored by the CRESS Department and organized by its Veterans Outreach Worker Gene Herman. The breakfasts
are held on the first and third Fridays of the month from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. in the Bangs Community Center. Veterans, Spouses, Caregivers, Amherst Community Members. (There are 387 veterans live in Town!)
At each breakfast (bagel/donut/coffee), a veteran or veteran ally, will tell his or her personal story regarding military service. Generation after generation reveals that those going to war to defend our country come back spiritually and morally wounded, regardless of the bodily consequences of combat. We want to bring veterans together for food and friendship to help coalesce a spirit of camaraderie to enable authentic, veteran-oriented communities to flourish.
• Conservation and Development
o Economic Development:
▪ Amherst Business Improvement District: The BID’s Executive Director, Gabrielle Gould, announced her resignation from the BID.
▪ Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce: The Chamber’s Executive Director, Claudia Pazmany, announced her resignation from the Chamber. Claudia’s resignation is entirely coincidental with Gabrielle’s resignation.
▪ Luminaria and Fire & Ice: The two annual events are being combined on February 3rd for an all day celebration of winter. The event will bring hundreds, if not thousands, of people downtown to enjoy the festivities and support our local restaurants and businesses during a difficult time of year. Please join in!
▪ License Suspension: The Spoke has had its alcoholic beverages license suspended for one day after investigators with the Alcoholic Beverages and Control Commission observed alcoholic beverages being served to an intoxicated person. The suspension will be served on February 26th.
▪ Amherst Cinema: The Cinema received a $50,000 grant from the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, a quasi-public state agency established in 2010 to provide financial services and managerial assistance to small businesses. Congratulations to this important cultural member of our community.
▪ Farmers Market:
• The Amherst Farmers Market reported that, while not the greatest season regarding the weather, the Market had a successful season.
• The Market Manager thanked the many people who make the Market possible including staff in Town Hall, Police Department, Parking Enforcement, and Department of Public Works. He said, “Thank you for your support, guidance, logistics and willingness in making the AFM such a focal point for the Town of Amherst. Literally, and I mean literally, could not be done without such backing. The vendor members “feel” part of the Town and it’s massive!”
• For all who don’t know, or haven’t heard, Farmers Market president, original member, spiritual guide, and leader John Pasquale Spineti (Twin Oaks Farm), passed away Dec 2nd after succumbing to a cascade of health issues. Although dealing with many health issues for years, John still managed to get within two weeks of his upcoming birthday on the 16th. His wit, wry smile and sense of humor will be well missed, but not forgotten for the AFM community! Part of his legacy will be the many, many fig trees that populate western MA that were all, from my understanding, cuttings from the original mother trees that family had brought over from near Abruzzi, Italy. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/gazettenet/name/john-spineti- obituary?id=53741267
o Planning:
▪ Community Development Block Grant: 2024 CDBG proposals were due January
19th. The CDBG Advisory Committee is evaluating the proposals.
o Sustainability:
▪ Dashboard:
• The Town announced the release of its community dashboard focused on sustainability. The dashboard became available to community members on January 29, 2024.
• The dashboard is a one-stop opportunity to access information on what has been done, what is being
done, and what we plan to d0 in regards to sustainability and climate action. It also features recommendations on what residents can do and how to become involved in addressing climate change.
• The website is located at: https://sustainabilitydashboard.amherstma.gov/
• The town utilized ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds to engage KLA Associates to develop the site. The Climate Action, Adaptation and Resilience Plan (CAARP) developed by the Energy and Climate Action Committee (ECAC) and staff, under the guidance of Linnean Solutions, Inc., serves as the foundation for the site’s overall layout. The plan’s sectors are broken down so that each one is featured with current or planned initiatives. Each section includes a subsection on what residents can do to contribute to reducing fossil fuels, particularly carbon, within the community. There is also a page for residents to access relevant reports and tools, such as the Amherst Solar Mapping Tool developed and released in 2023.
▪ Valley Green Energy: Valley Green Energy is a regional energy services program known as an electricity aggregation, which is a kind of group electricity buying program for cities and towns with no hidden fees or penalties. The Department of Public Utilities conducted a virtual public hearing to receive comments on VGE’s filing on January 22nd. The Town’s Sustainability Director testified on the Town’s behalf.
▪ ValleyBike: The City of Northampton – the lead community – posted a request for proposals to allow prospective vendors to place bids to enable Amherst and other ValleyBike share communities to restart the bike-share system. Proposal submissions were received on January 31st. If a bid is awarded, the rollout of the vendor’s ValleyBike operations will be no later than April 10th. The goal is to operate 750 bicycles at 79 stations across the system, and potentially expand the program. The ValleyBike communities include Amherst, the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus, Chicopee, Easthampton, Hadley, Holyoke, Northampton, Springfield, South Hadley and West Springfield. The cities and towns own all the equipment, including the bikes and charging stations. State Representative Mindy Domb convened an impressive group of local officials and State legislators to received an update on the status of this initiative.
o Housing:
▪ Housing Trust Strategic Planning Effort: A consultant from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, outlined the plan for the Trust in setting goals and strategies for next few years, and went over the timeline for that process. One goal is to figure out what the Trust should focus on as a priority. The consultant and Town staff will review former Trust efforts and will share with the Trust as part of the planning process.
▪ Ball Lane aka Amherst Community Homes: The ZBA held its second public hearing session on the Amherst Community Homes project, a 30-unit affordable home-ownership development proposed by Valley Community Development Corporation for the former Matuszko Trucking site in North Amherst. This is a Comprehensive Permit, i.e., Chapter 40B, project to which the Town has contributed CPA and Housing Trust funds. It is expected that the public hearing process for this project will be completed in early 2024.
▪ East Street/Belchertown Road:
• WayFinders provided an overview of the project to the Affordable Housing Trust which included an update on the dual site project in development, with locations on South East Street and Belchertown Road (slides were included with the meeting agenda).
• Key details follow:
o 31 South East Street will have 31 units, and 70 Belchertown Road will have 47 units; the buildings will include elevators, green features, and onsite property management. South East Street’s 31 units, will include a mix of studios to 3 BRs. Adaptive reuse of existing school building will have 6 apartments, laundry and bike storage. New Construction will have 25 units, community room and an office. Outdoors will be a patio and public access (including easement) to Town-owned property. 70 Belchertown Road will be all new construction, and include bike storage, community room= and an office. 68 of 78 total units will be below market. All rents will include utility costs. Currently anticipated timeline is that permitting will commence in 2024, construction in 2027, and leasing in 2028.The Town is working with the developer on a land development agreement. The work on the development is moving forward nicely. With the due diligence work and designs well underway, they anticipate submitting the Project Eligibility Letter application to DHCD this spring to move the 40B process forward. Other work being done includes site design, wetlands flagging, and analysis of culverts.
▪ VFW: The Town issued a Request for Bids to demolish the building on the site.
We anticipate offering the site as a layout area for the Jones Library construction project.
• Public Works
o Community Ice Rink: The Department of Public Works designed and built a skating rink at Kendrick Park. This is one of those great added features that the Town provides to create additional amenities for residents during the winter months. Congrats to the DPW and other Town departments for making this happen.
o Roadwork:
▪ The Town was awarded $383,386 to the Town for road work in the Town. These funds are being distributed from revenue raised through the Fair Share Amendment that raised the tax on income over $1 million. These funds have been automatically incorporated into the Town’s Chapter 90 allotment.
▪ The State announced that all Route 9 construction was stopped for the holiday season, and will resume in January doing minor utility work.
▪ The State is looking to resurface approximately 3.2 miles of Route 116 in Amherst, beginning at the intersection of Route 116 and Route 9 in Hadley, extending to the intersection of Route 116 and Meadow Street. Work includes milling and resurfacing, rebuilding and cleaning of drainage structures, upgrades to guardrail and shoulder repairs.
▪ The Town awarded a bid of $2.75 million for paving the following roads.
Unfortunately, this work was not able to be started this fall due to the backlog of workload of the winning bidder. We anticipate the roads will be paved by the end of June, 2024. The Town awarded a bid of $2.75 million for paving the following roads in 2023. Unfortunately, this work was not able to be started in the fall due to the backlog of workload of the winning bidder. We anticipate the roads will be paved by the end of June, 2024.
• Bellview Circle – Rolling Ridge Road to end (may be delayed due to work on water lines that needs to be done)
• Cottage Street – Chestnut Street to Morrow Lane
• Edgehill Place – Logtown Road to End
• Farmington Road– Applewood Lane to Pondview Drive
• Heatherstone Road – Pelham Road to Aubinwood Road
• Market Hill Road – Flat Hills Road to Shutesbury Townline
• North Hadley Road – Lincoln Avene to Sunset Avenue
• North Pleasant Street – McClellan Street to Triangle Street
• Oak Knoll Street– Heatherstone Road to End
• Old Farm Road – Pinegrove to Crossbrook Avenue
• Salem Street – Main Street to end
• Stony Hill Road –(eyebrow) 83 Stony Hill Road to End
• Thistle Lane – Stony Hill Road to End
• Woodside Avenue – Northampton Road (Route 9) to Hitchcock Road
▪ The Town Council appropriated an additional $1million from Free Cash to continue to address the need for paving. We will prepare a bid this winter for additional road paving.
o Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant:
▪ Grant Award: In August 2023, Amherst was awarded a Municipal Vulnerability
Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant of $170,000 to improve flood resiliency and water quality in the Fort River watershed by replacing three undersized, damaged culverts. Work has begun, and the Town has contracted with Fuss & O’Neill, an environmental consulting firm, to manage the data collection, design, and permitting. To see what data collection work has been completed to date, please visit our project webpage HERE As part of this project, the Town has created an on-line survey seeking your input on how important the Fort River is to you.
Strong participation in this survey will help Amherst’s ability to obtain similar grants in the future. Please click HERE to complete the survey. We appreciate you taking a few moments to complete the survey!
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o Interns: The Town continues to recruit and engage student interns in the operations of the Department of Public Works. One of the Department’s interns was featured in a publication last month.
o Stormwater Management Award:
▪ The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency selected Amherst as one of just six Massachusetts communities to improve stormwater management and advance environmental justice. The Town was selected to receive in-kind technical assistance from EPA to advance environmental justice for disadvantaged communities within the Pioneer Valley (Connecticut River Watershed).
• Library: The North Amherst Library will reopen on Monday, February 5th. The library’s hours are
Monday 3:30 – 7:30; Tuesday 10:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 3:30 – 7:30; Thursday Closed; Friday
10:00 – 2:00; Saturday 10:00 – 2:00; Sunday Closed.
DELEGATED AUTHORITY
• Short-Term Event Uses of Town Commons (Section 1a of the Town Council Policy): None
• Short-Term Parking Requests (Section 2a of the Town Council Policy): None
• Short-Term Public Way Closures (Section 3b of the Town Council Policy):
o Western Mass 10 Road Race – November 3, 2024 – 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Temporary closings of North Pleasant, South Pleasant, Main, and Dickinson Streets
• Placement of Road and Temporary Signs (Section 3d of the Town Council Policy):
MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS
• Jones Library: The Town has re-bid its request to rent or lease temporary space and received competitive proposals. The proposals are being reviewed and will be awarded soon.
• DPW Building/Fire Building:
o The Town appropriated $100,000 to make emergency repairs to the existing DPW building to address some of the numerous issues that plague that structure. Facilities staff have examined the building and determined the highest priorities for utilizing these funds to make repairs. We will continue to assess the condition of the structure and the work conditions for the employees.
o Staff continue to explore multiple options for a new site for the DPW.
• Elementary School Building Committee:
o The Committee met on January 12th. The project is going through the permitting process with the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Disability Access Advisory Committee, and Design Review Board.
o Here is a list of the Special Permits that are needed for the School:
▪ Planning Board:
• Special Permit under Article 6, Table 3, Footnote “a” of the Zoning Bylaw to modify the maximum building height requirement from 35 feet to 43 feet
• Special Permit under Article 5, Section 5.10 of the Zoning Bylaw to allow for the filling of land, that raises the grade of any portion of the property 5,000 square feet or more in area by an average of two (2) feet or more, or any such filling which raises the existing grade of any portion of the property 2,000 square feet or more in area by an average of five (5) feet or more
• Special Permit under Article 6, Table 3, Footnote “a” of the Zoning Bylaw to modify the side setback for the solar canopy; required side setback is 30 feet (15’ x 2’) in accordance with Section 6.60 of the Zoning Bylaw, which requires the doubling of setbacks for educational or religious uses; proposed side setback is 5 feet in one location and 10 feet in another location
▪ Zoning Board of Appeals:
• Special Permit under Article 3, Section 3.321 of the Zoning Bylaw to allow a structure or structures (school building and accessory outdoor classroom structure) to be located in the FPC zoning district; this Special Permit will also encompass another Special Permit under Footnote “a” of the Zoning Bylaw to allow a modification of the height of the building in the FPC district from 20 feet to 43 feet and allow a modification of the number of
floors in the FPC district from 1 floor to 3 floors.
• PROJECTS UPDATE
• Centennial Water Treatment Facility: For more information, visit the website here:
https://www.amherstma.gov/1491/Centennial-Water-Treatment-Plant
• North Common Restoration/Main Street Parking Lot: Work on the Amherst North Common has made considerable progress this fall. The North Common is that section of the Town Common that lies between Main and Spring Streets. Work on the project will stop for the winter but will resume as soon as the weather breaks in the Spring. The project is projected to be completed by June 30, 2024.
• North Amherst Library: The library will reopen its branch activities on Monday, February 5th.
• Hickory Ridge: The Assistant Town Manager will provide an update on the site and plans at a meeting early in 2024.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
➢ February 19th – Presidents Day holiday
➢ February 26th – Town Council meeting
➢ March 4th – Town Council meeting
➢ March 18th – Town Council meeting