New Appointments to Council on Aging, and Energy and Climate Action Committee

In memos to the Town Council dated August 26, 2024 Town Manager Paul Bockelman recommended appointments to the Council on Aging and the Energy and Climate Action Committee (ECAC).  These appointments were endorsed unanimously (4-0 with one absent) at the August 29 meeting of the Town Services and Outreach Committee and will  come before the full Town Council for final approval at their meeting on September 9.

Council on Aging
Nominated for a one-year term expiring June 30, 2025:
Emily Kim of Barrett Hill Drive

Nominated for a two-year term expiring June 30, 2026:
Tricia Montgomery of Lessey Street

The Council acts as an advocate for the elderly of Amherst before local, state, and national bodies. The Council makes its recommendations to the Executive Director and the Town Manager.  More information here.

Energy and Climate Action Committee
Nominated for three-year terms expiring June 30, 2027:

Caitlan Davis of West Street
Andrew Leinung of Amity Street

The Energy and Climate Action Committee (ECAC) guides the town in meeting its climate mitigation and resilience goals.  The charge of the committee can be found here.

Biographical Profiles
The Town Manager provided the following biographical profiles of the nominees.

Emily Kim brings a strong passion for social justice and reform, especially towards compassionate end-of-life care, racial justice, and health equity. She has volunteered as a hospice worker in her local “No One Dies Alone” program as a direct care volunteer. She is part of a Death with Dignity Advocacy Initiative at Amherst College. Kim is also involved in the Asian and Pacific American Action Committee and serves as a senator for the Amherst College student government. 

Tricia Montgomery is an attorney who has a Masters Degree in elder law and estate planning. She has taken additional post-graduate courses on long-term care, aging in place, guardianshipguardianshp, conservatorship, and community support services. Montgomery has also served on the Board of Directors of the Stavros Center for Independent Living and the ADA representative to the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority Advisory Board.

Caitlan Davis is a landscape architect with a master’s degree in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She currently works for an environmental consulting firm that has offices in Amherst. Before moving to Amherst, Davis served on the Princeton (Massachusetts) Sustainability Committee as a student member. She is eager to share her views to move the Town forward to becoming a more sustainable place to live and work and feels she can bring a unique perspective to the Energy and Climate Action Committee. 

Andrew Leinung is looking to participate in the town’s government and is hoping to be part of planning for the future of the town. In his interview, he talked about becoming invested in the community after moving here during the COVID-19 pandemic to raise his young family. Mr. Leinung is a software engineer and systems architect who recognizes the inherent connection between sustainable practices and the preservation of the environment.