Town Council Approves $2.8 Million for Bangs Center Repairs

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst Town Council, February 24, 2025

This was a hybrid meeting, held in person at Town Hal and over Zoom. It was recorded.

Present
Lynn Griesemer (President, District 2), Andy Steinberg, Mandi Jo Hanneke, Ellisha Walker (at large), Cathy Schoen and Freke Ette (District 1), George Ryan and Hala Lord (District 3), Pam Rooney and Jennifer Taub (District 4), Bob Hegner and Ana Devlin Gauthier (District 5). 

Staff: Paul Bockelman (Town Manager), Sean Hannon (IT Director)

Bangs Center to Receive Upgrade in HVAC and Fire Systems
Capital Projects Manager Bob Peirent, Assistant Town Manager Dave Ziomek, and Building Commissioner Rob Morra presented the $2.8 million in repairs recommended for the Bangs Center to be funded by remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Peirent said that the Bangs Center is a solid building but has not been updated in decades. It does not have a sprinkler system and its fire alarm system is out of date. The HVAC system is over 30 years old, and the building is not up to code as far as accessibility is concerned. Peirent said that although the town would like to make many other improvements to the building, such as installing an industrial grade kitchen and enlarging the Senior Center, the existing money will be used to bring the building up to code.

Peirent listed five additional upgrades that might be undertaken should there be money left over after doing the necessary repairs: an enlarged conference room on the second floor, a reconfigured health department with the nurse’s office and companion restroom on the first floor; a new companion restroom near the multipurpose room; and a conference room and fitness room across from the nurse’s office. Needed improvements for the future are: total renovation of the kitchen, reconfiguration of the Senior Center, reconfiguration of the atrium and open stairs, addition of storage spaces throughout the building, improved wayfinding via updated building signage, and continued assessment of space needs for all of the organizations that use the building.

The public forum on the budget allocation prompted favorable comments from several residents. Jeanne Horrigan, Chair of the Council on Aging, noted that many departments use the Bangs Center, but it has not been renovated in decades and does not meet building codes. 

Trish Montgomery said she hopes all the building’s needs will be addressed in the coming years, and that none of the $2.8 million will be diverted elsewhere. 

Ivette Palacin and Amber Casey expressed appreciation for the Senior Center programs at the Bangs Center. 

Melanie Rhodes noted that the Bangs Center is a focal point in town for many activities. 

Ted Mone stated that the Bangs Center is a tired building that is not accessible, with automatic doors that often don’t work. He hoped that the renovations will include additional  accessible parking spaces for the Senior Center and Musante Health Center. (There are currently only four.)

The council’s Finance Committee unanimously supported allocating the ARPA funds to the project at its February 20 meeting. Finance Committee Chair Cathy Schoen (District 1) suggested that the town apply for grants to accomplish some of the deferred improvements. The council voted 13-0 in support of the $2.8 million allocation as well.

Hanneke’s Proposal for Longer Terms for Council-appointed Committees Garners Little Support
Mandi Jo Hanneke (at large) proposed that residents appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board, and Finance Committee not be limited to two three-year terms, or a maximum of six years, as is the current policy. She stated that the council just voted a seventh year for the council president, and that her proposed changes are consistent with that decision. 

Schoen felt the change was unnecessary, since the current policy would allow a third term if there were no qualified applicants for a position. Ana Devlin Gauthier (District 5) emphasized the need to give preference to new qualified applicants as opposed to those who have served for a long time. She thought it was important to support new people on boards and committees. Several councilors pointed to the difference between choosing a council president, who is an elected official, and selecting residents for multi-member bodies. 

The proposal was to have been referred to the Governance, Organization, and Legislation Committee (GOL), but the referral was defeated 2-11, with Hanneke and Freke Ette (District 1) voting for it. Ette said he would welcome the opportunity to discuss the issue at a GOL meeting. 

Public Again Voices Concerns about Loss of Positions in the Schools
Sarah Johnson, Allegra Clark, Shannon Colder, and Elizabeth Pretel decried the projected loss of staff, especially in Special Education, in the elementary and regional schools if the proposed FY2026 budget is enacted. They noted that they moved to Amherst for the schools, as did many other residents, and yet the school services are cut every year. 

Pondview House Fire and Work on Massive Ice Buildup Bring Praise for Fire Department and DPW
Town Manager Paul Bockelman praised the Amherst Fire Department and neighboring communities for their work battling a house fire on Pondview Drive early Saturday morning, in some of the worst weather of the year. Crews from Hadley and Northampton helped battle the blaze, while Pelham officers managed calls to the Central Fire Station, and South Hadley EMS responded to an unrelated call. In addition to the fire fighters, the electrical inspector disconnected the power to the house and DPW turned off the water and cleared the water from the street. Although the house was a total loss, no one was hurt. The Red Cross has found temporary quarters for the family of three, and neighbors in Orchard Valley are helping meet their needs.

Adrienne Terrizzi, an Orchard Valley neighbor, noted that the fire department had difficulty accessing the fire hydrants near the house because they were buried in snow and ice, and one was frozen. She urged snow removal crews to be mindful of not burying hydrants when they plow. Bockelman encouraged residents to clear hydrants near their homes if they are able.

Devlin Gauthier thanked DPW crews for their extra work during the ice storms and frigid weather over the past weeks. Bockelman termed the Presidents’ Weekend storm a “taco storm” with ice followed by snow followed by another layer of ice. He called it a brutal storm to manage.

Tibetan Uprising to Be Commemorated March 10 through 17
Amherst will commemorate the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National uprising by raising the Tibetan flag in front of Town Hall at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 10. The flag will be flown until March 17. March 12 will mark the 66th anniversary of the Women’s uprising against the “brutal annexation of their country.” More than one million Tibetans lost their lives in the struggle for freedom.

The proclamation was sponsored by Councilors Pat DeAngelis and Lynn Grisemer (District 2), Pam Rooney (District 4), Bob Hegner (District 5), and Ette.

Announcements and Committee Reports
There will be a District 2 meeting on Tuesday, March 4 at 6:30 on Zoom.

Construction of the new elementary school at Fort River is expected to begin in March. Periodic opportunities for the public to visit the site during construction will be arranged. The building committee is meeting monthly. The next meeting is March 14 at 12:30 p.m. on Zoom.

The Jones Library Building Committee has not met since it participated in the Section 106 review on January 27 for preservation of historical features. Council representative Rooney stated that the committee has not received feedback on the outcome of the 106 meeting or any reports on the status of fundraising or donations. Bockelman said that a new Memorandum of Understanding is being drafted to be signed by the consulting parties involved in the 106 review and that a third extension is being requested from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners—this time for another 30 days.

The Council renewed its support for two home rule petitions that were not taken up in the previous state legislative session. One was for giving lawful permanent residents the right to vote in local elections. A second was for a two percent real estate transfer fee on all home sales of over 200% median home price. Devlin Gauthier noted that the state transfer fee included in the Affordable Homes Act would barely benefit Amherst, since few homes in town would be sold at the level that triggers it. The proposed Amherst fee would go to affordable housing, the capital fund, and the general fund.