George Ryan for Amherst

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government April often feels to me like coming out of hibernation (not that I have actually ever done that but I can sort of imagine it).  As you will see below there are a number of meetings and community events coming up over the next few weeks, many of which center around our community and the environment...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government I understand that the Winter Olympics are happening.  My wife always heads out the door with her skis at the first sign of significant snowfall.   But for me a winter snowfall means clearing my driveway down to the pavement lest I slide out into the street.  Sanding, snowblowing, shoveling ... ri...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government The 4th Town Council met for the first time on January 5 to elect presiding officers and again on January 12.  Mandi Jo Hanneke was elected to serve as Council President and Ellisha Walker was chosen to serve as Vice-President.  At the January 12 meeting Hanneke announced Council Committee appoin...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government On Monday, December 15, the 2024-2025 Council completed its work.  In the final three sessions (Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15) the Council approved the creation of the Transportation and Parking Commission, adopted budget guidelines for the FY27 budget, performed a yearly review of the Town Manager, a...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government On Tuesday, November 4, the voters of Amherst  elected their fourth Town Council which will be sworn in on January 5, 2026.  Turnout town wide was 28% of all eligible voters (3,852/13,803).  District 3 was slightly below the Town average at 24% (3A) and 25.2% (3B).  Those elected: At-Large:  Ch...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government On November 4 there will be a Town wide election.  We will be electing 13 Councilors, 5 School Committee members, and 6 Jones Library Trustees, along with three members of the Housing Authority and the Oliver Smith Will Elector.  If you are a faithful reader of my Newsletter and read all the way d...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government WHY: Recent federal cuts to food assistance and SNAP, coupled with increasing costs for groceries, is creating a serious demand on food programs like the Amherst Survival Center. It will also make it more difficult to tackle hunger. This drive provides us with an opportunity to come together, resist...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government This month I would like to put the spotlight on infrastructure, both the kind we can see and sometimes feel (unfortunately for our bodies, bikes, and cars) and the kind that is not so visible.  First, roads and sidewalks.  We got some good news recently that the State has revised its Chapter 90 ...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government While the Council and Council Committees meet throughout the summer,  July and August tend to be rather quiet times, as you will see in the brief summary of Council news below.  But a lot has been going on elsewhere in Town.  Work on the Elementary School is proceeding smoothly, the High School T...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government I always find summers in Amherst a time to recharge the batteries.  When the students leave we live in a different Town.  A population of nearly 40,000 becomes almost overnight a community less than half that size.  By summer's end to be sure I begin to miss the energy and life that the students ...

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government In January 2025, State Representative Natalie Blais (D-Deerfield) and State Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton) introduced H.517/S.314 An Act to Provide a Sustainable Future for Rural Schools whose purpose is to provide greater financial support for these schools from the State.  

Town Affairs and Government -

Town Affairs and Government This month's Newsletter is focused on the recent District 3 Public Meeting held at Hickory Ridge on Sunday, May 4.  Assistant Town Manager Dave Ziomek, Assistant Fire Chief Steve Gaughan, and Angela Mills, Administrative Assistant to the Town Manager, joined Hala Lord and me along with about 40 D3 ...