March 31, 2017 Dear MSBA Board of Directors and Executive Director McCarthy: We would like to officially inform you that the Town has been forced to forego the award of a Maximum Facilities Grant of $34.4 million for construction of two co-located elementary schools at the Wildwood School site in the Town of Amherst. We … Continue reading Amherst School Superintendent’s Letter to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, Ending Consolidation Project
Month: March 2017
John Is Not Here Right Now
"I thought this was a pay phone," he said, and she replied simply, "It is."
Amherst Dog Park Group Digs In, Is Piling Up Sticks to Form Official Committee
Amherst has many trails that are open to dawn to dusk, and where a dog is welcome if leashed, but the town lacks a place where dogs can socialize safely off-leash, Ziomek said.
Statement from Interim Superintendent on School Building Project’s Failure
March 30, 2017 To: The Amherst Public School District staff and administration and the Amherst community, From: Phoebe Hazzard, Amherst School Committee Vice-Chair and Dr. Michael Morris, Interim Superintendent While the proposed new schools building project failed to achieve a two-thirds majority in Tuesday's referendum vote, our district will continue to move forward and plan … Continue reading Statement from Interim Superintendent on School Building Project’s Failure
After Amherst Referendum for School Building Project Falls Short, Town Meeting to Vote on Wildwood Boiler, Fort River Study (UPDATED)
It is unknown whether the district will seek, or if the MSBA would grant any further extensions, and if the community overall has the stomach for any further campaigning or debate. However, Kevin Collins, director of the Red Barn Music School, has launched a petition drive to try and force a third Town Meeting vote on the issue. He posted on his public Facebook this morning that he has "only 148 signatures to go." https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158371471795545&set=a.10150614132745545.676098.633190544&type=3&theater
Amherst Town Clerk Prepares for Special Calculations After Today’s Election
Although controversy has abounded in the months leading up to today's election in Amherst, which includes a vote on a $67 million school building plan, Town Clerk Sandra Burgess said this morning that she fully expects ballot-counting will go smoothly. It is of course unknown how many people will vote today, although the school building … Continue reading Amherst Town Clerk Prepares for Special Calculations After Today’s Election
Getting To Know Your Town Meeting Candidates: Putting It Their Way, But Nicely
Sovann‐Malis Loeung Residency: 22 years "I am a Cambodian refugee and Wildwood parent. I am running for Town Meeting because I want to see, be, and have more diverse representation of immigrants in town governance. As a working class renter and parent, I am interested and particularly concerned about school issues and cost of living."
Amherst Public School District Loses $75,600 in Crocker Farm Preschool Funding
"The state is ending the inclusive preschool grant from which we receive $75,000, calling into question our capacity to maintain current levels of preschool programming, let alone add the preschool seats that would be made possible by the building project," Amherst-Pelham Interim School Superintendent Michael Morris, in an Amherst Bulletin column last week.
Race to the Finish in Amherst: Voter Threshold Set for Tuesday’s $67 Million School Construction Referendum
After a plan for a $67 million school building project twice failed to win a 2/3 majority vote from Amherst Town Meeting, a major petition drive was launched which will lead to a townwide referendum. Next Tuesday every registered Amherst voter - not just the 250-odd people on Town Meeting (and some of us are … Continue reading Race to the Finish in Amherst: Voter Threshold Set for Tuesday’s $67 Million School Construction Referendum
Let Us Call These Fellows Dave
This is kind of a small community, and people sail across the Coolidge Bridge, and in between Amherst, Hadley and Northampton, sometimes a few times a day. I periodically encounter the same person three or four times in one 24-hour period, in different towns, restaurants or stores. We will look at one another oddly and … Continue reading Let Us Call These Fellows Dave
The Spectator of Amherst. 