AMHERST — As the Town Council begins its second year, deciding how to handle long-deferred investments in municipal buildings, responding to the urgency of climate change and adopting responsible capital and operating budgets will be confronted throughout 2020.
At Thursday’s first State of the Town, required by the charter document adopted by voters in March 2018, town, school and library officials, along with Amherst’s state legislators, reflected on accomplishments in 2019, and what needs to be done in the year ahead.
Council President Lynn Griesemer said an objective for the coming year will be to continue to bring residents a more responsive government, which has replaced Town Meeting and the Select Board.
“One of the most consistent comments we hear from residents is we truly appreciate knowing who to call about issues in our district,” Griesemer said. “So we are working hard to learn constituent services and advocacy. It is not without its challenges, and we will continue to work with the town manager to bring an ever more responsible government to the residents of the town.”
Over the first 12 months, Griesemer said the Town Council adopted ambitious goals for dealing with climate change, promoted affordable housing projects at the former East Street School and on Northampton Road, and oversaw a process of appropriating money for infrastructure improvements, from the Station Road bridge replacement to upgrades to the Centennial water treatment plant in Pelham.
In addition, listening sessions for the four major building projects looming in the coming years, held over the past two weeks, will help the council make informed decisions related to spending for a new or renovated elementary school, an expanded and renovated Jones Library, new Department of Public Works headquarters and new fire station south of Amherst center.
Griesemer said the extraordinary skill and dedication of town staff has made the transition to the new government possible.
She also described being president of the body as a rare opportunity.
“Every day I find myself digging deep into my 50 years of education, professional experience and life lessons learned,” Griesemer said.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said Amherst has continued to build its financial reserves, and that the finances are in a good place.
“The state of the town is strong,” Bockelman said.
Along with town staff, Bockelman said he will continue to set the bar for Amherst to be a community that others look to as doing things the right way.
One of the exciting developments in the coming year, he said, will be the playground to be built at Kendrick Park, which will activate the downtown space and continue enhancements in an area where there has been new buildings going up, such as the mixed-use One East Pleasant.
For the schools, School Committee Chairwoman Anastasia Ordonez cited the launch of the Dual Language Program for 37 kindergartners instructed in both Spanish and English, and strategic improvement plans for all three elementary schools, as important accomplishments.
But the demand for facility improvements and addressing the achievement gap between students remain ongoing challenges.
With the Massachusetts School Building Authority accepting Amherst into its building program this week, Ordonez said much of the new year may be focused on moving the process of replacing Wildwood and Fort River schools forward.
Jones Library trustees president Austin Sarat said the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is supposed to release the money next summer to renovate and expand the building, and that the Town Council will have to make a decision on whether this project can go forward.
Though he used his presentation at the State of the Town to discuss the central place for the library in the community, Sarat also acknowledged that the project has its critics.
“Change is never easy, especially in a town as progressive as ours,” Sarat said.
Both Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, gave a detailed overview of their first year on Beacon Hill
The evening had pomp and circumstance, kicked off by high school students Arden Lloyd, Alex Harvey-Arnold, Antonio Polino and Aengus Cox performing a rendition of Bob Haymes and Alan Brandt’s “That’s All,” followed by recognition of the Amherst Hurricanes football team that won the Western Massachusetts championship,
Coach Chris Ehorn and players J.B. Mills and Jack Nagy were acknowledged with applause.
Several promoted and new firefighters and police officers were sworn in, as well.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
