AMHERST — Senior citizens active with the Council on Aging are renewing appeals for town assistance to modernize and improve the Bangs Community Center.

As part of this effort to support programs and activities, which has included public comment appeals to the Town Council this month, a fundraising letter and envelope from the Friends of the Amherst Senior Center is` included in the annual town census.

Dennis Vandal, vice chairman of the Council on Aging, said to supplement that letter, the Friends group has also put together a fundraising website for the first time that allows anyone to donate throughout the year. That website, which outlines what is happening at the Senior Center, is at www.FriendsASC.org.

During the Jan. 13 Town Council meeting, Vandal spoke of concerns that $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act money set aside for upgrades at the Bangs last year has taken a back seat to other priorities.

The Senior Center, Vandal said, lacks free parking, space for events and programs, exercise facilities and staffing to meet the needs of Amherst’s growing elder population.

“I hope the renovations of the Bangs Center will finally put the entire Senior Center on a single floor, the same floor where it is located right now,” Vandal said. “I also hope we will finally see a kitchen facility that is clean and safe to use. I hope to see an exercise room that is open and available for use.”

Similar sentiments were brought forward this week by Jeanne Horrigan, who chairs the Council on Aging, and committee member Tricia Montgomery, who said it is essential the building have a community bathroom that will allow seniors to get assistance from a caregiver. 

“I implore you to keep on the list a number of the accessibility issues,” Montgomery said.

Mural unveiling

Four Waves of Feminism, a mural in the Mill District in North Amherst, is being unveiled at the Mill District Local Art Gallery on Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m.

The mural showcases feminism from the early 19th century to 2025 as depicted in five panels produced by members of the Amherst Young Feminist Party. The concept for the mural is a collaboration between Ada Paessel, the organization’s outreach director, and Cinda Jones, taking the four waves concepts from a feminist mural she designed in 1986.

The Amherst Young Feminist Party is the local chapter of a national, youth-led, intersectional organization fighting to enshrine legal gender equality into the U.S. Constitution and ensure bodily autonomy for everyone.

Refreshments will be provided by Carefree Cakery, 3 Amigos, Provisions, Herrell’s Ice Cream, Futura Coffee and the Mill District General Store.

Police accreditation 

An assessment team from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is in Amherst this week to examine policies, procedures operations and facilities at the Amherst Police Department.

Amherst police became the second department in the state to be accredited in 2000, meaning the department meets the commission’s 274 mandatory standards and 55% of the 120 optional standards. The department successfully maintained its accreditation in 2004 and has done so every three years since.

New School Committee leadership

Jennifer Shiao is chairwoman of the Amherst School Committee following a reorganization at the committee’s Jan. 21 meeting.

Nominated by Bridget Hynes, who will serve as vice chairwoman, Shiao was narrowly elected to the position in a 3-2 vote over previous Chairwoman Sarah Marshall. Marshall was nominated by Irv Rhodes, and committee member Deborah Leonard cast the deciding vote for Shiao.

Shiao said in her fourth year on the committee she brings professional experience managing meetings and values the opportunity to take on a leadership role. “I think I have a good grasp on seeing the big picture, as well as the details of how the committee runs and how meetings run,” Shiao said.

Marshall said she brought a good relationship with committee members and the superintendent and kept committee members well informed and prepared.

Cultural Policy Council in Amherst

State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, recently hosted a meeting of the Governor’s Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council in her 3rd Hampshire District at the Yiddish Book Center on the Hampshire College campus.

Among its tasks, the council is charged with examining ways to create economic opportunities in the arts and culture sector and recommending to Gov. Maura Healey a cultural development and jobs plan for Massachusetts.

Domb was joined by fellow members of the council, including Amherst Cinema Executive Director Yasmin Chin Eisenhauer, Mass Cultural Council’s Michael Bobbitt and Sarah Stanton, undersecretary of Economic Strategies in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development, for a discussion, as well as a tour of the Yiddish Book Center’s exhibits.