Third Iteration of Town Council Ends Term with Praise for Outgoing Councilors

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst Town Council, December 15, 2025

This was a hybrid meeting held in Town Hall and was recorded.

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

Staff: Paul Bockelman (Town Manager) and Athena O’Keeffe (Council Clerk)

With only a thin agenda, the Town Council devoted most of its last meeting of the term to praising the four outgoing councilors: Freke Ette (District 1), Pat DeAngelis (District 2), Bob Hegner (District 5), and Andy Steinberg (at large). 

Pending Legislative Process Guide Abandoned
In one of only two action items on the agenda, the council narrowly voted to abandon a checklist and guide developed by former councilor Shalini Bahl-Milne to evaluate potential initiatives put forth by councilors. The process guide was recommended by the Town Services and Outreach (TSO) committee of the council in December, 2023 and referred to the Government, Organization, and Legislation (GOL) committee where it was not taken up for the past two years. Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke moved that, since there has been no action on the document for over two years, it should be removed from the GOL’s plate.

Steinberg disagreed that the consideration of the document should be dropped. He said that the document raised questions that were important to him— “to try and give more thought to the question when somebody wants to develop a bylaw from the Council, whether the referral to a committee is appropriate. When something is referred to the committee, a tremendous amount of time investment [is given] to that item, also involving a lot of staff time and expenses with the town’s attorney to assist the process. I think it is advisable to consider whether there needs to be some review of the proposal to make sure that the Council is really committed to investing that much Council time.”

Although Ette agreed with Steinberg, he felt the document tried to do too much. He suggested that the council re-examine it and decide which parts were the most useful. “I think there’s a benefit to having this guide. We could make it better,” he said

GOL Chair Ana Devlin Gauthier stated that the document was broader than what councilors need to do. “It’s very hard to fit something that is so optional into our required practices and rules,” she opined, adding, “I am concerned about the council adopting it in a formal way because of how cumbersome it makes the task of bringing something forward.” 

The vote to remove the document passed 7-5-1 (Pam Rooney, Cathy Schoen, Ellisha Walker, Steinberg, and Ette voted no, and Hala Lord abstained). Schoen and George Ryan pointed out that the council can still consult the document and bring it back to the next council if desired.

Another item sent to GOL that was abandoned due to lack of action was to fill the vacant position on the 2024 Charter Review Committee. Although there were applicants for the vacancy, GOL repeatedly determined the pool to be “insufficient”. With the Charter Review Committee finishing its work, the council voted unanimously not to fill the vacant position. 

The Council unanimously approved the Town Manager’s appointments to four committees and appointed Schoen to replace Steinberg on the Budget Coordinating Group.

In public comment, Michael Como asked that the town plow the small segment of sidewalk on the south side of Northampton Road between Hazel Avenue and University Drive. He stated that this three-tenths of a mile area is the only part of the sidewalk not plowed by the town between downtown and the Hadley Town line and could be easily added by having the plow return on the south side of the street with the shovel raised, rather than crossing to the north sidewalk that has already been cleared.

Renata Shepard urged increased support for sports at the middle school.

Odes to Outgoing Councilors
In a council tradition, councilors gave appreciation to each of their four outgoing colleagues.

About Freke Ette, Ryan said, “When he arrived on the Council, he was a complete unknown and relatively new to Amherst. The first thing that impressed me was his willingness to put himself forward for service on this council, something many who have lived here far longer are often reluctant to do.” Ryan cited Ette’s ability to see all sides of an issue. “Fairness is something that matters deeply to him. He is always someone who is looking for ways to bring people together, rather than focusing on what divides them,” Ryan concluded.

Lord agreed, saying, “When we as a Council have devolved into speaking to each other with unkindness, you are the voice to remind us of how to disagree in healthy ways.” Ette responded by thanking his fellow councilors and Town Manager Paul Bockelman for teaching him what it means to “serve the public and to care about the community you live in.”

Regarding Bob Hegner, Walker stated that “you consistently asked hard questions, thought critically about the information that was in front of [the Finance Committee] and helped to keep our discussions grounded in fiscal responsibility and long-term impacts.”

Rooney noted Hegner’s “deep understanding of federal and state government, environmental safety, cleanup of nuclear weapons sites, expansion of underserved rural areas, disaster relief programs, and serving as Operations Officer for Hurricane Katrina’s disaster recovery.” She added, “I want to encourage him to submit his [application] for whatever committee he feels like sitting on after he gets the rest and relaxation that he deserves.”

Hegner replied that he has already volunteered to be treasurer for the Amherst Mobile Market in the spring and plans to devote future efforts to food insecurity. He thanked his fellow councilors for their work and extended his appreciation to Council Clerk Athena O’Keeffe “who is probably the glue that holds the council together.”

Pat DeAngelis was praised by Hanneke and fellow District 2 councilor and Council president Lynn Griesemer. Hanneke said, “To me, you epitomize what a councilor should be. You have been an unrelenting advocate for the unrepresented, and you have been committed to justice, particularly housing affordability, food insecurity, and workers’ rights. You are willing to vote your conscience, no matter the costs.” Griesemer noted DeAngelis’ devotion to education, as well as her commitment to the Mobile Market and the Amherst Survival Center.  She is “always looking out for what is the next thing that needs to be done for people who don’t always speak comfortably themselves,” Griesemer stated.

DeAngelis apologized for times when she has been “rude,” but said that “it’s generally because I do feel passionately.” She stated that her service on the council “challenged me to look at the people in our community. I think I’ve tried to touch the edges of the places where people exist without voice.”

Devlin Gauthier likened Andy Steinberg’s 30-year commitment to local government to that of a superhero, being present on Town Meeting, the Select Board, and Town Council through many changes in Amherst. She dubbed him “our historian who would calmly and generously provide the context” for how a policy came to be. She also cited his fiscal expertise and “his compassion, grounded in his long career with legal aid.” She concluded, saying, ”Our long-standing superhero can take off his cape, sit back, and watch all of those he helped to guide continue to carry on his legacy and fight for the town of Amherst. Our town is stronger, wiser, and better governed because of his service.”

Schoen praised Steinberg’s generous time spent helping her get up to speed with town finances. “You went out of your way to make me feel like a partner on the Finance Committee. You listened closely and respectfully when we had different views on an issue,” she said. “You have provided a model for all of us by always coming prepared and informed and bringing information about the most recent state actions likely to have an impact on town.”

Steinberg said that it was a difficult decision to not run for re-election. “When I left Western Mass Legal Services as Executive Director after doing that for 25 years, I [said} I would be interested in serving on the Finance Committee and that led to everything else. It’s a matter of flunking retirement. So now I’m really going to retire,” he said. “But the one thing that I really have found the most gratifying about the council is that [while] we don’t always agree, we all respect each other, and we’re all friends. I am counting on all of you to work with our newly elected members and to show them by example.”

In January, Jill Brevik (District 1), Amber Cano Martin (District 2), Sam MacLeod (District 5), and Andy Churchill (at large) will join the Council. The first meeting of the new council is scheduled for January 5, 2026.