Town Manager Report for December 12, 2025

Amherst Indy December 25, 2025 0
Amherst Town Seal

Photo:amherstma.gov

Source: amherstma.gov

Editor’s note: Town Manager Paul Bockelman submits a comprehensive report to the Town Council, usually at the second Town Council meeting of each month. The reports, usually 9 to 16 pages in length, provide up-to-date information on what is happening within and across town departments. The Manager’s Report is usually one of the last items on the agenda and is often taken up late at night, leaving little time for Bockelman to do more than mention a few highlights and this is usually all that gets entered into the council minutes. What follows is a complete, unedited version of the Town Manager’s Report. All Town Manager Reports are available on the town’s website here: Town Manager Reports 

TOWN MANAGER

Photo: amherstma.gov
  • The next Cuppa’ Joe is scheduled for Friday, January 9th with a guest to be named later. 
  • On Friday, December 12th, I was joined by Planning & Economic Development Director Jeff Bagg at Masuda’s at 17 Kellogg Avenue. We had a very good turnout and a robust discussion about Jeff, economic development, and thoughts the future of the town.
  • The “Cuppa’ Joe with Paul” coffees are a monthly event. Residents and others are welcome to share their concerns, offer suggestions, or just get to know each other.
  • State Budget:
  • As a member of the Massachusetts Municipal Association Board of Directors, I am also appointed by the Governor to serve on the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). LGAC meets regularly with the Lt. Governor and Secretary of Administration and Finance (LGAC Agenda – 12–18–2025 ). We last met on December 18th.
  • At the last meeting, the Secretary stated:
    • That the Commonwealth was in a “slow growth” environment; but not in a recession. They projected a baseline increase of 2.2% year-over-year;
    • That the Federal government reconciliation act (also called the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill) created significant risk for the Commonwealth in several sectors, most significantly in health insurance.
    • He identified cost pressures as coming from the requirement of funding MassHealth.
    • He identified revenue risks due to possible a downturn in the economy and other factors.
    • He said the State’s strategy was to take enhanced steps to create resiliency in the State’s budget to prepare for any potential downturns.
  • Recruiting Now for Committees: I am recruiting members to serve on all committees. Please help spread the word. We are prioritizing membership on the following committees:
  • Amherst Black Reparations Committee
  • Cable-Advisory-Committee  
  • Council on Aging  
  • Transportation and Parking Commission [website under development]

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Administration and Finance

  • Finance:
    • CPAC: The Community Preservation Act Committee has begun its process of reviewing applications. The Town received about $6.5m in requests. We have about $2.4m in available funds. The Committee held a public hearing on December 11th. The Committee will make its recommendation to the Town Council in early 2026. All proposals can be found here: CPA Proposals  

    • Resident Capital Requests: The Town is accepting resident capital requests until Monday, January 5, 2026 at 4:30 pm. This is an opportunity for residents to submit requests for capital projects they believe the Town should prioritize. These requests are presented to the Joint Capital Planning Committee to be considered as part of the Capital Improvement Program. More information can be found here: Resident Capital Requests Information o Newsletter: The Principal Assessor is working with the Communications Manager to develop a newsletter that would be sent to all property owners. The goal is to provide more information about taxes, assessing, and encourage property owners to take advantage of all exemptions available. The Principal Assessor will also be working with the Senior Center to share information.
  • Staffing: 
    • Comptroller Tanya Wdowiak began her duties on December 1st. 
    • Principal Assessor Kim Mew was elected vice president of the Hampden/Hampshire Counties Assessors Association.
  • Human Resources: 
    • The Department continues to recruit, interview, and hire numerous Town positions including Police, Fire, DPW, and CRESS positions. 
  • Town Clerk: 
    • Census: The Town Clerk will be mailing the annual street listing census form. State law mandates an annual listing of residents as of January 1 each year. We ask the public to be on the lookout for the census in January. Even if there are no changes, households must return it to maintain an active voting status. Failure to respond for two consecutive years means the removal from the active voting list and may result in removal from the voter registration rolls. You may return your census by mail, in-person at the Town Clerk’s office, via drop box, or email to census@amherstma.gov.
    • Ethics Training: Town staff, board/committee members, and elected officials are all required to participate in Conflict-of-Interest Law Trainings provided by the State Ethics Commission. Public employees must complete the online training program and acknowledge receipt of the Conflict-of-Interest Law summary within 30 days of election or appointment to a Town position. Create an account and access the trainings here:  https://massethicstraining.skillburst.com/Automatic reminders will be sent when it is time to renew to existing public employees.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Department:

o Activities: 

  • National Day of Racial Healing: The National Day of Racial Healing is on January 20th. It is an opportunity to bring all people together to contemplate shared values and inspire collective action. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the National Day of Racial Healing.th Visit www.dayofracialhealing.org  to learn more.
    • Municipal Equality Index: 
  • The Town achieved a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign
  • Foundation’s 2025 Municipal Equality Index (MEI), illustrating the Town’s unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. 
  • View the Town of Amherst’s 2025 Municipal Equality Index Scorecard.  

    • Human Rights Day: The Town held the annual reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10th. The event had to be moved indoors to the Bangs Community Center due to inclement weather. A good crowd was on hand nevertheless.Hazard Implementation Planning: The Department is actively involved in the town’s Hazardous Implementation Planning Group, contributing to emergency preparedness and safety planning.
    Strategic Plan: The Department’s Strategic Plan can be found here: DEI Strategic Plan 
  • Liberatory Visioning: 
    • The Liberatory Visioning Project has been led by the Department and is an initiative aimed at creating a more inclusive and welcoming community for all residents. This process is designed to bring members of the Town together to develop a shared vision for a liberated community.  The DEI Department worked with Dr. Love and the final report can be found HERE  
    • The Department is beginning a new series of departmental trainings across all Town departments. Workshops resume next month.
  • Outreach:
    • The Department published an annual report which can be found HERE
    • Morning Movement and Mentoring has been nominated for an Innovation Award from the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
  • Resident Oversight Board: 

▪ The Resident Oversight Board Consultants presented their work to the Town Council on November 3rd and their report was advanced to the Town Council’s GOL Committee. The Committee will begin reviewing the proposal after the Town Council reorganizes in January.

  • Police Protocols: 

▪ Dispatch, CRESS, Police, Human Resources, and I have been working diligently to meet the goal of having specific calls for service directed to CRESS Responders by December 31st. The Town Attorney is reviewing the protocols and policies from a legal and liability perspective. We have made very good progress and are optimistic about meeting that goal.

Public Safety

  • Fire Department:
    • Equipment: Two new major pieces of equipment have been delivered to the Town. 
  • Ladder Truck: The new ladder truck [ABOVE] – designated Ladder 1 – became available to drive just hours before it was put into service. Its first run: delivering Santa to the Merry Maple event! The total cost of the ladder truck was just over $1.5 million. The truck includes sustainability enhancements to reduce fuel use. The ladder truck is being outfitted and staff are being trained in its operation. The expectation is that it will be placed in service in mid-January and will operate out of North Station. Both costs include the sustainability enhancements. 
  • Engine/Pumper: The new engine/pumper [ABOVE] – designated as Engine 2 – will also operate out of North Station. It was placed in service on December 9th. The total cost of the engine was about $880,000. The engine also includes sustainability enhancements to reduce fuel use. 
    • Staffing:  
      • Assistant Chief Jeff Olmstead retired from the Fire Department October 31st.Captain Steve Chandler was promoted to Assistant Chief on November 3rd. Steve was hired in January 2006 and promoted to Captain in October 2016. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and will oversee EMS and training for the department.Firefighter Ryan Gwyther, also hired in January 2006, was promoted to Captain on November 3rd.Two new probationary firefighters, Dylan Dincer and Aemilia Rivera, have begun their duties as full-time firefighters.The Amherst Fire Department currently has an opening for full-time and is accepting applications at amherstma.gov/jobs.
    • Olympia Drive Fire: 
      • A detailed report on the Olympia Drive fire was presented to the Town Council at its last meeting. That report can be found here: Report on Olympia Drive Fire – 1115-2025  I am working with our State Legislators to access funds from the State to reimburse the Town and its mutual aid partners for the cost of equipment and personnel in responding to the fire. The Town has been devoting extensive time to responding to requests for information from reporters, insurance companies, and lawyers.
      • I understand that the pile of debris left after the fire will begin to be removed in January.
  • Police Department:
    • Staffing: 
      • Three new officers -Tatiana Sirbu, Erik Lamotte, and Nichole Hubbard – graduated from the Police Academy on December 12th. The three officers will begin their field training program on Monday. 
      • Of note, Amherst Police Lt. Jesus Arocho, Lt. Brian Daly and Sgt. Janet Griffin are all instructors at the Academy; a high distinction for the Town’s Department.
  • Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service:
    • The Town developed a list of free food resources. Hot meals are available to anyone every day of the week at either the Survival Center or at Not Bread Alone. This is in addition to Meals on Wheels and other opportunities to select fresh fruit, vegetables, and other food.

Below is a list of all of the resources assembled by the Town’s Public Health Department.

  • CRESS is finalizing its decision on its vacant Community Responder position. 
    • CRESS Connections, a grant funded program for youth, is up and running with the schools. The most recent workshop focused on robotics (STEM) with a book and robot project.
    • Dispatch, CRESS, Police, Human Resources, and I have been working diligently to meet the goal of having specific calls for service directed to CRESS Responders by December 31st. The Town Attorney is reviewing the protocols and policies from a legal and liability perspective. We have made very good progress and are optimistic about meeting that goal.
    • The Department has produced a newsletter which can be found here: CRESS Newsletter  

Community Services

• Public Health:

  • Respiratory Illness: Winter respiratory illness season is here.
    • Nationally, the percentage of people with coughs, fevers and sore throats – what epidemiologists call influenza-like illness – is rising sharply. Rates were lower than usual going into the Thanksgiving holiday but they have now crossed the epidemic threshold for the season, which means there’s enough illness out there to start masking in crowded indoor places such as airports.Right now, the common cold is responsible for most of the stuffy noses, but it’s starting to decline and flu is beginning to ramp up. Experts warn that we are in for a rough flu season, due to a new strain that mutated late in the year and may not be well-covered by the current flu vaccine.Local wastewater surveillance indicates that COVID levels in Amherst are still fairly low but trending upwards.
    • RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is quiet so far, which is good news for babies and pediatric hospitals. It’s unclear whether this is a permanent trend – meaning that RSV is inherently weaker this year – or if it is just delayed. 
  • Vaccination: There is still time to be vaccinated! 
    • COVID and flu vaccines are readily available at pharmacies in Massachusetts to anyone, regardless of risk factors. Both vaccines provide protection against severe illness, even though they may not prevent infection.
    • All adults 75 and older and adults 50-74 with risk factors should receive an RSV vaccine. These can be tricky to find, but some pharmacies stock them and primary care providers should be prepared to provide them to eligible groups.
    • Pregnant women should get an RSV vaccine between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Infants and children 8-19 months who were born to mothers who did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy can receive a monoclonal antibody that reduces the risk of hospitalization by 80-96%. Contact your pediatrician for more information.
    • Public Health Nurse Olivia Lara-Cahoon continues to provide vaccines to individuals who are homebound or who are uninsured or under-insured. Call Olivia at 259-0310 to schedule an appointment. 
    • Practice infection prevention – wash hands frequently, cough into your upper arm instead of your hand, consider wearing a mask in crowded places and stay home if you are sick!
  • If you are sick:
    • The guidance is the same for all respiratory illnesses, regardless of whether it is COVID, flu, or the common cold:
    • If you have respiratory illness symptoms (fever, sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose) stay home and away from others in your household. Wear a mask if you have to be around them.
    • You may resume normal activities when you begin to feel better (no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and overall symptoms improving) but wear a mask for at least five days when you are indoors around other people.
    • Since the current guidance applies to all respiratory illnesses regardless of which virus is making you sick, testing for COVID is not as critical as it was during the height of the pandemic. The Public Health Department is no longer distributing free COVID tests.  
    • It may be useful for people with underlying medical conditions to know whether they have COVID or flu since there are treatments for both. COVID tests are typically available in urgent care centers and primary care offices.
  • Nicotine Free Generation Regulations:
    • On December 4th, the Board of Health voted to include the Nicotine Free Generation (NFG) provision in the Town’s tobacco regulations “Restricting the Sale of Tobacco and Nicotine Products”. 
  • The Nicotine Free Generation policy prohibits the sale of nicotine products – including cigarettes, vapes, smokeless tobacco, and nicotine pouches – in Amherst to anyone born after January 1, 2005. 
    • Unlike traditional tobacco control measures that focus on specific age groups, NFG phases out nicotine sales over generations, effectively cutting off the pipeline of future smokers and nicotine users.The Board of Health had previously held an in-person public hearing on October 30th to solicit input from the local community about NFG. Most of the 40+ attendees at the public hearing who spoke up expressed support for the measure – many were college students.Amherst is the fourth Hampshire County to enact the regulation, joining Belchertown, Pelham and South Hadley. Leverett joined Conway in enacting the regulation in Franklin County.The new regulation will go into effect on January 1st, 2026 but will not be enforced until July 1st, 2026. Public Health Department staff will use the intervening six months to educate tobacco retailers about the new policy. 

    • o Daytime Warming Center:
    • The following locations have been identified as daytime warming centers during the cold winter season:
      • These are municipal buildings that are heated and will be open during their normal operating hours. Anyone in need of a warm place during the extreme cold is encouraged to stop in.

▪ In addition to the warming centers, Craig’s Doors will be providing after-hours support. Residents in need of assistance can contact 413-256-0704 for information on available shelter space or resources after standard hours. 

• Senior Services:

  • Amherst Café: Twice a month on the first and third Mondays, join staff and neighbors at the “Amherst Café.” The purpose of the Café is to provide a space where individuals with mild to moderate memory loss and the people who care for them – can have fun with others who understand where they’re coming from. On December 17th – Ben and Ed return to provide music and fun for a Holiday Party! 
  • Donations: The Senior Center is accepting donations to “Claus for a Cause.” This year, Amherst Senior Services will be taking donations of $10 gift cards to Big Y and/or Stop and Shop. In addition, please note that there will also be food donation bins at the Bangs Center – to support the: Community Food Drive for the Amherst Survival Center. o            Newsletter:  The November/December newsletter from the Department of Senior Services – Amherst Senior Spirit – which includes a listing of the dozens of workshops and other activities being offered by the Department, is available HERE   Hard copies can be picked up in the Senior Center lounge.
  • Recreation:

o Cherry Hill Working Group:

  • The Cherry Hill Working Group held its first meeting this week.
    • The Working Group’s charge is to advise the Town Manager on:
  • Long-term viability of golf operations at Cherry Hill Golf Course; • Innovative strategies for course management and fiscal sustainability;
  • Alternative/compatible uses of the property.
  • The members of the Working Group are:
    • Sanjay Arwade, Recreation Commission representative selected by the Recreation Commission
    • Ryan Diplock, Resident member – Grew up in North Amherst near the golf course, business background and education, golf enthusiast with numerous ideas about the future of golf, has golfed at over 100 courses in the state
    • Sarah Goff, Resident member – public health professor at the University with a strong interest in a broad range of activities – not just golf – for Cherry Hill. Her children are Nordic skiers and play disc golf – and she is a runner that appreciates the open space regarding people’s health
    • Hilary Matheson, Resident member – Active golfer, pickleball player, and walker. Serves as Tournament Director at Amherst Golf Club and Ladies Golf Captain at a country club in Wales. Currently volunteers at the Senior Center and with English as a Second Language program.
    • Michele Miller, Resident member and former member of the Town Council – nearby resident who is a golfer and who has children on the Amherst Regional High School golf team and are avid golfers.
    • Chris Pariseau, Recreation Commission representative selected by the Recreation Commission
    • Anurag Sharma, Resident member – professor at the Isenberg School of Management at the University who thought his graduate students would be interested in this project.
  • Former Town Councilor Michele Miller was elected to chair the Working Group and Recreation Commission member Chris Pariseau was elected as vice chair.

Conservation and Development

  • Activities:
    o CDBG:
    • FY25: The Town has been awarded a FY25 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $850,000 for five Social Service programs (Survival Center food pantry, BBBS youth mentoring, Center for New Americans ESL classes, Family Outreach of Amherst housing support, Amherst Mobile Market healthy food access project), pedestrian improvements near Kendrick Park, and 15% for administration.
  • FY26: The Town will be holding a public hearing for input on the FY26 CDBG application on December 18, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
    • Staff: On December 1st, Jeff Bagg started as the Town’s new Planning & Economic Development Director. At the same time, Nate Malloy began his duties as the Assistant Director of Planning & Economic Development.  
  • Housing:
    • South Amherst Campus Presentation: The Town is working with Joy Squared

Architects exploring redevelopment options for the South Amherst School at 1001 South East Street. This process will create a plan that reflects community input, zoning considerations, existing physical features, and housing needs. In June, the Town hosted a visioning session to hear ideas from the community. On November 19th, the consultants presented architectural concepts and learn about the unique benefits and tradeoffs of each option. The results from this engagement will develop ideas for the South Amherst School Campus. 

  • The slides presented at this session are here:

https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/83587/251119-PublicMeeting-Presentation

  • The recording from the session is here:

o Housing Production Plan: The Town Council adopted the Housing Production Plan which was developed by the Planning Department and its consultant with significant contributions from the Planning Board, Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, the Town Council’s Community Resources Committee and others over the past 18 months. The plan will provide a framework for addressing the affordable housing needs of low- and moderate-income people in Amherst over the next five years.  The Plan was adopted by Town Council on December 8, 2025.  Click here to read the plan:  Housing Production Plan –  12–08–2025  

  • Planning:
    • Zoning: 
      • Rezoning Main Street: Town staff initiated a proposal to rezone several parcels to support growth of small businesses in Town. Working with the Planning Board and the Town Council’s Community Resources Committee, the zoning map change extends the Neighborhood Business Zoning District onto three properties on the south side of Main Street. The amendment supports the continued growth of an existing small business in Amherst. The amendment was adopted by the Town Council on December 8th.
      • Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU): The Town’s new ADU regulations are now effective and provide for the Protected-Use ADU and a local ADU.  The Zoning Bylaw also has new criteria for determining the payment in lieu of providing affordable units in the project.
    • East Amherst Historic District: 
      • A proposed Local Historic District is currently under consideration for East Amherst, centering on the intersection of Main Street, North East Street, and South East Street. This area features well-preserved historic buildings that together create a unique and cohesive look into Amherst’s past.
      • This proposal process is being led by the Amherst Local Historic District Commission. The goal of establishing the proposed East Amherst Local Historic District is to preserve and protect the historic properties in Amherst’s original center of life, while also providing guidance on the development of new housing and commercial uses. 
      • The Town’s website has a Story Map that provides an overview of the study conducted by the Local Historic Commission and next steps for officially establishing the East Amherst Historic District. Here is the link: East Amherst Village Local Historic District Story Map
      • The draft study report for the proposed district has been submitted to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for review and comment. The report will also be reviewed by the Planning Board and Historical Commission. Following the 60-day review period, a second public hearing will be held to discuss the comments and feedback received prior to submitting a final report to Town Council. Here is the link to the draft report: Read the draft report here.  
  • Facilities:
    • Munson Library: Critical maintenance completed on the Munson Library roof.  Substantial repairs to the slate roof, slate cap and flashing with materials and methods to preserve historic details.
    • Town Hall: 
      • Doors: The doors on the Main Street entrance to Town Hall were removed and rehabilitated and are now reinstalled for the winter.
      • Roof: 
  • Funding requests to replace the historic slate roof are before the Community Preservation Act Committee. We are also seeking state funding as a designated Climate Leaders Community which provides access to additional funding sources.
  • The Town Hall is identified in the Amherst Municipal Decarbonization Roadmap as one of
    • ten primary targeted buildings for decarbonization.
  • The Town Hall’s HVAC system will need to be replaced within the next few years. In preparation for a transition to heat pumps, it will be necessary to weatherize and repair elements of the building’s envelope that are old, damaged and compromised.  Replacement of the historic slate roof is an imperative as it is failing in certain locations creating problems with water intrusion.
  • The Town Council will be reviewing this project through the capital planning process and, possibly, the Community Preservation Act process.

o Bangs Community Center: The work at the Bangs Community Center received sub-bids for all major systems installation. Staff conducted a walk-through with all subcontractors on November 11th. Planning is now underway to coordinate the work of the subcontractors, factoring in lead time for key equipment such as HVAC controls and a fire suppression system. We anticipate work will begin in the first months of 2026. Work is being coordinated with the department offices in the Bangs Community Center.

  • Sustainability:
  • Heat Pump Program: This program continues its push to sign up as many homes as possible before the federal incentives disappear.
  • Fire Trucks: The Fire Chief and Sustainability Director worked to secure funding and install fuel reduction technology on both new fire trucks.

Public Works

  • Water Restrictions:
    • Despite some improvements, drought conditions have continued in most of Massachusetts.  
    • The Connecticut River Valley, Central and Northeast Regions are now at Level 1– Mild Drought after being at Level 2 for most of the summer.
  • Road Work:
    • Amity Street at University Drive Roundabout: 
      • The contractor will soon be wrapping up for the season. Any remaining work will include replacing the existing stormwater drain pipes across University Drive at the Amity Street intersection. 
      • Traffic on University Drive will be reduced to one lane of traffic with detail officers directing traffic through th e intersection. 
      • Typical work hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
      • All work is weather dependent. Should inclement weather occur, the schedule will either be pushed forward one day or further announcements will be made with a revised schedule.

DELEGATED AUTHORITY

  • Short-Term Event Uses of Town Commons (Section 1a of the Town Council Policy): None • Short-Term Parking Requests (Section 2a of the Town Council Policy):
    • November 29, December 6, December 13, December 20, December 27, 2025: Free Parking for all metered spaces on the streets and in the lots in the Downtown Business Improvement District. Time limits remain in effect.
  • Long-Term Parking Requests (Section 2bi of the Town Council Policy): None • Short-Term Public Way Closures (Section 3b of the Town Council Policy):
    • November 1, 2026 – HMF Western Mass 10 road race – 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. – North

Pleasant Street, South Pleasant Street, Triangle Street, College Street, Main Street, Dickinson Street – Hartford Half Marathon

  • Placement of Road and Temporary Signs (Section 3d of the Town Council Policy): None

MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS 

  • Jones Library Renovation and Expansion:
  • DPW Building: The Town Council is reviewing appointments to the new building committee. Once approved, I will organize the first meeting for the new year.
  • Fire Building: We are investigating additional sites for the location of a new Fire Station.
  • Fort River Elementary School: 
    • The project is proceeding on schedule and on budget after delays due to bid protests that delayed the start of construction until January. 
    • The building is largely closed in with significant portions of the exterior masonry being completed and exterior windows installation in process. 
    • All geothermal wells have been installed, and the contractor is working on piping to connect these wells to the new building. o The stand-by generator, which was bought in advance of the project due to extensive lead times, has been delivered and is installed.
    • Members of the Town Council, School Committee, School Building Committee, and Town and school staff toured the site last week. Photos are below showing the library, geo-thermal system, and a sample classroom. o For more information, visit the School Building Project website here:

https://www.amherst–school–  project.com/  

PROJECTS UPDATE

  • Centennial Water Treatment Facility: 
    • Construction is largely complete on the1.5 million gallon per day (MGD) Centennial Water Treatment Plant, to treat surface water from the Pelham Reservoir System. o The existing Centennial WTP, located in the Town of Pelham but supplying the Amherst Public Water System, had a history of issues with turbidity, color, and disinfection byproducts in the form of total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) because of high levels of organics in the Pelham Reservoir System. Due to the age and condition of the existing WTP, the filters which were the primary treatment process at the existing WTP were no longer effective at removing organics, leading to a decrease in finished water quality and total WTP capacity. 
    • The existing Centennial WTP had been offline since 2018 due to water quality, as well as infrastructure concerns related to a lightning strike which impacted pumping equipment and communications at the Centennial Water Treatment Plant’s raw water pump station 
    • The design of the new Centennial WTP included provisions to maintain the Amherst water distribution system. The Centennial WTP feeds the majority of the water system by gravity. 
    • Permitting for this project included MassDEP, Site Plan Review with the Pelham Zoning Board of Appeals, and a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA) with Pelham Conservation Commission.
    • The Centennial Water Treatment Plant was bid and awarded to R.H. White Construction Co. of Auburn, MA for a contract amount of $18,876,000, and the project received funding though the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program. Construction was completed and a ribbon cutting ceremony was held in October,
  • High School Track and Field: 
    • Work is nearly complete on the new track and field construction with all major earthwork and site drainage improvements completed.The project remains within budget and our staff was able to determine that there were adequate funds to sod the second field at the site including new irrigation and drainage systems similar to the field on the track interior, instead of simply regrading the field area and reseeding it as had originally been planned. The Region will have two high quality athletic fields at the site.The contractor has certain performance metrics to meet, regarding grass growth, etc. The actual date of opening the track and the fields is yet to be determined. Town staff are working with Regional School Department staff on schedules.
    • Town and school staff are reviewing ongoing maintenance requirements and costs of maintaining the natural grass fields.
  • Downtown Restroom: 
    • We have been told the Portland Loo company – the product the Town wants to install at Kendrick Park – has had positive progress with the State Plumbing Board. Their prefabricated unit was finally approved with some relatively minor enhancements to their design. 
    • We are awaiting information regarding their production schedule but it appears that the project is back on track and we might be looking at installation in the spring.

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

  • December 24th – Christmas Eve holiday (1/2 day)
  • December 25th – Christmas holiday
  • January 1st – New Year’s Day holiday
  • January 5th – Town Council swearing-in ceremony and meeting
  • January 12th – Town Council meeting
  • January 19th – Rev. Dr.  Martin Luther King Jr. holiday
  • February 2nd – Town Council meeting
  • February 16th – Presidents Day holiday ➢ February 23rd – Town Council meeting
  • March 9th – Town Council meeting
  • March 23rd – Town Council meeting
Spread the love
Tags: ,

Leave a Reply

The Amherst Indy welcomes your comment on this article. Comments must be signed with your real, full name & contact information; and must be factual and civil. See the Indy comment policy for more information.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.