New Appointments to DPW and Jones Library Building Committees, CDBG Advisory Committee, Community Preservation Act Committee

The following Town Manager appointment nominations were unanimously recommended (5-0) by the Town Services and Outreach Committee at its December 11, 2025 meeting. The appointments will need to be approved by the full Town Council, most likely at its December 15 meeting.

Two Students Nominated for Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee

Nominated for a two-year term beginning immediately and expiring on June 30, 2027:

Mirelle Liimata of Thatcher Road.

Nominated for a three-year term beginning immediately and expiring on June 30, 2028:

Mayen Thorsen of South Pleasant Street.

Read about the work of the CDBG Advisory Committee here.

Discussion
When TSO members questioned Town Manager Paul Bockelman about appointing two more college students to this committee, he stated that the only applicants were students. TSO member George Ryan said that, with 60% of Amherst’s population being college students, they are underrepresented in town government. 

Council Clerk Athena O’Keeffe said, “With all due respect to the committee, I’d like to remind you of the council’s statement of values of diversity, equity, and inclusion that includes ensuring measures that foster an unbiased and inclusive environment that is free of discrimination, harassment, and negative stereotyping toward any person or group. I think if the committee were discussing a different type of group of people, those with a different socioeconomic class or race, that this conversation would feel very different. I just want to point out that stereotyping students as not being as committed or not being as available as those with different socioeconomic status or children or any other type of group would be really inappropriate.”

The CDBG Advisory Committee has five other members, one of whom, Olivia Keller, is also a student at Amherst College. Her term expires June 30, 2026.

Biographical Profiles
The Town Manager provided the following biographical profiles for the nominees.

Mirelle Liimata is a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She recently wrote an article in the Massachusetts Daily Collegian about the need for students to be represented on on the Town Council and has submitted her name for consideration for several committees. She interned at the Manhattan Borough President’s Office in New York City on the community affairs team, working with the various community boards across Manhattan. She was involved in the weighing of the different needs of stakeholders for neighborhood issues, recognizing that all needs could not be met. She believes this experience will be an asset in her role on the CDBG Advisory Committee. Academically, she is focused on architecture and sustainable development. 

Mayen Thorsen is a student at Amherst College. She is interested in pursuing a career in public service and in developing her leadership skills. Her goal is to promote positive impacts for her Amherst community through public service at the local level. She currently serves as a senator on Amherst College’s Association of Students. Previously, in the San Francisco Bay area, she served in a number of roles in student government, as a peer advocate, and on the Black Student Union Executive Board. She also participated in a Youth Climate Summit which led climate education initiatives for young people.

Community Preservation Act Committee
Nominated for a one-year term beginning immediately and expiring June 30, 2026:
Marc Barrette representing the Amherst Housing Authority.

Read about the work of the Community Preservation Act Committee here. The committee has nine members, one of whom must be from the Amherst Housing Authority. The previous representative from the Housing Authority did not run for re-election to the authority.

Department of Public Works (DPW) Building Committee
Three resident members of the DPW Building Committee were nominated for terms beginning immediately and continuing for the length of the building process. They are: 

David Ahlfeld of Blue Hills Avenue
Joe Cook of Lincoln Avenue
Christine Gray-Mullen of Farview Way

Town Manager Paul Bockelman, Superintendent of Public Works Guilford Mooring, Finance Director Sean Mangano, and Town Councilor Pam Rooney will also serve on the committee. 

In addition, the Town’s Special Capital Projects Manager, Bob Peirent, will participate in the process as a non-voting member.

Biographical Profiles
The town manager provided the following biographical profiles for the nominees.

David Ahlfeld is a retired professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His professional background is in civil engineering, hydrology, and groundwater resources. He has also worked on stormwater management, river hydraulics, streamflow prediction and management and stream and ecosystem restoration, site development, drainage, and numerous other topics. He was involved in a building project for a non-profit organization. He is interested in ensuring the new building creates efficiencies for the operations of the Department of Public Works. Ahlfeld served previously on the Board of Health for seven years, chairing for three years. 

Joe Cook has 35 years of municipal procurement experience in Massachusetts and has extensive experience with constructing public buildings. He served as Assistant City Solicitor in the City of Northampton before becoming the City’s Chief Procurement Officer until his recent retirement. In Northampton, Cook participated in the construction of three new schools, a police station, a fire station, and an upgrade to the wastewater treatment facility. He has extensive knowledge of public construction law and procurement processes. Cook has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. 

Christine Gray-Mullen brings a unique combination of engineering expertise and building committee experience to the committee. She holds a Civil Engineering degree and worked for many years in the design and construction of environmental projects. Gray-Mullen has served the town in numerous capacities, currently as a member and vice-chair of the Jones Library Building Committee and as chair on the Jones Library Building Design Subcommittee. She also served on building committees for the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst and the First Unitarian Church of Providence, Rhode Island. Previously she served on the Planning Board (including service as chair), Downtown Parking Working Gones roup (including service as chair), Public Works Committee (including service as chair), the original DPW Building Committee in 2014 and then on the DPW & Fire Station Advisory Committee in 2016, and other boards and committees. She feels this is an important project and is eager to dedicate her time to ensuring its successful completion.

Jones Library Building Committee
Finance Director Sean Mangano will replace Town Treasurer Jennifer LaFountain on the Jones Library Building Committee, effective immediately for the length of the building process.