Town Manager Report for April 27, 2026

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 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 Report. All Town Manager Reports are available on the town’s website here: Town Manager Reports 

MAJOR NEWS

• Hampshire College:

o Closing: 

• On April 12^th, the Board of Trustees of Hampshire College voted to close the College and cease its academic operations by the end of the fall 2026 semester. Hampshire College Closure Announcement  
  • The College noted that this is a difficult moment for the broader higher education community, and one that underscores the structural challenges facing small liberal arts institutions, even those with strong academic missions.It added that it is committed to working closely with regulators to teach out its remaining students and maintain its accreditation and degree-granting authority during this wind down period.
  • The closure will have a significant impact on many members of our community:
• The students who will lose their community of friends and the academic home that has nurtured their academic work.
• The staff who will lose their jobs in an uncertain economy.
• Those affiliated with the College – I count myself among them – who will lose their connection to the College.
• The future of the land the College owns will be of utmost importance to the Town.

There will also be other impacts the Town, economic and otherwise.

• The Town issued a statement that responded to the announcement. The statement included a personal comment from me. Town Statement on Hampshire College  ▪ Staff will provide an update to the Town Council at its meeting on April 27^th.
• Impacts:  

▪ Some of the impacts of the College’s closing are evident:

• Employees:o  

• About 250 employees will lose their jobs, most by mid-June but some will continue with the College until the end of the calendar year. 55 employees live in Amherst (20%)
• The State’s MassHire staff will be on site to support employees with unemployment, seeking new jobs, job search skills, etc.
• Students:
  • Hampshire has about 625 students enrolled
  • Applicants for the Fall 2026 semester actually tracked last year’s numbers, but that number was lower than needed to continue operations
  • The College is working with educational partners to “teach out” the students who are not graduating this year
• Land:
  • The College owns 692 acres of land in Amhersto 614 acres are tax-exempto 78 acres are taxed
  • Most of the tax-exempt land is Zone Educational District
• Town Finances:

o The College pays about $72,000 annually in property taxes

o The College pays about $100,000 annually in water/sewer bills•

Non-profits

• The Yiddish Book Center owns its own land
• The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art owns its own land
• The Hitchcock Center for Environmental Education has a long-term lease with the College
• I convened a meeting with the three non-profits and others interested parties to meet with major Town departments including Police, Fire, Public Works, Planning, Building, etc.

TOWN MANAGER

• The last Cuppa’ Joe was on Friday, April 17^th at Atkins Farms Market. Town Engineer Jason Skeels joined for a robust discussion about roads and paving and the many challenges to keep the Town’s roads maintained with limited funds.
• The next Cuppa’ Joe is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, May 6^th with Finance Director Sean Mangano, who will join me to have informal discussions about the FY27 budget. We will schedule this session later in the day to make it available to people who can’t make the morning coffees. We are finalizing the location.
• 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.
• Hampshire County Community Conversaiton on Housing: 
• Development and Planning Director Jeff Bagg and I participated in an event March 25^th at the University of Massachusetts. The event was a regional conversation Way Finders hosted in partnership with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) to share new housing data from a recent Building Homes. Building Futures. housing report by the UMass Donahue Institute.
• Visit from Japanese Consul General: The Town was honored to be visited by Japan’s Consul General Seiichiro Takahashi and its Consul for Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Chieko Yoshida. The Town Council President and Vice President participated along with members of the community, many of whom spoke Japanese, including our Public Health Nurse.
• Recruiting Now for Committees: 
• We are preparing reappointments for the Town Council’s review.
• We are recruiting members to serve on all committees. Please help spread the word.
• We are prioritizing membership on the following committees and are scheduling interviews now:

▪ Amherst Black Reparations Committee  

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Administration and Finance

• Finance:

o The Finance team is hard at work finalizing the FY27 Capital Improvement Program, FY27 Town Budget, and the collateral material that must be produced by May 1^st, including a presentation to the Town Council on May 4^th and meeting multiple times a week with the Finance Committee.

• Human Resources: 
  • The Department continues to recruit, interview, and hire numerous Town positions. A list of current vacancies can be found here: List of Job Vacancies  
  • We are actively recruiting for a new Director of Senior Services and Assistant Planning Director. We are conducting final interviews for firefighter/paramedic positions.
  • The Human Resources Department has been dedicating extensive time and effort in continue to engage in our collective bargaining work.
  • The Department has developed an Artificial Intelligence policy for the Town, which is now being reviewed by Town staff.
• Town Clerk: 
  • Change of Polling Location: The polling location for District 2-B which is in the Fort River Elementary School will be unavailable for the September and November elections as the building will be under demolition. The Town Clerk is reviewing options for relocating this polling location and has consulted with the two District Two Town Councilors. The Town Clerk expects to submit a request to change the polling location to the Town Council at an upcoming meeting.Training: The Secretary of State’s office will be coming to Amherst Monday, June 8^th to do an election worker training from 4:30 – 6:30pm. It will take place in the high school auditorium. The training is required for all 215 Inspectors, Clerks, and Wardens who will all be invited to attend. o Public Record Requests: 
    • The Town Clerk’s office has developed a new process and has transitioned to OpenGov to manage public records requests. The Town is still accepting emailed requests, but this is the preferred method. The link is now live on the website: https://www.amherstma.gov/3325/PublicRecords. This new process will help streamline requests, improve tracking, and ensure consistent and timely responses. Our goal is to make for a smoother and more transparent process for both the public and Town staff.
    Website Improvement – Agenda Center: The Town is transitioning most Town Boards and Committees to using “Agenda Center” on the Town’s website to post meeting agendas and minutes. This transition not only improves efficiency for staff and board members but also enhances public access to meeting information, supporting greater transparency and accountability. We are training Town staff on how to use the new system and expect to go live on July 1^st.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/
  • Elections: The State Primary will be held on September 1, 2026. Residents can request a mail-in ballot here: www.mailmyballotma.com. If you are mailing in a request, it is important to indicate what primary party ballot you’d like to receive if you’re an unenrolled voter. The State Election will follow on November 4, 2026. You can choose to receive a mail-in ballot for all elections this year. Reminder: sign your application in the same form as your ballot envelope.
• Information Technology:
  • Cybersecurity: 

▪ The Town was selected to participate in the 2026 Cybersecurity Awareness Program, a very competitive program that provides services and resources to the Town to improve our cybersecurity practices.

• Participating in this program provides an initial and final assessment, cybersecurity awareness training, and threat simulation (phishing campaigns).
• This program is administered by the Office of Municipal and School Technology and KnowBe4

▪ The Town’s I.T. Department received a “shout out” from the State’s Cybersecurity Awareness Program for the high engagement rate in the Department’s campaign to educate the Town’s users about cybersecurity awareness. It was one of two communities – statewide – to receive this recognition.

o Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Town staff are working on bringing the Town into the new WCAGuidelines. The deadline for small municipalities and government entities with a population less than 50,000 has been extended to comply with the new Federal rule. This is a major undertaking that involves I.T., Communications, DEI and everyone in our organization who posts to the website. 

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Department:

• Training: 
  • This month’s topic is on debate, discussion, and dialogue 2.0. Staff will explore motivational interviewing, restorative justice circles, and managing pluralistic conversations as workplace conflict and management tools. Staff requested role playing to allow for practice of the techniques suggested.
  • The Department has completed 8 department trainings Workshops at the Fire Department are scheduled for May 18^th through the 21st.
• Accomplishments, Announcements, and Activities:
  • Please review the DEI April Newsletter.
  • Global Village Festival: The Department thanks Councilors Griesemer and Rooney for attending and reading the Town Council proclamation. Staff and attendees were grateful for the recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusivity. The event overall went well with an estimated 1,500 people in attendance. Most people liked the new venue at the high school. All event expenses were funded by donations by local businesses, the Amherst BID, or from grants from the Amherst Cultural Arts Council or the Massachusetts Cultural Arts Council. Plans for Amherst Global Village Festival 2027 are underway.
• Amherst Pride: The Amherst Pride event will occur on June 28^th on the Town Common. Amherst Pride aims to celebrate the diversity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community, promote visibility, and provide valuable resources and support. This exciting event will feature a festive parade and a community resource fair. To participate in Amherst Pride as a vendor, in the parade, or by volunteering, please goto the Town’s website or contact the DEI Department..
  • Women’s History Month: In March the Department co-hosted a Women’s History Month webinar with The Women of Color Health Equity Collective. For more information about the work of the Women of Color Health Equity Collective, visit their website.
  • Online Reporting of ICE Misconduct: The State opened an online portal for people to report ICE misconduct. Bystanders, lawyers, and families can report any potential misconduct by Federal immigration agents in Massachusetts through anew state portal,The portal is designed to help the state identify patterns of potential misconduct and “inform possible legal action.” State officials are also asking residents to use the site to report “potentially unlawful activity” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other Federal agents.
• Liberatory Visioning: The Department received confirmation that it will receive the seed grant to move forward with the Community Heart and Soul Initiative. A strong Core Team has been assembled which includes the people listed below. Others may be added as the group seeks to include representation from the School Department, the University, and the business sector. The next community event will be May 28^th.

Name	Affiliation	Background
Philip Avila	Town of Amherst	Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Vira Douangmany Cage	Associate Director Baku Care	Former School Committee, Amherst Media, Community Activist
Samantha Giffen	Town of Amherst	Communications Manager
Sarah Gillespie	Amherst College	Psychology
Rey Harp	Town of Amherst	Director of Recreation
Bonnie Isman	League of Women Voters	Former Library Director
Erin Jacque	Town of Amherst	Conservation Agent
JuPong Lin	Self employed	Interdisciplinary Artist
Artie McCollum	US Fish and Wildlife	Peace Corps and Liberatory Visioning Facilitator
Pamela Young	Town of Amherst	Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

• Youth Empowerment:
  • The Department hosted Youth Empowerment Program concluded with the young business owners selling their wares at the Amherst Global Village. All made a profit however there were some heavy lifters in the group. The Majestic Merry Maple crew sold a bit of history and had sales over $450.00 and most of the others had sales around $100.00 mark. Some had fewer sales but learned lessons regarding pricing and production. 
  • The next Youth Empowerment event is scheduled for May 27^th. It will be a career fair where students will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of careers. Town staff and community members will describe their educational background and career paths.
  • Human Rights Commission Youth Hero Awards and Race Amity Day Celebration. On June 14^th, please join the Department and the Human Rights Commission at Mill River Recreation Area from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to celebrate Race Amity Day and recognize the year’s Youth Heroes and enjoy performances from local groups. Nominations are open for youth who reside in or attend any school within the Town. Nominations will close May 15^th 
• Resident Oversight Board:
  • The report was advanced to the Town Council which referred it to the GOL Committee. 
• Police Protocols: 
  • The Emergency Communication Center is now dispatching calls to Community Responders.
  • Town staff from the Communications Center and CRESS review calls regularly to ensure the calls that are going to CRESS are appropriate and that all calls that should go to CRESS are going there.

Public Safety

Community Services

• Fire Department:
  • Grant: The Fire Department received a $25,000 grant from the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program for breaching tools, personal accountability system/mobile command console, rescue saw chain saw and others.
  • Staffing: The Amherst Fire Department currently has an opening for full-time and is 
• Police Department:
  • Staffing: The Amherst Police Department currently has an opening for full-time and is accepting applications atamherstma.gov/jobs.
    
• Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service: 
  • New Offices; Same Address: Due to the construction in the Bangs Community Center, the CRESS Department has been relocated to the Pole Room on the lower level. The new location is open and welcoming and promotes even greater collaboration among staff. Thanks to all staff in the Bangs Community Center for being so accommodating during this disruptive renovation stage.
  • Food Insecurity: The CRESS Department is providing short-term funding from one of its grants to support the community breakfast held at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst.  This support along with the support of other individual contributions will allow the continuation of serving hot, nutritious breakfast to guests in Craig’s Doors shelters as well as all other guests 8-10 a.m. every Wednesday.
  • Operations:
    • Dispatch: The Emergency Communication Center is now dispatching calls to Community Responders.

• CRESS Connections: Cress. Connections is a grant funded program for youth operating in the Town’s schools. The most recent workshop focused on robotics (STEM) with a book and robot project.
• Newsletter: The Department has produced a newsletter which can be found here: CRESSNewsletter 

• Public Health:

o Community Education:

• Vaccinations:  
  • Valley Vaxis a local educational initiative and website headed up by the Town’s Public Health Department designed to provide accurate, evidence-based information about vaccines to the community.The website features the faces and voices of people who live and work in the Pioneer Valley.
  • Valley Vax was recently selected by the Massachusetts Adult Immunization Conference (MAIC) planning committee as the 2026 Champion Award winner! This annual award recognizes individuals or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution or effort to promote or foster adult immunization in Massachusetts. More information here.
• Global Village:

The Public Health Department was at the Global Village festival on April 11^th, sharing health information relevant to global health and culturally responsive health care. We had great conversations with community members and enjoyed quizzing folks on their public health knowledge. Public Health will also have a table at the Sustainability Fair focused on climate change and public health.  

• Ticks:
• Tick season is here! Peak tick season in Massachusetts runs from April–September. Check yourself and pets daily after spending time in grassy or wooded areas. Ticks often hide in hard-to-see spots: armpits, groin, scalp, behind knees/ears. Wear long sleeves and tuck pants into socks outdoors. o Lyme disease from deer ticks is the most common tick-borne illness in the Northeast and Amherst has had more than its fair share of cases. In 2025, more than a quarter of the cases in the region were in Amherst residents. This may be due to the fact that many Amherst residents like to spend time out of doors and the recreational areas in our Town tend to have more tall grasses than other local ecosystems. Tip: stick to the center of trails when hiking. o If bitten: use fine-tipped tweezers to remove ticks ASAP. Bacteria can transfer within 24-48 hours, early removal matters. Call your healthcare provider – treatment may be recommended.
• An emerging tick-borne disease, alpha-gal syndrome, is receiving more attention in Massachusetts these days. Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergy to alpha-gal (a molecule that is naturally produced in most mammals but not in people) that can develop after a tick bite. When a tick bites, it can transfer alpha-gal from its saliva into a person’s blood.

• AGS symptoms occur after people who have been bitten eat red meat or consume other products made from mammals. Symptoms can occur 2-6 hours after consuming products containing alpha-gal, like red meat or dairy products, and can include hives, rashes, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. o   In the U.S, the lone
• star tick is the species most associated with alpha-gal syndrome, however other ticks may also trigger it. Lone star ticks are usually found in the Southern and South-Central states, but they are becoming more prevalent in Massachusetts, especially on the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard. As a result, the State Department of Public Health recently added alpha-gal syndrome to its list of reportable diseases.
• The Town’s Public Health Department will be focusing on tick education this summer. For more information, or if you need a tick removal kit, reach out to us.
  
• Harm Reduction: The Public Health Department has been working to increase access to Narcan – a life-saving medication that can reverse overdoses – in the community.  
  • Special boxes containing Narcan, called Naloxboxes, have been installed at Town Hall, the Police Department, and the Library’s temporary home on University Drive. North Amherst Library, and in the Munson Building in South Amherst. Plans are also being made to install outdoor Narcan cabinets in public areas around Town.  
• These boxes contain Narcan doses, protective masks for rescue breathing, and informational material.
  • Future plans include developing a map of these Narcan locations for posting on the Public Health website or at local businesses and organizations around town.

• Senior Services:
• Newsletter:
  • The May/June edition of the Senior Services newsletter, which includes a listing of the dozens of workshops and other activities being offered by the Department will be posted on the website by the end of April.
  • The current edition is available here and hard copies can be picked up in Town Hall or at the Senior Center. https://www.amherstma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/18926
    
• Starting with the September/October edition, the newsletter will be mailed out to all 60+ residents in Amherst. This change is being made in response to increasing requests for a mailed newsletter. We are happy to be able to provide this service through a partnership with LPi, a digital and print communications firm producing many senior center newsletters in Massachusetts. Much credit is owed to the Friends of the Senior Center for providing the guidance, research, and funding to allow this service to return. o Programming:
  
  
  • Senior Services presented two programs this spring with Robert Rivest: Laughter is the Best Medicine on March 13^th and How to be Happy in Difficult Times on April 10th. Robert is an internationally admired performer, teacher, and public speaker, as well as a talented mindfulness & stress relief educator and a gifted laughter yoga master trainer. Both programs were popular, with as many as 30 people in attendance. Participants said they left the sessions with a renewed sense of positivity and a goal of incorporating the teachings they had learned into their daily lives. We hope to be able to provide more of this type of content in the future since it was so well-received.
  • The first in a planned documentary series was shown at the Bangs on Friday April 24^th. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the film shown was not In the Whale but My Octopus Teacher instead. My Octopus Teacher is an Oscar-winning documentary about a filmmaker’s friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest. The film is a beautiful story about personal growth and reconnecting with nature. It was much enjoyed by all who attended.
    
• Bangs Renovations:
  • Although the construction project currently underway at the Bangs consists primarily of infrastructure improvements such as a new HVAC and sprinkler systems, there will also be some exciting enhancements made to the Senior Center space on the first floor. These include:
    • New exercise space – the area that is currently the Public HealthDepartment will be converted into two new spaces: an exercise room and a multipurpose room. The exercise room will have space for four to five exercise machines, some weights and built-in storage.
• Wellness/consultation space and updated bathroom – the unused bathroom adjoining Room 101 (across the hall from Public Health) will be updated for use as an all-gender, single stall bathroom. The kitchen area that is currently in Room 101 will be converted into a wellness/consultation room that can be used for health and wellness related activities.
  • We are excited about these developments and look forward to sharing the newly refurbished space with the community by the end of the year.

• Recreation:  

• Cherry Hill Working Group: The Cherry Hill Working Group held a public listening session on Sunday, April 12^th at Cherry Hill. Most comments revolved around the following issues:
  • Staffing: pay, additional staff, continuity of staffingExtending the hours of the day and days of the yearEstablishing a Revolving Fund to better track financesImprove social media presence
  • Organizing a “Friends of Cherry Hill” group
• Programming: The Recreation Department provides numerous programs and has developed partnerships throughout the community. 
  
• Sumer Camps: Town staff are preparing for the summer. There will be changes this year as Summer Camp will now take place at the Amherst Regional High School, located at 21 Mattoon Street. Registration is open now.

Conservation and Development 

• Community Homes in North Amherst: Valley Community Development Corporation (CDC) is making great progress on this project on Montague Road.
  • The project represents a unique affordable homeownership development in the Town. 

The project includes 30 new homes in 15 duplex buildings clustered around shared opening spaces and parking areas. All the homes will be deed restricted to Low-toModerate Income firsttime homebuyer households.

• The number of applicants for the homes exceeded the available number of units, demonstrating continued
• demand for Affordable housing in Amherst and in the region.
  
• Valley CDC is anticipating the first residents moving into the first few units this summer.  Stay tuned for more information about this important housing project. 
  
• Wildwood School Campus Re-use: 
  • The Town will undertake a focused, community-driven study to evaluate future use options for the Wildwood Elementary School and site, recognizing that the analysis shall include both renovation and demolition/redevelopment pathways. All steps are contingent on the School Committee determining the building and site are no longer needed for educational use by the District.
  • To move forward, I will be taking the following steps:
    • Establish an advisory committee which will guide the process with support from the Planning and Economic Development Director and a multidisciplinary consultant team to ensure transparent decision-making, availability of technical research and cost estimates, and broad community engagement. The study will result in recommended reuse scenarios grounded in feasibility, cost, public input, and in accordance with the Town’s Surplus Property Disposition Policy.
    • Seek funding from the Town Council to provide resources to conduct this process.
    • Request a vote from the School Committee to release the building once they are clear the Department has no use for the building for educational purposes.
      
• Downtown Design Standards: 
  • On March 11^th, the Town hosted an event featuring a comprehensive presentation on the three volumes of the Downtown Design Standards which cover the context/vision for downtown, standards for private developments, and standards for public improvements. 
  • To view the project website, review the Downtown Design Standards, and submit public comment, click here. 
  • To view the slide deck of presentation (PDF), click here. o To view the video recording of the presentation, click here. o Additional outreach is planned over the next few months, with presentations to the Design Review Board, Planning Board, the Town Council’s Community Resources Committee, Historical Commission, and Commission for Persons with Disability. 
  • Public input can be provided online with the goal of collecting specific feedback on each of the three volumes.   o Over the summer the Planning Department and the Town’s consultant, Dodson and

Flinker. will compile all the feedback and work to create a final set of Downtown

Design Standards in November 2026 with a presentation/submission to Town Council in December 2026.  

• Once completed:
  • Some of the standards may be adopted as part of the Planning Board and/or Design Review Board rules and regulations.
  • Certain standards related to private property may become zoning amendments to be adopted by Town Council.
  • And others, especially those dealing with sidewalks, crosswalks, and the public way may be adopted by the Department of Public Works and/or the Town Council. 

• Community Development Block Grant: 
  • The Town is a Mini-Entitlement Community that is eligible to apply for CommunityDevelopment Block Grant (CDBG)funds, which are awarded primarily to support housing, community development projects, and social service activities that improve the lives of Amherst’s low and moderate income residents (defined as individuals or families whose annual income does not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income as determined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – HUD), and be located in an identified neighborhood or target area.Learn more about the CDBG Advisory Committee and view relevant documents.The Town held a public hearing about the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program on March 26^th. o The final application was submitted to the State on April 21^st.
  • Here are the recommended projects:
    • Non-Social Service Proposals:
• Multi-use Path along North Pleasant Street from Meadow Street to UMass. Phase 3.

▪ Social Service Proposals:

• Amherst Survival Center. • Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
• Family Outreach of Amherst.
• Center for New Americans.
• Amherst Mobile Market.
• Sustainability: 
• The Town’s Sustainability Festival will be held on April 25^th. This free and family friendly event brings together local farmers, environmental vendors, live entertainment, hands-on demonstrations, and more.
• The Town secured an incentive of $28,324 from Berkshire Gas for improvements to the North Amherst Fire Station. The value of the savings is $270,348 and the installation was covered by the grant.
• Housing: 

o Potential North Amherst Development: 

• The contemplated project includes approximately 140 units in a single, fourstory building with 80 units of senior and 60 units of multifamily – all of which would be capital “A” Affordable.
  • On April 13^th, Beacon Communities organized and held a community meeting regarding their contemplated project at 246 Montague Road.The meeting was organized and hosted by Dara Kovel, Beacon’s CEO and Darcy Jameson, Beacon’s Vice President.  Their presentation included information about Beacon as an organization, a summary of the contemplated project and some initial renderings of the concept. The slide deck will be added to the Town’s website. 

• Approximately 50 residents were in attendance including students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Attendees raised a range of concerns from environmental to traffic, to density and costs to the Town.The Town’s Planning and Economic Development Director accepted an invitation to share some information about the Town’s process, its planning work, anticipated permitting path, and provided a summary of housing units constructed since 2021 – a directive of the Town’s 2021 Comprehensive Housing Policy.

• Minimum of 250 new units for households earning less than 80% AMI over the next five years, consistent with goals set in the Housing Production Plan. The first priority is the development of new residential units that will qualify for the State’s Subsidized Housing Inventory. He reported that 
• Minimum of 850 units above 80% AMI over the next five years. The need for new residential development to meet the needs of families with children, individual adults, and seniors who can afford market-rate housing, as well as providing opportunities for economically and socially mixed housing and additional tax revenue for the Town, is extensive.
• He reported that for Goal #1, of 250 units only 46 units were produced and for Goal #2 of 850 market rate units – only 310 were produced.

▪ Beacon has been proactive in presenting the concept to the Conservation Commission (click here for a link to the December 17, 2025 presentation), Affordable Housing Trust (click here for a link to the January 22, 2026meeting), meetings with some residents/neighbors, and Town staff. 

o Staffing: 

• On April 16^th the Town’s Assistant Director of Planning and Economic Development announced his resignation from the Town of Amherst. Nate Malloy has been an integral part of the Planning Department since 2008. He brought expertise any many areas including zoning, CDBG, CPA and has contributed to many important projects in the Town of Amherst during his time here.
• Over the coming months while a replacement for Nate is sought, the amount of work managed by the Planning Department will be reduced.  
• Although Nate’s departure is a loss to the Town, we congratulate him on his new position as the Town of Hadley’s Town Administrator and look forward to working closely with him.

Department of Public Works

• Wastewater Treatment Facility Comprehensive Management Plan: 
  • Work continues on the Management Plan. The Plan will complete a full assessment of the existing facility, review future needs, and establish budget needs for upcoming years.
  • There will be public meetings to share information in January of 2027
    .
• Road Money: We have been informed that the Town will receive $1,185,718.07 as its Chapter 90 apportionment for FY27. This is part of the Governor’s $300 million. The formula places greater emphasis on actual road mileage, instead of population, which favors Western Massachusetts communities.
• Road Update: The Town Engineer will make a presentation to the Town Services and Outreach Committee on April 2^nd about the Town’s roads. This will include an explanation of the process for evaluating and prioritizing road work, strategies for improving our roads, and a list of roads projected to be paved this year.

DELEGATED AUTHORITY

• Short-Term Event Uses of Town Commons (Section 1a of the Town Council Policy):
  • April 25, 2026: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Amherst Sustainability Department – Annual

Sustainability Fair o May 22, 2026: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 pm. – Garden Club of Amherst Plant Sale

• August 24 – 31, 2026: 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Rotary Club of Amherst Community Fair (Amherst Farmers Market space to be adjusted to accommodate the Fair by mutual agreement)
• Short-Term Parking Requests (Section 2a of the Town Council Policy):
  • April 25, 2026: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Sustainability Fair – 22 parking spaces on

Boltwood Avenue and 6 parking spaces on South Pleasant Street o May 22, 2026: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 pm. – Garden Club of Amherst – 4 spaces on the south side of the Spring Street parking lot and 12 spaces on the west side of Boltwood Avenue

• August 24 – 31, 2026: all day – Rotary Club of Amherst Community Fair – 15 parking spaces on the west side of Boltwood Avenue and 10 spaces on the east side of South Pleasant Street
• Long-Term Parking Requests (Section 2bi of the Town Council Policy): None • Short-Term Public Way Closures (Section 3b of the Town Council Policy):
  • June 28, 2026 – 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.; Mattoon Street, Triangle Street, North Pleasant Street, South Pleasant Street; Amherst Pride Parade  o November 1, 2026 – HMF Western Mass 10 road race; 8:30 a.m. – 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:  

• • The Jones Library Renovation and Restoration Project held a Topping Off Ceremony. A Topping Off Ceremony is a customary way to celebrate a significant milestone during the construction of a new building—when one of the last steel beams is put in place. o This event celebrated a major milestone for our historic Jones Library Renovation & Expansion Project — the topping off of the building’s structural framework. Once lifted into place, the final beam marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the nearly century-old library.Originally built in 1928, the Jones Library is undergoing a transformation that includes removing the building’s previous three-story rear addition and constructing a new one, expanding the building from 48,000 to 63,000 square feet. When complete, the revitalized library will continue its long tradition as a hub for learning, connection, and community in Amherst. The construction company posted this statement and video on LinkedIn: Jones Library Topping-off Ceremony
• DPW Building:  
  • The DPW Building Committee has begun its work and has established an aggressive biweekly schedule.o Christine Gray-Mullen was elected to chair the committee and Joe Cook was elected as vice-chair.  
  • A Request for Qualifications has been issued to hire an architectural firm to conduct feasibility analysis and schematic design for the new building. They will also assist with assessing the needs of the Department
  • The Committee will be conducting site visits of various locations including current facilities that house public works employees and the Ruxton site.
• Fire Station: We are investigating additional sites for the location of a new Fire Station.
• Amethyst Brook 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.
  • At its most recent meeting on April 17^th, the Committee reviewed entry way sign design and location, discussed proposals for reflection rooms, and reviewed parking options for the first 3-6 months of the school while the existing Fort River Elementary School is demolished.
  • At its next meeting, the Public Art Commission will review its process for incorporating public art into the site.
  • For more information, visit the School Building Project website here: https://www.amherst-school- project.com/ 

PROJECTS UPDATE

• Bangs Community Center: 
  • The work to renovate the Bangs Community Center is continuing on pace. The building will remain open and accessible throughout construction though sections of the building will be off-limits during certain construction activity. 
  • Completion is expected in early 2027.
  • This renovation project involves health and safety improvements such as fire protection including a new sprinkler system, electrical upgrades, HVAC improvements, and ensuring full access throughout the building to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, there will be small but noteworthy improvements to the Amherst Senior Center and the area adjacent to Room 101.
  • The second phase of work has begun on the 2nd floor, requiring staff in the DEI and CRESS Departments to temporarily relocate to the lower level. These renovations will continue until at least the middle of June.
  • Next, the renovations will focus on the 1st floor with construction where the Senior Center and Public Health Department are located. These renovations are expected to continue through November.
  • As noted above, although the construction project currently consists primarily of infrastructure improvements such as a new HVAC and sprinkler systems, there will also be some exciting enhancements made to the Senior Center space on the first floor. These include:
    • New exercise space for Seniors – the area that is currently the Public Health Department will be converted into two new spaces: an exercise room and a multipurpose room. The exercise room will have space for four to five exercise machines, some weights, and built-in storage.
    • Wellness/consultation space and updated bathroom – the unused bathroom adjoining Room 101 (across the hall from Public Health) will be updated for use as an all-gender, single stall bathroom. The kitchen area that is currently in Room 101 will be converted into a wellness/consultation room that can be used for health and wellness related activities.
  • The final phase of the project will include renovations of the large activity room which will likely extend into January 2027. 
• Downtown Restroom:
  • Concrete sidewalks have been poured and the site has been backfilled. Delivery of the new facility – a Portland Loo – is scheduled to be delivered in the next two weeks. A crane will be required to lift it into place. Once in place, the facility will have to be connected to water, sewer, electricity, and fiber and then go through the inspection process. We are still about two months away from being able to open the facility.

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

• May 4^th – Town Council meeting
• May 18^th – Town Council meeting
• May 25^th – Memorial Day holiday
• June 1^st – Town Council meeting
• June 15^th – Town Council meeting
• June 19^th – Juneteenth holiday
• June 29^th – Town Council meeting
• July 3^rd – Independence Day holiday