New Appointments to Elementary School Building Committee and Recreation Commission

The following appointments were nominated by Town Manager Paul Bockelman in a memo to the Town Clerk on May 5, 2026. They were unanimously endorsed by the Town Services and Outreach Committee at their meeting on May 7 and forwarded to the Town Council for final approval. A vote is expected at the next Town Council meeting on Monday, May 18.

For the Elementary School Building Committee: Town Procurement Officer Holly Young to replace Simone Chistofori for a term that lasts the length of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process.

Read about the work of the Elementary School Building Committee here.

For the Recreation Commission, for three-year terms ending June 30, 2029:

Josh Broadhilt, of North East Street
Mary Klaes, 113 Pondview Drive

Read about the work of the Recreation Commission here.

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

Josh Broadhilt has nine years of experience working in recreation, in the federal, state, and private sectors. He served four seasons with AmeriCorps building trails in Maine and Montana, He worked for the U.S. Forest Service for four years working in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Arizona. And now he works for the Kestrel Land Trust and manages 42 miles of trails in the Connecticut River Valley.  He believes strongly in developing opportunities for outdoor recreation for all members of the community.

Mary Klaes has been involved in the Town of Amherst youth sports at numerous levels for many years. As a parent and resident she advocates for a vibrant recreation department to fulfill the needs of the community with special attention to the needs of the town’s young people. She has been in leadership positions for the Amherst Hurricanes Booster, coached various sports at different levels including girls basketball, volunteered at the Amherst Public Schools, and is a trained mediator.