Town Manager Report for Nov. 2, 2026

Amherst Indy November 6, 2026 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 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 

TOWN MANAGER

  • Cuppa Joe with Paul: 
  • The last Cuppa Joe was held on October 9th with special guest Town Clerk Amber Martin who discussed the upcoming election at Futura Coffee in North Amherst.
  • We are looking at November 9th to have a special edition of Cuppa Joe with Paul – After Hours with the Superintendent of Schools. The goal is to find a time that works for our schedules to accommodate parents/guardians who can’t always attend morning get-togethers.
  • 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.
  • Grants:  
  • Climate Leader Communities Grant: Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Green Communities Division has approved an award of $150,000 to the Town as part of its Climate Leader Communities Decarbonization Technical Support application. The grant will support engineering and design expenses for the Bangs Community Center Heat Pump Conversion project.
  • Weatherization Grant: The Green Communities Program awarded a grant of $124,999 to the Town for weatherization at the North Amherst Fire Station.  The project includes installation of insulation and weather stripping that will result in a more comfortable environment for firefighters as well as reducing energy and utility costs for the Town.
  • Recycling Grant: The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has awarded the Town of Amherst Recycling Dividends Program funds under the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program. The Town will receive $9,000. The grant program directs a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Waste Energy Certificates to recycling programs approved by MassDEP.
  • Kanegasaki: The Town’s Sister-City relationship with Kanegasaki, Japan was renewed when a delegation of students and chaperones visited for the 35th year of the exchange. Many thanks to the Town and school staff for organizing, shuttling, and hosting and to the host families who are the key to a successful visit for the students.
  • Downtown Improvements: The Business Improvement District has taken numerous positive steps to improve the appearance of the downtown business district, including utilizing grants to paint utility boxes, cajoling Eversource into cleaning and paint utility boxes they own, and working with landlords to place historical narratives in the windows of vacant storefronts.
  • Gathering of Cultural Groups:
  • The Amherst Center Cultural District & Amherst Business Improvement District hosted a first-ever cultural convening on October 20th at Amherst College’s Mead Art Museum.• About forty organizations were represented; Angela Mills was there representing the Town.
  • Each participant spoke about their organization and an event that was coming up in the near future for their group.  
  • Some groups were celebrating milestone anniversaries this year (A3 Gallery and Valley Light Opera), others shared their kick-off of new capital campaigns, and finally the focus of the afternoon became about collaboration and strength through cross-pollination between all cultural centers and performance groups. Participants also discussed how to diversify offerings and promote one another’s efforts; this is likely to become a topic for an upcoming gathering of this same group.  
  • The goal is to make Amherst’s arts and culture scene more cohesive and connected. Here are most of the organizations that participated:  
    • UMass Fine Arts Center and all art galleriesUMass Downtown performance spaceValley Light OperaStarlight TheatreAmherst College Beneski MuseumEric Carle Museum of Picture Book ArtAmherst Cultural CouncilAmherst Public Arts CommissionAncestral BridgesAmherst College Mead Art MuseumA3 GalleryThe DrakeYiddish Book CenterPerforming Arts and Education CooperativeRainbow PlayersValley PlayersAmherst Community Theater
    • Amherst Ballet
  • Upcoming Events:
  • 11/5 Fall Arts Night Plus 
  • 11/6-8 Amherst College Family Weekend  
  • 11/19 BID Annual Meeting (for Property Owners, Business Owners, Non-Profit Leaders and Other Community Stakeholders) 
  • 11/28 Small Business Saturday 
  • Staff Updates: 
  • Department heads and I engaged in an off-site retreat to discuss organizational effectiveness, improving communication, and brainstorm ways to make our meetings more impactful. Credit to the Clerk of the Council and other staff for conceptualizing, organizing, and leading this important session.
  • Colleges and University: 
  • Hampshire Campus Zoning Study:
    • The Town’s Hampshire Campus Zoning Study continues. Following on the success of the two workshops held on September 22 and 24, the consulting team is conducting focus group meetings, developing various scenarios, and planning for the next meeting to share back what they have learned. We are targeting December 8th as the date for this meeting.
    • The Town’s intent is that zoning options will be in alignment with the Town’s overall needs, goals, and long-term vision and the Town Council’s vote. It is also desirable that the zoning study will support the College’s needs.
  • Hampshire College:
    • I thank the College for allowing the Recreation Department to utilize the College’s swimming pool for swim lessons, open and lap swim, and team trainings. The Town’s Aquatics Director is running programs and open swims seven days a week.
    • We are now in discussions about expanding that relationship to utilize other campus facilities, including the rest of the Robert Crown Center which including the gym.
    • The College has been cooperative in addressing public safety issues proactively.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Administration and Finance

  • Finance:
    • Accounting submitted the annual balance sheet and schedule A reports to the State and Free Cash was certified on 10/26/26 in the amount of $12,341,503. The usual financial orders in accordance with the Town Council’s budget and finance goals will be presented to the Town Council at its next meeting in November.
    • The FY25 audit is complete and was presented to the Finance Committee. The audit was clean; kudos to our Finance staff for their excellent work. We now turn our focus to working with the Town’s auditors on the FY26 audit which will take several months.
    • The assessor has finalized property values and is working on setting the tax rate in conjunction with accounting. We hope to have this work approved by the Department of Revenue by the next meeting of the Town Council.
    • The Community Preservation Act application has passed and the Town received 15 applications for funds. The CPA Committee will review all eligible applications for eligibility. o The Finance Director and staff made a presentation to the Town Council at its meeting on October 5th.
    • The Finance Director and Town Manager will be sharing the most recent financial indicators for the Town and making a presentation to the four boards at a joint meeting on Monday.
    • The Department will be processing Community Preservation Act Grant Applications when the application deadline passes.
  • Town Clerk:
  • November 3, 2026 State Election
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: The ballot will be TWO SEPARATE PAGES – make sure you complete all sides and pages before mailing it back. Once the ballot is accepted you are unable to receive a new one!
    • The ballot will include races for U.S. Senator (Senator in Congress), U.S.

Representative (Representative in Congress), Governor and Lieutenant

Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Governor’s Councilor, State Senator (Senator in General Court), State Representative (Representative in General Court), District Attorney, and Register of Probate.

  • The State Election ballot will also include nine (9) statewide ballot questions.
    • View a sample ballot here.
    • Know before you Go – view the Information for Voters Booklet which is the official voter guide published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Its main purpose is to explain the statewide ballot questions.
    • All mail in ballots must be received by 8:00 pm on Election Day. You can return your ballot in-person at the Clerk’s office, or use the Election Ballot Box outside the Main St. entrance of Town Hall.
    • To find your polling location visit www.voteinma.com. Polls are open from 7:00am – 8:00pm on Election Day.
  • 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  
  • Information Technology: The Town is finalizing a website redesign with our vendor Civic Plus. The purposes of this redesign are to improve searchability, remove outdated content, and increase accessibility — all while giving the website a “refreshed” look. The Communications Manager has been leading this process with support from staff members across various departments. The new website will be launched by January 2027.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Department: 
    • Community Heart and Soul:The launch of the Community Heart and Soul initiative will take place on Friday, November 6 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The event will make use of the entire Bangs Community Center.  We are planning a roaming dinner with the Welcome and Appetizers in Room 101, the Entrée and Program Introduction in the Large Activity Room and Dessert and Volunteer opportunities in the Glass Room. As of today, we have over 80 people registered to attend.

    • Departmental Equity Assessments: The DEI Department has started conducting equity assessments starting with Fire, Public Health, Collector’s and Jones Library. The self-assessment form asks everyone in a department to answer questions about belonging, barriers, inclusive language, accessibility, and equitable resource allocation.
    • Human Rights Day: The Human Rights Commission, DEI Department,

Amnesty International, and the Amherst Regional Middle School will celebrate the Universal Day of Human Rights on December 10, 2026, in the large activity room of the Bangs Center from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. o DEI Training:The Department held its September and October staff workshops on the topic of Inclusive Community Engagement. Based on the feedback and conversation in the last session, the November workshop will explore consensus building. o Othering & Belonging Conference: DEI staff presented the Town’s work in a poster session at the Othering & Belonging Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, which took place on October 9–10. The poster highlighted the Department’s work to foster belonging and strengthen community connections, with a particular focus on the Liberatory Visioning Project led in partnership with Dr. Barbara Love and the Amherst Global Village Festival. These initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to creating a more inclusive, equitable, and welcoming Amherst. View the poster here.

  • Community Professional Development: DEI staff are facilitated the first DEI and 413

Connect community workshop on Generational Competence for Equity took place on October 28th. DEI 413 Connect is a group of local Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practitioners who come together quarterly to build connections, share knowledge, and strengthen equity-focused work across our communities.

  • Interns: The Department’s intern, Valentina Ayala-Bustamante, will continue for the rest of the academic year as an Outreach Intern. She is entering her senior year, majoring in Legal Studies and Public Relations. A new intern, Oliver Petion, is entering his junior year and is majoring in Economics. Amherst College student Blake Baber is volunteering with the Department. Blake is working with the Town Managers’ Office as a Community Engagement Volunteer. We have also had interest from an intern to support the work of the Amherst Black Reparations Committee. o Youth Empowerment Programming: The Department in collaboration with the Recreation Department, Jones Library, and CRESS held after school programming for middle and high school students on September 23rd.  The event, focused on college preparedness, and included a financial aid representative from Amherst College. More than 70 students participated!
    • Community Outreach: 
      • Philp Avila and intern Valentina Bustamante will be guests at the next League of Women Voters Judy Brooks talk; the topic is the creation of the 250 Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence panels.
      • Members of the DEI staff tabled at the Fire Department open house on October 3rd. and at the Council on Aging’s Aging in Place event on October 17th. The Department’s newsletter can be found here:  October Newsletter.
  • Police Protocols: 
    • The Emergency Communication Center is now dispatching calls to Community Responders.
    • Town staff (CRESS, Police, Dispatch, and Town Manager) continue to monitor and review Dispatch calls that have been directed to the CRESS Department. Dispatch calls are reviewed regularly by the CRESS Director, Police Chief, Emergency Communications Director, and Town Manager to assess the calls that were dispatched to CRESS and the outcomes, calls that could have been dispatched, calls that should not have been dispatched, and calls that come in between the hours of 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. to determine the volume of calls that could be dispatched to CRESS. This process will continue regularly through the rest of the year.

Public Safety

  • Fire Department:
    • Call Volume: The warm weather and Halloween falling on the weekend has presented significant challenges for Dispatch, Police, and Fire. Each department had prepared operation plans in advance.
    • Staffing:
      • Town welcomed two new fulltime Firefighter/Paramedic recruits this week.  On

Tuesday, Eihmear Arlington and Millyness Cotto-Ocasio were sworn in by the Town Clerk.  Both join us after serving in the private sector locally as paramedics. They have begun their four weeks of orientation training, and will then be placed on shift before attending the Massachusetts Fire Academy recruit program.

  • On November 16th, firefighter/paramedic Andre Shepard will be graduating from the 10-week Massachusetts Fire Academy recruit firefighter training program.
Photo: amherstma.gov
  • Police Department:
    • Walk/Bike to School: The Police Department supported the very popular walk/bike to school day by escorting bike riders to their schools and providing safe crossing at major intersections
  • Staffing:
    • The Amherst Police Department currently has an opening for full-time and is accepting applications at amherstma.gov/jobs.
Photo: amherstma.gov
  • Policies: 
  • All police policies are available on the Town’s website. Please click here to view the folder of the Department’s policies. ▪ A review of specific policies – including use of force, consent searches, and pre-textual vehicle stops – and protocols will be conducted this fall.
  • Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service: o   Professional Development: Angel Elahi and Camille Theriaque were chosen for the inaugural Community Safety

Leadership Institute through the Center for Innovations in Community Safety (CICS).  CICS recognized the Town’s experience, perspective, and expertise make our staff an ideal addition to the group.

  • Outreach: CRESS continues to support the Unitarian Universalist community breakfast held on Wednesdays and the Senior Center Mobile Market. CRESS can also be found at the Amherst Survival Center sharing resources and communing with Neighbors during their weekly lunches. Along with our Veteran volunteer, Gene Herman, CRESS supports the bi-monthly Veterans Breakfast.

Community Services

  • Public Health:

o Respiratory Illness: 

  • Respiratory illness season is underway. So far this fall, COVID-19 has been the biggest contributor to viral illness in the Northeast. Flu is off to an early start in the West this year and is beginning to show up in our area as well, although at lower levels. Levels of both infections are expected to increase in our area as winter gets closer. RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) – another common respiratory illness that tends to pick up in the winter months – is showing early signs of activity, but levels remain low.
    • The Public Health Department sponsored its annual COVID/flu fall vaccine clinic for the community, in partnership with the Northampton Department of Health and Human Services, on October 22nd at the Bangs. More than 60 people of all ages attended the clinic. Public Health Nurse Olivia Lara-Cahoon has been busy offering vaccines to homebound residents – a service she will offer through the end of November. For more information or to make an appointment, call the Public Health Department at 413 259 3077.Now that the COVID pandemic has receded, the guidance for infection prevention and disease management is the same for all respiratory illness, regardless of whether it is flu, COVID, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), or the common cold so testing it not as important as it once was. It may be useful to know whether one has COVID or the flu – especially for people with underlying medical conditions so that anti-viral medications like Paxlovid and Tamiflu can be prescribed if indicated.
    • The Public Health Department has a limited supply of free COVID/flu tests on hand. This is the first time that we have been able to offer the combination test.

Stop by the office on the second floor of the Bangs to pick up a test kit.

  • If you are sick with symptoms of a respiratory illness (fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough):
  • Stay home and stay away from others in your household. Wear a mask when you have to be around them. Maintain good hand hygiene by washing your hands regularly and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.
  • When you start to feel better, you may begin to resume normal activities if you have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of feverreducing medicines and your other symptoms are improving.
  • For at least the first 5 days after you resume normal activities, avoid crowded indoor spaces and wear a mask anytime you are indoors around other people.
  • If you or a loved one experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, or persistent dizziness, seek medical attention immediately.
  • Ticks/Mosquitos:
    • Ticks are rebounding, something we expected to happen as there is usually second peak in the fall. Stay vigilant and do tick checks daily if you spend time out of doors.Not all areas in our region may have experienced a sustained hard frost yet this year but, thanks to some cold nights, the mosquito population is dwindling., and won’t be an issue again until next season.Visit the Public Health Department’s mosquito and tick pages for more information. Stop by our office in the Bangs Community Center to pick up a free tick removal kit. o Amherst Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP):
    • The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES), in partnership with the Town’s

Public Health Department, received $375,000 over three years to complete a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) for Amherst. The Amherst Wellbeing Alliance (in Spanish: “Alianza para el Bienestar de Amherst”) will engage the community and strategic partners, collect and analyze data, and identify shared health priorities to improve the wellbeing of people who live and work in Amherst.

  • The work is in the initial stages, focusing on examining what data we already have – and what data we still need to gather – to paint a picture of the health and wellbeing-related needs and strengths in Amherst.
Photo: amherstma.gov
  • Community Health Equity Survey:  
    • flyer with people and QR code and the words "Let's create the future we want"The Community Health Equity Survey (CHES) is a confidential survey funded by the state of Massachusetts to understand the experiences of Massachusetts residents and use those data to create programming and policies that improve health and reduce inequities.
    • We want to hear from residents of Amherst! Getting responses from Amherst residents will help the state to understand health-related assets, needs and behaviors in the Western part of the state. These data will also be important to the development of the Amherst CHIP.
  • Click here to take the survey, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
  • Senior Services: 

o Senior Center: 

  • The Senior Services Lounge and game room are officially re-opened after renovations of key health/safety features. The next phase of construction, including the new fitness center, has begun.
    • On November 3rd, seniors are invited to the Senior Center after they vote. The Center will have free snacks and coffee.

o Connections:

  • On November 7th, the Department of Senior Services will welcome 10 members of the community to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Academy of Music in Northampton.
    • On November 13th, Senior Services, in partnership with the Friends of Amherst Seniors, will host a Meet and Greet at The Works from 10-11a.m.
    • On December 1st, the Senior Center will be visiting the Yankee Candle Village.

This is one of the Department’s most popular field trips.

  • The Director of Senior Services spoke at a Political Science class at Amherst College to discuss Seniors and Ageism. The class will be visiting the Senior Center on November 5th to chat with Seniors.
    • The Senior Center, through the Amherst College Office of Community Engagement, will be the focus of one of the Leadership Program Projects.  Students will be meeting with Senior Services staff and patrons to discuss what does leadership look like through the lens of a senior vs. the lens of a student.  We hope that both the students and the seniors can learn from each other about leadership.
  • Staff: The Town is in the process of hiring a social services coordinator who is expected to start later in November.
    • Newsletter: The new Senior Spirit Newsletter for November/December will be out the first week of November.
    • Survey: 
      • The results of the 2025 Town of Amherst Senior Survey are now available here: Results of Senior Services SurveyThe Council on Aging, in partnership with the Department of Senior Services, conducted a survey to understand the needs of the community’s older adults and assess the Town’s Senior Services.  The survey results show that many Amherst seniors are highly engaged and strongly rooted in the community, with 73% of surveyed participants saying they plan to spend their senior years in Amherst. However, the results also indicate that financial and mobility concerns may make it harder for seniors to remain in Amherst.
      • Most of the survey respondents indicated they do not currently use the Department’s offerings, pointing to a significant engagement gap. Those who have participated report high satisfaction, indicating that the programs are valuable but have limited reach. The main barrier appears to be relevance and routine rather than transportation, with 60% of respondents saying the Senior Center is not part of their regular routine. Adding a gym, improving facilities, and offering a wider variety of programs could help make the center more appealing and encourage greater participation.
  • Here are the key findings from the 595 responses:
  • Commitment to Aging in Amherst: 73% said yes and 23% said maybe to spending their senior years in Amherst.
  • Top Concerns: 63.2% are concerned about local taxes and 54.1% about overall cost of living.
  • Low Engagement: 74% to 92% have never used the 17 evaluated services offered by Amherst Senior Services.
  • Top Used Services: Fitness classes (26.2%), SHINE appointments (23%), and health services (20.8%).
  • Top Rated Service: Wednesday Market received the highest positive rating at 65.1%.
  • Main Reason Residents Have Not Engaged: 59.7% said the Senior Center is not part of their routine.
  • Changes Most Likely to Increase Participation: A gym (55.8%) and better parking (54.1%) would boost participation.
  • Respondent Profile: Mostly women (73.8%), White (84.9%), highly educated (69.7%), and speaks English as a primary language (96.5%).  
  • Respondents’ Household Situations: 36% live alone, 45% do not have family members living nearby, and 21% of Seniors provide care to another person.
  • In response to the survey results, the Council on Aging and Senior Services Director identified five leadership priorities to guide their strategic planning and decision making:
    • Reposition the Senior Center as an active aging and community hub. Expand fitness, wellness, lifelong learning, cultural, outdoor, intergenerational, and younger-senior programming.Strengthen outreach and conversion. Use email reminders, a clearer calendar, targeted outreach to new retirees, and a “first visit” pathway that makes it easy for residents to begin participating.Address parking, facilities, and long-term space needs. Parking and the condition and identity of the current facility are affecting participation. Short-term operational improvements should occur alongside long-term facility planning.Expand aging-in-place support. Prioritize housing, tax relief, transportation, health-care access, in-home assistance, caregiver support, and benefits of navigation.Build programs that perform well. Fitness classes, SHINE, health services, the Wednesday Market, dance, and tech support provide credible foundations for expansion and promotion.

    • Recreation:
  • Aquatics: 
  • Thanks to Hampshire College, the Town Aquatics group is able to offer adaptive, adult, and youth lessons, as well as lap and open swim schedules sorted as soon as possible. The Hampshire College community, alumni, students and staff are able to join anytime during lap and open swim times.
  • Relocation: The Recreation Department is now operating out of the Bangs Community Center. The Department is on the second floor with the Public Health and DEI departments.
  • Events: The Department had a fantastic turnout for its Halloween Spooktacular that was held on the Town Common a week ago.
  • Cherry Hill Working Group: The Cherry Hill Working Group is finalizing its recommendations for the golf course’s operations including its finances and staffing. I anticipate the report within the next week or two.

• Conservation and Development

  • Conservation:
    • Amethyst Brook Conservation Area: The Conservation Department, in partnership with the Kestrel Land Trust, is making significant improvements to the parking area and trail entrance improvements at the Amethyst Brook Conservation Area. Phase I of this work includes installation of new wooden guard rails, line striping, the addition of a handicapped accessible parking space, and installation of a new double kiosk, and new signs.
  • Housing:
    • ADUs: 
      • The Trust, with support from Town staff, developed a survey, and related opinion piece and post card to gather interest among Amherst homeowners related to building their own Accessory Dwelling Units.  Goals are to identify the level of interest, key obstacles, homeowner objectives etc. Gathered info might lead to possible expenditures for deed-restricted ADUs, or more modest work to connect homeowners to existing State resources or each other.
      • See the ADU opinion piece written by members of the Affordable Housing Trust that was published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette attached to the end of this Report.
  • Planning:
    • East Amherst Historical District Proposal: The Local Historic District Commission’s proposal to create a new local historic district in the oldest settled area of the Town of Amherst (Main Street and North East/South East Streets) was presented to the Town Council and is under review by the Council’s committees. The revised proposal was approved by the Planning Board. o East Amherst Zoning Update study:  o The study, funded by an EOHLC Community Planning Grant, has begun. The Planning Department is working with Innes Land Group to assess current zoning in East Amherst along the Route 9 corridor and design updated zoning language to encourage a greater variety of housing types and increased density in the area.
    • A preliminary outreach event was held on October 15. Members of the consultant team were tabling in East Amherst at Colonial Village to reach out directly to residents, business owners, and employees in East Amherst. This is just the beginning; a larger community outreach session is being planned to reach a wide range of Amherst residents.

Department of Public Works

  • Road Update:

o Current Year Paving: 

▪ The Town’s contractor has been in Town working on paving the designated roads.

  • Gatehouse Road (Belchertown Road to Stony Hill Road)
  • Old Farm Road (Belchertown Road to End)
  • Wildflower Drive (Old Farm Road to Tanglewood Drive)
  • Station Road (Wildflower Drive to #50 Station Road (bridge crossing))
  • Henry Street (Market Hill Road to Pine Street)
  • Flat Hills Road (Shutesbury Road to High Point Drive)
  • January Hills Road (Market Hill Road to Shutesbury town line)
  • Market Hill Road (Henry Street to Flat Hills Road)
  • Blackberry Lane (Grantwood Drive to End)
  • Grantwood Drive (East Pleasant Street to Blackberry Lane)

▪ The following roads are on the schedule for the Spring, when the paving season reopens. We will receive a schedule for paving in the Spring.

  • Kendrick Place (Northampton Road to End)
  • Main Street (South East Street to Pelham Road)
  • North Pleasant Street (East Pleasant Street to McClellan Street)
  • North Pleasant Street (Triangle Street to Massachusetts Avenue)
  • Middle Street (Pomeroy Lane to Bay Road)
  • Pomeroy Court (Pomeroy Lane to End)
  • Potwine Lane (Middle Street to South East Street)
  • Mount Pollux Drive (South East Street to End)
  • Grove Street (North Whitney Street to Canton Avenue)
  • Harvard Avenue (North Whitney Street to Grove Street)
  • Canton Avenue (Grove Street to End)
  • Justice Drive (Columbia Drive to Chesterfield Drive)
  • Chesterfield Drive (Columbia Drive to East Hadley Road)
  • Culverts:

o The Town was awarded a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant of $296,000 to improve infrastructure within the Fort River Watershed which will promote flood resilience, enhance wildlife passage, and improve water quality for recreational use. o This grant funding will be used to complete the design and permitting for two undersized and failing culverts, one located on West Pomeroy Lane over an unnamed stream and the other on Potwine Lane over Plum Brook. They will be replaced with new concrete box culverts with natural streambeds. This will increase the watershed’s capacity to handle extreme weather events, reducing flood risks to communities and infrastructure. The design will also meet the Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards to promote safe passage for fish and wildlife.

  • Household Hazardous Waste Day: 
    • The Town’s Household Hazardous Waste Day was held on Saturday, October 31, 2026 at Wildwood Elementary School. 
    • This collection event is an opportunity for you to safely dispose of your hazardous materials and help keep our community clean. All Amherst, Pelham, Hadley, and Shutesbury residents may participate.
  • Wastewater Treatment Facility Comprehensive Management Plan: The Wastewater Treatment Facility Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan kicked-off in February. The Town contracted with Camp, Dresser, and McKee to conduct the study. The work will provide a 20year plan for the Town’s collection system and Wastewater Treatment Facility to guide the Town’s approach to improvements, operations and maintenance, and financing wastewater infrastructure. 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.

DELEGATED AUTHORITY

  • Short-Term Event Uses of Town Commons (Section 1a of the Town Council Policy): 
  • Short-Term Parking Requests (Section 2a of the Town Council Policy):
    • October 9, 2026 – seven metered parking spaces on North Pleasant Street between Hallock and McClellan Streets from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. for UMass Foundation

Homecoming event on November 28, December 5, December 12, December 19, December 26, 2026: 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):
    • October 25, 2026 – Halloween Spooktacular – 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Boltwood Avenue from Main Street to the Town Hall parking lot exit; Amherst Recreation Department
    • October 25, 2026 – Block Party UMass Hillel Pickle Palooza – 1:00 – 5:00  p.m. –
  • Phillips Street between Allen and North Pleasant Streets o October 31, 2026 – Lincoln Avenue Block Party – Trick-or-Treating; 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.; Lincoln Avenue from Amity Street to Fearing Street.
  • 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

Amethyst Brook Elementary School
The official ribbon-cutting took place on Monday, October 26th.  There were also be guided tours of the new building. Many thanks to Angela and Sam and Meghan from the School Department for scheduling, organizing, planning, and making the ribbon cutting such a wonderful success. 

  • For more information, visit the School Building Project website here: https://www.amherst-school-  project.com
  • Jones Library Renovation and Expansion:
    • The renovation and expansion are advancing steadily. Construction is proceeding on a new timeline and remains on budget.
  • DPW Building: The Building Committee continues its work with consultants Weston and Sampson, the designer of the facility. The Committee is reviewing two sites: the current site of the Department of Public Works and Ruxton, which is located on Pulpit Hill Road. Future Committee meetings are: November 18th and December 16th.
  • Fire Station: We will develop a charge and solicit members to serve on a Fire Station Building Committee in the Fall. We are investigating additional sites for the location of a new Fire Station.
  • 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.
    • First Floor: Work on the first floor is now completed. The Senior Center has been partially relocated and the first phase of renovation in this area is complete. Work has begun on renovations of the former Public Health Department area on the 1st floor to create the new Senior Center exercise space and multipurpose room. Over the next couple of months, there is also work scheduled to be completed after hours in the 1st floor lobby and corridor areas to minimize disruption to the building operations. I truly appreciate the cooperation of our department staff as they continue their work through this difficult interruption.
    • 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:
    • The final phase of the project will include renovations of the large activity room which will likely extend into early February 2027.
  • Downtown Restroom:
    • The new facility – a Portland Loo – is installed. We discovered an operational issue and the Department of Public Works will address the issue in the next week or so.

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

  • November 3rd – State Election
  • November 11th – Veterans Day holiday
  • November 16th – Town Council meeting
  • November 26-27 – Thanksgiving holiday break
  • December 7th – Town Council meeting
  • December 21st – Town Council meeting
  • December 24-25 – Christmas holiday break
  • January 1st – New Year’s Day holiday
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