Around Town: Select board members back from conference with spate of new ideas

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on January 30, 2009

Two Select Board members are back from a trade show and conference with new perspectives on town government.

Select Board Chairwoman Stephanie O'Keeffe and board member Alisa Brewer represented Amherst at the annual Massachusetts Municipal Association event, attending seminars, networking with other elected officials and hearing Gov. Deval Patrick speak on the financial state of the commonwealth.

O'Keeffe said she participated in seminars on ethics, conflict of interest and the open meeting law.

On Monday, she shared with the Select Board some of what she learned. One tidbit from the ethics seminar is that the state Ethics Commission might frown on Select Board members who are running for re-election placing campaign signs on lawns outside restaurants or in the windows of these establishments. This is because the board annually acts on license renewals.

At the Open Meeting Law seminar, O'Keeffe said she was advised that informal subcommittees, even ones without a majority of the main board present, should be treated just like other meetings.

This means posting the subcommittee meetings so the public can attend.

Brewer went to seminars on regional collaboration and "best practices."

She gathered information about the towns of Hamilton and Wenham, which are considering a formal merger, something that Amherst might be able to use as a model in light of comments made by Pelham officials last year that merging departments with those in another town might be necessary to avoid serious cuts to service.

Brewer also learned about towns that are trying to put two police departments together, which is an idea that could be carried out in Amherst if there were to be a merger between the Amherst and University of Massachusetts police forces.

Some residents have said a merger could save the town money.

O'Keeffe and Brewer said they found it interesting that few cities and towns in Massachusetts have women serving on Select Boards and town councils.

O'Keeffe noted this in her blog: "A lot of stories from folks who have none, have had few, want to have more, etc. Nice to have that be a total non-issue here."

Amherst's Select Board has three of its five seats filled by women.

Just a joke

Before this week's Select Board meeting began, the Amherst Community Television worker broadcasting the meeting asked Town Manager Larry Shaffer to check if his microphone was working.

Shaffer used the opportunity to proclaim that the town had just made a new purchase. "I'm happy to report the town has bought another golf course," Shaffer said.

Shaffer went on to give the reasons for the purchase, with Select Board members and the audience chuckling. Cherry Hill Golf Course has been controversial for several years because of the annual deficits it once ran.

One of the Select Board members, playing along with the joke, wondered if Shaffer had purchased the South Hadley municipal golf course. That course, The Ledges, has also been controversial.

Return to a committee

A former member of the Conservation Commission who served on the board until the late 1990s will return to the post.

James Scott, of South Mount Holyoke Drive, who served nine years on the commission, was appointed to the commission this week at the recommendation of Shaffer and the unanimous support of the Select Board.

"I don't think we could appoint anyone of higher caliber than Mr. Scott to that position," Shaffer said.

Scott, who will serve through June 30, replaces Liv Baker, who resigned her position.

Meanwhile, an opening on the Planning Board, prompted by the resignation of Kathleen Anderson, will be filled by Stephen Schreiber of High Street. Schreiber is a UMass professor of architecture and design.

"I believe Mr. Schreiber is an excellent candidate for the Planning Board," Shaffer said.

Like Scott, he received unanimous approval from the board.

Meetings

MONDAY: Budget Coordinating Group, 1:30 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall; Select Board, 6:30 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall.

TUESDAY: Nyeri Kenya Sister City Committee, 6 p.m. Town Room, Town Hall; Public Works Committee, 7 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall; Amherst Pelham Regional School Committee, 7 p.m., library, Amherst Pelham Regional High School; Jones Library Board of Trustees, 7 p.m., Trustees Room, Jones Library.

THURSDAY: Council on Aging, 9 a.m., Bangs Center; 250th Anniversary Arts and Literature Committee, 1 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall; Finance Committee, 7 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall; Community Preservation Act Committee, 6 p.m., Community Room, Police Department.