Around Town: Override survey offers glimpse of voter attitude

By Scott Merzbach
Staff Writer

Published on February 05, 2010

As the Select Board next week decides the amount and type of a Proposition 2½ override that will come before voters, it has already received information from a Town Meeting member about voter sentiment.

Precinct 10 member Nancy Gordon, for the third time since 2007, conducted a survey of likely voters in the election to gauge their interest in an override and determining which departments voters would look with most favor on.

After getting responses from 138 residents, or just under half of the 278 surveys that were delivered, Gordon found that 35 percent of people would not support any override, while 53 percent would support at least a $1 million override. Many written comments suggested the override be at $2 million, which is close to the $1.9 million figure the board is discussing.

Gordon's reading of the results is that Amherst might only be able to get a small override approved. She noted that prior to the last override vote in 2007 she found 41 percent opposed to any override, yet 53 percent actually voted against it.

Gordon identified the voters by getting the list of 2,200 people who voted in last year's annual election, and then selecting 280 names through a standardized pattern.

"My feeling is that those people have a measure of commitment to local affairs and so forth and that's why they're on the list," Gordon said.

Respondents showed the most support for the schools, followed by the police and fire departments, with the Department of Public Works and public libraries lagging.

"This makes me sad, because I treasure the library, but the library never gets many votes," Gordon said.

Gordon said her survey was completed with assistance from two residents, Mary Streeter and Judy Simpson. Gordon paid the nearly $300 to complete the survey, including providing self-addressed stamped postcards for return.

Police officers honored

Several Amherst police officers received commendations for outstanding service to the department and the community at the Police Association's annual dinner Jan. 27.

Lt. Robert O'Connor received a letter of appreciation for his work in the creation and implementation of an active shooter response plan following his work with fellow officers and staff and administrators at schools.

Letters of merit were given to officers John Chudzik and Felipe Feliciano for their July 2009 response to a suicidal individual in which they successfully prevented the person from harming himself.

Officers Scott Gallagher and Dominick Corsetti also received letters of merit for their commitment to detecting and apprehending drivers operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol.

Finally, the officers who helped organize the Summer Youth Adventure Academy, in conjunction with University of Massachusetts police, were recognized. Officers Todd Lang, William Laramee, Jesus Arocho, Jamie Reardon and Marcus Humber all received letters of appreciation for developing the program, which included classroom lecture on the law enforcement profession and team building and problem-solving skills at the department's ropes course.

Meetings

MONDAY: Select Board, 6:30 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall.

TUESDAY: Board of Registrars, 2 p.m., Town Clerk's Office; Public Shade Tree Committee, 4 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall; Library trustees, 7 p.m., crafts room, Jones Library; Agriculture Commission, 7 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall; Amherst Regional School Committee, 7 p.m., middle school auditorium.

WEDNESDAY: 250 Anniversary Committee, 3:30 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall; Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall.

THURSDAY: Finance Committee, 7 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room

FRIDAY: Select Board, 8:30 a.m. to finalize override ballot language, if necessary, Town Room, Town Hall.