Support for new Amherst elementary school appears strong

By SCOTT MERZBACH

Staff Writer

Published: 05-01-2023 11:40 AM

AMHERST — A new elementary school is an understandably big lift for taxpayers and renters in town, but many residents appear ready to support the $97.5 million project via a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion that’s already subject to early voting and will be on the ballot on election day Tuesday.

Having raised his own children in Amherst who went through elementary schools provided by an earlier generation, Dan Gerber said he understands that paying for the new school is a responsibility he has to current and future students, even though Amherst is an expensive community in which to live.

“It’s my turn to pay back,” Gerber said, adding that he was very happy with public education in Amherst. “Someone once did this for my kids, and now I want do the same for them.”

As a parent of a first grader at Fort River School, Sharon Kearney calls herself a “strong yes” for the project. “I think it’s important to vote yes for the new school,” Kearney said. “Everyone I know is in favor of the school.”

“Our teachers are doing an excellent job and they and our students deserve it.”

While she no longer has children at the elementary school, Charleen DeJesus, the mother of an Amherst Regional High School student, said it’s a project she can support, observing the schools were already in challenging physical shape several years ago.

“I do think it’s a good project to have in place,” DeJesus said. “I feel like this is a project that needs to happen.”

More than $40 million of the cost of the new, three-story building is coming from Massachusetts School Building Authority, which announced its approval of the project Wednesday. While borrowing in the neighborhood of $48 million will be through the debt exclusion, the town is contributing $5 million in capital reserves to offset some costs, as recommended by District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen, who also chairs the School Building Committee. The Town Council has also directed Town Manager Paul Bockelman to identify an additional $5 million that can be applied to it.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Amherst councilors accused of racism, disrespect over heated meeting on cease-fire
Yankee Candle settles $1.2M class action lawsuit over time clock rounding
UMass basketball: Josh Cohen, Robert Davis Jr. first Minutemen to enter transfer portal
Reimagining the Hampshire Mall: UMass architecture students share their visions
Hadley nearing settlement over campers dispute along Connecticut River
Longtime employees buy Kitchen Garden Farm in Sunderland

Projections from the town estimate property taxes rising by $1.01 per $1,000 of assessed property value with the approval of the debt-exclusion override. The annual impact for an average single-family residence in Amherst, valued at $446,953, would be $451, based on current property assessments. Homes and condominiums with lower valuations will see a smaller increase, while the impact on renters isn’t specifically known.

Unlike the previous twin school project that was approved by voters in November 2016 but then failed at Town Meeting, there is no organized opposition. Then, there were concerns about constructing twin schools at the Wildwood site and the loss of neighborhood schools, and a necessary redistricting of students.

This time, some have expressed concern about the cost in letters to the editor and on local listservs. In addition, At-Large Councilor Ellisha Walker has heard about the burden that even renters will face, and she notes some may vote against the school if it is perceived as too pricey.

Walker said from conversations she has had, there is appreciation for the project and the poor condition of Fort River and Wildwood, but many people cannot afford any increase in housing costs and are already worried that they may not able to stay in Amherst, looking to surrounding towns as an option.

In a letter to the Gazette, Andrew Vecchio wrote that Amherst has not been prioritizing taxpayers, instead creating new programs and putting money toward the Jones Library expansion and renovation. “Homeowners are already struggling financially to keep up with record double-digit inflation on necessities like food and utilities,” Vecchio wrote.

Similarly, Victoria Strauss wrote that Amherst has done nothing to help taxpayers, and “in the face of Amherst’s decades-long failure to create a fair tax base, I just can’t support voting for a measure that will only deepen the imbalance.”

Those on fixed incomes understand that any tax increase will not be easy, but Karen and Jeffrey DeSantis said they intend to vote early in favor of the school project.

“We are both going to vote for the school,” Karen DeSantis said. She said their children got a good education as a result of having modern schools, and a suitable place for educating students is critical.

Jeffrey DeSantis said he has heard about the challenges of the existing buildings and that it should be cheaper for the town to build now rather than later, reducing annual expenses and saving money on costly repairs.

The project will also benefit the town as a whole. “If you don’t have a good education, your community can’t grow,” he said.

One who is up in the air on how she will vote is Salome Churchill, who has a child attending Wildwood School. He has told her about falling ceilings and other issues with the condition of the building. “I do think the schools need repairs, but I don’t like the consolidation of the schools,” Churchill said.

Churchill, who was at the Jones Library for a Sing with Your Baby event with her nearly 2-year-old daughter, added that she worries about losing the neighborhood feel of schools and the possibility of even more congestion in the East Amherst village center. She’s also unsure of what will happen with various after-school programs.

As the partner of a Fort River School employee, Marina Maulucci is confident that voters will favor the project.

“Children deserve so much better than they have currently,” Maulucci said. “Amherst has needed a new school for a long time, so I’m glad it’s finally happening.”

At Share Coffee downtown, Maulucci noted how Amherst does so much to invest in how it presents itself to the college students and visitors, and it’s not fair to continue shortchanging families and children who are in town year-round. “This deserves the town’s resources,” Maulucci said.

Also at Share, Edie Meidav said the school project is about revitalizing the town and supporting Amherst’s diversity, though she has seen people urging a no vote on social media and other platforms due to the high costs.

“A lot of love and labor has gone into this,” Meidav said. “I do believe it’s best for Amherst.”

Working on a jigsaw puzzle at the Amherst Senior Center, John Magarian said he voted by mail in favor of the school. Magarian said no one in town is defending the current state of the aging schools, even those who may vote against the project due to the price tag.

“It just makes sense to do this now while the extra funds are there and both schools are in dire need of replacement,” Magarian said.

Also putting pieces of the puzzle in place, John Goodell said the community has waited long enough for a new school.

“There’s no sense in dragging it out any longer,” Goodell said.

]]>