By Nick Grabbe
Evan Ross, the youngest member of the Town Council, said its meetings are too long and the job needs to become more manageable and not an option only for retired and well-off residents.
Anika Lopes, a relative newcomer whose roots go back six generations in Amherst, said the Town needs to invest in BIPOC youths and “open doors that lead to generational wealth.”
Pamela Rooney said that other college towns can provide examples of how to stem the tide of conversion of single-family homes to student rentals with absentee landlords.
District 4 has one of the most competitive races for Town Council in the Nov. 2 election. There are three candidates for two seats, and they presented their views in a Zoom forum Sunday, sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
They were asked about the political divide in Amherst, with two PACs endorsing different candidates. Rooney said that as the former manager of space on the UMass campus, she has experience listening to differing perspectives and seeking “win-win situations.” Lopes said she hopes to represent residents’ hopes and “not be hindered or distracted by arguments that predate me.” Ross said he has reached across the divide to forge alliances with Councilors Darcy DuMont and Dorothy Pam, and differed with Councilor Stephen Schreiber on a campaign finance bylaw.
The candidates were asked how they would support Amherst businesses. Lopes cited plans for a music and performance venue, a bandshell on the town common, and the Mill District as steps forward. Ross said the Town should make permitting easier, build wider sidewalks, plant trees, build a second parking garage, and fill the position of economic development director. Rooney encouraged development that “brings beauty and liveliness,” and supported greater retail space on the bottom floor of new buildings.
All three supported the work of the Community Safety Working Group and encouraged greater participation in government by people of color. Ross said he’d like to double the number of community responders and said, “We need to implement (the working group’s recommendations) to have the BIPOC community feel safe and supported.” Lopes emphasized her 20 years of experience “bringing people together.” Rooney suggested “tweaking other departments” to provide funding for implementation of the working group’s goals.
Asked how to provide more affordable housing, Rooney proposed encouraging sellers to sell their houses to families and suggesting that real estate agents seek out families as buyers. Lopes encouraged Amherst to “consider threats and opportunities” and build bridges to housing developers. Ross suggested “smart, progressive zoning changes” such as allowing more duplexes, as a way to make housing available to “folks like me who can’t afford a $500,000 house.”
On climate change, Rooney suggested making energy audits a requirement for landlords seeking permits. Ross encouraged approval of the Jones Library project, saying that it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent. Lopes said that the four big capital projects should “meet every sustainability measure possible.”
The candidates were asked if the new charter’s goals have been met, including citizen participation, representation of the electorate, effective deliberations, transparent and accountable government, tolerance and strategic planning. Lopes said that the Town Council should be “diversified” and she knows how it feels not to feel included. Ross said that the appointment process in Amherst is now “more transparent than in any surrounding community.” Rooney said she found it difficult to communicate with the Council and track an issue, and said many people feel it is “dismissive” of community comments.
In her final comments, Lopes said she is a creative problem-solver and small-business owner who rejects “political gamesmanship,” adding that “bridge-building is my strength.” Rooney cited her 10 years in Town Meeting and six years on the Planning Board, adding that “being heard is critical to having confidence in your government.” Ross said he has “worked incredibly hard” on the Council and is the only member who is a renter, adding that he “has proved my investment in the community.”
THE AMHERST CURRENT 
The critical comments about Mr. Ross here reflect the problems with our existing journalism and voter information efforts around elections. We simply do not have the opportunity adequately to examine the performance of incumbents running for reelection as well as newcomer candidates, certainly not an opportunity commensurate with the power we are conferring on the ultimate winners. The criticisms here read like “inside baseball”, but that shouldn’t be. If this fall isn’t the season to be able to call out candidates, and not have it branded as “incivility”, then when? I continue to see our town as one deathly afraid of politics, and of disagreement about them. That’s why we don’t have a mayor. That’s why we have these blanket condemnations of Amherst Forward. That’s why we have these fairly stilted forums that play out like something out of student council days, and media clips of prepared statements on Amherst Media. It’s not good enough for what the voters are being asked to do in November. The comments made here about Mr. Ross indicate that there’s generally plenty of grist for the mill, matters to be addressed about who these candidates are and what they’ve done or failed to do, but no place for a free-flowing discussion (with maybe even some conflict and disagreement) in order to do the extensive examination required. We the voters are largely in the dark, in a similar way as we were on Town Meeting elections, thrown onto candidate identity as the sole way to make distinctions. Not good enough for Amherst.
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Based on my experience on the Council, Evan Ross is not an alliance forger. Yes, I asked Evan to join me back in 2018 to co-sponsor Energy and Climate Action Committee legislation, but that “alliance” lasted until January 2019, when I realized I had made a mistake – that Evan was in fact trying to weaken the proposed climate committee. And along those lines, I am appalled that he is hawking himself as a “climate champion” on social media. He has worked to resist and slow down climate action since day one.
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When a candidate states that she “rejects political gamesmanship”, given the generally polite nature of these forums, we’re left to wonder what that formulation has in mind. Who’s doing the “political gamesmanship” that needs to be rejected? I need my attention directed at just what behavior Ms. Lopes wants me to vote against. I’m not complaining about the remark, but I just don’t get it. I do appreciate the straight-up reporting from these summaries. But, at the risk of some degree of conflict, I wish the candidates could engage each other with a little more directness.
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We’ve posted a link to the video of the forum on the Candidate Information and Events page.
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I remain puzzled by Town Councilor Evan Ross’s statements on zoning. In his call for more duplexes, Ross appears not to understand our zoning bylaw. Our zoning bylaw has lots of ways to create multi-family housing on lots and almost on almost every lot with a single family house can add an extra apartment or even a separate 800 square foot house built. These added apartments are called accessory dwelling units in our bylaw (and supplement apartments or granny flats in other towns.) Amherst is very progressive and way out in front in Massachusetts. Residential units can be added in other ways. People can build affordable or non-owner occupied duplexes, convert a garage or barn to an apartment or subdivide their home into separate apartments. Check out Section 3.3 Residential Uses in our Zoning Bylaw. Almost every neighborhood and residential zoning district allows much more density and residential units than you see now. And many of the houses you look at do contain more than one apartment, you just don’t notice it unless you look at the side of the house at electric meters.
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Thanks, Nick. Very helpful, clear and fair. I wish we had a competitive District election in District One like you do in Four. What a shock that 3 of 5 District Councilor elections are not competitive. Not what we expected. That would be useful to reflect on.
Meg
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