By Alex Cox || coxalexj@gmail.com

A report on the special joint meetings of the Town Council and Finance Committee (Public Forums on the FY26 Budget and on Appropriations Outside the Annual Budget) and on the Regular Meeting of the Town Council

Public Comment on the FY26 Budget

The Town Council heard public comments on the projections for the Fiscal 2026 Budget at a public forum Monday. 

The forum, which also served as a meeting of the Finance Committee, was an opportunity for residents to share their views about the Town’s funding assumptions, as presented earlier in the month at the Financial Indicators meeting.

The forum began with a summary of the projections by Finance Director Melissa Zawadzki and Town Manager Paul Bockelman. In their presentation, Zawadzki and Bockelman repeated the key takeaways from the financial indicators. Although the Town has maintained fiscal responsibility, evidenced in its AA+ Bond Rating by S&P Global Ratings, the shrinking diversity of revenue streams and changing population trends create challenging fiscal decisions. 

“We have some significant challenges coming towards us,” Bockelman said. “Our needs exceed our tax base and the money we have coming in across the board.” 

In the public comment period that followed, 30 residents shared their views – with almost all of them advocating for increasing funding to the schools. Commenters, including Amherst public school graduates, parents, and a student, referenced  programming such as the Caminantes Dual Language Program and a lack of adequate  facilities and staffing as reasons for increasing the school budget. Many asked the Council to calculate the 3% projected increase in funding for the Regional schools on the 6% increase given to the Regional district for the current budget year). 

Clerk of the Council Athena O’Keeffe and Council President Lynn Griesemer (District 2) encouraged residents to continue to engage in dialogue around funding priorities. 

“This is your opportunity to tell your elected leaders what you want to see in their budget process,” said O’Keeffe, while sharing the timeline for the budget process (below). “You can always email the council at towncouncil@amherstma.gov,” added Griesemer. She noted the high number of attendees who did not register to share a comment, saying they can still provide input on the budget.

Appropriations Outside the Annual Budget

At the regular meeting of the Town Council following the forum, Councilors voted on  allocating a portion of the surplus from the FY24 budget. The allocations, which were referred to the Finance Committee during the previous Council meeting, proposed using the roughly $5.6 million to further the goals of the Council, including equipment upgrades, sidewalk repairs, and increasing the Capital Stabilization Fund. 

In its report to the Town Council, the Finance Committee expressed “broad agreement on transfers to the Reparations Stabilization Fund and Opioid Settlement Special Revenue Fund,” and voted in favor of appropriating $1 million for “road and sidewalk repairs.” The Finance Committee also supported appropriations for Capital Stabilization (over $3.9 million) and for a waste hauler study (although they recommended a lower amount than  proposed by the Town Manager). 

The Council voted to approve the appropriations to the Reparations and Capital Stabilization Funds (11:1, 1 absent), Opioid Settlement Revenue Fund (12:0, 1 absent), and Waste Hauler study (12:0,1 absent) in line with the recommendations of the Finance Committee. However, Council rejected the appropriation to road and sidewalk repairs (6:6, 1 absent). 

Councilors voting against the motion (At-Large councilors Mandi Jo Hanneke and Ellisha Walker, District 3 councilor Heather Hala Lord, District 4 councilors Pam Rooney and Jennifer Taub, and District 5 councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier) generally expressed support for instead appropriating the money to the schools. “I’d rather have our school buses driving over potholes to schools that are healthy and functional,” said Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier (District 5). 

Councilors supporting the original appropriation cited a lack of outstanding funding requests from the schools and a need for road and sidewalk repairs. “There were no requests for schools for the current fiscal year,” Councilor Cathy Schoen (District 1) said, and Councilor George Ryan (District 3) added that “we have a real genuine need for roads and sidewalks.” 

With the motion defeated, the Town Council retained the $1 million in free cash. This money can be allocated to another fund at a later date. Councilor Pamela Rooney (District 4) was among those who encouraged the Council to consider carefully how it appropriates this one-time surplus, saying, “I don’t want to pay for ongoing operations with guess-timated money.”

School Zone Designations and Capital Project Updates

The Council also voted (12:0, 1 absent) to establish school zones at ARHS and ARMS. The School Zones, which had previously been re-referred to committee after failing to specify locations for signage, will limit speeds to 20 mph for drivers during times when schoolchildren may be present on High Street, Chestnut Street, and Triangle Street. (The times have not been defined; the proposal is 6:30-10:00 am and 3:00-6:00 pm). At all other times, the posted speed limits of 25 mph on High St. and Chestnut St. and 25 mph and 30 mph on Triangle St. apply. (Read about the newly reduced town-wide speed limit, to 25 mph, that applies to town roads that do not have posted speed limits.)

The Council also heard a series of updated models for funding the four major capital projects. Although the Council does not have to decide on which funding model to adopt yet, the Town Manager did ask the Council to be prepared to approve the siting of the proposed projects at its December 2 meeting. The plan is to place the new EMS/Fire Station at the Hickory Ridge site and the DPW headquarters at the current location, with several smaller satellite locations. (Find more about the four major capital projects, here.)

The December 2 meeting will include the State of the Town address and will be at Amherst Town Hall.

Town Council meetings are also accessible via Zoom, livestream, and Amherst Media broadcast. Meeting details, agendas, and access are posted on the Town Council webpage. If you’re interested in knowing more about upcoming Council meetings, you can subscribe to text and email updates from the Town. 

Note: this post was edited to list the names of Town Councilors who voted against the appropriation of free cash to road and sidewalk repairs, add images of the new school zones, and to correct minor typographical errors.

Alex Cox (he/him) is a current graduate student at UMass-Amherst studying Regional Planning (MRP) and Public Policy and Administration (MPPA). He currently serves on the Amherst Affordable Housing Trust Fund and as the Graduate Director of the Student Union Art Gallery. He has been a member of the Amherst Current editorial board since 2024.