The Amherst Current

At its meeting on Monday, December 2, the Town Council heard the annual State of the Town address by Town Manager Paul Bockelman. Bockelman’s address is printed below.

Gratitude

We just celebrated Thanksgiving. So, I want to start with a short story of thanks.  

Late Thursday night, we were driving home after a big Thanksgiving dinner at Cathy’s sister’s house in New York. We came into Town on Route 9, turned left past the Town Common and stopped at the light in the center of Town. It was quiet. It was late. It was a lovely quiet town. I was thinking about the lighting of the Merry Maple later this week, a celebration that will be enjoyed on our new North Town Common.  

We had just seen an Amherst ambulance on its way to Cooley Dickinson on Route 9, and I was listening to the dispatcher recording to see what was up. As always, the dispatcher handled the call with calm professionalism. As we turned onto Main Street and passed the police station, I said to my kids, “Look up there; see the lights? That’s where the dispatchers are.”  

I mentioned how Police officers and Firefighter/EMTs are always standing by, ready to respond to any call for help at any time. Some of the calls that day included an elderly person with high blood pressure, another with low blood sugar, a carbon monoxide alarm in a home, a senior who had fallen and hit their head, and a fire alarm activation at a University building. I felt grateful to our first responders. They are the ones who have Thanksgiving meals while in uniform. I felt grateful for the DPW workers, too, who were out in the wee hours that holiday weekend de-icing our roads so we could all get to our destinations safely. 

I’ve been thinking about gratitude a lot lately. Gratitude for all we have as a family, town, and country.  

Yes, even when the news is dark, we are fortunate to live in a place as beautiful as this with the relationships we have. 

Preparing the State of the Town leads me to reflect on the year’s accomplishments, and that’s important. It reminds us that our actions have meaning. Celebrating our progress bolsters our resilience — and we need that resilience. 

Celebrating our progress bolsters our resilience — and we need that resilience. 

It is no secret that it’s hard to get things done in local government. It’s the unit of government that is closest to the people; our elected leaders are our neighbors. We all have opinions – and we all care – and have agency to advocate for what we think is best.  

It is all too easy for people to take potshots at you and Town staff, especially in this political climate. We are fortunate to have elected and appointed officials who take on these roles – not for the accolades, but to make the Town a better place. I am grateful for your leadership. You are doing your job — and doing it well. 

Success

Let’s look at a few of the things of which we can be proud starting with our four major capital projects.  

Four Major Capital Projects 

We broke ground on our new Elementary School – after securing substantial funding from the State. Now we are ready to begin construction. We received bids from three reputable contractors– all below our budget and with a healthy contingency. While we are going through a bid protest, I am confident you will see construction start soon.  

After adjusting the design of the Jones Library addition and renovation, we received a bid that was within the Town’s budget, also with a healthy contingency. This project, too, has received a substantial commitment of funds from the State along with millions in other grants and private donations. We have more steps to take before I can sign a contract, but we are working through this process. The Town’s $15.8m investment will produce a building project valued at $46m. 

And at the last Council meeting, we presented proposals to the Town Council for choosing locations for the Fire/EMS and DPW facilities along with solid financing options that will advance these projects forward. 

Things are moving. 

Downtown and Other Improvements 

A few years ago, I presented “Destination: Amherst,” a vision to make the downtown more attractive and provide a foundation for an economically vibrant downtown. And we have delivered! 

The new North Common has transformed Downtown Amherst. We created a welcoming green space with park-like amenities that serves as a magnet for gathering. We now have families, visitors, and young people enjoying the center of Town in ways we had not seen previously.  

We have a new playground at Kendrick Park and have completed the associated road, bike, and pedestrian improvements. I love walking by there – so many more kids play there every day than we ever imagined. And soon we will have a new, modern rest room for those inevitable emergencies that kids have. 

And right now, the Planning Department is engaging the community in discussing the vision for the streetscapes in Downtown Amherst. I encourage you all to take their online survey.  

Local business people have really stepped up, making significant private investments in the downtown area by building new housing, outfitting revived retail spaces, and opening new restaurants. And I want to recognize the investment Amherst College and the University are making by establishing visible presences, reinforcing the vitality of our downtown. 

This work is not confined to downtown.  

We dedicated a beautiful addition to the North Amherst Library, thanks to a generous private donor. Our purchase of the former Hickory Ridge Golf Course and construction of the grant-funded Pomeroy Village roundabout are bringing new life to South Amherst. The purchase of Hickory Ridge preserved 150 acres of sensitive river frontage, provided handicapped-accessible hiking trails, and will soon  generate 6.5 mw of solar power.  

To the east on Belchertown Road, we powered up the solar project on the Town’s closed landfill generating another 4mw of clean electricity, all of it going to meet the needs of our municipal buildings, with the side benefit of our first dog park.  

Coming up, residents will see a new roundabout at Amity Street and University Drive, a partnership with the University supported by a nearly $2m state grant. And the Town Council will be making the final decision on moving forward with CPA funds for the new track-and-field for the Regional School District and traffic improvements on South East Street in front of our new elementary school. 

A lesser publicized project – but one of high importance – is the complete replacement of the Town’s Centennial Water Treatment facility in Pelham. Funded in large part by a low-interest loan and grant from the State, we will have a brand new, state-of-the art facility bringing an established source of clean water to supplement our current reservoirs and wells. Centennial will provide high quality water to the Town for decades to come. 

Housing 

The Town is taking the critical need for affordable housing straight on. The single-room occupancy development at 132 Northampton Road has proven to be super successful. Town staff are actively planning for a new shelter with supportive services at the former VFW site. 

In the pipeline are the creation of 30 home ownership opportunities for moderate income households in North Amherst, and the development of 78 units of affordable housing within walking distance of our new school and the East Amherst village center. 

The message here — we are making our Town better for generations to come while stretching the Town’s precious tax dollars at every opportunity by winning state and Federal grants, partnering with businesses and other donors, and practicing sound financial planning. 

Operational Success 

Managing a complex, $100 million organization is challenging.  

All of the initiatives I mentioned – new parks, buildings, capital projects –are predicated on a durable financial foundation. How do we get that? By strict budget management including position control, a strategic building of reserves, smart debt management, and credible financial policies. These are the tools of success. 

Our finances are solid because we have made the hard choices to manage the taxpayers’ funds wisely. But don’t take my word for it. The bond rating agencies confirm our strong fiscal systems. For every item that is rated that we control, we have excelled!  

The strength of our Town isn’t just financial, however.  

Optimism

The Town is fortunate to have many employees who are among the best in the State. I can’t sing their praises enough. 

Our staff are a testament to our ability to grow our own leaders AND to recruit talent from the outside.  

We have three new leaders in our public safety departments. Gabe Ting as Police Chief, Camille Theriaque as CRESS Director, and – if the Town Council agrees – Lindsay Stromgren as Fire Chief. Each brings experience, vision, and integrity to these important departments. In addition, we have our new Finance Director, Melissa Zawadzki who has jumped right into the work with fervor. And I have already enjoyed working with our bold, new superintendent of schools –  Dr. Xi – who has provided inspired leadership in difficult times.  

Like many, we are bracing for headwinds as a new Federal administration takes over with values that are likely to be out of step with the Town of Amherst’s stated values. 

As Pete Buttigieg said, “In moments like this, our salvation will come from the local and state levels.”  

I have worked in local government my entire career. Keeping the long-term plan an explicit part of the daily conversation makes short-term setbacks easier to bear. The best way to increase resiliency is to reduce frustration. 

It is inevitable that one project or another will be unpopular with at least one group.  

A colleague likes to say, “Go hard on the issues and easy on the people.”   

I think it’s the attacks – much more than the actual content of any disagreement and the slow pace – that can make Town employees and those engaged in the civic process feel undercut and discouraged.  

We must all do our part to commit to undertaking this work with an attitude of love and gratitude for one another, even those with whom we disagree. 

We must all do our part to commit to undertaking this work with an attitude of love and gratitude for one another, even those with whom we disagree.

Relentless optimism is a survival skill that we can give each other. 

To those in our community who feel we could go further or move faster, I encourage you to reflect on the progress we’ve made together. Show me another community that’s tackling racial equity and climate action with greater determination, or municipal staff as deeply committed to their mission as ours. We know we’re not perfect, but we are making strides every day to build a stronger, more inclusive, and better future.  

I appreciate the opportunity to serve you and the people of Amherst. I am privileged to work alongside our incredible staff. And still, after eight years here, when I drive home late at night with my family and see this lovely little town, I feel grateful to be here.

Paul Bockelman is the Town Manager of Amherst. He has served the Town in this role since 2016.