By Alex Cox || coxalexj@gmail.com

A report on the meeting of the Amherst Town Council on Monday, January 13.

Griesemer and Ryan to Lead Town Council for 2025

The Town Council elected incumbent Lynn Griesemer (District 2) to begin her seventh term as President at its Monday meeting (by a 10-1 vote, with two abstentions). Griesemer, who has been the President for all of the Council’s existence, will be joined in leadership by George Ryan (District 3), who narrowly defeated Cathy Schoen (District 1) in a second vote to become Council Vice-President (7-5, with one abstention). 

In accordance with § 2.2. (b) of the Amherst Home Rule Charter, the President prepares the agenda for and presides at all Town Council meetings. The President also appoints members of and oversees all committees of the Town Council. The Vice President presides at Town Council meetings when the President is absent. 

In her candidate statement, Griesemer encouraged all other councilors to be involved in the agenda-setting process and in outreach to state legislators. However, not all Councilors supported her re-election. Mandi Jo Hanneke (at-large), who voted for “none of these candidates,” cited concerns with Griesemer’s transparency and follow-through. 

“Lynn said the words, but her actions did not follow,” said Hanneke. “Within a few weeks or months, Lynn reverts back to her old self.”

Ana Devlin Gauthier (District 5, previous council Vice President) and Ellisha Walker (at-large) also did not support Griesemer’s re-election, choosing instead to abstain from the vote. 

Despite the complaints about her leadership, Griesemer garnered the support of the majority of her fellow councilors. Hala Heather Lord (District 3) pointed to Griesemer’s compassion and dedication, while Cathy Schoen (District 1) cited changes to the agenda-setting process that she viewed as positive improvements during Griesemer’s tenure. Jennifer Taub (District 4) also spoke to the time and effort Griesemer has put into her work, pointing out that no one else was nominated for the role. 

Ryan committed to attending all agenda-setting meetings with Griesemer and stated his desire to work closely with her. He pointed to his good working relationship with the President, and said that after five years on Council, he feels “capable and willing” to step into this leadership role. 

Devlin Gauthier, who just completed her third term as Council Vice President, nominated Ryan to the position, saying that he would “bring an organized and balanced approach.” She said that it is “important to uplift new voices to new positions” and spoke to Ryan’s willingness to challenge leadership when necessary. 

Budget Appropriations and Updates on Capital Projects

In the remainder of the meeting, the Council appropriated over $1.78 million in financial transfers – including for sewage treatment and sidewalk equipment – in line with recommendations by the Finance Committee (13-0). Of this sum, $800,000 was an appropriation for debt to help finance the construction of a reoriented track and field facility (option 3c) at Amherst Regional High School. In his presentation to Council, Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek said that the project had recently also secured funding from Pelham and Shutesbury. Leverett is scheduled to consider the project at their upcoming Town Meeting. 

The Council also granted an easement to allow for utility installation at the new Fort River Elementary School (13-0), allowing for the installation of buried lines and electrical equipment that will service the facility. The new school, one of the Four Major Capital Projects, is expected to open in the Fall of 2026,  according to the Town Manager’s memo.

Two of the other capital projects — the new Department of Public Works (DPW) site and the new Fire/EMS station — were also discussed.  Previously, the Town Manager and Town staff had asked the Council to commit to one of four funding models for these projects and to confirm site placement. However, the Finance Committee recommendations stated that it is too early to commit to a single funding model. 

Councilor Robert Hegner (District 5), chair of the Finance Committee, said that a final decision is not appropriate at this time. “We can reevaluate as we go along… the final (model) will probably be some sort of hybrid,” said Hegner. However, the members of the Finance Committee generally expressed support for models 2 and 4 (which maintain the capital reserves rate and keep an expedited timeline for completion of all projects). 

Councilors also deferred making a decision on the siting of these two projects, asking the Town Manager for more information, including conceptual massing diagrams. “I have seen zero master planning for Hickory Ridge,” said Councilor Pamela Rooney (District 4) in regards to the proposed site for the new EMS/Fire Station. Councilors Hanneke and Taub also echoed concerns about the lack of specificity on the proposals. 

Town Manager Paul Bockelman said that “Councilors are asking legitimate questions,” and that he and his staff can prepare a presentation for a future meeting. 

The next Town Council meeting will be January 27 in  Town Hall at 6:30 pm 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. 

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.