By Alex Cox || coxalexj@gmail.com

A report on the meeting of the Amherst Town Council and the Public Forum on Appropriations Outside the Annual Budget on Monday, February 24

Bangs Community Center Improvements

The Town Council unanimously voted to appropriate $2.8 million for renovations to the Bangs Community Center at its Monday meeting (13-0).

The renovation work largely includes building-wide comfort, and life safety upgrades- including installing sprinklers, accessibility equipment, and a new fire alarm system. In his presentation to the Town Council, Robert Peirent, special capital projects coordinator for the town, explained that the Bangs Center is a “solid building” and that this project is meant to ensure viability for years to come. “These are rather modest improvements,” said Peirent, “[but it’s] important to start with the basics of the building first.” Although the current plan does not include major spatial changes to the building, a series of add-alternates (including a fitness room and relocated nurses office) have been detailed in the bid documents that can be pursued dependent on funding.

The proposed plan is expected to be the first of many rounds of improvements to the Bangs based on findings from the needs assessment conducted by EDM Architects. Future phases may include a renovation of the kitchen, improved wayfinding, and/or complete reorganization of the Senior Center’s space.

The appropriation had unanimous support of the Finance Committee following its referral at the previous council meeting. Councilor Cathy Schoen (District 1), chair of the Finance Committee, spoke to the importance of the project prior to the Council’s vote. “The renovation of internal systems will give it years of life,” said Schoen. She further noted that the HVAC system upgrades, which comprise a “big share of the cost,” may allow for the building to become fossil-fuel free with some additional investment. 

The funds for the project were appropriated from the Town’s Free Cash but originated from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. In a February 7th memo, Town Manager Paul Bockelman summarized the circumstances that led the Town to move the ARPA monies earmarked for the Bangs to Free Cash before asking the Town Council to allocate it to the project. 

“With the change of Federal administration, we became concerned that the rules in place under the previous administration could be changed and that we may not be able to utilize the ARPA funds under the rules established by the Federal administration in office in 2024,” Bockelman said. “We then took pro-active, defensive measures to ensure ARPA funds were allocated and secured before the legislative deadline of December 31, 2024. The result of these actions means the previously unspent ARPA funds will fall to Free Cash and be included in the Free Cash certification that will be determined as of June 30, 2025.”

“This is a building that’s vital to the town,” said Councilor Robert Hegner (District 5). “The ARPA grant won’t get us all the way,” Hegner added, indicating his commitment to the Town “finishing it” in a timely manner. 

Other Business

During the remainder of its meeting, the Town Council voted to resend petitions to the State legislature to allow the Town to establish a real estate transfer fee (11-1, 1 absent) and to extend local voting rights to some non-citizen residents (12-0, 1 abstention). The Home Rule Petitions, which had previously been approved by the Town Council and filed by Amhert’s State Legislators, can now be re-filed in the General Court by the legislators during its 194th session.

Town Council also voted to not refer a proposed revision to Town Policy to committee- effectively killing the motion as presented by Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke (at-large) (2-11). The rejected revision attempted to change the policy on making recommendations to multi-member bodies, such as the Planning Board and Finance Committee, which Hanneke claimed would “make it more consistent with the Council’s own actions”.

The next Town Council meeting will be March 10 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. If you want the Current’s coverage of the next Town Council meeting delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe using the field below. 

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.