It’s Monday and we’re back with our roundup of the week’s events. Here are this week’s town government meetings, and cultural and recreational events that caught our eye.

ARHS Varsity Athletics at Home – Thursday-Saturday

Catch ARHS varsity athletes in action at home this week! Boys Lacrosse vs. Wahconah, Monday at 5:00 PM and vs. Westfield, Friday at 6:30 PM. Girls Tennis vs. Minnechaug, Monday at 5:30 PM. Girls Lacrosse vs. Chicopee Comp, Monday at 6:30 PM. Boys Tennis vs. Minnechaug, Tuesday at 5:30 PM. Boys Ultimate Frisbee vs. Northampton, Tuesday at 6:30 PM. Boys Baseball vs. Hopkins, Wednesday at 6:30 PM. MORE

Jones Library Building Committee — Monday 

The committee will receive construction and schedule updates and vote to approve invoices from Allied, NV5, Slobody Development Corp, Colliers, FAA, and Fontaine totaling over $1.7 million. Monday, 5:00–6:30 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Finance Committee Public Hearing on the FY27 Budget — Monday 

The committee will hold a public hearing under Charter §5.5(a) at which residents are invited to comment on the proposed FY27 Town Budget. Monday, 6:30–8:30 PM, in person at Town Hall, Town Room, and via Zoom. MORE

Cherry Hill Working Group — Monday 

The group will receive an update from the Recreation Director, discuss the interim report and listening session debrief, hear a presentation on Cherry Hill’s recreational role, review management and operations, and hear a guest presentation from Cinda Jones of W.D. Cowls, Inc. Monday, 7:30–9:30 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Commission for Persons with Disabilities — Tuesday 

The commission will discuss Disability Pride Celebration planning, receive an update on Munson Library ADA changes, and take up new business including Amherst Downtown Design, an Amherst College variance request, and a report from the Transportation and Parking Commission. Tuesday, 11:30 AM–1:00 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Finance Committee of the Town Council — Tuesday 

The committee will review the FY27 budget for General Government and Debt. Tuesday, 1:00–3:00 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Cuppa Joe After Hours: FY27 Budget with Finance Director – Tuesday

The Town of Amherst invites community members to join us for coffee and conversation about the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Budget at this Cuppa’ Joe with Paul featuring Finance Director Sean Mangano. 

All community members are welcome to join this informal conversation about the FY27 Budget. The budget includes all aspects of Town operations including Municipal, Schools, Regional Schools, Library, and Capital for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. View all FY27 Budget Information. Tuesday, 5:30-7:00 PM in the Bangs Community Center. MORE

Energy and Climate Action Committee — Tuesday 

The committee will host a climate legislation discussion with state Representative Mindy Domb, and will also discuss the Clean Energy Bylaw, landlord outreach, heat pumps, the UMass Climate Plan, the Climate Bank, and transportation and regional policy updates. Tuesday, 5:30–7:30 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Public Shade Tree Committee — Tuesday 

The committee will vote on a recommendation to the Tree Warden and Planning Board regarding a 24-inch oak at Clark Hill Road and East Pleasant Street, and will discuss Second Saturdays, the Significant Tree Ordinance, a food forest, tree tags, the log loader and tree foreman position, wood bank donations, and the Adopt a Tree program. Tuesday, 5:30–7:30 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Governance, Organization, and Legislation Committee of the Town Council — Tuesday 

The committee will discuss the Human Rights Commission Bylaw, a Resident Oversight Board, proposed amendments to water and sewer regulations, and Bylaw Review Committee vacancies, and will consider proclamations for Juneteenth, Pride Month, and Race Amity Day, and will introduce the Town Manager evaluation process. Tuesday, 6:30–8:30 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Historical Commission Public Hearing — Tuesday 

The commission will hold a public hearing on a request to demolish a three-story front porch on a triplex at 27–29 Phillips Street, hear a presentation of draft Downtown Design Standards from Dodson and Flinker, and discuss adding Hampshire College buildings to the Mid-Century Modern Survey project. Tuesday, 7:00–9:00 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Urban Birding for Beginners – Wednesday

Mid-May is peak spring bird migration, perfect for a morning bird walk! If you’re new to birding, please join us for this event Wednesday in the Amherst West Cemetery with local birders Dave Ziomek, Amherst Assistant Town Manager, and Lee Halasz, Conservation Manager at Kestrel Land Trust.

The West Cemetery is downtown “open space” and provides urban habitat for migrating as well as nesting birds and other wildlife. We hope to see migrant warblers as well as resident birds typical of a New England downtown, such as Fish Crow and the local nesting pair of Red-tailed hawks.

You’ll learn how to spot birds, use binoculars, and identify some common birds by song. Our birding conversation will include discussion about how birds like chimney swifts and nighthawks use urban spaces. Beginning birders of all abilities encouraged to attend! Registration required. Wednesday, 7:30-8:30 AM in the West Cemetery. MORE

Amherst Conservation Commission — Wednesday 

The commission will hold two Requests for Determination — one for soil boring and sampling at the former Manufactured Gas Plant site on Pelham Road on behalf of Eversource Energy, and one for a new sewer connection on Russellville Road on behalf of American Farmland Trust — and will discuss the Conservation Land Management Policy final draft, the commission’s correspondence protocol and budget, a letter of review for the Open Space and Recreation Plan, and emergency certification ratifications for the Norwottuck Rail Trail and 52 Elf Hill Road. Wednesday, 7:00–10:00 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Finance Committee of the Town Council — Thursday 

The committee will review the FY27 budget for Public Safety. Thursday, 3:30–5:30 PM, via Zoom. MORE

The Jones Library, Inc. Board of Trustees — Thursday 

The board will receive reports from all standing committees covering the building project update, library art, the Annual Fund and Capital Campaign, the FY26 and FY27 budgets, the Kids’ Room Use Policy, the Library Director’s mid-year evaluation, and the library’s posture in relation to democracy, as well as a Friends of the Jones Library System report and a Director’s report. Thursday, 4:00–6:00 PM, via Zoom. MORE

Cable Television Advisory Committee Public Hearing — Thursday 

The committee will hold a public hearing on the Town’s cable license agreement, to which the community is invited to attend and comment. Thursday, 6:30 PM, in person at Town Hall, Town Room, 4 Boltwood Ave., and via Zoom. MORE

Fai Laci at The Drake – Thursday

Head to The Drake on Thursday for indie rockers Fai Laci. Fai Laci are a band with a mission, and Elephant in the Room is the ideal vehicle to achieve it. Produced by Dan Auerbach and recorded at his Easy Eye Sound Studios in Nashville, the album blends the urgency of punk and the stomp of glam with the theatricality of classic rock, all bound together by the band’s sharp swagger and Faillaci’s boundless charisma. Autumn Drive opens. Thursday, 8:00 PM at The Drake. MORE

A Wider Lens: An Intergenerational Art Partnership & Community Reception – Monday-Saturday

A Wider Lens: An Intergenerational Arts Partnership is a temporary exhibition at the Amherst History Center that brought students at the high school together with Amherst-area elders for a series of collaborative sessions. Students welcomed elders to the ARHS library for oral history interviews and conversation as well as black & white film portrait sessions. This partnership facilitated intergenerational connections among participants and challenged art students to create work based on authentic content. ARHS student paintings and photographs honor the experiences and perspectives of our community elders.  

A community reception will take place on May 14 from 6-7 PM. Exhibit viewing hours: Tuesday-Friday, 1:00-4:00 PM and Saturday 11:00 AM-3:00 PM. MORE

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Have an event you’d like us to spotlight? Email us TheAmherstCurrent@gmail.com. We publish the Amherst Week Ahead on Mondays; events that are submitted by Friday at midnight will be considered for the following Monday’s post. If your event is on a weekend, please submit it at least 10 days before the event.