By Allison McDonald

A report on the regular meeting of the Amherst Town Council on Monday, August 17.

The Amherst Town Council and its Finance Committee spent Monday night advancing a short‑term plan to keep the former Wildwood Elementary School usable through FY27 and opening a detailed first discussion of a new clean energy infrastructure bylaw governing solar and battery storage projects.

The evening combined three meetings: a public forum on supplemental appropriations, a Finance Committee session focused on Wildwood, and the regular Council meeting. 

Wildwood: Keeping Options Open for FY27

The most consequential fiscal decisions centered on how to manage the Wildwood building now that a new elementary school is opening.

Finance Director Sean Mangano recommended keeping Wildwood in a “usable state” for at least FY27, supported by two appropriations from school excess capital funds: 

• FY27‑04C – About $193,000 to cover operating and maintenance costs to keep the building heated, monitored, and available for limited use and storage.
• FY27‑05B – $50,000 in capital funds for facility improvements and critical systems work, if needed. 

Mangano described three main reasons for the recommendation:

1. Recreation Department Needs – With the town’s recreation department moving from the middle school to the Bangs Community Center, the Wildwood building offers substantial storage for program equipment as well as a gym that can be used during the day without competing with an active school. Potential uses include youth basketball, pickleball, and adult drop‑in play.
   
2. DPW Contingency – Wildwood is being held as possible “swing space” if phased construction at the future DPW site proves infeasible or if there is a significant failure at the existing DPW facility. Designers are expected to deliver schematic designs and cost estimates by December 2026, which will clarify whether swing space is truly needed.
   
3. Future Use of the Site – A new Wildwood working group is scheduled to begin meeting in early fall to evaluate long‑term options for the site and building. Shutting down the building now could limit those options, Mangano said. 

“We didn’t want to do anything to the building that would limit the options to the town and to this working group,” Mangano said, explaining the recommendation to maintain Wildwood in a usable condition for at least the coming year. 

Facilities Manager Jeremiah Laplante walked the Finance Committee through the trade‑offs involved in shutting down—or “mothballing”—the building versus keeping it lightly used. 

He said the building’s shell might withstand sitting idle for about three years before structural concerns arise, but the mechanical systems are far more vulnerable:

• The heating and ventilation system would be at risk after roughly one year offline.
• A deeper shutdown, including loss of heat, would require extensive measures to protect pipes from freezing, prevent corrosion, and control moisture and air quality. 

“Ultimately the answer is you kind of have a year to make a decision,” he told the committee. “If not, it’s going to cost large, large amounts of money to restore the system.” 

Even in a mothballed state, he added, the Town would still be responsible for minimum life safety standards—monitored alarms, exit access, and other code requirements—unless the building is formally posted as unsafe for entry. 

Committee members pressed for comparative costs. Laplante did not yet have a precise estimate for shutting down and later restarting the building, but said it would clearly exceed $10,000 and likely be “a larger number” than $50,000 depending on whether the goal is demolition or potential reuse. 

Mangano emphasized that town staff do not have in‑house capacity for specialized mothballing work such as tank removals or complex mechanical shutdowns; those tasks would require outside contractors and formal procurement. 

After discussion, the Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend both orders and the full Town Council adopted both measures 10–0 votes, with three councilors absent (Amber Cano Martin (District 2), Andy Churchill (At-Large), Ellisha Walker (At-Large)): 

• FY27‑04C – Operating appropriation of approximately $193,000 for Wildwood operations in FY27.
• FY27‑05B – Capital appropriation of $50,000 for Wildwood facility improvements.

Councilors underscored that the appropriations are intended as interim measures. Finance Chair Cathy Schoen (District 1) and Councilor Lynn Griesemer (District 2) both emphasized their expectation that the Town will revisit Wildwood’s status once DPW design and the working group’s recommendations are clearer. 

Clean Energy Infrastructure Bylaw: First Read

The Council also held a first read—with no vote—on Article 18, a proposed clean energy infrastructure bylaw that would govern solar photovoltaic installations and battery energy storage systems (BESS) under the state’s new consolidated permit framework.

Community Resources Committee (CRC) Chair Pam Rooney (District 4) summarized the proposal as having three main components:

1. A consolidated permit process for qualifying clean energy projects.
2. Siting requirements for “simple solar” projects.
3. Siting and operational standards for battery energy storage facilities.

“The purpose of this bylaw is to facilitate clean energy development,” Rooney said, “but also provide enforceable standards for the placement and operation and removal that maintains public safety.”

CRC’s work builds on several years of effort by the Solar Bylaw Working Group, multiple Planning Boards, and town staff. The Governance, Organization, and Legislation Committee (GOL) reviewed the draft for clarity and consistency and recommended only minor wording changes.

Council President Mandi Jo Hanneke (At-Large) outlined the state backdrop. The state law signed in November 2024 creates a tiered system for clean energy projects, including a category eligible for a local consolidated permit. If a municipality fails to act on such a permit within a year, or declines to review it, state guidelines effectively become the permit conditions.

Hanneke said Amherst’s bylaw is designed to align with those guidelines where feasible while adding local standards in areas the state leaves open—particularly water supply and well protection. The town’s counsel reviewed the bylaw and “greenlighted” it as within the town’s authority, she said.

Several councilors raised questions about private well setbacks, inspection frequency, and hazardous waste and insurance. Ana Devlin-Gauthier (District 5) raised concerns about impacts of solar panel glare on wildlife, and asked that “the glare analysis [as part of a permit application] needs to include mitigation efforts aimed at mitigating the impact on wildlife.” Those issues are expected to be revisited before a second read and potential vote on September 14. 

Other Business: Pelham Collection Services and PFAS Monitoring

As part of its consent agenda, the Council unanimously approved several additional items, with three members absent (Cano Martin, Churchill, Walker) 

• FY27‑04B – Pelham Treasurer/Collector services: The order authorizes continued shared Treasurer/Collector services with the Town of Pelham, formalizing ongoing regional cooperation.
• FY27‑06A – PFAS monitoring and remediation: The order provides supplemental funding for PFAS monitoring and remediation in Amherst’s water system, supporting continued testing and mitigation efforts as required by state and federal regulations.

The consent agenda also included the waiver of a Council rule for a Community Development Block Grant Committee appointment, the approval of Town Manager appointments to that committee, and approval of minutes from July 26, 2026.

The next meeting of the Town Council is scheduled for Monday, September 14.

An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this article by summarizing a recording of the meeting which was reviewed and adapted by the writer.