AMHERST — A discussion focused on how $60,000 added to the community services budget at annual Town Meeting should be spent will take place at the Select Board’s Sept. 25 meeting.
The board is inviting residents to this “community conversation,” beginning around 7 p.m. at Town Room at Town Hall, that will include a presentation from staff discussing possible uses for this additional money.
Town Meeting member James Oldham, of Precinct 5, proposed the increase as a means to fund social service agencies that focus on issues such as crisis intervention, sheltering homeless and youth programs.
But the Select Board has not yet set up a process for how this money will be used or distributed.
In recent years, the town has not appropriated money for private nonprofits.
Instead, Amherst has turned to the Community Development Block Grant that it receives from the state, which this year is setting aside $165,000 to fund five agencies. After applications for this money are received, an appointed committee makes recommendations before the CDBG proposal is submitted to the state by the town manager.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
