We urge residents on both sides of the charter issue to come together in tackling Amherst’s challenges as it shapes a new town government and faces expensive repairs for the elementary schools.
Last week’s vote to replace representative Town Meeting and the Select Board with a 13-member Town Council was decisive, with 58 percent of those voting in favor of the change recommended by a divided Charter Commission. It is the most significant change in the structure of Amherst’s government since 1938, when the first charter was adopted, and it ended a bruising campaign that divided the town.
We hope that conciliatory comments made election night by opponents and proponents of the charter are an indication that differences will be set aside as the town moves forward to put a new government in place before the end of the year. Particularly hopeful is the pledge made by Meg Gage, a member of the Charter Commission who opposed the changes and helped establish Not This Charter, one of three groups that campaigned against eliminating Town Meeting.
Gage invited people from both sides to help repair the torn civic fabric resulting from the campaign, with the goal of civil discourse. “We hope that this can increasingly become a model for the values of our town, and we will actively support candidates who share that vision,” she said.
“I feel there’s a huge challenge now facing all of us to try to make the best out of this we can. We have to find new ways for the people of Amherst to have their voices heard,” Gage added. “The new government will be assembling itself over next nine months, and we pledge our cooperation in that effort.”
Johanna Neumann, who as chairwoman of Amherst for All quarterbacked the sophisticated winning campaign, also called for unity on election night. She said there are many opportunities for people on both sides to serve in the new government, adding that “We are more united than we are divided.”
We encourage Town Meeting members who want to stay involved — as well as others who believe they do not have a voice in Town Meeting — to run for the new council or volunteer for some of the dozens of boards and committees that will remain.
The Charter Commission included in its report a robust section about the transition to a Town Council, which should be a blueprint for town officials seeking to have the new government in place by Dec. 3. A special Town Meeting on April 30 is expected to approve an article asking the Legislature to schedule a special election Nov. 6 for the 13 councilors.
Among other essential steps is creating a committee to “begin a review of the town bylaws for the purpose of preparing such revisions and amendments as may be necessary to fully implement the provisions of this charter.” The Select Board will appoint the committee that will issue its report to the new Town Council.
Meanwhile, the town must make critical decisions about how to finance repairs to its three elementary schools, Fort River, Wildwood and Crocker Farm. A $66.37 million project to build two co-located schools in place of the 40-year-old Fort River and Wildwood buildings was rejected last year when Town Meeting failed to authorize borrowing for the portion of the cost that would no have been covered by a $34 million state grant.
While Amherst is again applying for money from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, there is no telling when — or if — another state grant will be approved. Meanwhile, maintenance expenses for the elementary schools will jump to more than $1 million annually for the next four years — and then to $3 million for each of the next two years, according to facilities director James McPherson.
He told the School Committee in February, “Not only are we not moving as fast as we desire, we’re not moving as fast as we need to” in repairing the buildings. “We’re not going to be able to hold this together for a decade at the funding level we’re at — an unfortunate truth.”
The goal now must be for all residents and town officials — no matter their position on the charter or the school project — to work together on a smooth transition to the new government, and to make sensible decisions about improving the learning environment for all elementary school children in Amherst.