AMHERST — Applicants are being sought for the new committee that will advance diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as community safety, in Amherst.
With the Town Council continuing to discuss the formation of the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee, a successor group to the Community Safety Working Group, Town Manager Paul Bockelman is advertising that residents are needed to serve on the seven-member panel that will focus on the topics of ending structural racism and achieving racial equity for Black residents.
While its charge is still being finalized by the Town Council, the committee has significant support from councilors, and Bockelman said he wants to begin getting applications, conducting interviews and making appointments so the committee can start its work.
Two of the initial appointments will be current members of the Community Safety Working Group, and at least five of its members will represent Black, Indigenous or people of color, or other historically marginalized communities.
The committee is expected to carry on what the working group has done, and will support the soon-to-be-formed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department, the Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service program and address the needs of BIPOC and other marginalized groups, including the disabled, immigrants and LGBTQ+.
Bockelman said he is interested in finding people who will represent a broad range of the town’s socioeconomic diversity, and stipends are expected to support that.
Last week, the Town Council had a lengthy discussion about the composition of the committee and whether members should receive compensation.
At-Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke said she worries about whether the committee charge is broad enough to benefit the entire community, and if its mission might lead to required spending, such as a new youth empowerment center and multicultural center.
Hanneke also worried about its racial makeup.
“I support a majority BIPOC on the committee, but I would go with four of seven, not five,” Hanneke said.
Community Safety Working Group member Pat Ononibaku said people of color have not benefited from resources in town and have not been at the table with white residents.
“This is a committee that we envision will make real changes we want in this town,” Ononibaku said. “BIPOC folks have to be the majority in order to accomplish change.”
District 4 Councilor Evan Ross said paying members of the committee will address its socieconomic makeup.
“We feel having a stipend might incentivize some folks to join the committee,” Ononibaku said.
Ellisha Walker, who has co-chaired the Community Safety Working Group, said not having a stipend would be a barrier to participation.
Meanwhile, Bockelman is also seeking volunteers to serve on a number of other boards and committees, including the Affordable Housing Trust Fund board of trustees, Agricultural Commission, Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee, Community Preservation Advisory Committee, Council on Aging, Design Review Board, Disability Access Advisory Committee, Public Shade Tree Committee, Residents Advisory Committee and Transportation Advisory Committee.
Anyone interested should fill out a Community Activity Form at www.amherstma.gov/caf, and those with questions can contact the town’s community participation officers at GetInvolved@AmherstMA.gov.