AMHERST — A financial order to transfer $1 million from free cash to improve the town’s roads and sidewalks is being rejected by the Town Council, in part as a response to families worrying about diminished support for Amherst’s public schools.

With several parents and students addressing the council as it prepares its fiscal year 2026 budget guidelines, councilors at their Nov. 18 meeting deadlocked 6-6 on moving the money for road and sidewalk repairs and upgrades.

District 5 Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier voted against the transfer to the town’s capital program, explaining that schools need to be prioritized.

“To be honest with you, I’d rather have our school buses driving over potholes to schools that are healthy and functional than driving over really smooth roads to a workforce of teachers that’s crumbling, and fewer options, and unhealthy spaces to learn in,” Devlin Gauthier said.

Devlin Gauthier was joined in voting down the transfer by District 4 Councilors Pam Rooney and Jennifer Taub, District 3 Councilor Heather Hala Lord and At-Large Councilors Ellisha Walker and Mandi Jo Hanneke.

Hanneke said she has never been comfortable with transferring free cash to roads and sidewalks, as has been a practice. “To me, the roads are not in as dire a situation as many people paint them,” Hanneke said.

Those supporting the transfer were District 1 Councilors Cathy Schoen and Ndifreke Ette, Council President Lynn Griesemer, District 3 Councilor George Ryan, District 5 Councilor Bob Hegner and At Large Councilor Andy Steinberg. District 2 Councilor Pat De Aangelis was absent.

Ette said residents who speak to him are concerned about roads, but he is also sympathetic that education needs to be funded.

“I do welcome a conversation where we establish priorities for things that are concrete, and so there is space to consider between schools and roads,” Ette said.

“I feel it’s really unfortunate that we’ve set up the schools against the roads, because they’re different constituents, in many ways,” Griesemer said.

Devlin Gauthier, though, said there is uncertainty about whether the schools have made requests for its capital needs and that councilors don’t know yet what is needed with roads and sidewalks. “We don’t have the master plan for roads and sidewalks that we’ve been waiting for,” she said.

Schoen said she would be comfortable with reducing the money going to roads and sidewalks, while Taub wondered if councilors could split the difference and make a gift to the schools.

Steinberg said the new elementary school will need money for road improvements at the South East Street site, money that will likely be drawn from town capital funds. “I suggest we do as much with the roads as we can,” Steinberg said.

“We clearly see the need,” Ryan said of the condition of the town’s roads and sidewalks.

Walker said she would like to explore other options for spending. “I do want to see a kind of investment in our roads and sidewalks, but I do think right now I am prepared to vote no in hopes the town manager might propose an alternative option to us where we might not have to pick one or the other,” Walker said.

A number of people, both in person at Town Hall and via Zoom, spoke about the need to support education as a way to draw people to the diverse community.

“These cuts are hurting our children, they’re robbing our kids of opportunities, they are taking away support from the most vulnerable, usually the most marginalized students in our schools,” said Julian Ramirez, a parent of two children. “Even worse, more programs (are) at risk, more resources (are) stripped away, and this has to stop.”

“I’ve been pretty disappointed since we’ve moved here in our schools, through no fault of the teachers, but in where we place our priorities,” said Becca Watkins, a parent of two children.

Katie Dixon-Gordon, a parent with two children in the schools, said new revenue is urgently needed.

“I appreciate the state level advocacy that you are all already doing to support our schools and our communities, but our children cannot wait for state level action,” Dixon-Gordon said.

“If we want to see different, we need to do different,” said Alex Lopez, a resident with three students in the elementary schools, referencing an appeal made last spring to Amherst College for funding.

Leyla Moushabeck, a parent with two children in the schools, said more funding will be needed to safeguard vulnerable populations from the violence and rhetoric likely during a Trump presidency.

“I see fund allocation as directly connected to that commitment, and I ask you to put your money where your mouth is,” Moushabeck said. “Thriving public schools aren’t just important, they are a lifeline for many families. I urge you to put our money where our values lie.”

Marisol Pierce Bonifaz, a senior at the high school, said strains on school staff are evident daily at the schools, with guidance counselors doing more work, and a lack of long-term substitutes meaning teachers use preparation time to look after other classes.

“I am appalled by our complete lack of prioritization of school funding in each year’s fiscal budget, as the next generation’s education is fundamental to the Amherst community,” Bonifaz said.