AMHERST — Lynn Griesemer, the only president the Town Council has had since it was first organized in 2018, will remain in the position for another year, pledging to continue to be present for the public and municipal staff and to improve communication with the community.

At the Town Council meeting on Jan. 13, the first held in 2025, Griesemer was named president in a 10-0 vote, with two councilors abstaining and At Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke saying she would vote for none of the above.

A divided council also named District 3 Councilor George Ryan vice president. He replaces District 5 Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier, who opted against seeking another year in that role, and who nominated Ryan for the position. In a second round of voting, Ryan won the vice presidency over District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen.

Griesemer, nominated by her District 2 colleague Pat De Angelis, received praise from District 3 Councilor Hala Heather Lord. Lord said Griesemer has time to explain issues and has met her “human to human.” “I never feel shamed or patronized because I might not know how local politics work as much as some who have been in it for generations,” Lord said.

Schoen thanked Griesemer for streamlining agendas and doing a good job with councilor appointments to committees. District 4 Councilor Jennifer Taub said Griesemer works hard to be fair, even as they may be on opposite sides of an issue. “But I do appreciate all the time and care Lynn puts into leading the council,” Taub said.

Hanneke, though, who challenged Griesemer for the presidency a year ago, said she wants a president who shares representation and “doesn’t keep her fellow councilors in the dark.”

“Lynn said the words, but her actions didn’t follow,” Hanneke said of promises Griesemer has made to share power. “It is not an abstention, but a formal vote against the nominated candidates.”

New sidewalk equipment

The Town Council recently authorized $140,000 in spending so the Department of Public Works can buy equipment that will do multiple tasks throughout the year, including clearing sidewalks of snow, rather than a more expensive machine only used during snowstorms.

DPW Superintendent Guilford Mooring said the equipment will act as a mini-loader, with an attached loader bucket, and can also do snowplowing and snowblowing. “That is the more versatile machine,” Mooring said.

But because councilors reduced the spending request, Mooring said the new equipment is it will struggle in larger storms compared to the $200,000 machine that “is just a beast and it will plow through about any storm you have.”

Ryan, before voting in support of the spending, said quiet weather needs to remain in effect. “Guilford, your job is to make sure that we don’t have any more serious snowstorms, for at least the next 10 years, OK?”

Kittredge estate development

A group of neighbors in both Leverett and Amherst recently formed the Amherst Leverett Alliance, with a website serving as a clearinghouse of information about development proposals for the estate of Yankee Candle founder Michael Kittredge.

The alliance states as its purpose, “We advocate for sustainable, equitable and appropriately scaled development that strengthens our communities and respects our shared resources.”

Jacob Park, a resident on Juggler Meadow Road who has put together much of the information, said the hope is to offer insights into what is happening as the town awaits formal plans, with the developer suggesting more than 400 55-and-over homes for the former estate that has property in towns.

The website is at amherstleverettalliance.com/.

Dungeons & Dragons introduction

Caregivers and parents interested in facilitating a Dungeons & Dragons game for young people can drop by the Woodbury Room at the Jones Library on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

In the workshop, participants will learn the basics of the game, how to set ground rules and develop adventures, and keep it fun for young people. For more information, email ryanj@joneslibrary.org.

More input on budgets

Longtime resident Vincent O’Connor is suggesting revisions to the town charter that he says would democratize library and school funding.

The idea, he told the Town Council at a recent meeting, is to no longer have elected School Committee members and library trustees acting as ordinary residents when the Finance Committee and Town Council review and approve budgets.

“This is not tolerable,” O’Connor said. “My view is that both library trustees and the School Committee should sit with the Town Council to vote on the respective budgets of their organizations.”

O’Connor said that of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, around 300 allow more direct involvement of elected officials, mostly through Town Meeting participation.

“The only way we’re going to bring the school budget to the realistic consideration of the Town Council ... is to bring those elected officials into the process of voting,” O’Connor said.

Meetings

MONDAY: Jones Library Building Committee, 3 p.m.; Design Review Board, 5 p.m.; Town Council, 6:30 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall.