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AMHERST A campaign to use the “voter veto” provision of the town charter to force the Town Council to reconsider its support for the Jones Library expansion and renovation project which could culminate in a townwide referendum is.
Around Amherst: Citizen involvement in town budget likely to be put off COVID
Staff Writer
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST An initiative embedded in the Amherst charter to involve residents in town government by offering them a chance to propose various programs and projects annually is unlikely to get off the ground this year.
A commission preparing a final report for June 1 recently informed Town Manager Paul Bockelman that the COVID-19 pandemic makes such a venture known as participatory budgeting challenging to launch.
The charter requires that a commission propose “a measure to adopt participatory budgeting or other similar method of resident participation in the budgeting process of Amherst.”
Webinars look to spark interest in elected office
Amherst Town Hall GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST Nomination papers to run for elective office aren’t available in Amherst yet, but the League of Women Voters of Amherst is already working to ensure there will be interested candidates, including people from often underrepresented groups.
With the racial and ethnic diversity on town boards and committees limited, the League is organizing two webinars this month, the first on Thursday evening and the second on April 15, under the title “Running for Elective Office in Amherst 2021.”
“We want to reach people and have diversity in our town government,” said Joan Rabin, a League member coordinating the events.
‘Voter veto’ maneuver launched to challenge Jones Library approval
Jones Library in Amherst STAFF FILE PHOTO/KEN HEIDEL
Published: 4/9/2021 5:12:44 PM
AMHERST A campaign to use the “voter veto” provision of the town charter to force the Town Council to reconsider its support for the Jones Library expansion and renovation project which could culminate in a townwide referendum is underway.
Vincent O’Connor of Summer Street picked up forms Tuesday at the town clerk’s office at Town Hall, a day after the Town Council voted 10-2, with one abstention, to borrow $15.75 million to support the $36.3 million project. The council also approved a memorandum of agreement related to the project between Town Manager Paul Bockelman and the elected library trustees, and agreed to use $1 million from the town’s Community Preservation Act account for the library’s special collections room.