SOS Amherst

Town Council Meeting
2024-12-02 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
The Amherst Town Council will meet on Monday 12/2 at 6:30 PM and vote on the budget guidelines as prepared by the Finance Committee. Save the date! Advocacy may be needed!

Finance Committee meeting - public comments accepted (Virtual only)
2024-11-22 09:00 - 11:00
The Finance Committee will take up creating the budget guidelines for FY26 at their meeting on Friday 11/22 at 9:00 AM.
This is another potential opportunity to voice support for our schools and ask that the Town of Amherst find a way to better support education in Amherst.
Learn how to make a public comment here: https://www.arpsparents.com/public-comment/

Virtual only! Zoom link: https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/82486802303

LIST OF TOPICS:

Call to Order, review agenda
Public Comment:
Budget Guidelines
Supplemental Budget

Council Order FY25-05C: An Order Appropriating Funds for a Portion of the Town of Amherst Capital Program – Sidewalk Equipment.

Discuss Four Capital Projects – presentation of 11.18.2024
Minutes

Adoption of November 8, 2024 meeting minutes
Adoption of November 15, 2024 meeting minutes

Items not anticipated by the Chair 48 Hours in advance
Schedule next Committee meetings
Adjourn

Note: There will be no in-person public access at this meeting. Members of the public may attend virtually via Zoom https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/82486802303 or by phone by calling phone (646) 931 3860 enter webinar ID 82486802303

Amherst Town Council Public Meeting on Budget (in person and virtual)
2024-11-18 18:30 - 20:00 | Amherst Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave., Amherst
HOW TO TAKE ACTION:

Make a public comment at the 11/18 Town Council Meeting at 6:30 PM, in-person in the Town Room at Town Hall or via Zoom: https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/89382473012
Can’t attend the meeting? Submit a public comment to the Town Council online.
Take a few minutes to complete the SOS Amherst Survey to provide feedback on why our schools are important to you and your family
Forward this email to people in your networks and ask them to advocate for our schools

WHAT YOU CAN SAY

Share your story – How has your child or family been impacted by lack of adequate funding in our schools? Why are our public schools important to you and your experience in Amherst? Let the Town Council know that our public schools are a top priority for you and your family.
Ask the Town Council to:

Include the full amount allotted to the Regional Schools last year in the base for calculating this year’s increase.
Allocate as much money as possible to our schools this year, and prioritize operating budgets over surplus generation.
Distribute last year’s $5,227,426 surplus only after considering the needs of all stakeholders.
Ask the Town Council and Finance Committee to prioritize our schools – including the middle and high school – in the Town Manager’s budget guidelines for FY26

Meeting schedule:
5:00 p.m. Regular meeting, beginning with a Town Council Reading Period of Councilor Town Manager Evaluations
6:30 p.m. Public Forum on the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
7:00 Public Forum on Supplemental Budget Appropriations
The regular Town Council meeting will resume following the 7:00 Public Forum

11/8 Finance Committee Meeting (Virtual)
2024-11-08 09:00 - 11:00 | VIrtual (details above)
Finance Committee

Friday, November 8, 2024

https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/85166756344

LIST OF TOPICS:

Review Agenda;

Public Comment: The time limit for each comment is 3 minutes per person, unless the Chair sees a substantial number of people wishing to speak and limits comments to 2 minutes; comments must be limited to matters within the jurisdiction of the committee; comments must be made in a peaceable manner;

Discussion of Financial Indicators;
FY24 Fourth Quarter Report;
Rescissions of Borrowing Authorization Requests,
Council Order – FY2513 An Order to Rescinding Authorized but Unissued Bonds,
Supplemental Budget Appropriation Requests,
Council Order FY25-12A: An Order Appropriating from Free Cash to the Stabilization Funds,
Council Order FY25-05B: An Order Appropriating Funds for a Portion of the Town of Amherst Capital Program – Road and Sidewalk Repairs,
Council Order FY25-05C: An Order Appropriating Funds for a Portion of the Town of Amherst Capital Program – Sidewalk Equipment, Council Order FY25-05D: An Order Appropriating Funds for a Portion of the Town of Amherst Capital Program – Waste Hauler Study, Council Order FY25-16A: An Order Appropriating from Free Cash to the Opioid Settlement Special Revenue Fund, Budget Guidelines;

Minutes, Adoption of October 1, 2024 meeting minutes;
Schedule next Committee meetings;
Items not anticipated by the Chair 48 Hours in advance.

TO JOIN MEETING:

To join the meeting via Zoom teleconferencing go to: https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/85166756344
To indicate you wish to make a comment click “raise hand”
To join the meeting via telephone call; (646) 931 3860 enter webinar ID 851 6675 6344
when prompted to enter your participant number press #
To indicate you wish to make a comment, press *9 on your telephone
During the public comment period, the chair will recognize

RECEIVED: 11/5/24 at 10:46 am.

Amherst Town Council Meeting and Financial Indicators Presentation (in person and virtual)
2024-11-04 18:00 | Amherst Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave., Amherst
Amherst Town Council Meeting and Financial Indicators Presentation (with Amherst School Committee, Regional School Committee, Finance Committee, Budget Coordinating Group, and Jones Library Trustees)

In-Person Meeting, Town Room, Town Hall
Virtual Public Access: https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/82918600562

Note: Members of the public may attend virtually via Zoom, by phone by calling phone (301)
715-8592, enter webinar ID: 829 1860 0562, or in person.

The meeting will also be live broadcast on Amherst Media channel 17 and https://amherstmedia.org/live-stream
Posted October 16, 2024 at 10:10 a.m.

School Equity Advisory Committee
2024-10-30 17:30 - 19:30 | Amherst Regional High School library
School Equity Advisory Committee
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
5:30 – 7:30pm
In-Person Meeting
Library at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School, 21 Mattoon St.
Posted 10/15/24 @ 3pm

Budget & Audit Subcommittee
2024-10-23 18:00 - 19:00
Budget & Audit Subcommittee
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Virtual meeting
Budget & Audit Subcommittee
Wednesday, October 23 · 6:00 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/vmh-yffy-dpo
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 413-853-2186‬ PIN: ‪610 254 141‬#
Posted 10/19/2024 at 9:50 a.m.

Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee joint meeting with Union 26 (in person)
2024-10-22 18:30 | Amherst Regional High School library
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
6:30 PM
In-Person Meeting
Library at ARHS
This meeting will be shown via live-stream on Amherst Media (Channel 15)
Public comment can be emailed to SCpubliccomment@arps.org by 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Public comment can also be left by voicemail (under 3 minutes) at 413-362-1891 by 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
Posted 10/18/2024 at 1:00pm

Amherst District 5 Meeting
2024-10-22 18:00 - 19:00
District 5 Meeting
District 5 Councilors: Ana Devlin Gauthier & Robert Hegner
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Via ZOOM: https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/83466742140
AGENDA

Welcome
Presentation on Waste Hauler Bylaw
Updates on Council Work
Open Discussion / Public Comments
Items Not Anticipated 24 Hours Before the Meeting
Adjourn

To join by phone: Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/83466742140
Or One tap mobile :
+13017158592,,83466742140# US (Washington DC)
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Webinar ID: 834 6674 2140

To Reach District 5 Councilors Directly Via Email:
Ana Devlin Gauthier: devlingauthiera@amherstma.gov
Robert Hegner: hegnerr@amherstma.gov

This could be a good opportunity to let your Town Councilors know that school funding is a priority for your family. Email Bob Hegner (hegnerr@amherstma.gov) to be added to the distribution list for the Zoom link. Don’t know what district you live in?
Find your district here.
Once you know your district, you can find your Town Councilors here.

Fiscal Sustainability Subcommittee (virtual)
2024-10-21 18:00 - 19:00
Fiscal Sustainability Subcommittee

Monday, October 21, 2024
6:00 PM
Virtual MeetingGoogle Meet: https://meet.google.com/ihj-rjju-srq
Posted October 17 2024 @ 3:00pm

Amherst School Committee
2024-10-15 14:30
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://amherstma.zoom.us/j/87600497567
Or One tap mobile :
+13052241968,,87600497567# US
+13092053325,,87600497567# US
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 646 931 3860 US
Webinar ID: 876 0049 7567
To raise hand you need to press *9
Once acknowledged by the Chair, the person should unmute and state their name and where they live in the district.
This meeting will be shown via live-stream on Amherst Media (Channel 15)
Public comment can be emailed to SCpubliccomment@arps.org by 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Public comment can also be left by voicemail (under 3 minutes) at 413-362-1891 by 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee
2024-10-08 14:30
6:30 PM
In-Person Meeting
Library at ARHS
Public comment can be emailed to SCpubliccomment@arps.org by 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Public comment can also be left by voicemail (under 3 minutes) at 413-362-1891 by 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
This meeting will be shown via live-stream on Amherst Media (Channel 15)

Four Towns meeting (1st of 3)
2024-09-28 05:00 - 07:00 | Amherst Regional Middle School – Library, 170 Chestnut St, Amherst, MA
The purpose of this meeting is to start budget and funding discussions among
the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and town officials from
Amherst, Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett for the 2025-2026 school year.
See up to date details on the Town Calendar.
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Why does this meeting matter?
Amherst regional budget fears prompt early four-towns meeting
https://www.gazettenet.com/Amherst-Regional-School-Committee-gets-insights-into-finances-from-state-specialist-56735248
