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Meeting report · Board of Selectmen
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Board of Selectmen — April 29, 2024

The meeting had genuine community engagement on the trucking ordinance with divided public opinion, internal board deliberation on weight limits and stormwater equity, and a chair abstention on a contested abatement denial — but these tensions were resolved procedurally without open conflict or significant unresolved community-board friction.

Date Monday, April 29, 2024 Duration 2.1h Speakers 13 Public comments 6 Decisions 16 Lively
📄 Agenda

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01

No Through Trucking Ordinance – Advancing to Public Hearing

Restricts vehicles over 68,000 pounds from using three named roads for through travel; would formally redirect commercial truck traffic away from residential village routes Affected: Trucking companies and drivers using Boston Post Road, Mount Vernon Road, and New Boston Road as cut-throughs; businesses relying on truck delivery access; residents on affected roads seeking safety improvements
other high impact
02

Stormwater Utility Rate Structure Development

Early-stage study ($9,890 phase) to design a new utility fee structure; eventual fees could be levied town-wide based on impervious surface area — scale of final charges not yet determined Affected: All property owners in Amherst, particularly commercial and industrial landowners with high impervious surface coverage
fee change
03

Lucid Lake Community Septic System Rate Increase

New streamlined fee schedule effective Q4 FY2024; loan obligations drop off in FY2026, suggesting phase-based cost variation for affected households Affected: Residents connected to the Lucid Lake community septic system, with rates varying by phase
fee change
04

Three-Year Snow Plowing Contract – Single Bidder

$256,815.89 three-year commitment awarded without competitive bidding; first-year cost of $83,500 with no alternative bids received Affected: All Amherst taxpayers funding municipal DPW services
other high impact

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Appointed Michael Lane to the Recreation Commission
Term expires in 2027
Unanimous approval (5-0)
12:12
Dissolved the Citizen Stormwater Committee
Committee had no active members and functions now handled by staff
Unanimous approval (5-0)
14:47
Moved no through trucking ordinance to public hearing
Excludes Christian Hill Road and Limber Road, sets 68,000 pound weight limit for Boston Post Road, Mount Vernon Road, and New Boston Road
Unanimous approval (5-0)
58:57
Approved Health Trust Retiree Billing Agreement
Updated version of 2008 agreement with Medicare language requirements
Unanimous approval (5-0)
1:01:24
Approved employee eye insurance coverage through Emeritus
Employee-funded coverage from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, minimum 3 employees required
Unanimous approval (5-0)
1:03:38
Approved hiring Lisa Eastland as Senior Citizen Program Coordinator at grade 5, step 5, FY24 wage scale
Position paid from revolving fund, noted potential conflict with her Recreation Commission membership
5-0 approval
1:15:07
Approved hiring Alexander Berry as Communications Specialist effective May 6, 2024
Grade 6, step 5 at $25.13/hour, replacing Christine Fowler
5-0 approval
1:17:52
Approved hiring Thomas Hanlon as probationary firefighter
At $12.24/hour, fourth generation firefighter family
5-0 approval
1:19:59
Approved hiring Alyssa Davis as probationary firefighter
At $12.24/hour
5-0 approval
1:20:19
Approved purchase of 2025 International truck and body for total $229,450
FY25 funds, no expenditure until after July 1, 2024
5-0 approval
1:26:54
Approved purchase of 2024 Ford F350 from McFarland Ford for $67,305
DPW pickup truck replacement
5-0 approval
1:28:43
Approved new fee schedule for Lucid Lake community septic system
Effective fourth quarter billing period ending April 30, 2024
5-0 approval
1:36:57
Approved three-year snow plowing contract with Knox Land Care
First year $83,500, total three-year value $256,815.89, FY25 funds only
5-0 approval
1:46:46
Approved hiring Michael Flynn as transfer station attendant
Grade 3, step 5 at $21.35/hour, effective May 6, 2024
5-0 approval
1:48:58
Approved property tax abatement for Map 8, Lot 512
Reduction from $692,500 to $599,900, abatement amount $2,026
5-0 approval
1:50:05
Denied abatement for trailer property (Map 2, Lot 166.26)
Assessor could not verify claims due to trailer being removed
4-0-1 (Chair abstained)
1:52:23

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
01:05 Citizens Forum - Telephone Pole Relocation Request

Will Loop requested the town consider relocating a replacement telephone pole away from the iconic Hillsborough Bank building on School Street due to removal of a 150-180 year old maple tree.

Speakers: Will Loop
03:05 Citizens Forum - No Through Trucking Ordinance Support

Multiple residents spoke about the proposed no through trucking ordinance, with some supporting it for safety reasons and others advocating for increased speed enforcement instead of truck restrictions.

Speakers: Doug Chinsky, Jeannie Luke, Rams Peck, Barbara Williams, Matt Tyler
10:27 Recreation Commission Appointment

Michael Lane was appointed to the Recreation Commission for a term expiring in 2027. Lane has experience coaching baseball and basketball and has four children who use recreation programs.

Speakers: Michael Lane
13:13 Dissolution of Stormwater Committee

The board dissolved the Citizen Stormwater Committee as it had no active members and MS4 compliance functions are now handled by staff and consultants.

Speakers: Bill
16:02 Impervious Surface Mapping Study Update

Eric Slosik presented completed GIS data from NRPC for impervious surface mapping and requested authorization for the next phase with Weston Sampson to develop stormwater utility rate structures at a cost not to exceed $9,890.

Speakers: Eric Slosik
35:01 No Through Trucking Ordinance Discussion

The board discussed the draft ordinance, debating weight limits (80,000 vs 68,000 pounds) and which roads to include. They decided to exclude Christian Hill Road and Limber Road and set the weight limit at 68,000 pounds for the public hearing.

Speakers: Police Chief, Board Members
59:16 Health Trust Retiree Billing Agreement

The board approved an updated health trust retiree billing agreement, which was originally signed in 2008 and needed updating due to Medicare language requirements.

Speakers: Jennifer
1:01:41 Employee Eye Insurance Coverage

The board approved offering voluntary employee-funded eye insurance coverage through Emeritus, requiring a minimum of three employees to enroll.

Speakers: Jennifer
1:06:40 DES Response and ARPA Annual Report

Discussion of answering DES with three choices from previous meeting, timeline for July/August response. ARPA annual report completed after extensive work with multiple videos and processes.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:07:45 Cell Coverage Improvement in Village

Update on incorporating feedback from Primex and legal counsel. Only received feedback from one board member, additional research needed on costs.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:09:14 Town Common Policy Revision

Revised town common policy ready for discussion, to be placed on future agenda in two weeks.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:09:46 Tower Truck Replacement

Previous vehicle of interest no longer available, taken by another community. Chief will return with reports from two companies and committee input.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:12:05 Senior Citizen Program Coordinator Hire

Hiring Lisa Eastland for senior citizen program coordinator position at grade 5, step 5. Position paid from revolving fund with no tax implications.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:17:14 Communications Specialist Hire

Appointing Alexander Berry, NHTI student on dean's list, to replace Christine Fowler as communications specialist.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:19:21 Probationary Firefighter Hires

Hiring Thomas Hanlon (fourth generation firefighter family) and Alyssa Davis as probationary firefighters at $12.24/hour.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:20:57 DPW Truck Purchases

Approval of two truck purchases: International HD 507 SFA truck with body for $229,450 (FY25 replacement) and Ford F350 pickup for $67,305.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:33:41 Lucid Lake Community Septic Rate Increase

New streamlined fee structure for septic system users, with public meeting held April 10. Rates vary by phase, loans drop off in FY26.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:41:09 Winter Snow Plowing Contract

Three-year contract awarded to Knox Land Care for $83,500 first year after only one bidder responded. Insurance issues affecting contractor participation.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:47:53 Transfer Station Attendant Hire

Hiring Michael Flynn as regular part-time transfer station attendant at grade 3, step 5 ($21.35/hour).

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
1:49:31 Property Tax Abatements and Exemptions

Board reviewed multiple abatement requests and elderly/disabled exemption denials, including concerns about verification processes.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

No Through Trucking Ordinance – Weight Limit and Road Scope

Residents are divided on whether the ordinance is the right tool or whether increased speed enforcement is the real need. The board debated whether to set the weight limit at 80,000 vs. 68,000 pounds and which roads to include, ultimately excluding Christian Hill Road and Limber Road. Truckers and businesses that use these roads as legitimate through-routes could be affected. Six residents showed up to speak on this topic, reflecting strong community interest.
Board position: Voted unanimously to advance the ordinance to public hearing with a 68,000-pound weight limit covering Boston Post Road, Mount Vernon Road, and New Boston Road — a more restrictive position than the original 80,000-pound draft.
Internal dissent
Board member Bill explicitly advocated for the lower 68,000-pound limit over the 80,000-pound alternative, citing public safety concerns about momentum and injury potential from heavier vehicles. While the final vote was unanimous, the weight limit debate reflected internal deliberation before consensus was reached.
high concern
02

Stormwater Utility Rate Structure Study – Equity and Cost Implications

The board paused the $9,890 authorization to Weston Sampson for stormwater utility rate development, with a board member requesting comparative data on impervious surface burden by zoning category before proceeding. This signals concern that future stormwater utility fees could shift costs inequitably between residential, commercial, and industrial property owners — a decision with broad tax implications.
Board position: Deferred full authorization; directed staff to return with equity data before approving the next phase of work.
Internal dissent
At least one board member pushed back on proceeding without first understanding how the tax base compares to impervious surface distribution across zoning categories, suggesting concern about who bears the cost burden.
medium concern
03

Snow Plowing Contract – Single Bidder and Insurance Market Concerns

The town received only one bid for a three-year, $256,815 snow plowing contract, raising questions about competition, market conditions, and value for taxpayers. The DPW Director cited insurance requirements as a barrier to contractor participation, suggesting a structural procurement problem that could recur.
Board position: Approved the contract unanimously despite the lack of competitive bidding.
medium concern
04

Property Tax Abatement Denial – Trailer Property Verification Failure

The assessor was unable to verify the abatement claim for a trailer property because the trailer had already been removed, leaving the board in an awkward evidentiary position. The chair abstained, producing a 4-0-1 vote on denial. The situation raises questions about assessment and verification processes.
Board position: Denied the abatement 4-0-1 on the basis that the claim could not be verified.
Internal dissent
The Chair abstained rather than voting to deny, suggesting personal discomfort with the process or outcome — noted in the summary as a concern that 'people obviously have' valid concerns that couldn't be properly reviewed.
low concern

Split votes

Denial of property tax abatement for trailer property (Map 2, Lot 166.26)
4-0-1

Community vs. board tension

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Return to board with comparative data showing percentage of tax base vs. percentage of impervious surface by zoning category before proceeding with Weston Sampson rate structure work
Assigned: Eric Slosik · Due: Next meeting
Schedule public hearing for no through trucking ordinance and make grammatical corrections to draft
Assigned: Dean (Town Administrator) · Due: Near future
Add revised town common policy to agenda for discussion
Assigned: Dean (Town Administrator) · Due: Two weeks
Complete research on cell coverage costs and prepare for next meeting or meeting after
Assigned: a speaker (staff member) · Due: Next meeting or following meeting
Place revised town common policy on agenda for discussion
Assigned: Board · Due: Two weeks (next meeting)
Return with tower truck reports from two companies and committee input
Assigned: Chief Conley · Due: Next meeting (may need to defer to following meeting)
Coordinate meeting with Jim Ramsey for trade-in pricing on both trucks
Assigned: Eric (DPW Director) · Due: ASAP, return to board with authorization request
Put out fixed fee contract for public parking lot snow plowing
Assigned: Eric (DPW Director) · Due: Next week or two
Set up meetings with school board members and superintendent as part of liaison role
Assigned: Bill (a speaker) · Due: Ongoing
Bring up CIP membership change request at next meeting
Assigned: Bill (a speaker) · Due: Next meeting
Prepare financial dashboard for periodic presentation to board
Assigned: Bill (a speaker) and Debbie · Due: Next couple of meetings

Notable ⁠statements

You don't put a stop sign up after an accident. You make sure there's one in the four. You don't have life insurance, home insurance. It's all just in case. So I would hate to have us get to the point where there is an accident, someone is injured because of a large truck and their speed. — Jeannie Luke · Arguing against John D'Angelo's position that no accidents means no need for safety measures regarding truck traffic 05:27
My principal concern here is you have these very large trucks and you know, Lord help us if they ever hit a person. You know, the amount of energy and momentum that those large trucks have... the injury to a potential injury to a person from a heavier vehicle is so much more than from a lighter vehicle. — Bill · Advocating for lower weight limit (68,000 vs 80,000 pounds) in no through trucking ordinance due to safety concerns 51:37
I'm a little bit uncomfortable about doing that because I don't know what we tell everybody else, you know, who's got to wait another month — Speaker D (Board member) · Regarding request to pay new hire at FY25 wage scale before it takes effect 1:13:41
First time in a long time those people had an opportunity to be heard, ask questions... I just want to pay a particular comment to Joe and Eric for the work that they've done on this and their willingness to work with the rate payers — Speaker H (Board member) · Praising DPW staff work on septic rate increase and community engagement 1:34:33
The days of guys out there in a cloud truck for 30 hours straight, I mean, it's just, it's not safe. We need to really be proactive at safety and getting people rest — Speaker C (DPW Director) · Explaining rationale for contracting snow plowing services for staff safety 1:41:09
I'm just concerned that people that obviously have — Speaker B (Chair)

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
6
Total speakers
2
Addressed
1
Partial
3
Not addressed
Will Loop
01:05
Not addressed
Will Loop spoke about a 150-180 year old maple tree being removed on School Street and his concern about the replacement telephone pole location. He requested the town consider relocating the new pole away from in front of the Hillsborough Bank, which he considers an iconic building in Amherst village. Key concern
Request to relocate the replacement telephone pole to a different location away from the iconic Hillsborough Bank building
Board response
The board thanked him but provided no substantive response or commitment to address his request
The board simply thanked him without discussing his request or indicating they would take any action
Doug Chinsky
03:05
Addressed
Doug Chinsky expressed hope that the board would move the no through trucking ordinance to public hearing without delay so citizens could voice their concerns and the board could hear them. Key concern
Request to expedite the no through trucking ordinance to public hearing
Board response
The board later in the meeting did vote to move the no through trucking ordinance to public hearing
The board ultimately voted to move the ordinance to public hearing as requested, though with some modifications to weight limits and road coverage
Jeannie Luke
03:27
Addressed
Jeannie Luke disputed arguments against the no through trucking ordinance, clarifying it's meant to discourage large trucks using Boston Post Road as a cut-through, not prevent legitimate business. She countered arguments that no accidents have occurred by comparing it to preventive safety measures like stop signs and insurance. Key concern
Support for the no through trucking ordinance and rebuttal to arguments against it
Board response
The board later voted to move the ordinance to public hearing, incorporating her perspective
The board moved forward with the ordinance as she supported, though they modified some details like weight limits and road coverage
Rams Peck
06:25
Not addressed
Rams Peck supported previous comments and focused on controlling all vehicles, not just banning trucks. He emphasized the need for more enforcement to address speeding and noise problems in the village, while recognizing that truckers are business people who pay taxes and have rights to use roads. Key concern
Request for increased traffic enforcement to control speeding and noise from all vehicles
Board response
The board acknowledged his comments but did not specifically address the enforcement request
While the board moved forward with the trucking ordinance, they did not specifically respond to his request for increased general traffic enforcement
Barbara Williams
07:36
Not addressed
Barbara Williams echoed the previous speaker's concerns about speeding, noting dramatic speed increases when Clark School's flashing lights aren't operating. She described construction workers speeding down hills and emphasized that more enforcement in the village is absolutely needed. Key concern
Request for increased speed enforcement in the village, particularly around school areas
Board response
The board acknowledged her comments but did not specifically address enforcement requests
The board thanked her but did not respond to her specific request for more traffic enforcement in the village
Matt Tyler
08:56
Partial
Matt Tyler spoke in favor of the through trucking ordinance and offered specific ideas for improving safety at the New Boston and Boston Post Road intersection. He invited board members to visit his property to see the problems firsthand and praised the new police chief's increased enforcement efforts. Key concern
Support for trucking ordinance and offer to provide input on intersection safety improvements
Board response
The board acknowledged his comments and moved forward with the trucking ordinance
The board supported the trucking ordinance as he requested, but did not specifically respond to his offer to provide detailed input on intersection safety

Accountability ⁠flags

Documented procedural gaps. Each item links to its source.

Agenda items not discussed

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Report composed by claude-sonnet-4-20250514, claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-opus-4-6 · analyzed 2026-06-01.