Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Board of Selectmen · Amherst, NH · November 4, 2024.
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ARPA funds at risk and unexpected fire station cost increase affecting all Amherst taxpayers
Amherst BOS (11/4): Town may need to reprogram $500K in federal ARPA funds — fire station project timeline is slipping & state now requires septic work not in the original budget. Staff must report back Nov. 18. Worth watching.
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Transfer station policy change that will directly affect how residents access and pay for the service
Amherst BOS (11/4): Transfer station moving to resident-only access and cashless payments. No timeline yet — staff has ~2 months to finalize. If you use the transfer station and pay cash, this will affect you.
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Transparency around the composition and balance of the review panel for a high-impact municipal leadership role
Amherst BOS (11/4): Multi-committee panel being formed to hire a new Community Development Director — overseeing planning, zoning, conservation & historic districts. Chair reaching out to committee leads within 2 weeks.
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Public record of personnel decisions made at the 11/4 meeting
Amherst BOS (11/4): Keith Atra appointed interim Recreation Director (17-yr employee). Patrick Tamaro hired as DPW laborer/driver at $25.31/hr. Both approved unanimously. Your town is making staffing decisions — worth knowing.
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THREAD: Amherst Board of Selectmen met 11/4/24. No fireworks, but one issue involves real money and a looming deadline. Here's what happened. 🧵
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$500,000 in federal ARPA funds may need to be reprogrammed. The fire station remediation project the money was earmarked for is facing scheduling concerns — and now the state is requiring septic system work that wasn't part of the original plan, which could push costs higher.
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A board member said directly: 'I do not want to be in a position of losing that half million dollars because we waited too long.' Staff have been directed to bring reprogramming options to the Nov. 18 meeting.
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Separately: the transfer station is changing. The board backed a shift to resident-only access and cashless payments. Staff have ~2 months to finalize the plan. If you pay cash at the transfer station or know someone who does, watch for that proposal.
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Also at the meeting: a new Community Development Director review panel is being formed, drawing members from Planning, Zoning, Conservation, and Historic District commissions. That hire will shape land use decisions for years. The public should watch who gets a seat at that table.
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Personnel approved unanimously: Keith Atra as interim Recreation Director (17-yr employee), Patrick Tamaro as DPW laborer/driver ($52,644/yr). Transfer station lead attendant reclassified to foreman (Grade 12) — part of a broader dept. reorganization after a retirement.
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Bottom line: Nov. 18 is the meeting to watch. ARPA fund options, fire station cost update, and a July 3rd Committee discussion are all on the agenda. If you care about how federal dollars are spent in Amherst, show up or tune in.
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Longer-form draft.
📋 Amherst Board of Selectmen — Meeting Recap, November 4, 2024 The most urgent issue at Monday's meeting: $500,000 in federal ARPA funds may need to be reprogrammed — or the town risks losing them. The funds were earmarked for fire station remediation work, but the project is facing scheduling concerns, and the state is now requiring septic system work that wasn't in the original scope. That means the project may cost more than expected AND the existing funding is at risk if the board doesn't act in time. Staff have been directed to bring a full report and reprogramming options to the November 18th meeting. One board member put it plainly: 'I do not want to be in a position of losing that half million dollars because we waited too long.' Also discussed: the transfer station is changing. The board directed staff to develop a plan for resident-only access enforcement and a transition to cashless payments. If you currently pay cash at the transfer station, or if you're curious about how 'resident-only' will be enforced, the implementation details are still being worked out — staff have about two months to come back with a specific proposal. On the staffing front, the board made three unanimous decisions: Keith Atra (a 17-year recreation department employee) was named interim Recreation Director; Patrick Tamaro was hired as a DPW laborer/driver at $25.31/hour; and the transfer station lead attendant position was reclassified to a foreman-level role as part of a department reorganization following a retirement. The board also began the process of forming a multi-committee review panel to hire a new Community Development Director — a position that oversees planning, zoning, conservation, and historic district matters. That hire will have long-term consequences for development in town, and residents should pay attention to who ends up on that selection panel. The November 18th meeting is the one to watch. ARPA fund options and fire station cost details will be front and center.