Accountability Posts

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FY26 revenue shortfall and taxpayer impact of lost ACC funding

Amherst BOS 12/9: FY26 revenue budget is $370,000 lower than FY25 — the town lost its ACC funding. No replacement source identified yet. That gap has to come from somewhere: your taxes or your services. Voters should be asking which.

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Community-board tension over Baboosic Lake health impacts and funding responsibility

Amherst BOS 12/9: A lake resident told the board he takes supplements weekly to manage cyanobacteria exposure at Baboosic Lake. The board agreed to consider a $50K warrant article — part of a $300K–$500K total fix — but openly questioned whether taxpayers should fund treatment of a state-owned lake.

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Fire truck replacement cost and financial maneuver that defers visible tax impact

Amherst BOS 12/9: The town's fire tower truck needs $200K+ in repairs or $900K in refurbishment — and has zero resale value. The board is exploring a bonding strategy that uses fund balance in year one to delay the tax hit. Town Counsel still needs to vet it.

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Supermajority threshold risk and incomplete cost disclosure on trail projects

Amherst BOS 12/9: The North O2/O3 trail projects historically pass at ~58% — but the warrant article may require 60% approval. Full costs, including admin and spur connector, still aren't finalized. Board directed staff to put ALL costs on the table before the vote.

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🧵 Amherst Board of Selectmen met 12/9/24. Budget season is here, and several decisions will hit your tax bill. Here's what happened — and what's still unresolved. Thread:

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1/ FY26 REVENUE HOLE: The town's proposed FY26 budget starts $370,000 in the hole compared to FY25 — that ACC funding is gone, with no replacement identified. The board acknowledged it and is projecting conservatively on interest income. Something will have to give.

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2/ BABOOSIC LAKE: Resident Obadiah Dart told the board he takes supplements weekly to manage his cyanobacteria exposure. Total lake remediation: $300K–$500K. He's asking for a $50K warrant article to start. Board is receptive but hasn't committed — and one member openly questioned why town taxpayers should fund treatment of a state-owned water body.

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3/ FIRE TRUCK: The town's tower truck is worthless on resale and needs $200K+ in repairs or $900K to refurbish. The board is exploring a 5-year bond that uses fund balance in year one to avoid an immediate tax increase. Legal review by Town Counsel required before anything moves forward.

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4/ TRAIL PROJECT MATH PROBLEM: North O2/O3 trail projects historically pass at ~58% approval. The warrant article may require a 60% supermajority. Combined project costs could exceed $200K by FY29 — and admin/connector costs still aren't finalized. Board directed staff to show voters the full number, not a partial one.

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5/ WHAT WAS DECIDED: ✅ Longevity pay extended to all town employees (~$18K, FY25) ✅ $25K budgeted to demolish the hazardous Thornton Ferry house ✅ Warrant article votes deferred to next week's meeting 📅 Next meeting is the last one before January — budget and warrant articles get finalized then.

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Longer-form draft.

**Amherst Board of Selectmen — December 9, 2024 Meeting Recap**

Amherst's budget season is entering the final stretch, and the December 9th Board of Selectmen meeting surfaced several issues that will directly affect taxpayers in 2025 and beyond.

**A $370,000 Revenue Gap in FY26.** The proposed FY26 operating budget starts with $370,000 less revenue than FY25 because the town's ACC funding is gone, with no replacement source identified. The board is projecting conservatively on interest income and other revenues, but acknowledged that the gap will need to be addressed — through spending cuts, increased taxes, or some combination. No mitigation strategy has been finalized.

**Baboosic Lake Cyanobacteria Treatment.** Resident Obadiah Dart gave a pointed public appeal, describing personal health costs he incurs weekly to manage the effects of cyanobacteria exposure at Baboosic Lake. He asked the board to include a $50,000 warrant article as a first step toward a total remediation estimated at $300,000–$500,000. The board was sympathetic but made no funding commitment, and one member explicitly raised the question of whether Amherst taxpayers should bear the cost of treating a state-owned water body. That philosophical and fiscal debate is unresolved — voters may ultimately be asked to weigh in at Town Meeting.

**Fire Tower Truck.** The town's current aerial truck has no resale value and faces either $200,000+ in repairs or a $900,000 refurbishment bill. The board is exploring a five-year bonding strategy that uses the town's fund balance to cover the first year's cost, deferring the visible tax impact. The strategy still requires review by Town Counsel and hasn't been approved. Separately, a potentially less expensive used truck from Texas is under evaluation — an inspection trip needs to happen before year-end.

**What Was Formally Decided on December 9th:** The board unanimously approved extending longevity pay and shift differentials — previously exclusive to the police union contract — to all town employees, at an estimated additional cost of $18,000 in FY25. The board also agreed by consensus to budget $25,000 for demolition of the hazardous house on the Thornton Ferry property ($16,870 for demolition plus ~$5,000 for asbestos abatement). All warrant article votes were deferred to next week's meeting, which is the last scheduled meeting before January. That meeting will effectively set what voters are asked to decide at Town Meeting — it's worth attending or following closely.