Accountability Posts

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K9 unit approved without public comment or community input on deployment safeguards

Amherst BOS 2/11: Town approved a Police K9 unit (4-0) with no public comment period. K9 programs raise real civil liberties questions. Residents had no structured opportunity to weigh in before the board voted. Worth watching how deployment policies are set.

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Resident safety concerns about winter road treatment met with informal, non-binding response

Amherst BOS 2/11: Residents complained about icy roads after the Jan 31–Feb 1 storm. DPW defended its reduced-salt policy on budget/env grounds. Board endorsed only a vague 'slight adjustment' — no formal policy change, no written standard. Same roads next storm.

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Significant capital commitment approved with limited public deliberation

Amherst BOS 2/11: Board approved a $100,000 deposit on a used aerial fire truck from impact fee funds — 4-0, minimal public deliberation recorded. Total purchase price, truck condition, and alternatives were not publicly detailed before the vote.

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Infrastructure failure raises questions about original procurement and cost accountability

Amherst BOS 2/11: Transfer station deck is failing — boards popping and cracking. Emergency plywood fix approved ($3,000+). Questions about the original composite material choice and whether warranty coverage was explored weren't publicly answered.

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🧵 Amherst Board of Selectmen met 2/11/25. Four unanimous votes, no public speakers, collegial tone. But several decisions deserve resident attention. Thread:

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1/ POLICE K9 UNIT — Board voted 4-0 to apply for a $32,000 Stanton Foundation grant to establish a K9 program with Officer Frederick as handler. Chief Champoli presented a thorough proposal. The board was enthusiastic. But: no public comment period before the vote.

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2/ K9 programs carry documented civil liberties risks — potential for aggressive deployment, racial bias, and municipal liability. None of that was part of the public record at this meeting. Residents who wanted to ask questions had no structured opportunity to do so.

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3/ The grant covers years 1–3. After that, costs fall to the town. What the ongoing municipal budget impact will be was not detailed publicly. That's a conversation Amherst residents should be part of — before the program is up and running.

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4/ WINTER ROADS — Residents filed complaints after the Jan 31–Feb 1 storm. DPW Manager Eric explained the town's Green Snow Pro reduced-salt policy: environmentally conscious, budget-driven (salt costs have nearly doubled in 5–6 years).

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5/ The board's response: endorse a vague 'slight adjustment' in specific storm scenarios. No formal policy change. No written threshold. One selectman noted drivers should adjust their behavior. Residents who want a clearer safety standard got no binding commitment.

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6/ AERIAL FIRE TRUCK — Board approved a $100,000 deposit from fire impact fee funds toward a used aerial platform truck, 4-0. Impact fees are legally designated for this. But total purchase price, truck age/condition, and what alternatives were considered weren't publicly aired.

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7/ TRANSFER STATION DECK — Composite decking is failing: boards popping up, cracking in cold. Emergency plywood fix approved ($3,000+). Permanent fix deferred to a future meeting. Whether the original materials had warranty coverage wasn't answered on the record.

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8/ Bottom line: every vote was 4-0, the meeting was orderly, and several decisions are genuinely reasonable. But 'unanimous' doesn't mean 'fully scrutinized.' Residents should attend — or at least read the agenda — before votes are taken, not after. /end

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Longer-form draft.

**Amherst Board of Selectmen — Meeting Recap & Accountability Notes | February 11, 2025**

The Board of Selectmen met Tuesday evening in a largely routine session, voting 4-0 on every item. Several decisions, however, deserve closer public attention — not because they're necessarily wrong, but because they were made without structured public input.

**Police K9 Unit Approved Without Public Comment.** The board unanimously approved applying for a $32,000 Stanton Foundation grant to establish a K9 program, with Officer Frederick identified as handler. Chief Champoli's proposal was detailed and professional. But K9 programs carry well-documented concerns around civil liberties, deployment discretion, and racial bias — and no public comment period was held before the vote. The grant covers the first three years; ongoing costs after that will fall to the town's budget, though no specific figures were presented publicly. If you have questions or concerns about how this program will operate, now is the time to contact the board — before policies are set.

**Winter Road Safety: Complaints Heard, But No Formal Policy Change.** Following resident complaints about icy conditions during the January 31–February 1 storm, DPW Manager Eric defended the town's reduced-salt approach under the Green Snow Pro program, citing both environmental responsibility and cost (salt prices have nearly doubled in recent years). The board endorsed only a vague, discretionary 'slight adjustment' for certain storm scenarios — no formal written standard, no binding policy revision. One selectman suggested drivers bear responsibility for adjusting to conditions. Residents who want a clearer public safety threshold have not yet gotten one.

**$100,000 Fire Truck Deposit Approved Quickly.** The board approved withdrawing $100,000 from fire impact fee funds as a deposit on a used aerial platform truck — a significant capital commitment that passed 4-0 with minimal on-the-record deliberation about the truck's condition, total price, or alternatives considered. Impact fee use for this purpose is appropriate under state law, but residents are entitled to know what they're buying and why. Finally, the transfer station's composite decking is failing due to winter weather, triggering an emergency plywood fix at $3,000+. Questions about the original material's warranty were not answered publicly; a permanent solution has been deferred to a future meeting.

Official minutes for this meeting have not yet been published. You can follow board activity and find agendas at the Town of Amherst's official website. The next board meeting is an opportunity to ask questions on any of these items.