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Split vote on large-scale event with unresolved town service cost exposure

Amherst BOS voted 4-1 on 6/9 to conditionally approve a German Christmas Market expected to draw up to 20,000 people to Town Common on Dec. 13. Police and DPW cost estimates? Not in yet. Final approval still pending.

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Flat nonprofit funding eroded by inflation, no commitment to address it

Amherst gives $55,000/year to 15 nonprofits serving elderly, disabled & low-income residents. That number hasn't changed in 6-7 years. A board member noted inflation has quietly gutted its real value. The board approved the flat amount anyway — no action taken to fix it.

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Board caution on long-term financial commitment with undisclosed obligations

A company pitched Amherst a 20-year solar net metering deal paying the town ~$13,600/year with 'no investment required.' The board didn't bite — yet. They want the legislation, PUC details, a sample contract, and a legal opinion on whether residents get a vote. Smart.

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Board self-accountability and governance gap

Amherst BOS acknowledged on 6/9 that it has never formally set goals for itself. One member put it plainly: 'You can't fail if you never give yourself a goal.' A goal-setting session is now planned for August 2025.

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🧵 Amherst Board of Selectmen met 6/9/25. One split vote, a 20-year financial deal that raised eyebrows, and a funding pool for vulnerable residents that's lost ground to inflation for nearly a decade. Here's what happened:

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1/ SPLIT VOTE: The board approved a German Christmas Market on Dec. 13 at Town Common — but only 4-1, and only conditionally. The event could draw up to 20,000 visitors. Organizers propose capping it at 8,000 with ticketing. Police and DPW cost estimates are still pending.

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2/ Final approval isn't granted yet. Organizers must submit detailed bus routes, shuttle schedules, parking locations, porta-potty placement, and a full site plan. The board also needs cost estimates from police and DPW before signing off. The one dissenting vote wasn't explained.

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3/ 20-YEAR DEAL SCRUTINIZED: Kearsarge Energy pitched a net metering program — ~$13,600/year to Amherst for 20 years, no town investment required. Board member reaction: 'It sounds remarkably like a something for nothing scheme.' The board tabled it pending legal review.

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4/ Before any decision, the board wants: the enabling legislation (HB 315), PUC filings, a sample agreement, updated payment projections, a list of towns already participating, and a legal opinion on whether this requires a town meeting vote. That's the right call for a 20-year commitment.

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5/ INFLATION & NONPROFITS: Amherst distributes $55,000/year to 15 nonprofits serving elderly, disabled, and low-income residents. That total hasn't changed in 6-7 years. One board member flagged it publicly. The board approved the flat amount 5-0 with no plan to revisit the level.

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6/ BOARD GOALS: The board acknowledged it has never formally set goals for itself — despite holding departments to goals and deadlines. One member: 'You can't fail if you never give yourself a goal.' A goal-setting session is now scheduled for August. We'll watch for follow-through. /end

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Longer-form draft.

Here's a recap of what the Amherst Board of Selectmen decided at their June 9, 2025 meeting — including a split vote on a major event, a long-term financial proposal that drew sharp skepticism, and a funding gap for nonprofits serving residents most in need.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKET — 4-1 VOTE, CONDITIONS STILL UNMET: The board gave conditional approval for a German Christmas Market on the Town Common on December 13. The event is projected to draw as many as 20,000 visitors, though organizers are proposing a ticketed system to cap attendance at 8,000. One board member voted against even this conditional approval. Before final approval can happen, organizers must submit detailed bus routes, shuttle frequencies, parking locations, porta-potty placement, and a full site plan. The town also needs cost estimates from the police department and DPW — numbers that weren't available at the meeting. Residents near the Common and anyone commuting through town that day should follow this closely as those details come in.

NET METERING DEAL TABLED FOR SCRUTINY: A representative from Kearsarge Energy pitched a 20-year agreement that would pay Amherst roughly $13,600 per year through a state solar net metering program, with no upfront cost to the town. The board did not approve it. One member flatly called it a 'something for nothing scheme' and the board voted to gather more information first — including the enabling legislation, Public Utilities Commission details, a sample contract, a list of municipalities already in the program, and a legal opinion on whether this agreement requires a town meeting vote. That's the appropriate level of caution for a 20-year financial commitment.

NONPROFIT FUNDING HASN'T KEPT UP WITH INFLATION: The board unanimously approved distributing $55,000 to 15 nonprofits that serve Amherst's elderly, disabled, and low-income residents. That total has not increased in six to seven years. One board member explicitly noted that inflation has eroded the real value of that support — meaning these organizations are effectively getting less help each year while costs rise. The board approved the flat allocation with no formal commitment to address the gap. This is worth raising with your selectmen before next year's budget cycle.

The board also acknowledged it has never formally set goals for itself and scheduled a goal-setting session for August 2025. Official minutes for this meeting have not yet been published.