Accountability posts
Drafts ready to share. Click to copy, then post. Board of Selectmen · Amherst, NH · June 24, 2025.
X / Twitter
Individual posts for different angles. Pick the one that fits your audience.
Board accepting no-action recommendation on long-standing resident traffic concerns based on limited data window
Amherst BOS 6/24: Chestnut Hill Rd residents raised speeding/truck concerns for years. A traffic study found truck traffic under 1%. Board voted 4-0: no changes. The Police Chief noted one week of data can't capture decades of resident experience.
247/280 chars
Impending financial leadership transition at a fiscally significant moment
Amherst BOS 6/24: Finance Director signaled she plans to retire before the next budget cycle. Town is recruiting a Finance Director & created a Deputy Treasurer role — while managing a ~$1.6M surplus. Transition worth watching.
227/280 chars
Significant taxpayer surplus moving to fund balance without detailed public deliberation
Amherst BOS 6/24: ~$1.6M in budget surplus (~$800K unspent + ~$800K-$1M excess revenue) projected for unassigned fund balance. Board noted the figures with no discussion of alternative uses at this meeting.
206/280 chars
Simultaneous public safety staffing gaps and their potential impact on residents
Amherst BOS 6/24: Building Inspector resigned. Police Chief appointed interim Emergency Management Director while town searches for a Fire Chief. Two public safety-adjacent roles on interim arrangements simultaneously.
218/280 chars
X thread
Post these in sequence for maximum impact.
1
THREAD: Amherst Board of Selectmen met 6/24/25. No off-agenda controversies, but several decisions worth residents' attention — especially on Chestnut Hill Rd, a $1.6M surplus, and a string of open leadership positions. 🧵
221/280
2
1/ Chestnut Hill Rd: Residents have raised speeding and truck traffic concerns for years. The Traffic Safety Committee collected data and found truck traffic under 1%. Board voted 4-0 to accept the recommendation — no policy changes. The Police Chief acknowledged: 'What I can capture in a week does not encapsulate the 30 years that somebody has lived there.'
360/280
3
2/ That acknowledgment matters. The board heard that the data tool has real limits — and still accepted the no-action recommendation. No residents spoke at this meeting. If you live on Chestnut Hill Rd, the next opportunity to raise concerns is the July 14 meeting.
265/280
4
3/ Money: The Finance Director reported ~$800K unspent budget + $800K–$1M excess revenue = roughly $1.6 million projected for the unassigned fund balance. The board noted the figures without discussion of whether any portion should be directed elsewhere.
254/280
5
4/ Also on 6/24: The Finance Director indicated she intends to retire before the next budget cycle. The board approved a new Deputy Treasurer job description and will begin recruiting a Finance Director replacement. That's a significant transition in financial oversight.
271/280
6
5/ Public safety staffing: Police Chief Anthony Timole was appointed interim Emergency Management Director (4-0) while the town searches for a permanent Fire Chief. Building Inspector also resigned; interim coverage is in place, permanent search ongoing with 3-4 applicants.
274/280
7
6/ Other actions: Board approved ~$600K in fiscal year encumbrances (fire vehicles, DPW, recreation), $893 for trail signage, denied a charitable tax exemption, and approved $5,877 in property tax abatements. All votes unanimous at 4-0. Next meeting: July 14.
259/280
Longer-form draft.
📋 Amherst Board of Selectmen — June 24, 2025 Meeting Recap If you live on Chestnut Hill Road, here's what happened: the Traffic Safety Committee completed a study and found that truck traffic represented less than 1% of total vehicles. Based on that data, the committee recommended no policy changes, and the board voted 4-0 to accept that recommendation. No residents spoke at the meeting. Police Chief Anthony Timole — who presented the study — acknowledged that a week of data 'does not encapsulate the 30 years that somebody has lived there.' The board accepted the recommendation despite that caveat. Residents who feel their concerns weren't resolved can raise them at the July 14 meeting. On the town's finances: the Finance Director reported that Amherst is projected to end the fiscal year with roughly $1.6 million in surplus — about $800,000 in unspent budget funds and $800,000 to $1 million in excess revenue. This is projected to go to the unassigned fund balance. Separately, the Finance Director indicated her intention to retire before the next budget cycle. The town is recruiting for a Finance Director and has created a new Deputy Treasurer position to help with continuity. Two staffing gaps are worth watching: the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer resigned, and interim coverage is in place while a permanent search proceeds (3–4 applicants so far, with interviews expected in the first week of July). Police Chief Timole was also appointed interim Emergency Management Director (4-0) while the town searches for a permanent Fire Chief replacement. Other actions: The board approved approximately $600,000 in fiscal year encumbrances for fire vehicle repairs, DPW projects, recreation improvements, and a vegetation management plan. They also approved $893.40 for trail signage, denied a charitable tax exemption for 46 Merrimack Road, approved $5,877.22 in property tax abatements, and approved updated job descriptions for the Finance Director and Deputy Treasurer roles. All votes were unanimous at 4-0. The next Board of Selectmen meeting is July 14, 2025, which will also include the rescheduled athletic team championship recognition ceremony.