Community Safety and Social Justice Committee Oct 14, 2026

The Town of Amherst Community Safety and Social Justice Committee met remotely on October 14, 2026, according to the meeting title and transcript. The committee discussed preparing a case for increased funding and staffing for Crest, Amherst’s community-response program. Members agreed to circulate feedback on a funding memo by October 19 and aim to send the revised document to town councilors and relevant budget bodies by October 23. They also discussed developing preliminary budget requests for a resident oversight board and a youth empowerment center, using earlier committee materials. Potential youth-center locations at Wildwood and Hampshire were raised for further exploration; no site or renovation decision was made. No dollar amounts, contract awards, vendor selections, or other procurement approvals were identified.

Much of the meeting focused on the proposed resident oversight board’s governance and the committee’s plans to seek community input and engage town officials. Members also reviewed Crest’s service activity and discussed improving dispatch referrals, resource information, and coordination with community organizations. The committee unanimously approved the June, July, and August meeting minutes by roll-call vote; this was the only recorded vote and did not involve spending or procurement.