Town Council Apr 6, 2026

The Town Council of Amherst, MA held a public forum and regular meeting on April 6, 2026, focusing heavily on Community Preservation Act (CPA) appropriations, particularly funding for historic preservation projects such as the Jones Library woodwork restoration and the Simeon Strong House. Public comments reflected both support and opposition to CPA funding allocations, with concerns about compliance with historic preservation standards and the impact on other projects. The council approved a borrowing order for $497,000 for school district building repairs and equipment. A significant portion of the meeting addressed the Department of Public Works (DPW) building's unsafe conditions, resulting in motions directing the town manager to present a plan for relocating DPW personnel to temporary workspaces by October 1, 2026, with input from DPW employees and a budget estimate for the move. The council also voted to add a DPW employee as a voting member to the DPW building committee to ensure worker input. Additionally, the council requested detailed information from the town manager regarding FY27 water and sewer rates, including staffing challenges and long-term financial stability of enterprise funds. Other agenda items included discussions on charter amendments, regionalization opportunities, and upcoming budget hearings. No new contracts or vendor selections were reported, but several budgetary and capital improvement planning actions were taken.