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Letters
Region
Obituaries
Abstract Paintings & Tribal Masks Exhibition At New Hampshire Antique Co-Op
Now on view through May 31, 2020
Congregational Church Stays Connected
During the suspension of in-person activities in light of the Covid-19 situation, the Congregational Church of Amherst, UCC has a variety of ways for members and others to connect with church programs. This is especially important during April as Holy Week and Easter are on the horizon.
The most up-to-date information about church activities can be found on the church’s website (ccamherst.org) or by calling the church office at 673-3231. Sunday services are broadcast on FacebookLive and recorded for later on-line viewing. Services are followed by a Virtual Fellowship Hour. Links for these and other events can be found on the website.
The church’s Facebook page is another source of information, including updates and video messages from the pastors. Pastors Maureen Frescott and Kate Kennedy are available to provide pastoral care during this time, and the church welcomes community members to connect with this loving, serving, open and affirming community of faith.
Lorraine Alice Hamilton
AMHERST – Lorraine Alice Hamilton of Amherst, New Hampshire, Beach Haven, New Jersey and Rancho Mirage, California died June 14, 2020 from pancreatic cancer at her home in California. She was 73 years old and a participant in the trial of a new cancer drug at NYU Langone in New York City since April 2019. She hoped that results from the trial would improve care for other patients who develop this cancer. She was with her family when she died and was
Donald Richard Haaker
Donald Richard Haaker, 80, born June 2, 1940, son of Carl E Haaker and Jeanne LaRochelle Haaker of Fitchburg, MA, son, brother, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, peacefully passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2020 at Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, MA.
Don, as he was affectionately referred to by friends, and Dad or Grandpa by family, was a proud veteran, avid fisherman, former business owner, collector of “As Seen On TV” gadgets, and
More Letters
Let’s Keep Amherst, Amherst
To the editor:
Over the next several years, Amherst’s future will be shaped by the decision making of key boards. Whether we retain all that we love about this special community will depend particularly on the actions of our Planning Board.
Planning Board members will confront a potential raft of development – with the prospect of hundreds of new homes built on land that contributes to our rural character. If the legal processes and deliberations under which development can occur are mismanaged or ignored, Amherst may well devolve into an over-built, congested suburban sprawl of the sort we too often see around us.
Also, the Planning Board will be leading the community-wide creation of a ten-year master plan that, at a minimum, will need to reflect our collective vision for Amherst and the initiatives and investments in land use to achieve that vision.
Successfully fulfilling these responsibilities will depend upon Planning Board members who:
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Understand and are rigorous in applying the statutes under which they operate;
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Engage effectively with one another and with all their constituents;
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Think clearly – both tactically and strategically – in balancing the rights of residents with those of developers;
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Subordinate their personal preferences for the greater good; and
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Engage residents and businesses in shaping and supporting a vision for Amherst’s future.
Fortunately, there are several Planning Board candidates running for election in March who bring all of these capabilities to the table. They are:
Tracie Adams, Christy Houpis, Tom Quinn, Arnie Rosenblatt, Bill Stoughton, and Chris Yates.
They have already demonstrated their abilities and commitment to the town through their effective service on the Planning Board and/or the Master Planning Steering Committee.
We believe their service on the Planning Board will be key to keeping Amherst Amherst.
We will definitely be voting for them. We hope you will, too.
Respectfully,
Carol Akillian, Mike Akillian, Caroline Boyd, Cyndi Carr, Jim Hendrix, Angela Horner, Nye Horner, Elise Lutz, Steve Lutz, Dawn McGuire, Frank Montesanto, Lisa Montesanto, Lauren Primmer, Lou Primmer, Heather Ramm, Robert Ramm, Jamie Ramsay, Scott Stimpert, Theresa Stone, Doug Tricarico
Tom Quinn Runs for Planning Board
To the editor:
My name is Tom Quinn and I am running for the Amherst Planning Board next month. I have lived in Amherst for approximately 35 years. I grew up here and am now raising a family here. Amherst has been, and still is, a special place to me.
Most of my lifetime work experience and education has revolved around construction and real estate. I grew up in a family construction materials business, earned a civil engineering degree and currently assist with running the family businesses and several other real estate related entities. I am also a licensed NH real estate agent. All of these experiences are very helpful in understanding the topics and details that come before our Planning Board.
I became involved in town development issues and Planning Board issues a few years ago when several very large, high density developments were proposed near me. While I am not against development, over the years of living here I have seen firsthand how too much development too fast can have some negative impacts. Some of my bigger concerns relate to growing class sizes in our smaller and older elementary schools, increases in traffic and decreases in pedestrian safety, open space and, more generally, on the rural nature of our town.
Over the past two years, I along with many likeminded friends in town, have achieved much to help solve what we saw as problems from the outside of the process. We:
Pushed for, and the BOS finally implemented, impact fees on development. Developers now help pay for capital improvements that will be needed to accommodate the growth in town going forward.
We passed the citizen petitions last year that eliminated the Integrated Innovative Housing Ordinance in town – the single greatest contributor to, and enabler of, these large high density projects.
We passed a petition to change the Planning Board from an appointed board to one that is elected. It was, and is, hoped that an elected Planning Board would be a more accountable board.
The Planning Board we have today is different than the one we had two years ago. It is now a much more thoughtful board in my opinion. The current members that are running for election have my full support. I hope to join this board next month to lend specialized skills and provide a resident focused viewpoint. If you agree with me that smaller, less impactful development may be better development for the neighbors, the town and the local environment, I would ask for your vote on June 8th.
Regards,
Tom Quinn,
Planning Board Candidate 2021
Amherst