After being re-elected to the Town Council for a second term, Dorothy was elected to serve as Chair of Town Services and Outreach Committee (TSO) whose charge is to:

 Review and make recommendations to Town Council on

  • Anything that may affect the provision of services to the community by a Town department
  • Measures related to public ways including transportation and parking, public lands, Town facilities

Review and make recommendations to Town Council on all appointments of Town department heads filed by the town Manager and all appointments to multiple member bodies filed by the Town Manager.

Advise Town Council on matters that broaden participation and outreach to residents of Amherst; work with the Community  Participation Officers, recommend Town Council participation in Town events

Review and make recommendations to Town Council on issues and measures regarding the relationship between the Town and Amherst institutions of higher education.

DOROTHY PAM’S PRIORITIES ON THE TOWN COUNCIL

Delivered at the District 3 Community Meeting on January 30, 2022, after re-election to a second term on the Council.

  • Preserve attainable family housing and strong neighborhoods
  • Create more affordable housing; work with the African Heritage Reparations Program to increase home ownership.
  • Strengthen the rental registration system to provide safe housing for students and better integration into residential areas.
  • Support our public school system and the building of a new elementary school
  • Support the Jones Library Restoration and Building project with emphasis on preserving priceless historical details where possible
  • Include adequate space for the display of our Civil War stones and the accompanying exhibit of African American contribution to Amherst, now housed in the Bangs Center
  • Work with the new Director of Senior Services Hayley Bolton and the Council on Aging on adding and strengthening needed services to Amherst’s growing senior community.
  • Improve downtown access to businesses by a detailed examination of the parking permit system in Amherst in TSO; supporting the hiring of an engineer to examine whether Boltwood Garage can be expanded for more parking; examine the role that the Downtown Parking Overlay has created overflow parking on narrow residential street; and support an examination of all possible parking lots if indeed a new parking garage is needed.
  • Work towards a policy of pedestrian friendly streets— safe sidewalks, larger building setbacks from the public way, more shared green space, clearly marked crosswalks, safe speed limits
  • Push for hiring of an Economic Development Director to work with the BID and the Chamber on a downtown economic revitalization program for Amherst, for lower rents in commercial budlings to allow a wider more interactive variety of experiences as well as a rich and varied program of the arts for all aspects of life.
  • Support new initiatives for greater racial harmony and Public Safety with Amherst Police Department, the Fire Department EMT program, and the CRESS program (Community Responder Program).
  • Support common sense plans for repair and replacement of high school athletic fields
  • Work with the Health Director and the Town Manager in supporting strong measures to protect Amherst residents and students from Covid.
  • Be ready to support the building of much needed new Fire Station and Department of Public Works (DPW) when suitable land is located and secured.
  • Support efforts for Amherst self-sufficiency in terms of food systems, energy creation and use—solar, geothermal.