DPW / Fire Station Advisory Committee

This Committee is not currently active, this is an archival page. 

   
Purpose: The committee is charged with the responsibility of providing advice to the Town Manager, and through the Town Manager to the Select Board, JCPC, and Town Meeting on the options and preferred alternatives for construction of for a DPW facility and an Amherst South Fire Station.

The Committee shall:

• Review the 2006 Fire Station study and recommendations, and the 2016 DPW site study;
• understand the Town’s Master Plan as it may relate to future growth and to location of the DPW facility and Fire Station;
• undertake additional analysis and seek input into the most appropriate location of a DPW facility, and of a Fire Station to serve the downtown and southern part of Amherst, based on criteria from the 2 studies as the Committee may update those criteria;
• undertake an update of the cost of a DPW facility and a Fire Station as envisioned on the preferred sites;
• working with the Town Manager and Finance Director, understand the options for financing these projects, including bonding, grants, sale of real estate, and other alternative sources of funding;
• With the Finance Director and JCPC understand the debt structure of the community including other projects which are approved but may not yet be bonded;
• Develop alternatives for funding these projects at the earliest possible date in a manner to have the least impact on the taxpayers of Amherst;
• The Committee shall complete this phase of the project by 12-31-17, and shall remain in existence until 12- 31-18 in order to advocate for the funding and development of these projects before Town Meeting. 

Voting members to include (as possible): One or more members representing each of the following perspectives:

• A member of the Public Works Committee
• A member of the DPW site study committee
• 2 members of the committee that conducted the Fire Station study completed in 2006
• Not less than 3 residents of the community, with a preference of for residents who have expertise in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or Finance.