EASTHAMPTON

With little fanfare, city councilors last week voted unanimously in favor of merging Easthampton City Arts, the Cultural Council and ArtWalk Easthampton into one public entity.

The resulting organization is called Easthampton City Arts Plus. City Planner Stuart Beckley told councilors it has been in the works for about a year.

"We've been working for a year on how to combine and share resources," Beckley said. "Therefore it seems to make sense to bring the groups together to work together."

The group will be governed by a 19-member board appointed by the mayor. Beckley said that he and City Grants Coordinator Ellen Koteen plan to be members of the board. Both were active in Easthampton City Arts, which started as a private organization that received city support in the form of grant-writing help. City Arts, which has an office in the old Town Hall on Main Street, has been grant funded all along, and brought popular events such as the Easthampton Bear Fest to the city, as well as other forms of public art.

ECA Plus's first meeting will be held Jan. 27 at 5 p.m.

Call to artists

The organizers of Derrill's Race, an annual walk and running race held in memory of Derrill Stoddard, a former Easthampton police detective, are seeking two artists willing to donate their work as first and second place prizes in the male and female race categories.

The artwork must reflect the theme "Get Outdoors Easthampton!"

City artists Michael MacTavish and Crystal Popko donated last year's pieces.

Those interested or wanting more information can email Liz Provo at info@derillsrace.com by Feb. 25. Artists will be expected to present their piece the day of the race, May 1.

Farewell, Easthampton

Normally at the bottom of this column, I write my email address for readers to reach me. This column is different, as I am writing it on my final day as a staff writer for the Gazette, where I have been working for the past five years. I have taken a job as a business writer in Worcester.

Be nice to my replacement, Owen Boss, who will write about city topics in this space in the future. He will be switching from his schools beat to cover city issues. Rebecca Everett will be coming in to cover the schools beat.

Goodbye, Easthampton. It's been fun.