Amherst officials want to begin using social media to communicate with the public during emergencies.

It was an idea discussed at a workshop attended by Town Manager John Musante at the recent Massachusetts Municipal Association conference in Boston. The workshop focused on how town government can do more to reach out to residents, even when power is out and phone lines are down.

Even before the January conference, Musante said, he had gotten feedback from residents that the town should utilize the social networking websites Facebook and Twitter. He said he discovered during the extensive power failures caused by the October snowstorm that many residents still had Internet access through their cellphones and other mobile devices.

Musante said he has committed himself to learning more and has instructed staff to do likewise.

He also attended a workshop on road designs, which offered a guidebook of best practices that could help the town in implementing concepts such as the complete streets philosophy, which incorporates pedestrian and bicycle usage.

Select Board members who attended the conference also brought back information. Diana Stein went to a session on disaster preparedness, while chairman Stephanie O'Keeffe sat in on a meeting on how municipal law can deal with problem properties, an area which concerns Amherst due to the large number of student rental units in town.

"It's a great opportunity to gain knowledge of how other folks do things," O'Keeffe said.

Rotary Grant

Applications are available to be considered for the third annual Rotary Club of Amherst community grant, which will be awarded to a local nonprofit organization in May.

The $25,000 grant is achieved through Rotary's annual fundraiser, the Amherst Rotary Auction, held each November and broadcast on Amherst Media.

Previous recipients have included the Amherst Survival Center, which will put the money toward the kitchen in its new building on Sunderland Road, and Crocker Farm School on West Street, which built a new playground.

"We are so grateful that strong community support for the Amherst Rotary Auction is enabling us to make the Community Grant award an annual event," said Irv Rhodes, Rotary president, in a statement.

This grant is in addition to the ongoing scholarship and other programs in which money is given to about 20 nonprofit organizations.

"This $25,000 community grant provides a special opportunity to partner with a local nonprofit or civic organization to make a major, sustainable contribution to the community," Rhodes said.

Nonprofit organizations wishing to apply for the grant should obtain an application form at www.amherstrotaryclub.org. The deadline for applications is Feb. 28.

Mystery writers panel

An organization dedicated to promoting professional development of women who write crime fiction will host a panel discussion at the Jones Library, 43 Amity St., Sunday at 2 p.m.

"Writing New England Mysteries, Long and Short" is the title of the Sisters in Crime presentation, which will take place in the large meeting room.

The panelists will include Sheila Connolly, author of the "Orchard" mystery series, Kate Flora, who penned the Thea Kozak mysteries, and Barbara Ross, the organization's president and co-editor of an annual anthology of crime stories.

The panel presentation coincides with the library receiving a $1,000 award from the Sisters in Crime's "We Love Libraries" lottery.

During this two-year campaign, libraries across the country were encouraged to submit photos of staff displaying books written by Sisters in Crime authors. The Jones staff sent in a photograph depicting employees with three books. It was randomly picked as a winner in November and posted to the organization's website.

Janet Ryan, a reference librarian at Jones, said the money is expected to go toward programming. Sisters in Crime stipulates that the money can't be used for operating expenses.

The panel presentation is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, contact Ryan at ryanj@joneslibrary.org or 259-3223.

Monday: Select Board, 6:30 p.m., Town Room, Town Hall, followed by joint meeting with Amherst School Committee to select School Committee member.

Thursday: Joint Capital Planning Committee, 9:30 a.m., and Zoning Board of Appeals, 6:30 p.m., special permit request to convert a house at 156 Sunset Ave. to a two family dwelling, both at Town Room, Town Hall; Finance Committee, 7 p.m., First Floor Meeting Room, Town Hall.