AMHERST — Members of the Town Council are praising Town Manager Paul Bockelman for his work in meeting various policy goals, including climate action, housing affordability and racial equity, while noting some concern over plans for getting four major building projects underway, community health and safety, and improving the town’s economic vitality.

The individual performance reviews, released publicly earlier this month and posted on the town website, are being compiled into a document by Council President Lynn Griesemer that will serve as Bockelman’s official evaluation, on both policy and management goals, prior to contract negotiations.

Bockelman earlier issued a 35-page self-evaluation examining the goals, with a summary in which he wrote 2023 “has been marked by a remarkable record of achievement for town staff including the continued development of two new departments in the town — the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department and the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service Department (CRESS).”

“These accomplishments are a tribute to the quality and commitment of the town’s staff,” Bockelman wrote. “The past few years have been very challenging for town staff. I want to recognize their professionalism and accomplishments.”

Bockelman’s highest scores came on climate action, with 73% commendable and satisfactory, and housing affordability, getting 66% in those categories.

District 5 Councilor Ana Devlin Gauthier cited the acquisition of the former VFW site on Main Street for shelter and housing as an accomplishment on affordability.

“This has been the strongest area for the town manager this year,” Devlin Gauthier wrote. “I am very proud of the work Amherst is doing and appreciate the town manager’s leadership on it.”

“The town manager is committed to increase and ensure access to safe, affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income residents,” wrote District 4 Councilor Anika Lopes. “Still, Amherst is only becoming a more expensive place to live with no ending insight.”

On climate action, District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen complimented Bockelman.

“Paul has clearly made climate action one of the priorities,” Schoen wrote. “This is apparent in purchasing policies for vehicles, renovation/repair of town building HVAC systems, and staff support of moving forward on Valley Green Energy and assessing waste hauler options.”

“Wow! I had no idea there were so many sustainability-related initiatives in our town, beyond those identified as town manager’s goals,” District 5 Councilor Shalini Bahl-Milne wrote. “Given the staff and resources, the town manager is accomplishing a lot,”

On racial equity, Bockelman also earned high marks.

“You have willingly moved and worked to support equity and social justice in our community,” District 2 Councilor Pat DeAngelis wrote.

“The implementation of the DEI Department has been a great success,” At Large Councilor Andy Steinberg wrote. “He hired excellent staff and supported them in their efforts to establish goals, objectives, and work plans and implement those plans.”

Concerns outlined

Councilors did express concern about the four major capital projects and the future of Department of Public Works headquarters and South Amherst fire station.

“You’ve done an excellent job supporting the school and library projects, but there is yet to be a plan for the failing DPW and fire station buildings,” District 1 Councilor Michele Miller wrote.

“Commendable for the elementary school building project and Jones Library building project. Unsatisfactory for the DPW project and fire station project,” wrote At Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke.

On community health and safety, though, where more than half marked as needs improvement or unsatisfactory, they pointed out that a Resident Oversight Board for the police department hasn’t yet been established, CRESS hasn’t been fully deployed and a Youth Empowerment Center has not been created.

“CRESS has clearly not yet evolved to what we hoped would be an unarmed crisis response team that reduced demands on the police, including dispatchers sending teams out to respond,” Schoen wrote.

“There has been very little movement over the last year in regards to the youth empowerment center, which continues to be a prevalent need for young people and families in our community,” At Large Councilor Ellisha Walker wrote. “The current efforts lack emphasis on BIPOC and low-income youth.”

More than half of the councilors suggested economic vitality needs to be improved, focusing on why an economic development director position is not back in the budget, but appreciating the work with the Amherst Business Improvement District and Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce.

“But residents have been very upset at his allowing profit making builders to work to destroy the downtown,” District 3 Councilor Dorothy Pam wrote. “The idea of the center of town being a dorm space for UMass is clearly not good for the town in the long run.”

District 3 Councilor Jennifer Taub noted that she gave a commendable grade due to storefronts being occupied. “Downtown is leaps and bounds more vital than it was when I was elected to council in November 2021,” Taub wrote.

His relationship with councilors and acumen at finance were awarded.

“The town manager is regularly accessible to all town councilors and is earnest about making sure we are informed of situations that may draw public attention beforehand,” Griesemer wrote.

“The town has established and maintained its excellent credit rating, with special thanks to the former finance director and the comptroller, both of whom have left their positions,” District 4 Councilor Pamela Rooney wrote.

Personnel management came under some criticism, though.

“It is clear from the submitted staff evaluations and the recent resignations that supervision and management of the town’s workforce needs improvement,” Hanneke wrote.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.