- Governance
- Introduced openness and transparency to municipal government (as promised 3 years ago)
- Filled selectman vacancy in a public and open process
- Regularly provide information to the press and public without the need for a Right to Know request, but when a Right to Know request is filed we comply fully with all time lines
- Our Board meeting minutes are consistently approved at the following meeting and posted on our web site
- Negotiated 3-year contract with police union
- Recently went on-line with a new Town website which will allow more frequent updates about current activities by our department heads and Town Committees
- Published Town Policies to the web site
- Strategic Planning
- Initiated annual Strategic Planning across all departments
- Strategic Plans are updated annually for each department and then presented to the public and the Board of Selectmen
- Management
- Hired four new department heads - Recreation, Community Development, Fire Rescue and Finance
- Commissioned MRI to conduct a comprehensive Fire / EMS review
- Merged EMS & Fire departments to improve safety
- Fire daytime coverage has been addressed by the Fire / EMS merger
- Commissioned Matrix to perform comprehensive DPW review
- All Town employees are now reviewed annually
- All employees are now in compliance with the Town Vacation Policy
- Financial
- Obtained a $308,750 grant to replace Fire Engine 2. The total cost for the fire truck was $376,000 with the Amherst taxpayers covering the $67,250 balance.
- By entering an agreement with Milford, both towns are able to provide vacation coverage and better cover peaks demands with inspections without increasing costs to either town
- Worked with our legislators to pass a new State law providing 80% reimbursement to the Town for the Manchester Road Bridge
- Our Audit is now completed well within the State required time frame and is now viewed as a process to help us improve our processes
- We are in the final stages of implementing a new finance system for the Town
- Infrastructure
- Reopened the Manchester Road Bridge on November 21, 2015
- Completed the Town Hall Roof structural repairs on budget
- Pipeline
- Established the Amherst Pipeline Task Force to communicate our concerns and follow with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the New Hampshire Site Evaluation Commission and our State and Federal representatives and Governor
- The Pipeline Task Force and Board of Selectmen achieved a change in the proposed Northeast Energy Direct (Kinder Morgan) pipeline route to avoid schools, (most) homes and environmentally sensitive land in Amherst
- Quality of Life
- Rebuilt the Davis Lane Tennis Court
- Replaced the docks at Baboosic Lake
- Bought Kayaks & Paddle Boats; rental income from the first year more than paid for them
- Bought a mini-bus (Recreation); started running trips for young and old using the bus
Accomplishments shared with John D'Angelo