Published: 9/27/2023 2:24:25 PM
Modified: 9/27/2023 2:23:36 PM
NORTHAMPTON — The office of Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra has released a fact sheet addressing some of the concerns expressed about the coming Picture Main Street project, which aims to revamp the city’s downtown and make it more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
The 16-page sheet offers a rebuttal to some criticisms about the project, and aims to answer the most frequently asked questions regarding the $21 million makeover that would create bike lanes in both directions, expand sidewalks, and reduce driving lanes to one way in each direction with a turning lane in the middle.
The project will also eliminate 57 parking spaces downtown, a source of some of the criticisms the project has received. The city in its FAQ responded by saying multiple studies showed the city had ample parking availability even if those spaces were to be removed.
“Northampton offers an experience as a downtown, and we know it’s better than a mall that builds vast expanses of environmentally unfriendly parking lots designed for Black Friday,” the FAQ states. Our city offers a place where people want to come and hang out, and the Picture Main Street project builds on that even further with more space for people to feel safe.”
The city also addressed calls for a trial run of the project, saying that the city did not have the ability to conduct a trial run that would be able to reflect all of the changes the project would bring.
“The project involves interrelated measures that would be impossible to implement in a trial run. Some of these measures would require long lead times,” the city stated. “If we only do the easy stuff and leave out important elements, a trial run will not show how the system will actually work. Rather, it will be a waste of time and money.”
The project is set to begin construction in 2025, and is expected to take up to three years to complete.
New HR director chosen
Northampton officially has a new human resources director, after benefits specialists Chad Dunham was confirmed by the City Council to take over the position from Glenda Stoddard, who is retiring.
A native of Framingham, Dunham has been with the city for seven years, after first moving to Northampton to obtain his MBA from Springfield College. Dunham also has a certificate in local government leadership and management from Suffolk University and the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which he earned while working for the city.
As the new HR director, Dunham will be reviewing the city’s 13 union contracts, including those with the Police and Fire departments, to ensure they meet current standards.
In a statement issued by the city, Dunham thanked Stoddard, who had been in the position for more than 20 years, for her mentorship.
“I’m eager to add my own perspective and continue the department’s vital work assisting the city’s employees in serving our residents effectively,” Dunham said.
Library offers reparations course
Forbes Library is sponsoring an online five-session course on the topic of reparations for African Americans, part of ongoing efforts in the city to address the issue of historical racial wrongs committed both in the region and nationwide.
The class, called “The Stolen Beam,” will be held online and was developed and facilitated by members of the Reparations Committee of the Jewish Community of Amherst. The stated goal of the course is “to provide educational engagement and personal reflection on the topic of reparations for African Americans, with a focus on the legacy of African enslavement and 400 years of anti-Black racism,” according to Forbes Library Director Lisa Downing.
Classes will feature readings and recordings on the topic of reparations, or compensation offered to African Americans for the injustices of slavery and racism. Participants of the class should expect to take part in active discussion regarding reparations issues.
In both Northampton and Amherst, reparations commissions have been set up to study racial harms committed against African Americans, with Amherst releasing its report this week on a reparations framework for the town. The Northampton Commission to Study Racialized Harms, which held its first meeting in August, is set to meet again on Oct. 3 and is tasked with delivering a similar report for Northampton.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.
