Page 10 - BusinessWest February 17, 2021

Community Spotlight
Amherst Moves Forward in Challenging Times
By Mark Morris
Epictetus, the Greek philosopher, first made the observation, “it’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it
that matters.”
While Epictetus did not live in Amherst, town
officials and business leaders there have certainly adopted the philosopher’s adage in their robust efforts to return the town to vitality in the face of a pandemic.
“We prioritized the health of our workforce because we wouldn’t be able to help residents if our fire, police, and DPW staff weren’t healthy.”
Last March, when COVID-19 began to affect life in communities everywhere, Amherst took a broader hit than most because UMass Amherst, Hampshire College, and Amherst College all shut down earlier than other area institutions.
Gabrielle Gould, executive director of the
Amherst Business Improvement District (BID), said the suddenly empty campuses posed a shock to the system.
“We lost 40,000 people in a 48-hour peri- od,” she recalled. “It was like turning off a light switch.”
With college closings and retail activity com- ing to a screeching halt, Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman said his town lost its two major industries because of the pandemic. Still, he noted, “despite all that, the town has been resil- ient, and we are prepared to emerge from the pandemic in a very strong way.”
Early on, Amherst quickly mobilized a COVID- 19 response team as Bockelman and the depart- ment heads of the Police, Fire, Public Works,
and other departments met daily to strategize,
he explained. “We prioritized the health of our workforce because we wouldn’t be able to help residents if our fire, police, and DPW staff weren’t healthy.”
The next priority was to maintain continuity of government functions. Amherst migrated town staff to remote work and incorporated Zoom meetings to assure key bodies such as the Town Council and the School Committee could keep moving forward. Permit-granting committees soon followed.
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10 FEBRUARY 17, 2021
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Amherst at a glance
YEAR INCORPORATED: 1759
POPULATION: 39,482
AREA: 27.7 square miles
COUNTY: Hampshire
RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE: $21.82
COMMERCIAL TAX RATE: $21.82
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $48,059
MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME: $96,005
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT: Town Council, Town Manager
LARGEST EMPLOYERS: UMass Amherst; Amherst College; Hampshire College
* Latest information available
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