Photo Credit: Amherst Indy

Public Participation and Public Comment:

Below are a series of publications from current Amherst Town Councilors. After the article link, please find the source, date of publication, and last names of the Councilors involved in the publication.

• The Promise of the Charter: Democracy, Transparency and Public Participation, Amherst Indy (October, 2021) (Greisemer, Steinberg, Hanneke, Ryan)

• Hanneke Continues to Seek Restrictions on Public Comment, Amherst Indy (March, 2023) (Hanneke)

• OPINION: Town Council’s Contempt for Public Input is Undisguised, Amherst Indy (January, 2021) (Greisemer, Ryan)

• Amherst Proposal to Limit Public Comments Sets Off Residents, Amherst Bulletin (March, 2023) (Hanneke)

• Councilors and Residents Pan Proposal to Limit Public Comment, Amherst Indy (March, 2023) (Hanneke, Griesemer) 

• Suggestions Offered for Use of Remaining ARPA Funds, Steinberg Requests Review of Public Comment Rules after Extensive Public Comment, Amherst Indy (July, 2023) (Steinberg)

• Hanneke Continues to Seek Restrictions on Public Comment, Amherst Indy (March, 2023) (Hanneke)

• OPINION: Town Council’s Contempt for Public Input is Undisguised, Amherst Indy (January, 2021) (Greisemer, Ryan)

• OPINION: Council’s Professed Goal of Open Government Remains Elusive, Amherst Indy (January, 2020)

• VIDEO: Peter Tripp on Providing Public Comment at Midnight and Public Participation in General, (January, 2019) (Greisemer, with Hanneke)

Racial Equity:

• Social Justice Committee Condemns Marginalization by Town Manager and Town Council, Amherst Indy (August, 2023) (Greisemer)

• Open Meeting Law Complaint Targets Council President, Hampshire Gazette (December, 2022) (Greisemer)

• Hanneke Abruptly Ends Discussion on Racial Incident, Defends Actions - Masslive (October, 2022) (Hanneke)

• Council Meeting Ends Prematurely with Frustration and Outrage, Amherst Indy (October, 2022) (Hanneke, Greisemer)

• CSSJC, Town Council Continue to Spar over Prioritizing the Needs of Amherst’s Most Vulnerable Residents, Amherst Indy (October, 2022) 

• A Message to Some Councilors: Lean into the Discomfort - Amherst Bulletin (October, 2022) (Hanneke, Greisemer)

• Opinion: Councilors Hanneke and Greisemer Need to Reflect on Their Role in Upholding White Supremacy, Amherst Indy (October, 2022) (Greisemer, Hanneke)

• Councilors Divided on Response to Community Safety Committee, Amherst Indy (October, 2022) (Hanneke, Greisemer)

• Miller Requests Public Information about Town Councilor Meetings with Police, Amherst Indy (December, 2022) (Greisemer)

• Massachusetts Town Creates Reparations Fund for Black Residents, AP (June, 2021) (Hanneke)

• Letter: Sunrise Amherst Condemns Councilor Hanneke’s Statement On Racial Quotas - Amherst Indy (October, 2021) (Hanneke)

Opinion: Defund 413 Condemns Councilors Hanneke, Steinberg, Ross, and Ryan For Their Failure To Support Racial Justice, Amherst Indy (October, 2021) (Hanneke, Steinberg, Ryan) 

• GOL Recommends Racial Equity Goals after Backlash, Amherst Indy (August, 2020) (Ryan)

Climate Action Publications:

• Trust and Communication Issues Provide Impetus for Retreat; [Greisemer omits PFAS information relevant to Council], Amherst Indy (February, 2023) (Greisemer)

• New Protocols for Setting Town Manager Goals Would Remove Specific Mandates for Climate Action, CRESS, Solid Waste and Racial Equity, Amherst Indy, (December, 2022) (Steinberg, Hanneke, Greisemer)

• Amherst All In on Climate Goals; [Hanneke moves to slow adoption; Steinberg expresses concern], Hampshire Gazette (June, 2021) (Hanneke, Steinberg)

• Amherst Vote to Purchase Polluting School Bus Criticized, Amherst Bulletin (Sept. 2019) (Hanneke, Greisemer, Ryan)

• Amherst Bylaw to Mandate Zero Energy for Town Buildings; [Steinberg opposes], Hampshire Gazette (November, 2017) (Steinberg)

• https://www.amherstindy.org/2023/01/27/griesemer-failed-to-share-information-on-proposed-state-pfas-ban-with-town-council/, Amherst Indy, (January, 2023) (Griesemer)

Zoning Publications:

• Hanneke/DeAngelis Zoning Proposal [ultimately withdrawn] (Amherst Indy articles, 2023) (Hanneke, DeAngelis)

• OPINION: Amherst Zoning Tweaks Would Just Open the Door, Hampshire Gazette (June, 2023) (Hanneke, DeAngelis)

• Zoning Change Foes Worry about Student Housing Expansion, Amherst Bulletin (June, 2023) (Hanneke, DeAngelis)

• Amherst Council Assailed As Parking Garage Advances, Amherst Bulletin (December, 2021) (Ryan, Steinberg, Greisemer, Hanneke)

• Council To Meet Seven Weeks In A Row For Zoning Change Votes Before New Councilors Are Seated, Amherst Indy (November, 2021) (Greisemer, Hanneke, Ryan)

• The Promise of the Charter: Thoughtful, Deliberate (and not Rushed) Planning; [Temporary Building Moratorium Thwarted], Amherst Indy (October, 2021) (Greisemer, Steinberg, Hanneke, Ryan)

• Opinion: Town Council’s Contempt for Public Input is Undisguised; Jan. 2021 Zoning Package, Amherst Indy (January, 2021) (Greisemer, Ryan)

• Amherst Councilors stall [steamrolling of] zoning priorities, Amherst Bulletin, (December, 2020) (Hanneke, Ryan, Greisemer)

• Amherst Planning Board Veteran Pushed Out, Hampshire Gazette (September, 2020) (Greisemer, Ryan, Steinberg, Hanneke)

• Opinion: CRC’s Shameful Recommendation to Not Reappoint Birtwhistle to Planning Board Should be Rejected by the Full Council, Amherst Indy (August, 2020) (Hanneke, Ryan)

Economic Justice:

• Finance Committee Stalls on Councilor Compensation Proposal, Amherst Indy (June, 2023) (Greisemer, Steinberg)

• Council Calls on Biden to Cancel Student Debt, Hampshire Gazette (May, 2022) (Hanneke)

General Publications:

• Amherst Indy Series: Reflections of a Soon-To-Be-Former Councilor on How This Town Council Fails to Meet the Promises of the Charter (September - October, 2021)

• #1, Voting and Accountability (Sept. 2021)

• #2, Democracy, Transparency and Public Participation (October, 2021)  (Greisemer, Steinberg, Hanneke, Ryan)

• #3, Checks and Balances (October, 2021) (Greisemer)

• #4, Balance of Power on the Town Council (October, 2021) (Greisemer, Hanneke, Steinberg, Ryan)

• #5, Thoughtful, Deliberate (and not Rushed) Planning (October, 2021) (Greisemer, Steinberg, Hanneke, Ryan)

• Residents Raise Concerns about Town Government in League of Women Voters Survey on Town Charter, Amherst Indy (May, 2023)