Amherst town board moves to downsize

AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) - The newly elected Amherst town board is setting the wheels in motion to downsize itself.

They've scheduled a public hearing for January 19th, when the people of Amherst can voice their opinions on what they think of downsizing the board from seven members to five.

It's a new town board here in Amherst: three new members and a new supervisor are now making decisions for the town. The biggest item to come out of the first meeting is it looks like voters will get to decide whether or not they want the board to downsize from seven to five.

"Immediately on January 1, 2011, which is my position which would not be filled this year. The second position that would be eliminated are two elections from now, "said Dr. Barry Weinstein, the new Amherst Town Supervisor.

There are currently six board members that Supervisor Weinstein says he'd like to fill that seventh seat if the referendum, scheduled for the spring, fails.

Weinstein said, "If the resolution fails, I would recommend to the town board we fill my position."

Mark Manna, the lone Democrat on the board, introduced a downsizing measure of his own that would take effect next year as opposed to phasing it in over four years. His was voted down. Even though he's the only democrat here, he believes the board is made up of individual voices.

Manna said, "A good idea is a good idea and I don't see us voting against a bad idea because it comes from one party.'

And Manna says that referendum vote should wait until the November elections instead of holding a referendum in the spring which could cause taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. Now there are three new board members

>>Watch Michele McClintick's interview with Jay Anderson here.