 Hi, I'm Bob Greeny. I live on McClellan Street with other families, seniors, and students. A charming, historic neighborhood of active, engaged, and outspoken citizens. I teach physics at Holyoke Community College, make pottery, write poetry, and like having a voice in the governance planning and vision of our town. I love this town where I've lived for 24 years with my wife and previously four children. I appreciate the range and quality of our schools, libraries, police, fire and rescue services, recreational programs, senior services, and more. I strongly support good maintenance and improving and improvements, including new buildings as needed. Most of the candidates are in agreement on most of these issues. Given the time limit, let me address two issues where I differ from the other candidates. First, the process by which we govern ourselves needs to be more participatory and inclusive through every stage of planning and development of new initiatives. We need better practice at building unity and community. The unpleasant and failed elementary school proposal was not a failure of town meeting. It was a failure of inclusion and participation in planning and development from the beginning and throughout the process. Any project that leaves half the town unhappy should not be implemented. Let us build unity and community together. Second, in my opinion, the current development trend in Amherst's town center is the single most important issue in this election. Our town center in appearance and ambiance is moving rapidly in a direction that will be irreversible and radically different from what many of us want. This election may be your last chance to have any leverage or voice on this matter. What I see is our downtown filling up with expensive student housing. It seems to me that the current and projected buildings, if built, will be primarily if not exclusively occupied by students. These buildings are effectively dormitories in our town center. We need a new fresh creative vision for the future of our town center that will enhance the unique and attractive character of the current town center. It is possible to grow organically and with a creative flair that will extend those qualities we love and desire. Some of you may reluctantly support this trend in hope of tax revenue that may ease the constant upward spiral of tax increase and help fund for capital spending projects that most of us feel are needed. To you, I say, the price is not worth the uncertain benefit. Associated costs, infrastructure, support services, and especially parking may eclipse the tax benefit you are hoping to realize. I urge the business community to think if it will be to your benefit to have a town center dominated by student housing. Consider a more creative and diverse mixture of architecture, population, business, entertainment, and recreation for our town center. We all want variety, vibrancy, and vitality. When we walk the streets of Amherst, our eyes should be entertained by a variety of organic and diverse architectural infill that makes our town center a collective public art project. Let us come together and agree to this high standard of development that in the end will benefit all of us, businesses, and the general public. Thank you.