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Committee advances CIC authority to renegotiate Gordon Avenue cell‑tower lease; member recused
Summary
The finance committee forwarded an ordinance authorizing the Community Improvement Corporation to negotiate a lease for the cell tower at 545 Gordon Ave and allowed Council member Mister Wernarski to recuse himself from related votes because of an ethical conflict; the committee voted to send the item to council 5–0.
The Amherst Finance Committee voted to forward Ordinance 82604 to the council, authorizing the City of Amherst Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) to negotiate an agreement for the lease of a cell tower at 545 Gordon Avenue.
The mayor said the current lease for the Gordon Avenue tower will expire in about two years and that the CIC—whose membership is council-heavy—can negotiate, solicit replacement tenants or present alternatives for council approval. "They can go out and look for other tenants. They can accept a new lease. They can extend the lease," the mayor said, adding the CIC will return recommendations to council for final approval.
Council member Mister Wernarski asked to be permitted to recuse himself from voting on the item because his outside work posed an ethical conflict. He said, "I'm gonna ask you to permit me to recuse my vote." The committee moved to allow his recusal; the motion carried 5–0 and he was excused from voting on Ordinance 82604. Wernarski indicated he would "remain mute" during the committee’s handling of the item.
Committee members raised a separate administrative point about CIC membership and whether two positions need replacement; the mayor said he will ensure the CIC has full standing. After that discussion the committee voted 5–0 to send the ordinance to council as written with emergency. The CIC will negotiate and then present any proposed lease terms back to council for approval.
