Town Manager Paul Bockelman expressed concerns about elements of the plans announced by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to reopen in August.
Bockelman stated, “These decisions have consequences and it is up to the University to take responsibility and manage their impact. Time is short. Students have been invited to return to the Town and surrounding areas in five short weeks.”
“I fear that the decision to bring additional students to Town will fuel the conditions for a massive spread of COVID-19 that could overwhelm our local public health infrastructure, create a crisis for our local hospital, strain the capacity of our EMS first responders, and force our public safety officers into difficult, untenable, and possibly dangerous situations,” he added.
Bockelman identified four sets of requests including the opportunity to work with the Chancellor to convene a working group to plan for and monitor activities affecting local government.
You can access the full letter from the Town Manager to the University here.