Amherst Town Board rescinds $11 million MusicalFare bond after vote Monday

Amherst, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Amherst Town Board voted to rescind an $11 million bond resolution that would put a MusicalFare theater in the former Westwood Country Club late Monday night.

The vote came a month after more than 4,500 residents signed a petition for referendum, which would have allowed residents to directly vote on the matter. However, with the board's decision on Monday, there will no longer be a special election.

Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa explained it would cost the city around $100,000 to run the special election, which he believes would be a waste of taxpayer funds.

"We have to pay for election inspectors, and polling places, all on rented equipment. It's not funds we had budgeted for. We didn't think we were going to be doing a referendum or special elections. It just doesn't make sense to do a special election. It's the cost of a senior level staff member for a year. We're not giving up on the idea of supporting culturals [sic] and public theater," Kulpa said in an interview with WBEN. "Time and energy is also important, right? So if you're going to spend time and energy, trying to worry about a special election, then that's months of staff work that should be allocated to other things."

Executive Director of MusicalFare, Randall Kramer, expressed to WBEN that he wasn't surprised when he found out about the vote and described it as the right decision to make.

"I think it was always an option. Keep in mind that if this went to a referendum sometime in June or July, it would be a single vote referendum," said Kramer. "We know how voter turnout is, even for single vote congressional elections. Much less something like this. I would anticipate, if it had gone to a referendum, that most of the people that would actually show up to vote, would be the people who are against it, and who are actively protesting the bond itself."

Former board member Shelly Schratz, explained that she, and many others, were blind-sided by the board's decision, and believes this is just another attempt at suppressing the public.

"We have 125,000 residents in the Town of Amherst. Imagine, it costs $100,000-200,000 for the referendum. That's a $1.25 per-person. Are you kidding me? Are the residents of Amherst not worth a $1.25 per-person - to have their voices heard, up or down - so that our government works efficiently, effectively, and for the people. I can't think of any simpler way to say it," Schratz stated in an interview with WBEN.