ALSO SEE: Amherst Town Meeting members vote to increase fines for bylaw violations
Since classes started nearly a month ago, word has spread around campus about fee increases for bylaws in Amherst that took effect three weeks ago.
The fees for violating bylaws against unlawful noise, open containers of alcohol and unlawful possession of kegs have all been raised to $300.
Before the increase, the fee for an unlawful noise violation was $100, illegal possession of kegs was $200 and an open container violation was $50.
The Campus and Community Coalition, an organization between community members of Amherst and the nearby colleges, proposed the fee increase and they were passed at Town Meeting last spring.
Although the fee increases for these bylaws seem crack down on lawbreaking by college students in particular, Captain Christopher Pronovost of the Amherst Police Department said they are important for everyone.
“They are reasonable bylaws to get people to be responsible,” he said. “Our goal isn’t take make money from this. We’re just doing what other cities like Boston have already done.”
Pronovost said that as college town, Amherst has always had a problem with violations of these bylaws. He doesn’t know yet whether the fee increases have led to a drop in violations because they took effect so recently. Pronovost said that he has already cited “quite a few” people.
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