(Editor's note: Call The Bee at 632-0390 and record a one-minute comment on our Bee Heard line. It gives readers an opportunity to comment quickly and candidly on items of local or regional interest. Callers do not have to identify themselves and no callers' names will be used. In the interest of fairness and good taste, The Bee will not publish derogatory or insulting comments. All comments are by our readers and are subject to editing.

.By all accounts, the recent October storm was one of the worst natural disasters to hit Western New York, especially Amherst. Assemblyman Hayes commented on the outstanding job done by the local employees to deal with the aftermath, and also the county executive praised his staff for all their hard work, but I looked in vain for some such statement from our town supervisor. Amherst emergency services - police, highway, engineering, even senior center staff - deserve praise and thanks for all their hard work during the storm and afterward. This kind of thing goes a long way toward explaining the problems Dr. Mohan has with his town employees; he never has a good word to say!

.Now that the disaster cleanup has progressed to phase two, I can't understand why the tree trimmers only remove broken branches while leaving unsightly stripped stubs, which our local resources will never be able to trim. After all, the trimmers are within feet and inches of further necessary trimming.

.I really wish the parents who call this column could hear themselves - so worried about your vacations! Do you realize that not everyone who lives in the Williamsville/East Amherst area are as fortunate to take vacations every year? Some don't even see their families for a year or two. This freak storm could have been much worse, like losing your home in a mudslide or being washed away in a flood. Then, would you be worried about your vacation time? School is in session for two extra days for your children's sake. Start thinking about them for a change.

.For those who are unhappy with the Williamsville School District's decision to decrease Easter vacation, here's a suggestion: just don't send the kids to school and go on your vacation. No one is going to do anything about it! Have fun!

.The same old story: we elect a supervisor to do the job he promised to do. The majority of town residents want him to succeed, but unions, politicians and town employees fight him because it serves their interests and not the majority of the people in this town. What a shame! A man trying to do his job and these people are trying to destroy it.

.Well, it's pretty clear that the promises of Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan to reduce taxes, increase services, fix sinking homes, reduce assessment hassles and reduce traffic congestion are all just undeliverable promises. At this point, he is running off the fumes of his empty promises. It all started to go downhill when Mohan broke the first promise to work for $1 per year. Right now, so many people want him to be for real, but he shows us again and again that he is not for real and that his promises were pie-in-the-sky.

.A thundering thank you to the many disaster/tree and debris workers from every state east of the Mississippi! As a lifelong construction worker and 40-year resident of Amherst, I truly respect their work. In my neighborhood (Dana Heights), I observed dedicated professional work with concern and respect for my property. I rewarded these people with fresh, crisp New York State apples.

.We, as residents of Amherst, want to know when the section of Maple Road, between North Forest and Hopkins, will be paved, so we don't have to bump up and down in our cars every time we drive down that stretch.

.It wouldn't hurt for employees of AJ Wright or Tops at University Plaza to stroll down Callodine or Springville or even bring a truck to pick up the carts that are all over the streets. I see students walking across Main Street with a cart with one small plastic bag in the cart. They shouldn't be allowed to take them out of the store. If it's an older person who is walking to the store and they need help, I understand, but these carts are all over the place.

.I just tried to access the town board resolutions for the town board meeting on Nov. 20, and there are several that have just blank pages. There is a resolution listed but nothing to read and others have resolutions that are just bald statements without any statement of how it is going to be accomplished. The council members who keep talking about transparency ought to pay a lot more attention to the town Web site to make sure town residents have an opportunity to see what is going on. You can't possibly understand these resolutions if there is nothing t h e re .

.I did not vote for Supervisor Mohan and the more I read about what he says, the more I'm glad I didn't vote for him. The Town of Amherst has again been ranked as one of the safest communities in the United States in which to live, and the police chief stated Amherst does it with fewer officers than the average community the same size. Does the supervisor commend the police department? Tell them they are doing a great job? No. His comment basically is, "Why do we need all these police officers when we live in such a safe town?"

.I've been a library patron since I was a tiny kid in Clarence many years ago. Now that I am old enough to retire, I've been volunteering several hours per week at one of the Amherst libraries, and having a wonderful time doing it. The librarians and the rest of the staff are marvelous, there's always a great deal to do, and there's a good variety. If anyone has time, I recommend signing up to volunteer at a library. If not, at least make a donation of materials, books or cash. The libraries can certainly use all the help they can get.

.I attended the town board meeting last week; it was the most disgraceful exhibit in government I have ever witnessed! Mohan did not control the meeting; he didn't seem to know what was going on. At the end, no one knew what they had done. This is pathetic! We are a laughing stock.

.With all the problems the Town of Amherst has, I am so sick of reading about the Williamsville Library. Do these people who use that library just go in a small parameter around their home for when they dine out, go shopping, etc.? They complain about worrying about losing the Williamsville Library. We have so many other libraries not that far from Williamsville, yet every week there is something about how dare we think about letting the Williamsville Library close. The Town of Amherst is in so much turmoil right now, and the country is in so much turmoil right now, and these people are just complaining about the library. Get a life.

.You have a poll in the paper about holiday displays, but why do people have to pick on other people's religion? Are we like other countries where we have to say no to things? I thought this was a free country. To those who oppose it, we have the right to do that. Last year, it was no Merry Christmas, this year it is. Do we have to wait for that, living in Amherst, or can we be leaders and honor and respect everyone's religion?