Detainees to be relocated to Amherst?

Two Guantanamo Bay detainees may be relocated to the Hampshire County town of Amherst.

Amherst officials are supporting the resolution, which still needs to be approved in the town meeting on November 2nd before it goes through congress.

22News spoke with Congressman John Olver's office on Thursday. They explained that there is currently a ban on using federal funds to relocate Guantanamo detainees to the United States.

His office said it is likely the ban will be continued in the 2010 budget.

Still, residents who live in communities nearby Amherst say that they think their cities and towns should be able to weigh-in on the debate.

"It's not fair they get to make decisions and not ask the other people that live around the area how they feel about it," said Toni Marcil of Easthampton.

Pittsfield resident Cindy Ogulnick agrees, "If I was living in a surrounding town I'd want a say in it and I'd want some input."

President Obama made it clear last January that he wanted to shut down Guantanamo Bay by this January. So far, his administration has not been able to find a compromise on how to achieve that goal.