By Allison McDonald

At a special joint meeting with the Jones Library Trustees on Monday, the Town Council rejected a motion to rescind the appropriations and borrowing authorization for the library expansion and renovation project, effectively ensuring that it will go forward.

The meeting was called by Councilors Robert Hegner (District 5), Cathy Schoen (District 1), and Jennifer Taub (District 4) in an April 9 memo to Council President Lynn Griesemer (District 2). The meeting was held online and more than 200 community members were in virtual attendance.

Hegner and Schoen voted against their motion, and were joined by Pat De Angelis (District 2), Ana Devlin Gauthier (District 5), Ndifreke Ette (District 1), Griesemer, Mandi Jo Hanneke (At Large), George Ryan (District 3), and Andy Steinberg (At Large) in defeating the motion, 9-3. Pam Rooney (District 4), Taub, and Ellisha Walker (At Large) voted in favor of the motion and Hala Heather Lord (District 3) was not present.

Prior to the vote, there was extensive public comment, with more than 60 attendees speaking.

The meeting opened with a discussion and question-and-answer period among the Councilors and Trustees, including a presentation from Town Manager Paul Bockelman that provided responses to questions that the Councilors had submitted in advance. A report with all questions and complete responses is available in the meeting packet, here.

In response to some of the questions, attorney Lauren Goldberg advised the Council that the MOA with the Jones Library Trustees is a legally binding agreement, but if the Trustees fail to fulfill their obligations under it, the Town is “on the hook for all of the borrowed money.”

Bockelman later said the Trustees pledged their endowment to ensure that they will meet their obligation, and that “there is legal language in the memorandum of agreement that…gives the town access to that endowment if it is needed, if we need to go through a legal process.”

Goldberg also clarified that the Town can only spend the money that the Council has appropriated for the project, and if it goes over that amount, it would need a further appropriation. 

Bob Pereint, Special Projects Capital Coordinator for the Town, explained that “there might have to be some challenging, challenging decisions made to make certain we don’t spend a dime more than has been appropriated.” He added, “The key to making certain that that happens is just pay attention to it, day by day, week by week, month by month.” Pereint noted that this is how he’s working with the Elementary School Building Project, using weekly meetings with the builders to monitor the budget. 

Councilors also asked whether the construction bid still holds, given the delays and federal tariffs. Bockelman said that, with two exceptions related to plumbing and metal windows, “the general contractor said as of Friday that they are holding their bid price and are ready to move forward.” He added that the roof will need to be rebid this spring, because the Massachusetts Historic Commission raised concerns about the use of synthetic slate tiles in the original project plan, but that the project remains within the budget.

Questions also were raised about the status of two federal grants for the project: a $1.1 million FY23 HUD Economic Development Initiative award and a $1 million grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Bockelman said, “We have been staying in close contact with the staff of these two agencies, and we have had conversations with both of them, as like last week, and both are still active, and the town has received no correspondence.” He also cautioned that the project is “not contingent on” the grants. 

Another big question, from Councilors and the community, was about the impact on property taxes in Amherst. Bockelman emphasized that “people’s taxes do not go up because of this project.” He explained that the Town’s capital budget has incorporated the cost of the project and that “the only way taxes would go up is if the Town Council decided to put a debt exclusion override on the ballot and the voters agreed to tax themselves more.” That has not been part of any discussion to date.

Councilors asked about what would happen if they rescind the borrowing authorization for the project.

“So, plain and simple, it would stop the project,” said Bockelman. He also said that the Town would have to pay back the $2.7 million that has been received – and used – from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) grant, plus interest.

If the current project were to be canceled, Pereint estimates that developing a plan for a “repair only” project would take 6 to 18 months and cost $500,000 to $1 million. An estimate developed eight years ago for such a project indicated the overall cost would be more than the $15.8 million that the Town is committed to for the current project. A new estimate for a “repair only” project would be needed, and Pereint and Bockelman anticipate it would be substantially higher, given inflation and changes in building codes.

In calling for the special meeting and making the motion to rescind the project funding, Schoen said that she had been worried about the risks from the beginning and wanted the opportunity to ask questions about them. She expressed gratitude for the conversation and said, “I applaud the trustees for coming in to try and do a good job answering, ‘How are you going to pay for the gap if you’re not there two years from now?’ And I think the plan may work.”

Rooney also expressed concern about the risks, saying “what I don’t want is the library to become an albatross around our neck. Despite everyone’s best efforts.”

Hegner noted that much of the risk associated with the project, including inflation, tariffs, and other uncertainties, would be associated with a “repair-only” project as well. “And so we’re not really solving any problem by sticking our heads in the sand,” he said. “You know, we just have to deal with these risks as they come up.”

Hanneke agreed, saying “the cost of rescinding this [funding] is worse than any uncertainty.”

Steinberg also agreed. “We’ve heard loud and clear in the information that we’ve been given that the cost of saying ‘no’ to the project going forward is equal to or greater than the cost of saying ‘yes’ to continuing the project, because the repairs would fall more heavily on the town.”

Hegner offered a closing appeal for the community to direct its energy around this project toward the future. “Let’s try to set our acrimony over the library in the past, and let’s focus on the problems that are facing the town as we go forward…Let’s try to find solutions to the problems of tomorrow and not fight the battles of yesterday.”

The next Town Council regular meeting will be April 28 in Town Hall at 6:30 pm and will include a public hearing on the Regional School budget.

Allison McDonald has lived in Amherst since 2002 and has two sons who attended Amherst public schools. She served on the Amherst School Committee 2018-2023, and as chair 2020-2023. She volunteers as managing editor of The Amherst Current.