Library Trustees Approve Unpublished Agreement With Town. New Building Project Budget Released

Jones Library News Highlights For The Week Of October 10, 2022

Trustees OK Revised Memorandum of Agreement Unavailable To Public
Considerable pushback from Jones Library Trustees has resulted in the revision of an amended Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) prepared by Town of Amherst Administration.  Written to protect the Town and its taxpayers from wasting designer costs of $1.8 million in the event that the seriously over-budget $50 million Jones Library renovation-expansion project is not able to proceed past the opening of construction bids, the MOA stipulates that the Library must put at least $1.8 million into urgent deferred repairs should the building project be terminated.

The original amendment raised objections from several trustees at their September 27 Board meeting.  Complaints included a negative tone toward the troubled building project and a requirement that the Library meet quarterly with Town representatives to develop a repair plan should the project not proceed.

Following the meeting Board President Austin Sarat presented the trustee perspective to the Town Manager and Finance Director who came up with a modified MOA amendment.

In a conversation with Library Director Sharon Sharry during the minutes before the October 6 Jones Library Building Committee (JLBC) meeting which Sarat chairs, he said, “So I looked at the [new] Memorandum of Understanding… .”  “We have three attendees,” Sharry interrupted.

“They’re not hearing me, are they?” Sarat asked.  “Yes,” informed Sharry.  Sarat changed the subject.

[See related Letter: Why So Much Secrecy From The Jones Library?]

The Trustees held a meeting on October 12 to discuss the new MOA Amendment.  The Library had posted an agenda on their website, but no supporting document packet.  This prompted Amherst resident Ken Rosenthal to speak during the public comment period.

“Austin, if I understand the agenda, the only major item today is the discussion of a motion [on an] amended Memorandum of Agreement and a vote on it,” he said. “And I have been trying to access a copy of that so that, while you have a discussion and vote, I can read along, but I haven’t been able to find it. Is there a way you can tell me how to find it?”

Sharry replied, “It hasn’t been posted yet, but we will post it tomorrow.”

Sarat asked the Director to screen share the document so that the public could read through it.  She scrolled through the 3-page amendment on Zoom over the next three minutes, then took it down.

Sarat explained, “I think we’re required to make available documents during meetings and when we meet in person, we typically do that, and of course if we have things in advance we can post them. This, alas, unfortunately came a little late for that.”

As of the afternoon of October 14 the revised MOA Amendment had not yet been posted to the Library meeting packet repository.

Working from screen shots taken during the October 12 meeting, The Amherst Indy has been able to reconstruct the revised MOA Amendment for members of the public to review.

Key changes include the dropping of the requirement for the Trustees to meet with the Town quarterly to plan building repairs, and removal of the demand that the Library Capital Campaign fundraise $7 million by the time construction bids are unsealed.

Library Building Committee Releases Updated Budget
At its October 6 meeting the Jones Library Building Committee (JLBC) presented a revised building project budget.  The new analysis shows Low, Medium and High budget projections and represents an update of the $36.3 million budget prepared in January 2021.

The Low projection totals $43.2 million and is based on a cost estimate by Fennessy Consulting Services and an Owner’s Contingency of 2.5%.  The High budget projection of $49.6 million is based on a cost estimate from RLB and a 5% Owner’s Contingency.  The Medium projection totals $46.1 million and is based on an average of the high and low estimates plus a 3.5% Owner’s Contingency.

The new budgets incorporate several design changes resulting from the committee’s value management exercise to reduce costs.

Big ticket cost reductions include

• Concrete sidewalk in lieu of stone and granite pavers for an estimated savings of $575,000.
• Flat roof in lieu of sawtooth roof designed to let in natural light and support solar panels for a savings of $495,000.
• Acoustic ceiling tiles in place of compound wood ceiling for a savings of $300,000.
• Synthetic slate instead of real slate on roof areas for a savings of $295,000.
• Switch 50% of Arriscraft/metal panel for lower end material for a savings of $150,000.

Design modifications achieved a total estimated cost savings of $2.177 million.

The JLBC also carved $1 million out of the Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E) budget, reducing it from $2.5 million to $1.5 million.  This was accomplished by planning to reuse some existing furniture and purchase lower end items.

A $400,000 automatic book sorter, once considered for the chopping block, has been placed back in the budget.

The budget projections show several line items marked Not Included, which will nevertheless need to be funded.  Notable are Financing Costs/Bond Origination which Finance Director Sean Mangano has estimated to exceed $9 million over 20 years in a recent cash flow analysis.

The updated budget analysis reveals a budget gap ranging from $6.9 million on the low end to $13.3 million on the high end.  The Town Council has joined eleven other libraries in an appeal to Massachusetts legislators to earmark $87.7 million in ARPA funds for meeting the budget gaps of inflation-challenged library projects.  Amherst’s share of this request is $13.6 million.

[See related Councilors Divided On Response To Community Safety Committee. Seek ARPA Funds To Support Jones Renovation]

Trustees Appoint Members To New Equity, Justice & Inclusion Subcommittee
Trustee Tamson Ely, Chair of the Personnel, Planning & Policy (PPP) Committee has announced the result of a recruiting effort to staff the new Equity, Justice & Inclusion (EJI) Subcommittee.  The group’s charge includes ensuring that “the Library serves the community in a manner where diversity thrives.”

The three inaugural members of the EJI Subcommittee are

1. Raphael Rogers, a member of the faculty at Clark University who has taught courses such as Exploring the Power of Youth Knowledge and Activism in the Struggle for Equity Justice in Urban Contexts.
2. Walter Lloyd, an Amherst Regional High School senior who has presented a webinar entitled Disability, Education & Accessibility.
3. Ginnie Hamilton, Campaign Manager for the Jones Library Building Project Capital Campaign.