Letter: How Will The Jones Library Expansion Impact Other Needed Capital Spending?

Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to the Amherst Town Council on 2/14/21 .and appeared previously in The Amherst Bulletin.

I’m concerned about the gathering steam for approving the Jones Library project.  I hope you pause to consider the unique time we are in with unknowns about the course of the pandemic, the instability of the situation at UMass, and the possible economic repercussions for Amherst.

We have several big ticket capital expenses on the horizon:  a new elementary school(s), public works building, fire station.  And just recently it was announced that perhaps $13 million needs to be spent on our water treatment facility.  What other large expenditure is just around the corner?

Meanwhile, Amherst residents are facing anxiety about their health, their housing security, ability to pay bills for utilities, food, etc.  Their economic future is far from guaranteed.

Because we are in the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, I’m going to make a comparison.  The CDC suggested that state governments triage the people who need vaccine the most:  first responders, people living in care facilities, people over 75.  They are getting the vaccine first while others have to patiently wait, but it’s being done for the welfare of the entire community.  How do we respond when we learn a 50 or 60 year old jumped the line and received a vaccine?  Not well.  That’s how the library project needs to be viewed.  We all love the library and recognize there are structural renovations needed, but is this particular project at “high-risk” status and deserving to push ahead of the others listed above?

Please keep this in mind when you consider the information before you.

Elissa Rubinstein

Elissa Rubinstein is an Amherst resident for over 49 years.