Susan J. Tracy: The public has spoken
Published: 4/18/2021 6:00:04 PM
I am responding to the April 6 Gazette article, “Amherst Town Council approves $36.3M Jones Library project.”
After five years of public debate and additional years in trustee planning, I was pleased to see that the Town Council voted 10-2 in favor of the Jones Library project last week. In this Gazette article we learn why each councilor voted the way they did. Additionally, the Gazette reporter attributes to Terry Johnson, chair of “Save Our Library,” the group that opposes the project, that “the outcome was expected since the majority of the Town Council ran on a platform supporting the proposal.”
OGDENSBURG â Library users, taxpayers, constituents â one and the same â rallied outside City Hall on Monday night.
The group of about 30 people gathered ahead of City Councilâs first of two April meetings, asking passing voters and motorists to support a May school district referendum to fund the Ogdensburg Public Library.
The library Board of Trustees is hoping for $225,000 in funding from property taxpayers in the district to boost the steady decline in city contributions over the last six years.
The phased decline was designed to increase self-sufficiency of both the library and the Frederic Remington Art Museum, eventually cutting the city contribution altogether, City Manager Stephen P. Jellie said. Councilor Michael B. Powers contended the plan was to increase the fund balance and start to slow down contributions, ânot to completely phase out, unless necessary.â
AMHERST A campaign to use the “voter veto” provision of the town charter to force the Town Council to reconsider its support for the Jones Library expansion and renovation project which could culminate in a townwide referendum is.
Amherst Town Council approves $36.3M Jones Library project
An artist’s conception of what one side of the renovated and expanded Jones Library would look like from Amity Street in Amherst. COURTESY FINEGOLD ALEXANDER ARCHITECTS
An artist’s conception shows the new adult collections room in an expanded and renovated Jones Library. To the right is the roof of the 1928 building. COURTESY FINEGOLD ALEXANDER ARCHITECTS
An artist’s rendition shows a renovated and expanded Jones Library as seen from next to the Amherst History Museum. COURTESY FINEGOLD ALEXANDER ARCHITECTS
By SCOTT MERZBACH
AMHERST A $36.3 million project to expand and renovate Jones Library for the first time in more than 25 years is expected to get underway in early 2022 following the Town Council’s approval Monday.
‘Voter veto’ maneuver launched to challenge Jones Library approval
Jones Library in Amherst STAFF FILE PHOTO/KEN HEIDEL
Published: 4/9/2021 5:12:44 PM
AMHERST A campaign to use the “voter veto” provision of the town charter to force the Town Council to reconsider its support for the Jones Library expansion and renovation project which could culminate in a townwide referendum is underway.
Vincent O’Connor of Summer Street picked up forms Tuesday at the town clerk’s office at Town Hall, a day after the Town Council voted 10-2, with one abstention, to borrow $15.75 million to support the $36.3 million project. The council also approved a memorandum of agreement related to the project between Town Manager Paul Bockelman and the elected library trustees, and agreed to use $1 million from the town’s Community Preservation Act account for the library’s special collections room.