Amherst Bulletin – Ira Bryck: Stop Unsustainable Expansion of Jones Library

I urge the city council to support Cathy Schoen’s motion to stop the library project by asking the city manager not to sign a contract with the FAA architects, so that there is no over $500,000 extra spent on “value engineering” to reduce expansion by eliminating much of what was promised in the original plan, supported by only 3,000 of our 40,000 residents. My sense is that at least two-thirds of the city council, as well as the city manager, understand the enormous net negative effects of the expansion plan, whether it was the original dream or the current nightmare . You owe your allegiance to the well-being of our city. We have many infrastructure needs more urgent than this failing campaign. Be more courageous and vote against the continuation of this doomed project. Don’t allow him to continue to not stop. Tell the council, manager and your city that you support catching up on much-delayed maintenance work and finding an affordable way to get the Joneses back up to speed; and then move forward in hiring teachers, repairing roads, and building the necessary fire station and public works facilities.

Ira Bryck

Amherst