Letter: Is Anyone Keeping Tabs on Jones Expansion Project Accounts?

The following letter was sent to Amherst Finance Committee Chair Cathy Schoen on October 3, 2025. Schoen responded on October 5 that she would try to get the issues raised in the letter onto the Finance Committee Agenda before the townwide election – ideally for the meeting on October 21. Since then, the Finance Committee meeting scheduled for October 7 was cancelled due to lack of a quorum, and it remains to be seen if/when the Finance Committee will take up the concerns expressed in this letter.

I met yesterday with several Amherst residents to discuss the financial status of the library project. Despite repeated requests, there continues to be silence from the Capital Campaign about the amount of money actually raised to date–not pledges, but money in the town bank account. The campaign is supposed to hand over all money raised to the town as it is received. It is not clear exactly how much has been received of the $13.7 million due from the library. As chair of the finance committee, can you demand that the library make monthly reports and payments? If not you, then who? 

Equally concerning is that, to our knowledge, there has not been a cash flow analysis or projection for the project since November 2023. This is unacceptable for a $50 million project. I understand that the school building project has a cash flow analysis and projection that is transparent and regularly updated. The library project should adhere to the same reporting requirements as the elementary school building project. 

However, it appears that the library project has no such process for tracking actual and projected cash flow. There is no information about the sources of money being spent on the library project. Some of the money is being paid out of funds received from the MLBC (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners), but that will only cover about one third of the total cost and all of that will not be disbursed up front. Are loans already being taken out? If so, what kinds (short or long-term) and with what terms? Again, it would seem that the finance committee is responsible for ensuring that the library provides this information in timely fashion. 

As you know, the town has been paying all invoices on behalf of the library, based in part on the expectation that the library will meet its commitment of 13.7 million dollars as provided in the MOA. Yet, there is little information available to the public on the sources of funds being applied to meet the town’s obligations, especially the funds received from the Capital Campaign. Information about actual cash flow is vital to the town’s understanding of the status of this expensive project. Cash flow projections become especially critical if the Capital Campaign fails to meet its fundraising commitment, requiring the town to formulate a plan to meet expenses that most likely will impact all town residents. The public, the Finance Committee, and Town Council need accurate information.  

I hope you will resolve at the next finance committee meeting to demand immediate and complete reports of fundraising and cash flow, both current and projected. With local elections just a month away and talk of another Prop. 21/2 override to cover basic town expenses, it is imperative that this information be available to everyone. 

Mickey Rathbun

Mickey Rathbun is a resident of Amherst