Jones Library Building Committee Apr 16, 2026

The Town of Amherst's Jones Library Building Committee held a meeting on April 16, 2026, focusing primarily on construction progress and financial oversight of the library expansion project. The committee received a detailed construction update highlighting steel decking installation, slate roofing, mockup testing for energy code compliance, and underground utility work. They discussed the purpose and function of mockups as a quality and energy efficiency check. The meeting also included a review and approval of multiple invoices totaling over $1.4 million for construction, design, testing, and consulting services. A significant change order of approximately $222,000 related to structural steel revisions was approved, reducing the contingency fund to about $2.1 million. The committee discussed budget status, including recent financing and anticipated future expenses such as furniture procurement and moving costs. Members emphasized prudent management of change orders and confirmed ongoing collaboration between the design team and contractor to control costs and maintain schedule. No new contracts were awarded, but the meeting addressed contract amendments and budget allocations relevant to the project’s procurement and construction phases.