 Welcome everyone this meeting is being recorded it will be published to the town of Amherst YouTube channel shortly, and I am turning it over to the chair, Professor Austin serrat. Thank you. Thank you Angie for that warm introduction. Thank you everybody we have two members of the public who are in attendance. We are meeting pursuant to a gubernatorial order that I think is expiring. Is it expiring. When does it expire. Do we know 15th. So, this may be our guests are last. The JBC meeting via zoom. But okay. So I just want to make sure everybody's here and they will can be heard and if you would signify your attendance. When I call your name Sharon here, Christine. Here, Sean. George here. Paul. And Austin so we are. We have a quorum. Okay. So the first order of business is the approval of the minutes of June 21st. Is there a motion to approve those minutes. So, thank you. Is there a second. Thank you so much. Any corrections to the minutes. Okay. Vote yes, you approve. No, you don't Sharon. Yes. Christine. Yes. Thank you. Sean. Yes. Thank you. George. Yes. Paul. Yes. And Austin votes. Yes. And thank you to Angie for the minutes. So, the next is a financial financial update. But if it's okay, I want to try to clarify something that I think I may have confused a little bit. So we have a proposal from epsilon associates to help us with historic tax credits. And that proposal is addressed as it should be to the Jones library board of trustees. And it's not for action of this body, but the hope was that we could talk about it and if there are any thoughts about what that proposal is it would inform the conversation that will have in the board of in the board of trustees. So that's why it's on the, that's why it's on the agenda. So if it's okay, we'll do it under financial update of third item. But it's really Sharon will just kind of present it and it's for your comment and whatever thought so Sean. Thanks. So we don't have a collars invoice I don't believe I don't think we've received the June invoice yet so there's no collars invoice to approve. We were going to sort of introduce Craig was going to introduce the budget template that will probably be looking at it on a monthly basis it's sort of, it's still kind of boring at this phase but it's probably a good time to kind of introduce it and see if there's something on it because we'll be looking at it more often. So Craig if you want to pull that up or I could pull up the one you sent me whatever whatever's easier. Sure. Awesome. Is it okay by you share my screen. Yes please thank you Craig. Welcome to Craig and will thank you. Okay. So you should be able to see that now. Yep. So this is what my office and will's office uses to track finances on projects. This is the report that we put out as Sean mentioned there's not a whole ton of information on it right now because we're so still so early in the process it's financially, but I thought I'd take some time to familiarize everyone. The table looks a little daunting but by the end of the project I assure you will all be experts. On the left hand side it actually spills onto three pages down the left hand side are all the categories of costs and budget that my office recommends. Again, so it starts off in general. We've got the building itself is in the top position. Then we have fixtures furnishings and equipment or fixtures furniture fixtures and equipment ff and a image we've got fees this includes all the professional fees and this is this lines up with the budget that we've been kind of working from the design fees specialty design fees. Our fee is in here for project management, some investigations site survey things of that nature. And then we continue on to expenses. At any expense you can imagine doing borings material testing is during construction. The cost for the temporary space. It's all in here, then we get to this last category which is contingency, which, you know, for the public you folks may already be familiar with that but for the public what a contingency is is extra money built into the budget to handle the costs of unexpected things. So then years are told down here in gray is our total project budget. All these numbers are in thousands, just so that we kind of fit them a little bit better on the page. So 36 million 36.2 million is the budget. So that's what column eight so that's this first column and then column a it's basically just the budget what we started with as our assumptions. So first of the project column B money will may need to be moved around from one but my item to another, some things will be less than we anticipated some things will be more than we anticipated. If there is money taken out of these contingencies that goes into this approved transfers, it's something that we review and I think it's approved, you know, by the client you guys, and then column C is sort of the alive update to how we've moved money that's needed. So project able column a won't change column B will evolve all the course of the project and then column C gives us kind of like a running status of where we are with our budget and assumptions. D are all of our are D and F are all the costs. So this is how much money that the town has allocated or the client is allocated for the project. And here is a record of those costs as we pay for things. D1 D2 and then D are the contracts. So right now the only contract that we have fully executed is the project manager's contract. I had our accounting department include the cost estimators the owners cost estimators number here because I think that was because that's, you know, the number is finalized even though the contract has actually been signed. We did not include the architects because not because they have been doing tons of work, but there are a couple minor scopes that have not yet been finalized and so we don't know what that final number is yet. But once we have that contracted will plug that in there. There are a couple columns for things that we know about but we haven't contracted for. As a starting place, we just put the budget numbers in those columns, but then as things get more as we start contracting things and finding things, we will update these fields, and then there's the potential for balances. If we budgeted X dollars, it ends up we've contracted, you know, we've got all the scope contracted and we have a surplus, which is a nice place to be. There'll be some money here in this balance column, and then that can get moved around as needed, because there will be some items that, you know, we guessed low and already estimated low, and we'll have to fund those. So that is the quick overview of this document. Does anyone have any question and the idea is that each month we'll update this and bring it to this meeting and review it. Great. Thank you correct questions about the budget template. Yeah, so so Craig just is one reason why in the contingency. We kind of show additional need is that because we don't really want to assign it between the other categories at this point because we don't quite know how it's going to, you know, shake out. Exactly. So there's two ways to sort of look at this. You can show a surplus of, you know, the $2 million we have in contingency, but we tend not to do that we like to sort of say that's money we anticipate on spending. So it's not like extra right and as the project goes long things crop up, then, you know, that's that money will get allocated to the proper line. So that this line here, 6B is purely an accounting function, just so it doesn't look like we got a whole bunch of extra money. So if the, if the designer contract comes in a little bit over our budget would we look to pull from here at this stage or would we wait a little bit to see if there's any other savings that pop up in other areas. That's a good question. And I guess it depends on how much we end up being over. If it's just a couple thousand dollars, yeah, we'll probably pull it from somewhere else. If it's significantly over then it's not likely we're going to see those savings and other lines. And so then yeah, we would move. We might want to do it. Okay. So we will see. And in actuality, I had sent an email to you Sean and a couple others saying oh, you know, I think that we're already a little bit over what that email was not accurate. I just realized tonight that we had lumped together two items. One, this design fees and expenses is two point let's round up to 2.7 million. And I had forgotten that we had decided to add into that this consultant reimbursables another 143,000. And so, once we get those final pieces from the design team those final proposals for audio visual design lighting design and actually FF&E design, then we'll be able to see where we are relative to that initial budget. Good. Thank you. Sean, are you going to be able to monitor this budget in real time, so to speak. So, I think so. So, you know, we're going to prove all the invoices all the invoices are going to run through the accounting office. I have a spreadsheet that I'll adapt from the school project where we track expenses by certain categories. All the all the things that Craig has on there so far we have as well for the colliers invoices and for the cost estimator so. So we can too I'll probably I'm sure Craig somehow I'll have to feed you that information as we as we pay it so that you can update this report correct. So, one of the services that we provide us we'll also review the end goal all the invoices should come to us and you guys finance department, and we'll kind of keep parallel books, and then every so often we do like a reconciliation. A make sure that you know where your money is and be that, you know, there aren't any countless aren't missing an invoice or something yet that makes sense good. Any numbers that will be flying around I'm sure there'll be something that you know we just categorize or, or you catch or we catch. So that works for you Sean. Yeah, no, I'll probably work with Craig to figure out sort of what categories things fall into but no it makes sense. Other questions about the, the budgeting template. Okay, thank you Craig thank you and Sean, anything else financial. Only, only thing just reiterating what Craig said which is we're still waiting for FAA to finalize a couple scopes of service for some sort of subcategories of design work so we don't have anything yet for the for item B. Okay. I wanted to thank you. I want to just ask Sharon to just say a word about historic tax credits and the proposal that we've got from Epsilon as I said earlier. This proposal will be funded from the fundraising that we're doing for the capital campaign. So it's not a jail, not a, not a, not our building community don't have to worry about it from the particulars of our budget but would be interested in any of thoughts that you have so Sharon you want to say just a little bit about the Epsilon proposal and historic tax credits. Sure. So we've been working with Epsilon pretty close to since the beginning of this project. They are going to help us apply for the state historic tax credits. And from what I understand it's a very complicated time consuming complicated process. And there are, there's several different parts to it it's several different years you actually have to submit applications more than once and they ask you to refile. So Epsilon will be helping us with this dog especially is very familiar with our project and our building. So it will come out of the capital campaign process. And yeah, so I think that's the overview. Historic tax credits nearest nearest I understand we should say not a lot. It's not a guarantee that we're going to get historic tax credits. So, but the hope is that we that we can and we will. And getting them ain't easy so that's why we are lucky enough to have the possibility of working with Epsilon to help us navigate this very complicated, very complicated process. So are there any questions or anything that you didn't understand that Sharon can illuminate about historic tax credits. Just to clarify, I think I was at a presentation. Was it Doug, who works for Epsilon that killer. Yeah, yeah. I needed a really good job explain it so my understanding is they're going to help get these credits which will then contribute to the fundraising initiative that will really come to the town to fund. Yeah, okay. Yeah. In other words, they're going to sell these credits and we get, we get the money. Okay, and then the money will come into the capital. It's sort of anticipated as part of the money that the library has already pledged and it will come to the town in the usual way as it comes to us. And I think we can announce awesome if I may that the Jones library made their first contribution of the fundraised monies to the town, which is really nice so we've got our first $500,000 in the, and that fundraising bucket for the project. I think fabulous is the word. I think it was, it's like fabulous and thank you to the capital campaign committee. I know the work that it's that it's done that made it possible for the library directed to deliver to the town, half million dollars for this for this project shown thank you for. It sounds so much more impressive when you say half a million dollars as opposed to 500,000 either either way it's it's part of the dream come true to see the capital campaign making as extraordinary progress as it is making. Okay, no other question about epsilon we will go on to thank you for that and again it will be discussed in the by the by the board of trustees of the library. Okay, next is Craig, the collars project update. Thank you Austin. Alright so first thing I'll show you the schedule. So, the little red line keeps moving forward we're now in early July. I'll zoom in so we can see where the right. So we are at the tail end of schematic design. And more specifically on this past Friday July 1 the design team completed their schematic design package, which includes drawings narratives and an outline specification that was distributed to a few key folks over at the town for review. My office will be reviewing that in depth. And we've also both. The town's cost estimating firm, which is our LB and the design teams estimating firm fantasy consulting services have received them and have begun their cost estimating exercise, which will be a duration of three weeks. At the end of those three weeks, we'll bring the two teams together will have a reconciliation meeting. And at that point we'll have two key documents, which is the project that schematic design package, which is a scope and reconciled cost estimate, which is how much it will we anticipate it will cost with those two key pieces of information. This body here can decide, or the town can decide to proceed to design development, which would begin in early August. So that's what I've got for a schedule update. Does anyone have any questions about that. That's actually sort of schedule. I kind of got two things. One stone project schedule and update on cost estimates. Great. Could I just ask you about the very last thing that you said. So we get the cost estimates and we've seen the schematic design package. And let's say that the cost estimates are over budget. What is it that the architects or you would do to help. At that point. The committee to get comfortable with the fact that we're going to be able to do the project within the budget. So part of that cost estimating scope of services includes a value engineering exercise. So we will have as of July 22 or very first thing on July 25, we'll have that information in hand, and we'll very quickly be able to tell if we're over budget or under budget or just right. With the assumption that we're, you know, given the, the market and everything being very high, we can safely guess that it's going to be over budget and they'll have to be some cost reduction. So what we'll do is we'll work with a design team and two cost estimators that week of the 25th. So the 29th, I think, July 25, 29th, and we'll develop a list of value engineering items. Okay, costs list as well. And so then we'll be coming to you with all right this is, you know, the scope that was in the drawings, this is the cost for it. And if we're over here's a list of things that we as a as the professionals you guys have hired, recommend to get the cost in line with the budget. Okay, so at that point we're going to be able to make a determination. Even with those cost savings of this project is still viable. It's still going to accomplish the program it's still whatever. Okay, that's great. And if I may, one, one more key aspect to that is that value engineering list is not necessarily, we've got to remove these things and they, and they're gone for good. Rather, some of one strategy we can use is okay, here's an item that could be in the project or could be out of the project depending on where the market is a year from now. And we can strategize to make those add alternate or deduct alternate, if the client still wants to include them, not not give up on them yet that type of thing. Great, great. Very helpful thank you for. Okay, anything else Craig on the schedule. One more item which is sorry I'm sort of flashing back and forth the the the agenda and my PDFs here interim location design update. So I covered that where we are with the design the interim locations. So last week or the week prior towards the end of June, Sharon had sent me some more potential locations for the various services. So that's in my court, one of the things I'm going to do soon. Sorry Sharon is take a look at those and see if there's any kind of like red flags or things that I think would would not work. And I'll report those to you. So that. So although I don't have a whole lot of information to provide tonight, just the update that we're, you know, still in the collecting information portion of our time and the balls in my court to give some feedback on the areas that Sharon has found around town. Great. Thanks. Any questions for Craig and colliers. I just say regarding I'm sorry I didn't raise my hand. I do that. Sorry, Sean. Regarding the interim spaces. So, you know, the, the possible spaces that we have found does not total how much space that we need, I think, and so I just want to say to the people out there if they're if you have ideas. Let us know send them our way. Thank you. So about what. Oh, if you know somebody that has available space, send them our way. Okay. Sean. I just wanted to confirm Craig I think what you said is, so by the end of July or early August, we'll, we'll have a good idea of what strategies we're going to follow to kind of get the, the, if the cost does come in above the budget backed out. I know it's not going to be high level things I know it's not going to be super detailed at this point but yes and so that will be for the end of July. Okay, great. Thank you. Yeah. Sean having asked that question. I just want to ask Craig, is that exercise of kind of a usual exercise in construction projects of this scope. Yeah, we include that in every every project for every cost estimate we always include a value engineering exercise. Sometimes you don't need it. Given the market we're assuming we will. But yeah we that is very typical. So it's not unique to this project this is a common thing that we're going to go through. Great. Very fabulous. Okay, other questions about the collars update. I do want to say there again it's, it's the milestone of the completion of the schematic design package packet is really worth noting. FAA with the good help of the collars team has really done a tremendous amount of work in getting those schematics to the point where they are now. And some wonderful things like them, the one elevator which is freed up space and it's going to allow them to do some design work on the third floor. And make it really an attractive space up there. So there's a lot of good work that has already been done, and more of course to come. Okay, so next item on the agenda is subcommittee reports. Christine for the design subcommittee. Yeah, so last time we met was on February on Friday, June 24. And the big thing then was that FAA had come to talk to us because kind of like what Austin just said, the schematic design is moving forward and they're working very hard at tweaking and tweaking and bringing us information and asking questions and I'm going back to go get more information very often about cost, or to relook at the drawings and try to rework it so that they're in better shape to come to these good building committee meetings. So one of those items, the big one was that we had the Civil War tablet space that had been deemed that FAA had gotten the go ahead to find space for the tablets. It was great. We had Dave, Somak and many members of the Civil War tablet working group come. And so they were looking at the space. And I think they're in general the feeling was that they're pleased to have this space. But as we talked about questions and a design capability. I realized that some more work needs to be done on them figuring out how these tablets these great tablets are going to be displayed. Are they going to stay like right now they're on like these easels on the floor. Or should they be put on the walls and it's not really like. You know what looks better. What people want. They need to talk to a conservator archival people who can best suggest what is the best way to preserve and keep these tablets safe yet accessible. It was really kind of unsure whether they're going to stay on like floor easels and be in that room or to be mounted on the walls and you have to keep in mind that like five of the tablets are like 700 pounds each. So that's a lot of weight when you start adding all that and when we looked at the actual walls of the room. Part of it is old existing sort of foundation walls that you can't structurally like improve as much. And then there's internal walls that are just like standard walls that you know we have around us right now that wouldn't be able to hold numerous 700 pound tablets so the designers need to know this information they suggested by August would be really what because if they were going to go on the wall. They need to know that because these walls would structurally have to be engineered in a different way. And whether that costs a little bit more we didn't get into that obviously it's so Dave and his group need to do some. I mean, time is of the essence. They have to go figure out how find someone who can help them and Sharon I don't know if you know more about who they can go to what's going to happen yeah. So, I don't know if Craig I'm not sure who follows back up with them, or keeps on top of that but hopefully they'll be back to us within the month with a decision on what to do with that so. And then there were just other general talks about the room and there's potential of switching rooms. There's a room next to it or creating openings between them so a lot of that is still very fluid and being discussed but hopefully that will come together in the next month. So then the other part because we had FAA there we talked mostly they again they're tweaking these drawings the restrooms the options they're trying to give us it mostly impacts just that bottom floor because it has the more bathrooms where the general bathrooms are the individual bathrooms are pretty much set. So they brought more of that and they're looking to more costs and the exterior materials they came back with costs and surprisingly some of the thing. So we got cost per square foot for the different weather brick or metal, but they have to come back with more on labor because you can't just like the cost of brick per square foot might be lower than the metal panels but the metal panels probably take much less labor than bricks do. So they're going to come back with that and then the last was the elevator like you said Austin is great and they're working with that one elevator, but they're still tweaking walkways and how it ties into that third floor space. And they're getting close on that and because that took two hours, we pushed the public comments to the next meeting so we don't have anything to bring to you today. So, and we're not sure we normally meet on Friday but I think that's going to get pushed another week or so we're still figuring out your dates of our next meeting. That's all I've got. Any questions. Thank you questions for the design subcommittee. Do you have any idea what the cost implications would be of mounting the Civil War tablets on the walls of the building as opposed to having them mounted in some other way which doesn't require doing anything particular to the walls to deal with the weight. My understanding is it would not be a great cost specifically if we use the new walls as Christine was mentioning they can be engineered from day one to have increased capacity. And so it would be the type of thing where you almost wouldn't even notice the cost. These kind of get blended into the to the rest of the construction package. Okay. Other questions to the design subcommittee. Again, I want to thank Christine and Sharon in particular for the really good work that happened around the Civil War tablets not done. The, the subcommittee or the committee that's been dealing with the Civil War tablets. Really, we owe them again a great deal of thanks for their skilled advocacy and for the these tablets and the recognition of their significance to the town and their record and their recognition, which we all share of how valuable it will be to have the tablets in in the wonderful renovated and added to library. Okay, Alex of the fave is not here from the outreach committee, Xander isn't here from the outreach committee and Nick isn't here from the outreach committee. I am here from the outreach committee to say the outreach committee is doing a fabulous job. Newsletters and meetings and public input which gets kind of seamlessly transmitted to Craig and Sharon and then seamlessly evaluated by the design committee. The only other thing that I wanted to say is that tomorrow night at seven o'clock. It's an opportunity for members of the public who want to see the latest schematics to see them. So that's that is a zoom meeting tomorrow at at seven o'clock a community forum. People get a chance to look at those those those schematics. So if people can make it that would be that would be great. Anything else about okay. Correspondents there is there really is none that I know of topics not anticipated by the chair, none that I know of any topics that we need to address. Okay. There is one before I recognize Bob there is one thing that I do think we need to address and that is just to make clear that our next meeting which is scheduled for the 26th of July at 430 is scheduled for the Goodwin room in the Jones library. And I take it that going forward. We will continue to meet in the Goodwin room of the Jones library for the JLDC meetings Sharon is that your intention. It's open to discussion I bet Paul has a different idea. Yeah, so the Senate passed a bill today that would extend the ability to meet remotely through December of 2023. The House hasn't done that the governor hasn't signed it so until they both take additional action that won't happen until we're still in July 15 I think there's a lot of pressure on them because every city in town is in our same boat. We're scheduling public hearings we don't know how to schedule them. Things like that so, you know, if we if we if it doesn't pass. Well by July 26 will have definitive what regulations out. You can still meet remotely. We'll have rules about that in order to meet remotely under our current rules. We have a quorum in the room that chair has to be in the room, and then other members can participate via remote means, as long as the technology is available to do that. And that's the sort of kicker is the technology being available. It just lost me around the bin so you're saying that we could meet, or I'm going to call it an in person meeting, but have remote participation. Is that what you were saying. That's currently, you know, pre pandemic that was always the case that someone could call in. They have to get permission to set a rule set up to do that. And but there has to be quorum in the room and the chair has to be in the room. That's the those are the two key components of it. But I just want to make, I just want to be clear about what people's dispositions are. If the governor allows us to continue to meet fully remotely. Is it people's preference that we would can, or that we could meet in person. Is it people's preference that we continue to meet fully remotely. George. I mean, I'm of the mindset given that these meetings involve people from all different areas of the state, and that we do a lot of screen sharing with with so many things it just seems to be more practical to meet remotely. If we are able to, but I certainly understand if the laws for him at that, but it just seems to me that it's a lot. It's more practical to me remotely given the, the scope of this project. So other thoughts, assuming that we if right Paul, if the law is passed and signed, we would have to make a decision about remote meeting and I want to make sure that we're, we're making that decision now case that we have that alternative. Right. Yeah, Christine. Yeah, I'm just wondering, do we. So, do we still have to video all of our meetings or how does that work because I know that if we are in person are they still going to be videoed. What is the town's practice, likely to be poor. I mean, prior to the pandemic, we didn't video any we weren't Amherst media covered the finance committee, the school committee and the select board. They didn't cut the other meeting board video and planning board against me here. But they didn't cover other meetings and I think the public has gotten used to the availability of these things on via zoom, where you record everything via zoom. That's one of the big advantages. I think it's on both ends. You know, if you if we try to meet in person then there's technology demands that if every committee wanted to meet in a hybrid technology which is what the select board or wish what the council does. We would not be able to support that through our IT department for every committee to do that. Yeah, Sharon. And I just I wanted to follow up on what Paul just said so, so going back to pre pandemic meeting in person, the majority of us, that will, that will work fine. But remember, so there are forms you have to fill out if you do not want to be in the room. I think you need to state a reason, and there's an approval process, and Paul can clarify if I'm wrong so it's not easy to not be in the room. And so by doing it in the good one room and the library. We cannot. The library can't support a hybrid model. I think I'm happy to talk more with Paul. The benefit of doing it in the good one room is then we're not battling with all the other town departments for the town at town hall. The living room at town hall does have the IT capabilities, but the living room is just plain old basic we're in the space. Nothing will be recorded. So I just wanted to try to lay out all the options. Any thoughts about the zoom, the zoom meeting I will just say for myself. I hope that we would continue to meet via zoom if we're able to. We might want to schedule occasional in person meetings. But I find that the zoom meeting format allows people to participate. If we can request them members of the public, we can record it. And it's George said there's a lot of the screen sharing looking at diagrams and things, which is pretty easy with zoom, George. Yeah, I mean I was just I was just going to add, because I wanted to mention that as well there's, there's probably a lot of members of the public who are yet to be comfortable coming to a meeting and being amongst a crowd of people. So for a lot of the members of the public, it's easier for them to tune in via zoom as well, because they feel safer. So, um, does anybody want to say anything against the idea of continuing to meet via zoom if the governor allows it. Okay, so let's, let's Sharon Angie let's check in about the progress of that legislation. The meeting is right now scheduled to be in person. If the legislation passes the governor signs it. Let's make sure that the meeting is on zoom sharing. Yeah, I just wanted to say one more thing so based on what happened last time it literally it was like the day before. And as you all know you, we have to post 48 hours in advance. So I'm guessing we should assume that this is going to happen in the goodwin room on the. What, the 26, I think we should assume that I'm, because I don't, I couldn't be wrong, maybe they'll come back on Friday and they'll give us loads of time but. Well, the answer to the question is stay tuned. So, right, the meeting is now scheduled for the to be in person to be in the goodwin room, stay tuned that may, may change or may not change. Okay, so next item on the agenda we have the seven members of the public now is an opportunity for public comment and I see Bob Pam. My question is fairly simple. Tomorrow when the new schematics are being unveiled to the public will they then be available online in some fashion so that if you need to print it out and review it you can do so. So to clarify the schematics they were revealed a couple weeks ago, and they are on the website and the schematic design package has been sent to us released and and is being put on the website so I think if you go to the Jones libraries website you'll see it now. Great. Thank you Bob. All right Bob if you would lower your hand that would be great. Other any other public comment. Okay, seeing none thanking members of the public for attending the meeting. Last item is adjournment. And I'm going to deploy the Backelman move and just say, we're adjourned. Stay well everybody look forward to seeing you soon. Bye bye.