HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/15/1997, C-8 - CHANGE TO CITY/COUNTY LIBRARY JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT council 7
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C I TY OF SAN LUIS 0 E I S P 0
FROM: Ken Hampian,Assistant City Administrative Offcerm/�p�'
Prepared By: Wendy George,Assistant to the City Administrative Officer - 0
SUBJECT: Change to City/County Library Joint Powers Agreement
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve and authorize the Mayor to execute an amendment to the City/County Library Joint
Powers Agreement to increase the hours of operation by reopening the library for three hours on
Wednesday evenings for the 1997-99 fiscal years in exchange for annual payments of$12,500 and
$12,900.
DISCUSSION
In July, 1996,the County advised the City that the Library's overall financial health is suffering and
will steadily decline without corrective action. A recent five-year financial forecast revealed that
the Library has a structural deficit in the range of$300,000 annually. Revenue losses from State
take-aways, coupled with general increases in the cost of operations, have worked to erode the
Library's long-term financial stability. To partially remedy this deficit,the County requested that it
be allowed to reduce the weekly hours of operation to 48 by closing at 5:00 pm. on Wednesdays
instead of 8:00 p.m., and opening a hour earlier, at 10:00 am. on Fridays. Because this reduction
followed upon a earlier reduction in 1993 from 54 hours to 50 hours,the Council reluctantly agreed
to this change in the JPA.
In March the County reported to the City that there has been significant public concern about the
loss of Wednesday evening library hours. To reopen the Library for three hours on Wednesday
evenings,the County requested annual City funding in the amounts of$12,500 and $12,900 for the
1997-99 fiscal years. The Council acknowledged that approving this funding request would not
address the long-term financial concerns which exist with the Library budget. However,
recognizing the community need for more Library hours, the Council did approve the request as
part of the 1997-99 Financial Plan.
The current JPA, as amended in July, 1996, states that `°The Library will be open to the public at
least six days per week and 48 hours per week" That section will be amended again to state that
for the fiscal years of 1997-98 and 1998-99, in exchange for payments of$12,500 and $12,900
from the City,the Library will be open an additional 3 hours on Wednesday evenings between 5:00
p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
As part of the Library funding request for the 1997-99 Financial Plan, staff recommended that
Library staff should be required to open the Community Room during the hours they are on site, in
return for the additional funds. City staff has met with the Library director several times to see if
such an arrangement would be workable. The Library director feels strongly that his staff has been
reduced to a level where it can barely provide library services adequately. He believes that to add
the additional burden of letting users into the Community Room would diminish library services
even more and,therefore,he is unwilling to assume this responsibility.
Council Agenda Report-Increased:Lbrary Hours
Page 2_
FISCAL EWP-ACT' — ---- —
Funding.of$12,500,for 1997=98 aad $12;900 for 1998-99 was approved i s part of the 199.7=99
Financial Plan(Significantbperating Program Changes,Page 39),
Attachments
.JPA Amendment
AMENDMENT#3
CITY-COUNTY LIBRARY JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT
WHEREAS,the City of San Luis Obispo and the County of San Luis Obispo entered into
a Joint Powers Agreement on October 3, 1989,for the ownership and operation of a City-County
Library;and
WHEREAS,the parties desire to amend said agreement to increase the hours of operation
for the 1997-98 and 1998-99 fiscal years,in exchange for financial support to the County from the
City,
NOW,THEREFORE,THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
Paragraph five of the existing agreement is hereby amended by the addition of the following
sentence at the end of the paragraph:
`°The Library will be open from 5:00 pm.to 8:00 p.m.on Wednesdays during the 1997-98
and 1998-99 fiscal years in exchange for payments from the City to the County of$12,500
and$12,900,respectively."
In all other respects,the existing agreement between the parties remains in full force and effect.
This amendment will be effective on the last day of execution set forth below.
COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
Ruth Brackett Allen Settle
Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors Mayor
Approved by the City Council this day of 11997.
Approved by the Board of Supervisors this day of , 1997.
ATTEST:
Julie Rodewald Bonnie Gawf
Clerk of the Board of Supervisors City Clerk
I -
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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JAMES BUNDHOLD JEFFREY JORGENSEN
COUNTY COUNSEL MY ATTORN9Y
By:
Deputy County Counsel ty ome
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