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Home My WebLink About01/04/2005, C8 - AMENDMENT #7 TO CITY/COUNTY LIBRARY JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT councit n��o.� j agenda REpoRt w.N� CITYOF SAN LUIS O B I S P O FROM: Wendy George, ACAO Prepared By. Betsy Kiser, Principal Administrative Analyst SUBJECT: AMENDMENT #7 TO CITY/COUNTY LIBRARY JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT CAO RECOMMENDATION 1. Approve an amendment to the city/County Library Joint Powers Agreement a) approving the reduction of weekly open hours from forty-three to thirty-eight; and b) maintaining the allocation of$14,000 to be used for general operating costs associated with the provision of library services at the City/County Library. 2. Authorize the Mayor to execute the agreement. DISCUSSION Background Since 1989, the City has held a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the County of San Luis Obispo for the operation and maintenance of the City/County Library. Under the agreement, daily operations are split between the County and the City with the County Library assuming responsibility for the library itself and the City taking responsibility for the Community Room and Conference Room. Ongoing maintenance and liability of the facility is shared between the County Library and the City. Any changes to this agreement require the approval of both the County Board of Supervisors and the City Council. Over the years, six amendments have been approved to the JPA, primarily addressing hours of operation and requests for financial support. The first amendment occurred in 1993 in response to County Library budget constraints and resulted in reducing service hours from the original 54 to 50 hours/week. In 1996, the County Library advised the City that the library's overall financial health was suffering and would steadily decline without corrective action. Revenue losses from State take-aways, coupled with general increases in the cost of operations, had worked to erode the library's Iona-term financial stability. To partially remedy this deficit, the Council reluctantly agreed to a further reduction of weekly hours of operation from 50 to 48, resulting in the closure of Wednesday evening service. In March 1997, the County Library reported to the City that there had been significant public concern about the loss of Wednesday evening library hours. To reopen the library for three hours on Wednesday evenings, the County Library requested increased City funding. The Council acknowledged that approving this funding request would not address the long-term financial concerns that exist with the library budget, however, recognizing the community need for more library hours, approved the request and amended the JPA to reflect the increased hours of operation (48 to 51). During the development of the 1999-01 and 2001-03 Financial Plans, Council again approved funding increases to the County Library to continue Wednesday evening service hours and amended the JPA twice more to reflect additional funding levels. The 5`h amendment also Amendment#6 to City/County Library JPA Page 2 continued the agreement automatically until such time that the contract was terminated or amended by either party, and tied future payment increases to the CPI-U, effective July 1 of each year. The final amendment to the JPA occurred in April 2003. Again, citing reductions in State funding and increasing operating costs, the County Library requested approval for, and was subsequently granted, a further reduction to open library hours from 51 to 43 hours. The amendment discontinued Wednesday evening hours and created a flat subsidy of $14,000/year, with no COLA increases. Proposed Amendment to Current JPA On December 17, 2004, the City received a formal request from the County Library to, once again, reduce weekly open hours from 43 to 38. (Attachment 1) The need for the reduction arises from a structural library budget deficit and the recent loss of Measure L. (Measure L was a one- half percent sales tax that would have provided nearly $8 million/year to the library system over the next five years for more open hours, additional new books and badly needed repairs to facilities.) The County Library is also requesting that the City maintain its financial support of $14,000/year for general operating costs. Given the City's traditional support for Library services and the value of these services to the citizens in our community, staff recommends approval of the County's request for open hour reduction and continued financial support at current levels. CONCURRENCES The proposed amendment will be presented to the County Board of Supervisors for approval on the same day it is being presented to City Council (January 4, 2005). FISCAL IMPACT Currently, $14,000 has been allocated to County Library through the 2003-05 Financial Plan. If Council approves the proposed amendment to the agreement, there will be no additional fiscal impact to the General Fund. ALTERNATIVES 1. Reduce the current funding level to reflect the reduction in service hours. This is not recommended because it will only compound the problem and most likely cause a need to reduce hours even further to meet operating costs. Because the program is a valued service to the citizens in our community, and future funding will remain precarious, at best, reducing funding does not seem prudent at this time 2. Do not approve Amendment #7 to the City/County Library JPA. Staff does not recommend this alternative given the financial status of the County Library system. ATTACHMENTS 1. County Library Letter of Request, December 17, 2004 2. Amendment#7 to JPA 0C/ , G:\Staff\Kiser\Agreements\City-County Library\Council Agenda Report#7 Report 10405.DOC - -- ATTACHMENT 1 San Luis ObispO City-CountyLibrary P.O. Box 8107, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8107 995 Palm Street (805) 781-5991. Library Administration (805) 781-5784 17 December 2004 Ken Hampian City Administrative Officer City of San Luis Obispo Dear Ken: Please consider this letter a formal request to amend language regarding weekly open hours referred to in the Joint Powers Agreement between the City and the San Luis Obispo City-County Library. Specifically,we ask for permission to reduce weekly open hours from forty-three to thirty-eight. The SLO City Library will be open Tuesday through Saturday,with one evening open on Tuesday. The need for this reduction arises from a structural Library budget deficit and the recent loss of Measure L. I plan to take an Amendment to the Board of Supervisors on 4 January 2005. The City currently contributes about$14,000 annually to SLO City Library staffing in order to provide evening services. As noted above,we will maintain one evening per week on Tuesdays. The City's ongoing support ofopen hours is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Brian) Reynolds / Library Director Cc:✓Wendy George,Asst. CAO;County Administration; Board of Supervisors Cg '3 ATTACHMENT 2 AMENDMENT No.7 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 decrease hours of operation, until alternate funding sources become available; and WHEREAS, the County has requested continued funding from the City for operation of the Library and the City so desires to provide funding at the current level. NOW,THEREFORE,THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE AS FOLLOWS: • Paragraph five of the 1989 agreement is hereby amended by the addition of the following sentence at the end of the paragraph: "The Library will be open to the public at least five days a week and 38 hours a week." In addition, the City will pay the County a sum of $14,000 annually to be used for general operating costs associated with the provision of library services." • Amendment No. 6 approved by the City Council and the County Board of Supervisors on May 20, 2003 is hereby superseded by this amendment. 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. ATTACHMENT 2- Amendment No. 7—City/County Library JPA Page 2 COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO Shirley Bianchi David F. Romero Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors Mayor Approved by the City Council this 4`h day of January, 2005. Approved by the Board of Supervisors this day of 2005. ATTEST: Julie Rodewald Audrey Hooper Clerk of the Board of Supervisors City Clerk Amendment No. 7 - City/County Library JPA APPROVED AS TO FORM: JAMES B LINDHOLM JONATHAN LOWELL COUNTY COUNSEL CITY ATTORNEY By: V" Deputy County Counsel Attorney Cg� �