CC Minutes - 02/11/02 Work Session

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C.RENEWAL OF LIBRARY LOCAL OPTION LEVY The council was joined by Julie AspinwalI-Lamberts, co-chair of the Mayor's Library Improvement Committee, Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department Director Angel Jones, and Connie Bennett, Library Services Director. Ms. Jones introduced the item, and asked the committee members present stand so the council could recognize them. Committee members Eleanor Mulder, Anne Carter, Christine Donahue, and Susan Hirata introduced themselves. Ms. Jones thanked them for attending and for their commitment. Ms. Bennett briefly provided background on the committee process, noting that ten of the original twelve members who served on the 1997 committee had agreed to participate on the reconstituted committee. Ms. AspinwalI-Lamberts, co-chair of the committee, presented the recommendations of the Mayor's Library Improvement Committee for the renewal of the library local option levy. She reported on the public forums conducted by the committee, which indicated considerable support for the library branches, concern about the economy, and a desire for more hours and more books. She said that the committee was very concerned about the economy and people's ability to take on an additional tax burden. The committee had discussed a third branch and agreed that one was implemented, it should occur in the southwest; however, the committee agreed now was not the time because of the economy. Ms. AspinwalI-Lamberts said the committee discussed anticipated increased usage at the main library and the need for it to be a strong core of the service in support of the branches, and the recommendations focused on strengthening that core. Ms. AspinwalI-Lamberts reviewed the committee's recommendations for funding: 1) enhance the collection budget for the library system to bring the library up to the Oregon Library Association's "adequate" standard of at least 2.5 books per capita; 2) add evening hours to the Downtown Library schedule, bringing the total to 64 hours per week and meeting the Oregon Library Association's "adequate" standard of at least 60 hours per week; 3) add six weekday hours per week to the branch library schedule to provide for consistency in hours; 4) add additional staff for telephone reference service for the library system and full service desk coverage at the Downtown Library; and 5) add Sunday hours at the branches. Ms. AspinwalI-Lamberts said that the committee recommended that the cost be held at 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. Mayor Torrey solicited a first round of council questions/comments. Mr. Meisner, co-chair of the committee, thanked gave thanks to what he termed an incredible committee. He said that the committee was always prepared and its analysis was deep and efficient. He said that the committee had done a good job of recognizing the tension between wanting it all and what the City could afford. Mr. Meisner said committee members recognized that the use of serial levies was not the best way to run a library system, but acknowledged that Ballot Measure 47/50 had left the City in the position it was in. Mr. Meisner thought the committee had done a good job of addressing both needed services and the costs engendered by the new main library in its recommendation. He thought the committee's recommendations all made sense and were defensible. Mr. Farr thanked Mr. Meisner for serving as co-chair of the committee. He said he toured the library earlier that day and it was awesome even in its unfinished state. He expressed appreciation for the committee's pared-down recommendation. Mr. Farr said the community was MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 11, 2002 Page 11 State of the City