Ordinance No. 20129 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ORDINANCE NO. 20129 AN ORDINANCE GF THE CITY GF EUGENE, LANE COUNTY, OREGON CALLING AN ELECTION TU BE CONDUCTED ON NOVEMBER 3,1995, TO SUBMIT TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY A MEASURE AUTHORIZING A FOUR-YEAR SERIAL LEVY FUR LIBRARY OPERATIONS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. The City Council of the City of Eugene Ends that: A, Eugene Public Library's facilities and services have lagged behind service demand and need. Since the.current library's opening in 1959, the City's population has increased 2112 times and the City's area has doubled; in the same time, annual circulation has increased almost seven times. There are almost 80,000 registered borrowers, with 80% of the City's households reporting at least one library card. More than 535,000 patrons visited the library in FY98, or about four tunes the City's population, Eugene is the only city of its size on the west coast with no branch libraries. Per capita, expenditures for books and library materials place Eugene eighth of the twelve largest Oregon public libraries. Attendance at children's programs, Tnternet Center use and volunteer hours all have been increasing. B. Tn October of 1997 the City Council authorized creation of the Mayor's Library Tmprovement Committee ~"Mayor's Committee"}. The Mayor's Committee was charged with the development of a plan to address improved library services and facilities and to return a completed proposal for Council consideration. C. At its June 1,1998 meeting the Council approved use of the downtown urban renewal funds to build a new downtown library. Discussion of the operating costs for the new library and branch libraries was deferred until the Mayor's Committee submitted its report to the Council. D. The Mayor's Committee has submitted its report and recommended that the Council place an $8,760,000 ,four-year local option levy serial levy} on the November, 1998 ballot. The Mayor's Committee made several key recommendations that affect the local option levy. The recommendations are: 1. The optimal size for a new library would be approximately 100,000 square feet, if sufficient funding can be secured, The library should be located at the Rice `N' Spice lot an the half block south of 10~~ Avenue between Olive and Charnelton Streets; 2. Two branch libraries should be established on a phased basis in neighborhood shopping centers. The branches should be located in the Northwest and Northeast sectors of the City. The first branch should be opened as soon as feasible after approval of funding; Ordinance -1