Board of County Commissioners

Coordinating Committee Minutes

THURSDAY – SEPTEMBER 7, 2006

6:45 P.M. – 8:30 P.M.

PUBLIC SERVICES BUILDING
2051 KAEN RD.
ROOM 369
OREGON CITY, OR. 97045

Meeting Minutes

Attendees: Bob Austin - Estacada, Bill Kennemer – Clackamas County, John Hartsock – Boring Fire District, Dick Jones - OLWD; Dee Wescott – Damascus, Paul Savas – OLSD, Teresa Blackwell – Canby, Alice Norris – Oregon City, Martha Schrader – Clackamas County. Linda Malone – Sandy, Larry Sowa – Clackamas County, Danielle Cowan – Wilsonville, Jon Mantay – Clackamas County, Hal Busch – Gladstone, Carlotta Collette – Milwaukie, Gene Grant – Happy Valley, Jack Hoffman – Lake Oswego, Ron Partch – Gladstone, Barb Ledbury – Damascus, Scott Lazenby - Sandy, Larry Patterson – Oregon City, Nancy Newton – Clackamas County, Pat Duke – Library District Wilsonville, Brian Newman – Metro Council, Jim Wright - Damascus

After introductions, the minutes of the May 4, 2006 and the June 1, 2006 meetings were adopted unanimously.

Library Subcommittee Report – Scott Lazenby
Scott Lazenby provided a review of the Subcommittee Report. Some further items of discussion were:

• The stabilization of funding by the County, cited in the Subcommittee Report, will help to improve the overall operations funding for libraries
• In an era of declining resources, using a circulation based model is an unstable way to fund libraries
• Using that model, unincorporated areas are at a disadvantage
• Using a 50% population and 50% circulation method of funding will help to stabilize funding to libraries
• Libraries should explore supplemental funding
  • Fees for Service, Private Endowments etc.
• Current County funding formula is vulnerable to shock
• Current funding method does not provide for new buildings
• No one is in the position to make radical changes to the system today

Other Questions and Comments were:

• Population vs. circulation still impacts certain areas
• Estacada serves a larger library district surrounding that city and would be impacted unless the population formula was based upon actual patrons served, not the smaller city population
• Do all libraries operate with the same rules? e.g., loan durations for new vs. older materials, renewals, policies, etc.
• Do we have reciprocal agreements with Multnomah County and is merger an option? Scott and Linda advised that Multnomah Co. does not use the same funding model
• 50/50 seems like a fair compromise at this time
• LNIB will look at these technical issues and will make recommendations to the County Commissioners; possibly recommending to tweak boundaries?
• Long term strategy – which is the body to accomplish that – LNIB?
• Do we agree with this report?

Linda Malone moved to accept the Library Subcommittee Report recommendations as listed on Page 4 of the July, 2006 Report on Funding and Policy Issues; Dick Jones provided a 2nd to the motion:

- LINCC Agreement: the Library Information Network of Clackamas County (LINCC) agreement with cities needs to be updated.
- Service Areas: the population/geographic service areas should be analyzed in greater detail as part of the funding formula and this determination would be best made by the Library Network staff.
- Additional Components of Formula: examine the cost of implementing potential exchange of reimbursement between LINCC member libraries for direct circulation which would be a type of “mini-mix.”

Discussion of the Motion:

- Jack Hoffman stated he has numerous concerns with the report – would cost Lake Oswego approximately $50,000/year
- Dick Jones asked if the report said there could be Special Districts for Libraries
- Nancy Newton stated that the subcommittee report suggested that the circulation/population formula be reviewed by LNIB
- Dee Wescott stated that Damascus would want to be part of a library system/build a new library as they grow; current report would not support their desires to build a new library when they are ready
- Scott Lazenby advised that the current formula doesn’t address future County population growth
- Larry Patterson stated that communities are not voting against libraries it is simply a money issue
- Scott Lazenby said that survey statistics show that a countywide levy won’t be supported

After the motion discussion,

Vote: 10 to accept, 2 opposed

Brian Newman, Metro – briefly discussed the “New Look” Land Use and Transportation components. Transportation - there will be a major RTP overhaul and it is imperative that all get involved. Weigh in Now! Land Use – at the end of ’08 there will be a required UGB expansion. Brian provided the group with some hand out material.

Bill Kennemer stated a long-term Library issue question asking where does Library governance eventually go. He stated there should be “livable standards of fairness” in this issue.

The following is a listing of Co-Chairs for the subcommittees determined at the Timothy Lake Summer Retreat.

• Sustainability - Carlotta Collette and Hal Busch
• Transportation - Bill Kennemer and Lynn Peterson
• Land Use - John Hartsock and Jack Hoffman

The three subcommittees met during the last half hour of the meeting. The subcommittees may want to meet on the first Thursday of each month. Transportation agreed to meet at 5:00 p.m. prior to the C-4 Meeting.

Estacada is the next Cities Dinner scheduled for October 26 where opportunity for reports from the subcommittees would be provided.