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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 07/18/2006 - RESOLUTION 2006-075 AUTHORIZING THE CITY'S PARTICI ITEM NUMBER: 35 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY DATE: July 18, 2006 FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF: Brenda Carns Marty Heffernan SUBJECT Resolution 2006-075 Authorizing the City's Participation in the Proposed Fort Collins Regional Library District. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. FINANCIAL IMPACT The 2007 library budget has a direct impact on the General Fund, projected at $3,851,000. These funds are primarily used to provide staff to run the library operations, as well as for books and materials. Internal services such as legal, finance, human resources, facilities maintenance, etc., provided by other City departments, but not currently billed to the library, cost the City about $371,000 annually based on projections from the departments providing these services. The County projects that Library District revenue will become available after April,2007. Funding to operate the libraries from January through April will be needed, even if the voters approve the formation of the new Library District. It is recommended the City loan the Library District sufficient funds to operate until the District's funds are collected.The District would then reimburse the City. It is also recommended that the City provide support services for the District without charge for 2007 to help make the transition from a City-run library to a Library District as seamless for the community and the staff as possible. The District Board of Trustees can then determine if the District will purchase some or all of these services from the City for 2008 and thereafter. These and other issues will be addressed in a Council-approved intergovernmental agreement between the District, the City and the County once the District is formed. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A citizen group has petitioned for creation of a Library District that would include the City in its service area. Voters will be asked to form and fund the District in November. State law requires the City, as operator of an existing public library within the boundaries of the proposed District, to decide whether or not to participate in the District [C.R.S. §24-90-106(1)], and to consent to the County paying the costs of the election,rather than requiring the petitioners to post a bond to cover those costs [C.R.S. §24-90-107(3)(c)(11)]. This Resolution approves the City's participation,in the event the District is formed, and consents to the County paying the costs of the election. July 18, 2006 -2- Item No. 35 BACKGROUND City library services have been declining since 2002 due to budget cuts. Districts typically enjoy a higher level of local support than other types of public libraries since they are property tax based and the revenue remains relatively stable over long periods. Library Districts also capture revenue from growth outside of the City so that all who benefit pay the cost of library services. This allows the library to grow as the number of patrons using the library expands,without penalizing those who already pay for library services. A Library District will mean a higher level of service for the residents of Fort Collins and the surrounding area. A Library District will allow for such things as restoration of hours of operation, restoration of former levels of reference services, interlibrary loaning and borrowing services, youth outreach efforts, local history access and reinstatement and increase in community bookdrops. It will also be possible to increase programs and story times and the number of books available for the community to borrow. The District will also be able to build and operate a new branch library in southeast Fort Collins. RESOLUTION 2006-075 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AUTHORIZING THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROPOSED FORT COLLINS REGIONAL LIBRARY DISTRICT WHEREAS, a citizens' group has petitioned the Larimer County Commissioners for the creation of a new Fort Collins Regional Library District (the "Library District"), pursuant to Secs. 24-90-101 to 24-90-119 of the Colorado Revised Statutes (the "Library Law"); and WHEREAS,the proposed Library District would include Fort Collins within its legal service area; and WHEREAS,voters within the proposed legal service area of the Library District will decide at the November election whether to form the Library District and fund it through a property tax;and WHEREAS,Section 106 of the Library Law requires the City Council,as the legislative body of a governmental entity that maintains a library within the territory to be served by the Library District, to decide,by resolution or ordinance, whether or not to participate in the Library District; and WHEREAS,pursuant to Section 107(3)(c)of the Library Law,the County Commissioners may pay the costs of the election for the Library District,rather than require the petitioning citizens' group to post a bond to cover the costs, if the City consents; and WHEREAS, City library services have been declining since 2002 due to budget cuts; and WHEREAS, if approved by the voters, the Library District would capture revenue from growth outside the City as well as within,allowing the Library District to provide an improved level of service to residents of Fort Collins and the surrounding areas; and WHEREAS,the details of how the City and the Library District would cooperate and make the transition from a City-run library system to a Library District would be addressed at a later date through a Council-approved intergovernmental agreement between the City, the County and the Library District; and WHEREAS,the Council believes that participation in the proposed Library District would be in the best interests of the City and its residents. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City of Fort Collins shall participate in the proposed Fort Collins Regional Library District should the Library District be formed pursuant to the provisions of the Colorado Library Law. Section 2. That the City consents to the Larimer County Commissioners paying the costs of the election for the proposed Library District. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 18th day of July, A.D. 2006. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk