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Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 6.C
Meeting Date: April 10, 2024
From: Anne Ambrose, Assistant City Manager
Title: Approve Library Lease Agreement Between the City of Cathedral City and County of Riverside
RECOMMENDATION:
To approve Library Lease Agreement between the City of Cathedral City and County of Riverside.
BACKGROUND:
Opened in 1938 as a community library located in the new City Hall, Cathedral City Library quickly became an authorized branch site just one year later. In 1942, Harvey and Edna Peterson donated a lot adjacent to Town Hall for public library use. Then, a former army hospital barracks was purchased by a Chamber of Commerce bond issue and this building would serve as the community’s library for the next 39 years.
On June 3, 1981, the County built a new 3,700 -square-foot branch site on Hwy 111 in Cathedral City. This site was made possible thanks to funding from a HUD Community Development Grant and the County General Fund. It was from this time forward that the City and County entered into a lease agreement sharing maintenance and operations responsibilities for the facility.
Dedicated in January 1996, the current library was constructed with funds provided by the Cathedral City Redevelopment Agency and the California State Library under authority of the California Library Construction and Renovation Bond Issue. This 20,000-square-foot library served as the City’s library facility until February 2008, when a devastating fire halted all library services. In June 2009, the renovated library reopened with state -of-the-art furnishings, new materials and display areas, additional public computer stations, and RFID self-check technology.
DISCUSSION:
The last lease agreement between the City and County has expired and both parties have been working together to execute a new lease agreement. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of each agency. The City is responsible for maintaining the exterior of the building, common areas, parking lot, heating and air conditioning
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equipment, structural plumbing, structural electrical wiring and fixtures and the building structure. The County is responsible for operating and providing all library services, utilities, custodial and general maintenance of the interior. The agreement is a two-year agreement with options to extend.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact from the execution of this agreement. Annually, the City budgets $60,000 for facility maintenance.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal B: Community Investment
Objective: Cathedral City Roads, gateways, public spaces, and other infrastructure are well planned, designed, constructed and maintained.
B-6 Maximize the use of existing resources to include underutilized parks and the library to support goals with the budget we have.
Attachment: Library Lease Agreement
ATTACHMENTS:
Library Lease Agreement with County of Riverside_20240404193315513