Agenda Item A.17
CONSENT CALENDAR
Meeting Date: June 20, 2023
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Jaime A. Valdez, Neighborhood Services Director
CONTACT: Shanna Dawson, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Updated Lost and Found Policy for Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the updated Lost and Found Policy for Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries.
BACKGROUND:
The Library has had a Lost and Found Policy in place since June 2018. It has been serviceable but created several difficulties for staff. Because it called for library staff to retain lost items for up to thirty days, some patrons learned that they could leave their possessions at the library for a long period of time and then retrieve them just before the thirty-day period expired. Thus, the library was becoming a type of storage locker for patron’s belongings.
This was always problematic for several reasons. The library lacks storage space for items such as these. Children’s toys would be left with no way of identifying ownership and staff would have to maneuver around them for one month before discarding them.
When a large number of possessions were left by an individual there was sometime s an issue with infestation of the materials, creating a cleanliness and safety issue at the library.
DISCUSSION:
Library staff responsible for dealing with the Lost and Found items at Goleta Valley Library shared that if someone did not call about a lost item within the first three days of leaving it at the library, it was highly unlikely they were going to call at a ll. Therefore, library management consulted with the City Attorney’s Office to draft a new policy that lessened the length of time that the library must hold onto lost items.
The Library Advisory Commission met on April 3, 2023, and updated the Lost and Found Policy, provided in Attachment 1. Changes to the prior iteration of the policy have been highlighted in yellow. The following summarizes the changes:
1 Meeting Date: June 20, 2023
Additional guidance on how to attempt to contact the owner of the found property; Increasing the dollar value threshold of the found property from $50 to $100 that determines whether the item is stored at the library or transported to the Sheriff’s Office; and
Shortens the storage time from 30 days to 72 hours prior to being discarded.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council could require that the library continue to hold items for thirty days.
Reviewed By: Legal Review By: Approved By:
___________________ ___________________ _________________ Kristine Schmidt Megan Garibaldi Robert Nisbet
Assistant City Manager City Attorney City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Updated 2023 Goleta Valley Library Lost and Found Policy 2 Attachment 1
Updated 2023 Goleta Valley Library Lost and Found Policy
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Policy No.:
Approved Date:
Revised Date:
GVL-010
06/05/2018
LOST & FOUND POLICY
GOLETA VALLEY LIBRARY
LOST & FOUND POLICY
PURPOSE
The following procedures shall be followed in handling temporarily lost or intentionally abandoned property found at City facilities or on Library grounds in a manner consistent with state law, in particular, Chapter 4 of Title 6, Part 2 of Division 3 of the California Civil Code (2080-2080.10).
ABANDONED PR
OPERTY
Items found in the City’s Library facilities or on Library grounds that have no apparent value shall be considered to be abandoned. This includes soiled, damaged, or vermin- infested personal items such as clothing or sleeping bags, perishable items such as food, or items, including toys, which are worn, broken, and unusable.
An exception to this rule is that backpacks, purses, wallets, or other objects containing personal documents are not to be considered abandoned unless they are heavily damaged or soiled. These items shall be considered Found Property of Value as defined below.
DISPOSITION OF ABANDONED PROPERTY
Abandoned Property will be discarded after one day in accordance with state Civil Code section 2080.7. Abandoned property shall be stored in a container at the library until the next day, when the contents may be discarded.
FOUND PROPERTY
Property of any apparent value discovered in Library facilities or on Library grounds shall be considered found property.
PROCEDURES FOR DOCUMENTING AND STORING FOUND PROPERTY
1. City staff shall make all reasonable efforts to contact the owner of the found property. Staff should first attempt to contact the owner using the telephone book or social media. If staff can still not find the owner’s contact information using those methods, one may use the Automated Library System for the limited purpose of finding contact information for an item owner.
2. Cit y staff will check the Lost Property Log to see if the item has been reported lost.
If so, the reporting party will be contacted if the item has been previously reported as lost (see Procedures for Lost Property Reporting below). 4 65266.00308\41046772.1
LO
ST & FOUND POLICY
3. If it has not been reported lost, staff will add the item to the Found Property Log and complete a Found Property Tag and attach it to the item and place it in a storage bag if necessary.
4. A tracking number consisting of the date and a sequential number shall be added to both the tag and the Found Property Log. For example: 4-4-2018-1, 4-4-2018- 2, etc.
5. Found property will be stored at a designated location at the library i f it appears to
be worth less than $100.
6. Found property which appears to be worth $100 or more (Found Property of Value) shall be transported by a City employee to the law enforcement facility of the local jurisdiction for safekeeping in accordance with the requirements of state Civil Code section 2080.1. A ll cell phones, keys, wallets, purses, and back packs shall be considered Found Property of Value unless heavily damaged or soiled.
7. The des ignated City staff transporting found items to the local law enforcement facility will record the case number assigned to the item by the receiving officer and will add it to the Found Property Log entry for that item.
San
ta Barbara County Sheriff’s Department
Main Station
4434 Calle Real
Santa Barbara, California 93117
(805) 681-4100
Di
sposition of Unclaimed Found Property (item appears to be less than $100 value)
1. Found property which appears to be worth less than $ 100 will be stored at the library for a minimum of 48 hours.
2. After 72 hours, such unclaimed property will be discarded.
3. Final disposition of such unclaimed property will be recorded on the Found P
roperty log, along with the name, date, and signature of the authorizing staff person.
Pr
ocedures for Lost Property Reporting
1. When patrons report a lost item, staff will check the designated storage location for lost property and the Found Property Log.
2. If the reported item is not present, the staff member will enter the item in the Lost Property Log, noting date reported, property description, owner’s name and phone number.
3. If property is found on the Log, and is stored at the library , staff will complet e releasing procedure below.
4. If property is found in the Log but has been sent to the local law enforcement agency for storage, patron will be directed to contact that agency.
Pr
ocedures for Releasing Found Property
1. Claimant will provide a description of the property or other proof of ownership.
2. Claimant will provide identification. In the case of minors without identification, a parent or guardian shall provide identification.
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LOST & FOUND POLICY
3. City staff will enter the following information in the Found Property Log:
a. Describe the final disposition (released to owner).
b. Record the name and phone number of claimant.
c. Obtain signature of claimant in appropriate space.
d. Staff person authorizing release will fill in their name, then date and sign the Found Property Log.
No Liability
The library shall not be liable for loss or destruction of any item left at the Library, claimed by someone other than the rightful owner, or deposited into the lost and found. 6