DATE: May 17, 2022
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Director of Library Services
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Accept and Appropriate up to $50,000 in Funding from Edward Martins or the Donna L and Edward E Martins Foundation to Support Library Services and Programs
RECOMMENDATION
That Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) authorizing the City Manager to accept and appropriate up to $50,000 in donations from Edward Martins or the Donna L and Edward E Martins Foundation to support the operation of Library Services and Programs for FY 2022, and annually for the next three fiscal years, through the end of FY 2025.
SUMMARY
Mr. Edward Martins has been a well-known local figure, practicing law and serving in a variety of roles in the Hayward community and with a strong commitment to education and youth in Hayward. After learning about the benefits of a mobile library and the services it could provide to the residents of Hayward, Mr. Martins, and his late wife Donna Martins, gifted $250,000 through the Martins Foundation to support the acquisition of a bookmobile for the Hayward Public Library. Encouraged by the staff’s work on the bookmobile project, and Hayward Public Library’s excellent programs and their commitment to service, Mr. Martins, and the Martins Foundation have offered to continue their support for Library Services programming.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Edward Martins began working as an attorney in Hayward in 1952 when he received his law degree from the University of San Francisco. Mr. Martins served on the Southern Alameda County Bar Committee to bring a branch of the Superior Court to Hayward and has also served as the director and president of the Hayward Chamber of Commerce, as president of the Board of Chabot College Trustees, as chairman of the “Chabot Must Grow” Committee, and as president of the Alameda County Bar Association.
After learning about the benefits of a mobile library and the services it could provide to the residents of Hayward, Mr. Martins, and his late wife Donna Martins made a commitment to this project and gifted $250,000 through the Martins Foundation to support the acquisition of a bookmobile for the Hayward Public Library in Fiscal Year 2021. Encouraged by the staff’s work on the bookmobile project, and Hayward Public Library’s excellent programs and their commitment to service, Mr. Martins, and the Martins Foundation have offered to continue their support for Library Services programming. The funding could come from the Foundation, or directly from Mr. Martins.
Last month (April 2022), Mr. Martins and the Martins Foundation agreed to a request for funding for teen services programs. The Foundation has donated $6,400 for Music Software and Board Games and Mr. Martins has personally donated $10,000 for technology purchases. The letters included with the donations make clear that Mr. Martins and the Board of the Martins Foundation are happy to support our projects and have great faith in the Library and our programs.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Funding from Edward Martins and the Martins Foundation will help provide additional equipment and materials to enhance programs offered by Hayward Public Library. The donations offered in April will provide board games and digital resources to expand youth and teen programming.
FISCAL IMPACT
With the acceptance of the $50,000 donation, the Library will be able to offer services to the Hayward community that may not have otherwise been available.
STRATEGIC ROADMAP
This agenda item is a routine operational item and supports the Quality-of-Life priority outlined in the Council’s Strategic Roadmap.
NEXT STEPS
As funds are donated, they will be appropriated (up to $50,000 annually) to the Library for the intended purpose and will be tracked accordingly.
Prepared by: Brad Olson, Management Analyst II
Recommended by: Jayanti Addleman, Director of Library Services Approved by:
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Kelly McAdoo, City Manager