MINUTES
MALIBU LIBRARY SUBCOMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING
APRIL 18, 2023
TELECONFERENCED - VARIOUS LOCATIONS
11:00 A.M.
The following meeting was held pursuant to AB 361 and fully teleconferenced from various locations during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Silverstein called the meeting to order at 11:01 a.m.
ROLL CALL
The following persons were recorded in attendance:
PRESENT: Mayor Bruce Silverstein and Councilmember Marianne Riggins ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Steve McClary; Assistant City Manager Joseph Toney; Interim Deputy City Manager Rob Houston; Acting Community Services Director Kristin Riesgo; Finance Manager Rene’e Neerrnann; Media Technician Parker Davis; and Executive Assistant Mary Linden
REPORT ON POSTING OF AGENDA
Executive Assistant Linden reported that the agenda and amended agenda for the meeting were properly posted 0n April 14, 2023.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION Councilmember Riggins moved, and Mayor Silverstein seconded a motion to Recommended Action: Approve the minutes for the Library Subcommittee Special meeting of May 2, 2022.
Executive Assistant Linden presented the report.
Pamela Conley Ulich was not present at the time of public comment. approve the agenda. The question was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
ITEM 1 PRESENTATIONS
None.
ITEM 2 OLD BUSINESS
A. Approval of Minutes — May 2, 2022 (continued from September 13, 2022) Malibu Library Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of April 18, 2023
MOTION
ITEM 3
MOTION
Mayor Silverstein stated he had not yet watched Videos of the meetings of May 2, 2022 or September 13, 2022. He stated he preferred to watch the videos before approving the minutes.
Councilmember Riggins stated she had watched both meeting Videos.
Mayor Silverstein moved, and Councilmember Riggins seconded a motion to continue approval of the minutes for the Library Subcommittee Special meeting of May 2, 2022 to the next meeting. The question was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS
Approval of Minutes ~ September 13. 2022
Recommended Action: Approve the minutes for the Library Subcommittee Special meeting of September 13, 2022.
Mayor Silverstein moved, and Councilmember Riggins seconded a motion to continue approval of the minutes for the Library Subcommittee Special meeting of September 13, 2022. The question was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
Malibu Library Set Aside Funds for Fiscal Year 2023-24
Recommended Action: Provide a recommendation to the City Council concerning the use of the Malibu Library Set Aside Funds for Fiscal Year 2023—24.
Assistant City Manager Toney presented the agenda report.
Pamela Conley Ulich was not present at the time of public comment.
Patrick Miller, Malibu High School (MHS) Principal, stated this was the fourth year of partnership with the City and County Library to supplement the school’s library programs and resources previously paid for by school Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSA). He thanked the City and County Library for their support and for supplying the Teen Librarian. He stated the school did not request any new or additional resources this year and removed the audio database previously provided. He stated the school’s request totaled $25,800. He thanked Malibu Librarian Melissa Stallings.
Karin Al—Hardan, Malibu Middle School (MMS)/MHS PTSA President, thanked the City and Library for their ongoing partnership with all Malibu schools. She stated funds supported the campus library by providing access to materials and software for nearly 700 MHS and MMS students. She expressed support for continued funding of supplementary tools for the school library, which were greatly appreciated by students and parents.
Malibu Library Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of April l8, 2023
Sarah Ryan, MMS/MHS Librarian, thanked the City and Library for their support.
She commended Ms. Stallings. She thanked the Teen Librarian for his work With the students. She stated databases provided were well-used by students. She discussed Tumltln.com, which allowed faculty and staff to detect plagiarism.
Violet Way, Boys and Girls Club of Malibu (BGCM), thanked the City for its continuous support of BGCM. She stated alumni of MHS & BGCM were now part of leadership team. She stated 100% of funds received stay in Malibu and directly impact Malibu students. She stated funds helped them provide mental health services to students, families, and seniors, and stocked the clubhouse with materials for tutoring and Wellness Center programs. She stated BGCM appreciated the partnership with Malibu public schools.
Councilmember Riggins stated she supported what was proposed in the report.
She requested an update on the status of moving the Library entrance.
Gladstone Bucknor, Los Angeles County Library, stated the relocation of the entrance was included in the 2018 Library Needs Assessment. In response to Councilmember Riggins, Mr. Bucknor stated the City had suggested engaging an architect or consultant regarding feasibility of moving the entrance.
Councilmember Riggins indicated support for looking into the cost of the relocation.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Mr. Bucknor stated he was not aware of any estimate of the cost to investigate the feasibility of moving the entrance. Mayor Silverstein stated he preferred to flnd out the cost of engaging an architect before hiring one. He thanked the speakers ‘and stated he expected no issues with their minor and important requests.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Assistant City Manager Toney stated he only had the last report from the Library showing $19.3 million in the Set Aside Fund.
Mayor Silverstein asked if the Deferred Maintenance Reserve was spent each year and whether it was included or in addition to the $19.3 million. He requested a definition of that deferred maintenance. He asked if $125,000 per year was actually spent on the Library Speaker Series.
Aeting Community Services Director Riesgo stated they were usually under budget for the Speaker Series. She stated $100,000 was sufficient but other options for higher priced speakers were considered.
Assistant City Manager Toney stated the fund balance report represented the balance of unspent funds atthe end of the year.
Malibu Library Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes 0f April l8, 2023
Mr. Bucknor confirmed that any unspent funds went back into the reserve. He stated deferred maintenance was set for maintenance that may be needed.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Mr. Bucknor explained the duties of the Malibu Library Manager, Outreach Librarian, and Teen Librarian. He confirmed they were all full-time employees dedicated to Malibu. Mayor Silverstein questioned the 31 percent increases requested for salary and benefits.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Mr. Bucknor stated the Family Place Program was for programs and services in Malibu and throughout the County system.
Mayor Silverstein asked if Malibu paid a prorated amount or was paying more than the rest of the County.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Mr. Bucknor stated the Tool Lending Library was requested by previous Subcommittee members. He stated tools were available to be checked out by members of the community, including use instructions.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Councilmember Riggins stated members of the community had requested expanded services, including the Tool Lending Library, at previous meetings. She stated she understood the value of residents being able to borrow a tool with instructions on how to use it for a single project.
Mayor Silverstein suggested passing on the Tool Lending Library until interest by the community could be evaluated. He stated the entrance relocation was not time sensitive. He discussed ideas formed with Councilmember Grisanti about exploring a Library sponsorship or underwriting part of the cost of the Malibu Film Society (MFS) to allow free participation by the community. He suggested $50,000 to $100,000 be allocated for that.
In response to Councilmember Riggins, Mayor Silverstein stated Malibu residents could be members for $100 to $200 and purchase event tickets for $10 to $15. He stated his proposed program would admit Malibu residents for free, which would reduce MFS revenues. He stated the proposal would underwrite the delta between MFS operating expenses and income, estimated to be $50,000 to $75,000.
Councilmember Riggins expressed support for Mayor Silverstein’s MFS proposal if it was tied to Library affiliation.
Mayor Silverstein stated they would propose the City co-underwrite the proposal. He stated that would be brought to the City Council on a future agenda.
Mr. Bucknor stated the proposal would have to be presented to the County Assistant Directors for consideration.
Malibu Library Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of April 18, 2023
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Assistant City Manager Toney and Mr. Bucknor stated they would investigate and report back on the continued Unreserved balance of $150,000.
Mayor Silverstein stated he supported everything proposed except, without further information, the Family Place Program, Continued Unreserved Balance, Tool Lending Library, and relocation of the Library entrance.
Councilmember Riggins requested a detailed budget of what was spent in past years and proposed for coming years be provided at the next meeting. Mayor Silverstein agreed that would help understand what had been done and what might be needed.
Councilmember Riggins stated she supported allocating $50,000 to $75,000 to begin exploring relocation of the Library entrance. She agreed with Mayor Silverstein about looking into what the City was receiving from Smart Start, formerly the Family Place Program. She suggested coordinating the Tool Lending Program with the Environmental Sustainability Department (ESD) and Santa Monica College (SMC) programs to help promote sustainability. She suggested creating more programs for education and outreach about Legacy Park, which could be done in partnership with the Library, Pepperdine, SMC, the Community Services Department, and ESD.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Assistant City Manager Toney stated City staff could request a line item budget from the County Library.
Mayor Silverstein suggested allocating $50,000 to $100,000 to explore and develop Malibu-centric educational programs. He disagreed with allocating $50,000 or more to simply investigate what the cost might be for relocating the Library entrance. He stated a complete redesign or modernization of the Library might be more reasonable in the future.
Councilmember Riggins agreed with Mayor Silverstein about comparing the cost of relocating the entrance and redesigning the entre Library. She suggested allocating funding for that analysis.
Mayor Silverstein agreed with including funds for initiating the analysis of potentially modernizing the Library in the recommendation to the Council. He agreed with the recommended funds for BGCM and Malibu schools. He stated he was hesitant to authorize a 31% increase in salaries and bonuses but agreed with $1 10,000 for the Teen Librarian.
Councilmember Riggins stated she was open to $131,000 for the Teen Librarian; She suggested leaving it at $13 1,000 with a request for supporting information to be presented at the City Council meeting. She suggested the same for the Outreach Librarian. Mayor Silverstein agreed with that recommendation.
Malibu Library Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of April 18, 2023
Mr. Bucknor stated salary and benefits for an Outreach Librarian in 2021 was $127,813. He stated some of the cost may have been borne by the County. He stated the Teen Librarian was $99,509 in 2021. He stated he was unsure of the actual numbers for 2023.
Mayor Silverstein stated he did not support funding the Family Place Program.
Councilmember Riggins stated she would prefer not to act on that until more information was provided about what Malibu received from the program.
In response to Councilmember Riggins, Ms. Way stated she would have to investigate whether BGCM benefited from the Family Place Program.
In response to Mayor Silverstein, Mr. Bucknor stated the Family Place Program was an umbrella program for numerous programs throughout the entire County Library system.
Mayor Silverstein stated Malibu should only be asked to pay for a percent incremental with its representation in the County system. He stated the City should not bear a disproportionate percentage of the program, which would be an inappropriate use of city funds collected from Malibu taxpayers and a violation of the memorandum of understanding (MOU). Assistant City Manager Toney stated he would request details of the program.
Mayor Silverstein suggested, and Councilmember Riggins agreed with withholding approval of unreserved balance without more details.
In response to City Manager McClary, Mayor Silverstein stated he preferred the Unreserved balance details come back to the Subcommittee prior to taking it to the City Council.
Assistant City Manager Toney discussed the County budget timelines for submitting the City’s recommendations.
Ms. Way stated she confirmed BGCM did not benefit from the Family Place Program.
Mayor Silverstein suggested a line item not to exceed $200,000 for matters to be agreed upon by the Subcommittee for submittal to the Council.
Councilmember Riggins suggested not merging different line items into one group. She suggested instead marking the items recommended by the Subcommittee for approval by the City Council.
Malibu Library Subcommittee
Special Meeting
Minutes of April 18, 2023
Mayor Silverstein suggested the recommendation include that the County would not be authorized to make any further expenditures until details were provided to the city and approved by the Subcommittee for recommendation to the City Council.
Councilmember Riggins suggested including the Tool Lending Library in the recommendation to Council with additional details about what was included and how it would work.
Mayor Silverstein agreed to bring the Tool Lending Library to the Council if the additional details are received from the County. He stated any items not unanimously agreed upon by the Subcommittee could be presented by an individual Councilmember at the Council meeting.
MOTION Mayor Silverstein moved, and Councilmember Riggins seconded a motion to provide a recommendation to the City Council for specified expenditures proposed in the staff report except the Tool Lending Library, Unreserved balance, and Smart Start Program only if a detailed budget was provided to the City Council. The question was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Silverstein thanked everyone for attending and Councilmember Riggins for the discussion.
Councilmember Riggins thanked all the speakers for their ongoing efforts.
MOTION Mayor Silverstein moved, and Councilmember Riggins seconded a motion to add to the recommendation that the City Council approve: 1) an allocation of up to $75,000 for sponsorship or underwriting of a film series program; and 2) an allocation of up to $75,000 for development of Malibu-centric Legacy Park educational programs with the City, Library, and community groups. The question was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION At 12:09 p.m., Mayor Silverstein adj ourned the meeting.
Approved and adopted by the Library Subcommittee of the City of Malibu on March 27, 024.
MARIANNE RIGGINs, Wilmember
ATTEST‘
/% CYNT A ALBA, Executive Assistant