FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF NOVEMBER 7, 2023
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: Interim City Manager
Prepared by: Library Director Dawn Jackson
SUBJECT: Approval of an Agreement with the County of Santa Barbara and the Cities of Lompoc, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria to Provide for the Operation of a County-wide Free Library System for Fiscal Year 2023-2024
Description:
The City Council will consider approving an Agreement with the County of Santa Barbara to provide for the operation of a County -wide Free Library System for Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution approving an Agreement with the County of Santa Barbara, the Cities of Lompoc, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria to provide for the operation of a County-wide Free Library System for Fiscal Year 2023-2024.
BACKGROUND:
Since 1962, the County of Santa Barbara (County) has contracted annually with the Cities of Lompoc, Santa Barbara, and Santa Maria to provide free library service to the cities and unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County. The C ities of Goleta and Carpinteria have contracted with the County since the formation of their city libraries in 2018 and 2022, respectively. Library funding is a discretionary matter decided each year by the Board of Supervisors.
Each city library is responsible for a separate "zone." Santa Maria is designated as Zone 3 which includes the cities and unincorporated areas located within or in close proximity to Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt. With County funds, which have been allocated historically on a per-capita basis, the Santa Maria Public Library operates four branch libraries in Cuyama, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and Orcutt. All County residents have free and equal access to all public libraries within the County.
Last year's Agreement for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 was brought to the City Council and approved on September 20, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
2 On September 19, 2023 , the Board of Supervisors approved the County-wide Free Library System contract for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. The per capita base allocation for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 is $8.88 with additional funding allocated to County branches to mitigate the potential loss of open hours and programming reductions. The County contribution to library services in Zone 3 for 2023-2024 is based on a total population of 157,161. The Fiscal Year funding totals $1,596 ,290. This figure includes the additional allocation of $191,801 from cannabis funding, which provides an additional $21,045 for Cuyama, $30,249 for Guadalupe, $29,742 for Los Alamos, and $110,765 for Orcutt. The Main Library in Santa Maria will receive an additional $8,900 from the small branch library fund, to expand Bookmobile services to unincorporated locations within Zone 3, such as school visits and occasional stops that will not impact service to Santa Maria residents.
The term of the County agreement commenced on July 1, 2023, and continues until June 30, 2024.
The payments are to be made by the County to cities in two installments: the first after execution of the Agreement by all parties, and no earlier than October 1, 2023, but no later than January 1, 2024; and the second payment no earlier than Februa ry 1, 2024, but no later than April 1, 2024. Cities are to provide the County with an annual statement of receipts and disbursements no later than 60 days after the end of the fiscal year (Agreement Section 17, Reports of Receipts and Disbursements).
The County's Community Services Director is the designated representative for the County and the cities' Chief Librarians are the designated representatives for each of their cities for the purpose of notices and correspondence (Agreement Section 1, Designated Representative and Section 22, Notices).
Alternative(s)
An alternative would be to decline the agreement and lose valuable funding to operate County branches.
Fiscal Considerations
Library Zone 3 (Santa Maria) will receive a total of $1,596,290. The Ci ty Main Library is allocated $1,021,486 or 64 percent of all County funds based on a population of 114,030 and small branch funding for the Bookmobile. The County branches will receive $574,804 calculated on a population estimate of 43,131 and cannabis fun ding allocated by the County Supervisors to cover projected deficits. County branch total budgets will be set as follows: Cuyama $28,948, Los Alamos $50,450, Guadalupe $105,862, and Orcutt $389,544.
Impact to the Community
The funds received under this Agreement are an important segment of the budget for the Main Library, as well as the County branches operated by the Santa Maria Public Library, located in Cuyama, Los Alamos, Guadalupe, and Orcutt. Renewal of this Agreement is essential to maintain funding for library programs and to continue providing library services to all Zone 3 libraries and surrounding communities. 3 ATTACHMENTS
A: Agreement for Operation of a Free County-wide Library System Fiscal Year 2023-24 B: Santa Barbara County Library Zones Map
C: County-wide Funding Table