CC MIN 03-24- to 05-21-1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Mario Biagi ®� i vire Mayor Wm.J.Stange) RBdWOOd i MINUTES Councilmen C j�/ammo a CITY COUNCIL Brenton C.Britxhgi OM/hula►1 Joint Meeting rT Robert H.Bury Gerald R.Chandler 1 CITY COUNCIL/LIBRARY BOARD Marguerite Leipzig Bill anode, Schaberg Branch Library March 24, 1981 Joint Meeting The Council of the City of Redwood City met on this date with the Library Board at 7:40 p.m. in the Schaberg Branch Library, Mayor Biagi presiding. • Councilmen present: Britschgi, Bury, Leipzig, Rhodes, Stangel and Mayor Biagi Councilmen absent: Chandler Board members present: Collins, Kenney, Piombo, Robinson and President Callis Officials and staff present: City Manager Fales, City Attorney Schricker, City Clerk Hildebrand and City Librarian Vollmayer DISCUSSION - NEW MAIN LIBRARY President Callis referred to the Board of Library Trustees report of March 18, 1981 and commented concerning the increasingly desperate situation at the Main Library with regard to overcrowding and the re- sultant inefficient and expensive service, as well as the inability of the Library to provide some ordinary and desirable library services. Mrs. Callis observed that there has been recognition by Council for several years of the need for a new library building and acknowledged that the recent attempt of Council to meet the need was thwarted by the passage of Proposition 13. She pointed out that overcrowding is in- creasing and construction costs are rising and urged Council to do law whatever may be possible to construct a new Main Library. • Discussion followed and—Council and Library Board members and City Librarian Vollmayer commented and replied to questions regarding the possibility of proceeding with site selection and architectural plans in order to be prepared when and if funds should become available; the need to construct a building and also provide maintenance funds; the extent to which the City is reimbursed for library use by non-resident patrons; the fact that reimbursement from the State is equitable; means of financing a new library and whether a combination of methods is pos- sible; the value of sharing library resources which the City enjoys in cooperation with other cities and the County; the desire of Council members to provide adequate library service to Redwood City residents; and whether the City-owned property in the Main Street area might be used in some way. Library Board members described the experiences of the cities of Roseville and Placerville in constructing new libraries. It was re- ported that by having a site and plans immediately available, Roseville was able to obtain a federal EDA grant which required that construction must be able to get under way within 60 days. City Manager Fales ad- vised that the City made use of such a grant with regard to construction of a water line at the Port, but that aside from certain accounting problems which were encountered, it was satisfactory. However, there is no reason to believe such grants will be available again. Discussion then was directed at the possibility of obtaining the vote required under Proposition 13 on a bond issue to construct the library. City Attorney Schricker pointed out that because of that Proposition, general obligation bonds are no longer a possibility at all, and that any bond election would involve a special assessment district. He ob- served that the favorable vote required is two-thirds of the registered voters of the district, not of those voting, and that it is very rare to have a 66% voter turnout, let alone expect them all to vote for library bonds, although it is theoretically possible. He suggested that there • Jnt./Mtg. 3/24/81 _ . . r.