For the last several months issues involving the County?s financial contribution to County Library JPA have been discussed. Recent articles have prompted me to share with you my interpretation of the situation.
Nearly five years ago, the County realized that they were, or soon would be, spending more and more funds to operate the County Library system. The County Library system operates the libraries in ten cities plus provides library services for the unincorporated areas of the County. The County not only provided library services but owned several of the library sites and also provided for the upkeep and maintenance of these facilities.
The County proposed forming a JPA (Joint Powers Authority) where each City in the library system would own their respective library and pay for its upkeep. Each City and the County would also have one seat on the Board of the new JPA. To entice the cities to assume this additional financial obligation the County pledged to allow all of the County library tax dollars to be used without restriction for the operation of the JPA. (The library tax dollars derived from each of the cities is reserved for the use of the library in that City.) In addition the County pledged an additional $250,000 (plus an inflation factor-which is now around $318,000) to guarantee a certain level of minimum service.
As the JPA has evolved, it is clear that some of the bylaws, as well as original operations are ready for some change. This is the time the County is also proposing to change its financial commitment to the JPA. The County proposes to withdraw (over the course of the next 3 years) its general fund commitment of $318,000. At the same time, it is discussing earmarking certain amounts (yet to be determined) for additional services to unincorporated areas.
One final note is because the JPA agreement provides that the employees of the library will remain county employees the County then charges back to the JPA overhead charges in excess of $250,000. These charges are allocated to cover County costs for the County Manager?s office, County Counsel?s office (the JPA retains and pays for its own separate legal counsel), Grand Jury fees, etc.
For two years I served as the JPA vice chair, followed by two years as chair. I still remain Foster City?s representative on the Board. I strongly object to the County?s proposal to change/withdraw their contractually obligated financial support to the library JPA for the following reasons:
1) The County has already saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by transferring the financial burden of maintaining the various library buildings to the cities. Foster City spends nearly $100,000 a year out of its general fund for the upkeep and maintenance of our library.
2) The County does not maintain any library building out of its general fund.
3) The County continues to receive payment for overhead costs not directly associated with the library operations. Why the County demands payment for things like the County Manager and County Counsel, when the JPA is supposed to be an independent operation makes no sense. Their refusal to discuss an allocation of fees for just personnel and related accounting during my tenure as chair still puzzles me.
I understand the financial cuts the County is facing, we are all facing financial cutbacks in our cities. To allow the County to withdraw its general fund contribution is the equivalent of giving Foster City the option of ?turning the lights out at our library.? To me, that is not an option. While I am willing to discuss options and alternatives with the County, the County needs to remember how much money they have already saved by creating the JPA.
If you need to reach me, my e-mail address is dwilder@fostercity.org.
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