HomeMy WebLinkAbout022201PORT TOWNSEND LIBRARY BOARD MEETING
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Port Townsend Library
February 22, 2001.
Present: Vice President Sarah Muirhead, Kate Schumann, Larry Thomas, Eileen Price
Excused: Bill Maxwell
Staff: Linnea Patrick (Director), Carol Costello (minutes)
Guests: Karen McKenna, Friends, Julia Owens, Jack Westerman, County Assessor
Vice President Sarah Muirhead called the meeting to order at 9 AM. Karen McKenna from the
Friends of the Library and Julia Owens were introduced. The minutes from the January 22nd
meeting were approved as written.
Communications: Eileen mentioned that two young mothers have told her that every time they
come to the library it is closed. Kate said that several people have told her that they like the new
hours, especially the 6 PM closing times on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
No public comment
Director's Report: Linnea attended the Library Legislative Day on February 7th at the state
capital in Olympia. She did this on her own time and at her own expense. Librarians are
lobbying in an effort to gain state funding for statewide data base licensing. The bill will be
• introduced at the end of this year's session and will be considered during a later session.
Linnea attended the annual Washington State Library Directors' meeting in January. Of 18
libraries whose directors were present, 17 had 2 4% cost of living increases for 2001. Port
Townsend Library was the only one without a COLA this year. Some libraries had job
reclassifications where salaries were increased as much as 15 %.
Linnea and Beth deJarnette are in the middle of hiring a replacement for children's senior library
associate, Dahti Blanchard. They interviewed six wonderful candidates and will conduct a
seventh interview this Saturday.
Jefferson County Rural Library District will hire a consultant to study possible annexation of
Port Townsend Library to JCRLD.
Friends: Karen McKenna reported that the Port Townsend Friends of the Library in conjunction
with the Jefferson County Library Friends are thinking about having a joint booth at the
Jefferson County Fair in August.
The next Friends book sale will be Saturday March 3 at the Community Center. The next
newsletter will be published after the book sale.
Foundation: The next meeting of the Foundation will be March 21 st
• No staff report.
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No committee reports.
Old Business: The City council approved the Once in a Lifetime Book Boost. Linnea suggested
that a committee of staff, Friends, and board members be formed to work on the Book Boost.
The $10,000 match will need to be raised before September 2001, so that the library can spend
the money. Sarah, Kate, Linnea, and Karen volunteered to be on the committee. Linnea will ask
staff members. Sarah will contact Bill when he returns. The committee will meet Wednesday,
February 28th at noon.
New Business: The city council and John Watts, city attorney, are working on revising the city
council citizen committees structure from ordinance to resolution. There is a concern because the
library board forth is designated by state law. It is also more an administration advisory board
than a council advisory board. The council will meet with board chairs on March 12th, and will
act on it March 19th. Linnea will be meeting with John Watts in the near future to discuss this
and will then have more information for the board.
Special speaker Jack Westerman, county assessor, arrived to speak to the board about pros and
cons of annexation to the Jefferson County Rural Library District.
Mr. Westerman explained that ideologically annexation is better than a lid lift levy because a
board would govern the libraries. Then the city council or county commissioners would not have
to deal with the details.
If the money generated through the annexation is not enough then the city would be responsible
for the difference. The city would also be expected to maintain the building and property. Jack
said that currently there would not be enough money with total assessed values at about $600
million, but it is very probable that there will be enough within the next few years, after city
properties are reassessed with total assessed values at about $725,000.
The levy rate must be uniform. The current rate in the county is .41338 per $1,000 of assessed
value. They could be levying at a higher rate but have chosen not to do so. If that were generated
in the city now, then the amount raised would be $247,426.99. The PTPL budget is
approximately $460,000. The limit is 50 cents per thousand without a vote of the people. [At .50
per thousand, $300,000]. That could generate nearer to enough money with the city properties
being reassessed this year. [$299,700 at.41338/thousand and $362,500 at.50/thousand].
Mr. Westerman would not recommend annexation with other counties as the levy rate must be
uniform between counties and would require extreme cooperation between county governments.
A lid lift levy could be done now. Currently the rate is $2.23 per thousand dollars of assessed
property value. It could be raised to $3.60 per thousand. It would be an easier levy to pass, but
not better. It was thought that only a simple majority of the city population would have to vote
for it in order for it to pass. Linnea will look it up.
A conditional lid lift levy at .50 /thousand could raise $300,000 at the current assessed value and
about $362,500 at the probable 2001 assessed value.
The question was raised concerning why JCRLD would want to annex PTPL. Mr. Westerman's
answer was, "Philosophically, it is good for the whole county."
New Business continued: Sarah will write a thank you letter to the JCRLD board for the lunch
and discussion held on February 14tH
At the last city council meeting Sarah heard about the Adopt -a -Park program. She wondered
whether the Kiwanis effort to work on the library grounds was listed in that program. Linnea
then mentioned that she is going to contact John Merchant to have both parking lots restriped.
Election of officers: Sarah nominated Bill Maxwell for president. Unanimous approval.
Larry Thomas volunteered to serve as vice president. Unanimous approval.
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