Minutes

LIBRARY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Final Minutes

Meeting of June 20, 2007

Room 278 City Hall

San Francisco , California

Meeting called to order at 6:05 PM

Present: Braun, Cauthen, Cuttler, Kallen, Ryan, Seeman, Situ, Soto, Vogel, Warfield, Weaver

Absent: Daryabegi-Farhang, Edouardo, Resnick 3 vacancies

No members of the public present - no public comment

Discussion of proposed library set-aside renewal: A revised draft resolution first discussed at the May LCAC meeting was discussed by Sue Cauthen. This resolution recommended endorsement of the charter initiative with changes.

Peter Warfield made a motion for his draft resolution recommending that the Supervisors not endorse or put on the ballot the measure approved by the Library Commissioners. Warfield’s motion was seconded by Seeman.

The chair ruled that this motion could not be considered since there was another motion on the floor. There was active discussion of both resolutions - both for and against. The chair asked for a straw vote on Warfield's motion.

Library BLIP Performance Review

Debbie Gordon, Audit Manager for City Services Audit Division, talked about the current performance review of the Library BLIP program. In November 2003 a funding stream was created that expanded the number of audits done each year. Commissioners Kane and Munson suggested the audit of the Library at a recent Library Commission meeting. At that Commission meeting, City Librarian Luis Herrera suggested key points that should be addressed in the audit. The process includes interviewing people (Weaver and Cauthen were interviewed), looking at documents for the last 7 years, consulting resources to resolve gaps in what has happened and what changes need to be made, asking for third party validation for specific parts of projects. She will have a draft report by the end of July. This report will be given to the Library Commission for their review and suggestions. The final audit should be finished by the third week in August. The public will have access to it then.

Discussion on the proposed set-aside renewal was resumed after Ms Gordon left. The resolution as edited by the committee is:

RESOLUTION: LIBRARY SET-ASIDE BOND AUTHORITY

The Board of Supervisors’ Library Citizens Advisory Committee supports the Library Preservation Fund Bond concept in principle. Additional funding is necessary if the library is to complete its branch modernization project. However, fiscal safeguards, clarifying language and provision for oversight should be included in the initiative

1. The Library Preservation Fund Renewal initiative should be open, transparent and accountable:

a. It should be clear that approval of the initiative will permit San Francisco Public Library to issue revenue bonds and other debt backed by the revenue stream generated by the library set-aside, known as the Library Preservation Fund. This should be stated in the title and body of the initiative.

b. It should be clear that the new set-aside can be spent on any library purpose, including upgrades to the main library. (The existing set-aside gives priority to purchase of books and audio-visual materials and to additional open hours in the branches.)

c. Change Section (e)2 so that the Mayor and Board of Supervisors continue to be able to direct the spending of library funds for library services and operations.

2. In order to prevent dilution of library services, SFPL should put a cap on the amount of operating money spent to pay for the bonds annually.

In order that capital needs do not deplete operating funds, we recommend the inclusion of a yearly spending limit on debt service.

3. SFPL should include a provision for fiscal and performance oversight.

a. Fiscal and performance oversight mechanisms should be mentioned in the legislation.

b. We recommend that oversight provisions include writing the Board of Supervisors Library Citizens Advisory Committee into the initiative and specifying staff and resource support for the Library CAC in the initiative.

Yes: Braun, Cauthen, Cuttler, Kallen, Ryan, Situ, Soto, Vogel, Weaver; No: Seeman, Warfield.

The resolution was adopted.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30PM.