True "supporters of Wright Library"
would not have given up on it, nor
would they have allowed closure
under any circumstances.
I would like to know if you still
insist there was no surplus at
Wright, which means the County
financial reports are wrong. It
can't be both ways. You can't say
there's a deficit at Saticoy and
Avenue, yet say there's neither a
deficit nor surplus at Wright.
The County Library, Library Commis-
sion and City are not authorized to
close Wright Library.
County
Library Director Jackie Griffin had
absolutely no authority to set this
process in motion. In addition,
the Commission cannot approve a budget
which excludes funding for the oper-
ation of Wright.
The legal opinion is from Huskinson,
Brown--the same firm that successfully
stopped the 911 fee. The unlawful
closure of this library by the very
agencies pledged to protect and run
it is a travesty and a betrayal of
the highest order. We would like to
hear what you think the community is
owed under these circumstances, and
what your next steps will be to
correct this wrongdoing. The bad faith
created in the community will continue
to multiply until this is corrected,
and negative ramifications will
undoubtedly extend to other issues.
Re: the future. Agreed, focus on the
best model for library services for
Ventura-which is already spelled out
in the General Plan. But you can't get
there from here by staying with the
County Library system. Aside from
illegally closing Wright (as if that
were a minor thing!), their cost
structure won't allow them to maintain
Ventura's desired service model.They've
already made that clear. It would seem
you are letting them dictate and change
the City's visioning plan.
Ventura could very well be successfully
operating its own libraries
including
satellite branches as specified in the
visioning plan, if the City had
withdrawn from the County system as the
independent consultant recommended
back in 1997. To achieve this branch
library model agreed upon by the
community requires your help and
the Council's help. The community
will be much more likely to provide
financial support, including parcel
taxes, ONLY IF they are assured the
money will stay in the city, and
iF library management is
fully
accountable to Ventura and
keeps costs in line with revenues.
For there is no sense talking about
stable funding for libraries if there
are not also stable costs.You will
get a lot more backing for library
funding by operating the libraries
independently. Oxnard does this very
well, and their community regularly
backs them with extra money.
It's obvious that if Ventura stays
with the County Library system,
there is nowhere to go but down.
Five-year projections show the
agency is not sustainable, and
Ventura would continue to endure
more cuts. And with the
County's "Layoff libraries, not
employees" approach, they place the
interests of their organization ahead
of the communities they serve.
This
is not the service we want for our
community.By staying with the
County Library system you keep
Ventura at a distinct disadvantage.
If one more city leaves the system
like Moorpark did, it will collapse
anyway. Why leave the fate of our
libraries to the whim of others?
In addition, the County Library
Commission-a "confederacy"--is not
equitable towards Ventura, and is
weighted in favor of Camarillo,
Port Hueneme and Fillmore. These
communities essentially have two
representatives each on the Commis-
sion, while Ventura has one. These
cities are being well taken care of,
with subsidies and special deals
from the County to the tune of $9-$10
per capita while Ventura receives
80 cents per capita.
We trust you will demand that the
County restore service to Wright
Library immediately, to rebuild
the good faith needed to bring
support to our libraries, and
maintain and grow the branch model
the community and City agreed upon.
Or reopen it without County involve-
ment and let other organizations in
the community run it. Insist that
County Library budget policies 1, 4,
5 be followed. Invoke policy 7,
whereby the City can provide some
services themselves, with cost savings
applied to the library. We will gladly
and wholeheartedly work with you
towards this model, protecting and
supporting ALL libraries to ensure
access for all our citizens.
Libraries are the cornerstone of demo-
cracy and a free and healthy society.
But they must be open and accessible
to the people,which is why Helen Power
Wright gave the gift of
"adequate library
facilities"to the residents of Ventura.
The paint color on the outside doesn't matter
-- it's the ability to easily access what's
inside that counts.
Reopen Wright Library; the community will
make the rest of it work. Do it for Ray
Bradbury-who fought for Wright--and for
all the budding Ray Bradburys of the
world, who need accessible libraries
now more than ever.
To Justice,
Wendy Halderman
Library Justice
http://reopenwrightlibrary.com
####
on 4/15/10 5:39 PM,
Cole, Rick Wrote At
rcole@ci.ventura.ca.us:
Wendy:
I'm not sure this back and forth is
making much progress. I think the
key here is your view that Wright
is required to remain open "under
any circumstances." While I admire
your passion, all of us in government
(and business for that matter) must
deal with the changed circumstances
of the worst economic downturn in
70 years. Living within our means
requires hard choices. Not everyone
is going to agree with those choices
and every choice is going to be
questioned. I think that comes with
the territory. As Winston Churchill
said in similar adverse circumstances,
"I do not resent criticism, even when,
for the sake of emphasis, it parts
for the time with reality."
All the best,
Rick Cole, City Manager
City of Ventura
805 654-7740
Blog: www.cityofventura.net/cmblog/
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010
17:14:08 -0700
Subject: Re: Wright Library update
From: whalderman@earthlink.net
To: rcole@ci.ventura.ca.us
Rick,
On your topic of reality, I'm not
convinced this situation is "similarly
adverse" to what Winston Churchill
faced.
The contract does require the County
to operate Wright Library at some
level of service. Neither the City
nor the County is authorized to close
it.
Here is a link to the VC Star article
on Sunday which confirms the legal
opinion from Huskinson, Brown--
http://www.vcstar.com/news/
2010/apr/17/wright-library-
group-checking-legal-options/.
If you are convinced any of the three
entities (County, Commission, City)
do have authority, then please let
us know.
The City Attorney's recent opinion
on the MOU does not say the County can
legally refuse to fund or operate
Wright. It only addresses
explicit
requirements to use
County general
fund money to backfill a deficit.
It does not address
implicit agree-
ments, nor the County's obligation
touse monies other than its general fund,
such as city-paid property tax and the
state Public Library Fund (PLF). In fact,
the County is bound by its own budget
policies to ensure baseline service at
Wright using PLF money.
Re: Library funding. There is no "crisis"
here except for the fact that Wright was
illegally closed so that the management
agency could lock in all its gains from
the record property tax revenue gains.
In fact, every library in the County
system currently faces a deficit because
of the agency's inability to keep costs
in line with revenues. The loss of state
subsidy over the past decade is a moot
point, as this amount was compensated
for many times over by the growth in
property tax.
"Living within our means" also applies
to the County Library System, but they
have made no sacrifice. Despite closing
Wright, their budget still increased
over last year. Employees continue to
be hired, receive regular raises, and
enjoy a "no layoffs" pledge. Agency
employee compensation is $7 million and
growing (to $9 million by 2014), even
though the County CFO stated last
Thursday that revenues are projected
to be flat or declining slightly in the
near term. Services will undoubtedly
continue to be cut in Ventura in order
to meet the overhead costs.
This is why we are urging Ventura's with-
drawal from the County system, and to
finally follow the consultant's recom-
mendation made in the 1997 Library Long-
Term Strategic Plan, to run the city's
libraries independently.
The City has pledged to be transparent
and open, to "put citizen's priorities
first," and to follow its Vision plan
for accessible satellite library branches.
We trust that you will adhere to these
promises. For it's our view that the
people elected and hired to serve the
community, who pledge to uphold the law
and their agreements, should do just that.
Wendy Halderman
Library Justice
http://reopenwrightlibrary.com
Posted: 05-01-10
|
|
VENTURA CITY MANAGER RESPONDS
TO LIBRARY JUSTICE
Closure Of Wright Library
By Ron Smith
From: "Wendy Halderman"
To: "Rick Cole"
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
12:01:52 AM
Subject: Re: Wright Library Update
Re: Wright Library update Rick,
The City Administrative Report presented
to Council on Nov. 23, 2009 contained
false information about a "Wright
very well affected the votes. The
Council voted to close Wright after
the presentation of this report.
In addition, the City Administrative
Report from April 21, 2009, misleads
the Council: "The monthly deficit cost
of maintaining current service levels
at Wright is $23,000." Again, one
library is singled out, and it implies
Wright had a deficit. To follow your
rationale, it should have stated,
"...current service levels in the
Ventura Service Area." County budgets
clearly show a surplus at Wright, and
a deficit at Foster and Saticoy:
2006-07
Foster ($552,595)
Wright $314,495
Avenue $97,909
Saticoy ($69,677)
2007-08
Foster ($482,577)
Wright $201,530
Avenue $64,660
Saticoy ($79,209)
2008-09
Foster ($551,295)
Wright 190,381
Avenue 52,117
Saticoy (91,034)
Deficits shown are net of subsidies
provided by the County. The three main
subsidy sources are: State PLF, Ventura
County General Fund, and Redistribution
of Unincorporated Area Revenue); Avenue
Library amounts include annual $90,000
Federal block grant.
Revenue and expense allocations clearly
exist for each library. If you insist
there is neither a shortfall at Wright
nor a deficit at Wright, then you must
be saying the County financial reports
are wrong.
In addition, you say there can only be
a Ventura Service Area deficit, not an
individual library deficit. So, why did
Bill Fulton on Nov. 30 publicly state
that Saticoy (and Avenue without the
grant) "also runs a deficit"?
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=dokXTB_9PZk
…and why did County Library Director
Jackie Griffin say that the County
spent $560,000 the last two years
"to keep Wright open?" The financial
reports clearly show that this money
went to Foster, not Wright.
http://www.youtube.com/
The County and City consistently tried
to convince Venturans they had no right
to two libraries. Wright was somehow
singled out as an "extra library," but
in fact the County agreed to run all
Ventura's libraries. In addition, they
are not authorized to close Wright. The
unlawful threat of closure was made
under false authority, and the resulting
sales tax campaign "to keep Wright open"
was based on the perpetuation of false
and/or misleading statements which
caused widespread public misconception.
The City and County did nothing to correct
the misinformation. SBFOL and the community
were wrongly tasked with providing funding
for a library that was not short of money,
and which the County was obligated by law
to operate.
One Ventura resident summed it up like this:
"Let me get this straight. We have been
misinformed regarding the financing of
Wright Library for the last year and a half
or so by the city, the county is complicit
in the misinformation, the misinformation
was used as a political ploy to gain pass-
age of a tax increase, and the county and
the city violated the funding policies
passed and agreed for the libraries?"
Wendy Halderman
Library Justice
http://reopenwrightlibrary.com
| VENTURA CITY MANAGER RESPONDS
TO LIBRARY JUSTICE
Closure Of Wright Library
Date: 4/14/10
8:50 AM, Cole,
Rick Wrote At
rcole@ci.ventura.ca.us:
Wendy:
We disagree.
I don't believe that a single reference
in a lengthy staff report to the cost
of providing additional funding to the
Ventura County Library system to keep
Wright Library open is "false." Your
assertion that it "could very well have
affected votes" is simply meaningless.
None of the affirmative votes was under
any misapprehension. Ask them.
Yes, I've acknowledged the legitimacy
of criticism that the shorthand use of
"deficit" for the cost of running Wright
could be misleading. We're not perfect,
nor are our staff reports. But the real
issue was clearly and consistently put,
starting in February 2009. Local
library revenue has routinely fallen
short of the costs for running three
libraries in Ventura. Ventura
officials have successfully and
tenaciously defended Ventura's
decentralized approach to providing
library services for more than
fifteen years. In defense of that
model, Ventura entered into the 1997
MOU. In support of that model,
Ventura city officials raised
private funds and voted to
provide City general funds
to keep the doors open at all three
libraries when tough economic times
last threatened our model. In support
of that model, Ventura city officials
long and successfully advocated that
a disproportionate share of the
County's State library funding be
devoted to our service area deficit.
When that source of support was
slashed, Ventura city officials
joined the Friends of the Library to
raise additional funds and gave voters
an opportunity to provide a new revenue
source, a portion of which was pledged
to supporting libraries, including
keeping Wright open.
Now you come along and say that this
long record of support counts for
nothing. Instead, you routinely accuse
officials who have been stalwart library
supporters of bad faith and deception
for essentially being the bearers of bad
news in the worst economic downturn in
70 years.
I count myself among the "supporters of
Wright Library." As City Manager, I am
genuinely sorry it is closed. I worked
long and hard to keep it open. I
acknowledge that it is less convenient
for the majority of our citizens to come
downtown to use Foster Library. (See my
blog entry
comment.g?blogID=1854627540208052784
&postID=5065338035278616988> more than
a year ago when Director Griffin first
proposed closing Wright and I urged
folks to voice their views on the
issue.) There was a legitimate debate
over whether the best decision in light
of the real funding shortfall was to
close Wright, close Foster or split the
hours.
Even as we face other wrenching City
budget choices, that remains a legitimate
topic for debate. But it is not
productive to endlessly recycle
accusations of badfaith against long-
time library supporters -- citing
"legal opinions" from "legal
counsel" you won't name.
There are good arguments for consol-
idation of the libraries and good
arguments for splitting hours. And
there is perhaps a reasonable case
to be made for opting out of the
County system. There is certainly
a need to think strategically about
how to deploy and fund library
services in the years ahead at a
time of great change in the world of
information. Why can't we focus on
the substance of how to provide the
best model for library services for
Ventura?
Rick Cole
City Manager
City of Ventura
805 654-7740
Blog: www.cityofventura.net/cmblog/
www.cityofventura.net/cmblog/>
From: "Wendy Halderman"
To: "Rick Cole"
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010
1:39:32 AM
Subject: Re: Wright Library update
Re: Wright Library update Rick,
True "supporters of Wright Library"
would not have given up on it, nor
would they have allowed closure
under any circumstances.
I would like to know if you still
insist there was no surplus at
Wright, which means the County
financial reports are wrong. It
can't be both ways. You can't say
there's a deficit at Saticoy and
Avenue, yet say there's neither a
deficit nor surplus at Wright.
The County Library, Library Commis-
sion and City are not authorized to
close Wright Library. County
Library Director Jackie Griffin had
absolutely no authority to set this
process in motion. In addition,
the Commission cannot approve a budget
which excludes funding for the oper-
ation of Wright.
The legal opinion is from Huskinson,
Brown--the same firm that successfully
stopped the 911 fee. The unlawful
closure of this library by the very
agencies pledged to protect and run
it is a travesty and a betrayal of
the highest order. We would like to
hear what you think the community is
owed under these circumstances, and
what your next steps will be to
correct this wrongdoing. The bad faith
created in the community will continue
to multiply until this is corrected,
and negative ramifications will
undoubtedly extend to other issues.
Re: the future. Agreed, focus on the
best model for library services for
Ventura-which is already spelled out
in the General Plan. But you can't get
there from here by staying with the
County Library system. Aside from
illegally closing Wright (as if that
were a minor thing!), their cost
structure won't allow them to maintain
Ventura's desired service model.They've
already made that clear. It would seem
you are letting them dictate and change
the City's visioning plan.
Ventura could very well be successfully
operating its own libraries including
satellite branches as specified in the
visioning plan, if the City had
withdrawn from the County system as the
independent consultant recommended
back in 1997. To achieve this branch
library model agreed upon by the
community requires your help and
the Council's help. The community
will be much more likely to provide
financial support, including parcel
taxes, ONLY IF they are assured the
money will stay in the city, and
iF library management is fully
accountable to Ventura and
keeps costs in line with revenues.
For there is no sense talking about
stable funding for libraries if there
are not also stable costs.You will
get a lot more backing for library
funding by operating the libraries
independently. Oxnard does this very
well, and their community regularly
backs them with extra money.
It's obvious that if Ventura stays
with the County Library system,
there is nowhere to go but down.
Five-year projections show the
agency is not sustainable, and
Ventura would continue to endure
more cuts. And with the
County's "Layoff libraries, not
employees" approach, they place the
interests of their organization ahead
of the communities they serve. This
is not the service we want for our
community.By staying with the
County Library system you keep
Ventura at a distinct disadvantage.
If one more city leaves the system
like Moorpark did, it will collapse
anyway. Why leave the fate of our
libraries to the whim of others?
In addition, the County Library
Commission-a "confederacy"--is not
equitable towards Ventura, and is
weighted in favor of Camarillo,
Port Hueneme and Fillmore. These
communities essentially have two
representatives each on the Commis-
sion, while Ventura has one. These
cities are being well taken care of,
with subsidies and special deals
from the County to the tune of $9-$10
per capita while Ventura receives
80 cents per capita.
We trust you will demand that the
County restore service to Wright
Library immediately, to rebuild
the good faith needed to bring
support to our libraries, and
maintain and grow the branch model
the community and City agreed upon.
Or reopen it without County involve-
ment and let other organizations in
the community run it. Insist that
County Library budget policies 1, 4,
5 be followed. Invoke policy 7,
whereby the City can provide some
services themselves, with cost savings
applied to the library. We will gladly
and wholeheartedly work with you
towards this model, protecting and
supporting ALL libraries to ensure
access for all our citizens.
Libraries are the cornerstone of demo-
cracy and a free and healthy society.
But they must be open and accessible
to the people,which is why Helen Power
Wright gave the gift of "adequate library
facilities"to the residents of Ventura.
The paint color on the outside doesn't matter
-- it's the ability to easily access what's
inside that counts.
Reopen Wright Library; the community will
make the rest of it work. Do it for Ray
Bradbury-who fought for Wright--and for
all the budding Ray Bradburys of the
world, who need accessible libraries
now more than ever.
To Justice,
Wendy Halderman
Library Justice
http://reopenwrightlibrary.com
####
on 4/15/10 5:39 PM,
Cole, Rick Wrote At
rcole@ci.ventura.ca.us:
Wendy:
I'm not sure this back and forth is
making much progress. I think the
key here is your view that Wright
is required to remain open "under
any circumstances." While I admire
your passion, all of us in government
(and business for that matter) must
deal with the changed circumstances
of the worst economic downturn in
70 years. Living within our means
requires hard choices. Not everyone
is going to agree with those choices
and every choice is going to be
questioned. I think that comes with
the territory. As Winston Churchill
said in similar adverse circumstances,
"I do not resent criticism, even when,
for the sake of emphasis, it parts
for the time with reality."
All the best,
Rick Cole, City Manager
City of Ventura
805 654-7740
Blog: www.cityofventura.net/cmblog/
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010
17:14:08 -0700
Subject: Re: Wright Library update
From: whalderman@earthlink.net
To: rcole@ci.ventura.ca.us
Rick,
On your topic of reality, I'm not
convinced this situation is "similarly
adverse" to what Winston Churchill
faced.
The contract does require the County
to operate Wright Library at some
level of service. Neither the City
nor the County is authorized to close
it.
Here is a link to the VC Star article
on Sunday which confirms the legal
opinion from Huskinson, Brown--
http://www.vcstar.com/news/
2010/apr/17/wright-library-
group-checking-legal-options/.
If you are convinced any of the three
entities (County, Commission, City)
do have authority, then please let
us know.
The City Attorney's recent opinion
on the MOU does not say the County can
legally refuse to fund or operate
Wright. It only addresses explicit
requirements to use County general
fund money to backfill a deficit.
It does not address implicit agree-
ments, nor the County's obligation
touse monies other than its general fund,
such as city-paid property tax and the
state Public Library Fund (PLF). In fact,
the County is bound by its own budget
policies to ensure baseline service at
Wright using PLF money.
Re: Library funding. There is no "crisis"
here except for the fact that Wright was
illegally closed so that the management
agency could lock in all its gains from
the record property tax revenue gains.
In fact, every library in the County
system currently faces a deficit because
of the agency's inability to keep costs
in line with revenues. The loss of state
subsidy over the past decade is a moot
point, as this amount was compensated
for many times over by the growth in
property tax.
"Living within our means" also applies
to the County Library System, but they
have made no sacrifice. Despite closing
Wright, their budget still increased
over last year. Employees continue to
be hired, receive regular raises, and
enjoy a "no layoffs" pledge. Agency
employee compensation is $7 million and
growing (to $9 million by 2014), even
though the County CFO stated last
Thursday that revenues are projected
to be flat or declining slightly in the
near term. Services will undoubtedly
continue to be cut in Ventura in order
to meet the overhead costs.
This is why we are urging Ventura's with-
drawal from the County system, and to
finally follow the consultant's recom-
mendation made in the 1997 Library Long-
Term Strategic Plan, to run the city's
libraries independently.
The City has pledged to be transparent
and open, to "put citizen's priorities
first," and to follow its Vision plan
for accessible satellite library branches.
We trust that you will adhere to these
promises. For it's our view that the
people elected and hired to serve the
community, who pledge to uphold the law
and their agreements, should do just that.
Wendy Halderman
Library Justice
http://reopenwrightlibrary.com
Posted: 05-01-10
|
|
CHARTER CHANGE CONSIDERATION
OF ELECTED CITY COUNCILPERSONS
By Ron Smith
From: "Wendy Halderman"
To: "Rick Cole"
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010
12:01:52 AM
Subject: Re: Wright Library Update
Re: Wright Library update Rick,
The City Administrative Report presented
to Council on Nov. 23, 2009 contained
false information about a "Wright
very well affected the votes. The
Council voted to close Wright after
the presentation of this report.
In addition, the City Administrative
Report from April 21, 2009, misleads
the Council: "The monthly deficit cost
of maintaining current service levels
at Wright is $23,000." Again, one
library is singled out, and it implies
Wright had a deficit. To follow your
rationale, it should have stated,
"...current service levels in the
Ventura Service Area." County budgets
clearly show a surplus at Wright, and
a deficit at Foster and Saticoy:
2006-07
Foster ($552,595)
Wright $314,495
Avenue $97,909
Saticoy ($69,677)
2007-08
Foster ($482,577)
Wright $201,530
Avenue $64,660
Saticoy ($79,209)
2008-09
Foster ($551,295)
Wright 190,381
Avenue 52,117
Saticoy (91,034)
Deficits shown are net of subsidies
provided by the County. The three main
subsidy sources are: State PLF, Ventura
County General Fund, and Redistribution
of Unincorporated Area Revenue); Avenue
Library amounts include annual $90,000
Federal block grant.
Revenue and expense allocations clearly
exist for each library. If you insist
there is neither a shortfall at Wright
nor a deficit at Wright, then you must
be saying the County financial reports
are wrong.
In addition, you say there can only be
a Ventura Service Area deficit, not an
individual library deficit. So, why did
Bill Fulton on Nov. 30 publicly state
that Saticoy (and Avenue without the
grant) "also runs a deficit"?
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=dokXTB_9PZk
…and why did County Library Director
Jackie Griffin say that the County
spent $560,000 the last two years
"to keep Wright open?" The financial
reports clearly show that this money
went to Foster, not Wright.
http://www.youtube.com/
The County and City consistently tried
to convince Venturans they had no right
to two libraries. Wright was somehow
singled out as an "extra library," but
in fact the County agreed to run all
Ventura's libraries. In addition, they
are not authorized to close Wright. The
unlawful threat of closure was made
under false authority, and the resulting
sales tax campaign "to keep Wright open"
was based on the perpetuation of false
and/or misleading statements which
caused widespread public misconception.
The City and County did nothing to correct
the misinformation. SBFOL and the community
were wrongly tasked with providing funding
for a library that was not short of money,
and which the County was obligated by law
to operate.
One Ventura resident summed it up like this:
"Let me get this straight. We have been
misinformed regarding the financing of
Wright Library for the last year and a half
or so by the city, the county is complicit
in the misinformation, the misinformation
was used as a political ploy to gain pass-
age of a tax increase, and the county and
the city violated the funding policies
passed and agreed for the libraries?"
Wendy Halderman
Library Justice
http://reopenwrightlibrary.com
Posted: 05-01-10
Email: townbiz101@hotmail.com
|
| | | | 
