Mar 05, 2025 SPECIAL BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

[ CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:09]

WE'RE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER, AND I AM SORRY THAT WE ARE ABOUT 16 MINUTES LATE.

BUT HERE WE ARE WITH OUR WORK STUDY, AND WE'LL JUST KIND OF MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE. ALL RIGHT.

[1. Library District - The Board of Supervisors will resolve into the Board of Directors of the Yavapai County Free Library District and following consideration of this item, will reconvene as the Board of Supervisors - Discussion regarding Library District services, funding, and performance.]

I KNOW WE HAD A REALLY BUSY DAY SO FAR, SO I'LL DO MY BEST TO KEEP THINGS CONCISE AND KEEP THINGS MOVING.

BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION TO COVER. SO FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME TO DEWEY-HUMBOLDT LIBRARY .

THIS IS ONE OF YOUR LIBRARY'S ONE OF 15 THAT ARE PART OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT THAT ARE ONE OF OUR BRANCHES.

AND I'M HOPING FROM THIS PRESENTATION WE CAN REALLY COME AWAY WITH FOUR THINGS.

ONE, I HOPE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT AND HOW IT SERVES THE PUBLIC.

I'M HOPING WE CAN. THERE MIGHT BE ABLE TO. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECTION ON HOW THE LIBRARY DISTRICT CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES GOING FORWARD. NUMBER THREE, GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT NEEDS TO CONTINUE PROVIDING GREAT SERVICE.

AND FOUR PROVIDE DIRECTION ON HOW TO ADDRESS LIBRARY DISTRICT DISTRICT FUNDING CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD.

SO AND WE'LL GET INTO ALL THOSE AREAS IN THE IN THE STUDY SESSION.

AND ALSO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME.

MAYBE THIS WORKS. OH THERE WE GO. IS THIS BEING RECORDED? YES. OKAY. OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT AND STATUTORY AUTHORITY.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ITS PROFILE. SO STARTING RIGHT OFF THE BAT, THE, THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IN THE LIBRARIES IN THE PAST, IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, IN RURAL AREAS WHERE MOSTLY ESTABLISHED BY NONPROFIT GROUPS OR COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT DECIDED TO GET TOGETHER AND ESTABLISH A LIBRARY IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY. SO OVER TIME, WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY LOSE KEY MEMBERS THAT WERE PART OF KEEPING THAT LIBRARY TOGETHER, AND THEY WOULD END UP TRANSFERRING THE OWNERSHIP IN SOME CASES, OR AT LEAST OPERATION OF THE LIBRARY OVER TO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT . SO THAT'S FOR THE MOST PART, THAT'S HOW 13 OF OUR LIBRARIES WE GOT OPERATING THEM.

WE DO HAVE TWO OTHERS THAT WE HAVE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH CLARKDALE AND ONE WITH DEWEY-HUMBOLDT TO OPERATE THEIR LIBRARIES ON THEIR BEHALF.

SO ALSO DURING THIS TIME, BEFORE THE LIBRARY DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED, THE CITY OF PRESCOTT IN YAVAPAI COUNTY HAD A JOINT AGREEMENT FOR DECADES, GOING BACK WHERE THEY WERE PROVIDING COUNTY SERVICES TOGETHER.

BUT THEN IN 1986, THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL ALLOWING COUNTIES TO CREATE LIBRARY DISTRICT S.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE KEY PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT REALLY CHANGED HOW LIBRARIES COULD BE SUPPORTED IN THE COUNTY.

SO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THEN CREATED A LIBRARY DISTRICT IN 1987, AND THEY ALSO ACT AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THAT LIBRARY DISTRICT . SO WHEN YOU'RE ELECTED AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, YOU DE FACTO GET THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

SO AND TODAY WE SUPERVISE WE HAVE 15 LIBRARIES.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATUTES, THE STATUTES.

THANKFULLY, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STATUTES THAT I HAVE TO OPERATE UNDER.

I'VE INCLUDED ALL OF THOSE IN YOUR BOOKLET IN THE APPENDIX IF YOU WANT TO REVIEW THOSE LATER.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS SOLE AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH A LIBRARY DISTRICT .

SO THAT IS A POWER GIVEN TO YOU UNDER STATUTE.

BY STATUTE TO ESTABLISH A LIBRARY DISTRICT , WHICH YOU DID IN 1987.

YOUR PREDECESSORS DID. MUNICIPALITIES MAY JOIN OR LEAVE A LIBRARY DISTRICT AT THEIR DISCRETION.

ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS PUT A NOTICE IN THE PAPER THREE FOR THREE TIMES THAT THE PAPER IS PUBLISHED, AND THEY'RE AN AFFILIATE, SO THERE'S NOT EVEN AN APPROVAL PROCESS BEYOND THAT.

IS MY UNDERSTANDING. SO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CREATES POLICY AND CAN ESTABLISH LIBRARIES IN UNINCORPORATED OR INCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY.

SO FOR INSTANCE, PIMA LIBRARY DISTRICT RUNS ALL THE LIBRARIES IN THEIR COUNTY BECAUSE OVER TIME THE MUNICIPALITIES TRANSFERRED THOSE LIBRARIES OVER, WHEREAS SOME LIBRARY DISTRICT S DON'T OPERATE ANY LIBRARIES IN INCORPORATED AREAS.

SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS ALSO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

AND ANOTHER STATUTE IS THAT YOU CAN EXPECT AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM ME BY JULY 31ST OF EACH YEAR, GIVING YOU THE CONDITION OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

I HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU AND THE STATE LIBRARIAN.

THE LIBRARY DISTRICT ALSO HAS THE SAME POWERS, PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES GRANTED GENERALLY TO MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS.

[00:05:06]

SO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ALSO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO LEVY A SECONDARY PROPERTY TAX ON ALL RESIDENTS OF YAVAPAI COUNTY, REGARDLESS IF THEY'RE IN AN UNINCORPORATED OR INCORPORATED AREA OF YAVAPAI COUNTY , SIMILAR TO ALL OTHER SECONDARY PROPERTY TAXING DISTRICTS.

YES, MA'AM. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? OF COURSE. OKAY.

SO YOU WENT AND SAID THAT A LIBRARY CAN GO AHEAD AND A MUNICIPALITY COULD GO AHEAD AND LEAVE THE DISTRICT OR NOT PARTICIPATE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. BUT THE TAXING STILL CONTINUES.

THAT IS CORRECT. SO THIS IS A COUNTY TAX? YES.

SO SIMILAR TO AND KEEP IN MIND TO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IS ITS OWN GOVERNING AUTHORITY.

SO WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT PART OF THE COUNTY, BUT WE'RE SUPPORTED BY THE COUNTY.

SO YAVAPAI COUNTY HAS ITS OWN TAXING TAXES THAT IT COLLECTS.

THE LIBRARY DISTRICT SIMILARLY HAS COUNTY TAXES THAT IT COLLECTS, AND THOSE TAXES ARE COLLECTED BY RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN THE COUNTY.

RIGHT. SO REGARDLESS OF THEY'RE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF A MUNICIPALITY, OR IF THEY'RE IN AN UNINCORPORATED AREA, THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY THAT TAX, JUST LIKE THEY HAVE TO PAY A COUNTY TAX.

OKAY. THANK YOU. MY PLEASURE. SO ALSO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT MAY ISSUE BONDS.

SO YOU'LL SEE LATER ON THAT YUMA LIBRARY DISTRICT ACTUALLY PAYS $3 MILLION A YEAR TO PAY DOWN A BOND FOR LIBRARIES THAT THEIR LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS BUILT IN THEIR COUNTY.

SO YOU HAVE THAT AUTHORITY AS WELL. THE YAVAPAI COUNTY ALSO MAY SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT , AND I'LL TALK A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER. BUT WE PAY ABOUT $200,000 A YEAR, A $250,000 SOMEWHERE IN THERE TO YAVAPAI COUNTY FOR FLEET VEHICLES, FOR FACILITIES, FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES, FOR LEASING OUR LOCATION AT TRIPLE C, SO THE COUNTY DOES RECEIVE A MINIMAL FUNDS FOR THAT AS WELL. AND ALSO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO SCHOOLS.

SO THIS IS IMPORTANT AS WELL BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THREE LIBRARIES THAT WE OPERATE THAT ARE IN CONJUNCTION WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO THAT'S CROWN KING, THAT'S BEAVER CREEK AND THAT'S SPRING VALLEY.

ALL RIGHT. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE WHAT THE MISSION AND VALUES OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

I THINK ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT IN THE UNITED STATES, LIBRARIES KIND OF HAVE A PRETTY IMPORTANT ROLE.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST A REPOSITORY OF INFORMATION LIKE THE LIBRARY OF ALEXANDRIA IN 323 BC.

THE LIBRARIES ARE ALSO KEY IN THE US, BECAUSE WE'RE ONE OF THE MANY BUILDING BLOCKS THAT MAKE OUR REPUBLIC WORK.

SO TO KIND OF SUPPORT THAT, THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID, AN EDUCATED CITIZENRY IS A VITAL REQUISITE FOR OUR SURVIVAL AS A FREE PEOPLE.

SO, IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE PEOPLE GET OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, THEY NEED A PLACE TO GO TO GET INFORMATION SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT THINGS AS VOTERS.

AND LIBRARIES PLAY THAT, PLAY THAT KEY ROLE ONCE THEY'RE OUT OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

SO ALL OF OUR MISSION AND VALUES SUPPORT THAT END MISSION OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IS TO PROVIDE LIBRARY MATERIALS AND SERVICES TO MEET THE INFORMATIONAL, CULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL NEEDS OF ALL RESIDENTS OF YAVAPAI COUNTY THROUGH OUR BRANCH LIBRARIES, OUR AFFILIATES, AND THE YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK.

AND WE DO THAT THROUGH OUR VALUES OF SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, RESPONSIBILITY AND PROFESSIONALISM.

AND ACTUALLY THOSE INTEGRATE VERY NICELY WITH ALL THE CULTURE WORK THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN DOING.

LIBRARIES MAINTAIN OUR PAST, OUR HISTORY, WHICH IS A CORE PART OF WHAT WE WANT IN THIS COUNTY THROUGH THIS CULTURE MAP.

AND WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES RIGHT NOW.

SO WE DO CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND IN ALL THOSE RURAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, WE ARE THAT COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSE AREAS AND OUR NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUES COMPASSION, INTEGRITY, COLLABORATION, INNOVATION ALL OF THOSE ARE AT THE CORE OF HOW WE OPERATE.

YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SEE THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO WE ALSO HAVE OUR STRATEGIC VISION OF SUCCESS.

THIS IS A LITTLE OUTDATED AT THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE HOPING THE RURAL SERVICES MASTERPLAN WILL ALLOW US TO UPDATE OUR STRATEGIC VISION OF SUCCESS.

SO WE HAVE COMMUNITY HUB. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR LIBRARIES ARE PLACES THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE, AND THAT THEY CAN MEET THEIR NEIGHBOR THERE AND HAVE PROGRAMING AND OTHER THINGS THAT CAN HELP ENHANCE THEIR LIFE.

WE HAVE COLLECTION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT GET BOOKS.

[00:10:02]

I MEAN, ALL THESE THINGS ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM, AND WE'RE ALSO A STEWARDSHIP OF RESOURCES AND STAFF.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT FOR EVERY TAX DOLLAR THAT WE GET FROM THE TAXPAYERS, THAT WE SPEND THAT FUNDING AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

AND I THINK AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DO.

WE ALSO ARE TECHNOLOGY HUBS. WE SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY, WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PARTNERS AND NEIGHBORS, AND WE HAVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS SUCH AS THE YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK.

SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE AT THE CORE OF HOW WE OPERATE.

AND WE DO THIS VERY WELL. AND IN PART WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS AS A RESULT OF THIS.

ONE OF THE ONES I'M ACTUALLY THE MOST PROUD OF IS IN 2021, WE WERE SELECTED BY THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES TO BE ONE OF 12 PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES AS A MODEL TO SHOW HOW LIBRARIES PROMOTE WELL-BEING, SOCIAL WELL-BEING IN THE COUNTRY.

SO. AND THE REASON WE WERE SELECTED FOR THAT PARTICULAR STUDY WAS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE AT A LOW COST. AND ON TOP OF THAT, OUR PARTNERSHIPS REALLY HELPED WITH THAT AS WELL.

SO COMMUNITY HEALTH WAS KEY TO THAT. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, HOW WE SUPPORT THEM, PLUS THE YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK AS A WAY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AS WELL. AND I'VE INCLUDED THAT IN YOUR BOOKLET IN THE APPENDIX.

YOU CAN READ THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF THE STUDY, BUT WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR OUR COUNTY WIDE EVENT SERVICES PROGRAM.

IT'S ONE. IT'S TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT EXISTS WHERE ALL THE LIBRARIES, THE MUNICIPALITIES, THE COLLEGES, NONPROFITS CAN ALL PUT THEIR EVENTS INTO THE CALENDAR AND RESIDENTS FROM ANYWHERE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND LIMIT IT BY ZIP CODE AND SEE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. SO LAST YEAR, WE PUT 5000 EVENTS INTO THAT CALENDAR THAT THE PUBLIC COULD ACCESS.

WE'RE ALSO MOST RECENTLY RECEIVED ONE OF TEN PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES TO RECEIVE A CYBER SECURITY GRANT THROUGH E-RATE, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL. AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR THE ONLY COUNTY SCHOOL LIBRARIAN IN THE STATE, WHICH WE RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR THAT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SHE SUPPORTS AND HAS LITERALLY GOTTEN CHILDREN TO READ THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF E-BOOKS THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

AND SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO AND THOSE ARE OUR FUTURE LIBRARY USERS.

SO THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.

SO A LITTLE MORE DIRECTLY ABOUT HOW WE OPERATE.

THE LIBRARY DISTRICT REALLY PROVIDES THREE KEY SERVICE AREAS.

ONE IS DIRECT CITIZEN SERVICES THROUGH OUR BRANCH LIBRARIES.

THIS IS RIGHT HERE. WE HAVE A LIBRARY WHERE PATRONS COME IN.

THEY CAN CHECK OUT BOOKS, THEY CAN DO PROGRAMING, THEY CAN DO SUMMER READING PROGRAM.

THEY CAN USE THE COMPUTERS. THEY CAN CHECK OUT A WI-FI HOTSPOT.

THEY CAN GET SOMETHING NOTARIZED. ALL THESE THINGS CAN HAPPEN RIGHT HERE AT THIS LIBRARY BRANCH.

WE HAVE 14 MORE OF THOSE OUTLETS AROUND THE COUNTY.

WE ALSO PROVIDE INDIRECT CITIZEN SERVICES THROUGH OUR AFFILIATE LIBRARIES.

SO WE HAVE MANY OF OUR FRIENDS IN THE MUNICIPAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES HERE TODAY.

WE ALSO PROVIDE THEM SERVICES THROUGH THE YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK.

WE PROVIDE THEM SERVICES THROUGH DATABASES AND SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, SUCH AS OVERDRIVE.

AND WE ALSO PROVIDE DIRECT FUNDING THROUGH A CONTRIBUTION THAT THE BOARD HAS ELECTED TO MAKE $1.2 MILLION FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR. SO AND LASTLY, WE PROVIDE DIRECT LIBRARY SERVICES THROUGH THE YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK.

SO A LOT OF FOLKS KIND OF GET CONFUSED WITH ALL THE ACRONYMS AND THIS AND THAT.

BUT WHAT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT DOES IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE LIBRARY NETWORK DOES.

AND WE'LL GET INTO MORE WITH THE LIBRARY NETWORK RIGHT IN A LITTLE BIT.

SO HERE ARE YOUR 15 BRANCH LIBRARIES AROUND THE COUNTY.

YOU CAN SEE IN THE NORTH WE HAVE SELIGMAN, THE WEST WE HAVE BAGDAD, THE SOUTH, BLACK CANYON CITY, EAST BEAVER CREEK. WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD COVERING OF LIBRARIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY, SO ALL RESIDENTS CAN HAVE A LIBRARY WITHIN REACH.

OR AT LEAST WE HOPE THEY DO. AND IF WE DON'T, HOPEFULLY THE RURAL SERVICES MASTERPLAN WILL LET US KNOW WHAT FUTURE SERVICE AREAS WE CAN CONSIDER. ALSO, THE LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS NEARLY 60 STAFF, MOST OF WHICH WORK IN OUR LIBRARY BRANCHES.

PROBABLY ABOUT 40 OF THOSE WORK IN OUR LIBRARY BRANCHES.

SO BY FAR WHAT WE DO IS PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

WE ALSO HAVE TEN STAFF WITH MASTER'S DEGREES IN LIBRARY SCIENCES.

SO THEY'RE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND THEY UNDERSTAND HOW LIBRARIES ARE SUPPOSED TO OPERATE.

WE HAVE OUR LOWEST STAFFING LEVEL LIBRARY IS CROWN KING.

WE HAVE A PART TIME PERSON THERE. IT'S ALSO OUR SMALLEST LIBRARY.

AND OUR LARGEST LIBRARY THAT WE OPERATE IS BEAVER CREEK, WHERE WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE THERE, AND IT'S ONE OF OUR BUSIEST LIBRARIES AS WELL.

[00:15:03]

BUT THEY'RE IN OUR NETWORK. THEY'RE JUST NOT ONE OF OUR LIBRARIES.

THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAVE DOZENS OF SCHOOLS THAT WE SUPPORT THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

YEP. YOU'RE CORRECT SIR. SO IN OUR 15 BRANCHES, WE OFFER A WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES FROM CIRCULATING BOOKS, DVDS, NEW PROGRAMING SUCH AS THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM AND STAR WARS DAY.

WE OFFER COMPUTER SERVICES, PRINTING SERVICES, NOTARY SERVICES.

WE ACTUALLY DID 2,418 NOTARIES LAST YEAR, SO EACH ONE OF THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT WAS NOTARIZED WAS A TRIP THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE FROM THEIR COMMUNITY TO PRESCOTT OR PRESCOTT VALLEY TO GET SOMETHING NOTARIZED.

SO IT REALLY SAVES THEM SOME MONEY. WE'RE ALSO WE DID 647 OF THOSE JUST IN BAGHDAD AND 420 IN SELIGMAN.

SO HEAVY USERS OF THAT SERVICE. WE JUST STARTED OFFERING PASSPORT SERVICES.

SO IT'S BEEN JUST OVER A MONTH THAT WE'VE OFFERED IT IN BEAVER CREEK, AND WE'VE DONE TEN PASSPORTS THERE ALREADY.

SO IT'S EVEN GETTING MORE USE THAN I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE WOULD.

WE OFFER ENTREPRENEURIAL SERVICES. ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES HAVE NARCAN IN THEM, AND OUR STAFF ARE ALL TRAINED ON HOW TO USE NARCAN.

SO IF THERE'S AN OVERDOSE, OUR STAFF CAN ACTUALLY ASSIST IN HELPING WITH THAT.

DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING. AND WE OFFER A LOT MORE.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON BECOMING A UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CENTER.

SO WE SHOULD RECEIVE THAT CERTIFICATION IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST PATRONS IN RESEARCHING PATENT AND TRADEMARKS.

ALSO, OUR RURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN WILL OFFER EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND INCREASE SERVICES.

SO IN SHORT, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR LIBRARIES IN OUR RURAL AREAS ARE THE CIVIC CENTERS FOR THOSE AREAS.

THEY GO THERE TO RECEIVE SERVICES THAT THEY CAN'T GET FROM ANYWHERE ELSE.

AND PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET THAT SERVICE, BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION CAN BE DIFFICULT. THERE CAN BE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.

I MEAN, I USED TO LIVE IN RURAL SOUTH DAKOTA.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO PLAN WHAT DAY YOU'RE GOING TO GO, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH TO GET THAT DONE WHEN YOU NEEDED TO DO THAT.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AS EASY FOR THEM AS POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO NOW THE LIBRARY NETWORK THOUGH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT CREATURE.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

THIS PARTNERSHIP OF 58 LIBRARIES ACROSS 26 GOVERNING AUTHORITIES IS THE ONLY ONE LIKE IT IN THE STATE WE ARE THE BIGGEST LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP THERE IS, AND IT'S EXISTED SINCE 1985. SO THIS IS ACTUALLY THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR OF THE YAVAPAI LIBRARY NETWORK.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE SERVICES IT OFFERS.

AND THIS IS A VERY SLIMMED DOWN VERSION OF WHAT THOSE ARE.

BUT FOR LIBRARIES IT'S TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, THE CIRCULATION SYSTEM, CHECKING IN AND OUT BOOKS.

THE LIBRARY NETWORK PROVIDES THAT THE ONLINE CATALOG IS PROVIDED BY THE LIBRARY NETWORK INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES, SUCH AS CATALOGING DOING THE INVENTORY WITH INVENTORY SCANNERS ON THE SHELVES.

WE HAVE DEVICES THAT CAN HELP WITH THAT. COLLECTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

PEOPLE SEND US BOOKS, ESPECIALLY TO SCHOOLS. WE CATALOG THEM, WE SEND THEM OUT, AND THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.

SO PROCUREMENT SERVICES RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION RFP OUT.

SO WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU WALK THROUGH THE GROCERY STORE AND THE THING BEEPS AT YOU IF IT THINKS YOU DIDN'T BUY SOMETHING, THAT'S RFID TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE THAT IN ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES AS WELL, FOR CHECKING IN AND OUT BOOKS.

AND SOME OF THE LARGER LIBRARIES USE THAT FOR SECURITY.

SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN RFP OUT TO SEE IF WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH VENDORS FOR THAT.

SO THE COUNTY CAN DO THAT ON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT CAN DO THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL THE LIBRARIES THAT ARE PART OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK, SAVING THEM THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. AND BECAUSE WE'RE BULK PURCHASING, WE'RE SAVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON TOP OF THAT.

AND TO PROVE THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM THERE, WE ACTUALLY HAD A RETURN ON INVESTMENT STUDY DONE BY BURKE AND ASSOCIATES, AND WE RECEIVED $6.43 IN SERVICE FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S SPENT.

AND THE LIBRARY DISTRICT SPENDS THAT DOLLAR. SO THE NETWORK MEMBERS DON'T EVEN SPEND THAT DOLLAR.

THE LIBRARY DISTRICT PURCHASES THAT ON THEIR BEHALF.

SO WE'RE GETTING $6.43 BACK FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S SPENT.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT THE LIBRARY NETWORK OFFERS, WHICH REALLY MAXIMIZES THE USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDING.

SO WHAT DO WE PROVIDE FOR THE CITIZENS AS THE LIBRARY NETWORK? SEAMLESS LIBRARY SERVICES. SO IF YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE UPSTAIRS, YOU CHECK OUT A BOOK AND YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY HOME A COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM

[00:20:01]

I'M JUST GOING TO DROP IT OFF AT THE PRESCOTT VALLEY LIBRARY.

YOU CAN DO THAT. AND IT WILL FIND ITS WAY BACK TO THE DEWEY-HUMBOLDT LIBRARY.

YOU CAN ALSO PLACE A HOLD ON ANY BOOK IN THE COUNTY AND IT WILL COME TO YOUR HOME LIBRARY.

SO MARICOPA COUNTY JUST STARTED IMPLEMENTING THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 1985.

SO WE'RE REALLY AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON HOW WE OFFER THESE SERVICES, AND IT MAKES IT SO THAT BOOK YOU WANT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND IT SOMEWHERE.

AND ONE OF OUR LIBRARIES, THEY WILL HAVE IT AND YOU CAN HAVE IT DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME LIBRARY.

PLUS YOU CAN DO THINGS LIKE CONSUMER REPORTS AT HOME.

YOU CAN DO RESEARCHING AT HOME THROUGH ONE OF OUR DATABASES.

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN A LANGUAGE, WE HAVE MANGO LANGUAGES.

YOU CAN DO THAT AT HOME. SO THERE'S A WHOLE SERIES OF SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE NETWORK MEMBERSHIP.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS IT'S A REALLY EFFICIENT USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

AND THE MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK CAN GET THIS AT NO COST TO THEM, WITH THE EXCEPTION, IF THEY USE OUR COURIER SERVICES, THEY DO HAVE TO REIMBURSE US FOR THAT OR PART OF IT.

BUT NOT EVERYBODY USES THAT SERVICE. SO WORLD CLASS SERVICE AT A LOW COST.

SO HERE'S HOW SOME OF THESE FEES SHAKE OUT FOR THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

AND ALSO WHEN YOU TURN THAT WHEN YOU APPLY THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO THE SERVICES THAT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT PAYS FOR, WHAT THE REAL VALUE OF THAT IS. SO PART OF WHAT THE LIBRARY NETWORK DOES IS IT'S IT HAS A BOARD WHICH IS CALLED THE STEERING COMMITTEE , WHICH EACH GOVERNING AUTHORITY HAS A MEMBER ON THAT STEERING COMMITTEE .

SO PRESCOTT VALLEY IS CONSIDERED A GOVERNING AUTHORITY.

CASEY, BACK THERE IS THERE STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER ON THAT BOARD.

AND THAT STEERING COMMITTEE MAKES DECISIONS ON HOW THE RESERVE FUND FOR THE LIBRARY NETWORK IS SPENT.

SO WE TAKE IN $200,000 A YEAR IN MEMBERSHIP FEES.

IT GOES INTO A LIBRARY NETWORK RESERVE FUND, AND THEN THE STEERING COMMITTEE DECIDES HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE SPENT.

SO I, FOR INSTANCE, CAN'T JUST GO. I WANT TO BUY A NEW AUTOMATED MATERIALS HANDLING SYSTEM AND SPEND THAT MONEY.

IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT GROUP, AND THEY WOULD ALL HAVE TO AGREE THAT THAT'S A LEGITIMATE EXPENSE.

SO YOU CAN SEE I PUT A SAMPLING UP THERE OF HOW THIS BREAKS OUT FOR A FEW LIBRARIES.

SO SEDONA, FOR INSTANCE, PAYS $17,000 A YEAR.

THAT'S ONE OF OUR LARGER PLACES, ONE OF OUR MORE EXPENSIVE PLACES THAT PAYS MORE MONEY.

LIBRARY DISTRICT PAYS THE MOST AT $37,000, BECAUSE WE'RE THE LARGEST, ACCORDING TO THE FORMULA.

AND SKULL VALLEY ELEMENTARY, YOU'LL SEE, PAYS JUST $1,000 TO BE PART OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

SO WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO MAKE IT COST EFFECTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO JOIN THE LIBRARY NETWORK AND USE THESE SERVICES THAT SAVE THEM THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RESERVE FEE AND THE RESERVE MONEY THAT THE LIBRARY NETWORK HAS.

THAT'S ALL MONEY THAT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT SPENDS ON OPERATIONS.

SO WE HAVE ALL THE STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

WE PAY FOR THE SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

AND WHEN YOU TAKE THAT $6.43 FOR EVERY DOLLAR, THIS IS WHAT THAT EQUATES TO.

SO IF CAMP VERDE COMMUNITY LIBRARY WERE TO BUY THESE SERVICES, 100% THAT THEY RECEIVE THROUGH THE LIBRARY NETWORK ON THEIR OWN, THAT $33,000 THAT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT SPENDS WOULD COST THEM $214,000.

SO THIS IS WHERE THE BIG MONEY IS HERE AND HOW THE PARTNERSHIP IS SO EFFECTIVE.

SO FOR PRESCOTT PUBLIC LIBRARY, FOR INSTANCE, THE LIBRARY DISTRICT SPENDS $158,000 ON SERVICES SUPPORTING THEM.

IF THEY WERE GOING TO GO BUY THAT ON THEIR OWN, IT WOULD BE $1 MILLION THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE SAME SERVICES.

BUT BY EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER, ALL THE COSTS GO DOWN.

AND BECAUSE THE LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS THE ABILITY TO DO IT, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DETERMINED THAT 15 YEARS AGO THAT WE SHOULD PAY FOR ALL THOSE COSTS FOR THE OPERATIONAL COSTS OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

SO I KNOW ALL THAT IS LIKE A LOT TO THROW AT YOU.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JUST JUMP IN ANYTIME.

I LOVE THIS NEW AUTO CALL THING THAT JUST POPS UP CALLS ON MY LAPTOP AT RANDOM.

SO, BUT, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, IT'S NOT JUST COST EFFECTIVE WITH THE MONEY AND HOW IT'S BEING SPENT.

WE ALSO PROVIDE INCREDIBLE SERVICE AND THIS IS ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTY THROUGH THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

SO 44% OF OUR RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTY HAVE AN ACTIVE LIBRARY CARD.

AND WE DEFINE THAT A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVELY THAN MOST LIBRARIES DO.

THEY MAY SAY THREE, IF YOU USE A LIBRARY IN THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERED ACTIVE.

[00:25:01]

ALONG WITH THAT, WHEN YOU TAKE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF ITEMS CHECKED OUT FOR EACH RESIDENT, IT'S 9.1 ITEMS THAT THEY CHECK OUT A YEAR.

THAT MEANS YOU USE YOUR LIBRARY ONCE AND YOU'VE GOTTEN YOUR VALUE BACK IN WHAT YOU PAY IN TAXES JUST BY USING THE LIBRARY ONCE.

SO IT'S REALLY COST EFFECTIVE AND PEOPLE REALLY USE THE SERVICE.

ON TOP OF THAT ACROSS THE COUNTY, WE'VE HAD 21,000 NEW PATRONS.

OUR COUNTYWIDE CIRCULATION OF BOOKS AND EBOOKS IS JUST UNDER IS JUST UNDER 2.3 MILLION.

AND ALSO RECENTLY A COUNTY SURVEY WAS DONE, ABOUT 800 PEOPLE RESPONDED, AND 94% OF THE PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED SAID LIBRARY SERVICES WERE POSITIVE OR NEUTRAL. IT WAS THE HIGHEST SCORING COUNTY SERVICE ON THE SURVEY.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. BUT APPARENTLY LIBRARIES ARE ALWAYS AT THE TOP FOR EVERYBODY, SO WHO KNOWS. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FISCAL INFORMATION.

THIS IS WHERE THINGS START TO GET INTERESTING WHERE WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES.

YOU'VE SEEN HOW SUCCESSFUL WE'VE BEEN AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH OUR CURRENT FUNDING LEVELS.

BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, STARTING IN FY 11, THE TAX RATE WAS AT $0.11.

IT WENT UP TO ABOUT $0.16. AND THEN THERE WAS A SEVERE DROP.

THAT WAS BECAUSE AT THE TIME, THE LIBRARY DISTRICT HAD ABOUT $1.2, $1.4 MILLION IN CONTINGENCY.

IT WAS WAS BEFORE MY TIME, BUT IT WAS ABOUT THAT AMOUNT.

SO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DECIDED, WELL, LET'S EAT UP SOME OF THAT CONTINGENCY.

SO THEY LOWERED TAXES, THE TAX LEVY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

ONCE THAT CONTINGENCY WAS EATEN UP, THEN THEY RAISED IT BACK UP.

SO IN FY 17 WHEN IT WAS AT ITS HEIGHT, THAT WAS TO MAKE THE LIBRARY DISTRICT WHOLE FOR THOSE REDUCTIONS THAT WERE MADE IN THE LEVY.

AND THEN ALSO THAT'S WHEN THE PULLMAN PUBLIC LIBRARY WAS OPENED.

SO A LITTLE EXTRA FUNDING WENT IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD OPERATE THAT LIBRARY.

AND THAT WAS AT ITS PEAK OF $0.19 PER $100 OF NET ASSESSED VALUE.

THAT AMOUNT HAS CONTINUED TO GO DOWN FOR SEVERAL OF THOSE YEARS, ABOUT THREE OF THEM.

THE LEVY WAS STEADY. SO IT'S PART OF THE REASON IT WENT DOWN AT A GREATER RATE THAN IN THE MORE RECENT YEARS.

SO TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THIS TODAY, IF YOU HAD A $250,000 HOME, THE RESIDENT WOULD PAY $33 IN TAXES FOR THE LIBRARY DISTRICT . AND THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IS ITS OWN TAXING AUTHORITY.

IT SHOWS UP SEPARATELY ON YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL.

SO IF YOU HAVE A $250,000 HOME, THAT'S ABOUT $33 IN TAXES THAT YOU PAY A YEAR.

AND WHY IS IT DROPPING? IS IT BECAUSE OF ALL THE NEW CONSTRUCTION? IN PART. FOR YEARS 17, 18 AND 19. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET NEW CONSTRUCTION AMOUNTS IN THE LEVY THAT'S THE CASE.

BUT ASSESSED VALUES JUST GOING UP AT A HIGH RATE, AND THAT IMPACTS THE PROPERTY TAX RATE.

YEAH. SO A LITTLE BIT HERE ABOUT THE LEVY. THERE'S TWO LINES HERE THAT I PUT ON HERE.

ONE IS THE BLUE LINE WHICH IS WHAT OUR LEVY HAS BEEN AT SINCE FY 17.

AND THEN I HAVE THE ORANGE LINE ABOVE THAT, WHICH IS IF YOU ADJUST FOR INFLATION EACH YEAR, THAT'S WHAT THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY WOULD BE AT FOR THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

SO I POINT THIS OUT BECAUSE AS THAT COST OF LIVING CONTINUES TO INCREASE AND INFLATION CONTINUES TO INCREASE, WHILE WE HAVE SEEN INCREASED FUNDING, IT HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT FOR THE INFLATIONARY COSTS.

SO THAT MILLION DOLLARS, $1.1 MILLION THERE. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

WE'VE HAD TO FIND WAYS TO REDUCE OUR BUDGET TO COVER THOSE INFLATIONARY COSTS.

AND HERE IT KIND OF SHOWS HOW WE'VE HAD TO COVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS.

SO THIS IS OUR END OF THE YEAR FUND BALANCE THAT WE'VE HAD EACH YEAR.

SO BECAUSE THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IS ITS OWN TAXING AUTHORITY, WE GET TO KEEP ALL THE MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT.

SO IF YOU'RE, FOR INSTANCE, WITH PUBLIC WORKS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE COUNTY IF YOU DIDN'T EXPEND IT. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. WE KEEP IT IN THE LIBRARY DISTRICT FUND BECAUSE WE'RE OUR OWN TAXING DISTRICT AND OUR OWN GOVERNING AUTHORITY.

SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE SOME MONEY LEFT OVER USUALLY THAT WE CAN KEEP CARRYING ACROSS THAT WE CAN USE IN AN EMERGENCY.

SO THINGS WEREN'T GOING TOO BAD UNTIL FY 19 HIT.

AND THEN YOU CAN REALLY START SEEING HOW THAT BALANCE WE HAD AT THE END OF THE YEAR REALLY STARTED GOING DOWN,

[00:30:04]

AND AT THAT POINT ACTION REALLY NEEDED TO BE TAKEN.

SO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STARTED TAKING ACTION AND ENSURING THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS GOING FORWARD, AS DID THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. SO THE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS , YOU GUYS MADE DECISIONS THAT HELPED WITH THAT PROCESS.

AND AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THE COUNTY TOOK SOME HITS TO HELP US WITH THAT PROCESS.

AND I'LL GO OVER THOSE NEXT. WHAT WAS DRIVING THAT WAGE INCREASE? WHAT WAS. THE WAGE INCREASE WAS THE HUGE PART OF IT.

INFLATION IS A HUGE PART OF IT. I MEAN, OUR COST OF TONER CARTRIDGES, THEY'VE LIKE SKYROCKETED EVERY YEAR THEY GO UP 20, 30%. AND WHEN YOU ARE PAYING FOR ALL THE ALL THESE PRINTING, ALL THE PRINTING AND ALL THESE LIBRARIES, I MEAN THAT'S YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A SET OF THOSE CARTRIDGES EVERY MONTH, EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS, SOMETIMES ONCE A YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE LIBRARY.

BUT ALL THESE THINGS JUST KEEP HITTING US WITH INCREASED INFLATIONARY COSTS.

SO THE COUNTY ALSO HAS A RESERVE POLICY. AND IF WE WERE TO FOLLOW THAT RESERVE POLICY AND SAY 17% OF OUR BUDGET OR OF OUR LEVEE EXPENDITURES EXPENDITURES, OKAY, SO IF WE LOOK AT 17% OF OUR EXPENDITURES, WE SHOULD HAVE $925,000 IN THE BANK IN RESERVE FOR EMERGENCIES. RIGHT NOW. TODAY, WE HAVE A SHORTFALL OF $434,000 UNDER WHAT THAT POLICY SHOULD BE. SO ALSO SOME OF OUR BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS IT SAYS FY 24 BUDGET CHALLENGES, BUT THIS IS REALLY GOING BACK TO FY 22 TO TODAY.

AND I WANTED TO GIVE THE BOARD SOME ILLUSTRATIONS ABOUT HOW WE'VE DEALT WITH SOME OF THESE FUNDING CHALLENGES.

SO FIRST OFF, WE STARTED WITH THE EASY STUFF IN FY 22.

WE DOWNGRADED THE TECHNOLOGY WE BOUGHT. WE BOUGHT CHEAPER COMPUTERS, ONES THAT MAY NOT LAST US AS LONG.

WE INTENTIONALLY DID NOT HIRE STAFF BECAUSE WE JUST KNEW WE WOULDN'T MAKE OUR BUDGET HITS IF WE DID, SO WE JUST LEFT THOSE POSITIONS UNFILLED UNTIL WE KNEW WE WERE FAR ENOUGH ALONG IN THE BUDGET THAT WE WERE CERTAIN WE COULD HIRE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

SO THESE ARE NOT NEW PEOPLE. THESE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE ALL ALONG.

SOMEBODY WOULD LEAVE AND WE JUST WOULDN'T REHIRE THEM ON PURPOSE FOR THAT POSITION.

OUR RESERVE, WE CHEWED THROUGH $134,000 OF OUR RESERVE IN FY 22.

SO OVERALL, WE WE HAD TO CUT $176,000 OR EXPEND ONE TIME FUNDS.

NOW YOU'LL SEE ON THE BOTTOM THAT WE DID HAVE A LEVY INCREASE OF $116,000.

THAT $176,000 IS ON TOP OF THE LEVY INCREASE.

SO IF WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THAT LEVY INCREASE, THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE MORE LIKE $300,000.

SO EVEN WITH THE INCREASES IN FUNDING, IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE INCREASE IN COSTS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO FOR FY 23, THINGS GOT A LOT MORE SERIOUS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN HARDWARE AGAIN, WE BOUGHT CHEAPER COMPUTERS.

WE DIDN'T BUY PRINTERS THAT YEAR AND HOPED OUR PRINTERS WOULDN'T BREAK DOWN, WHICH THEY DID SOME DID.

WE ALSO COULDN'T AFFORD ALL THE SOFTWARE WE HAD.

SO I WENT TO THE LIBRARY NETWORK AND SAID, CAN YOU GUYS GIVE US $75,000 TO COVER COSTS FOR OUR CIRCULATION SYSTEM? AND THEY AGREED TO COVER THAT OUT OF THAT RESERVE ACCOUNT THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.

SO THERE ARE SOME CUTS WE WERE ABLE TO GET ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES.

STAFFING. I DIDN'T HIRE AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR LIKE SIX MONTHS.

AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER STAFF WE DIDN'T HIRE ON TOP OF THAT BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T HAVE FUNDING TO DO IT, WHICH MEANT THAT I WAS DOING EXTRA WORK, AS WERE THE REST OF MY MANAGEMENT TEAM.

SO DEFINITELY THEY HAD A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THEM.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE I WANTED TO PUT IN, AND IT WAS APPROVED TO PUT IN A NEW CIRCULATION DESK AT YARNELL.

I DIDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE I'M LIKE, I NEED THE MONEY. I GOT TO OPERATE.

SO THAT WAS ALSO HERE AT THE COUNTY VERY GENEROUSLY SAID, I TELL YOU WHAT, WE OPERATE RIGHT NOW, WHERE FOR EVERY SERVICE WE PROVIDE YOU, YOU GIVE US THE VALUE OF THAT SERVICE BACK.

SO THERE'S A CHART THAT SAYS IF YOU GET HR SERVICE, IT MIGHT BE $50 AN HOUR OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS, WE WOULD PAY THAT DOLLAR PER DOLLAR, AND IT WAS ABOUT $700,000 A YEAR.

$800,000 SOMEWHERE IN THERE. AND THE COUNTY FOR THAT YEAR, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SAID, WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, HOW ABOUT WE JUST LOWER THAT TO A 10% FLAT RATE AND NOT DO A DOLLAR PER DOLLAR REIMBURSEMENT? SO THAT ACTUALLY COST THE COUNTY $241,000 BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GIVING THEM THAT MONEY BACK.

SO THAT WAS A BIG THING THAT THE COUNTY DID TO HELP.

SO ALL IN ALL IN FY 20 IN FY 23, THERE'S $469,000 IN REDUCTIONS THAT THAT HAD TO BE MADE OR OTHER

[00:35:02]

SO WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT SOME ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES.

SO SOME OF THE OPTIONS THE BOARD WAS PRESENTED AT THE TIME WAS TO INCREASE THE LEVY, PERHAPS LOOK AT CUTTING SOME OF THE OTHER OPERATIONAL COSTS, LIKE CLOSING A LIBRARY BRANCH OR REDUCING THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

SO THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS WHICH SUPERVISOR MALLORY MALLORY COULD ADDRESS THIS MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD.

BUT THAT SINCE SOME OF THOSE MUNICIPALITIES HAD ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES, A SALES TAX RATE, OR OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE FUNDING THEIR LIBRARIES, THAT THAT COULD BE ABSORBED BETTER FROM THE MUNICIPALITY.

WHEREAS IF WE TAKE BLACK CANYON CITY AND JUST STOP FUNDING THAT AT $150,000.

THAT LIBRARY IS NOW CLOSED AND THAT REGION HAS NO SERVICE.

NO LIBRARY SERVICE. SO GIVEN A WHOLE BUNCH OF BAD OPTIONS, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO REDUCE THE CONTRIBUTION BY $241,000 IN FY 24. ALSO ON TOP OF THAT, THE COUNTY TOOK ANOTHER HIT AND SAID, WE'RE JUST GOING TO FORGIVE ALL YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD. WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHARGE YOU FOR IT.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER $455,000 REDUCTION TO WHAT THE COUNTY WAS RECEIVING FROM THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

SO AT THIS POINT, THE COUNTY IS GETTING ABOUT $200,000 IN DIRECT SERVICE REIMBURSEMENT, MOSTLY FROM FLEET AND FACILITIES FROM THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

ALL THOSE OTHER COSTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED AT THIS POINT.

CAN I JUST ASK, WAS FREEZING THE TAX RATE CONSIDERED INSTEAD OF LOWERING IT? I DON'T RECALL IF THAT WAS CONSIDERED A GOOD TIME.

I WOULD SAY IT WAS AN OPTION THAT WAS AVAILABLE, BUT MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE REQUIRES A TRUTH AND TAXATION PROCESS BECAUSE YOUR REVENUE IS GOING UP, EVEN THOUGH THE TAX RATE IS STAYING THE SAME IF YOUR REVENUE IS GOING UP, WHICH IT WOULD, THEN YOU GO THROUGH A TAX TRUTH AND TAXATION PROCESS.

SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OPTION OBVIOUSLY EITHER CUTTING EXPENSES OR INCREASING REVENUE.

WELL, I GUESS IT WAS THE WAY THAT THE PROBLEM GOT SOLVED IN THE PAST.

AND MY SHAKING MY HEAD IS JUST RECALLING THE CONVERSATION.

AT THAT TIME IT WASN'T A SERIOUS CONVERSATION BY THE COURT.

I CAN TELL YOU THE WAY THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN THE PAST IS THEY WAY THE BOARD TRADITIONALLY HAS WAITED UNTIL SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY HAS TO HAPPEN, AND THEN THERE'D BE A MASSIVE LEVY INCREASE. AND THEN OVER THE NEXT DECADE OR TWO, IT WOULD GO DOWN AGAIN, AND THEN THERE'D BE ANOTHER MASSIVE LEVY INCREASE.

AND THAT'S KIND OF THE, AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE SINCE 2017.

THE OPTION OF KEEPING THE TAX RATE THE SAME HAS NOT BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S THAT'S BEEN CONSIDERED.

BUT A LOT OF THIS WAS WAY BEFORE MY TIME OR YOUR TIME.

RIGHT. WELL, WITH THE $1,000 IN THE BANK ACCOUNT, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A RED FLAG BIG ENOUGH TO CONSIDER THAT, YOU KNOW. YEAH. I MEAN, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT BECAUSE OF THOSE REDUCTIONS AND THE HITS THAT THE COUNTY TOOK, ESPECIALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO START GETTING SOME MONEY BACK IN THE BANK, WHICH WAS HELPFUL.

AND PART OF WHAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WANTED AT THE TIME WAS FOR US TO START DOING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ON OUR BUILDINGS, BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY. AND WE ACTUALLY TRIED TO DO THAT.

WE WE WENT TO BLACK CANYON CITY. I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO EXPAND THE BUILDING.

I JUST WANT TO ADD A MEETING ROOM IN THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT, EXISTING FOOTPRINT AT ANOTHER MEETING ROOM ON THE OTHER SIDE AND CHANGE HOW THE OFFICE WORKED INTERNALLY I THOUGHT IT WOULD COST 100 OR $200,000.

I GOT A QUOTE BACK OF THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION JUST TO DO THAT INTERNAL RECONFIGURATION OF THE BUILDING WITHOUT EVEN EXPANDING THE FOOTPRINT.

SO THAT WAS I MEAN, THERE WAS NO WAY. I MEAN, WE WOULD TAKE YEARS TO SAVE UP THAT MONEY AT THAT POINT JUST TO REFURBISH AND REMODEL ONE LIBRARY. NOW, PRESCOTT HAS FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.

DOES THE COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT HAVE ANY SET UP LIKE THAT? THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. SO YES WE DO. WE HAVE ABOUT 12 FRIENDS GROUPS RIGHT NOW, BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A FRIENDS GROUP LIKE THE DEWEY-HUMBOLDT LIBRARY, THEY TRY REALLY HARD AND THEY DO SUPPORT THE LIBRARY WITH THEY'LL PAY FOR A PROGRAM HERE OR A PROGRAM THERE, BUT THEY PROBABLY HAVE LIKE $3,000 BUCKS IN THE BANK.

I MEAN, FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY FOR THE CITY OF PRESCOTT HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE BANK.

WE JUST WE DON'T HAVE THAT CAPACITY WITH OUR FRIENDS GROUPS.

SOMETIMES BEAVER CREEK IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD, THEIR FRIENDS GROUP, THEY'LL GO OUT AND APPLY FOR A LOT OF GRANTS, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE FURNITURE, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE FURNITURE.

AND I MEAN, IT'S LIKE $10,000 BUCKS, BUT THAT HELPS, RIGHT? SO THEY THEY'RE PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MOST EFFECTIVE FRIENDS GROUPS AT GETTING GRANTS.

[00:40:04]

BUT ALL MY MANAGEMENT STAFF APPLY FOR GRANTS.

SO WE'LL USUALLY GET 100 TO $250,000 IN GRANTS A YEAR.

BUT MOST OF THOSE ARE FOR ONE OFF PROJECTS. SO WE WANT TO DO TELEMEDICINE AND SELIGMAN AND SEE IF IT WORKS.

OKAY, WELL, THAT'S GOING TO COST $50,000. WE GO OUT, WE GET A GRANT FOR IT, AND THEN WE HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM AND SEE IF IT WORKS.

AND IF IT DOES WORK, THEN WE USUALLY HAVE TO FUND IT THROUGH OUR NORMAL FUNDING PROCESS.

YEAH. SO AND THEN FY 25, AN ADDITIONAL REDUCTION TO THE CONTRIBUTION WAS MADE AT $241,000.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. SO YOU CAN SEE OVERALL, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF REDUCTIONS OVER THAT FOUR YEAR PERIOD WAS $1.6 MILLION.

AND THAT HAD TO BE REDUCED ON TOP OF THE ADDITIONAL $460,000 WE RECEIVED IN NEW CONSTRUCTION FUNDS.

SO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT AT NO POINT RECEIVED A REDUCTION IN FUNDING.

IT'S JUST OUR EXPENSES OUTPACED THE INCOMING FUNDING.

THAT'S THAT'S THE REAL PROBLEM. SO ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT HOW THE LIBRARY DISTRICT COMPARES TO OTHER LIBRARY DISTRICT S. YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT COCHISE COUNTY HAS A LEVY OF $1.6 MILLION.

THEY HAVE FIVE BRANCHES. THEY DO NOT OFFER A CONTRIBUTION TO THEIR AFFILIATE LIBRARIES, AND THEY HAVE SEVEN AFFILIATE LIBRARIES.

I MEAN, THEIR FUNDING IS PRETTY LOW. IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THEY COULDN'T THEY COULDN'T AFFORD A CONTRIBUTION.

THEY DO PROVIDE SOME SERVICES, BUT THEY DON'T PROVIDE A DIRECT CONTRIBUTION TO THEIR AFFILIATES.

COCONINO COUNTY THEY'RE AT $6.8 MILLION, OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH, THEY HAVE FIVE LIBRARY BRANCHES THAT THEY OPERATE, FOUR AFFILIATES. AND THEY DO OFFER A CONTRIBUTION.

SO AN INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT COCONINO IS THAT IN FY 17, YOU'LL SEE THIS IN PAGE 27 OF YOUR BOOK.

BUT IN FY 17 THEY HAD A $4 MILLION TAX LEVY, $4 MILLION IN FY 17.

THE YAVAPAI COUNTY'S TAX LEVY IN FY 17 WAS ABOUT.

THE LIBRARY DISTRICT WAS $4.5 MILLION. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY HALF $1 MILLION AHEAD OF COCONINO IN FY 17.

YOU LOOK AT TODAY, THEIR TAX LEVY FOR THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IS $6.8 MILLION, AND WE'RE AT $5.1 MILLION, WHICH IS A $1.7 MILLION DIFFERENCE IN THEIR FAVOR, AND THEY HAVE 100,000 FEWER PEOPLE THAN WE HAD.

SO THEIR TAX RATE IS ALMOST $2 MILLION HIGHER THAN OURS, AND THEY'RE SERVING FEWER PEOPLE.

MARICOPA COUNTY ACTUALLY HAS THE SAME NUMBER OF BRANCHES WE HAVE, AND THAT'S A $27 MILLION LEVY THAT THEY HAVE.

THEY DO NOT PROVIDE A CONTRIBUTION, BUT THEY DO PROVIDE SOME REIMBURSEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES TO THEIR AFFILIATE LIBRARIES.

BUT THEY'RE LIKE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO OFFER. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT SORT OF THING.

SO THEY DON'T GIVE ANY CASH. THAT'S CORRECT. THEY DO REIMBURSEMENTS, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS A CASH CONTRIBUTION.

THEIR BRANCHES HAVE TO BE HUGE. SOME OF THEM ARE.

GOODYEAR, FOR INSTANCE, IS A BEAUTIFUL LIBRARY.

I JUST SAW THAT LAST WEEK. SO SOME OF THEIR BRANCHES ARE LARGER, BUT I DON'T QUITE KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF IT.

BUT THERE'S LIKE SOME 50,000 PERSON THRESHOLD THEY HAVE OF SUPPORTING LIBRARIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT A PROBLEM WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTY, SINCE WE ONLY HAVE ONE CITY THAT IS OVER 50,000 PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN IN MARICOPA COUNTY.

SO A LITTLE DIFFERENT. BUT I DID FIND IT INTERESTING THAT WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF BRANCHES, PIMA COUNTY, THEIR MODEL IS DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE A $62 MILLION LEVY, BUT THEY OPERATE ALL THE LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY.

SO ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, THE MUNICIPALITIES DECIDED IT WOULD BE BETTER JUST TO HAVE THE LIBRARY DISTRICT TAKE OVER THEIR LIBRARIES.

THAT HAPPENED, I BELIEVE AT THE TIME, PIMA COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT HAD LIKE $26 MILLION IN THE BANK, SO IT OBVIOUSLY MADE THE PROCESS A LOT EASIER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO HITTING SOME PRETTY BIG ECONOMIC ISSUES IN THAT COUNTY AT THE TIME.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THEY CONTROL ALL THE LIBRARIES IN THE MUNICIPALITY, WHICH MEANS THERE WOULD BE NO, NO INPUT FROM THAT CITY OR TOWN. CORRECT. BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF IT.

DO THEY HIRE, STAFF DID EVERYTHING? YES, THEY HIRE THEY STAFF A ND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE REGULAR REPORTS TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW LIBRARY SERVICES ARE BEING OFFERED. THEY DID HAVE TO HAVE SOME STRANGE AGREEMENTS ON HOW TO TRANSFER THE BUILDINGS OVER.

BUT YEAH, THEY FIGURED ALL THAT OUT AND WENT THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

COCONINO ALSO GOING BACK UP THEIR MODELS, EVEN VERY DIFFERENT.

[00:45:04]

SO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT , THEY HAVE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE LIBRARY DISTRICT WHERE THE CITY PROVIDES MOST OF THE SERVICES.

AND THEY DO THAT AT A COUNTY WIDE LEVEL. SO IT'S EVEN A LITTLE VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN, SAY, PIMA COUNTY. BUT ON TOP OF THAT, THE COCONINO COUNTY IS LOOKING INTO KIND OF CLAWING BACK MORE OF THAT LIBRARY RESPONSIBILITY AND PROVIDING THAT SERVICE ON THEIR OWN. AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A CONSULTANT WORKING TOWARDS THAT END RIGHT NOW.

PINAL COUNTY, $3.4 MILLION. THEY ONLY HAVE TWO BRANCHES AND THEY DO PROVIDE A CONTRIBUTION TO THEIR 11 AFFILIATES.

YAVAPAI COUNTY , WE'RE AT $5.1 RIGHT NOW WITH 15 BRANCHES.

WE DO OFFER A CONTRIBUTION AND WE HAVE SEVEN AFFILIATES.

YUMA IS ALSO LIKE PIMA, WHERE THEY OPERATE EVERY LIBRARY IN THE COUNTY.

SO THEY ONLY HAVE NINE BRANCHES. IT'S A LARGE COUNTY CLOSE TO OUR POPULATION.

SO THEY DON'T OFFER CONTRIBUTION BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE TO GIVE IT TO. BUT THEY DO OFFER THEY DO OPERATE ALL THE LIBRARIES.

ON TOP OF THAT, THEY'VE ISSUED BONDS TO BE ABLE TO FUND LIBRARIES IN THEIR COUNTY, AND THEY PAY $3 MILLION ON TOP OF THAT, $11 MILLION TO COVER THE COST OF THOSE BONDS.

THOSE BONDS FOR OPERATION OR FOR CAPITAL? C APITAL.

BUILDING LIBRARIES. YEAH. SO ON TO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION.

SO HERE'S THE FORMULA FOR HOW WE DECIDE WHAT THE MUNICIPALITIES GET THAT HAVE A LIBRARY, WHICH THEY ALL DO FOR A CONTRIBUTION.

THERE'S A BASE AMOUNT THAT'S 10%. POPULATION GOES INTO 5% OF THAT FORMULA.

THE ASSESSED VALUATION IS 50% OF THAT FORMULA.

AND THEN PHYSICAL ELECTRONIC CIRCULATION AND TRANSITS IS 20% ACTIVE PATRONS AT 10%, ITEMS AT FIVE.

SO THAT $1.2 MILLION ON THE BOTTOM FILTERS THROUGH THAT FORMULA TO DETERMINE WHAT EACH OF THE MUNICIPALITIES GET.

SO AND THAT AMOUNT IS ON THE NEXT PAGE. SO HERE YOU CAN SEE IN THAT MIDDLE COLUMN FOR FY 24 AND FIVE, THE CAMP VERDE COMMUNITY LIBRARY RECEIVED $63,000, PRESCOTT PUBLIC $420,000, PRESCOTT VALLEY $260,000, ETC. YOU CAN ALSO SEE HOW MUCH THAT CONTRIBUTION REDUCTION OVER TWO YEARS, THE $475,000 LOWERED THAT AMOUNT YEAR AFTER YEAR.

ALSO ON TOP OF THAT, WE DO GIVE A SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO SHARLOT HALL.

THAT'S AROUND $30,000 A YEAR. IT'S BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR ARCHIVIST DOES ACTUALLY PROVIDE A COUNTY WIDE SERVICE WITH PRESERVING COUNTY WIDE INFORMATION, AND WE SUPPORT THAT. SUPERVISOR CHECK. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE SEDONA PUBLIC LIBRARY ALSO IS INCLUSIVE OF BIG PARK.

YES. AND THAT IS INCLUDED. YES, BECAUSE THEY'VE RUN IT THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

SO IT'S A WHOLE NOTHER FACILITY IN THERE. YEAH.

AND SEDONA IS ALSO A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAT THEY'RE RUN BY A NONPROFIT CORPORATION AND NOT BY THE MUNICIPALITY, WHICH WHICH CAN CREATE SOME ISSUES AS WELL. BUT BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND WAYS THROUGH, THROUGH ALL THAT STUFF.

WHY IS PRESCOTT GETTING SO MUCH MORE THAN PV? IS THAT BECAUSE OF ASSESSED VALUE IN YOUR FORMULA? THAT'S PART OF IT. IF WE GO BACK, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S OTHER PARTS LIKE PRESCOTT HAS MUCH HIGHER CIRCULATION.

AND WE'LL SEE SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS COMING COMING DOWN.

BUT POPULATION IS ONLY 4% OF THE FORMULA. SO IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON HOW MUCH MONEY THEY RECEIVE.

AND HOW DO YOU FIGURE IN ZONES FOR THESE LIBRARIES.

SO DOES PRESCOTT TAKE IN WILLIAMSON VALLEY? YES.

DOES CHINO TAKE IN PAUL? WELL, YEAH. HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT WHO WHO GETS THAT POPULATION VOTE? SO WHAT WE DO IS WE KIND OF LOOK AT SERVICE AREA.

AND IN YOUR BOOK, I DID INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION IN THERE SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AT YOUR LEISURE.

BUT SO FOR INSTANCE DIAMOND VALLEY GOES TO PRESCOTT, WILLIAMSON VALLEY GOES TO PRESCOTT, COTTONWOOD.

THEY SERVE THE CITY OF COTTONWOOD. AND THEN ON TOP OF IT, THE VERDE VILLAGE, WHICH IS THE POPULATION OF COTTONWOOD.

SO IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT THEY GET THAT POPULATION INCLUDED IN THEIR SERVICES AS WELL.

SO WE DID TRY TO BE FAIR IN DETERMINING HOW SERVICES PROVIDED AND WHO PROVIDES IT.

NOW, OF COURSE, DIAMOND VALLEY, YOU COULD SPLIT THAT BETWEEN PRESCOTT AND PRESCOTT VALLEY. SO YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MINUTIA DO YOU WANT TO GET INTO IN DETERMINING WHO SHOULD REALLY GET WHAT? SO WE DID SOME PRETTY BROAD, BROAD STROKES, BUT IT'S ONLY 5% OF THE FORMULA TOO.

SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE A BIG IMPACT EITHER WAY. IS THIS FORMULA I MEAN, DO OTHER COUNTIES AND LIBRARIES USE A FORMULA THAT'S SIMILAR TO THIS? HAVE YOU LOOKED AT OTHER APPROACHES IN THE FORMULA? THAT I'M NOT SURE OF. I CAN TELL YOU THAT BACK IN 2011, 2012, THE DIRECTORS OF ALL THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES AND LIBRARY DISTRICT ALL GOT

[00:50:07]

SO IT'S SHIFTED A LITTLE BIT. IN THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, WE PUT MORE EVIDENCE, MORE EMPHASIS ON THE BASE AMOUNT.

IT WENT UP FROM 5 TO 10% AND LESS ON ITEMS. IT WENT FROM 10 TO 5% BECAUSE WHAT WE SAW IS THAT PLACES LIKE JEROME WERE JUST GETTING HAMMERED.

I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY HAVE $18,000.

SO THAT SHIFT HAD TO HAPPEN FOR THEM TO NOT LOSE SO MUCH MONEY EACH YEAR.

AND THAT DECISION, I BELIEVE, WAS MADE IN 2017- 2018 WHEN THE LIBRARY DIRECTORS ALL GOT TOGETHER AND AGREED TO THAT.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PERFORMANCE. I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND ACROSS THE BOARD AND PART OF THIS IS INTERESTING, JUST TO SEE HOW ALL THE LIBRARIES, HOW THEY'RE HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING.

BUT I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS A PRETTY GOOD BANG FOR ITS BUCK.

WE MAY HAVE A LOT OF SMALL LIBRARIES, BUT CUMULATIVELY WE PROVIDE WE'RE WE'RE THE THIRD HIGHEST PERFORMING LIBRARY IN THE COUNTY.

SO TAKING A LOOK, FOR INSTANCE, JUST AT PATRONS, WE'RE AT NUMBER FIVE WITH $9,600.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WITH PATRONS, THOSE ARE JUST CARD CARRYING PATRONS.

THEY HAVE A LIBRARY CARD. WE OFFER SO MANY SERVICES NOW THAT DON'T EVEN REQUIRE A LIBRARY CARD.

SO IF YOU WANT TO COME IN AND JUST LISTEN TO A PROGRAM OR LEARN HOW TO MAKE A CRAFT, YOU DON'T NEED A LIBRARY CARD FOR THAT.

YOU CAN JUST COME IN AND DO IT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT PATRON COUNT DOES NOT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THE LIBRARY, BUT DO NOT HAVE A LIBRARY CARD. SO ALSO ON TOP OF THAT AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PROGRAMS AND THE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE, WHERE THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IS OUTPERFORMING ALL THE OTHER LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY BY FAR.

AND PART OF THE REASON OF THAT IS WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF LOCATIONS, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE PRESCOTT, YOU COULD PUT ONE PROGRAM ON AT THAT TIME IN YOUR MEETING ROOM.

WE CAN DO 15 PROGRAMS AT ONCE. SO IT'S ALL GOING TO THAT'S GOING TO GREATLY IMPACT THAT NUMBER.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE REALLY GREAT STAFF AND REGIONAL LIBRARY MANAGERS, [INAUDIBLE] AND RUTHIE, ALONG WITH OUR LIBRARY COORDINATORS, HAVE MADE HUGE STRIDES THE LAST THREE YEARS TO REALLY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF PROGRAMING THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

SO 3,200 PROGRAMS, BY FAR THE MOST AND WITH THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE AT 27,000.

SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE REALLY BIG NUMBERS FOR THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

PHYSICAL CIRCULATION. WE'RE THE THIRD HIGHEST AT $185,000.

ITEMS WERE THE SECOND HIGHEST. WE HAVE 118,000 ITEMS. PRESCOTT PUBLIC JUST HAS A FEW MORE, 10,000 MORE THAN US.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF ITEMS THAT WE SHARE AMONGST THE REST OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK AND ALSO GIVE A LOT OF AVAILABILITY TO TO PATRONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND SQUARE FOOTAGE YOU PUT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS TOGETHER IT'S 33,542FT².

SO WE MAY BE SMALL, BUT WE ARE MIGHTY IF IF YOU WILL.

SO ALSO A LITTLE MORE ABOUT PERFORMANCE IS THAT THE LIBRARY DISTRICT ALSO DOES CATALOGING FOR HAS ANY LIBRARY THAT'S PART OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK CAN UTILIZE OUR CATALOGING SERVICE? NOT ALL OF THEM CHOOSE TO UTILIZE THAT SERVICE.

BUT FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, WE'RE ESTIMATING ABOUT 55,000 ITEMS WERE WE WILL CATALOG, WHEREAS ALL THE OTHER LIBRARIES COMBINED ARE LOOKING AT CLOSER TO 33,000. SO WE'RE CATALOGING LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF ITEMS. AND IT'S GOOD BECAUSE SOME OF THE ENTITIES THAT UTILIZE THAT SERVICE, LIKE THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES, THEY JUST WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT ON THEIR OWN OR THE QUALITY OF RECORDS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN, SINCE THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO DO CATALOGING, WE'RE DOING THAT AT A MUCH MORE, MUCH HIGHER LEVEL THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE.

AND PART OF THE REASON THE LIBRARY NETWORK WANTED THIS CATALOGING SERVICE IS TO MAKE SURE THOSE RECORDS ARE HIGH QUALITY, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE IN THE CATALOG AND YOU WANT TO READ THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, AND YOU FIND TEN DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THAT BOOK. IT'S HARD TO FIND WHICH ONE YOU WANT AND THE ONE YOU PICK YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S ONLY ONE COPY OF IT, WHEREAS ANOTHER ONE M AY HAVE TEN COPIES AND YOU GET IT FASTER.

SO THIS PERSON WOULD WORK TO MERGE ALL THOSE RECORDS INTO ONE AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR PATRONS TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE ITEMS THEY WANT IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO I DID ALSO MENTION THAT WE SHARE ITEMS ACROSS THE WHOLE LIBRARY NETWORK, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE TRUE POWER OF THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

SO PRESCOTT PUBLIC LIBRARY, FOR INSTANCE, THEY LENT OUT 56,000 ITEMS, 56,000 OF THEIR BOOKS, DVDS, VIDEO GAMES TO PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY IN THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

AND THEY BORROWED 55,000 ITEMS FROM PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

[00:55:06]

SO EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER HAS REALLY HELPED SERVICE LEVELS FOR ALL THE LIBRARIES IN THE COUNTY AND HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING GOOD SERVICE TO THE PATRONS.

SO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT WE'RE UP THERE, TOO, IS 42,000, ALMOST 43,000 ITEMS WE LENT AND 44,000 ITEMS WE BORROWED.

SO A KEY PART OF THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT AMOUNT OF $6.43 PER DOLLAR SPENT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY ALL THESE BOOKS, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GET THEM THROUGH INTERLIBRARY LOAN.

AND WE CAN STILL PROVIDE GREAT LIBRARY SERVICE TO OUR PATRONS BECAUSE WE SHARE AND THAT GETS IT DONE.

SO THAT'S 155 A DAY JUST COMING FROM PRESCOTT AND COMING IN TO PRESCOTT.

YES. HOW HOW DOES ALL THESE HOW ARE ALL THESE BOOKS MOVING AROUND? SO THERE'S REALLY TWO PARTS HOW THAT WORKS. ONE, THE LIBRARY CAN JUST HAVE THOSE ITEMS. THEY CAN DELIVER THEM TO OUR CENTRAL SORTING FACILITY AT TRIPLE C COMMERCE CENTER CIRCLE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN COURIER SERVICE, WHERE WE DELIVER TO ABOUT 20 LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, LAST YEAR WE PUT 72,000 MILES ON OUR VANS IN THAT COURIER SERVICE.

SO IT REALLY WORKS OUT WELL. IF CHINO VALLEY, FOR INSTANCE, IN PRESCOTT PUBLIC, THEY JUST DROPPED THEIR BOOKS OFF AT THE CENTRAL SORTING FACILITY. THEY PICK UP THE BOOKS THAT ARE WAITING FOR THEM, AND WE HAVE A BIG MACHINE THAT YOU JUST PUT IT ON THERE.

IT SCANS THE RFID CODE ON THE BOOK AND JUST DUMPS IT INTO THE RIGHT LIBRARY TO WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO.

IS THAT LUCY? YES. WELL, FOR US, IT'S ETHEL, PRESCOTT PUBLIC HAS LUCY.

OKAY, SO. AND WE YOU AS A COUNTY, YOU DO PAY FOR THE VANS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

RIGHT. WE DO PAY FOR THAT. AND WE DO GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO USE THAT SERVICE.

WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE COST OF THAT SERVICE BECAUSE OF INFLATION HAS GONE UP SO MUCH.

IT JUST DIDN'T REALLY FEEL RIGHT TO BE INCREASING THEIR COST BY 10, 20, 30% [INAUDIBLE].

SO WE'VE BEEN ABSORBING SOME OF THAT INCREASE AND ONLY MAKING INCREMENTAL INCREASES FOR THAT SERVICE.

BUT WE DO GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT. OKAY.

BECAUSE THAT WAS THAT WAS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. SO TAKE OUT SUNDAY.

I MEAN, YOU SHOVE THAT ACROSS, YOU'RE LOOKING AT LIKE ALMOST $200 BUCKS A DAY FROM ONE LIBRARY.

THAT'S A LOT OF TIME FOR SOMEONE TO EVEN GO YANK 200 BOOKS FROM THE SHELVES, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. AT PLACES LIKE PRESCOTT PUBLIC AND PRESCOTT VALLEY AND THOSE THAT LEND MORE ITEMS. YES. THAT'S TRUE. A PILE OF WORK. YEAH, BUT IT'S ALSO IF THEY HAD THOSE ITEMS THEMSELVES, THEY'D KIND OF BE DOING THAT STILL BE DOING THAT WORK.

OR IF IT WAS INTERLIBRARY LOAN, IT WOULD TAKE MORE TIME TO PROCESS THAT BECAUSE IT'S A MORE CUMBERSOME PROCESS.

SO IT DOES TAKE SOME ADDITIONAL STAFF TIME, BUT YOU'RE STILL SEEING SOME HUGE SAVINGS.

AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT STUDY IS IT TOOK ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

HOW LONG FROM WHEN YOU ASKED FOR A BOOK IN YOU'RE IN CHINO VALLEY.

YOU ASKED FOR A BOOK. HOW LONG TILL IT GETS TO YOU? IT VARIES, BUT USUALLY A SAME DAY TO SEVEN DAYS.

WOW. SO IF, FOR INSTANCE, YOU ASK FOR A BOOK IN CHINO VALLEY IN THE MORNING, THE Y DROP IT OFF AT, SAY, 8:00, RIGHT. BECAUSE THEY'RE PULLING THOSE BOOKS, DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU ASK FOR IT, IT WILL SHOW UP ON THE LIST.

AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO PICKING UP ITEMS. BUT IF YOU'RE IN PRESCOTT AND YOU WANTED THAT CHINO VALLEY ITEM, THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN LATER, GRAB THOSE ITEMS. SO IT'S VERY POSSIBLE YOU COULD ACTUALLY GET SAME DAY SERVICE ON SOME OF THOSE HOLDS, DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU PLACE THE HOLD AND WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED FROM WHEN THINGS ARE SHIPPED OUT. WELL, USUALLY USUALLY IT'S ABOUT 2 DAYS 1 TO 2 DAYS.

ARE ALL THE LIBRARIES OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

I KNOW PRESCOTT VALLEY IS OPEN ON SUNDAY, BUT IS ANYBODY ELSE OPEN ON SUNDAYS? I'M NOT SURE. THE MUNICIPALITIES I CAN TELL YOU NONE OF MY LIBRARIES OR NONE OF YOUR LIBRARIES ARE OPEN ON SUNDAY.

THE COUNTY.

SO TAKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FUTURE, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE SEEN THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE THAT WE'RE REALLY DOING A LOT WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

WE REALLY DO TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF EVERY TAXPAYER DOLLAR.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES JUST GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES INFUSED IN IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING. OR AS ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES IS INNOVATION, WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE SERVICE AND MAKE IT EVEN BETTER FOR OUR PATRONS IN RURAL

[01:00:01]

SO THIS IS STRENGTH WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS STUDY.

AND THIS THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT REALLY BUBBLED UP TO THE TOP.

SO STAFF WERE CONCERNED THAT WHILE THEIR STRENGTHS WE SAID OUR LIBRARIES ARE ACCESSIBLE AND ACCOMMODATING, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LOCATIONS. THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO A LIBRARY.

CHANCES ARE, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE. YES.

JUST ASK WHO IS STAFF IN THIS CASE DOES THIS INCLUDE LIBRARY NETWORK STAFF? NO THIS THIS IS STRICTLY LIBRARY DISTRICT STAFF.

SO ABOUT OUR 60 EMPLOYEES TOOK TOOK PART IN THIS.

SO THIS IS JUST LOOKING AT IT FROM A LIBRARY DISTRICT BRANCH PERSPECTIVE OUTSIDE OF THE LIBRARY NOW.

SO ALSO CLEAN FACILITIES. OUR FACILITIES DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR SCHULTZ DOES A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE OUR LOCATIONS ARE CLEAN.

WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF FREE SERVICES, FROM PASSPORTS TO NOTARIES AND OTHER SERVICES.

WE HAVE EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IT. STAFF ARE COMMITTED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND WE'RE INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD THINKING. WEAKNESSES.

OUR FACILITIES ARE GETTING OLD. I MEAN, THIS BUILDING, EVEN HERE, THE CARPET I DON'T THINK HAS BEEN REPLACED IN IT SINCE IT WAS OPENED.

AND IF THERE WEREN'T SEATS EVERYWHERE, YOU'D SEE MASSIVE STAINS ALL OVER IT.

I MEAN, CLEARLY IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SO WE ALSO HAVE LIMITED SPACE, WHICH YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HERE AS WELL.

THIS IS PROBABLY OUR LARGEST MEETING ROOM WE HAVE OUT OF ANY LIBRARY WE HAVE IS RIGHT HERE.

SO SOME PLACES LIKE HALDEN DON'T EVEN HAVE A MEETING ROOM.

THEY JUST HAVE ONE LIBRARY THAT'S IN THAT DOUBLE WIDE TRAILER.

WE ALSO HAVE LIMITED HOURS THERE, INCONSISTENT HOURS.

SO IF YOU GO TO, IF YOU'RE USED TO USING THE ASH FORK OR THE CORDES LAKES LIBRARY, AND YOU DECIDE ONE DAY YOU WANT TO USE THE SPRING VALLEY LIBRARY, YOU MAY SHOW UP WHEN IT'S NOT OPEN BECAUSE YOU'RE ASSUMING IT'S THE SAME HOURS, OF COURSE.

WE ALSO HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF BURNOUT. OUR STAFF DO A LOT.

THEY REALLY DO A LOT, AND THEY'RE THERE BY THEMSELVES MOST OF THE TIME.

SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING ASSISTANCE FROM ANYBODY ELSE TO HELP WITH THE SERVICES THEY'RE PROVIDING.

SO WE OH I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. NO, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.

OH, DID YOU SAY WE HAD ONE LIBRARY THAT ONLY HAD ONE EMPLOYEE OR DID I MISS? OH, THERE'S SEVERAL THAT ONLY HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE.

WILHOIT ONLY HAS ONE EMPLOYEE. CROWN KING ONLY HAS ONE EMPLOYEE.

SPRING VALLEY ONLY HAS ONE EMPLOYEE. AND OFTENTIMES WHEN THEY HAVE MORE THAN ONE EMPLOYEE, THEY'RE NOT THERE AT THE SAME TIME. SO ALL THAT DOES IS INCREASE THE HOURS THAT THEY CAN SERVE.

BUT THERE MAY ONLY BE 10% OF THE TIME, OR 15% OF THE TIME THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY THERE TOGETHER, PROVIDING DOUBLE COVERAGE. SO THEY CAN'T POSSIBLY BE OPEN THAT MUCH WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE.

OKAY. AND THEY'D BE THERE THE WHOLE TIME. SO ALSO A LACK OF COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

AND THIS IS JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO ABILITY TO PROVIDE OUTREACH THERE IN THE LIBRARY.

THEY HAVE TO BE IN THE LIBRARY. THEY DON'T HAVE DOUBLE COVERAGE, SO THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY TO GO TALK TO THE SCHOOLS, TELL THE KIDS ABOUT SUMMER READING PROGRAM, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NO STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

ALSO, THERE'S SAFETY CONCERNS, BY NO FAULT OF THE SHERIFF.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE THEY'RE A WAYS AWAY. I MEAN, THIS COUNTY IS THE SIZE OF NEW JERSEY.

THAT'S JUST REALITY. SO EVEN IF THE SHERIFF WANTED TO BE THERE, IT'S 20 OR 30 MINUTES AWAY IN SOME CASES.

WE HAD AN INCIDENT AT ONE OF OUR LIBRARIES WHERE ONE OF THE LIBRARIES WERE ONLY ONE STAFF MEMBER WAS THERE.

SOMEBODY CAME INTO THE LIBRARY AND THEY WERE HIGH, AND THEY WERE ACTING THREATENING AND ERRATIC, AND SHE HAD TO CALL HER HUSBAND TO COME IN AND BE THERE TO HELP KEEP HER SAFE, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NO OTHER OPTION AT THAT TIME.

SO OPPORTUNITIES RAISE AWARENESS OF THE LIBRARY AND LIBRARY SERVICES, OUTREACH TO LOCAL BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, RETIREMENT HOMES, CYBERSECURITY AND DIGITAL LITERACY.

BY 2030, IT'S VERY POSSIBLE EVERY HOME IN THIS COUNTY COULD BE CONNECTED WITH HIGH SPEED INTERNET.

SO ONCE YOU BUILD THAT ROAD, YOU GOT TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO DRIVE THE CAR, RIGHT? SO LIBRARIES ARE GOING TO BE AT THE CENTER OF PROVIDING THOSE THAT DIGITAL LITERACY AND HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THE INTERNET WORKS.

ALSO LIBRARIES AS A COMMUNITY CENTER, THAT THAT'S IT.

YOU'RE SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES, YOU GO TO THE LIBRARY AND THAT'S YOUR COMMUNITY CENTER.

THAT'S WHERE YOU SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

ALSO, HOMESCHOOL GROUPS USE THE LIBRARY, FOSTER CARE SUPPORT.

NOW SOME OF THE THREATS, WHAT ARE THEY WORRIED ABOUT THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT SO MAYBE THE LIBRARIES GO AWAY RIGHT? AGGRESSIVE AND DISRUPTIVE PATRONS. WE'VE SEEN MASSIVE UPTICK 500% ON ON THE INCIDENTS WE'VE HAD WITH PATRONS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

[01:05:06]

SUBSTANCE ABUSERS, AGING BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR LIBRARY SERVICES AND HOW WE PROVIDE THEM.

A LACK OF FUNDING AND THE MINDSET THAT LIBRARIES ARE OUTDATED.

SO I HEARD IN 1995 LIBRARIES ARE GOING TO GO AWAY, AND TODAY THEY'RE MORE POPULAR THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE.

BUT YOU HAVE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME ADVOCACY THAT GOES THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.

SO I'M LOOKING AT REALLY THREE KEY AREAS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF OUR FUTURE GOALS, SOME OF THE WAYS WE COULD MAKE THINGS BETTER, ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS I PUT FORWARD. THE FIRST IS SAFETY FOR PATRONS AND STAFF, SERVICE FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS SPACE WHERE WE HAVE FACILITIES THAT ARE SPACIOUS, INVITING AND MODERN.

AND OF COURSE, THE KEY TO THAT AT THE CENTER OF THAT IS HAVING OVERLAPPING STAFF HOURS.

SO IF YOU'LL LOOK IN THAT PACKET, I DID INCLUDE EVERY BUDGET ENHANCEMENT THAT I PUT FORWARD.

PART OF THAT IS A PROPOSAL TO HAVE INCREASED STAFFING AT ALL LIBRARY BRANCHES, SO THAT THERE CAN BE SOME DOUBLE COVERAGE.

AND THE COST OF THAT IS SPENDY, IT'S $400,000, BUT IT WILL PUT THEM IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN HAVE BACKUP.

THEY CAN AT LEAST HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE IN THAT LIBRARY, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DOING A PASSPORT, THAT'S 45 MINUTES OF TIME THAT YOU ARE DEDICATING TO JUST PROVIDING THAT ONE SERVICE TO THAT ONE PATRON.

SO YOU CAN'T SERVE OTHER PATRONS AT THAT TIME BECAUSE YOU'RE DEDICATING YOUR TIME.

OR A NOTARY COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 15 MINUTES TO AN HOUR, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS.

SO THAT'S DEDICATED TIME THEY HAVE TO SPEND WITH THAT PERSON.

SO AT LEAST HAVING DOUBLE COVERAGE WOULD ALLOW FOR BETTER SERVICE TO THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE LIBRARY.

SAFETY CAMERAS. SOME OF OUR CAMERAS ARE OUTDATED.

I DID CUT THAT IN MY STANDARD BUDGET, MY NORMAL BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, BECAUSE IF I MEET THE CURRENT LEVY AT WHAT IT IS AND KEEP THE CONTRIBUTION AT $1.2 MILLION, I HAD TO MAKE ABOUT $30,000 IN CUTS.

SO THE CAMERA IS UPDATING. THE CAMERAS GOT AXED FROM MY BUDGET, BUT IT IS INCLUDED AS A BUDGET ENHANCEMENT.

THE POSSIBILITY OF CO-LOCATING WITH THE SHERIFF OR LOCATING NEAR THE SHERIFF.

THIS WOULD HELP REDUCE OUR INCIDENCES, AND IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE RURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN.

THE OCCUPANCY CAPS ON BUILDINGS. SO THE LAST REMODEL WE DID AND EXPANSION WAS THE CORDES LAKES LIBRARY.

WE ADDED A WING TO THE LIBRARY, A MEETING ROOM, AND THE REASON WE DID THAT IS BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING SO MANY PEOPLE ATTENDING OUR PROGRAMS. THERE WERE SO MANY FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC COMING IN WE WERE EXCEEDING THE CAPACITY OF THE BUILDING.

SO WE'RE HAVING TO MOVE SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS OUTSIDE JUST SO THAT WE WOULDN'T BE A FIRE HAZARD.

SO THE BOARD AT THE TIME DECIDED, LET'S EXPAND THE LIBRARY.

AT THAT TIME, IT ONLY COST US ABOUT $150,000.

SHOCKING. BUT NOW WE WE DON'T HAVE A CAPACITY ISSUE AT THAT LIBRARY.

YES, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IF YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS OUR BIGGEST, IT'S PROBABLY NOT VERY HARD TO EXCEED THE SPACE.

IT IS NOT, ESPECIALLY SINCE OUR PROGRAMING HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE.

AND YOU CAN SEE HERE OUR CAPACITY IS 40 PEOPLE.

YEAH. SO WE'RE PROBABLY PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT JUST RIGHT NOW.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME. SO SO SERVICE EXPANDED AND CONSISTENT HOURS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE, ADDITIONAL LIBRARY NETWORK SUPPORT.

SO I DID BRING UP A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO HIRING A LIBRARY NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR.

I DO HAVE CAPACITY IN MY BUDGET RIGHT NOW TO DO THAT.

AND I BUILT IN CAPACITY FOR NETWORK FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO DO THAT.

AND THE REASON WE REALLY NEED THAT POSITION IS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE IN OUR SYSTEMS LIBRARIAN POSITION THAT IF THAT PERSON ISN'T THERE, THERE'S NOBODY THERE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.

SO WE'VE BEEN WITHOUT THAT POSITION FOR FOUR MONTHS NOW.

SO CARRIE, MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, HAS BEEN HAVING TO PROVIDE ALL OF THAT SERVICE THAT THAT PERSON WOULD NORMALLY BE PROVIDING, WHICH MEANS SHE'S NOT PROVIDING ANY OTHER SERVICES, NO ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, OR AT LEAST SHE'S DOING HER BEST TO DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

SO HAVING A LIBRARY NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR COULD OVERSEE THAT TEAM AND THEN PROVIDE BACKUP IF THAT OTHER PERSON IS GONE, OR EVEN IF THAT PERSON WAS THERE RIGHT NOW JUST BEING ON VACATION, THEY COULD STILL PROVIDE SOME BACKUP FOR THAT POSITION.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON HAVING THAT LIBRARY NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR WOULD BE REALLY CRUCIAL TO SERVICES WE SUPPORT, PROVIDE TO THAT 58 MEMBER LIBRARY CONSORTIUM.

SO TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA OF THAT, I HAVE TWO DEDICATED PEOPLE RIGHT NOW TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO THE LIBRARY NETWORK.

ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN GONE FOR FOUR MONTHS. WHEN I WORKED AT THE SOUTH DAKOTA LIBRARY NETWORK IN SOUTH DAKOTA, WE HAD 90 LIBRARIES ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE, AND WE HAD SEVEN TECHNICAL PEOPLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.

[01:10:04]

ALSO INCREASED BRANCH AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFFING.

AS OUR LIBRARIES PROVIDE MORE AND MORE SERVICE, WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PEOPLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SUPPORT.

SO FOR INSTANCE, WITH PROGRAMING 3,000 PROGRAMS, RIGHT.

THEY NEED POSTERS, THEY NEED EMAILS, THEY NEED FACEBOOK POSTS.

SO I HAVE ONE PERSON IN MY STAFF AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE WHO DOES ALL THAT WORK, AND THEY'RE SO OVERLOADED, I HAD TO HIRE ANOTHER SEASONAL PERSON AT 19 HOURS A WEEK TO SUPPORT THAT SERVICE.

AND AS IT CONTINUES TO BE MORE AND MORE POPULAR, THE NEED FOR THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE WILL ONLY INCREASE.

SPECIAL PROJECTS SUPPORT. SO AS YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO RUNNING THE BROADBAND PROJECT FOR THE COUNTY.

I'M ALSO CURRENTLY THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT PROVIDES THAT CREATES ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON MY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO SUPPORT ME WHILE I DO THOSE OTHER ROLES AS WELL. SO HAVING SOME ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF WOULD HELP WITH SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW AND THAT THE COUNTY WOULD CONTINUE HOPEFULLY DOING ON INTO THE FUTURE. SPACE BOOK DROPS SOME OF OUR BOOK DROPS YOU'LL SEE PICTURES OF THEM ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT THEY DESPERATELY NEED TO BE REPLACED. FURNITURE.

YOU'LL SEE PICTURES OF FURNITURE WHERE YOU HAVE ONE CHAIR THAT'S 20 YEARS OLD, ONE CHAIR THAT'S 15 YEARS OLD, WITH A TABLE THAT'S 30 YEARS OLD AND NONE OF THEM MATCH.

SO HAVING A FURNITURE REPLACEMENT CYCLE WHERE EVERY YEAR WE'RE GOING THROUGH, OKAY, THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE FURNITURE AT THAT LIBRARY.

NEXT YEAR AT THIS LIBRARY WOULD REALLY BE BENEFICIAL.

SIGNAGE. IF YOU LOOK OUT HERE, YOU'LL SEE AT THIS LIBRARY THERE'S A BIG SIGN THAT SAYS LIBRARY ON THE SIDE.

BECAUSE OF HOW IT'S PUT UP THERE, PEOPLE THINK IT'S JUST PART OF THE OLD WEST VILLAGE, AND THEY DON'T REALLY REALIZE THAT IT'S AN ACTUAL LIBRARY.

I'VE HAD PEOPLE INTERVIEW FOR JOBS THAT LIVE HERE AND GO, OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS A REAL LIBRARY.

I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF THE OLD WEST LOOKING STYLE THAT THEY HAD IN DEWEY-HUMBOLDT.

SO HAVING SOME REAL SIGNAGE IN OUR FACILITIES THAT SHOW PEOPLE WHERE THE LIBRARY IS, AND THEN ALSO WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS WE GET FROM THE RURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN, THAT COULD REALLY SHOW US HOW WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE AROUND THE COUNTY.

SO TO LOOK AT FUNDING THIS, TO LOOK AT WHAT BUDGET OPTIONS ARE, WE REALLY HAVE THREE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER.

ONE IS TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTRIBUTIONS.

THE PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTRIBUTION AT THIS TIME IS $1.2 MILLION, SO THAT COULD GO A LONG WAYS TOWARDS FUNDING SOME OF THOSE FACILITIES AND SOME OF THOSE NEEDS. OPTION TWO IS TO INCREASE THE LIBRARY DISTRICT LEVY, WHICH WE COULD COMPLETELY REINSTATE THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE MUNICIPAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES FROM WHAT IT WAS REDUCED TO TWO YEARS AGO, AND BRING IT BACK UP TO $1.675 MILLION WITH THAT.

AND WE COULD ALSO FUND SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WILL HOPEFULLY NOT ONLY HELP US STOP BLEEDING, BUT GET US MOVING FORWARD WITH HOW WE PROVIDE SERVICES.

YES. SO IF WE WERE TO GO AHEAD AND RAISE THE LEVY, YOU'RE SAYING WE CAN GO BACK WITH THE CONTRIBUTIONS? YES. ALL OF THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES, WHICH IS WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW YEAH, A LOT OF FRUSTRATION GOING ON EVERYWHERE. I MEAN, NOT ONLY FOR THEM, BUT ALSO AS THE COUNTY AND THEN AND THEN WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN LIBRARIES. IS THAT GOING TO TAKE CARE? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, NUMBER ONE, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING AND GOING FORWARD AND WE'RE ALL OKAY, AND THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE FIX. I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND HEAR THAT THAT DIDN'T WORK.

SO I JUST THAT'S WHAT I WANT. I'LL MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE DO THAT'S A SOLID THING GOING FORWARD AND IT'S NOT A BAND-AID.

I DON'T WANT A BAND-AID. WELL, CHAIR, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, THAT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT THE LIBRARY BOARD YOU ALL DECIDE YOU WANT TO DO. DO YOU WANT TO FULLY REINSTATE, PLUS GET VERY AGGRESSIVE IN IMPROVING OUR LOCATIONS, THE FURNITURE, ALL THE THINGS THAT THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS LAID OUT HERE? OR DO YOU WANT TO DEVELOP A LONG RANGE PLAN THAT YOU START TO DO SOME OF THEM AT A TIME AND MORE OVER TIME? AGAIN. HOW MUCH? HOW FAR DO YOU WANT TO GO? ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE HEARD HERE TODAY.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I AM VERY WORKABLE ON, ON ON ALL THE CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW.

AND SO I DON'T HAVE ONE PREFERENCE TO ANOTHER.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO, THAT ALL OF US, BECAUSE WE'RE RAISING A TAX ON EVERYBODY,

[01:15:03]

I'M OPEN. I JUST WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AND AND NOT JUST THROW A BAND-AID ON IT. BECAUSE WE'RE GROWING WE GOT TO MAKE SOLID DECISIONS GOING FORWARD.

WE GOT TO MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS THAN WHAT THE PAST WAS BECAUSE WE ARE LEAVING THE RURAL ATMOSPHERE.

DEFINITELY. CHERRY I AGREE, IF I MAY. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO GET INTO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK FROM MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES. BUT FIRST I JUST I GUESS I WANT TO OPINE A LITTLE BIT THAT I'M REALLY I'M CONFUSED AND A LITTLE BIT DISMAYED THAT THE NUMBER ONE OPTION LISTED IS TO CONTINUE TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE PUBLIC LIBRARY CONTRIBUTIONS. IN THIS CONVERSATION, I'VE REALLY HEARD THINGS FRAMED AS AN US VERSUS OTHERS.

AND THAT'S NOT HOW I THINK PEOPLE SEE THEIR LIBRARY DISTRICT FUNDS.

THEY, THEY, IN MY OPINION, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY CAN GO USE THE LIBRARY NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE.

AND SO I YEAH, I AND DEFINITELY NOT IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING THE REDUCTIONS.

I JUST WAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE I WAS HEARING THAT CONGRESS IS CONSIDERING TAXING MUNICIPAL BOND RATES.

YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S THIS DESIRE TO TAKE YOUR BUDGET PROBLEM AND PASS IT ON TO WHATEVER GOVERNMENT EXISTS BECAUSE THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN PROBLEMS. AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH TO THIS LIBRARY BUDGET ISSUE.

OH, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY WE'RE NOT VOTING HERE OR NOTHING.

CORRECT. OKAY. BUT I'M JUST HERE TO SAY THAT I AM NOT WILLING TO TAKE ANY MORE MONEY AWAY FROM THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES THAT I AM VERY CLEAR ON. WELL, LET ME, IF I MAY CHERRY ADDRESS SUPERVISOR CHECK THAT IS LISTED UP THERE AS AN OPTION, BECAUSE OF COURSE, IT IS AN OPTION THAT STAFF'S OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE ALL THE OPTIONS.

LET ME BE CLEAR. JUST STAFF SUPPORTING THAT OPTION.

OKAY, GOOD. SO. IT'S GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE.

YEAH, BUT WE DO NEED TO STOP THE BLEEDING ON ALL OF US BECAUSE WE ARE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, A COMMUNITY. AND WE ALL DO HAVE THE SAME CONSTITUENTS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

WE ALL DO HAVE THE SAME CONSTITUENTS. SO AS AS WE SIT HERE AND KNOWING THAT WE DO HAVE MANY OF OUR LIBRARIES SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO US HERE, HOW DO WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS? AND WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? I'M OPEN. I WILL ADMIT, I HAVEN'T BEEN THE ONE OPEN ABOUT RAISING THE LEVY FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT WE WERE GOING THROUGH COVID, WE WERE GOING THROUGH A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF AND LIFE WAS ROUGH FOR EVERYBODY.

SO ANYWAY YEAH. WELL, AND WE HAVE ACCESS TO THIS LOVELY CHART, BUT I MEAN, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN KEEPING THE LEVY AS IT IS, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE TAX RATE TURNS DOWN A LITTLE BIT AS PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE. EXACTLY. SO I MEAN, THERE IS A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD ABOUT ACTUALLY INCREASING THE TAX RATE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD ABOUT NOT LOWERING THE TAX RATE, WHICH IS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE TO CAMPAIGN IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TO CONSIDER. BUT EVEN IF THERE IS AN INCREASE, I MEAN, WE'RE RIGHT NOW, AT THIS POINT IN 2025, JUST TO READ OUT LOUD IS 0.1346.

AND IN 2017 IT WAS .0.1907. SO IT HAS CONSISTENTLY GOTTEN TO BELOW HISTORIC AVERAGES. SO I THINK THAT'S MY MAIN INTEREST IS TO CONSIDER THAT CONVERSATION, BECAUSE I SEE IT'S APPROPRIATE BOTH IN A FISCAL SENSE AND IN THE SENSE OF THE NEED OH NO GO AHEAD. NO YOU GO. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, AND I THINK YOU KNOW THIS, BUT EITHER MAINTAINING THE TAX RATE OR INCREASING IT,

[01:20:06]

YES. SO I MEAN, DO YOU WANT TO OUTLINE THE TRUTH IN TAXATION PROCESS? I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO GO. YES.

AND MEETINGS THAT NEED TO GO. IT REALLY IT SOUNDS WORSE THAN IT IS, RIGHT? IT DOES BUT YOU HAVE TO PREPARE A PUBLIC NOTICE THAT SHOWS THE IMPACT PER $100,000 OF NET ASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENT IN THE LEVY. SO YOU DO THE PUBLIC NOTICE, YOU HAVE TO PUBLISH IT IN THE PAPER TWICE.

YOU HAVE TO DO A PRESS RELEASE THAT CONTAINS THAT SAME INFORMATION.

AND THEN AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS YOU WOULD ADOPT THE RATE WHATEVER THAT IS, THAT'S.

AND THEN AFTER, IF IT'S AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE YOU'RE RECEIVING, YOU HAVE TO SEND NOTICE TO THE PROPERTY TAX OVERSIGHT COMMISSION OF THE FACT THAT THE LEVY HAS BEEN ADJUSTED AND THAT'S THE PROCESS. WITH 94% APPROVAL RATE.

I SUSPECT WE WOULD HEAR ANY. WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE SOME FRIENDS WOULD POSSIBLY COME TO THE MEETINGS OF FRIENDS GROUP.

I CAN TELL YOU WHEN THEY DID THE TNT FOR THE LIBRARY DISTRICT IN 2017, NOBODY SHOWED UP.

THAT'S ANECDOTAL. THAT'S 2017. NOT TODAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED THEN.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN OH, SORRY, I JUST NEED TO SAY THIS BECAUSE I FEEL YOU I FEEL I NEED TO DO THIS FOR YOU.

I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SENSE OF, AS THIS PART OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD, NOT THE NEW BOARD, BUT THE PREVIOUS BOARD WAS THE ONE THAT SAID WE WOULD REDUCE THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MUNICIPALITY.

SO I JUST NEED TO SAY THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO RAISE THE LEVY OR WE DIDN'T WANT TO RAISE TAXES.

WE WERE GOING THROUGH COVID AND THAT WAS OUR ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM.

AND I FOR ME PERSONALLY, I KNOW IT WAS HARD. AND I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WORKING WITH THAT.

AND I UNDERSTAND TODAY AND THE FRUSTRATION AND I HEAR YOU, I JUST WANT I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT BECAUSE COREY ONLY TOOK THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD AND WE GAVE THAT DIRECTION.

I WAS PART OF THAT DIRECTION AND THE REST OF THE MARKET.

AND THEN THE NEW SUPERVISORS, OF COURSE, ARE JUST NOW COMING INTO WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT.

SO I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT. THAT'S A GOOD POINT, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE OVERLY CRITICAL OF THAT TIME FRAME BECAUSE IT WAS A DIFFERENT DAY.

AND I'M SURE YOU MADE THE BEST DECISIONS AT THAT TIME.

YEAH, ALL DECISIONS ARE HARD AND YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN.

BUT I HAVE TO SAY FOR ME, AND I WOULD SAY TO THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT PREVIOUS BOARD THAT NONE OF IT WAS EASY AND DON'T I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT AT LEAST FOR ME, MY HEART WASN'T FELT IN HITTING THAT WITH YOU.

DO WE OFFER ALL OF THIS PASSPORT STUFF AND EVERYTHING? DO WE DUPLICATE DUPLICATE THAT AT ALL? I MEAN, DO THE MUNICIPALITIES OFFER THAT AS WELL INTO THEIR LIBRARIES, OR IS THAT JUST. I'M JUST CURIOUS. WELL, PART OF IT IS, PART OF IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO OFFER THOSE SERVICES BECAUSE OUR LOCATIONS ARE SO REMOTE.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF I LIVE IN PRESCOTT, I CAN GO, WHAT IS IT TO THE COURTHOUSE OR THE POST OFFICE OR SOMETHING AND GET A PASSPORT? NOT ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS HAVE THAT AS AN OPTION.

OR YOU CAN GO TO THE BANK AND GET SOMETHING NOTARIZED, BUT OUR LOCATIONS DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION.

OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. AND IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE THING RIGHT NOW, TODAY IF YOU HAD A $250,000 HOME, YOU'D PAY $32.65 IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR YOUR LIBRARY DISTRICT .

SO THAT'S YOUR ANNUAL TAX THAT YOU WOULD PAY IF, ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAD PROPOSED, WITH THE $2 MILLION INCREASE, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET, THAT SAME AMOUNT WOULD BE $45 THAT YOU WOULD PAY IF YOU HAD A $250,000 HOME.

SO ANYBODY COULD GO TO THE LIBRARY ONE TIME AND GET THEIR MONEY BACK IN TAXES AND WHATEVER SERVICE THEY CHOSE TO USE.

IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE. WE TRY TO BE COST EFFECTIVE.

WELL, CAN I JUST BRING THE DISCUSSION OUTSIDE OF BUDGET JUST A LITTLE BIT? SURE. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE PRESCOTT LIBRARY AND THERE'S BEEN A DESIRE TO LEAVE THE LIBRARY NETWORK. CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THAT AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF IT?

[01:25:01]

SO I THINK MY IN MY ESTIMATION, PART OF IT COMES FROM PROPERLY UNDERSTANDING HOW THE LIBRARY DISTRICT TAX WORKS.

SO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT TAX IS A COUNTY WIDE TAX.

ALL OF THAT MONEY COMES INTO THE LIBRARY DISTRICT .

AND YOU AS A BOARD OF LIBRARY DIRECTORS, A BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE LIBRARY DISTRICT , HAVE SOLE AUTHORITY TO DECIDE HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED.

IT'S THEY'RE YOUR FUNDS TO DISTRIBUTE HOW YOU BEST SEE FIT TO PROVIDE LIBRARY SERVICES IN THE COUNTY.

THERE SEEMS TO BE A THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NET ASSESSED VALUE IN THE BOARD, THE BOUNDARIES OF MUNICIPALITIES, THAT SOMEHOW IT MEANS THAT THAT MONEY WHICH IS PROPORTIONATE TO THAT NAV IS THEIR MONEY TO DECIDE HOW TO SPEND.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. THAT'S NOT HOW THE TAX WORKS.

SO JUST LIKE IF YOU WERE TO SAY, WELL, I HAVE PEOPLE IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS THAT GO TO COSTCO AND BUY FOOD, SO I SHOULD GET YOUR SALES TAX BECAUSE THOSE AREN'T THOSE AREN'T CITY RESIDENTS THAT PAID THAT, THE PEOPLE IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS. BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.

THE TAXING WORKS THAT IF IT'S A COUNTY WIDE TAX, YOU GET TO DECIDE HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT.

IF IT'S A MUNICIPAL TAX, THEY GET TO DECIDE HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT.

SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF AT THE CORE OF THAT MISUNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF WE DECIDE NOT TO BE AN AFFILIATE, THEN YOU WON'T GET OUR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS. AND THAT'S JUST NOT HOW IT WORKS.

ALL THAT WOULD END UP HAPPENING IS THEY LOSE THAT FUNDING THAT THEY'RE GETTING AND POSSIBLY LOSE OTHER SERVICES, AND THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THOSE AREAS WOULD STILL GET TAXED THE SAME.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY, AND THIS IS BASED ON MY PERCEPTION, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.

BUT AS NOTED, THERE HAVE BEEN CUTS TO THE AFFILIATES EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND TO BE HONEST, BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THOSE CUTS HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED VERY LATE IN THE GAME SUCH THAT YOU HAVE MUNICIPALITIES WHO ARE SETTING UP THEIR OWN BUDGETS AND ASSUMING THAT THEY HAVE NO REASON TO SUSPECT OR KNOW OTHERWISE, AND SO THEY'RE BUILDING THAT INTO THEIR BUDGETS. AND THEN KIND OF AT THE 11TH HOUR, THEY'RE GETTING A MESSAGE DELIVERED BY COREY THAT, NO, YOU'RE GETTING CUT AGAIN. YOU'RE GETTING CUT THIS YEAR.

AND THAT HADN'T HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY. SO TO HAVE IT HAPPEN ONCE AND THEN TWO YEARS IN A ROW.

AND BECAUSE AGAIN, THE TIMING OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE INFORMATION IS DELIVERED LATE AND THERE'S NOT A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO REACT.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOTIVATIONS ACTUALLY IN SETTING THIS UP WAS TO AT LEAST GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE BOARD AND THEN TO HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN THE CONTEXT OF BUDGET WHERE THESE THIS ISSUE COULD REALLY BE ADDRESSED.

SO THAT IN HOPES THAT WE COULD AT LEAST DELIVER THE INFORMATION TO AFFECTED PARTNERS EARLIER IN THEIR BUDGETING PROCESS.

AND AM I RIGHT? I THINK THERE WAS A SERIES OF TWO YEARS OF CUTS.

IS THE ONE WE'RE COMING INTO THAT SECOND YEAR OR THE SECOND YEAR IS 2024? 2025 WAS THIS THE YEAR WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IS THE SECOND YEAR.

YEAH. OKAY. SO THAT'S AGAIN, AS MARTY WAS INDICATING THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS TO MEET WITH YOU ALL AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LIBRARY DISTRICT TO GET SOME SENSE OF DIRECTION AS WE GO BACK AND PUT TOGETHER A PROPOSED BUDGET FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY DECISIONS RIGHT NOW. RIGHT.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE WELL, AND I KNOW PRESCOTT LIBRARY HAS DONE WELL.

IT'S JUST DEFINING WHAT IS A LIBRARY. BECAUSE ARE YOU FOR BOOKS? ARE YOU FOR EBOOKS? ARE YOU FOR A BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO OR A COMPUTER CENTER? I MEAN, IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST BOOKS ANYMORE.

AND I MEAN, YAVAPAI COLLEGE JUST HAD A MAJOR OVERHAUL IN HOW THEY DO LIBRARIES.

YOU KNOW, THEY BASICALLY GOT RID OF ALL THEIR BOOKS.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GOOD AT ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES AND TRYING TO YOU KNOW, YOU GOT SOME IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, JUST LONG TERM SEEING WHERE EVERYTHING'S GOING.

HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR HAND ON THAT PULSE OF WHERE THINGS ARE GOING? REALLY A HUGE PART OF IT IS JUST UNDERSTANDING YOUR COMMUNITIES.

I MEAN, I HAVE A BIG ADVANTAGE THAT I GREW UP IN A RURAL AREA, SO I, I KNOW WHAT A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS ARE GOING THROUGH.

[01:30:05]

WE'D HAVE TO PLAN A DAY TO DO THAT. WE WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE THE 30 MINUTES TO DO EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO DO IN THE BIG CITY AND THEN GO BACK TO TO HOME. SO YOU GET IN THAT MENTALITY OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR OUR PUBLIC IN THE AREAS THEY LIVE.

AND HOW CAN I BEST REMOVE OBSTACLES TO YOUR LIFE FROM YOU IF THAT'S PROVIDING A NOTARY, IF THAT'S DOING A PASSPORT, IF THAT'S HELPING YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE YOUR IPHONE HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THE INTERNET IS IMPORTANT.

GIVING YOU A COMPUTER TO DO YOUR TAXES ON I MEAN, ANY OF THESE THINGS JUST.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO DO AND MY TEAM IS GREAT AT THIS IS NOT ONLY JUST LOOKING AT THE ARTICLES AND WHAT LIBRARIES ARE DOING, BUT ALSO BEING CREATIVE IN HOW WE CAN PROVIDE NEW SERVICES.

SO FOR INSTANCE, WE DID WE HAVE A TELEHEALTH PRESENCE IN SELIGMAN AT THE SELIGMAN PUBLIC LIBRARY.

I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S BEEN USED ONCE. OKAY. THAT'S NOT A POPULAR PROGRAM.

WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT ELIMINATING THAT PROGRAM, BUT WE TRIED IT WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WASN'T A POPULAR PROGRAM.

LIKEWISE PASSPORTS I THOUGHT I WAS TAKING KIND OF A GAMBLE ON HERE.

IT'S A HUGELY POPULAR SERVICE IN BEAVER CREEK, AND I GUARANTEE YOU IT WILL BE MORE POPULAR IN BAGHDAD BECAUSE THE FMI IS THERE.

SO IT'S LIKE JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND COMMUNITIES.

AND YOU GUYS ARE A HUGE PART OF THAT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME TO ME OR YOU COME TO MAURY OR MARTY OR TYLER AND YOU SAY OUR PUBLIC HAS XYZ PROBLEM, WELL THEN IT'S UP TO ME TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN I HELP YOU SOLVE THAT PROBLEM? AND HOW CAN I LEVERAGE THE LIBRARY AS THE CIVIC CENTER IN THAT COMMUNITY TO HELP SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.

SO ONE OF OUR STAFF SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO VOLUNTEER, AND THEY SAID, YOU NEED FINGERPRINTS.

LIKE, I GOT TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO PRESCOTT TO GET FINGERPRINTS.

CAN WE DO THAT IN THE LIBRARY? I'M LIKE, WHAT A GREAT IDEA.

LET'S SEE IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN DO FINGERPRINTING AT THE LIBRARY FOR THINGS LIKE VOLUNTEERING AND OTHER WHATEVER ELSE THEY MIGHT NEED IT FOR.

SO IT'S JUST LISTENING. AND WHAT ARE PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS AND HOW CAN WE BEST GO ABOUT RESOLVING THOSE PROBLEMS. AND I'LL JUST ADD IF I COULD. SO JUST THIS WEEK, WE KICKED OFF OUR STUDY WITH GENSLER TO LOOK AT THE RURAL SERVICES MODEL.

AND PART OF THAT'S GOING TO BE COMMUNITY SURVEYS OF THESE SERVICES.

AND WHAT DO PEOPLE ENJOY, WHAT DO THEY NEED? MAYBE WHAT THEY DON'T NEED.

SO MAYBE WE'RE OVERCOMMITTING ON THIS SIDE, BUT UNDER COMMITTING ON THAT SIDE.

AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT LOCATIONS. ARE THESE THE RIGHT LOCATIONS? ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAYBE CONSOLIDATE SERVICES AT LOCATIONS? ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THE RURAL SERVICE MODEL.

SO THAT'S HELPING KEEP A FINGER ON THE PULSE.

BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO, I THINK MAYBE HIGHLIGHT SOME EFFICIENCIES THAT WE COULD EMPLOY BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TALKING AS A BOARD ABOUT RAISING TAXES, YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT SAME CONVERSATION OF HOW ARE WE ALSO RIGHTSIZING SIZING SERVICES IN THE RIGHT AREAS SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT BALANCED APPROACH.

IT'S NOT JUST A FLAT OUT RAISING. YOU MIGHT BE LIMITING OR REDUCING THINGS OVER HERE TO OFFSET THE NEED TO RAISE SOME.

SO THIS WILL HELP ENLIGHTEN THAT TREMENDOUSLY.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE DONE FAIRLY QUICKLY IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

IT SOUNDS LIKE JULY. IT SOUNDS LIKE. SO IT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO TAKE LONG TO GET THAT INFORMATION.

NOW I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR APPROVING THAT THAT ITEM, BECAUSE THIS RURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN WILL BE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THE LIBRARY DISTRICT HAS EVER HAD, AND IT WILL BE EXCITING TO SEE HOW WE CAN BETTER SERVE THE PUBLIC GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE, RIGHT? BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY GET WHAT THEY NEED. IF WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER INCREASING THE LEVY TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM EVERY MUNICIPALITY, WITH EVERY COUNCIL PERSON AND MAYOR SIGNATURE SAYING THAT THEY BACK US ON THIS. I RECEIVED SEVERAL EMAILS LIKE THAT THIS MORNING.

I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT, BUT I HEAR YOU AND I AGREE.

YEAH, AND I VERBALLY HAVE HEARD THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T AS LONG AS WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, THEN AND I DO HAVE TO SAY IN REGARDS TO THE, THE RURAL LIBRARIES, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS THE BIGGEST AND YOU WALK OUT OF HERE AND THEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THESE HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING UP AND EVERYTHING.

SO ALL OF THESE RURAL LIBRARIES WILL END UP HAVING TO BE DIFFERENT.

YEAH. ACTUAL STRUCTURES IS WHAT I'M THINKING.

AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S A THAT'S A PLAN GOING FORWARD.

BUT WE WE AT THE COUNTY, THE BUILDINGS ARE NEEDING REPAIR.

SO WE'RE KIND OF AT THAT POINT WHERE THINGS NEED TO GET FIXED.

THEY'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, AND THEN THERE'S NEW BUILDINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD BECAUSE OF SUCH A POPULATION AND NEEDS.

[01:35:10]

I REALLY DO THINK THAT THE RURAL SERVICES MASTER PLAN IS GOING TO BE FRUITFUL.

AND IF WE CAN HELP GET THE RATING UP, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYBODY ELSE THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, START TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LIBRARY DOES AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, FINGERPRINTING OR EVEN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

THE MASTER PLAN'S REALLY THINKING COMPREHENSIVELY, RIGHT? INTERDEPARTMENTALLY SO THAT THESE STRUCTURES CAN BE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND MORE USEFUL.

AND MARY'S RIGHT, ONCE THEY BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE AND MORE USEFUL.

I MEAN, THIS PARKING LOT IS ALREADY FULL HERE TODAY.

SO, YEAH, IT'S A LOT TO THINK ABOUT. AND I AND I, AND I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT SCARED OF THAT BECAUSE I REALLY SEE THAT AS YOU NOTED SO WELL IN YOUR PRESENTATION, LIBRARIES CAN BE SOME OF THE BEST RETURN, NOT JUST IN A FISCAL SENSE, BUT IN A SERVICES SENSE.

SO I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT PLACE TO PUT OUR ATTENTION.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT AS FAR AS THE MASTER PLAN GOES, I REALLY HAVE TO GIVE MARTY AND BRANDON THE CREDIT FOR THAT BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO TALK ME INTO IT.

SPEAKERS] HE'S PRETTY GOOD AT TALKING TO YOU.

THEN WE ARE IN AN INCORPORATED CITY. IS DO WE, HUMBOLDT, ANY DESIRE TO STEP UP AND DO THEIR LIBRARY LIKE PRESCOTT HAS, LIKE PRESCOTT VALLEY HAS LIKE [INAUDIBLE]? WELL, I MEAN, KEEP IN MIND THE SIZE OF DEWEY-HUMBOLDT AND THEIR TAX BASE.

BUT I HAVE HAD COME IN VERY, VERY, VERY PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WHERE THEY HAVE DISCUSSED AN INTEREST INTO HAVING A NEW LIBRARY FACILITY THAT THAT IS NOT HERE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT WHAT BUILDING A NEW CITY HALL OR THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS.

SO THE POINT WHERE THEY GET FROM DISCUSSION TO ACTUAL PLAN, I MEAN, WHO KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS THAT COULD, COULD TAKE. AND THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER WITH DEWEY-HUMBOLDT, WHO'S BEEN FANTASTIC.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? NOT FOR ME. JUST I JUST I GOT A FEW PICTURES UP HERE.

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF OUR BOOK RETURNS. YEAH. I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING TO REPLACE THAT ONE ON THE LOWER LEFT THAT I THINK THE BOY SCOUTS BUILT THAT 30 YEARS AGO.

SO I'M JOKING WITH THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID THAT, BUT SOME OF THEM HAVE THIS.

WE HAVE A NICE GLOBE THERE WHERE USSR IS STILL A COUNTRY.

I THINK WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN RID OF THAT GLOBE.

I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW. BUT THAT UP IN THE UPPER RIGHT, THAT'S WILHOITE.

THAT THAT AIR CONDITIONER EXTRUDING FROM THE WALL IS ACTUALLY ALONG THE SIDEWALK.

SO SOMEBODY COULD WHACK THEIR HEAD ON THAT AIR CONDITIONER.

NOT TO MENTION, IF YOU EVER GO THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE A PRISON BECAUSE THERE'S RAZOR WIRE ALL AROUND THE LIBRARY.

SO IT'S JUST GETTING A SENSE OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE'RE REALLY FACING IN SOME OF OUR LIBRARIES, FROM A CONSTRUCTION PERSPECTIVE, IS IMPORTANT.

THE BLACK CANYON CITY PARKING LOT IS BASICALLY GRAVEL.

YOU CAN'T EVEN FIX IT ANYMORE. IT USED TO BE ASPHALT.

IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. AND THE BOARD JUST DID JUST APPROVE THAT.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CHANGE. BUT MISMATCHED FURNITURE IN THE UPPER LEFT THAT'S COMMON IN ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS THAT THE BATHROOM FROM THE 80S ON THE LOWER LEFT. THERE'S SOME NICE STAINS IN THE CEILING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

I MEAN, THIS IS COMMON WITH WHAT WE HAVE AT ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.

OKAY. WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S WORKED FOR THIS LAST SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS, RIGHT? YEAH. AND AGAIN, WE ARE AT A AT A CROSSROADS, AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS IN NEED OF REPAIR.

AND THEN THE NEW STUFF NEEDS TO BE BUILT, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT THIS TERM WILL HAVE FOR US.

WELL, CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING US THIS TIME THIS AFTERNOON.

YEAH, HOPEFULLY YOU FOUND IT HELPFUL I KNOW WE HAVE.

YEAH. IT'S GREAT. AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR COMING.

AND I AM SORRY WE STARTED LATE. OUR BOARD MEETING LASTED A LITTLE LONGER, BUT IT WAS REALLY GOOD.

I WAS LIKE, IT SMELLED GREAT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.