Library Board of Trustees Minutes 2008 10 16

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Library Board of Trustees Minutes OCTOBER 16, 2008 Page 3 of 3 is no substantiation as to who these 2,000 residents might be, and what the ramifications for the agreement would be if less than 5% of them chose to participate. PROPOSAL #2 Pro: The City of Louisville is contractually guaranteed a three-year payment from the Town of Superior for library services. In addition, there is the promise to move forward aggressively in pursuing a library district concept for the two municipalities over the three-year period. Con: The taxpayers of Louisville-those who pay taxes both for library services and for the bond that built the new library building-deserve equitable payment and timely payment from the Town of Superior for library services. As proposed, the Town of Superior would pay less than the annual cost of providing library services to Superior patrons with a promise to pursue a joint library district-a concept that was firmly rejected by Superior this past summer in discussions by the municipalities' joint task force. In the view of the Board this offer is inadequate. The deadline, June 2008, for agreement on payment from the Town of Superior has passed. A best-and-final offer was made by the City of Louisville to the Town of Superior in spite of this, and it has been rejected. It is time for City staff and elected officials to acknowledge the Town of Superior's proposals do not constitute paying their fair share for library services, and is reprising an unlikely outcome by proposing a district concept that has been was previously proposed by Louisville and rejected by Superior In summary, it is the Board of Trustee's strong view that the City of Louisville's elected officials must summarily reject the current proposals from the Town of Superior as reported in local papers. These proposals are insincere at best and ill-conceived at worst. They are not based on any fair value for the cost of library services provided to Superior residents, and each proposal tacitly contradicts previous positions taken by Superior town staff and trustees on funding solutions for library services to their community. It is time for Louisville and Superior to take different paths on this issue. The residents of Louisville deserve the highest quality library services in the most exciting civic building in our community. After all, they are paying for it, and Superior residents are not. VII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm. The next meeting is a regular meeting and is scheduled for November 20, 2008.