HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2010-030City of Lake Elmo
Washington County, •' : ,r
RESOLUTION NO 2010-030
A RESOLUTION CALLING OR PRESERVATION AND O
LIBRARY SERVICES 'i COMM-UNITY
OF LAKE ELMO
WHEREAS, the Rosalie E. Wahl branch library of the Washington County Library System has
been an integral part of the Lake Elmo community for many years; and
VMEREAS, the Rosalie E. Wahl branch library, has previously been closed for several years,
much to the detriment of the Lake Elmo community; and
WHEREAS, significant time, effort, and resources went into the reopening of the Rosalie E.
Wahl branch library by Washington County, the Washington County Library Board, the City of Lake
Elmo, the Lake Elmo community and the Friends of the Lake Elmo Library; and
VMERliAS, current library services are considered by the City of Lake Elmo and the Lake Elmo
community as inadequate, though currently meeting minimum standards for the Washington County
Library and the State of Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, in spring 2010 the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo requested mutual
consideration by Washington County and the Washington County Library Board of either expansion of
existing library hours and days of service or reconfiguration of existing library hours and days of service,
to include Saturday service; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo publically acknowledged at that time the
necessity of possibly relying upon utilization of volunteers, reassignment of paid staff among various
Washington County Library facilities, and/or potential resource augmentation by the City of Lake Elmo
for additional staffing hours; and
WHEREAS, the Washington County Library Board unilaterally rejected the City of Lake
Elmo's request and, subsequent to this action, has given strong indication through its Administration that
the Rosalie E. Wahl branch library of Washington County Library System is likely to suffer
additional service cutbacks and /or closure due to current budgetary and service considerations; and
WHEREAS, the City and Community of Lake Elmo and the Washington County Library Board
envision through their respective strategic planning efforts a growing need for provision of library
services as Lake Elmo and the surrounding communities continue to increase in population over the next
twenty years, to likely include a new or expanded library facility in this general area, though likely differ
as to current and interim operation of such facility, as well as ultimate location of such future facility; and
VVHE4 AS, the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo believes interruption of library services
during this interim period is not only short- sighted but detrimental to the long -tern development of both a.
viable Lake Elmo community but also to the long-term interests of the Washington County Library
system; and
WHEREAS, the Washington County Library Board, the Metropolitan Library Service Agency
(MELBA), and the statutes of the State of Minnesota allow for the establishment of independent
municipal library systems, as well as the provision of affiliate status for such.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo that
the City of Lake Elmo does hereby formally request affirmative consideration by Washington County and
its Library System of good faith negotiations toward not only maintenance of existing library services
within the City and for the community of Lake Elmo, but the expansion thereof to include evening and
weekend services equivalent to a total of 40 hours of public access per week;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo, that the City of
Lake Elmo recognizes the likelihood of city participation and involvement in facilitating such services,
and hereby pledges its good faith commitment toward reasonable resolution of the current uncertainly
regarding the provision of library services within the City and Community of Lake Elmo;
BE IT FURTHER S ®L D, by the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo, that the City
Council hereby declares its willingness to affirmatively consider, if necessary, the establishment and
creation of an independent municipal library system, as per state statute, and its intention to continue
through affiliate status, a relationship with the Washington County Library System, the Metropolitan
Library Service Agency, and the State Library System;
BE IT FURTHER SOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Lake Elmo, that, due to
planning, budgetary, and statutory deadlines, the City Administrator and City Attorney are hereby
directed to begin efforts to establish an independent municipal library system as soon as practicable, even
while discussing continuation and enhancement of current library services within the Washington County
Library system, so that, should such discussions provide unsatisfactory resolution, library services for the
City and community of Lake Elmo can continue uninterrupted.
APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF LAKE ELM®, on this 15`" day of June 2010.
ATTEST:
Bruce A. Messelt, City