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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-06 City Council (3)City of Palo .Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL ATTN:FINANCE COMMITTEE FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT:COMMUNITY SERVICES DATE:JUNE 6, 2000 CMR: 274:00 SUBJECT: 2000/01 LIBRARY SERVICES BUDGET AUGMENTATION , RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Finance Committee approve the expenditure of $200,000 to add 3.75 full time employees in the Library Services 2000/01 budget. BACKGROUND At the meeting of April 20, the Finance Committee approved an augmentation of $200,000 to the proposed Library Services budget. The Committee requested that staff prepare an expenditure plan, share it with the Library Advisory Commission (LAC) and return to the Finance Committee for review, prior to presentation of the FY 2000/01. Budget to the Council on June 19. DISCUSSION The recommended expenditure plan addresses areas where support will have the most positive and immediate effect on improving the quality of customer service to library users. CMR:274:00 Page 1 of 4 Proposed 2000-01 Library Salary Increases ITEM A) 1 FTE ’Library Assistant B) .25 FTE Librarian C) 1 FTE Library Specialist D) 1 FTE Senior: Librarian IMPACT Improve customer service and sustain high use of Mitchell Park (MP) Branch on daily basis; maintain adequate staffing at MP and Terman Park during staff illnesses, vacation & staff training. Improve customer service and ability to sustain staffing levels at Children’s & College Terrace libraries on daily basis and during staff illnesses, vacation & staff training; makes existing part time (.75) Librarian position full time. Improve oversight of circulation activities; support high use at MP on daily basis; assist in maintaining adequate public service levels during staff illness & vacations; improve ability to support staff training. In combination with A & B, enables change in loan period from 4 to 3 weeks for most materials & accommodates projected 12% increase in circulation. Improve 1) speed of release of new materials for public use through additional cataloging support and 2) A B C D FTE 0.25 (.36"B) (B+C)*~4 Salary Benefit s 36,566 13,164 45,136 16,249 39,832 14,340 51,272 18,458 Total 49,730 15,346 54,172 69,730 CMR:274:00 Page 2 of 4 E) .5 FTE Office Specialist quality of collections through increase in discard rate of outdated and unused materials. (.5 FTE to each effort) Improve ability of public service staff to provide customer service through clerical support to sustain & maintain workload of overall Library internal operations, augmenting single support staff position. 0.5 40,643 14,631 Total 27,637 216,615 The LAC reviewed an initial recommendation on May 25, 2000, which was over the $200,000 augmentation directed by the Finance Committee. The LAC unanimously endorsed the proposal. It further acknowledged that, together with the two Information Technology positions being added and dedicated to library needs, these positions will begin to restore and preserve library services and are consistent with the highest staffing priorities outlined in their May,. 2000 report to Council. Subsequently, staff worked with the City Manager’s office to reduce the cost of the proposal by $24,865 and by transferring $16, 615 from other parts of the Community Services budget to pay for the increase over $200,000. RESOURCE IMPACT Sufficient funds exist in the proposed Library Services 2000/01 Budget to support these positions although some expenses, e.g. additional PCs, may be required in the future. The additional appropriation of $200,000 will derive .from the General Fund’s non-salary contingency account. The additional $16,615 required to fund this recommendation will be accommodated through adjustment in the Community.Services Department budget. POLICY IMPLICATIONS This report is consistent with City policy. CMR:274:00 Page 3 of 4 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This recommendation is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CWQA) and is not subject to its requirements. PREPARED BY: Mary Jo Levy, Director of Libraries DEPARTMENT HEAD: Director, Community Services CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: HARRISON Assistant City Manager c. Library Advisory Commission CMR:274:00 Page 4 of 4