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August 24, 2010· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

Disgusted with the whole lot of them (except Bob Kellar)

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

Tonight’s proceedings at the Council chambers of the City of Santa Clarita were breathtaking.

The City has voted 4-1 to takeover Santa Clarita’s three County-run and County-staffed public libraries, outsource them to a for-profit company that faced no competition in the bidding process, and to do so by July 1, 2011.

All this against massive opposition both in the Council chambers and in other places where people express their views.

It’s not just that the City Council ignored the 48+ people in Chambers who spoke against the item (and the many more who didn’t), it’s not just that they allowed this whole plan to be conceived, put in a nest,warmed up and hatched in just over 60 days, it’s that they were sloppy and lazy in their questioning of City Staff, derelict in their duty.

You SCVTalk readers -and this is the reason I value you so much- ask tougher questions than our own Council members. Example:

“Is this open to the unincorporated residents of the SCV?” Laurene Weste asked Deputy City Manager Darren Hernandez, forcing him to give a yes or no answer.

“Yes, access remains the same” he said simply.

You don’t have to be an Ivy-league lawyer to recognize what a dodge that is. Access? Of course they can access it. The man from the moon can access it; illegal aliens can access it. My dog can access it. The issue is privileges: will County residents have the same check-out privileges and costs that City residents do? We still don’t have an answer to that. And Weste simply asked the question in a way that would allow Hernandez to tell her what she wanted to hear.

Then we get to the funding: Weste asks what happens if the opinion of our esteemed City Attorney on the matter of a 1997 taxpayer-approved funding program gets disputed by the County. Because guess what? The opinion of a paid City Attorney amounts to jack-squat legally. It’s no determination; it’s an opinion. And to his credit, Hernandez admitted that all we could do at that point (besides suffering under less funds than we have now) would be to take it to court or take it to the people. This answer was glossed over by the Councilmembers; it should have given them pause, it did not.

Next up: You gotta love this. Weste wants the City staff and LSSI to treat County librarians -who now face joblessness, unemployment, or some crazy move to another part of the County- with “mutual respect.” This after they spent a good 45 minutes bashing the County for its budget challenges, taking cheap shots at the people they say they respect. Bollocks.

And finally, the insult of all insults. Laurie Ender, citing statistics from the Valencia Library asks whether LSSI can improve the check-out rate of the Valencia Library and reduce the amount of books Valencia library patrons request from other libraries. She says Valencia had 19,000 intra-library loan requests one month and she says 50% of Valencia’s items never get checked out.

You SCVTalkers who feared that our SCV libraries will soon house 5,000 copies of Twilight and none of Pride and Prejudice were right to be concerned. For Laurie Ender a successful library is one that checks out a huge amount of books. When she chairs a meeting of some new SCV library committee, she’ll want to stock our library shelves so that they look like Walmart’s book section, with scores upon scores of low-brow, lowest common-denominator books for you to check out for free (or a nominal charge if you’re a County resident). And then the City will measure that performance and note the increase in checked-out items, which will soon be followed by a hyped-up press release.

Maybe this is an exaggeration, but not by much. She committed the fallacy of argumentum ad populum; just because 50% of Valencia Library’s books remain on its shelves doesn’t mean they aren’t valued or valuable. How do you measure the value of some kid who stumbles on a great book he might never have found except in a well-stocked library?

The honorable thing to do tonight -the only thing to do- would have been to continue the vote to a later date. Postpone the vote. Schedule some public-outreach meetings at our three libraries or conduct a survey. How about answering a live FAQ before citizens instead of putting a lazy FAQ up on your website? But they didn’t; they went full speed ahead.

And that’s why I salute Bob Kellar for his courage. He admitted he was convinced by the City staff, but said the many residents’ concerns gave him pause. He argued for a delay, and when the majority forced his hand, he voted no. Good on you Bob.

Recall, recall, recall the crowd chanted after the vote…It’s enough to make me want to get a pitchfork and torch and check out Saul Alisnky’s Rules for Radicals while I still can.

Comments (69)

  1. IHeartSCVAugust 24, 2010 at 10:51 pm
    Well said, Mr. J-to-the-Wilson. It’s embarrassing how absolutely crappy a job LSSI and Darren Hernandez did of presenting their case, but of course that didn’t matter. Ugh.
  2. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2010 at 9:19 pm
    Here’s a link to a detailed story on LSSI which one of the library supporters tried to read, in key parts, to the City Council, not that they would have listened. The detailed information is quite surprising: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA456252.html
  3. NickelDimeAugust 24, 2010 at 10:55 pm
    The four councilmembers used their time to explain why the 48 that spoke were so misinformed or misguided. Ya think that has anything to do with the piss-poor job ya did slamming this thing together? Remember: we just got the details on the plan 5 DAYS AGO . It’s enough to make you want to smack them upside the head.
  4. ToddAugust 24, 2010 at 11:23 pm
    At some point, the Council realized that 48+ people (and dozens of others) do not constitute a loud enough voice that would represent the feelings of 177,000 others. Sure the voices may have been loud, but obviously not as loud or numerous as those who would oppose a hike in sanitation fees for example. I’ve not been convinced that an outsourced solution is the right solution… and I remain optimistic that we might follow in the path of Calabasas and one day bring control in-house. But, having been born and raised in Burbank where they have an outstanding (IMHO) library that serves its 100,000 residents in three branches, I recognize that SCV is being under served by the County. One quarter of a Million people live in the SCV, and there are a whopping 4 libraries. The hours? Atrocious. Hawthorne has 2 for its 85,000 people. At that ratio, we’re due two more libraries. Comparing Burbank again their permanent collection for 106,000 residents has 380,000 volumes or 3.5 books per resident. Santa Clarita Valley? 250,000 residents for 480,000 volumes, or 1.9 books per resident. Yes, I recognize that the County has access to their entire collection, but when you look at that number, you also find a disappointing statistic. 6.5 Million volumes for 3.6 Million residents served by the County Libraries… or 1.7 volumes per resident. I truly, honestly, believe that the County fails to deliver for the needs of Santa Clarita. I reiterate my preference to not have it contracted out, but as long as people keep up on the issue, and keep pressure on City Hall, then I’d be willing to bet we see a library that is shaped to our desires.
  5. Berta González-HarperAugust 25, 2010 at 2:35 pm
    @Todd, I agree with most of what you say and have been saying pretty much the same thing without the Burbank references. I really do not think this crowd wants to listen to reason though. I think they simply prefer to oppose anything City Staff or City Council propose regardless of whether it has merit or not.
  6. NickelDimeAugust 25, 2010 at 2:37 pm
    Berta: There are many who oppose City Council’s action last night that frequently agree with staff’s recommendations. Count me as one of them. It is the City Council that rushed this, not the public!
  7. Lori RivasAugust 24, 2010 at 11:37 pm
    That meeting was an embarassment. There was so much politic-ing and grandstanding, you’d think they were campaigning for election. When Laurie Ender said that she had been talking to so many people, and the number one question was “when does the new Newhall library open?” I wondered, who is she talking to, and what information is she giving to them? And who asked for a super state of the art library with a fireplace, anyway? If the county wasn’t going to fund it, and the city cannot stock it with books, why is it even being built? I love the current Newhall library, and know people who drive across town because they prefer the current Newhall library. And, thanks, Frank Ferry, you are so noble to back city funding against Cemex and the landfill. Thanks for the lecture. Glad you want to keep all the library taxes in SCV, for resident use only. I will sit down and take my medicine now. The whole thing was like a done deal before we even arrived, the council like patronizing parents who know better, and will give us what they deem best, no matter what our concerns. Bob Kellar gets a gold star for thinking and acting independently.
  8. WalkerAugust 25, 2010 at 7:04 am
    “When Laurie Ender said that she had been talking to so many people, and the number one question was “when does the new Newhall library open?” I wondered, who is she talking to, and what information is she giving to them?” Right. I know the buzz in the mommysphere is/was against the takeover. She must not facebook with the same crowd I facebook with, because they (people who are generally indifferent to political issues) were pretty upset by the idea. Of course, not upset enough to actually show up last night (hmph), but worried enough to complain on FB and spread the news.
  9. booknerdAugust 25, 2010 at 1:14 pm
    i’m a mommy, and i was there…even brought my little sidekick since pops had to work late and i couldn’t get a sitter.
  10. WalkerAugust 26, 2010 at 5:20 pm
    Oh my little peeps and I were there too (I had the children under the table in the back of the room LOL), I just meant that in my little world of fellow moms the general consensus was either in opposition entirely or at least in favor of slowing down the process/vote. Unfortunately I didn’t see a single familiar face at the meeting, despite how vocal some have been on the issue. I understand it is a really busy time of year for most, but I do wish their had been a larger showing of ‘non red shirt’ opposition.
  11. Coastal SageAugust 24, 2010 at 11:37 pm
    Beautifully written comment Jeff. I watched on SCVTV, and note that the sound was cut off the moment the first chant of “Recall” was uttered. I was later told the Recall chanting lasted for 5 minutes. What concerns me most at this point is the part of the staff drafted City Council Resolution adopted at the meeting, that negotiation of the contract with LSSI be delegated to the City staff and that the City Manager is authorized to sign the contract. No mention of bringing the contract back to the Council and the public for formal review and comment. No mention in the Resolution that the City Manager “must” achieve all of the oral promises and representations made by Hernandez and LSSI. So now the City is apparently moving towards “secret contracts” with private businesses, binding the City without their ever being seen by the Council members, let alone the public. In 2003, I tried to put the same provision in a real estate contract between a Federal court receiver as seller of a huge property and the City of Norco as buyer, merely with respect to amendments to the contract which might be needed. Norco’s City , Attorney told me that with general law cities in California, the Council cannot delegate the authority to negotiate, approve and sign contracts to a City Manager….so I had to take it out of the contract. I’m not going to do the legal research on that question of whether the Council’s authority to delegate the power to enter into a major contract to City staff, without the public ever seeing the contract before it becomes binding on the City. However, it’s certainly an issue which could be researched by the library employees’ union and used in a “reverse validation proceeding” filed against the City under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 863, to try to invalidate the contract with LSSI.
  12. Petz2August 25, 2010 at 4:24 am
    Petz observed Jeff with his front row center seating for the slideshow presentation, while the small people like like Petz and Phil stood in the back with the red shirted SEIU union members. A city staff member refuted various points made in the SCVTALK blogs about the library takedown, yet Jeff sat silently thoughout. Petz , a frail senior citizen went home when his knees began to ache and the city did not open an overflow room despite obvious fire code violations due to the huge attendance. Not once did a younger person seated in the audience offer up their chair to the wise and mature . Returning home, Petz watched the proceedings on Channel 20 despite family protestations. Lynn Plambeck (who Petz viscerally opposes) made the most logical and coherent statement against the takeover. Based upon her research, Petz would argue that the the city may be illegally collecting the library tax voted by the citizens when the takeover is completed (Can you say Bell…..it rhymes with Hell) . Cam Noltmeyer is a good looking babe who gets Petz attention, but she has a penchant for using inflammatory statements to needle those whom are voting on the issue like Frank Ferry. Not wise. It was strange that Sue Yamamoto, head librarian at Valencia was not in attendance. My inquiries indicate that she is on vacation. Sue is a tremendous public employee who works tirelessly to make that branch work. The woman who claims to oversee the SCV libraries for the county was inarticulate at best-enough said. It was noteworthy that Petz did not see Mike Antonovich make an appearance to defend county library services and his constiuents who live in the unincorporated area. It is clear that Newhall redevelopment and the fear that the city may open a new Taj Mahal that stands on the ruins of a body piercing parlor/pet daycare building with limited inventory is driving the agenda on Valencia Blvd. Toto is pulling at the curtain, and the council members, Jeff”s man Kenny Pulskamp, and city staff are in fear of being exposed . Of course, Jeff’s late admiration for Bob Kellar reveals that he too must harbor a certain degree of racism in his own heart.
  13. AnnetteAugust 25, 2010 at 7:41 am
    @ “Petz , a frail senior citizen went home when his knees began to ache and the city did not open an overflow room despite obvious fire code violations due to the huge attendance. ” In all fairness, Laurene did announce that the people that were standing could go into the next room and watch the city council meeting on a big screen TV and return at will. No, I am not supporting her vote just stating a fact.
  14. DamageincAugust 25, 2010 at 11:38 am
    Give up his seat? Sounds like socialism to me! Take seats from those who have to give to those who don’t! Besides why should Jeff give up his seat when you didn’t give a damn about the health care for him and his family… Damageinc would lay down on the seats if meant Petz had to stand…
  15. navigatorAugust 25, 2010 at 1:39 pm
    “Cam Noltmeyer is a good looking babe who gets Petz attention” HUH???????????!!!!!!!!!
  16. PetzAugust 25, 2010 at 4:48 am
    It is strangley discomforthing to see our national motto In God We Trust on the wall of the city council chambers, framed in snear quotation marks while the council members attempt a pie in the sky money grab to open the libraries on Sunday. That counts as progress in this community? Petz makes claim on the the county flag in the lobby of the Valencia library that continues to retain the 1957 LA County Seal.
  17. ScottEAugust 25, 2010 at 5:30 am
    So. Which of the 48 will actually take steps to start the recall process? Exactly what are the steps to start the recall process? Hmmmmm……
  18. Timothy MyersAugust 25, 2010 at 5:36 am
    Scott: I will put up a post later about the recall process. There is little chance of “perfecting” a recall but it would be rather easy to put the City Council in a constant state of recall.
  19. Timothy MyersAugust 25, 2010 at 5:35 am
    Coastal Sage: I agree that we have not seen the last act on this. The County and the Union are not without resources to the give the City and Carl Newton, who looks more and more like a bit player in a B movie western, a good workout in putting all this together. Since moving to California and the SCV in 1996 and raised on a steady diet of anti-County opinion for years, I NEVER thought we would have to rely on the County to provide a counterweight to the City’s overreaching.
  20. gregory molineriAugust 25, 2010 at 9:04 am
    This is not the first time this has happened in recent events. It was Antonovich -not McLean or Weste- who led the charge against the SanDist tax hike at the last board meeting. He brought out the blatant lack of equality in foisting the tax on one local population and raised several common sense questions that cast considerable doubt on the increase. Conversely, Weste and McLean asked questions that they already knew the answers to, trying to get simple confirmations from proponents that the public’s outrage was unfounded… much like they did last night. McLean even attempted to call for a show of hands to see who wanted to fight the measure and face possible fines – an idea that seriously backfired when it went 150-2 against her. (remember there were two people from Ventura at the meeting) Timothy, perhaps you should stop supporting local candidates based on football pranks of last decade and lack of piercings. You “never thought” you’d see the day but you have hastened its coming.
  21. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2010 at 10:38 am
    Greg, you are absolutely right that it is Mike Antonovich who struck terror into the hearts and minds of the Sanitation District Manager and Sanitation District Counsel, who had browbeaten Laurene and Marsha into quietly acquiescing in those two gentlemen’s plans to economically ruin the Santa Clarita business community for their own convenience. Without Supervisor Antonovich’s palpable anger, Santa Clarita businesses and homeowners would have already received those dramatic sewer rate increases. I fear that City Manager Pulskamp and Asst. City Manager Hernandez, who have their own money shuffling agendas are clueless on the fact that “You don’t bite the hand that feeds you”. I am still convinced that Supervisor Antonovich is going to perceive Santa Claritans as ingrates, and push back at Santa Clarita: You kick our library system to the curb, I don’t help your business people and homeowners fight the state controlled Regional Water Quality Control Board. Pullskamp and Hernandez showed profound disrespect to Mike Antonovich by ramming this decision through last night.
  22. spineflower2August 26, 2010 at 9:47 pm
    Tim, I’ve long said that the City has now become the insensitive, self-preserving monster that the County USED to be. So all those anti-County folks that thought they would be oh-so-much-better represented by the City… how represented do you feel today?
  23. Timothy MyersAugust 25, 2010 at 6:07 am
    I did not see Cam’s presentation but I did see Carole Luteness and I must say that Carole has reached her “sell by” date. Her 90 second filibustering about “clean money” and her plug about her ridiculous CLWA candidacy before even talking about the library issue, not to mention her generally giggly demeanor, mocked the 40 plus non-crank folks who do not come to City Council meetings regularly and had a passionate position on THIS particular issue. Shame Carole!
  24. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2010 at 10:49 am
    Tim: Cam’s comments related to machinations by Pulskamp and Hernandez relating to the use of City General Fund cash versus redevelopment funds, and the ability of the City or Redevelopment Agency to borrow money. Cam is an actuary by trade, and one of the most mathematically/economically perceptive people I have ever met. Her husband is a retired CPA who worked in the banking industry for years. I have learned though time that if Cam smells something funny economically, she is always right. What she has discovered require intensive further reading of City/Redevelopment Agency records, including emails, obtainable only through comprehensive California Public Records Act requests. Tim, I know you work, but if you had the time to investigate the City records I think you would see the same thing Cam sees. In my paying job, I spent 25 years figuring out financial fraud by real estate developers who were bank borrowers, aided on a few occasions by corrupt local government employees (like the building officials in a San Diego County city who conveniently overlooked the fact that a whole housing tract had no legal water line connection, and had bootlegged a connection to an unrelated, neighboring tract’s water main). Based on those experiences I say to you number crunchers, I say keep an eye on that $4.6 “appraised value” for the contents of the Valencia library. I think you’re going to see the senior City staff decide there are better uses for that much cash, other than buying old books and furniture. At the end of the Council meeting, Hernandez assured the Council that he was going to provide more parking at the Valencia library. Then, keep an eye on a certain vacant high rise building, with a big parking lot, across the street from City Hall which is up for sale.
  25. mikeAugust 25, 2010 at 11:01 am
    If Cam wanted to do us a favor, she would have sided with the council. She’s toxic to any good cause in the SCV. Her speech last night was cheap and uncivil, especially when contrasted with the informed and level-headed library lovers.
  26. Berta González-HarperAugust 25, 2010 at 3:39 pm
    @Tim, Carol Lutness WORKS for the County.
  27. Tim MyersAugust 26, 2010 at 8:35 am
    So its wrong to back up your employer?
  28. Need for Involved CitizenryAugust 25, 2010 at 7:03 am
    Bob Kellar is the only Councilmember to represent the folks in this community. The others are merely delusional in thinking they are.
  29. WalkerAugust 25, 2010 at 7:07 am
    Right. Never though I’d agree w/Bob on something, but it sounds like he was the only one who was willing to actually slow down and consider what was going on.
  30. ToddAugust 25, 2010 at 7:08 am
    Bob Kellar, the proud racist, represents folks in this community? If thats truly the case, methinks its time to move the hell out of “ Awesometown ” err, “Racistville.”
  31. gregory molineriAugust 25, 2010 at 9:06 am
    Todd, then go ahead and move the hell out. If you are stupid enough to berate the only representation you have based on an issue that has been completely blown out of proportion, then please take your vote to another community that needs you… Bell?
  32. LaneyAugust 25, 2010 at 7:35 pm
    Yes, they all ought to be recalled….including Bob “Proud Racist” Kellar. And wow Gregory, library much?
  33. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2010 at 10:51 am
    Todd, it’s not Racistville or Awesometown. It’s Bella-a Clarita.
  34. booknerdAugust 25, 2010 at 8:42 am
    I didn’t particularly like the theme of local control. First, I do believe the function of government is to make decisions for the greater good–I don’t see a problem with $400,000 of Special Library Tax money going to the county to maintain the rest of the library system, particularly libraries in other areas that really need those funds. And it’s a small price to pay for us to have unfettered access to a vast book and AV collection–currently, we can check out 50 items at a time. With only 3 libraries in a system, are they really going to be able to provide that kind of access? What happens to the County if other cities decide to bail, too? There goes the greater good. It’s this mentality of “who cares about other people; we only care about ourselves” as if somehow we exist in isolation to other communities. Furthermore, local control doesn’t necessarily correlate with quality. I worry about who actually will control what materials end up in the library and who decides what constitutes access. If last night was an indicator of how things are decided around here, then I’m worried. Does this mean the council will choose who gets on a library advisory committee? If so, I can guarantee they won’t be people who don’t jive with the city council viewpoints/politics…or maybe they’ll just put in a token or two for a semblance of fairness. We are in a recession–it was fiscally irresponsible to move forward with the renovation of Jo Ann Darcy and this newfangled Newhall library as part of Old Town’s redevelopment (read “gentrification”) plan. Ferry sounded like a spoiled child when he said they went to the county to ask for a new library and the county said no. What did the council think? That the county, with its limited resources, was just going to funnel money over here at the expense of other existing libraries just because we want a new library? Because COC vacates some classrooms and we can’t make do? So what was the council’s solution? To go ahead and build the Newhall library anyway without any thought as to who was going to staff it and how it was going to be stocked, and they aren’t just building a library, but something that doesn’t blend architecturally with the town, either in a historically relevant way or in any way, really. And I didn’t hear any real discussion/addressing of the Special Library Tax issue or where they were going to come up with the $4 million to buy the Valencia library assets. For shame, city council. I only just moved here, and as a homeowner with a small child, I have a stake in what happens here, and I don’t just like the decision that was made last night, but I don’t like the lack of thought, the dismissive attitude towards concerned citizens/real library patrons (we are misguided/misinformed?), the arrogance that they know best when they couldn’t clearly articulate a plan, choosing a short-sighted solution to a perceived/self-created problem, the lack of foresight, and what is either the incompetence (or worse), the dishonesty/sneakiness of Ender and the city attorney (and who knows which other council members) in how they “informed” the public about this issue. I can guarantee that I will work my damnedest to ensure these council members aren’t re-elected…although from what I understand, they are pretty entrenched in local government, so at the very least, I want to make them work for it and hold them accountable for their actions.
  35. cashAugust 25, 2010 at 9:00 am
    Hey, have you all lost your minds! This is Shifty Eyed Weste’s city, she was a founder! She is smarter than the rest of us and she knows what we need better than we! Her arrogance needs to be overlooked! Come one people. Thank God for Bob Kellar !
  36. KellyAugust 25, 2010 at 10:52 am
    I am disgusted with the whole lot of Council members except Kellar on this issue. I hope this misguided attempt goes down in the history books, like Ender’s attempts to rename a bridge, and back in parking in Old Town Newhall. How dare Weste shush people. Who does she think she is? I like the suggestion about contacting the L.A. County D.A. to complain about lack of adherence to open meeting law? I prefer access to a 52 library system including online capability and homework help, etc. I also like the option of returning my book at any county library. Let’s put this to a vote, Ms.Mayor-Shusher! I expect the County to throw down the legal gauntlet and the city will have to waste more of our tax dollars. Great point about finding $4 million to buy the facilities, where is that coming from? Auto sales? The new Sprouts? Plus, from a big picture perspective, it makes you wonder how these politicians set their priorities. Our city has far more pressing social, safety, and economic issues that our elected and paid city officials and staff should be spending time and money on.
  37. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2010 at 10:55 am
    Ten or so hours of contemplation allowed me to reply in my mind what I saw at that City Council meeting, after the public comments ended. This hasty decision by the Santa Clarita City Council, with no PUBLIC discussion BETWEEN the Council members before the vote, has all of the hallmarks of unlawful “back room decision making”, violating the Brown Open Meeting Act. The actual method of conducting the illegal decision making is called serial meetings or daisy chaining, using one or two people as messengers to all of the Council members, building a majority vote in the back room so that no meaningful public discussion between the Council members was necessary before the vote. Having watched the meeting, it was clear to me that Asst. City Manager Darren Hernandez was that messenger. That’s Bell-a Clarita. The public’s remedy is to quickly make a written complaints to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Public Integrity Section, Attention: David Demirjian, Esq., stating that a serial meeting Brown Act violation has occurred and demanding that action be taken by his office against the majority of the Santa Clarita City Council and senior City staff.
  38. Love Santa ClaritaAugust 25, 2010 at 11:34 am
    As I read all of these posts, I wonder how many of you were here in 1987 when we voted for our new city against the tacit opposition of Antonovich and with all the claims that we could not support ourselves? Did any of you vote for the city? How many of our trails, libraries, roads, sports center etc. do any of you think would have been built if we had stayed in the County? Do any of you think development would have been less? The County does not perform municipal services usually as well as local cities, which I believe probably includes the libraries. Who paid for the red shirts last night. Could it have been the union? They aren’t a special interest? Amazing to see Plambeck, Notlmeyer and Lutness, who hate Antonovich supporting him. When does it become ridiculous that they just oppose anything that comes from the staff and council majority? Regarding the library the two key issues for me is that everyone who live in the SCV, including unicorporated, get access just like residents to the three libraries in the City. Secondly, that we have decent access to other collections. It is important to have more hours open and not be at the risk of county budget cuts. It is important to free up funds for redevelopment. Finally, for those of you who attack the Newhall library, the fact is that the county would never, has never, improved our local libraries for decades.
  39. CurlyAugust 25, 2010 at 12:56 pm
    I’ve been here since 1978, and YES, I canvassed my neighborhood with petitions in 1985 to get The City of Santa Clarita proposal on the ballot. There are things that the city has improved; Parks and Rec, transportation, but the LIBRARY system the county provides was ALWAYS top notch! It didn’t need fixing. This has never been about making the library better, it’s about taking control of $ and using it at city council’s discretion for OTHER uses. Having a private corporation running our libraries also makes it about future campaign contributions for council members. Council Members should be worried when they win by only 32 votes…I would guess that every member of the audience last night was a registered, active voter.
  40. booknerdAugust 25, 2010 at 1:07 pm
    True, after Prop 13 in 1978, the county libraries struggled to make brick and mortar improvements and have depended on a conglomerate of funding sources, including cities. Also, it’s not like the system is impermeable to economic conditions. So the county libraries do what they can with what they have–they have to because the system is made up of 91 libraries in addition to book mobiles that travel to far-flung regions and convalescent homes. But yet, the county library system has maintained its original goal of ensuring a flexible system of distribution and exchange of books to a large group of people while making improvements that have adapted to how people use libraries–diversified general collection of popular, classic, multicultural, and current works; permanent special collections, bookmobile/book by mail; automated circulation system; adult and child literacy programs. It is number one in circulation among public libraries and among the top 5 public libraries in terms of the size of its collection. Look, I know as a county resident, I will still have access to COLA libraries, but the city council has just made it more inconvenient for me, and I’m not a huge fan of that, but while it’s an inconvenience to me, for others, access has become an impossibility.
  41. Santa ClaritanAugust 25, 2010 at 1:51 pm
    Do not assume you will have full access to county libraries. Part of the same education code that allowed the city to withdraw also provides that “Upon ceasing to be a member of the county free library system, the city or library district shall not participate in any benefits of the county free library system, and shall assume the responsibility for the provision of library services within its jurisdiction.” As part of SCLC, the county must still provide basic access to the collection (i.e. physical materials, at least books, don’t know about other media), but the databases we enjoy could be restricted. I believe that the county could even give city residents modified borrowing terms (i.e. shorter loan periods, etc). I doubt it would come to that, but in a time of shrinking budgets — who knows?
  42. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2010 at 1:39 pm
    FYI Love Santa Clarita: Back when the City of Santa Clarita was formed, it was the Executive Officer of LAFCO, Ruth Bennell, who was opposing the city’s formation, and ripping off the nacent city at ever turn in terms of territory, sphere of influence, land, money, Quimby fees, B&T fees, and physical assets. Nearly every day, I speak to one of the ladies who was literally on the City Formation Committee, which negotiated with Bennell. It was Mike Antonovich who the City Formation Committee members would go to when they could not get Bennell to act reasonably. The City Formation Committee members’ take on Santa Clarita’s history has been that while Mike Antonovich might have been saddened or disappointed to lose turf and cash, he acted reasonably….unlike senior County staff who acted like clone-parents of City current senior staff.
  43. Love Santa ClaritaAugust 25, 2010 at 2:03 pm
    Mike was certainly better than Schabarum, who help with the developer funded opposition. However, how can you applaud Mike for supposedly being the tough one on the Sanitation District staff and then saying he was great on incorporation it was the county staff’s fault. Be Real!. Mike has never wanted to let go of the only “fun” part of his job.
  44. spineflower2August 26, 2010 at 9:50 pm
    I was here, and I can tell you that the City has become the insular, self-serving monster that the County USED to be. “Local control” just means smaller payoffs to get elected officials to bend to your will. It doesn’t take all that much to buy a City Councilmember or four. Wake up, it’s not 1980 any more.
  45. Kieran BraddockAugust 25, 2010 at 11:43 am
    As upsetting as the result was, I think the chants of “recall, recall” were neither helpful nor constructive. Such measures create friction between politicians and voters as well as turning the political process into a veritable shouting match. Granted I may not have been the most eloquent speaker last night, but when I got up, all members of the City Council (With the possible exception of Frank, but I cant blame him too heavily, Farmville IS engrossing) listened and paid attention to what I had to say as they did with the vast majority of people who stood up. I think a great many people missed the point that Weste and McLean attempted to make (though they did make it poorly) was that this was over-all a financial decision. Councilman Frank cloaked the entire issue in exceptionalism and rhetoric while Councilwoman Ender seemed determined to reinforce her own position only. Mayor Weste asked pertinent and direct questions of Mr. Hernandez (who seemed to have difficulty answering questions directly) and the City Manager. The over-riding problem that should have been brought up is the City Council is attempting to fix a budgeting issue by going way too far. If funding for our libraries is truly in jeopardy, then perhaps we can explore less radical options to provide funding that can include raising late fees, more aggressive book sales, more seeking of donated material and funds, and public fundraising. People such as Councilman Frank seem to take exception to the fact that Santa Clarita is not being put first of the 87 other cities in Los Angeles County and are appalled that ANY money collected in Santa Clarita should go anywhere but to the city. I think the point was well-made last night when a speaker mentioned that she was ok with a few of her tax dollars going to other libraries if it meant she had free and easy access to their entire collection within a few days. My bet would be that the City Council is much more familiar with LSSI’s proposal than has been publically admitted. When I mentioned that there was a clause in LSSI’s contract that forbids any sort of bad-press from current and past clients, no one behid the dais looked surprised and as other speakers began bringing similar news to the Council’s attention, none of it seemed to be registering at all. Additionally, no questions regarding these points were asked of Mr. Hernandez who spoke as though he had great familiarity with this proposal. As others have indicated, I feel that this was a pre-concluded plan before the meeting and there was nothing any of the speakers could have said to change the minds of the city council. This was, in my opinion, a short-sighted attempt to quick-fix a budget problem by passing it off to someone else.
  46. augustAugust 25, 2010 at 11:47 am
    I’ve never been a support of Kellar, and last night didn’t change that. He didn’t even say he was opposed, but took the people popular stance of not being ready. And how ’bout gavel girl, threatening to clear the room? Was the crowd being rude? But wait–was that an IPOD in Kellar’s ear, and what was Ferry typing all night? Fantasy football? How often was McLean’s head leaned back, eyes closed? I mean except when she flat out guffawed when asked to absent herself from the vote? Hey, we were all tired, but for different reasons. They were tired of the little people, thinking they actually had a say in this. Poor dummies. And how ’bout the ever popular PTA mom Laurie Ender and her snide remark about passionate people who don’t need to print up t-shirts (Zing! ). Is our city full of Obama campaigners? Every response from our corporate men: yes, we can. So where are they gonna put that new Valencia parking? And whoa, I can’t wait to order my usual 20 books a week. Darren and Ken said, well, actually they “recommended” it not cost me a dime. But that’s ok; LSSI will take care of it. I’m stoked. I won’t ever have to order DVD’s (Darren promised to spend all that $ on audio-visual things.) Wow, so much good to come. I also can’t wait to visit the Newhall Taj Mahal; imagine all the miles of shelving with any book I want. So–Coastal Sage–guide us on a recall. I’m more than ready.
  47. Tim MyersAugust 25, 2010 at 1:11 pm
    August: Bob Kellar actually wears a hearing aid. It is not nice to joke about someone’s age related physical decline.
  48. augustAugust 25, 2010 at 2:24 pm
    Does his hearing aid have a long curly wire going down to, well, I don’t know, I couldn’t see behind the desk. If it was truly a hearing aid, I apologize.
  49. navigatorAugust 25, 2010 at 2:34 pm
    Yes, it’s a hearing aid. Before the City came up with it Bob had a difficult time hearing everything that was said. He now hears everything
  50. mikeAugust 25, 2010 at 3:30 pm
    Not only that, last night he listened.
  51. Local DemAugust 25, 2010 at 12:02 pm
    Maybe it’s the sceptic in me, but I smell something rotten. Bob Keller has been getting bad press for months and now all of a sudden he is the lone dissenting voice on the council – he is siding with the public. I smell a fix – perhaps the 5 of them met before the meeting and decided that it would be too obvious for a 5-0 vote and in order to get Bob a little “good” publicity for a change he would be allowed to vote NO. I will be keeping an eye out to see if a Recall actually starts to gain traction – the first one out should be Laurie Ender – who IMO was elected because of outside $$ and advertising.
  52. Lori RivasAugust 25, 2010 at 12:28 pm
    I was thinking the same thing about Kellar, that his passive “not ready ot decide” was just a vote grabber publicity stunt. Last night was a debacle of the highest magnitude. I cannot believe the arrogance and indifference of these city council members. Shame on them all.
  53. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2010 at 1:43 pm
    Local Dem: What you were seeing was a classic case of a Brown Act violation by the Council’s holding of private serial meetings using Darren Hernandez as their go-between. See my post elsewhere on what any single voter can do to object, with very little effort.
  54. Need for Involved CitizenryAugust 25, 2010 at 1:45 pm
    In case you haven’t noticed Bob Kellar voted against the other Council Clones on the Henry Mayo Medical Office Park, the Campaign Contribution increase and now this. He also was the swing vote on bidding the trash franchises (joining the ssshhh’er Weste and Smyth). He votes with his head and with an eye toward what he sees as best for the overall good of the community.
  55. Berta González-HarperAugust 25, 2010 at 2:30 pm
    @NFIC, finally something I can agree with you on 100%!
  56. Need for Involved CitizenryAugust 25, 2010 at 2:55 pm
    Well Berta, if you agree that Bob votes for the overall good of the community, then you also must have opposed the Medical Office Building Expansion and the increase in contribution limits and the library outsourcing!
  57. navigatorAugust 25, 2010 at 3:04 pm
    Need – Bob didn’t oppose the library outsourcing he just wanted to get more information about it before voting at all.
  58. Berta González-HarperAugust 25, 2010 at 3:40 pm
    @NFIC, as I am sure YOU are well aware, I was publicly opposed to the so called hospital expansion and increasing contribution limits, I supported more time for library issue if community wanted BUT I made and voiced my decision to support withdrawing from COLA and forming our own local library system and was neither confused nor conflicted.
  59. navigatorAugust 25, 2010 at 1:56 pm
    You 2 Kellar skeptics can rest assured that it was not a ploy. He doesn’t like being constantly on the losing end of 4-1 votes.
  60. cashAugust 25, 2010 at 3:21 pm
    Mr. Kellar is the only councilmember that demostrates, by his vote, that he is concerned that government spending is out of control. The others are still willing to spend our money to support their pet projects. Queen Weste needs a wake up call. Someday she may realize she is nothing more than Newall trash and that the Queen is in England.
  61. Tax PayerAugust 25, 2010 at 6:15 pm
    You lost me when you mentioned you wanted to check out, “Rules for Radicals”. That, my dear, is part of the problem also the fact that the room was packed with SEIU members. SEIU are bullies and their influence is being deflated. The real reason for their disapproval of the library plan – they are afraid that other cities will do the same and ditch government workers. Something many of us applaud. I say BRAVO SCV City Council.
  62. NickelDimeAugust 26, 2010 at 8:41 am
    LSSI maintains margins by staffing libraries with a mix of low wage workers and volunteers. The County’s model is to hire local, professional librarians. You’d rather have your tax money line the pockets of an out-of-state company than receive top-notch, well-thought out service from the County. Got it.
  63. mikeAugust 26, 2010 at 9:51 am
    Dude didn’t catch the joke. That’s funny.
  64. augustAugust 26, 2010 at 2:23 pm
    Tax Payer–I know for a fact the room was NOT packed with SEIU bullies. I and 27 friends came because we care about our libraries. BTW: those library “government workers” are not well paid, nor are they part of PERS. They are dedicated to what they do, and spend 6 years in school to be librarians–they know before they start that they will never be properly paid, but that’s the decision they’ve made. And WE reap the benefits. You’ll see the difference when you got to whatever passes as a “reference desk” in the city library and ask for help with research. And no, I am not a librarian, and neither is anyone in my family. We are also not SEIU bullies nor rich government workers. We just appreciate and acknowledge good service.
  65. CurlyAugust 25, 2010 at 10:19 pm
    Recall, recall, recall, recall……
  66. ScottEAugust 26, 2010 at 12:37 pm
    “Everytime you think, you weaken the nation!”
  67. Cheryl PhillipsAugust 26, 2010 at 10:39 pm
    I’m still feeling very sad tonight. I’m devastated that people who know absolutely nothing about libraries are in the process of drawing up all the new rules. I’m sad because Laurie Ender doesn’t know that Valencia Library has the highest circulation in the entire LA County Library system. I’m sad that she thinks it’s a problem that 50% of our collection is not constantly in circulation. I’m sad because she doesn’t know that: “America’s libraries have a trust: they are both the first source and the ultimate repository of knowledge. Their core value is to deliver the materials and services that undergird the public’s right to information. That is why public libraries are geared to choosing quality, equity and effectiveness over “efficiency.” That is why most of the collection of a good library is not in circulation; it is a resource for those whose interests extend beyond what is in vogue. It is this “inefficiency” that distinguishes libraries from bookstores. Library services are not designed to generate a profit but rather to provide vital services to the public.” I’m really frightened that the Santa Clarita Ad-Hoc Committee on libraries has 2 members – Laurie Ender and Marsha McLean and no one else. I’m really sad that none of the Council or City Staff talked to librarians in the independent run City libraries. If they had they would know that the 8:00 to 9:00 pm hour at most libraries is dead time – very few people. Maybe adding that hour isn’t that important after all, and with the constant “We’ll buy you more books. Can’t get those audio book CDS through our new SCLC interlibrary loans? We’ll buy you whatever you want.” Who’s done the math? Do any of these people know the cost of the average library book today? $22 – Children’s and YA Books and $28 – Adult Fiction. So average is $25 a book, without processing, shipping, handling, barcoding, Marc Records, etc. Really isn’t very many books after all and we’re not even talking about the $29 to $49 price tag for audio books. SOURCE http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6720443.html?q=federal+fumble I’m just sad that people who don’t have a passionate knowledge of libraries are setting all the new rules.
  68. WalkerAugust 27, 2010 at 7:29 am
    Right. I just can’t understand why they didn’t work with a committee of library patrons, friends of the library, community members to get a ‘real people on the streets’ opinion. The decision is in the hands of a handful of people that have probably never been to the library except for novelty check and oversided scissor events. And on the cost of audiobooks, they’re even more expensive in the popular genres like YA fiction. Did you see the cost of the last few Harry Potters?!?!? They were $75-80! Costco had them for $50ish, but still! Jim Dale rocks my socks, but those suckers are pricey! And the Twilight series, they don’t even have an amazing narrator and those suckers were still $60 each, just based on the popularity of the series. Are they honestly trying to say that they’re going to run out and purchase additional copies of these expensive materials each and every time there is a request that cannot be filled? I doubt that.
  69. NanAndSamAugust 28, 2010 at 10:44 am
    Seems like Darren Hernandez grew up like an East Coast preppy kid, who’s used to buying everything he wants. Cheryl Phillips at least knows what she’s talking about. Darren can always run to Papa Ken and get more $.

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