Supervisors to Take Up Library Oversight Issue

Ventura County supervisors on Tuesday will consider relinquishing management of the 15-branch library system to a new oversight panel.

The move follows months of often tense talks between the county and seven city managers over how best to revamp the beleaguered system.

Officials in at least two cities--Ventura and Simi Valley--thought the system had become so underfunded and poorly managed that they threatened to take their tax dollars and operate their own branches.

The new Ventura County Free Library System plans to give cities more say in how their libraries are operated. It attempts to scale back administrative costs and funnel the savings to the individual branches to expand hours and update bookshelves.

The measure has gained the approval of Simi Valley, Camarillo, Ojai and Fillmore.

The Ventura City Council will consider the agreement on Monday night; the Moorpark City Council on Wednesday. The Port Hueneme City Council will consider the agreement Jan. 7.

Under the new system, an eight-member panel made up of representatives from each city and the Board of Supervisors is to make decisions on the library system’s budget and staffing.

The Board of Supervisors will need a four-fifths vote to override any decision the oversight panel makes.

If cities do not see enough improvement, the agreement allows them to defect from the system with 30 days’ notice.

The first meeting of the new panel will be scheduled for the second or third week of January.