Revised Library Report Suggests 3 Options for Independent Operation

VENTURA — While still advocating that Ventura secede from an underfunded and antiquated county library system, consultants on Friday submitted a second preliminary report on the issue to the City Council for review next week.

The second report was drafted after several miscalculations were discovered in an initial draft submitted to city officials last month.

When that initial draft was submitted, library supporter George Berg questioned whether it overestimated the amount of money that would be generated by an independent library system.

The first report, prepared by San Francisco-based library consultant Beverley Simmons, estimated that the city would receive more than $279,000 in revenue generated from fines, library fees and grants. But after reviewing financial records, Berg said Ventura’s three libraries collected just $34,000 in the fiscal year 1996-97.

The revised report now estimates revenues of $180,000.

Though Simmons recommends that Ventura’s libraries secede from Ventura County’s beleaguered library system, a model for such an organization has yet to be decided.

In her report, Simmons offers three options:

* That at an annual estimated cost of $2.5 million, the city use existing library facilities, giving each a new role aimed at improving service. The city has almost $1.1 million to operate an independent library system, and would need to come up with an additional $1.4 million for this plan.

* That the city pare costs by using just one central library and one small branch at an annual cost of $1.8 million, requiring about $700,000 more for operating revenue.

* That the city use one large central library and three satellite branches with an annual operating cost of $2.5 million. That would require an additional $1.4 million in operating revenue.

Each option would require a one-time capital expenditure ranging from $17 million to $19 million for the construction and refurbishing of facilities.

In both reports, Simmons maintained that, if independent, Ventura would be able to better serve library patrons and make badly needed improvements to the city’s three libraries.

The revised report is scheduled to be formally introduced at a meeting Thursday of the city’s Community Affairs Commission. The final draft is expected to be submitted and discussed at the City Council’s Jan. 27 meeting.