Newspaper clippings · September 1993Estimated date
Boosters eager for city-run library
Carol Ryan reports that the Friends asked for a study of local operation. The mayor raises questions about funding and competing city services.
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Transcribed from the scans and checked against them by Claude. Typed text comes first; handwritten notes follow it. [illegible] marks words that cannot be read and [?] an uncertain reading.
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HERMOSA BEACH
Boosters eager for city-run library
By Carol Ryan
STAFF WRITER
Irked by budget cuts that leave their branch open only two days a week, Hermosa Beach library supporters are urging city officials to take the facility back from the county.
Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library board members voted unanimously Wednesday to ask city officials to determine the costs and legal effects of withdrawing from the county system.
Mayor Albert Wiemans said he views the library as essential as the Police or Fire departments, but he said he does not know how the city can pay for its own library.
"I'm sure that each one on the council would love to support the library," Wiemans said. "The problem is, where are we going to get the money?"
The city laid off workers and cut more than $2 million from its current budget because of funding shortfalls.
Hermosa Beach turned its library over to the county system in 1961. In August, county cuts left the library open only Tuesdays and Thursdays for seven hours each day.
Friends President Al Valdes said his volunteer group, which raises more than $14,000 a year to support the library, does not want any more money spent on restoring library hours under the current system.
Instead, supporters want to explore joining with Redondo Beach, which operates an independent city library. They also
HERMOSA/B2
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Hermosa
FROM PAGE B1
want to invite officials from Manhattan Beach, which also runs a county library, to join them in looking for alternatives.
Asked whether he would support a tax to operate the city library, Wiemans said he feared other interest groups, such as the Police and Fire departments, would seek part of the money.
"Where are you going to draw the line?" Wiemans asked. "It's almost like opening a little gate in the dam and letting it go."
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HERMOSA BEACH Boosters eager for city-run library By Carol Ryan STAFF WRITER Irked by budget cuts that leave their branch open only two days a week, Hermosa Beach library supporters are urging city officials to take the facility back from the county. Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library board members voted unanimously Wednesday to ask city officials to deter- mine the costs and legal effects of withdrawing from the county system. Mayor Albert Wiemans said he views the library as essential as the Police or Fire depart- ments, but he said he does not know how the city can pay for its own library. "I'm sure that each one on the council would love to sup- port the library," Wiemans said. "The problem is, where are we going to get the money?" The city laid off workers and cut more than $2 million from its current budget because of funding shortfalls. Hermosa Beach turned its li- brary over to the county system in 1961. In August, county cuts left the library open only Tues- days and Thursdays for seven hours each day. Friends President Al Valdes said his volunteer group, which raises more than $14,000 a year to support the library, does not want any more money spent on restoring library hours under the current system. Instead, supporters want to explore joining with Redondo Beach, which operates an inde- pendent city library. They also HERMOSA/B2
Source scan page 14
Hermosa FROM PAGE B1 TS want to invite officials from je Manhattan Beach, which also i runs a county library, to join I them in looking for alternatives. t Asked whether he would sup- port a tax to operate the city library, Wiemans said he feared other interest groups, such as ] the Police and Fire depart- [ ments, would seek part of the money. "Where are you going to draw the line?" Wiemans asked. "It's . almost like opening a little gate in the dam and letting it go."