CCR1980190RESOLUTION #190 -80
RESOLUTION APPROVING PARTICIPATION IN THE
WAUKESHA COUNTY FEDERATED LIBRARY SYSTEM
WHEREAS, the City of Muskego has been requested to consider
becoming part of a county federated library system, and
WHEREAS, such a system could encourage increasing use of
presently are not served by a public library', and
library services and make them available to citizens who
WEREAS, a federated library system could improve inter-
library communications as well as improve the services of
existing libraries, and
WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Muskego acknowledges
the value of a federated library system, and
WHEREAS, the Library Board of the City of Muskego has approved
and voted in favor of the federated library system,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Common Council of the
City of Muskego, .does hereby approve the joining of the
Waukesha County Federated Library System at this time.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Waukesha County Board of
Supervisors approve the City.of Muskego's participation in
the Waukesha County Federated Library System.
DATED THIS // DAY OF l\/Ci. wj e," , 1980.
ATTEST:
City Clerk
11/80
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.Ald, Thomas J. Van Lanen
November 24, 1980
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THE HONORABLE ALDEFUEN OF THE CITY OF MUCKEGO
FROH: MAYOR JEROME GOTTFRIED
Gentlemen:
On the 11th day of November, 1980, your honorable body adopted Resolution
8190-80. entitled, Resolution Approving Participation in the Waukesha
County Federated Library System. The.Cone of Resolution #190-80 indicates
is to "encourage increasing use of library services and make them
that the reason for joining the Waukesha County Federated Library System
available to citizens who presently are not served by a public library.
Also, "to improve inter-library communications as well as the services
of existing libraries ."
Although I believe that the veto should be used sparingly, I find it
necessary to take that course of action in order to give you another
opportunity to consider what affect the adoption of Resolution 8190-80
could have on the citizens of this community.
Certainly, concern for our neighboring communities who do not have the
luxury of library services available to them is admirable However; it
.is also true that the people you represent pay the bills and therefore
are penalized for whatever adverse affects your action would have.
Let us look at what additional library services our citizens would receive
if Muskego joins the federated system.
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(1) Interloan of library materials. (We already have working
relations with other libraries in the county as well as the
an item which is not available through our library that.
state In other words, if a citizen of our comunity wants
material can be here in Muskego within a few days.)
(2) Reference and reference referral service from the headquarter
library in Waukesha (That service is already available
either through our own library or through Ready Reference at
the Milwaukee Library1
Now let us look at what will be absolutely required, under law, within
the next three years in the event Muskego becomes a part of the federated
library system.
e BY the end of the first year of operation the following Services
must be had.
(1) There must be interloan of library materials among all
(2) Reference and reference referral services from the head-
participating libraries.
quarter library.
By the end of the second year the following services must be had:
(1) Complete library services as provided by the headquarter
library (Waukesha) or the resource library (Muskego), if
different from the headquarter library, to any resident of the
system on the same terms as the service is available to
residents of the headquarter community.
(2) Service agreements with all adjacent library systems.
By the end of the third year: & (1) There must be in-service training for library personnel within
the system
(2) Rapid and regular delivery and communication systems.
(3) The honoring of valid borrowers' cards at all public libraries
in the system by all public libraries in the sys tem.
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November 24, 1980
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Another requirement is that by the end of the second year of its operation
the system must develop formal agreements with other types of librari
in the system in the area providing for appropriate sharing of librarB
Whitefish Bay, who is a part of the Milwaukee County Pederated.Library
resources to benefit the cl.ientele of all libraries.. Incidentally,
with local libraries and Milwaukee County.
System, will spend nearly $85,000.00 in 1980 ofl additional agreements
If one looks at the difference in costs for non-resident vs. a reside
of Muskego to use our library. it becomes very clear that the taxpayer
of Muskego will be subsidizing library services for non-residents. A
resident of the City of Muskego, if he has a home with an equalized value
of $50,000.00, pays $23.00 per year in taxes for the maintenance of our
library. A non-resident in Waukesha County who owns a home with an
equalized value of $50,000.00 will pay $5.34 per year for the privilege
of using our library service.
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It has been said that because the City of Muskego is in the southeast
corner of the county, the number of non-residents who would be interested
in using our library will be small. However, if you consider that the
population of the Town of Vernon, which has no library, is '5,176 and
that there are approximately 3,000 residents in the City of New Bel'lin
who would find it much more convenient to use Muskego's library rathe
than their own, the inpact on our library could be devestating. Cons lib r
-ine the fact that our Librarian. Grant Frederickson. wrote on October 27. ~~~ ~ - 19z0, "Moreover, a separate facility is needed for l?uskego now. The
be clear that if iust a small number of the potential 8,mO system will have no impact upon our desperate need for space.n It should users would
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take advantage of-our facility, the capabilities of that facility would
be overtaxed requiring additional costly facilities.
What affect joining the federated library system would have on Muskego's
library 'budget is uncertain, however, azcording to Mr. A1 Zimmermann of
the Bureau of Public and Cooperative Library Services, state aids
cannot be used to replace local funds.
Section 43.24(2), Wis. Statutes, specifically provides that financial
support through taxes for a local library which is a member of the
system cannot be less than the average of the previous three years.
In other words, if for whatever reason we would want to reduce the
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library budget substantially we cannot do so as long as we are a member
of the Waukesha 'County Federated Library System.
It has been pointed out that in the event the Common Council does not
feel that the city should continue as a member of the Wmkesha County
Federated Library System, it can withdraw after three years. However,
withdrawal from the system requires a 213 vote of the Council, which
in our case is five votes. As you well know, that is not always easy
to obtain.
Finally, Ch. 43.19(2)(b) of the Wis. Statutes, provides that the
Federated Public Library System Board shall have all the powers of a
library board given under Sec. 43.58 to 43.62 of the Statutes which would
be system-wide. In other words, the development or expansion of the
county federated system will be in the hands of a board, the majority
of which are not part of an elective process, and their actions are no4)
subject to review by any of the local governments who are part of the
system.
November 24, 1980
As I reviewed this matter in preparation of my veto message, ,it became
increasingly clear that €or Muskego to join the county federated
opportunity to enjoy the services of our library would be a serious
library system in order to give non-resident people of the county the
injustice to the taxpayers of our community. I have come to this
conclusion for the following reasons: *.
The extra service to residents of the City of Muskego is
minimal.
Non-residents who have no library service would be using our
library at many times less the cost than our taxpayers are
paying.
The nearly 8,000 additional people who might want to use the
services of our library would put such a strain on our facil-
ities and on our budget that the net result would be the need
for an additional facility and higher expenditures for library
service.
Once a city is a member of the federated system, it is very
difficult to withdraw.
The state aids we would get are dependent upon the whims of
the state legislators - they could be reduced or taken away
at any time.
non-resident library users.
The city would lose most of the revenue we now receive from
As a member of the Waukesha County Federated Library System,
Muskego could become a part of a potentially burgeoning
bureaucracy forced to meet the following requirements set forth
in Sec. 43.24(2)(g): "Each system shall engage in continuous
planning with the division (State) in developing and maintain-
ingthe administrative code rules for personnel and services
and on developing the library materials collection to meet
the service needs. Such planning shall also include methods
handicapped residents, and of furthering cooperative activ-
of providing service to the isolated, disadvantaged and I
ities among all types of libraries in the system area. ,I
e It is for the above reasons that I have vetoed your action on Resolution
#190-80 and I respectfully request that you sustain that veto.
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W!02 58200 RACINE AVENUE * MUSKEGO. WISCONSIN 59150
November 12, 1980
I, Charlotte L Stewart, City Clerk of the
City o,f Muskego, do hereby certify -that .on-;Nozember 12,
1980, the ,Mayor ,'of the City of ,Muskego submitted
to this office, his'intention to veto Resolutio,n #190-80,
enti,tled, Resolution Approving Participation in the
Wauke'sha County' YFderated Library System, which was
adopted\by'a'vo-te of 5 - 2 at the Common Council
meeting ,h&l-dTNovernber 11, 1980. i I
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.' .am -
Charlotte L. Stewart, City Clerk
City of Muskego
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