A new lawsuit filed today by the attorney for Don Ricketts of Save Our Libraries, Inc. may completely invalidate the contract between the City and LSSI. The entire complaint may be found here, and the pertinent references to the MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES ACT—California Education Code here. A letter from Mr. Ricketts to the attorney for the City handling the other SOL, Inc. lawsuits reads: Continue reading
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA PLAN TO LEAVE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES LIBRARY SYSTEM—A Short Timeline of Events
Below are emails between City staff and employees of LSSI, or documents regarding meetings with the City and LSSI. These were provided through many Public Records Requests by a number of individuals. These requests were made in an effort to paint a clearer picture of the City of Santa Clarita’s plan to leave COLAPL (County of Los Angeles Public Library.) Attempts have been made to include all pertinent information, but the reader should remember that verbal conversations among City staff are not part of the public record, and therefore, cannot be accessed. Some transcriptions from public meetings have also been included. If additional pertinent emails or other information sources are found, this document will be expanded and updated. Click here for the complete file with documents. Highlights below:
Meetings with LSSI representatives prior to Council Meeting ofJuly 13, 2010…During the City Council meeting on July 13, 2010, Councilmember Ender discussed the possibility of the City’s operation of Santa Clarita libraries, and speaking on behalf of the Library Ad-Hoc Committee (she and Marsha Mclean), requested that the Council agendize the issue for consideration at a public hearing at the August 24th Council meeting. (Full statement here.) Ender:
“Uh… I also have some information to share. I’m really excited about this. I had mentioned libraries earlier, but, um… Mayor Pro-Tem McLean and I have been spending a lot of time talking about libraries…. Continue reading
The original intent of the Brown Act Cure Letter was supported by all of the 12 co-signers. The intent of the letters was to get the City to produce documents about their library meetings and to determine if there were, in fact, any Brown Act violations.
Many people in the community believed the Santa Clarita City Council had made their decision about library services before the August 24 2010 vote.
After the group sent the letter, the City finally produced some of the documents from various public record requests, but most of the requested documents were not produced until the City signed the contract with LSSI.
All 12 of the original signers of the Brown Act Cure letter — and thousands more in the community — are concerned about the City’s lack of transparency and community involvement in this decision, as well as in other actions. Many of the letter-signers and others in the community will continue to meet and ask questions about the library. A steering committee is being formed to coordinate meetings about the library issue and other transparency issues as well.
Most of the original 12 signers have decided not to pursue further legal action against the City of Santa Clarita as a group; but one individual from the group, Edward Shain, has decided to carry on. His attorney, Don Ricketts, filed suit today. The suit asks for a declaration that Library Resolution 10-71, passed by City Council on August 24, 2010, and the contract between the City of Santa Clarita and LSSI, dated October 18, 2010, be declared null and void.
Also see:
Valencia Library Patron Files Lawsuit Against City Alleging Brown Act Violation by Christopher Glotfelty at KHTS.
SAVE SANTA CLARITA LIBRARIES 