In November 2020, voters of Contra Costa County passed Measure X to fund essential services including the regional hospital, community health centers, emergency response, safety-net services, early childhood services, and other community services. It also required the formation of a Measure X Advisory Board.
Our County Librarian Alison McKee will be appearing before this Advisory Board on July 28 to present a proposal to utilize some of the Measure X funds to provide for an increase in County provided hours of library operation countywide to 56 hours a week at each branch, at County expense. Not only would this relieve cities of the cost of providing hours in excess of 40 hours a week, it would provide a strong argument in support of a new library for El Cerrito since the library would be available to the public for 56 hours each week!
There are two things everyone in the El Cerrito Library community can do to help make 56 hours per week, at no extra cost to the City possible. They are:
Submit a public comment to the El Cerrito City Council at or prior to their July 20 meeting requesting that Mayor Fadelli submit a letter in support of the County Librarian’s proposal to utilize Measure X funding for 56 hours per week library operation.
Since the County Librarian’s proposal to utilize Measure X funding for 56 hours per week library operation is not on the agenda for the July 20 Council meeting, your comment should be submitted for Agenda Item 3, Public Comment.
- Via Zoom using the “Raise Hand” icon to request to speak. If joining by phone, dial *9 to “raise your hand”, and when prompted by the host, *6 to nmute/mute.
- Via email to cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us. Email must contain in the subject line “Public Comments – Not on the Agenda.”
To ensure City Council receives your written comments prior to taking action, they must be received by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. All written comments received by this deadline will be provided to the City Council and posted online in advance of the meeting.
And then,
Submit your personal public comment in support of the County Librarian’s proposal to utilize Measure X funding for 56 hours per week library operation to the Measure X Advisory Board.
Personal comments to the Measure X Advisory Board need to be received before 5:00 pm on July 27. The email should be sent to lisa.Driscoll@cao.cccounty.us.
Please do so and request everyone whom you know to do so as well.
We need to flood the Advisory Board on this issue. Your comments should stress the equity issue — regarding internet access, literacy, and learning. It is not possible for many working poor people to get to the library during the 40 or 46 hours that the library is now open due to work conflicts.
Thank you for your continued willingness to take action in support of our library and our great library staff.
El Cerrito Library Foundation