The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors will likely send a quarter million dollars to three county library foundations.
On the board’s consent calendar for Tuesday are $250,000 allocations to the Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library, the Walnut Creek Library Foundation, and the Clayton Community Library Foundation.
The money will help the libraries during the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2027, according to a staff report for Tuesday’s meeting.
“Libraries are a necessary component to a vibrant and healthy community with resources that lead to economic development and community engagement,” the report says. “Libraries are resource hubs for community members that usually encourage the accessibility to public transportation, which foster smart growth principles.”
The funding will go to additions and/or improvements to library services furthering economic goals of the community. Those include fundraising campaigns, equipment and supplies, educational programs and events, expansions of public services like volunteer programs, transportation subsidies bringing people to the libraries, and promotion and marketing.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. at the board’s chambers, located in the county administration building, 1025 Escobar Street, Martinez. The meeting can be viewed at www.contracosta.ca.gov.
But the Friends of the Concord Library get nothing?? Real equitable. Giving the libraries in the wealthier communities money makes perfect sense.
While I like libraries the County Board of Supervisors should be supporting the entire county, and possibly providing extra support to under-served areas. Funneling all of the money into three wealthy enclaves is nice for the already privileged.
That libraries “usually encourage the accessibility to public transportation” is a new one to me. “… foster smart growth principles?” Does that explain why the county sold the Pleasant Hill library site to a private developer who is now constructing about 40 cracker-box style homes on the site? The county had tried to sell the adjacent flood plain land for decades, without success, and so gave it to the city of Pleasant Hill who is constructing the new Pleasant Hill library there. Maybe it’ll work out if we never see rain again.
LOL
It’s all about which org. will donate to the Board’s reelection campaign with the money the Board gives them.
It’s called a kickback.
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One-time funds?
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What is the revenue source of these funds?
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Other Libraries will be issued a box of crayons, and some coloring books
This money from the county that’s going to PH, WC, and Clayton library foundations is well deserved. All three cities have made having a top notch library a priority.
Concord has done just the opposiute, the library is underfunded and almost completlly ignored by city officials. Concord’s libray was built in 1959, the facility is a complete dump – the building should be torn down and replaced, like they are doing in PH.
But not happening in Concord because of our failed leadership in Concord, a leadership that is almost completely controlled by powerful city employee labor unions The only thing the Concord City council stands for today – is signing off on high wages for underperforming city employees.
Concord needs a new library, a new city hall, a gym for the rec department, a teen center – the list of amenities Concord’s lacks is mind boggling given the size of our city.
Even with this huge development being done at the old Navy base city officials can’t – wont – figure out a way to replace Concord’s antiquated library. Libraries are important – PH officials understand that, so do Clayton and Walnut Creeks city officials. So I am thrilled to see the county steer 750K to these foundations that work to keep a high level of library services. Concord, in contrast. get’s a “F” for the work it has done to improve our library..