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Law library asks supervisors for role in permanent-space plan as controller readies report
Summary
The law library told the Budget & Finance Committee its budget held steady and highlighted new community services, while warning of unresolved space needs; the controller—s office said a draft report analyzing space needs will be ready for review soon and the law library urged a hearing.
Miss Bell, representing the law library, told the Budget and Finance Committee that the law library—s budget showed no significant changes and that city appropriations have supported rent, utilities and new community workshops and seminar space. "We're now offering free workshops and seminars to the community on topics like estate planning, managing your debts," she said, and noted the library provides meeting and conference space for nonprofits and pro bono legal services.
Bell said the library remains concerned about its long-standing space shortage and that the Veterans Building, where the library occupies temporary space, is expected to close in January 2013. "We haven't been participating in this," Bell said, describing disappointment that the department had not been more involved in recent planning discussions.
Greg Wagner Meyers, the budget director, told supervisors the controller's office is drafting an analysis of the law library—s staffing and space needs and has benchmarked other jurisdictions. "We should be finished with the report within the next week or two," he said, adding the law library would have an opportunity to review and comment on a draft before anything is finalized. He emphasized the controller—s product would be an analytical draft, not an immediate site recommendation.
Supervisor Campos pressed for a timeline and said the library should be involved earlier in the process; Campos said she expected to schedule a formal hearing after the draft is available to ensure broad participation and to reduce the possibility of legal challenges over charter compliance. Wagner Meyers and other staff said the draft would be vetted with the department and that no final report would be issued without that vetting.
The committee approved the law library appropriation without objection and agreed to return to the MTA budget later in the meeting. The law library said it looks forward to substantive participation in the planning and review process for any relocation or space recommendations.
