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County, cities and library partners near sign‑off on updated governance and five‑year operating agreement
Summary
Staff presented revised WCCLS governance and a five‑year cooperative operating agreement (07/01/2026–06/30/2031) that clarifies base service levels, funding allocation methodology, data protection/AI language and a three‑month fund balance target; staff will return May 12 for feedback and May 26 with an action to authorize signatures so funding can flow in July.
Washington County staff and partners presented final draft agreements intended to modernize cooperative library governance, define base service levels and clarify how pooled funds will be allocated and reported.
Lisa Cabisol, cooperative library services manager, said the package includes a perpetual governance agreement to clarify decision‑making roles and a five‑year cooperative operating agreement that ties to levy dates (07/01/2026–06/30/2031). "The goal is to have everything signed by June 30 so we can get funding out the door in July," Cabisol said.
Key updates in the operating agreement include clearer definitions of base service levels (for example, open hours and closures), allowable uses of funds, a fund balance target of three months of operating expenditures for the cooperative, updated IT and data‑protection language that addresses generative AI, and accountability and reporting expectations for partners.
Commissioners and some city partners urged clearer communication during asynchronous reviews, asked for a map of service boundaries in the final packet, and requested additional detail on the timing and staffing for the planned central collections project. Staff said they are hiring a collections and technical services manager and are targeting central ordering in July 2027.
No vote was taken. Staff will return to the board at a May 12 work session to capture any refinements and bring an action item on May 26 to authorize contract signatures and the funding allocation process.
