Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council pauses Flag Room fee increase, keeps other library fee changes moving forward
Summary
After staff proposed eliminating late fees and revising room rental charges, the council expressed concern about raising the Flag Room rate for nonprofits and voted to suspend the fee increase portion of Schedule E while approving other library fee changes.
City manager Spence and Library Director Suzanne Harrell presented proposed changes to Library Fee Schedule E. Staff recommended eliminating late fees for adult collections (items more than 60 days overdue would be set to lost and charged the item's cost), reducing replacement card fees from $6 to $3, transferring copy/printer income to the Astor Library Friends Association, and establishing room rates: the Media Room would remain reservation-free, and the larger Flag Room would be $50/hour for nonprofits and $100/hour for private entities.
Councilors questioned the Flag Room fee increase, noting Astoria’s shortage of neutral meeting spaces and the bond-funded nature of the library project. Library Director Harrell said the fee recommendation came from the library advisory board and that director discretion would be used in cases of hardship; she offered that a sliding scale or waivers could be considered. Two public commenters — Lisa Morley and Andy Kipp — urged caution about charging community groups and asked for comparative data from other libraries. Following discussion, Councilor Adams moved to suspend the portion of Schedule E that increased Flag Room fees and send that piece back to staff and the library board for further work; the motion carried.
