Council Study Session
Regular MeetingMonterey, CA · April 24, 2019
Minutes
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
CITY OF MONTEREY
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
4:00 to 5:30 p.m.
FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS, 580 PACIFIC STREET
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
Councilmembers
Present: Councilmembers Albert, Haffa, Smith, Williamson, Roberson
Absent: None
City Staff City Manager, Interim Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Public Works
Present: Director, Community Development Director, Library Director, Public Works
Director, Acting City Clerk, Library Manager (2), Principal Planner,
Administrative Assistant II (Library)
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Roberson called the meeting to order at 4:06 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Mayor Roberson opened the floor for public comments on non-agendized matters. Nina Beety
said that she is disabled by electromagnetic sensitivity and has been denied numerous ADA
requests. She requested accommodations to access the City’s public buildings and collections
with reduced exposure to electromagnetic technology, and asked that the Library get a copy of
the Access Board’s 2005 recommendations for accommodating people with electromagnetic
sensitivity. With no further requests to speak, Mayor Roberson closed public comments.
STUDY SESSION
1. Adjourn to Joint Study Session of the City Council and Library Board of Trustees to Receive
Presentation on Library Facility Feasibility Study from Group 4 Architecture, Research +
Planning, Inc. (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378, and Under General
Rule Article 5, Section 15061) (Library - 306-01)
Action: Received presentation
Library Trustees
Present: Library Trustees Koenig (arrived at 4:37 p.m.), Moroh, Thomson, Widmar,
Petty
Absent: None
The City Council and Library Board of Trustees held a joint study session. Introductory
comments were made by Mayor Roberson, City Manager Uslar, and Library Board Chair Petty.
Dawn Merkes and David Schnee, Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning, Inc. (“Group 4”),
gave the presentation. They described the community’s current use of the Monterey Library,
library trends, and the concept of the Library of the Future. Library Trustee Koenig arrived at
4:37 p.m.
City Council Minutes Wednesday, April 24, 2019
The Library Board of Trustees spoke about the importance of the Library being an inclusive
place where people can get together, do their homework, and be a community. A concern was
raised about how the Library can preserve personal and community memories and offer more
access into digital history.
The Council shared their priorities for the Library. Priorities included: staff having appropriate
resources for working in the Library of the Future; providing mobile book services, especially for
those aged 1-18; hosting significant community events; maintaining properly managed meeting
spaces for the public; focusing on the holistic quality of life; regularly assessing who the
customer is and realizing that the Library can’t be everything for everyone; ensuring accessibility
to all; safeguarding inclusivity and respect for the homeless community; keeping the website up-
to-date and user-friendly; maintaining and creating spaces that allow students to collaborate and
be creative together; updating space and incorporating more vibrancy; and digitizing history and
making it easily accessible online. Questions were raised about how to expand, how to fund an
expansion, and whether the City could partner with the school district to tape into Measure I
funding. On question, Library Director Waite said that demand for physical books is still high,
along with audiobooks and electronic books.
The Group 4 consultants addressed questions about the Library’s space needs, opportunities
for expansion, and funding strategies. Library Director Waite referred to the Library’s
endowment fund as a resource. Challenges associated with the existing structure and site were
discussed.
It was stated by Council that Life-Safety and Building Systems repairs and upgrades would be a
top priority at a significant price tag. It was requested to have various options come back to
Council with associated prices and benefits. Proposed expansion “option 2” was praised, and
the opportunity to redesign the next-door parking lot was discussed.
ADJOURNMENT
The City Council and Library Board of Trustees adjourned at 5:33 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted, Approved,
Clementine Bonner Klein Clyde Roberson
Acting City Clerk Mayor
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Agenda
City Council
City Council Agenda
Clyde Roberson, Mayor
Study Session Meeting
Dan Albert, Councilmember
Alan Haffa, Councilmember
Monterey City Council
Ed Smith, Councilmember
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Tyller Williamson, Councilmember
4:00 to 5:30 p.m.
City Manager
Few Memorial Hall of Records
Hans Uslar
580 Pacific Street
Monterey, California
CALL TO ORDER
PUBLIC COMMENTS
PUBLIC COMMENTS allows you, the public, to speak for a maximum of three minutes on any
subject which is within the jurisdiction of the Monterey City Council and which is not on the
agenda. Any person or group desiring to bring an item to the attention of the City Council may do
so by addressing the Council during Public Comments or by addressing a letter of explanation to:
City Clerk, City Hall, Monterey, CA 93940. The appropriate staff person will contact the sender
concerning the details. NOTE: Public Comments are taken during the afternoon session and
continued at the evening session. Individuals may choose to speak once for up to three minutes at
either session, but not both.
STUDY SESSION
STUDY SESSION items are used to provide information to the City Council and answer their
questions to clarify issues. Study Sessions provide a setting for informal discussions between
staff, consultants, board, commission, committee members and the City Council regarding specific
programs, projects or policies. Council does not take formal action on the items.
1. Adjourn to Joint Study Session of the City Council and Library Board of Trustees to
Receive Presentation on Library Facility Feasibility Study from Group 4 Architecture,
Research + Planning, Inc.
Library Board of Trustees:
Bob Petty, Chair
Ralph Widmar, Vice-Chair
Lisa Koenig
Marsha Moroh
Jim Thomson
(Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378, and Under General Rule Article
5, Section 15061) (Library - 306-01)
ADJOURNMENT
Members of the public have the right to address the City Council on any item on the Agenda, before or
during its consideration [G.C. §54954.3(a)]. The Mayor will formally open the floor for public comment on
items such as "Public Appearance" and "Public Hearings." If you wish to speak to items in any other
categories, for example "Consent Agenda," please advise the City Clerk or the Mayor prior to the
Council's action on that item, and you will be recognized. Notification as much in advance as possible is
appreciated.
The City Council meeting packet may be reviewed by the public in the Library or the City Clerk's Office.
Any writings or documents pertaining to an open session item provided to a majority of the City Council
less than 72 hours prior to the meeting, shall be made available for public inspection at the front counter
at the City Clerk's Office, Room 6 at City Hall, Madison & Pacific Streets, Monterey, California 93940
during normal business hours
Information distributed to the Council at the Council meeting becomes part of the public record. A copy of
written material, pictures, etc. should be provided for this purpose.
City Council Meetings are cable cast live and videotaped for replay on Monterey's Government Access
Channel 25 by Access Monterey Peninsula (AMP).
CITY OF MONTEREY'S 24-HOUR SUGGESTION HOTLINES:
Voicemail: (831) 646-3799
FAX: (831) 646-3793
Email: suggest@monterey.org
WebPage: http://www.monterey.org
The City of Monterey is committed to including the disabled in all of its services, programs and
activities. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance
to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (831) 646-3935.
Notification 30 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements
to ensure accessibility to this meeting [28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II]. Later requests will
be accommodated to the extent feasible. For communication-related assistance, dial 711 to use
the California Relay Service (CRS) to speak to City offices. CRS offers free text-to-speech, speech-
to-speech, and Spanish-language services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you require a hearing
amplification device to attend a meeting, dial 711 to use CRS to talk to the City Clerk's Office at
(831) 646-3935 to coordinate use of a device.
MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE BY CALLING 646-3935
See Council Chamber seating chart online.
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