REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 28, 2025
FROM
MELANIE OROSCO, County Librarian, Library
SUBJECT
Title
Library Project and Use Agreement with the City of Yucaipa and Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District for the Construction of a Yucaipa Branch Library
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Library Project and Use Agreement between San Bernardino County, the City of Yucaipa, and Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District, for the contribution of $5,000,000 towards the construction and operation of a new Yucaipa Branch Library, for the term of January 28, 2025 through January 27, 2050.
(Presenter: Melanie Orosco, County Librarian, 387-2220)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the Library Project and Use Agreement (Agreement) between San Bernardino County, the City of Yucaipa, and Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The County Library (Library) shall contribute $4,000,000 towards construction of a new Yucaipa Branch Library (Project) and one million dollars $1,000,000 towards furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the Project, which the Library shall inventory annually. Adequate appropriation has been included in the Library’s 2024-25 budget and will be included in subsequent recommended budgets.
On February 27, 2024 (Item No. 31), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 24-171 with the City of Yucaipa to contribute funding from the Third District’s Priorities Program budget for the construction of the Project, in an amount not-to-exceed $1,000,000, for the contract term of February 27, 2024, through February 26, 2028. The funds from the Third District are separate from the $5,000,000 being approved via this Agreement.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The County originally built the Yucaipa Branch Library in 1969 and later expanded it to its current size of 11,717 square feet in 1987. The Yucaipa Branch Library has been modestly improved over the years; however, it largely remains as it was over 50 years ago when it served fewer than 10,000 residents. The County’s Library Master Facility Plan (MFP), published in 2001, addressed the deficiencies in the existing building and recommended construction of a new facility. The County recommended construction of a 25,000 square foot library to accommodate an estimated 60,000 residents by 2021. In 2009, the City of Yucaipa conducted a Library Needs Assessment Study, which, based the projected growth through 2030, similar to the County’s MFP, concluded that a larger facility would be necessary.
Today, the City of Yucaipa’s population is approximately 54,420. Development of a new library facility, which would serve the needs of the City of Yucaipa’s larger population, is estimated to cost approximately $19,000,000.
Under the Agreement, the County shall contribute $4,000,000 towards Project construction and $1,000,000 for furniture, fixtures, and equipment, which the Library shall inventory annually. Additional funding for the Project’s construction will come from a $9,000,000 grant awarded to the City of Yucaipa by California State Library Building Forward Library Infrastructure Program, a $3,000,000 contribution from the City of Yucaipa, $1,000,000 from the Third District’s Priorities Program budget, approved by the Board on February 27, 2024 (Item No. 31), and a $1,000,000 contribution from the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.
The Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District will provide a portion of District-owned real property located at 33002 Yucaipa Boulevard, in Yucaipa, for the Project.
Approval of this Agreement is the first step in securing the funding needed to complete this Project from the State Library Building Forward Library Infrastructure Program.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Daniella V. Hernandez, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 22, 2024; Real Estate Services (Lyle Ballard, Property Manager, 387-5252) on November 14, 2024; Finance (Elias Duenas, 387-4052, and Stephanie Maldonado, 387-4378, Administrative Analysts) on November 13, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Valerie Clay, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on November 13, 2024.