H-3230.1          _______________________________________________

 

                                  HOUSE BILL 2342

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

 

By Representatives Ludwig, Neher, Bray, Horn and Grant

 

Read first time 01/15/92.  Referred to Committee on Local Government.Changing provisions relating to board of library trustees.


     AN ACT Relating to libraries; and amending RCW 27.12.050, 27.12.130, 27.12.190, and 27.12.420.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

     Sec. 1.  RCW 27.12.050 and 1973 1st ex.s. c 195 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

     After the board of county commissioners has declared a rural county library district established, it shall appoint ((a)) an initial board of library trustees and provide funds for the establishment and maintenance of library service for the district by making a tax levy on the property in the district of not more than fifty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value per year sufficient for the library service as shown to be required by the budget submitted to the board of county commissioners by the board of library trustees, and by making a tax levy in such further amount as shall be authorized pursuant to RCW 27.12.222 or RCW 84.52.052 or 84.52.056.  Such levies shall be a part of the general tax roll and shall be collected as a part of the general taxes against the property in the district.

 

     Sec. 2.  RCW 27.12.130 and 1959 c 133 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

     Immediately following the establishment of an intercounty rural library district the boards of county commissioners of the counties affected shall jointly appoint ((a)) an initial board of five or seven trustees for the district in accordance with RCW 27.12.190.  The board of trustees shall appoint a librarian for the district.

 

     Sec. 3.  RCW 27.12.190 and 1982 c 123 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

     The management and control of a library shall be vested in a board of either five or seven trustees as hereinafter in this section provided.  In cities and towns five trustees shall be appointed by the mayor with the consent of the legislative body.  In counties, rural county library districts, and island library districts, five trustees shall initially be appointed by the board of county commissioners.  In a regional library district a board of either five or seven trustees shall initially be appointed by the joint action of the legislative bodies concerned.  In intercounty rural library districts a board of either five or seven trustees shall initially be appointed by the joint action of the boards of county commissioners of each of the counties included in a district.  The first appointments for boards comprised of but five trustees shall be ((for terms of one, two, three, four, and five years respectively, and thereafter a trustee shall be appointed annually to serve for five years)) until the next nonpartisan primary for three trustees and until the next subsequent nonpartisan primary for two trustees.  Thereafter trustees shall be elected to four-year terms as provided in chapter 29.21 RCW.  The first appointments for boards comprised of seven trustees shall be ((for terms of one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven years respectively, and thereafter a trustee shall be appointed annually to serve for seven years)) until the next nonpartisan primary for four trustees and until the next subsequent nonpartisan primary for three trustees.  Thereafter trustees shall be elected to four-year terms as provided in chapter 29.21 RCW.  No person shall be appointed to any board of trustees for more than two consecutive terms.  Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms as soon as possible in the manner in which members of the board are ((regularly)) initially chosen.

     A library trustee shall not receive a salary or other compensation for services as trustee, but necessary expenses actually incurred shall be paid from the library funds.

     A library trustee in the case of a city or town may be removed only by vote of the legislative body.  ((A trustee of a county library, a rural county library district library, or an island library district library may be removed for just cause by the county commissioners after a public hearing upon a written complaint stating the ground for removal, which complaint, with a notice of the time and place of hearing, shall have been served upon the trustee at least fifteen days before the hearing.  A trustee of an intercounty rural library district may be removed by the joint action of the board of county commissioners of the counties involved in the same manner as provided herein for the removal of a trustee of a county library.))

 

     Sec. 4.  RCW 27.12.420 and 1982 c 123 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

     Immediately following the establishment of an island library district, the board of county commissioners shall appoint ((a)) an initial board of library trustees for the district in accordance with RCW 27.12.190.  The board of trustees shall appoint a librarian for the district.

     Funds for the establishment and maintenance of the library service of the district shall be provided by the board of county commissioners by means of an annual tax levy on the property in the district of not more than fifty cents per thousand dollars of assessed value per year.  The tax levy shall be based on a budget to be compiled by the board of trustees of the island library district who shall determine the tax rate necessary and certify their determination to the board of county commissioners.

     Excess levies authorized pursuant to RCW 27.12.222, 84.52.052, or 84.52.056 shall be at a rate determined by the board of trustees of the island library district and certified to the board of county commissioners.