AN ACT Relating to modifying the appointment process for trustees and the selection process for librarians of rural county library districts in counties with one million or more residents; amending RCW 27.12.190 and 27.12.210; and adding new sections to chapter 27.12 RCW.

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

Sec. 1.  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, except as provided in section 2 of this act, five trustees shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners. In a regional library district a board of either five or seven trustees shall 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 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. 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. 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 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.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 27.12 RCW to read as follows:

In any county with an adopted home rule charter and one million or more residents, the board of trustees of a rural county library district will be made up of nine members who are nominated by the county legislative authority, appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the county legislative authority. Members shall be residents of either those cities or towns that, through annexation, have become part of the rural county library district or areas of unincorporated King county, and that represent the geographic diversity of the library district.

The composition of an initial nine-member rural county library district board of trustees will comprise the existing five trustees, who will serve out their existing terms, and four new trustees, whose positions shall have initial terms of one, two, three, and four years respectively. Thereafter a trustee shall be appointed to serve for seven years to fill each expired term.

Sec. 3.  RCW 27.12.210 and 2011 c 336 s 703 are each amended to read as follows:

The trustees, immediately after their appointment or election, shall meet and organize by the election of such officers as they deem necessary. They shall:

(1) Adopt such bylaws, rules, and regulations for their own guidance and for the government of the library as they deem expedient;

(2) Have the supervision, care, and custody of all property of the library, including the rooms or buildings constructed, leased, or set apart therefor;

(3) Except as provided in section 4 of this act, select and employ a librarian, and upon his or her recommendation employ such other assistants as may be necessary, all in accordance with the provisions of RCW ((27.08.010, prescribe their duties, fix their compensation, and)) 27.04.055;

(4) Prescribe the duties and fix the compensation of the librarian and any assistants, and have the ability to remove them for cause;

(((4))) (5) Submit annually to the legislative body a budget containing estimates in detail of the amount of money necessary for the library for the ensuing year; except that in a library district the board of library trustees shall prepare its budget, certify the same and deliver it to the board of county commissioners in ample time for it to make the tax levies for the purpose of the district;

(((5))) (6) Have exclusive control of the finances of the library;

(((6))) (7) Accept such gifts of money or property for library purposes as they deem expedient;

(((7))) (8) Lease or purchase land for library buildings;

(((8))) (9) Lease, purchase, or erect an appropriate building or buildings for library purposes, and acquire such other property as may be needed therefor;

(((9))) (10) Purchase books, periodicals, maps, and supplies for the library; and

(((10))) (11) Do all other acts necessary for the orderly and efficient management and control of the library.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 27.12 RCW to read as follows:

In any county with an adopted home rule charter and one million or more residents, the librarian of a rural county library district shall be selected through a process by which a majority of trustees recommends a candidate for librarian to the county executive, the county executive nominates the librarian candidate to the county legislative authority, and the county legislative authority confirms the nominated librarian.

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