County won't renegotiate library contract with Ashland
Source: By Damian Mann, Mail Tribune (OR)September 07, 2007 6:00 AM
Negotiations to reopen libraries are complicated enough, so Jackson County commissioners determined Thursday they won't renegotiate a separate existing contract with Ashland to allow it to take over its own branch building in the future.
Commissioner C.W. Smith said renegotiating the Ashland agreement would be a major departure as the county discusses outsourcing the operation of all 15 branches with Library Systems and Services LLC (known by the acronym LSSI), a Maryland-based library management company.
....... Bennett's memo to the county outlined 20 issues the city has with the LSSI contract.
The city wants LSSI to comply with its living wage law and is willing to pay extra to ensure this is accomplished. The letter also asks the county to make sure it can terminate the contract if a special district is approved by voters in 2008.
Bennett asked the county to negotiate termination clauses at each of the branches in case one community becomes dissatisfied with LSSI's services.