Baldwin Library Contract Sent to Bloomfield Hills Voters

is one step closer to a service-sharing contract with Bloomfield Hills after a millage request for the general election ballot was approved by the Bloomfield Hills City Commission Tuesday night.

Bloomfield Hills is seeking approval of a .39-mill levy that will give Bloomfield Hills residents borrowing services and broader use of the Baldwin Public Library. An agreement reached last month following months of negotiations calls for Bloomfield Hills to pay Baldwin $268,681 during the first year.

That figure would increase in successive years by 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. The initial figure was based on an average household cost of $180.44 per year, multiplied by the 1,489 households in the city. The .39-millage proposal was drafted to meet that funding level, officials said.

For Baldwin, a contract with Bloomfield Hills means even more. According to Baldwin Library Director Doug Koschik, a contract with Bloomfield Hills — at the price set by the library board — would allow the library to return to its full 67-hour weekly schedule. Under the 2011-12 budget, adopted by the city May 23, Baldwin was looking to move to a 62-hour week due to budget constraints.

No members of the public present Tuesday addressed the tax levy. If the measure passes, residents could start using the library as early as Nov. 15 of this year. They would begin paying the millage costs on their July 2012 tax bills.

Last November, voters defeated a proposal to renew the city's contract with the . Bloomfield Hills' roughly 4,000 residents have been without a library of their own for seven years.

City Attorney William Hampton told commissioners they needed to  approve the language Tuesday to meet the Oakland County Clerk office's ballot deadline by the third week of August. He also told the commission about a few changes to the general agreement the two cities would be engaging in.

"The agreement cannot be terminated for the first three years, after that there will be a six-month termination clause," he said. "The management at Baldwin will also provide us statistical information about (Bloomfield Hills) residents' use of their facilities."

City Manager Jay Cravens added that the wording of the agreement was altered to reflect that residents would be able to utilize all library services and collections, including music and DVDs as well as books.

City Commissioner Patricia Hardy said the Baldwin Library Board has said Bloomfield Hills residents are welcome to visit the Baldwin Public Library to look at their collections and assess the value of the institution for themselves.

The commission also voted to give Mayor Michael Zambricki and Hampton fast-track authority to put together an agreement with the Baldwin Public Library Board in the meantime. If voters reject the proposal, the agreement will be null and void.