After slow-moving negotiations on the lease for the Grants Pass branch library, Josephine County and the Josephine Community Library District have finally set a meeting to talk about the issue.
The meeting was announced on Thursday, just one day before the threatened cancellation of the lease for the building at 200 NW C Street. It is set for next Tuesday, February 11th, at 1 p.m..
In a move that shocked the community, the Board of Commissioners voted on January 6th to terminate the lease with the library district with 30 days' notice. Josephine County has yet to officially notify the library of the lease termination.
A January 8th Josephine County press release noted that the County and the library had a "framework" for renegotiation. The agenda item for next week's meeting is titled "Consideration of Lease Termination for County-Owned Real Property."
Attorneys for the district reached out to the Commissioners on January 22nd and again on January 31st to schedule a meeting. Until now, the County had provided no guidance on when negotiations would take place.
JCLD Board Chair Gina Marie Agosta said they are encouraged that the County has finally scheduled a meeting and they look forward to having an opportunity to negotiate in good faith. She said this process should have begun weeks ago, but they remain committed to finding a solution that keeps the library open for the thousands of patrons who rely on it.
Library leaders say they are eager to begin negotiations with an eye toward extending the lease for another 10 years or until such time as the library moves into its own building. Community members are encouraged to attend the February 11th meeting or continue making their voices heard by contacting the Commissioners at "bcc@josephinecounty.gov."
