MOORPARK LIBRARY MAY TURN A NEW PAGE FACILITY COULD BREAK AWAY FROM THE COUNTY'S SYSTEM.

Byline: Daily News

MOORPARK - City Council members agreed this week to hire a consultant to explore the feasibility of withdrawing from the Ventura County Library System and possibly operating the city's 7,500-square-foot library independently.

No decision has been made as to whether to break away from the library system, but there has been a lot of interest, said Mayor Pro Tem Clint Harper.

City leaders said they wanted to explore the situation because of the county systems financial constraints.

``There's a lot of inequities around the district,'' said Harper, who sits on the Library Services Commission. ``We can do a better job on our own.

``Our money is being taken away to support the district. There is no financial reason for us to stay, as far as I'm concerned. We're quite convinced that the analysis will show we can run the library more effectively and put more money in than what the county does.''

The city budgets $600,000 annually to be a part of the county district. Some of the ideas being thrown out are forming a library system with Moorpark College or possibly the Moorpark Unified School District.

The consultant will review the financial, operational and legal issues associated with the possible breakup.

City officials have been discussing the issue on and off for the past year. The decision, however, comes on the heels of a county Board of Supervisors decision to change how the library system is funded.

Unincorporated property tax revenues are being diverted to help sustain the neediest and most financially troubled branches.

The funding method could cost the Moorpark library about $70,000 annually, officials said.