The Santa Clarita City Council voted unanimously to approve taking control of the city’s library system back from a private company among other actions taken at their Tuesday meeting.

The council voted during their Jan. 9 meeting to end a contract with Library Systems and Services, LLC, and take over management of the Santa Clarita Public Libraries.

“This is huge, ladies and gentlemen,” said Councilman Bob Keller. “I personally am absolutely delighted that our city staff, as they do in so many departments and aspects in the management of our city, has taken constant review in looking for ways to improve services for the citizens of the city of Santa Clarita.”

The private company has been managing the Santa Clarita Public Library System for seven years, after the city voted to pull out of the Los Angeles County Public Library System.

The council authorized staff to proceed with the Santa Clarita Public Library transition to in-house operation and staffing, effective July 1, 2018, and to take all necessary administrative steps prior to that time to ensure readiness to serve the public as of July, according to the agenda.

A city report the said move to an “in-house” operation of the libraries would save almost $400,000 in the first year.

The Santa Clarita City Council also approved the purchase of 176 acres just north of the Tesoro del Valle community and north of the city border. The area would be preserved as open space by the city.

Santa Clarita City Council members voted Tuesday to use $1.55 million in funds from the city’s open space preservation district fund to buy the land for the development, said officials.

The $1.5 million being proposed would be used to purchase the property, as well as pay the $25,000 for title, escrow, taxes and due diligence costs, plus $30,000 for gates, fencing and signage.

“We became aware of the property a few years ago, when we tried to purchase the property at a bankruptcy auction, and it has been on our radar ever since,” said Carrie Luhan, public information officer for the city of Santa Clarita.

City Council members previously discussed purchasing the property in closed session on September 12. Subsequent negotiations between city officials and Tesorito representatives resulted in the purchase price to be considered Tuesday night.

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