Meeting Minutes
Multnomah County Library Bond Oversight Committee
December 16, 2025
4:00 - 6:00 pm | Albina Library
Committee Members Present
Alexia Wellons, Ana Brophy (virtual), Courtney Rosenthal, David Hoang, Marelea Lutino (virtual), Michael Armstrong, Nicole Pexton (virtual), Randall Edwards, Rosie McGown, Susan Aldrich
Staff Present
Annie Lewis, Library Director; Kate Vance, PMO Deputy Director-DCA; Katie O’Dell, PMO Deputy Director-Library; Maddelyn High, Library Director’s Assistant / Committee Staff Support; Mike Day, Bond PMO Director; Tracey Massey, Director-DCA (virtual)
Welcome
Committee Chair Nicole Pexton welcomed folks to the meeting, and attendees and guests introduced themselves.
Public Comment
Public comment was requested for submission via email ahead of the meeting. No known emails came in for public comment, and no members of the public submitted comments during the meeting.
Committee Business
There were no corrections to the minutes for the September 16, 2025 meeting.
Pexton disclosed that she is launching a campaign for Multnomah County Auditor for 2027 (at which time, this committee will no longer exist).
Committee members discussed the coming calendar year (2026), during which all remaining bond buildings should be complete and open. The committee’s Fiscal Year 2026 report, delivered in late 2026 or in early 2027, will likely be its last, although the county’s fiscal year close-out activities will still be taking place. The committee may choose to convene (ad hoc) in the spring of 2027 in order to receive results of the Fiscal Year 2026 bond audit (which should be available in March or April 2027).
Library Systemwide Updates
Library Director Annie Lewis highlighted several recent systemwide updates for the library, including:
- FY27 budget planning is in the works, with all county departments in the process of developing base budgets. The county and the library expect to face a deficit (due primarily to decreasing downtown commercial property tax receipts), and will go through budget balancing – with the goal of minimizing impacts to direct services as much as possible.
- A reminder that the new Northwest Library opening celebration is on January 10.
- MCL staffing realignment work continues in order to staff new spaces – the library is about halfway through these transitions, and the first group of staff will begin arriving at the new East County Library in January to prepare for opening.
- In the realm of library collections, the closure of a large book distributor, Baker and Taylor, is shifting orders from libraries across the country to Ingram (another major vendor) and causing a backlog. This is resulting in a delay of receipt of new library materials, which has the potential to impact opening day collections – although library staff are working to mitigate this.
- The conclusion of MCL’s 2023-2025 strategic plan, and the beginning of the planning phase for the library’s next public-facing strategic planning.
- The recent adoption of a new firearms ordinance by the Board of County Commissioners, which applies to most library buildings.
- A recent patron survey on weapons detection at Central Library received ~2,600 responses. Analysis is with the Chair and COO for final review. The library is also currently testing a vapor sensor product that detects illicit drugs in restrooms, and bond funds are allowed to cover installation if the pilot is successful.
- The selection and announcement of the 2026 Everybody Reads title: Lovely One, by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s. A full line-up of programming begins in January.
Annual Report
The committee discussed the draft of its third annual report (for Fiscal Year 2025), after having received the draft ahead of time via email. Using Google Docs, the committee results comments, made minor edits, and discussed larger thematic edits.
Committee members expressed a desire to better tell the story of outcomes to demonstrate the impact of the bond program, in this report and the one that follows. Several committee members also wish to better understand and tie the impact of bond projects, once open and operational, to overall library values and goals. Discussion ensued about different possible survey tools and metrics, with a particular challenge around demographics (which the library isn’t able to collect for many measures).
To resolve remaining report comments and areas flagged for discussion, the committee will meet again – committee liaison Maddelyn High will send a poll for a second meeting in January, during which the committee can approve the FY25 report.
Bond Implementation Update
PMO Deputy Director-DCA Kate Vance shared a very brief update on recent bond activities; and committee members and staff talked through a recent construction management waste audit.
Action Items + Closing
The meeting adjourned at 6:07 pm.