Council approves extension of MOA to provide joint library services

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown City Council unanimously approved on Monday, Feb. 6, a second one-year extension to the memorandum of agreement between Stutsman County and the city of Jamestown to provide joint library services.

If the Stutsman County Commission approves the extension, it would extend by one year the date each entity may provide a notice of intent to withdraw to March 3, 2024. The city attorney will also be directed to write the extension of the memorandum of agreement.

The City Council unanimously approved an amendment that states the mayor is directed to inform the county commission of the city’s intention to withdraw from the memorandum of agreement if the commission chooses not to approve the extension by Feb. 22.

The extension of the memorandum of agreement is on the county commission’s agenda for its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 7.

The memorandum of agreement will automatically extend another five years in March if a one-year extension when either entity can provide a notice of intent to withdraw is not approved by both parties or if a notice of intent to withdraw is not provided by either entity.

“So that means it would be by March, it would be seven years we would live with that MOA,” Mayor Dwaine Heinrich said. “So quite frankly, I’m hoping the county does approve the extension so this is not a factor. To notify them of the intention doesn’t mean that we will or they will, but it would trigger that something substantial would have to happen.”

He said there are a lot of concerns that the James River Valley Library System Board of Directors is not functioning in a proper fashion.

“That’s not what we want. We don’t want that to go on forever,” he said. “What we want is a board that can work together and do what they are charged to do in the MOA.”

If the city of Jamestown and Stutsman County separated from the memorandum of agreement, Heinrich said the county would operate its own library and bookmobile.

“ I don’t envision that being the case,” he said. “I just think we are doing this as something we have to do because of the fact of the agreement that we have and we don’t want status quo for another seven years. … I’m very hopeful the county will extend this for a year.”