DATE: November 3, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sally Gomez, County Librarian
SUBJECT: Memorandum of Understanding with Friends of the Fresno County Public Library, Acting Through its Clovis Chapter, and the Fresno County Public Library
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Friends of the Fresno County Public Library, acting through its Clovis Chapter (Clovis FOL), for the installation, display, operation, maintenance, and removal of a large FOL-owned aquarium at the new Clovis Regional Library, effective upon execution for an initial three-year term, with two automatic one-year extensions ($0).
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost (NCC) associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended actions will allow Friends of the Fresno County Public Library, acting through its Clovis chapter (Clovis FOL), to install, display, operate, and maintain an FOL-owned aquarium at the new Clovis Regional Library in accordance with the MOU. Clovis FOL will be responsible for the costs associated with the aquarium as provided in the MOU, while the Library will provide the display area and ordinary electrical and water service. This item pertains to a location in District 5.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may choose not to approve the MOU. If the recommended action is not approved, Clovis FOL would not be authorized under the proposed MOU to install and display the aquarium at the new Clovis Regional Library.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no NCC associated with the recommended action. Under the MOU, Clovis FOL will be responsible for costs associated with the aquarium, including installation, operation, maintenance, repairs, insurance, relocation, and removal. The Library will provide the display area and ordinary electrical and water service. Any associated utility costs will be absorbed within the Library’s Org 7515 FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget and will be incorporated into future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
Clovis FOL, part of the umbrella Friends of the Fresno County Public Library, a nonprofit organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3), was formed in 1980 by a group of concerned citizens to serve as a link between the Library and the community and to raise money for special projects.
The Library is dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities by providing opportunities to connect, grow, and be inspired. The Clovis Regional Library is an integral part of the Library’s mission and its direct physical presence in the City of Clovis. Both Clovis FOL and the Library have a common goal of making the new Clovis Regional Library a centerpiece for the community and a focal point of unique and inspirational design. To further support this goal, the proposed MOU would allow for the addition of an onsite aquarium to further enhance the facility, engage its residents and enliven the imagination of the residents that call Clovis home.
The new Clovis Regional Library is currently under construction and is tentatively scheduled for completion in Spring 2027. The Department of Public Works and Planning (PWP) is administering the capital project and coordinating improvements and features incorporated into the facility, including coordination related to the proposed aquarium installation.
Clovis FOL will provide and install a large, 12-foot-long, FOL-owned aquarium to be displayed at the Clovis Regional Library in coordination with PWP. Clovis FOL will retain ownership of the aquarium and will be responsible for the aquarium, livestock, decorations, equipment, and related materials in accordance with the MOU. Clovis FOL, through its approved vendor(s), will maintain and clean the aquarium to ensure it remains suitable for use and complies with applicable building or health code requirements.
The Library will provide the display area and ordinary electrical and water service.
Approval of the MOU will establish the respective responsibilities of Clovis FOL and the Library for the installation, display, operation, maintenance, relocation, and removal of the aquarium.
This MOU differs from the County’s standard contract in that it requires only Commercial General Liability insurance coverage with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and a $2,000,000 aggregate. Risk Management has reviewed the insurance provisions. The Library has determined that this coverage level is reasonable given the nature and scope of the MOU and that the benefits provided outweigh the risk.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - MOU with Clovis FOL
CAO ANALYST:
Mary Lu Valencia