Woodland Library security continues for another year

Service meant to head off trouble from transients

People who drive or walk past the Woodland Public Library either late at night or early morning may experience extreme “ear pain” caused by a high-frequency pulse that pierces the air every few seconds.

It’s an uncomfortable experience but needed to keep transients away from the building and off the property at night.

But the electronic noise is turned off during the day and to keep transients at bay a security guard is needed.

The security doesn’t mean people aren’t welcome in the library — particularly during the pandemic when the building has been closed or operating at limited capacity. But it does mean those allowed inside must obey the rules, not bother others or spend excessive time using a restroom.

The security personnel isn’t cheap. On Tuesday, the Woodland City Council approved continuing a contract with Allied Universal Security Services for $105,665.

The action was taken as part of the council’s consent calendar, meaning there was no debate, although Councilman Rich Lansburgh asked if library staff had seen an increase or decrease in incidents over the past year to determine the effectiveness of the guard, who usually spends time patrolling the grounds or inside the building.

City Manager Ken Hiatt said the security was added in 2017 in response to what he called “significant issues” staff was regularly having with individuals “beyond the scope of their normal duties.”

Hiatt said that the most recent reports indicated incidents had dropped from around 100 a year to between 20 and 25. The COVID-19 pandemic has “skewed” the numbers a bit, he added, but even so there seems to have been less vandalism on the building and property.

Now that Fourth & Hope has been relocated out of downtown, he continued, it’s possible problems may continue dropping since transients and the homeless frequented the mission for meals and sleeping places and would then fan out in the downtown areas at other times.

Councilwoman Victoria Fernandez said she had attended a Jan. 11 meeting of the Library’s board of directors and that they had said security was “crucial” for staff to do its work. “I feel they appreciate our ability to provide that security for them,” she said.

The initial term of the Security Professional Services Agreement with Allied Universal began in November of fiscal year 2017-18. This “second amendment” approved by the council, covers the November 2020 to October 2021 billing period.

The approved Library budget will accommodate this funding and no additional appropriations are needed.