County library officials plead their case for system support

With a public hearing looming next week in front of the Lincoln County Commissioners on creating a library district, officials have held three meetings to state their case for its support.

The public hearing will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Libby.

The commissioners are currently accepting written public comments regarding the library through Monday, March 4. They may be sent to  Lincoln County Clerk & Recorder Corrina Brown by email at cbrown@libby.org or by mail to 512 California Ave., Libby, MT 59923.

The county commissioners unanimously approved on Jan. 31 a resolution to form a library district and have it placed on the ballot for the June 4 primary election.

Library officials hosted the meetings in Libby, Troy and Eureka in the middle of last month. Alyssa Ramirez, director of the Libby branch, explained the reasons for seeking a district and answering questions from about three dozen people. Library trustee Mandy Gassman and District 1 Commissioner Brent Teske also answered questions.

Ramirez acknowledged the commissioners are in a tough spot.

“One of the big issues is that in 1986, Initiative 105 froze county property tax levels. They can only be increased at one-half the rate of inflation for the three prior years,” Ramirez said. “That really limits what can be done.”

The inflationary rate measure was approved in 2001.

The county library system was formed nearly 104 years ago and supported by county property owners. But the collapse of the lumber industry combined with rising costs, such as salaries and health insurance, has led library officials and commissioners to seek a different way to fund the system.

Money from federal sources, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund, and cuts to the library ($17,000) and sheriff’s office ($191,000) allowed the county to balance its fiscal year 2023-24 budget. Before it, the deficit was $1.6 million. But the last of the ARPA money, $800,000, was used last year.

“We reached out to the state and they felt forming a district was the best route,” Ramirez said. “If the taxpayers approve it, we’d be just as transparent.”

The library system considered forming an independent district nearly a decade ago. Former director Rick Ball sought the change in 2015 to, “ensure stable funding for the libraries, especially in the face of shrinking county budgets.”

Library Board Committee Chair Barb Hvizdak said Ball resigned in October 2017 and there was no further discussion regarding a levy.

But costs have increased and with timber receipts crashing in the county and other factors, the library budget is now $540,000.

"It was the commissioners who first brought up the idea of a dedicated levy request or library district as a consistent revenue stream for the library," Hvizdak said.

Ramirez explained that if the matter appears on the June 4 primary election ballot and is approved by voters, the current 3.49 mill levy would cease to exist.

During the previous fiscal year, the county also gave the library system $250,000 to operate.

Library officials are seeking a 13.49 mill levy to pay for running the three branches.

“It would allow us to expand our hours of operation, address the shortcomings of our facilities and have more staff,” Ramirez said. “The $17,000 that was cut last year meant we couldn’t get newer books and what’s a library without books?”

Ramirez also said if the library system has to cut hours, it may not meet Montana standards and that could mean the loss of $14,000 in Lincoln County.

District 3 Commissioner Josh Letcher previously said having the libraries form their own district would be a huge benefit to the county.

“In addition to the 3.49 voter approved mills that helps fund the libraries, they also receive $250,000 from the county,” Letcher said. “To get that back would be a huge benefit to the county because without it, we’d have to look at cutting services.”

If voters approve the mill levy, it would increase the annual tax on a $200,000 home about $36.42. For a $300,000 home, the annual cost would be $54.

Ramirez also explained that the library’s five-member board wouldn’t change.

“It’s an all-volunteer board that isn’t paid,” she said. “There are other Montana communities doing this, too. It’s been done in Polson, Ronan, Stevensville and north Jefferson County. We’d be the first county-wide district in the state.”

Ramirez said she talked to the people in Polson who run their facility. She said they told her they were better prepared for the future because they knew what their funding is and they could make plans for the future, such as putting a new roof on the building.

One man asked what would happen if more money was needed in the future. 

“The 13.49 mills would be the maximum we’re seeking and that’s because we’re looking at what we need to spend on deferred maintenance costs,” Ramirez said.

Another person asked if the library system isn’t part of the county where does it stand in terms of access to an auditor, attorney, IT, human resources and maintenance.

“We factored that and we’d likely contact with outside entities to handle those responsibilities,” Ramirez said. “Human Resources doesn’t spend much time on us and we already struggle with maintenance on the computers because the county only has one IT person.”

Some asked if the county would give the system the buildings it currently operates.

Ramirez said there are options, such as gifting or leasing. Teske said it’s a decision that would be made following the vote. 

Ramirez also said if the system became its own district, the board would prefer to honor contracts that exist now when it comes to health insurance and the retirement system.

“We’re taking money from other budgets to pay for it (library) and we’ve been pushing them toward this, but no one wants to see the library close,” Teske said. 

“Our attendance levels are getting back to pre-Covid levels,” she said. “We had more than 50,000 visitors to our three libraries in 2023, so we believe we are a vital part of the community,” Ramirez said.