Council Considers Placing KCLS Library Annexation on Ballot in Tonight's Meeting

Two resolutions and one ordinance -- all related to a potential ballot item in the April elections putting to voters whether or not the city library should annex into King County Library System -- come before the Enumclaw City Council tonight.

While the issue is not a new one to the council or to library patrons, tonight's meeting has the benefit of having a full draft of the transfer agreement with KCLS available for council and public review. (click here and scroll to page 47 to view the agreement)

City administrator Mike Thomas summed up the main points of the agreement in his report to council. Among them:

• Should voters pass the annexation, KCLS assumes full control and operation of the library as of June 1 this year.
• KCLS will offer employment to current library staff who are interested in employment. Terms and conditions would be set forth in an agreement between KCLS and the employees' union AFSCME.
• KCLS will operate the library similarly to how it operates other librarys: six days a week for between 50 to 60 hours per week. The library this year is operating to 36 hours per week.
• The city retains ownership of the underlying property and through a ground lease grants KCLS a 50-year right to occupy and maintain the improvements. 
• If the library property ceases to be used as a library it would revert back to the city.
• KCLS would retain and maintain a permanent collection of historical books unique to Enumclaw.

The city council but due to and calling for the city to slow down and consider other ways to fund the city library, the . However, the for administration to continue exploring a KCLS annextion.

The Library Board meeting last June asking for public input.

And this past fall as the council approved the 2012 city budget, it voted to fund the library for just this current year outside the general fund and , a city fund intended to be used for maintenance of the city's real estate.

Acknowledging that this method of funding is unsustainable, the question of annexation again comes before the council tonight. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall and is also televised on ECTV Channel 21.