The Oregonian (Portland, OR)
January 14, 2004

LIBRARY BACKERS SEEK COUNTY HELP

Author: STEVEN AMICK - The Oregonian

Edition: SUNRISE Section: SOUTH ZONER Page: E02 Dateline: OREGON CITY

Supporters of a plan to build a $3.5 million Estacada Public Library have asked the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners for help. In a work session with the board on Tuesday, Estacada school district and city officials proposed that the commissioners form a special district whose sole purpose would be to raise some of the construction money. Such a district would have the same boundaries as the Estacada School District. David Bugni, chairman of the Estacada School Board, said that a library district could sponsor a $1.9 million general obligation bond request on the November ballot. The money would be used for construction in combination with city funds, private donations, grants and money from other financing sources.

The city has a site and preliminary architectural plans for a 13,500-square-foot building that would replace the library's cramped 2,800-square-foot quarters in City Hall. The bonds would be paid off over the next 20 years from taxes on homes, farms, businesses and other real estate in the district at an annual rate of about 16 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, Bugni said. At that rate, the bonds would require taxes of about $32 per year from the owner of a $200,000 home. The district would be dissolved, he said, once the bonds are paid off. Backers of the proposed district could try to create it by asking voters who would be in the district to authorize it. Having the county form the district, they said, saves time and money and reduces the confusion that could be created by having both a district-formation measure and a bond measure on the ballot.

To provide enough time to prepare for the general election in November, Bugni asked the commissioners to consider the proposal and to tell the library backers what their decision about it is by March. To do that, the commissioners said, they need more information, including details about how such a district would operate and how it would affect the countywide library system. That system includes the county's main library and its branches as well as the municipal libraries of all the cities in the county that have their own libraries. Commissioner Larry Sowa asked whether a conflict could arise between the proposed construction bond measure and a countywide library operating levy commissioners are considering putting on the November ballot. The Estacada contingent assured the commissioners that support in their area for a new library and for library services in general is so high, voters who would approve the bond issue almost certainly would approve an operating levy, too.

Board chairman Bill Kennemer said it was also important that the other members of the countywide library system, which relies heavily on cooperation and shared resources, go along with Estacada's plan. "I just want to make sure we don't alienate some of our (library) partners in the process of helping one of our partners," Kennemer said.