City council gives first OK to IGA with library district

By Cherry Sokoloski
Fossil Creek Current

By the end of this year, all city-owned library assets will officially become property of the new Fort Collins Regional Library District.

The transfer is the result of nearly a year's work on an intergovernmental agreement. The city council approved the first reading of the agreement with the district on Nov. 20. The second and final council vote is expected on Dec. 4. The Larimer County Commissioners are expected to ratify the document in early December.

The IGA, besides outlining the transfer of assets, also addresses how future library trustees will be selected. State library law dictates that these positions are not open to public election; rather, a slate of nominees must be ratified by two-thirds majority of both the city council and the county commissioners.

According to council member Ben Manvel, the council will make the procedure as open as possible by having a public application process. As with the original district board, application will be open to any resident, and a joint city/county committee will review the applications and recommend a slate to the governing bodies.

Under terms of the new IGA, the Main Library and much of Library Park will be transferred to the district. The city will retain ownership of the Carnegie Building, which houses the Fort Collins Museum. The city will also keep the former Poudre Valley Creamery properties on LaPorte Avenue, which were purchased several years ago as a site for a new library.

The new Southeast Branch Library will also be conveyed to the district upon its completion, as well as use of library impact fees needed to complete the new facility. In addition, revenues from Building on Basics that are designated for library technology will be transferred.

The city's rights and obligations regarding the Harmony Library will be assigned to the district. The Harmony building is owned by Front Range Community College.

All books, media materials, furnishings, technology, shelving and other personal property related to the library will become the property of the district. Library employees will become employees of the district by Dec. 31.

The library district was approved by voters in November 2006 and is funded with 3 mills of property tax.