Valley to vote on annexing to library district

For some Spokane Valley residents, annexation is a dirty word. They shudder at the memory of the city of Spokane wanting to absorb parts of the Valley into its fold.

But the annexation issue on the ballots voters are receiving by mail is asking a different question. Should the city of Spokane Valley annex to the Spokane County Library District? Answering yes will streamline the way residents receive library services, returning them to the system that directly served them for more than 60 years. Answering no keeps the power to negotiate the library contract in the Valley City Council’s hands, a power some council members have said they’re ready to relinquish.

Annexation “only makes sense,” Councilman Mike Flanigan said.

When Spokane Valley incorporated in 2003, residents were automatically withdrawn from the district.

It became the council’s job to provide library services, if it wanted to, either through a city library or by contracting with an existing system. The council chose the latter and negotiated a contract with the district.

Although library patrons probably saw little difference in service, the behind-the-scenes challenge to reach a contract was grueling.

For two years, the council and the district didn’t agree on how to calculate the value of the contract, even when those dollar figures weren’t far apart.

Last year, the council opened the contract up to competition from the private and public sectors. From the beginning of cityhood, council members said competition was something with which they would experiment when trying to get services for the best price on a variety of contracts. But the idea of possibly privatizing the library angered citizens who’d consistently given the district high marks.

The council eventually awarded the contract to the district, but the issue was a political nightmare, with citizens waving signs that read “Save our library” on the streets.

In March, the council voted to put annexation on the ballot, allowing citizens to decide the future of library services.

If annexation passes, citizens won’t pay a higher library tax. Instead, the 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value they pay now will go directly to the district rather than to the city.

Most cities the district serves have annexed to it over the years.

The exceptions are Airway Heights, which contracts with the district, and Liberty Lake, which opened a city library after it incorporated.

Annexation doesn’t have to be permanent. The council can call an election after the first three years of annexation if it wants to leave the district.

Some voters who enjoy going to the polls might have been surprised to receive a mail-in ballot. Counties are required to hold mail-in-only elections once every two years to verify addresses. Spokane County chose the May election to fulfill that requirement.

Ballots must be postmarked by May 17.

Or, voters can drop them off ahead of time in Spokane, at the auditor’s office in the Spokane County Courthouse, 1116 W. Broadway Ave. in Spokane, or at the elections office, 1033 W. Gardner Ave. On election day, voters can bring ballots to the Valley library branch, 12004 E. Main Ave.

Throughout the debate over the library’s fate only one citizen has spoken publicly against annexation.

Annexation supporter Mayo Sayrs said she’s not concerned about people not agreeing that library annexation is best, but she worries that the word “annexation” will confuse or scare people.

“I’m not sure that it’s clear to everybody what it means,” she said.

“If you don’t understand or don’t think it’s important, (the ballot) might get thrown into the garbage.”

But the issue is important, said Sayrs, a Friends of the Valley Library director.

“The district has done a good job, and we’d like them to continue without interruption,” she said.