Millwood voters to have say in library measure
The Spokane County Library District scored an initial victory Monday in its pursuit for funding a new Spokane Valley facility.
The Millwood Town Council voted 5-1 to include Millwood in the proposed Library Capital Facility Area boundary. This action allows Millwood voters to participate in the March 11 election for the proposed $33 million project.
During a presentation to the council, Ann Apperson, board chair for the Spokane County Library District, highlighted key points SCLD director Michael Wirt made in a presentation in July.
“We understand Millwood residents have concerns to be involved in this overall plan,” said Apperson “We have figured the money Millwood would raise through the bonds would not quite cover the expansion of the Argonne Library, meaning the voters here, if they vote yes, would help fund this branch alone. So in a sense we’re not asking Millwood to pay for other projects.”
According to information from the district, Millwood’s portion is 2.7 percent of the estimated assessed valuation. SCLD estimates the Argonne expansion to cost more than $1 million, $899,260 of which is expected to be financed by Millwood.
The district plans to expand the size of the Argonne branch by 25 percent. It additionally proposes a new 58,600 square-foot Spokane Valley facility and a new Greenacres branch.
Apperson said that in 1996, about 75 percent of Millwood residents said their primary library is the Argonne branch.
In other news, the council unanimously approved the expanded addendum to the original 25-year gas franchise contract with Avista Utilities.
Town attorney Brian Werst and Avista’s regional business manager, Patty Shea, highlighted key changes made to the original agreement to council.
“We started with a very basic franchise ordinance,” said Werst. “I took the liberty of expanding it to add protection for the town.”
The changes reflect adding stipulations for risk or indemnity allocations, insurance and bond requirements, and detailing a dispute resolution process.
“It was very much a collaborative effort,” said Shea. “We are honored to serve you and we’ve been serving you gas for 26 years. We’re looking forward to being your partner for another 25 years.”
Chief Larry Ryder from the Spokane Valley Fire Department presented tax levy lid lift information to the Council.
“We’re taking it to the voters November 6,” said Ryder. “We’re here tonight to give you information and not to solicit anything.”
The fire district is projecting the need for $11 million for capital facility projects over the next six years.
Another presentation to council by John Driscoll, executive director of Project Access, identified how Millwood supported the project’s services over the past year and further asked the council to increase its support to $4,500 in 2008.
Project Access provides health care to the low-income and uninsured residents of Spokane County by providing a charity network of physicians and hospitals.
The council further agreed to put the ordinance of becoming a city on the next agenda in November.