The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
47°F
Current Conditions
Clear sky
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

Spokane Valley City Council considering potential new library

Twin sisters Elyce and Kendyn Stephens, age 15 months, participate in free-time play after the Spokane Valley Library story time on Friday, April 14, 2017. The library district purchased land across the street from the new Spokane Valley city hall from Spokane Valley for a new library, but voters have rejected the proposal. (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)
By Pia Hallenberg piah@spokesman.com(509) 459-5427

The Spokane Valley City Council still wants a library located across from the new City Hall on Sprague Avenue.

What is not clear is how to pay for the building.

The last two attempts at passing a $22 million Spokane County library bond, part of which would pay for the building, have failed.

But Spokane County Library District and Spokane Valley city staff and City Council members have been meeting to find a viable solution before the city has to buy back the $840,000 piece of land it sold to the district in 2012.

The Spokane County Library District, which manages the Spokane Valley Library, bought the land on one condition: The district could sell it back to the city if the bond didn’t pass.

That interlocal agreement sunsets in October.

“We have been in discussion with Spokane Valley about amending our agreement before it expires in October,” said Jane Baker, communication and development officer for the Spokane County Library District. “We are both in agreement that all parties want to improve libraries in Spokane Valley.”

In June, the district announced it was done campaigning for bonds, and on Aug. 30, Nancy Ledeboer, Spokane County Library District director, told the City Council the district would like to get its money back.

But Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins and several council members encouraged the district to continue to search for a way to build a new library.

In January, the City Council formed a committee to work with the library district.

Spokane Valley Councilman Ed Pace suggested private fundraising by a volunteer group could help pay for a new library.

Spokane Valley City Manager Mark Calhoun said the library committee has met on three occasions.

“I would characterize the meetings as productive but point out that no conclusions have yet been reached,” Calhoun said.

The $840,000 sits in an escrow account held by the city.

“Because the district outright owns the land, any interest earned by the city on the sale proceeds belongs to the City and would not be given to the district,” Calhoun said in an email.

Without a new library, Spokane Valley also must decide what to do with the vacant plot of land as well as the adjoining lot that was proposed to be developed as Balfour Park.

The estimated cost of Balfour Park as designed was $3.9 million, but funding never was allocated.

There’s no timeline for when the Balfour Park master plan may come up for revision, nor has a funding source been found.