[0:06] Well, thank you folks for coming.

[0:11] » Get right into our discussion on the building.

[0:17] a question that were asked by us while we do with the building.

[0:26] Legal council said it'd be best for us to lease it to

[0:30] the library just after they end up voting

[0:37] for the library district. So, >> and that would we'd have to

[0:44] » draw a police >> draw a police agreement at that time.

[0:47] » Yeah. >> Yeah.

[0:49] » Where we would decide on I guess that would be the same what what's our

[0:53] responsibility and what's theirs. I don't

[0:56] » I don't sorry it wasn't >> my recommendation would be that we

[1:02] drafted out were the library district could be

[1:07] uh have maintain insurance and be in charge of all maintenance that's done on

[1:14] the building in exchange for our very low lease

[1:18] amount. That way we would really have no cost to

[1:24] bury it for the campaign. >> Got it.

[1:28] » Wouldn't another portion of that we'd have to discuss that if the building

[1:32] would become not being used for a library that we just would change

[1:37] the county. >> Yeah. Okay.

[1:39] » No longer at some point was no longer a library. Come back to

[1:46] Okay. I don't think we would

[1:51] no reason to be ahead of that and have it something wrote up.

[1:54] » Okay. >> No, not until we find out about the

[1:58] » what's going to happen. >> That's going to happen in the election.

[2:03] As far as uh books and fixtures that would be included with the

[2:11] » with the lease, >> you know, the the question,

[2:17] we were going to allow them to have the bugs wall.

[2:20] » We would have no use for bugs or the fixtures of place as well. So I would go

[2:27] in the building, but they'd be responsible for the insurance, the

[2:33] maintenance, all the cost with the library all

[2:40] that would include computers and everything.

[2:42] » Okay, >> that'll be included in your lease.

[2:45] Agree, Jim. >> Point of order.

[2:50] Are we engaging or is this a public listening?

[2:54] probably >> but if you have a question I'm glad for

[2:59] an answer >> Francis.

[3:02] » So your honor, why would you at this point say

[3:06] that you will lease at a low rate when in fact the county needs money? Would

[3:12] one not consider fair market value for rent?

[3:16] This would revenue source. Sir, >> what they're going to do though is it's

[3:20] just going to end up costing the taxpayer more money.

[3:26] Well, the building was gifted to the county for the purpose of a library.

[3:33] So, all it would do is cost all the taxpayers in the county more money have

[3:39] we had a a large dollar amount of lease. >> I'm not I'm not following that. I don't

[3:46] that doesn't calculate in my head. >> If the library district passes, they

[3:52] have to base their amount they're asking for for the district on what the

[3:57] operating cost is. All that would do is cost the library district more money,

[4:03] which they'd have to transfer off to all the taxpayers in the county.

[4:09] Well, if that if that's the case, then the we need to consider a revenue source

[4:13] and selling them the building. >> I didn't uh I didn't ever think about

[4:19] that and I don't think we need to. My this is my my personal view that the

[4:25] citizens of the county if they want a library, we're using this particular

[4:31] thing to reduce the pressure on our general fund. we still would like a

[4:36] hidden library if the if the citizens of this county would like to pay for the uh

[4:43] district if that's what they would like to do. So we're trying to make it

[4:46] palatable for all of our citizens in this county. So if they do decide to

[4:51] vote and want to pass this then they would be able to operate this library uh

[4:57] in our county. I didn't think about trying to make money on it, trying to

[5:01] keep things so we could get things black so we could have the services. So making

[5:07] money and I guess you know it's a great idea but I also think I'm trying to

[5:11] service the people in in the situation in which the county is in right now

[5:16] financially >> and

[5:20] realize >> that we have a a group that is trying to

[5:26] get this done so that their executive their CEO

[5:32] can make some big money. So Democrat

[5:43] down. >> But if there's money in the bank,

[5:47] » then we should be getting what we should what we deserve as a county.

[5:52] » They don't have a >> Are you going to give, you know, free

[5:56] services to everything that we >> don't intend to? I just ask that you

[6:02] consider >> fair market value for rent.

[6:06] » This was not to be a generate money generating deal from the get-go. This

[6:13] building was gifted to county with the express purpose of being a public

[6:19] library. And that's what the gift was. It wasn't

[6:25] built with county funds. And what this will do if a library district is formed,

[6:32] it will eliminate the drain on our general fund dollars and be carried by

[6:37] the library district. That's the purpose, not to generate a bunch of

[6:42] revenue. The revenue we'll generate is we'll reduce that cost to our budget by

[6:49] the amount that we're spending now on it. So that's one of the savings to the

[6:54] county able cut. Also, if we sell the building,

[6:58] then we get taxes back to the county. >> No, we can't sell it.

[7:03] » Can't sell it. >> It's there's things on the deed that

[7:08] it's supposed to be is a library, not >> you can't. That's good to know.

[7:13] » You can't just >> Yeah, it would be nice if we could have

[7:15] started the discussion with the history and the conditions under which the

[7:19] building can be sold. And then we >> and this is why we're having this

[7:23] meeting to get this stuff out. >> Get some information on the ground rules

[7:27] then. >> Well, the ground rules is supposed to be

[7:30] a private discussion. So, we're not going to do a bunch of this. We'll have

[7:34] some questions, but we're mainly trying to meet with the the committee to that's

[7:41] trying to save the library for they can get their information, for they can do

[7:46] their budget, for they figure out what their tax rate is, what they got to do.

[7:51] » I have Elizabeth waiting to speak. Elizabeth, I sent you an unmute request.

[7:58] So, there's something you have to do on your end to speak.

[8:04] Can I Can you >> There you are.

[8:07] » We can hear you. >> Go ahead.

[8:14] » Nope. >> You were.

[8:18] » Okay. Hang hang on. Can Let's see what Can you give us a test?

[8:27] » Nothing.

[8:30] » Okay. Okay. How's that? >> There we go. Okay,

[8:33] » that's good. >> Okay. Um hello. Good morning. Um first

[8:38] of all, I want to say >> thank you on behalf of the Save Our

[8:42] Library Committee um for a couple of things. First of all, um recognizing

[8:48] that the Grant County Court is in a really difficult position financially,

[8:52] and in spite of that, they've given the Save Our Library Committee a lot of

[8:56] support in doing some work to figure out whether the community would support a

[9:01] library district, but also um a tremendous amount of support in moving a

[9:06] library district forward. Um, and over the next two months, um, there's going

[9:11] to be a number of actions that we're we that the court will need to take to

[9:14] continue to, um, put a library district in front of

[9:19] the voters, um, for them to make a decision about it. But recognizing

[9:23] everything that's gone into it, I just want to say thank you and thank you guys

[9:26] for taking the time today to have a conversation about some issues

[9:31] um that are important for us to figure out as we move forward with like what is

[9:35] a library district for Grant County, what's it going to cost, and what are we

[9:38] going to be able to provide residents. Um

[9:43] and I the other thing I wanted to share was a bit of good news. So, one of the

[9:47] things that needs to happen for a library district to be created is that

[9:51] every um incorporated city in Grant County needs to vote in favor or pass a

[9:56] resolution in favor of that. Um last night we got the seventh of the eight

[10:00] required cities to pass the resolution in favor of creating a library district.

[10:05] The one that has not um was not able to pass the resolution because it didn't

[10:09] have quorum and they're looking for a way to address that. Um so that's really

[10:13] good news. the county is very much in support of moving forward with the

[10:17] creation of a library district and I thought I'd just share that with you.

[10:21] Um, one question we had as a committee um about the building um was

[10:29] consideration of deferred maintenance um and just whether or how we might be

[10:35] able to if a library district were to take over a long-term lease and take

[10:40] over ongoing maintenance and responsibilities for it. um might there

[10:44] be an opportunity to take care of some deferred maintenance, fixing some broken

[10:49] windows, things like that um before the district would take it over. And it

[10:54] really is a question without an answer at this point. We don't know, but we

[10:59] wanted to put it out there. >> Thank you.

[11:02] » Thank you.

[11:07] Well, that's Can you

[11:13] turn that up?

[11:19] It's good news about the city's passing resolutions, which is

[11:25] necessary if we can draw the boundaries of the library district. So, hopefully

[11:31] the last one will get a corn. That's uh now as far as uh orders and stuff uh

[11:40] it's too much uh not enough.

[11:47] » That's it's maxed

[11:51] » but um the uh

[11:57] Elizabeth will you be drafting up it's horrible.

[12:03] What do you mean to worse now than it was?

[12:13] Will you be drafting up the order and preparing the ball language?

[12:20] We sent you a link yesterday for the book on that.

[12:27] She's done there. She not. Yes, >> Elizabeth.

[12:32] Hang. Okay, >> now you're muted again.

[12:41] » Okay, T. >> How's that?

[12:44] Um, so I have uh been um in conversation with Lori and Lori is working with legal

[12:52] counsel um and they're going to draft the um initiation order and the um

[13:00] approval order and the um election order. Um I have the ballot language

[13:05] template and we're going to start working on that.

[13:09] » So we had >> Hold on a second. When did you have that

[13:13] conversation with >> legal?

[13:18] » Yes. >> I have not been with legal counsel. Lori

[13:21] Lori has

[13:25] » not that information. >> Maybe Lori.

[13:29] » Maybe it was Lori. >> No, it wasn't Lori Kate's. I'm not sure

[13:34] what order it happened in Jim, but I did not hear

[13:42] we had talked before I got an email from you, I believe, and

[13:49] uh I don't know. I don't know. >> No, it' be on you guys to draft the

[13:55] order and the ballot stuff. >> Is that

[13:58] » And we'll Okay. Yes. >> Is that what legal counsel said?

[14:03] That's why they sent that link to the book to make sure they do it correct.

[14:11] » So I

[14:14] um however I I yeah so as of yesterday

[14:24] I understood differently. That doesn't actually mean that I'm unwilling to do

[14:28] it. It just means that I understood that the um legal counsel was doing it.

[14:33] » What I had asked what I had asked for was what are the required templates that

[14:38] you guys have for Grant County so that I can follow your process.

[14:44] » Say that one more time. >> Um I need from you guys whatever

[14:51] templates or however you have formatted these orders previously. um so that I

[14:57] can I can follow what you're and typically it is generated by the county

[15:02] but as we said I'd offered to do it previously um so however that works but

[15:08] then I just need to have access to both Lori and legal counsel so I can make

[15:12] sure I'm doing it in accordance with your rules

[15:17] » once it's completed push through our legal counsel make sure it's all done

[15:22] correct >> so your honor but

[15:27] I still need your I still need whatever templates and requirements that you

[15:31] have. >> Yes. One more France.

[15:35] » So is there is there a confusion between the Lories because the Lori Kates is the

[15:40] one that works with the ballot process. >> There was a confusion.

[15:46] » Does she have a role in assisting them? >> No, not really. She has a role in

[15:52] approving the stuff. One's a thread. We sent a uh thing from a link to show what

[16:00] they're supposed to do with ballot title, how many words the question is

[16:04] for the ballot, all that. So, and then >> that's correct. I

[16:10] » you guys will have to come up with how much you're going to ask for with the

[16:13] tax rate disc included in all that. So, I do have all everything I need for

[16:20] the ballot measure. Um, what I don't have is um whatever formats and and

[16:26] templates you have for the orders. >> Do you have templates for orders? I

[16:30] don't think so. >> Well, yeah, we have we have a current

[16:35] order. I have a template for the road service district order which is similar

[16:41] » but needs library information inserted.

[16:47] » So we could use that give her that template with those changes.

[16:51] » I believe so. Yes. I mean I can give that to her. Yeah. We would just what I

[16:56] think would be the best and I have been looking for this. I think the best thing

[17:01] to do would be to find a district that or a county that

[17:07] has created their own library district and and a lot last when we were creating

[17:12] the road service district, our legal council sent me templates from other

[17:18] counties and that would be the easiest way to to look at an order and just make

[17:24] it for Grant County. So, Elizabeth, that would be I have been hunting for that

[17:30] and haven't had any success so far. >> Make sure I'm

[17:36] » thinking with Lord Kate's her job is to okay it once it's been burned and not

[17:43] help to create. >> Absolutely. That's not my job to help

[17:46] create it. >> Right. No, but for just to clarify

[17:51] for ballot information and instructions, you would be providing that if she

[17:59] needed. >> So when she wouldn't create the ballot,

[18:03] what comes to the clerk's office is what's going to be put on the the we get

[18:09] the filing for the measure to be put on the ballot and that has to be approved

[18:13] in our office once it's all put together. But no, she doesn't create the

[18:18] ballot. This would be the ballot creation all happens on our side after

[18:22] the measure would be approved to move forward on the measure. I mean for the

[18:26] measure and >> so the language comes from the court.

[18:29] All of the filings come from the court's forming whatever all of that comes from

[18:33] that side. Nothing happens on our end until we get through.

[18:38] » Right. >> Absolutely. I understand. Your honor,

[18:42] I'd like to call a conflict of interest on Lorie Stanette's engaging with the uh

[18:49] library group. >> It's my it's my desire that she not

[18:53] engage with them. >> That might be on their own and she isn't

[18:57] creating a conflict of interest. >> I would like to know how that's a

[19:02] conflict of interest >> because she appears to be counseling

[19:06] them. >> She's not counseling him. She's trying

[19:09] to get him information. This is counseling.

[19:14] » That's what she should be doing. >> She's here to serve the clerk here to

[19:19] serve the community and help them through the processes of this county and

[19:23] this state for that matter. And and I don't see that as being a conflict of

[19:27] interest. >> A conflict of interest is when you would

[19:31] have personal financial gain or the family member would have personal

[19:35] financial gain. So I don't see how that would

[19:41] So >> if I can

[19:46] if I might. So, I just want to clarify that

[19:50] um

[19:53] I will receive from the county um the information that I need to draft

[20:00] the orders in the format and template that you guys need because it's it's

[20:06] it's not for me to create. It's your process. So, I'm happy to provide the

[20:10] content, but I need I need the framework that you guys need it in. Um, so

[20:15] somebody's going to get me that correct? >> Yeah,

[20:20] I will do that. Elizabeth, >> thank you, Lori. And then the second

[20:25] thing is, you know, I want to go back to um,

[20:30] you know, we have, this is, you know, we've been very appreciative

[20:35] of the support from CR Grant County Court because from the beginning, you

[20:39] guys said you don't want to close the library.

[20:42] It's not like a hostile act. You're doing it because there's a real

[20:45] financial challenge being faced by the library and your goal is to help support

[20:50] the continued operation of a library for Grant County and I feel like this

[20:54] process is a real strong indicator of that and I just want to appreciate that.

[20:58] » Thank you very much, Elizabeth. And

[21:05] so we'll work on that stuff and get you whatever information you need.

[21:11] » Thank you very much. Our

[21:16] next issue on our agenda is transition management.

[21:22] The question was about basically if we would close the library

[21:29] on June 30th when the budget went. My desire would be because in the event a

[21:37] library district is born, they would not see any revenue till November of the

[21:43] year when the property tax start coming in. So they will need some funding to

[21:49] run

[21:52] June 30th to the end of the year. And I think and me and our treasurer spoke

[22:01] about it and I think we can get enough money to fund the library through the

[22:06] end of the year by the now the ability to use that $200 some,000 of SRS funds

[22:15] that we've initiated for that project

[22:20] which

[22:26] because it wouldn't make any sense to close the library on June 30th and

[22:32] distance

[22:36] to keep it going. >> Yeah.

[22:39] » A challenge. >> Jim, would you do that every year then?

[22:41] » No, I would get them over and then they'd have the operating capital run

[22:45] through the next year and we'd be done then. And would you do it at the current

[22:51] budget that way budget or at a budget that is inflated to maybe 400,000 a

[22:58] year? >> Well, no, cuz we're only going to be

[23:00] funding it basically for six months. So, we will have to budget it to just for

[23:08] the operation of the library like we're doing it presently.

[23:13] When they get their money, they can do their own budgets and stuff.

[23:18] So, how of that 216,000

[23:23] we have in the three to pay for that? How much of that do you think is going

[23:31] to be left? Because it's going to pay for some of this year's budget with some

[23:36] of that money. >> That money can only be used from

[23:40] September 15th through then. So, >> so we might have 50,000 of it left or

[23:47] 75,000 >> I don't think we have any way of knowing

[23:51] » till we get down to that time how much is left.

[23:54] » So, are you going to put a cap on it like we'll give you this much money

[23:57] 100,000 or something? >> Well, when we get into budget season to

[24:02] see how much that's left and say we can budget 100,000 to get you through the

[24:08] rest of the year or whatever. Depends on how much money spent. I mean, we have no

[24:13] idea how much money will be left of that at this time

[24:18] » and whether or not the ballot passes, >> right?

[24:20] » Well, if you figure from se middle of September when we can start using that

[24:25] money to cover the library, that's almost 3/4 of a year and their budgets

[24:32] say with the money they bring in, it's maybe 210,000 because they bring some

[24:36] money. So 3/4 of that would be

[24:42] 77 something like that. >> Well, I think really the question is if

[24:48] we would support >> trying to fund the library till their

[24:53] taxes roll in at the end of the year. This would be a one-time deal to get to

[24:58] their taxes roll in >> if if it passes. Yeah. And that's what I

[25:04] thought about and talked about in this process that well if they do pass the

[25:09] budget and which way they decided to go that we would be able to

[25:15] » we would yeah we would be able to keep it going and and transfer it over to the

[25:20] in this case if it's going to be the district that's what would happen.

[25:24] So to try to make it as smooth as possible. Okay. And that was one of

[25:30] their question about walking with the word. Sorry. The next question is the

[25:37] election cost. And I spoke with our clerk and she can correct me. But unless

[25:44] it was a big long thing that made us add another paper to the ballot, which it

[25:50] shouldn't be, there should be no extra election cost including this on the B.

[25:57] So the election cost becomes a very important.

[26:05] Now I'm not so sure what the infant funding the question is here. What's

[26:10] that about? >> Oh what you were just talking

[26:14] » I think that's the same thing we're talking about the transmission but the

[26:17] trans thing is intermar's language.

[26:20] » Yes. You just address the same thing. >> Does that answer your guys's questions?

[26:28] Yep. >> From what we can do.

[26:31] » Good. I mean >> to this point. Yep. Because I think some

[26:34] of it will come up in budget like you said our budget when we won't know

[26:39] » how much we have left or available from >> if if the ballot passes or bails. I mean

[26:46] that's going to be a decision at that time on a lot of this stuff. Well, I

[26:51] know Commissioner Wilson has a trip over he has to take

[26:58] that plan. So, any interest in getting him on the roads in a timely event.

[27:05] That's all the questions. Hey, thanks you guys and I hope that answered the

[27:10] questions. >> Oh, go ahead and go ahead Elizabeth.

[27:14] » Big orange hand. >> Say big and orange. Am I giant in the

[27:19] room over there? I never know what people are seeing.

[27:21] » Um, again, I just want to say thank you. I think um your guys' commitment and

[27:28] efforts are really appreciated. The committee's been working really hard and

[27:32] um it's just really appreciated. >> Well, and I know the committee has

[27:39] put hundreds and hundreds hours in meeting the

[27:44] city. So, I'd really like to thank all of them for the time and commitment that

[27:49] they've put into this >> and and for understanding the position

[27:52] we're in to, you know, for taking the time to figure out that we're not just

[27:57] trying to, >> you know, slash and cut that we're we

[28:00] want to make it work, but the position we're in.

[28:03] » So, thank you for that. >> Well, you know, in some of these

[28:06] meetings that had been come out, they couldn't understand, you know, we had

[28:10] $88 million budget. Well, that's all grants, road reserve funds. As far as

[28:17] tax money goes, it's a little over 2 million a year in property taxes, which

[28:24] at the current budget, that's basically 1/8 of all our general fund dollars for

[28:30] the library. So, to put it more in perspective, folks can understand why.

[28:36] And employee costs, post cost, everything keeps going up every year.

[28:41] about the revenue stream for the general fund dollars really.

[28:46] » So appreciate all you people and >> I want I want to thank for getting us to

[28:53] get a kind of a platform set out in front so they can get their work done

[28:59] and and uh when we meet in regular session u they'll draft up what's

[29:04] necessary to make it as smooth what we can.

[29:07] » What city are we missing? I think monument

[29:10] still >> yeah and I

[29:14] » no >> has granite I mean it is

[29:17] » they don't have to >> they don't have to

[29:22] » well thank you folks >> thank you

[29:27] » thank you for that

[29:31] » you

Library Work Session January 15, 2026 at 9 00 28 AM 0

Agenda

Transcript