Voters to Decide ‘Next Chapter’ for County Libraries
Douglas County Libraries Board of Trustees engage in a thoughtful discussion about whether or not to place a ballot question before the voters in the November 6 election. From left to right: Cathy Norris, Stevan Strain, David Starck, Mark Weston, and Steve Roper. G. Robert McLaughlin attended by phone. (photo courtesy of Douglas County Libraries)
by Lisa Crockett
The Douglas County Library District’s board of trustees passed a mill levy resolution at a meeting on August 23. The resolution allows a mill levy proposal to be placed on the November 6 ballot.
“Now voters will decide on the next chapter in the history of Douglas County Libraries,” said Library Director Jamie LaRue.
Will a New Library Open in CPN?
The ballot question is of special interest to voters in Castle Pines North (CPN), since funding for a new library at the corner of Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard (known as the CC-20 site) would come as a direct result of this mill levy.
The levy would cost voters about $10 per household per $100,000 of home value ($30 annually for a home that is worth $300,000).
In addition to the CPN library, funding would be used to establish new libraries in Lone Tree and Parker, as well as expand services at existing libraries.
If the mill levy passes, library space in CPN will be leased, probably for an initial term of five years.
“Whenever we’ve gone into a community, we’ve always stayed there. So purchasing land on that site, or lease-purchasing, is still a possibility. But we’ll start as we started in Highlands Ranch, with a lease,” said LaRue.
