Enumclaw Library changes hands on June 1
By DENNIS BOX
Enumclaw Courier Herald Editor
May 15, 2012 · 2:19 PM
The votes have been counted and certified. The final result is the King County Library System will take over operation of the Enumclaw Library June 1.
King County Elections certified the election April 27. The final results were 1,207 votes for the proposition at 50.71 percent and 1,173 against with 49.29 percent. The turnout was 37.29 percent
The slim, 34-vote margin showed how difficult the decision was for the community.
The annexation of the library will officially begin June 1.
Enumclaw Library card holders and all city residents will be able to get a KCLS card.
KCLS has agreed to offer jobs to the Enumclaw library staff. It also agreed to keep the historical material relating to Enumclaw at the city library.
The KCLS levy will be a maximum of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value or about $125 for a $250,000 home.
The library had been principally funded by the city. The funding dropped from $631,000 in 2009 to$350,000 in 2012 from a one-time allocation from the general fund.
The library hours were cut to 36 hours a week
The drop in funds prompted the annexation process when it became clear the city was no longer able to fund the library and maintain other city services due to dropping revenues.
Contact Enumclaw Courier Herald Editor Dennis Box at dbox@courierherald.com or 1-360-825-2555 (ext 5050).Comment on this story.
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