Questions remain on Stutsman County's share of funding for library services

Feb. 7—JAMESTOWN — Questions still remain on what Stutsman County's fair share of funding should be to provide joint library services even after the memorandum of agreement between the city of Jamestown and the county was extended by another year.

Stutsman County Commission Chairman Mark Klose said the biggest issue to determine the county's share of funding for the library system is the usage.

"How many people in the rural areas are actually utilizing the library," he said.

The city of Jamestown and Stutsman County have provided joint library services under a memorandum of agreement after voters approved a measure to combine them in 2008.

In the 2008 general election, voters approved a measure to create a joint library board, with 75% city and 66% county voter approval to create joint library services. The James River Valley Library System was then established in 2009 when Alfred Dickey and Stutsman County libraries were legally combined.

The Jamestown City Council and the Stutsman County Commission both approved a one-year extension to the memorandum of agreement earlier this year. The memorandum of agreement extends by one year the date each entity may provide a notice of intent to withdraw to March 2025.

The memorandum of agreement automatically extends another five years in March if either entity doesn't provide a notice of intent to withdraw or both parties don't approve a one-year extension when either entity can provide a notice of intent to withdraw.

The county commission and the Jamestown City Council extended the memorandum of agreement by one year in 2022 and in 2023.

Every proposal to provide joint library services should be considered, said Joan Morris, a Stutsman County commissioner who is an appointed member of the library board.

"What the city and the library consider our (Stutsman County) fair share I think is too much compared ... compared to other libraries in the state," Morris said.

Mayor Dwaine Heinrich proposed discussing a contract for joint library services in November to the county commission that would have the city of Jamestown operate the library for both entities.

"We're just kind of waiting for the county to come back with something other than that they propose to extend it another year which we did agree upon," said David Schloegel, an appointed nonvoting member of the library board who is a member of the Jamestown City Council. "The most important thing is that we maintain our relationship that we have."

Schloegel said the two issues with the current memorandum of agreement are the funding and whether city councilmen or county commissioners should be voting members on the library board.

He said the city of Jamestown has provided 15 mills every year while the county's share has decreased from 4 mills to just under 2 mills.

"Now we extended the agreement another year the way it currently is, but for all we know they could be paying 1.7 mills next year, ... maybe even less or maybe they could pay more," Schloegel said.

He said Stutsman County's fair share should be 3.5 mills. He previously said that amount is according to the population of the city compared to the county.

"I think it's a fair amount and then it adds that stability," Schloegel said. "We aren't surprising the library board. They know what funding they are going to have."

In 2023, the value of a mill is $56,350 for the city of Jamestown, and the county's value of a mill is about $88,550.

Schloegel said he would rather see the county commissioner appointed to the library board be a nonvoting member. Schloegel does not have a vote on the library board.

He said it is unnecessary for him to have a vote on the library board. He said any issues come before the City Council and the county commission and the appointed members from each board can vote during their meetings.

Morris has previously said the county is budgeting around $170,000 to $180,000 per year in a partnership with the city and operating the Stutsman County Library as a separate entity from the city would cost $160,000, which includes the cost of offering bookmobile service.

"If we would have been able to partner with UJ (University of Jamestown), it would have been extremely cheaper than what we are currently paying and what the library says what our fair share should be," she said.

She previously estimated an annual budget of $110,000 to $130,000 for a partnership with the university if the county operates the bookmobile. She also said library system Director Joe Rector's calculation of the county's fair share is about $250,000 to $260,000.

Morris said the county is willing to sit down and have a discussion about the memorandum of agreement. She said the county commission asked to meet with city of Jamestown officials to go through the memorandum of agreement.

She said the commission hasn't heard back after Heinrich proposed a formation of a committee with individuals not directly involved with the library system or its board.

Heinrich told the county commission in November that the committee could make recommendations on the future of the library system's expansion or relocation and on a new memorandum of agreement to provide joint library services.

"We are very willing to sit down and have a discussion," Morris said.

But the mayor said he has not been contacted on anything other than the extension to the memorandum of agreement. He said he is interested in having discussions with the county about the memorandum of agreement if the county reaches out to the city.

The memorandum of agreement can be renegotiated at any time if both the City Council and the county commission agree to do so.

Morris said if county taxpayers approve an expansion of Alfred Dickey Public Library, that vote will need to be honored.

Currently, the library board is exploring the purchase of the Masonic Temple for an expansion of Alfred Dickey Public Library. If the Masonic Temple is purchased, the Stutsman County Library would be permanently closed. The Masonic Temple is located across the street from Alfred Dickey.

"I'm looking forward to the library presenting their plans on what they would like to do and hearing public input," Schloegel said. "It means a lot to us. It's up to the public to tell us what they want to do."