A group of approximately 20 Mill Creek residents and concerned citizens calling itself Yes for Libraries has formed, with a sole purpose of convincing voters to approve annexing the Mill Creek Library to the Sno-Isle Library District on Sept. 14.
Already the group has had a few meetings at member’s homes to discuss things like fund raising and campaign efforts.
In addition, they’re also aiming to get the word out about what will happen if voters reject annexation – the city of Mill Creek will, in all likelihood, close the library because of budgetary concerns.
Should that happen, city of Mill Creek residents will not be able to check out books or materials from Sno-Isle libraries, according to Mary Kelly, Sno-Isle’s community relations manager.
“That’s because no one’s paying for the service,” Kelly said.
Selling that scenario may become part of the campaign strategy of Yes for Libraries as it tries to counteract concerns about increased property taxes. Voters will be, in effect, deciding whether or not to tax themselves at a rate of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value ($150 a year for a home valued at $300,000). Right now, the city funds library operations through its general fund at a rate of approximately $500,000 a year, money that will be used to fund other city services regardless of the Sept. 14 election results.
“I am concerned about the economy and property taxes and how it’ll affect people’s votes,” said Selma Bonham, a spokesperson for Yes for Libraries. “People might think again if they know the library will be closed.”
What might help the group achieve its goal is that Mill Creek is a community that uses its library. According to Sno-Isle, approximately 67 percent of Mill Creek residents have a library card, 10 percent higher on average than for the district as a whole. In addition, in 2003 the Mill Creek Library was the third busiest in the Sno-Isle system, behind Marysville and Lynnwood, in terms of the number of items checked out.
Already the group is planning mailings and doorbelling to get its message out. Bonham said state rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, agreed to hand out the group’s literature when doorbelling in Mill Creek. The group, however, will not be making cold calls to residents.
“We don’t like those kind of phone calls,” Bonham said. “No one likes those kind of phone calls.”
The group is also looking at using community newsletters, including the Mill Creek Community Association, as a means to get its message to voters.
Bonham said the group will have a booth at the Mill Creek Festival on July 10, which will coincide with a voter registration drive.
The Sno-Isle Library District, meanwhile, is printing informational leaflets explaining annexation and what it means, Kelly said. Sno-Isle will do a mailing of such leaflets to registered voters, a move Kelly said has been effective for the district in recent elections.
Since 1996, five cities, including Edmonds, have gone from contracting with Sno-Isle for services, like Mill Creek currently does, to annexing into the district. Mill Creek is one of eight cities that contract with Sno-Isle, Kelly said.
“This is a unique way for a city to work through a sticky budget situation,” Kelly said of annexing to Sno-Isle. “It’s an option that doesn’t exist for police or public works.
“It does free the city from the cost of the library contract, and it provides assurances to residents for long-term stability for library funding,” Kelly said.
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