MEGAN LEE Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 12:00 am
The new Natrona County Library project will be on the general election ballot in November, thanks to resolutions from all municipalities in the county supporting the initiative.
"It is unanimous," head librarian Bill Nelson told the Natrona County Board of Commissioners during a work session Tuesday afternoon. "Every city and town council has endorsed going forward with this measure. I thank you for your efforts as well in helping us get to this point."
Nelson said that of everyone who had a vote within the county, only one council member of one town council voted against putting the project on the ballot, and all others agreed to ask the citizens of Natrona County for $43.25 million from a temporary sixth-cent sales tax.
Only four of the six municipalities in Natrona County, along with the county itself, needed to support the project for it to appear on the ballot.
"Politically, I think we're in good shape from the municipality standpoint to go forward," Nelson said.
The total cost of the project - including everything from the building to land acquisition to books and furniture and operations - will cost between $46 million and $47 million. The building itself (including parking lots) will cost about $30 million of the total.
If the project is approved by voters, he said, it will take about 27 months of the penny tax to total the needed amount.
"All things considered, I think we are going to get a well-built and solid facility that we can be proud of for 50 years or more, unlike some buildings that are value engineered, then after 20 years they start looking peaked," Nelson said.
Unless something hugely unexpected happens, the facility should come in under budget, he said, with extra money from the sales tax going to operations costs.
Recently, a political action committee began forming and moving forward with marketing, promotion and fundraising for the project. Nelson said he knew little about the PAC, but said he knew it was a concern of the commission "that we run a good campaign."
The commission will vote to formally pass ballot language for the library project during its next public meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the County Annex Building.
Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0589 or megan.lee@trib.com.