DAYTON–The City Council addressed House Bill 5824, and de-annexation of the city from the Columbia County Rual Library District at the workshop on March 19. In addition, they discussed a change in business hours for City Hall; results of the recent audit; and a change in the utility responsibility for property owners and their tenants.

City Clerk Misty Yost provided information about HB 5824 which passed the legislature, but is waiting to be signed by the governor. The premise of this bill would allow city residents to vote regarding the dissolution of a county library district to which the city was annexed into. It would also raise the required signatures to be placed on a ballot to vote for dissolution from 10% to 25%. If signed, the law would rectify the current issue of taxation without representation for city residents regarding library dissolution. Information from the Columbia County Auditor's Office indicated that the total cost to the city to place the matter on the ballot would be as much as $11,000.

If passed, the library property, the trusts and endowments would revert to the city, which would legally make them responsible for continuing library services. Councilmember Shannon McMillen asked how the city would resume library services if they were no longer with the library district. Former CCRLD Trustee Tanya Patton said that prior to annexation, the city contracted with the library district and allowed use of the library property, but paid a fee for them to provide services to city residents, similar in cost to the tax value of annexation. Being annexed, the county residents pay for the bulk of the library funds.

County Assessor Tammy Ketterman stated that there are many variables based on taxing districts budget requests and current property values for how funds would be redistributed should there be a withdrawal from the annexation. The withdrawal would result in the city taxpayers saving money though the library budget would remain the same. They would also still have the annual allowance of a 1% increase up to 50¢ of $1000 dollars of assessed property value. This would mean that county residents would pay the difference. With de-annexation, other taxing districts below the library district on the $5.90 aggregate would not be affected.

Patton spoke about the trusts and the endowments for the library and that those have specific uses related to the library. The library is limited on only using the interest earned from those which totaled $9700 for 2023.

Councilmember Laura Aukerman said the library budget is high for its size, but that the issue is whether to put the matter to vote or not regardless of their individual positions on the matter.

Councilman Jim Su'euga said that he values the right to vote, but the library is a great asset and does not see the benefit of withdrawing where library services might be limited. He pointed out that the council has much to get done beyond answering the question of putting the matter on the ballot for the high cost.

Councilmember Joann Patras stated that the reason that these extreme measures are being taken to first dissolve the library and now for the city to withdraw from the district is because there have been community concerns about certain reading materials that have not been addressed respectfully or adequately. She said the community only wants a voice–a vote.

Su'euga added that policies and procedures should be in place for running the library while meeting community needs and expectations. Councilman Mike Smith said because it is a community resource, the whole community should decide.

Aukerman agreed.