The Mountlake Terrace City Council voted to dissolve the city’s Library Board Tuesday night, following the example of Lynnwood, Edmonds and Monroe, which have all recently dissolved their respective library boards.
The Library Board was created in 1996 to advise the City Council on the library and supervise its day-to-day operations. However, according to a memo presented to the City Council during its June 30 work session, most of those responsibilities have since been taken on by the Sno-Isle system, following the passing of a dedicated library levy.
“That dedicated source has allowed them to take over the utility payments, the day-to-day custodial maintenance, and also the city does not have the resources to make that maintenance or capital improvements,” City Manager Scott Hugill told the council on Tuesday.
As a result, the Library Board has not had much to do other than review Sno-Isle library programs, which the city is not involved in.
The Library Board unanimously passed a motion in May to recommend to the City Council that the board be suspended, pending a “future need for a review of the facility,” the memo says.
The board was dissolved Tuesday with the understanding that it can be re-established in the future if the City Council decides it is necessary.
The City Council unanimously passed the ordinance repealing the creation of the library board without any discussion.
One of the three members of the Library Board has been appointed to the Recreation and Parks Commission. A second was invited to participate in a different board for the city. The third said they do not have time to dedicate to a city board.
–By Natalie Covate
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