The North Olympic Library System has two propositions in this year’s election that could change the face of the Sequim Library.
The two propositions on the Nov. 6 General Election ballot could expand the 1983 Sequim Library building from 6,050 square feet to 17,000 square feet.
Proposition No. 1 creates the Sequim Library Capital Facilities Area tax district, roughly the same boundaries as Sequim School District — approximately from Blue Mountain Road to the Jefferson County line past Diamond Point. It must pass by a 50 percent plus one vote.
Proposition No. 2 finances the expansion of the Sequim Library by approving $12.4 million of voter approved bonds paid off over 21 years. It must pass by a 60 percent plus one vote.
The Clallam County elections office mails General Election ballots to voters on Oct. 17.
The new Sequim Library expansion will cost $13.4 million, with $1 million coming from library system reserves and the rest coming from bond and tax levies.
If voters approve both propositions, it will cost tax payers less than $5 per month for owners of properties with an assessed value of $250,000.
NOLS executive director Margaret Jakubcin said the two propositions going to the ballot in November has been a long-standing community conversation.
Jakubcin said library system representatives have worked with community groups and citizens for several years to develop this plan for expanding the Sequim Library, and in November voters will decide if they want to support the expansion or not.
“I think the need is pretty well understood,” Jakubcin said.
“Libraries are all about information,” she said. “We certainly encourage others to inform themselves for the good of the civic process.”
If Proposition 1 passes and Proposition 2 does not, the law states that an entity can try and run the bond measure again once within a two-year period, Jakubcin said.
“If you support this, vote ‘yes’ twice, a ‘no’ vote on either one is a ’no’ vote on both.”
If both of the measures do not pass, Jakubcin said the board will look at the outcomes of the measures and then decide on a plan going forward through a public process.
Campaign efforts
There are multiple ongoing library campaign efforts, but the largest part is education, said Paula Barnes, a campaign steering committee member.
“A big part of our effort is educating people about the fact that the (Sequim) library is too small,” Barnes said.
“The library service is being constrained by that small building,” she said. “We’re really lucky to have enough space on the existing property to build a bigger library.”
Barnes said it’s important for voters and community members to know there are two propositions on the ballot.
“We’re working on educating people on how that will work,” she said.
Campaign efforts have varied from car and yard sign campaigns, Barnes said, to creating a Facebook Page, a website and in the next few weeks doing some door-to-door campaigning.
Voting propositions explained
A “yes” vote on Proposition 1 creates the Sequim Library Capital Facilities Area tax district, and a “yes” vote on Proposition 2 finances the expansion of the project by approving $12.4 million of voter approved bonds.
A “no” vote on Proposition 1 would not create a tax district and therefore would not allow for a bond to be passed.
A “yes” vote on Proposition 1 and a “no” vote on Proposition 2 would create a tax district but not approve a bond, and NOLS could run the bond proposal again once within a two-year period.
A “no” vote on both would not create a tax district nor would it approve the bond.
Ballots will be mailed on Wednesday, Oct. 17, and are due on Saturday, Nov. 6.
For more information about the two propositions, visit the NOLS website at www.nols.org or the Library’s campaign website at www.sequimlibraryvoteyes.org.
Joan McCready of Sequim sits near a large window and reads a local newspaper at the Sequim Library on Sept. 21. She regularly visits the library about once or twice a week. Sequim Gazette photo by Erin Hawkins
