Liberty Lake council directs staff to develop Town Square library concepts; says tax hike triggers public vote

The Liberty Lake City Council asked staff on Feb. 25 to develop two proposals for a library at Town Square — one that is library-only and one that pairs a library with a community center — and agreed that any project that would require a property-tax increase must be submitted to voters.

Council members voted to have staff return with formal work orders to develop the concepts after a multi-hour workshop that revisited a years-long effort to expand library services and create civic space at Town Square. Councilmember Dan Dunn moved the motion asking staff to prepare the two concepts; the motion to prepare a work order passed 7-0. Later, Councilmember Chris Kennedy moved that whatever the council decides should be presented to the public for a vote; the council amended that motion to require a voter measure if the chosen plan would require a property-tax increase, and the amended motion passed 4-3.

Why it matters: The decision frames how the city will proceed from a decade of study and prior failed ballot measures. Council members and community speakers raised trade-offs including building size, operational responsibility for a potential public market, parking, the cost to adapt a recently purchased building on Mission (the “Legacy Church” building) and how to phase or finance a broader Town Square redevelopment.

Council and staff described three principal questions shaping the next steps: whether the expanded library and community functions should be placed at Town Square, whether the Legacy Church building should be retained, leased or sold, and how to address immediate space needs for city staff. Mayor Pro Tem Cargill said staff and local contacts had identified a party that “could possibly be interested in a long term lease for that building for 20 years,” and urged the council to consider lease revenue as part of the finance plan.

Discussion highlights and facts from the workshop: - Scope and size: A 2019 needs assessment cited by staff recommended a library in the 16,000–19,000-square-foot range for projected build-out. The city’s Legacy Church building is 14,400 square feet, which several council members and staff said would be smaller than the recommended range at full build-out. - Cost drivers: Staff and consultants told the council that adapting the Legacy Church building for new uses would include code- and use-related construction elements. Council members relayed estimates that roughly $3 million of the roughly $5 million conversion estimate were cost elements connected to bringing designs into compliance for a new use; staff cautioned that code-compliance elements would be part of any new-build design as well. - Existing funds and prior spending: Council discussion referenced roughly $4.2 million the city has set aside toward the project and a staff-compiled tally of about $557,000 expended on prior planning and consulting (excluding the cost of property acquisition). Councilmembers repeatedly noted prior ballot failures and urged a focused question if the measure goes to voters. - Phasing: Several speakers — including resident Lynn Atkins — urged a phased approach: prioritize the library first, then add market and community-center components in later phases and through grants or donations. - Town Square footprint and parking: Staff noted the Town Square parcel is about 4.2 acres; council members discussed that a library/community center could occupy roughly half the site footprint and leave acreage for future phases or market space, but parking and circulation remain major design challenges.

Quotes from the record (attributed): - “We did not prepare a presentation to guide the conversation… but we’re able to jump in and help,” Mark, a city staff member, told the council as the workshop began. - Mayor Pro Tem Cargill said an outside party had expressed interest in a long-term lease for the Mission/legacy building: “there is, an entity who could possibly be interested in a long term lease for that building for 20 years. No dollars have been discussed.” - Councilmember Kennedy summarized her view of the outcome: “When all the dust settles, I wanna see a library with a community center.”

Decisions and next steps: - Staff was directed to prepare a work order (scope and cost estimate) to develop two concepts for the March 4 (or subsequent) staff deliverable: (1) library-only at Town Square; (2) library plus attached community center at Town Square. The council approved a motion requesting that work and the related budget authorization for the work order; the motion passed 7-0. - The council agreed that if the final plan chosen by the council would require a property-tax increase to fund the project, that plan must be placed on the ballot for voter approval. The amended motion tying a voter decision to any required tax increase passed 4-3. - Staff noted the city’s planned March 25 finance workshop to review bond and funding options, debt capacity, and related questions the council raised.

Outstanding items and context for residents: The council did not decide whether to sell or lease the Legacy Church building; several members said they would not favor a sale without a clear plan. The workshop also did not finalize programmatic details for a marketplace, operations model for a public market, or a precise size and budget for a community center component. The council instructed staff to return with scoped concepts and budgets to inform whether a ballot measure (advisory or binding bond) will be required and when it could be placed before voters.

The council recessed to public comment after the workshop; several residents urged caution, clear phasing, and more community input before placing measures before voters. The council’s next steps will include the work-order return, the March 25 finance segment, and further public engagement prior to any formal bond or ballot resolution.