Washington County to redraw WCCLS service boundaries; board directs staff to hold Beaverton and Cedar Mill harmless in first year of new funding formula

Washington County commissioners on Oct. 2 directed staff to update library service boundaries for the Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) to align with cities' Urban Planning Area Agreements (UPAAs) and to implement a funding allocation that preserves base funding for Beaverton and Cedar Mill in the first year of the new levy cycle.

The board’s action follows a staff presentation on a revised allocation methodology and proposed boundary changes tied to the countywide WCCLS levy and expiring intergovernmental agreements (IGAs). "Our intention today is to answer questions and concerns that were raised by your board last week," said Marnie Kyle, assistant county administrator, introducing the briefing and the staff team.

Why it matters: WCCLS’s current levies and IGAs expire in June 2026. Staff told the board the county needs new, updated IGAs and an allocation approach in time to provide cities with proposed amounts for their December budget planning. The briefing also reflected a longstanding concern that formulas based on usage metrics can perpetuate investment disparities among partners.

What staff proposed and what the board agreed to

- Boundaries: Staff proposed multiple map adjustments that assign several unincorporated areas to the cities whose UPAA covers them. Examples given in the presentation include moving about 2,738 residents from Aloha’s service area to Beaverton, about 5,600 from Beaverton to Tigard (multiple Tigard-area islands and a peninsula), about 1,033 from Cedar Mill to Beaverton, 73 residents from Cedar Mill to Hillsboro, and smaller moves (e.g., 43 residents to Tigard and 24 residents to…