City–County committee reopens library merger talks, appoints chair and sets work plan

The City–County Library Committee on Tuesday revisited decades of discussions about merging the city and county library systems, appointed Ron Merritt as committee chair and set a work plan including data collection and a March 18 follow‑up meeting.

The committee’s first substantive action was to appoint Ron Merritt chair after a nomination and an unopposed ballot. Members then reviewed a historical summary that traced prior merger talks to the mid‑1990s and highlighted a 2018 attorney general opinion that an eventual merger would require approval by voters.

"We need to let the citizens vote," said Ron Merritt, the newly appointed chairman, arguing that a ballot measure would settle the question after repeated attempts over the years. Committee members cited earlier analyses that produced a range of estimated savings — from modest yearly amounts in earlier reviews to roughly $97,000 a year in one 2018 scenario that assumed staff reductions and resulted in a one‑time building cost — but warned those figures depend on whether services or facilities would expand.

Lisa Olsen, a committee member joining virtually, said the committee’s primary goal should be to “look and see if there are any cost‑saving measures,” while also committing to avoid reductions in current services. "Space is still an issue," she said, adding that Minina Public Library has already done a space analysis and would need a significant capital investment to expand circulation and accessibility.

Committee members discussed operational details that could limit savings. Staff explained that some costs — for example, ebook and database licensing — are calculated by service‑area population and would not automatically fall if entities merged. Dave (staff member) clarified that the city’s library levy includes building maintenance and that home‑rule valuation changes how city levies are calculated.

Members also compared regional models: Mandan/Morton’s city department approach and the James River Valley system’s independent board were presented as examples with different budget‑share formulas and facility outcomes. Carrie, who had gathered correspondence from the Morton‑Mandan and James River systems, told the committee those systems did not necessarily see immediate cost savings and that any governance model must address who pays benefits and how employees are transitioned.

Several members emphasized preserving or expanding county services such as the bookmobile. Kianne (staff) noted that in flood emergencies the two systems’ redundancy proved valuable: Ward County libraries sustained services when the city library suffered flood damage in 2011.

On legal and ballot mechanics, the committee heard that prior local votes were structured so city and county residents each voted on comparable ballot language and that both jurisdictions needed to pass the measure (commonly by a simple majority) for a merger to take effect. The committee therefore identified a realistic target of a November ballot if it proceeds, noting April or June timelines would be too tight for required preparations.

The committee finalized two primary goals: (1) identify cost‑saving measures while avoiding service reductions, and (2) preserve and expand services for county residents, with bookmobile coverage singled out as a priority. Members asked staff to return to the next meeting with updated usage comparisons between Minina Public Library and Ward County Library, details on previous analyses (including materials from a 2018 report by Ryan Arian), square footage comparisons from the Mandan/Morton and James River examples, staffing and benefits breakdowns, and any contracts (such as the Montreal County service agreement) that would require renegotiation.

The committee scheduled its next meeting for March 18 at 1 p.m., to be held in the city facility to ensure reliable technology for hybrid attendance. No public comments were offered at the close of the meeting.

The committee recorded a procedural motion to appoint Ron Merritt as chair; members did not take a final vote on a merger at this meeting and directed staff to gather the requested data and legal guidance before returning to the committee.