Town decisions large and small

The last item on the Aug. 10 La Conner Town Council agenda was a resolution for the Town to approve deferring a payment of $48,000 from the new library to the town for seven years, a fee for the building lacking 10 parking spaces required by code.

Councilmember Bill Stokes immediately called to table the item, saying he needed more budget information.

Planner Michael Davolio stood and explained the library could not get its permit to build without resolving the payment. Library representatives had met with the staff and Davolio had written council a memo explaining the library’s request. Council had received that information in their packets on Friday. Members could have asked for details ahead of the meeting. Individuals could have called or met with Davolio beforehand to get an explanation.

No councilmember spoke for the library. The motion was tabled and it appeared the library’s permit would be delayed two weeks. Mayor Ramon Hayes then invited Stokes and fellow finance committee member John Leaver to a meeting Wednesday morning with library representatives for resolving questions and moving forward.

Did the councilmembers Wednesday discuss waiving the fee, given that July sales tax revenues were over $50,000 for the third month in a row, a record? Did they bring up the $132,450 they had recently deposited in federal COVID-19 relief funds or the $117,000 received from sale of the Hedlin property, monies not in the 2021 budget at the start of the year?

No. The deal they proposed was that the library pay for two parking spaces yearly, $9,600, over five years, starting in 2023. There would not be a seven-year grace period, giving the library breathing room. Now the library will need to cobble together funds and add a yearly expense immediately once the new building opens.

Having gained that agreement, council met at a special meeting Friday and approved it.

The Tuesday council meeting lasted 27 minutes. Why wasn’t the issue debated then? Why weren’t councilmembers prepared? Why wasn’t the library championed as a keystone institution of the community to be supported for the benefits it brings? Why wasn’t the fee waived as a show of generosity, commitment and investment in our children and for paying it forward generations into the future? And what will council spend the $9,600 on it squeezed from the library each of those five years?

The pandemic, the disruption to the economy, increased costs and limited availability of building supplies have increased the budget and delayed the start of construction. No councilmember inquired into the library’s position or championed their request.

Oscar Wilde wrote those who know the price of everything and the value of nothing are cynics. The town residents are responsible for their elected representatives. Are council decisions matching residents’ ideals? Is council valuing what residents want their town to be and how they want it to be seen?

The financial foundation of the new library is several large grants from the state, county and Swinomish tribe. Area residents have contributed over a hundred thousand dollars. Mayor Hayes played a key role in gaining those county and state dollars.

But the council, the legislative body for the town, what have they contributed since fundraising started? Zero. Not a dime has come from a town budget.

The Weekly News has donated over $1,300 to the new library since 2018. It is time for the paper to write another check and put its money where it knows the town’s future lies, investing in both physical and social capital and in children yet unborn.

Maybe this council will find $48,000 or an even $50,000 to contribute to the new library on a five-year payment plan, starting with the 2022 budget.