A Durango library district has been discussed but never taken to the ballot, and it won’t make the ballot this year either. A prospective plan for 2028 may be on the way as Durango City Council and the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners tentatively decided to meet in 2027 to discuss the district.
Tuesday afternoon, the Board of County Commissioners and City Council met in City Hall for a joint study session. What started off with congratulatory talk acknowledging the hard work of both groups eventually faded to more conflicted conversations once the library district came into play.
Currently, the Durango Public Library is funded through a joint city-county sales tax fund. The establishment of a library district would instead draw funds from property taxes within the defined district. According to the Durango Public Library, receiving funds from a district rather than sales taxes would create more reliable funding.
Library Director Luke Alvey-Henderson said the district is a way to expand hours, services, staff and outreach. In pending 2027 discussions, the library could bring forth two price models, however.
He said one model would use a mill levy rate at a level to expand library services. Another model could use a lower rate to continue funding services at their current level.
Taxing ballots must wait until even-numbered years to be presented to voters. Since the library district won’t make the cut this year, a ballot will have to wait until November 2028. A more pressing ballot issue concerns joining the Durango Fire Protection District.
“We can‘t function without being in the Durango Fire District,” City Manager José Madrigal said.
The Durango City Council echoed the same sentiment, explaining in the Tuesday meeting that joining DFPD took priority and they felt both measures would deter voters due to the potential rise in property taxes in an already difficult economy.
“I do professionally agree 2026 would have been a very bad year to go forward,” Alvey-Henderson said about the library district.
Once the library has a grasp on the average cost to households and businesses after the fire district decision and the upcoming sewage and water master-plan, it can begin building two price models, Alvey-Henderson said. One option is to keep operations at their current level using the property taxes from the district, and another is to expand library services and more with a higher property tax.
While the Board of County Commissioners agreed with the council’s decision to hold on the library district, commissioners said it felt the board was left out of the conversation. District 2 Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton asked to be looped in because the sales tax the library relies on is the joint sales tax, which is also part of the county.
“Because the library is funded from the joint use sales tax, we feel like we have not a voice in your decision making, but a voice in that one,” Porter-Norton said Tuesday in the meeting.
The county is actually supposed to lead in the library district decision process, Alvey-Henderson said. It has the ability to approve the ballot measure, but the county respects the wishes of the City of Durango and a ballot measure without a city resolution wouldn’t go far, Alvey-Henderson said.
The councilors and commissioners admitted there were communication errors and now is not the time to discuss the library district. It is a discussion worth having, however, and they want all commissioners and council members present when the conversation occurs.
Council member Kip Koso, who previously served on the Library Advisory Board, suggested the idea of an early 2027 sit-down to look further at the library district. Council members seemed in agreement, but Mayor Dave Woodruff noted it ultimately comes down to the DFPD ballot and when that goes to a vote.
Once the DFPD decision is made, the Durango Public Library can move forward with surveys to better inform the district decision. Alvey-Henderson said the library will work with the city manager’s office to plan a survey and focus on one facet or “look at all those other issues so the community can be the best informed.” The survey would be completed ahead of a ballot decision.
If the library district moves forward, it would free up roughly $3 million from the sales tax fund that was being used to fund the public library. The commissioners and council want to decide where the $3 million would be allocated if the district became a reality so they can inform voters of fund reallocation before the ballot measure.
“We really want to hear from the public in a reliable, scientifically accurate way,” Alvey-Henderson said. “Do they support this, but also if they were to do that, what would they want that $3.2 million spent on … and if we’re going to expand services at the library, what are your highest priorities?”
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