Woodland-area library district plan up for vote

LONGVIEW — Voters in six precincts near Woodland will decide in November on a proposal to create a partial-county library district in their area.

The Cowlitz County commissioners on Tuesday voted to allow the proposal to appear on the ballot for voters in the proposed district after a public hearing on the issue.

Commissioners Joe Gardner and Dennis Weber voted in favor of placing the proposal on the ballot and Arne Mortensen opposed it.

The proposed library district would cover Cowlitz County voting precincts Caples, Woodage, Woodland Heights and Lewis River 1, 2 and 3 outside of Woodland city limits. It would be funded by a property tax levy of up to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value.

Mortensen said demand for library services in the proposed district area seems to be limited.

Supporters of creating the library district said the $115 annual nonresident fee families have to pay now is a deterrent for them to use the library.

Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries operates the current library in Woodland in a two-story house built in 1909, and efforts are underway to replace it with a new building, at 828 Goerig St.

The new library would provide more materials, resources, ADA accessibility, internet and computer access and additional space for meetings, study, programs and workshops.

Woodland is one of a few small cities in the area working with Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries to build a bigger library.