Sisters Library has long history with city

The 61-year-old Sisters Library is at a crossroads.

The City of Sisters, which owns the library facility, wants to start charging rent for the building the library occupies.

Administrators of the library --Ênow part of the Deschutes County Library District -- want the current rent-free arrangement to continue. Library officials would like to see the City of Sisters sign the building over to the library district.

The stand-off between the city and the library district may be a reflection of changing times, as the library grows from a small-town book exchange to a part of a sophisticated library system.

The Sisters Library opened in January, 1939, in the old building on Spruce Street, behind the present library building.

At that time, the 280-square-foot building was located next to what is now Depot Deli on Cascade Street. Books were moved in from the drug store which had served as a "library" for local residents. Later in 1939, the Sisters Library became a branch of the Deschutes County Library System.

Over the next 40 years, improvements were added to library services. The building was expanded. More books were added with financial help from the City of Sisters. An electric furnace was installed to heat the building and bookmobile service arrived once a month from the county library.

In 1971 the Sisters Library was deeded to the City of Sisters.

In 1980, the old library building was moved to its present home. Improvements at this time included adding a bathroom. There was much local community support for these additions to the now-burgeoning 630 square foot library.

It soon became apparent that the library needed more space. A Friends of the Library (FOL) group was formed in 1985 with high hopes for increasing library space and services.

The City of Sisters provided the property and the library board and FOL eventually agreed on plans for a new 2,600 square foot library that would sit at its present location.

Total building cost reached $232,000. Funds came from FOL's $90,000. Another $115,000 from a LSCA (Library Services and Construction Act) II grant (which the City of Sisters had to sign off on); $25,000 came from a one-time serial levy on City of Sisters residents and $2,000 was contributed by Deschutes County.

The City of Sisters took on financial liability for the library, according to Sisters Mayor Steve Wilson.

Neal Huston was chosen as architect and Keeton and King contractors built the new building which first opened in January 1990.

A joyous crowd attended the dedication of the new library one month later with Mayor Leonard Sundvall cutting the ribbon, Senator Bob Packwood delivering a speech and townspeople touring the outstanding facility.

The new library was dedicated to longtime Sisters librarian, Grace Aitken, who served 1947-1963.

Now, 10 years later, comes a bit of a twisted problem.

There are many friendly and sometimes curious ties between the City of Sisters and the Sisters Library over more than 60 years. The city owns the two lots that the library is on. The city holds legal title to the library building. Basically, the city handles outside maintenance and the library conducts inside maintenance work.

With the coming of the new sewer system in Sisters there is some concern over who should pay for materials and hook up fees.

The library district position is that the City of Sisters, as owner should be responsible for sewer improvements. The city position is that the library should pay rent (65 cents per square foot) for the Sisters library building starting in August.

As of this writing there has been no response from DPLS to the city concerning rent payment.

Michael Gaston maintains, "the district is not willing to pay the City of Sisters rent given that the building was constructed with donations, a dedicated city levy approved by Sisters voters and a LSCA grant."According to Gaston, the new library district offered to become responsible for all costs associated with the building if the city would transfer ownership title or enter into a strong, long-term agreement.

"It would not be responsible for the library district to accept responsibility for capital expenses such as the sewer or a new roof if the city retains the option to revoke the agreement with short notice," Gaston said.

Presently, the City may end the Library agreement with one-year notice.

Neither side has altered their basic positions since a July, 1999 meeting to discuss these relations.

Another sticky point is that the library district is setting aside $500,000 for Sisters Library expansion tentatively set for 2004. District administrators believe that putting that much money into a building not owned by the district may be risky. FOL has already raised nearly $100,000 to further aid the expansion project.

Mayor Wilson contends that the 951 Sisters residents that he and the council represent should not be double taxed by paying higher taxes to live in the City and support the library and also to pay for the library levy of 55 cents/$1000 valuation.

The Sisters Library user base draws from about 9,000 residents -- most not living in Sisters.

Wilson has asked library officials for financial flow information concerning how much money is raised from Sisters area residents for library use and how much comes back to the Sisters Library from DPLS. He has not received that information.

Library officials say they do not want to start a bidding war amongst the different branches. At different times, different branches may be getting more money (the La Pine branch is presently getting a new building).

Lawyers for both groups are apparently trying to work out an overall compromise. Steve Bryant represents the city and Ken Jones of Eugene is representing DPLS.

Both sides support a vibrant library for Sisters. Mayor Wilson hopes that people will not view the library negotiations "as us against them."

Finally, if a stalemate ensues, both sides were asked if they are amenable to arbitration/mediation.

"I can't comment on mediation at this time, Gaston said. "We are still researching the legal issues. I am actually forwarding questions of this nature to our attorney."

Mayor Wilson said, "If it comes to that I will be willing to bring this to the attention of the city council for a decision."