WCLS won’t pursue joint levy for Blaine, Birch Bay Libraries

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In the face of Covid-19-induced fundraising challenges, the Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) board of trustees decided not to pursue a joint levy to fund a new library in Birch Bay and a remodel to the Blaine library.

The board of trustees voted to split the projects at its July 21 meeting so that it could focus on funding the future Birch Bay Vogt Community Library, at 7968 Birch Bay Drive. The Washington legislature set aside $2 million for the Birch Bay library project in April 2019 for its 2020-2021 budget, but the project will only receive the money if WCLS and the Friends of the Birch Bay Library can match that amount by June 30, 2021.

Previously, the WCLS board was pursuing forming a single taxing district to fund both projects. It hoped to put two ballot propositions on the August 2020 special election ballot – one to form a taxing district and another to levy money for the projects.

“We realized that with the challenges our communities are facing right now, there’s no way we could go out and ask voters to approve the levy to build both of those projects,” said Mary Vermillion, WCLS community relations manager. “We are going to make a push for the Birch Bay project.”

WCLS and the Friends have a design for an approximately 7,600-square-foot library in Birch Bay, at a property that WCLS purchased in 2017. The Friends group has raised about $160,000 so far, said Dianne Marrs-Smith, president of Friends of the Birch Bay Library.

Marrs-Smith said that the Friends group is grateful the library system is working with the group to match the $2 million in state funds, and that WCLS and the Friends are working on a plan to raise the rest of the money. So far, all options are on the table, she said. To learn more about future fundraising plans for the Birch Bay library, visit friendsofbirchbaylibrary.org.

The Friends of the Blaine Library hired a design team last year and held a series of meetings to plan a remodel to the Blaine Library. The design team revealed a concept in February 2020 that is about 8,600 square feet, roughly twice the size of the current Blaine library. 

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