Less than 48 hours after the 3-vote approval of a 22 cent Library lid lift, the Library Board met and discussed which of the following (note: only one of the following is true):

a) purchasing a Kindle for every resident, and “mothballing” the building

b) arming Library staff, and allowing them to Taze people who bring back over-due books

c) ground-breaking plans for building a new Library that will be approximately double the size of the new Fire Station

d) starting the process of hiring a new Library Director

According to Vern Spatz, the Grays Harbor County Auditor, letters have been mailed to 16 Ocean Shores voters, informing them that they either did not sign their ballots, or have “signatures that do not match.” (“This means that when we checked the signature on the outside of the ballot envelope it did not match the one given us by the voter and imaged into our system.”)

These 16 have until Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 5 p.m., to respond. As of the last count, there were four more votes to “Approve” the .22 cent lid lift/levy for the Library than to reject the measure.

After this afternoon’s count, released by the County, “Approve” votes have a slim lead over “Reject” in the Ocean Shores Library lid lift/levy measure.

• Approve 1,047 (50.17%)

• Reject 1,040 (49.83%)

According to Julie Murphy of the Elections Department,there are still 427 questionable ballots to be resolved;

Check back, second tally to be released at 5 p.m. today, with County results including the supertight Library lid lift/levy vote.

With just 4 more “Reject” votes than “Approve” after the first count, what if the Ocean Shores Library lid lift/levy ends in a tie?
Asked that question, county auditor Vern Spatz responded by quoting state law for lid lift votes: “A simple majority is required for approval.”
Meaning there must be at least 1 more “Approve” vote than “Reject” vote. If it’s a dead heat, the lid lift/levy does not pass. Hundreds of votes are still to be counted, with the next announcement coming at 5 p.m. Friday.
Some facts:

• Ocean Shores ballots mailed out: 3,248
• Ocean Shores ballots counted on Monday: 1,416
• Potential number of O.S. ballots to be counted: 1,832
• Ballots turned in to Convention Center: 300-plus

The vote, thus far:
Approve 756 (49.87%)
Reject 760 (50.13%)

The term “lid lift” has not been used on the Library issue, as city officials say that last year with the EMS lid lift vote, people got it confused with the Street LID. But the Ocean Shores Library levy vote is another “lid lift,” meaning 50.1 percent of the vote is needed to pass. (Timberland’s 2009 levy vote was also a lid lift). If the Library levy passes, it means voters OK “lifting” the current $2.09 per thousand to $2.31 per thousand.  Here is how the Washington State Department of Revenue web site explains what a lid lift is:

Q.  How do levy lid lifts affect property taxes?

Local taxing districts can propose that voters “lift” the 1 percent limit on annual levy increases so the district can collect a higher levy rate, up to the maximum rate for that jurisdiction. 

The newly formed “Save the Library” group will meet Thursdays at 1 pm at the Library meeting room.

for those who did not attend; answer to follow

The City of Ocean Shores, through the City Hall budget, pays $20,000 per month, or $240,000 per year, on which of the following?

a) electric hook ups for undeveloped lots that have been foreclosed

b) water stand by costs for the proposed aquarium

c) sewer fees to process waste from Duck Lake

d) Storm Drain charge for the City-owned dune areas.

After passionate, “let us have a choice” pleas by a half-dozen or so Citizens, after some Council members express confusion over the Timberland process, after Bob Crumpacker says the proposed 22 cent Library levy is a “slap in the face” to other departments that have had cuts, after Dave Creighton says he wants locals to decide what kind of Library they will have, after the tag-team Peck and Lizakowski land some sharpened elbows, after some back-and-forth baiting between the Mars-like Creighton and the Greek chorus crowd, after Mayor Garland French with red face pounds the gavel to silence the rowdy crowd, after someone suggests to bring the Timberland honcho in for a Town Hall and explain all the options . . .

City Council votes, 7-0, for a 22 cent Library levy.

No Timberland option, this time.

Stay tuned for more action, Council fans . . .

Just a few weeks ago, Jim Mitchell, president of the Library Board, was pushing for an “advisory ballot,” in which voters would express whether they would prefer a 22 cent levy for the Library to remain independent, or a 34 cent levy to become part of Timberland (or, presumably, no funding for the Library). This week, Mitchell told the Library Board that Mayor Garland French shared concerns over a 34 cent levy passing, in the wake of the narrow EMS victory, and a timing problem that would make it difficult (and perhaps impossible) for an August advisory ballot, followed by a November vote for the levy itself. Mitchell said the Mayor was hoping the Board would recommend a 22 cent levy, to fund the Library in 2011, and take no action at this time re Timberland.

The Board voted in favor of recommending the 22 cent levy to City Council. Monday night, council will consider what to do, regarding this. Andy Gruse was the sole Library Board member to vote against the 22 cent levy recommendation. His reason:

"My main reason for the no vote was taxpayers should decide a choice of
Timberland versus the status quo, 34 cents versus 22 cents.  
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