Anne Scarffe, Gilpin County. In the coming November 3rd election, a mill levy for the Gilpin County Library has been proposed. The library might have to close permanently in January 2021 without more funding. The library has relied on up to 75 per cent of their budget from the county.

A discussion on ZOOM was held on Friday September 18, at 7 p.m., about being an accurate voice in the community. Yard signs have been ordered to promote the initiative. Another ZOOM meeting may be held next week. 

Funding shortfalls caused the library to reduce or cancel their services to the community. Revenues from gaming have been declining for the past few years, as millennials don’t usually gamble at casinos, they are more likely to gamble online. It wasn’t just COVID that caused the shortfall, COVID accelerated the need.  This tax increase will be permanent, not temporary. 

The library is asking for $397,000 tax increase equivalent to .90 increase in their mill levy from .239 millage. Information and a mill levy calculator based on your home’s assessed value is available on the library’s website: https://www.gilpinlibrary.org/mill-levy-faqs.html It has been estimated that this would increase taxes by $20 to $40 per year.

The library cut the operational hours from 56 hours per week to 20 hours per week.

Proposed on the ballot are the following needs of the library: restoring morning, night and weekend hours, rehiring staff that were laid off, providing children’s story hours, Saturday evening movies, summer reading programs, STEM robotics program, restarting book clubs and other entertaining or educational programs, new books, free computer and Wi-Fi access and continue to be a community gathering place open to all at no charge. 

Library Director Michael Carlson can be contacted at mcarlson@gilpincounty.org or by phone 303-582-0161 for more information. 

(Originally published in the October 1, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)