Cripple Creek district, library board reach agreement; books to stay in high school

Aug. 28--After a summer of conflict that included preparing to pick up and move shop, the public library in Cripple Creek is staying put.

At a monthly meeting Monday, the school board for Cripple Creek-Victor School District RE-1 gave final approval on a 20-year memorandum of understanding with the Southern Teller County Library District.

"It's basically been the hub of the community for years, and it fulfills the needs of both entities. This is good for the community," board treasurer Dennis Jones said this week.

The town's Franklin Ferguson Memorial Library has occupied space in the district's high school since 1976 and renewed a contract each year since then.

When this year's agreement came up for discussion in May, the school district board proposed changes that called for the library district to shoulder more of the expenses.

The library board rejected the new terms, and the former agreement expired June 30. The library board announced the library would move to an unspecified location.

But RE-1 officials did not want the library to leave. And there was some question as to whether city government had to approve a relocation and who had control of the inventory.

After legal mediation attempts failed, city officials got involved.

Cripple Creek City Council on Aug. 6 directed the two parties to resume negotiations, with a warning that if no agreement could be reached, an injunction to stop the removal of books and other assets would be forthcoming.

"When we started the process again, we stuck with the issue, which was trying to keep the library there and reach a fair agreement," said RE-1 Superintendent Les Lindauer. "It was all about the agreement -- no personal issues or anything. What we came up with is a good deal."

Penni Donatto, president of the library board, told The Gazette on Tuesday that she had no comment about the issue.

The school district had been picking up the bill for a library director. Now the library district will contribute 60 percent and the school district 40 percent of the $60,000 salary and benefits package, Lindauer said.

The library will not pay rent but will help pay for janitorial services for one year, then the school district will take responsibility. Each entity will carry its own liability insurance.

"It's a true partnership that will carry us forward for another 20 years," Lindauer said. "It's a good agreement that's fair."

The agreement is conditional on both entities having the money to fulfill the obligations, Jones added.

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