City to assess library building costs; staff recommends modest 2026 rent increase while study proceeds

The City of Moses Lake will conduct a building assessment and capital-needs study for the public library building and proposed an interim increase to the building-use fee for 2026, City Manager Carl Lindsey said at the Aug. 26 council meeting.

Lindsey said the council irection at the council retreat was to extend the city's relationship with the library district for one year (2026) while staff evaluates the full costs of operating the facility. "We will do a building assessment including a capital needs assessment for the building to find out what the true cost of operating that building is," he said.

At the same time, Lindsey said a facilities inventory of routine maintenance and operations (custodial supplies, utilities, routine m and o) showed the city is not recovering those basic costs under the current building-use agreement. He recommended an interim adjustment to the building-use fee for calendar year 2026, estimating a roughly 9% to 10% increase to recover basic operating costs. He also said the city will correct an overstatement of the building square footage in the current records, which reduces the fee base.

Public comment: Two public speakers raised transparency concerns about recent communications between city staff and the library district. Matt Pollock said he had expected a building assessment and direct meetings between city and library staff after the council retreat and said he was concerned that a rent increase and other contractual demands had been discussed before the meetings he expected. Sarah Dela Cruz told council she received a voicemail from a staff member but received it late and said she had seen a city website item describing council retreat remarks removed; she asked for public clarity and openness.

Council response: Several council members said the city oes not plan to close the facility and emphasized the exercise is a financial review. Council member Stagg asked for a clear accounting of what taxes and other revenues support the library to address public concerns about "double taxation." Council member Lombardi asked why the parties did not use a formal lease rather than a maintenance agreement; staff said they would review the legal arrangements.

Next steps: Lindsey said he has proposed meeting dates and expects to meet with the library district director to discuss the assessments and interim fee. The city will perform the building assessment and return recommended terms for 2027 and beyond once capital needs are known. No formal change to the agreement was adopted at the meeting; the council received staff reports and public comment.

Clarifying detail: Lindsey described the recommended 2026 building-use fee increase as intended to recover only basic maintenance and operations costs and said further changes could follow after the capital needs assessment.