Friday, Dec. 10, 2004 | 9:08 a.m.
Two library systems in Southern Nevada are locked in a battle over boundaries.
Henderson has submitted a bill draft request for the Nevada Legislature to consider boundary rule changes when it meets in February 2005.
The Henderson district is trying to secure a site for a new library about 1 1/2 miles south of the Henderson Executive Terminal, a spot that has not been developed. But the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District says Henderson has jumped the gun and is balking at its proposal.
The ownership issue would settle which district would get to serve patrons and collect tax revenues from new residents expected some day on thousands of undeveloped acres now owned by the Bureau of Land Management.
The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District board met Thursday night and agreed that trustees should meet individually with Clark County commissioners, follow the Henderson Library District's bill draft request and testify if it goes to the Legislature, and continue open discussions with the Henderson district.
Daniel Walters, executive director of the Las Vegas-Clark County district, said he and board chairwoman Elaine Sanchez met last week with County Manager Thom O'Reilly, who agreed with the library district's concern about Henderson seeking legislation to expand its patron and tax bases by adding land annexed to the city since 1995.
The county has not analyzed the funding impacts if Henderson could expand its boundaries, Walters said. He expects another meeting with county staff next week.
Walters offered the Henderson district an alternative to state legislation: Let the Henderson Library District serve the Green Valley Library, now under the county district, and accept responsibility for library development within existing city limits.
Although Sanchez said it was "common sense" that Henderson would want to expand its boundaries, she believes the struggle between the library districts is a local issue.
"I think our request is reasonable," Sanchez said during the meeting at the Las Vegas Library on Las Vegas Boulevard North.
A Las Vegas-Clark County Library District trustee discovered that Henderson was requesting legislation to change boundary rules about a month ago.
County library district trustees say that if the Legislature approves the bill, the district might not have enough tax revenues to provide services to those living outside their boundaries.
The county district has responsibility to its current and future patrons, Walters said. In 2001 the district and the Henderson Library District negotiated an interlocal agreement that gave the Anthem community to the city's library district.
If the Legislature approved the measure, Henderson could adopt all land, some 6,500 acres, that the city has annexed since January 1995 as well as all future annexed properties, Henderson Library District Director Thomas Fay said.
"We are looking to solve these boundary issues," Fay said before the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Board met. Fay did not attend Thursday's meeting.
The Henderson District Public Libraries has existed for 60 years, Fay said.
"We feel we are the natural services provider," Fay said, and it would save Henderson residents money because the tax rate in the city is cheaper than other areas, he said.
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