Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Commissioner Question

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Laurie Kadrich

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Oct 10, 2025, 4:30:54 PM (2 days ago) Oct 10

to John Kefalas

Hi John,

I asked Josh for some help on this one and here is what he provided - does that help? thanks laurie

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Joshua Fudge <fud...@co.larimer.co.us>
Date: Thu, Oct 9, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Subject: Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Commissioner Question
To: Laurie Kadrich <kadr...@co.larimer.co.us>

Does this help?

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Ken Draves <KDr...@poudrelibraries.org>
Date: Thu, Oct 9, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Commissioner Question
To: Diane Lapierre <dlap...@poudrelibraries.org>, Joshua Fudge <fud...@co.larimer.co.us>

As legal background to the issue, please see the Findlaw link below to a 2009 CO Court of Appeals decision regarding the issue of de-annexation, Wellington, and the District.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/co-court-of-appeals/1203488.html

From: Diane Lapierre <dlap...@poudrelibraries.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 9, 2025 9:04 AM
To: Joshua Fudge <fud...@co.larimer.co.us>
Cc: Ken Draves <KDr...@poudrelibraries.org>
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Commissioner Question

Dear Josh,

I spoke to Laurie (Assistant County Manager) on Tuesday about this same issue. I’m copying Ken who has more of our historic knowledge, but basically when the district was formed, the existing town of Wellington was not included in the district boundaries. As Wellington has expanded, the properties surrounding the town are still part of the District.

While anyone in Colorado can use any public library (CLC is the Colorado Library Card agreement), the funding mechanisms are based on where someone lives and the type of library that serves that area. Wellington is a municipal library (like Loveland) so if I am shopping in the area, I’m contributing to their tax base even though I pay property tax for the district. I also see this as similar to paying property taxes for schools even if you don’t have kids in public schools or send your kids to a private school. The funding is for a collective good, vs. your personal access or benefit.

As a district, we provide full library service, including access to our digital collections, to folks in the Wellington area, partner regularly with Wellington Library and other regional partners.

Hope this helps!

-Diane

Diane Lapierre

executive director

she / her

O: 970-221-6670

C: 720-204-0749

Webster House Administration Center

301 E. Olive St., Fort Collins, CO 80524

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From: Joshua Fudge <fud...@co.larimer.co.us>
Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 12:06 PM
To: Diane Lapierre <dlap...@poudrelibraries.org>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Commissioner Question

Hi Diane: I received a question yesterday from one of our Commissioners, following up on a question from a Wellington resident. This person apparently lives in the PRPLD district area and so pays property taxes to Poudre Libraries. They're wondering why they have to pay property tax when they want to use the library in Wellington (they may actually use it, I don't have clarity on that). I gave the simple answer as I understand it that living in the Poudre Library district enables them to use our libraries but thanks to the statewide partnership whose name I cannot remember, they can also use the Wellington library.

Do you have a good explainer for people on the benefits of living in the Poudre Libraries district as it relates to a question like this? Hopefully it makes sense; I think I know the answer but I'm having a hard time articulating it.

Hope all is well!

-J