Council to discuss ward boundaries, library study

During its regular meeting Tuesday, the Longmont City Council will discuss the city’s ward boundaries and how to adjust them in accordance with the mandatory redistricting process.

The last time Longmont’s wards were redrawn was in 2012.

Longmont’s population was approximately 86,000 in 2010, whereas today more than 100,000 people call the city home, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

The City Charter requires that the three wards’ boundaries be reestablished every 10 years — at a minimum.

“The last thing that needs to happen is it get politicized,” Ward 1 City Councilman Tim Waters said Monday. “I’m certain that the maps will go out for public scrutiny.”

The city will host open houses for the public to learn more about the maps and the redistricting process from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13 in the Civic Center, 350 Kimbark St., and from 10 to 11 a.m. Jan. 28, also at the Civic Center. Bilingual staff will be available at the open houses.

Waters made clear that although he represents Ward 1, which includes the east and northeast sections of the city, he takes on issues in hopes of benefiting Longmont as a whole.

“If it’s good for Ward 1, it’ll be good for the city,” Waters said. “If it’s good for Ward 3 it’ll be good for Ward 1.”

The city’s wards should have about the same number of residents and be as compact and contiguous as possible, the City Charter says.

The council has until July 10, 2023, to approve the new ward boundaries.

Library study

In addition to redistricting, the council will discuss the final results from the Longmont Public Library Feasibility Study, Phase II.

The 118-page report, which was completed by Sieger Consulting SPC for $39,500, points out how the Longmont Public Library is the largest library system in the state to have only one physical location.

The 14th largest library system in the state, out of 111, the Longmont Public Library has a

“budget of a much smaller library system,” the report says. In 2022, the Longmont Public Library’s budget was $4.38 million.

When asked about the study, Sean Mccoy, who will be sworn in as an at-large Longmont city councilor a week from Tuesday, questioned the city’s priorities, namely why it was providing millions in financial incentives to an out-of-state developer to build a boutique hotel but couldn’t come up with the necessary dollars to adequately fund the library.

“If we can find that kind of money to help subsidize that sort of thing … we certainly can figure out what we can do for our library,” Mccoy said.

Tuesday’s City Council meeting starts at 7 p.m. inside the Civic Center.

“I love our library,” Mccoy said. “I’ve always felt that our library was a great resource for all kinds of things.”