GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The City of Great Falls and the Great Falls Public Library have been working for the past six months to negotiate their current funding agreement. The focus is on exploring potential funding sources for public safety needs.
The city commission is set to vote tonight on a proposed city-library management agreement. The original agreement, established in 1993, required the city to support the library budget with at least seven mills. However, an action to terminate this agreement starting in June 2025 is on the commission agenda.
A new management agreement between the city and the library board of trustees is proposed to provide services and support through June 2029. The city’s final offer allocates the full seven mills for the current budget year, followed by 3.5 mills annually for the next four fiscal years.
City Commissioner Joe McKenney explained, “So the city commission and the board of directors of the library will have to sit down and discuss new terms at the end of five years.”
The library expressed concerns about the reduction in funding. Losing 3.5 mills could lead to job losses, service reductions, and delayed implementation of essential items. This may include:
Cuts to youth services staff, reducing early literacy outreach, school-age programming, and college and life preparedness for teens. Stop or cap Homebound Service and reduce Bookmobile ServicesClose one day a week and cut public services staffReduce IT staff, outreach, and/or program staffReduce access to eBooks and eAudiobooksEliminate contract with Many Rivers Whole Health
Library Director Susie McIntyre stated, “Losing 3.5 mills will negatively affect the Library. However, failing to reach an agreement could result in even harsher consequences by losing nearly a million dollars out of our budget annually and putting our future within City government at risk.”
McKenney added, “Mills typically increase year in and year out. So even though it’s cut three and a half mills this year, those mills are more money next year, in the year after that and the year after that and the year after that.”
The 3.5 mills would be redirected by the city to support public safety needs. Specific uses for this funding will be determined during the FY2026 budget process, potentially benefiting the fire department, police department, courts, or legal department.
If the commission approves the proposed management agreement, the library board of trustees will consider it at its meeting on November 26. The agreement must be approved by both the city commission and the library board of trustees to take effect.
