Wednesday, January 14, 2026 |
Photo – Saratoga branch library – Bigfoot99 file photo
County officials thanked the Town of Saratoga for its support of the local library.
During the January 7th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Clerk Jennifer Anderson announced that the Board of Carbon County Commissioners had sent a letter to the town. Clerk Anderson read the correspondence, which stated that the Board of Commissioners appreciates the town’s commitment to keeping the library branch open.
State‑wide residential property tax cuts have reduced the revenue available to local governments. Carbon County saw a nearly $900,000 decline, $500,000 of which stemmed directly from the tax changes. With fewer funds available, the Board of County Commissioners reduced contributions to outside agencies, including museums, senior centers, and the library system, which received 53% less funding than in the previous year.
Library Board members traveled to the municipalities, explaining that the lower funding has necessitated reducing operating hours at all locations and could lead to the closure of the Hanna, Medicine Bow, and Encampment branches. During Brush Creek Ranch’s Embrace the Valley charity fundraiser, the Friends of the Saratoga and Encampment Libraries raised more than $126,000 to help keep their locations open, leaving the Medicine Bow and Hanna branches on the proverbial chopping block.
At the January 7th meeting, Clerk Anderson continued reading the letter, in which the Board of Commissioners clarified that while the county allocates funding to the Carbon County Library System, the Library Board is ultimately responsible for managing the individual branches.
The Board of Commissioners ended by writing that collaboration is essential to preserving as many resources as possible, particularly during the difficult budget period the county is facing. Mayor Chuck Davis expressed his gratitude for the letter.
While the Friends of the Saratoga Library fundraised to keep the branch open, the Town of Saratoga initiated plans to assume ownership of the library. If the deal is approved, the town will receive the library building and the 1.2 acres it occupies.
After the Commissioner’s letter was read, a meeting attendee asked for an update on the proposal. Mayor Davis said he was still waiting for a response from county officials.
In a written statement to Bigfoot99, Commissioner Sue Jones explained that the county is waiting for a response from Carbon County School District Two’s attorney. Commissioner Jones wrote that the school district originally deeded the land to the county under the condition that if it was no longer used as a library, ownership would revert back to the district. As part of its deal with Saratoga, the county will place a deed restriction on the property requiring that the land be used for the public good, but not specifically a library, given that the concept of a library may not exist in the distant future. Commissioner Jones added that the county needs the school district to agree to the changes before the deal can be finalized.
