City commissioners soon will be asked to dive back into determining whether the community should push forward on a new $30 million library.

City Manager David Corliss told commissioners at a study session this morning that he expects to place the issue on the commission’s Feb. 6 agenda. He also told commissioners that they ultimately will have to start making some decisions about whether they’re willing to raise taxes to fund a new facility.

“I’m not afraid of the library project,” Corliss said. “I’m afraid of the library project if we say we’re going to have a flat mill levy because that means it will be cutting into our existing operating budget. And I don’t know where we can absorb that type of cut in our budget.”

Corliss has estimated that it will take an increase of at least 4 mills in the city’s property tax rate to fund the construction and the increased operational costs of a new $30 million library.

Corliss, though, reminded commissioners that a sales tax of an undetermined amount also could be used to fund the construction and operation costs. Whether the city wants to use its limited sales tax authority to fund the library versus other major capital improvements projects such as street repair, stormwater projects or new fire truck purchases is a decision commissioners will have to make.

“There are a number of important capital improvement projects, and you’ll have to decide whether the library is among the most important,” Corliss said as part of the study session that was designed to review the City Commission’s annual goals.

Commissioners stopped short of providing any definite direction, other than to reiterate that the public ultimately should decide the issue.

“It ought to be up to the public, and the public ought to see what it will do to their property taxes,” City Commissioner David Schauner said.

But first, commissioners have to decide whether they want to move forward on the project at all, or simply decide that now is not the right time for a $30 million expenditure.

“I am reluctant to raise property taxes to the point that they would have to be raised to fund the construction and operation of a new library,” City Commissioner Sue Hack said. “My concern is that I don’t want to say that it has been nice to discuss it, but we can’t afford it. I don’t want this to grind to a halt by saying we can’t afford it right now.”

Mayor Mike Amyx, though, said that may be the truth of the matter.

“We can’t have people wondering how they will pay for the taxes on their home or their business,” Amyx said. “We have to understand there are limits.”

Commissioners did agree that the long-term solution is to attract more businesses and industry to town that will reduce the reliance the city has on residential property taxes. But that strategy may not produce any quick answers for the library.

The Lawrence Public Library Board has recommended that the city move forward on a new $30 million library and below ground parking garage at the site of the current post office at Seventh and Vermont streets.

The proposal was put forward by members of the Gene Fritzel Construction Co., who also wants to undertake about $100 million worth of private redevelopment along Vermont Street during a 10-year period.

A key part of the plan involves finding another downtown location for the Post Office to ensure that the downtown continues to receive the same level of postal service as it does today. Commissioners were not provided with an update on that process.

Corliss said information regarding more specifics on the Fritzel proposal is being prepared for the Feb. 6 meeting.