Petition Group Hires Legal Counsel, Responds To City Attorney's Memo

The Citizens for the Preservation of the Cedar River Library have retained legal counsel and submitted a . Warren's memo outlined why the City belives the petition is invalid.

The response letter, drafted by Groen Stephens & Kling, LLP, of Bellevue was submitted to the City of Renton on Friday afternoon, and responds to each of the seven points outlined in Warren’s memo:

• Impairment of contract;
• Infringement on the Council’s budget authority;
• Initiative improperly directs administrative actions;
• Initiative is really and untimely referendum;
• The initiative challenges elements of the election to join KCLS;
• The initiative is an improper attempt to set policy and not initiate an ordinance; and
• The language of the initiative is fatally flawed.

The response letter may be read in full by clicking on the PFD  thumbnail to the right.

The all-volunteer petition group consulted with the law group after .

On Monday the Council will decide what to do next: adopt the petition as it is written, request a special election and put it on the ballot, write their own initative to place on the special elections ballot, or reject the petition.

According to e memo by City Administrator Jay Covington, "the Administration recommends that the City continue its present course of action. The City Council should decline to place the Library Initiative on the ballot."

Citizens for the Preservation of the Cedar River Library have coordinated a rally at 6 p.m. at Renton City Hall in support of their position on the fate of the current downtown Renton library.