Leaders from the Hailey and Bellevue public libraries on Tuesday confirmed plans to merge into a newly named Big Wood River Library District, which they say would expand access and is intended for residents from East Fork south to West Magic outside Carey and Picabo.

Tuesday’s announcement at Hailey Town Center West drew dozens of nonprofit leaders, library patrons, city department heads and council members from both towns.

“It’s the right move and the right time for districting,” Hailey Associate Library Director Lee Dabney told the crowd. “But it will take some heavy lifting. We can’t [circulate] the petition at the library. So we’re going to need some help from the community.”

Like a fire or cemetery district, the proposed independent taxing district would be created through a simple

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