District judge dismisses lawsuit over Rockrimmon Library closure

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – An El Paso County judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) and Colorado Springs city leaders over the closure of the Rockrimmon Library last year.

The lawsuit stemmed from a PPLD Board of Trustees meeting in October 2024, where leaders voted 5-2 not to renew the Rockrimmon Library lease, effectively deciding to close the branch at the end of the year. The group cited financial difficulties as the reason behind the closure.

The decision sparked months of protests from residents and city leaders who had relied on the library during its 35 years serving northwest Colorado Springs. In November, three city council members sent a letter to the PPLD board opposing the closure, expressing concerns that the decision to close was made without sufficient opportunities for public input. 

In December, a lawsuit was filed by a number of community members alongside the nonprofit Integrity Matters. The group argued that the decision to close the library was made without enough public notice or transparency, and that the PPLD board violated Colorado's Open Meetings Law during the October board meeting.

In May, a judge granted PPLD's motion to dismiss all claims except the Open Meetings Law claim, asking both sides to submit additional information before making a final ruling.

But in a decision handed down on Monday, a district judge officially dismissed the complaints that the board had violated open meetings laws.

"It is undisputed PPLD posted the agenda for the October meeting online more than 24 hours
in advance of the October meeting. It is also clear the public was advised ... that the Rockrimmon lease would be a topic or discussion at the October 16, 2024 meeting. There is no allegation that the public was not allowed to attend," the ruling reads in part.

The judge also rejected an effort to overturn the library closure through the state's Rule 106 appeal process, noting the group didn't file within the 28-day deadline. Although the board voted on October 16, the plaintiffs didn’t file their Rule 106 claim until January 16 – nearly 92 days later.

The claims were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled in court.

KRDO13 has reached out to PPLD and Integrity Matters, one of the groups behind the lawsuit, for comment on the dismissal, but has not yet received a response at the time of publication.

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