This, the last Council Meeting for 2019 was devoted to finishing up year-end business details. Last week, Council discussed amendments to its purchasing laws. Generally, those changes increased the threshold for requiring public bids, reflecting increased costs of doing business. For smaller projects, the amounts under which no competitive bidding is required were also raised.
State law requires City Code to be in at least compliance with the state minimums, so in conjunction with amending the City Code to conform to state law, Council also reviewed Staff suggestions for updating City purchasing limits and procedures. Those recommended changes were set forth and finalized in the Second Reading of Ordinance 19-021.
The list of administrative changes in state law and the affected City Code sections can be accessed on the City website: www.spokanevalley.org. The most obvious change of interest to City residents is the increase in the City Manager’s contract authority. That authority was increased to $350,000 from $200,000, bringing it in line with the state statute. This permits the City Manager to engage in contracts up to that limit without Council approval, although the City Manager always confers with Council for sizeable expenditures.
In action to revise the City’s fee structure for 2020, Council approved Resolution 19-021 setting fees for City services. In an administrative report delivered on December 10th, Council considered a proposed resolution that would produce $3,039,000 or 6.29% of total General Fund Revenues, and $1,900,000 or nearly 98% of the City’s Stormwater Management Fund.
The changes to the Master Fee Schedule include, under Schedule A, an addition of a small cell permit application fee for providers of small cell services and are subject to very stringent Federal regulation. Fees of $500 for up to five small cell sites are the base charge with an additional $100 for each site beyond five, consistent with Federal Communications Commission guidelines.
In Schedule C, Parks and Recreation, the following increases will apply:
Aquatics:
• Swimming lessons from $35 to $40
• Swim team lessons from $45 to $60
CenterPlace:
• Executive Conference Room, ½ day rental, $156
• Executive Conference Room, full day rental, $416
• West Lawn and CenterPlace: West Lawn Weddings-
2-hrs-$1,000 includes CenterPlace reception
Other fee revisions include deletion of the Valley Mission Horse Arena fee, (no longer used); Browns Park new shelter fee to $84 (up to 5 hrs.) to align with other City Park fees; new fee for undeveloped park rental (Balfour) $500 per day. The resolution passed unanimously.
In 2018, Council approved a contract with AAA Sweeping for storm drain cleaning services. The contractor requested the full 1.8% hourly increase allowed by contract. The contract may be extended for four additional one-year terms with approval of both parties. This extension is the second of the four renewal options. Motion to approve passed unanimously.
The growing number of homeless individuals in Spokane Valley presents increasingly difficult problems. Those problems were exacerbated by the decision from the Ninth Circuit Court in the Martin v. Boise case that bars a municipality from ‘camping’ or removing homeless from public spaces unless there is another suitable place for them to go. The City filed an amicus brief in support of Boise’s appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court in hopes of getting relief from the 9th Circuit Court’s so far unworkable decision. On December 16th, the Supreme Court announced it would not be reviewing the lower court’s decision, throwing the entire situation into disarray, where it remains until a workable solution can be found. In the meantime, the City continues to work with Spokane and Spokane County in search of a workable solution.
Council re-convenes on January 7th, 2020. In the intervening time, here’s wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a most joyous New Year!
In 2019, the State Legislature adopted several amendments to public works contracting requirements. In order to comply with those changes, Council considered changes proposed by City staff (Ordinance #19-021). Those changes include raising the cost threshold for requiring public bidding from $65,000 to $116,155 when two or more crafts or trades are involved, and from $40,000 to $75,000 when only one craft or trade is indicated.
Additional changes include revising and clarifying the requirement for accepting the “lowest responsible bidder;” raising the small works roster limit from $300,000 to $350,000; and requiring the City to equitably distribute work opportunities under the small works process. Approval levels for the City Manager to transact business without requiring Council approval will also increase to those same levels. Council unanimously approved moving Ordinance #19-021 to a Second Reading.
In the 2018 allocation of outside agency grants, The Spokane Valley Summer Theatre (SVST) applied for and received a $5,000 award intended to be used for the operation of performing arts play-in-a-week camps at Central Valley High School (CVHS). Subsequently, SVST was notified by CVHS that its Performing Arts Center had to undergo necessary repairs to its HVAC system rendering the Center unavailable for the intended grant use. SVST requested the awarded funds be reallocated to programming expenses incurred during the production of three summer musicals in 2019. Council approved the reallocation.
The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), is appointed by the City to direct distribution of hotel/motel taxes collected to promote conventions and tourist travel to the City of Spokane Valley. The organizations to which the tax proceeds are awarded are ultimately determined by Council pursuant to recommendations from LTAC. The LTAC is comprised of five members: Two representatives from business required to collect the tax; two people involved in activities authorized to be funded by the tax; and one elected City official who serves as chair of the LTAC.
On October 19th, LTAC met to consider applications for 2020 grant distributions. In its deliberations, it recommended that $450,000 of the $795,000 available funds be set aside in the Lodging Tax account dedicated for a large sports venue or other venues for tourism facilities that would generate overnight guests. $319,000 of the remaining $345,000 was made available for grant applicants with the remaining $19,000 to be made available for future awards. The applicants and LTAC’s suggested distributions are:
APPLICANT REQUESTED GRANTED
HUB Sports Center 55,100 55,020
JAKT-Crave NW 38,000 18,600
JAKT-Farmers Market 18,000 8,000
JAKT-Octoberfest 20,000 8,400
Northwest Winterfest 50,000 48,000
Spokane County Fair &
Expo Ctr 75,000 66,000
Spokane Sports Commission 50,000 45,000
Valleyfest 150,000 18,600
Valleyfest Cycle Celebration 25,000 1,380
Visit Spokane 50,000 50,000
531,100 319,000
Transfer to Lodging Tax Account: 450,000
Total Awarded in 2020 Budget: 769,000
A spirited discussion on the Northwest Winterfest allocation ended with Council voting 4-3 to approve the above list. Higgins, Haley and Woodard voted against.
The Spokane Valley Arts Council (SVAC), chaired by Dr. Jim Harken, has donated numerous art pieces to the City which are on display in Mirabeau Park, CenterPlace, and City Hall, with other pieces in storage awaiting completion of sites such as Balfour Park for permanent placement. This evening Council was presented for its consideration a sculpture entitled “The Assent” by Gary Lee Price.
Dr. Harken made the presentation from his personal collection stating that the intended placement for the sculpture would be in Balfour Park at a veterans’ memorial when it’s completed. Until that time, the piece would remain in storage. Council voted unanimously to accept Dr. Harken’s generous donation.
Council extends its heartfelt thanks to all who attended last week’s Christmas Tree lighting sponsored by the Spokane Valley Rotary Club. A special thanks to the Bowdish Middle School band and choir for their performance. The ceremony was indeed a tribute to all the participants who made the evening a success.
Next week’s Council meeting will be the last for 2019. Council will reconvene on January 7, 2020.
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The City Council holds more formal meetings the second and fourth Tuesday of each month and holds Study Sessions on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Agendas, minutes and background materials can be found on the City’s website: www.SpokaneValley.org by 5pm the Friday before each meeting.
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