Your Connection to the Spokane Valley City Council

The evening of January 25th was a departure from normal activity on Spokane Valley City Council meetings. City Council met in a special meeting at 5:00pm to go into Executive Session “….for approximately thirty minutes to discuss the qualifications of an applicant for public employment and that action is anticipated upon return to open session.”

City Council, having concluded its business in Executive Session, reconvened whereupon a motion was made to accept the findings of the committee to negotiate a new employment contract with Acting City Manager John Hohman and hire Mr. Hohman under those terms. Motion passed 5-2.

The business of the special meeting being concluded, Council adjourned that meeting in preparation for its regular meeting at 6:00pm.
State law requires the City to periodically review and/or revise its Shoreline Master Plan (SMP) which it did on June 8, 2021. The State Department of Ecology reviewed the amendments submitted by the City and determined that the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) cannot be considered under the single-family residential unit exemption thus requiring ADUs to go through the Substantial Development Permit Process.

Proposed Ordinance 22-001 adopts the amendments to the shoreline master program consistent with the action identified by Ecology in its conditional approval. Motion to suspend the rules and adopt Ordinance 22-001 passed 6-1.

The owner of Derek Apartments, LLC has requested the vacation of a section of street 32’ by 237’ along the south side of Appleway Avenue. The proposed vacation lies approximately 526 feet east of the intersection of Appleway Avenue and Farr Road. The requested area is unimproved right of way, encompassing approximately 7,584 square feet. The requirement for a public hearing has been met.

The Spokane Valley Planning Commission voted 6-0 to approve the findings and recommendations on the proposal which are now incorporated in Ordinance 22-002. Motion to suspend the rules and adopt Ordinance 22-002 was approved 6-1.

An integral part of Public Safety in the City budget are court services for misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and infraction offenses occurring within the City. Adjudication of these offenses is conducted under contract on behalf of the City by Spokane County District Court pursuant to an interlocal agreement with the County. From time to time, usually at least once a year, except in COVID-like years, members of the Court, led by the presiding judge, presented a program encompassing current events at the Court, service numbers, specialty courts/programs, and challenges. Presiding Judge Amy Maurer led the discussion and exchange.

A Salary Commission was convened in 2018 to review the remuneration of Spokane Valley City Councilmembers. On January 15th, 2019, that committee issued an administrative report recommending an adjustment be made in the salaries of Council, and further recommended that the matter be revisited again in three-year intervals.
Upon being notified that the three-year interval had been reached, Council authorized the convening of a new Salary Commission. From the applicants, the Mayor appointed Daniel Allison, Charles Dowers, Tes Sturges, Kathe Williams, and Steven Wareham, with Paul Eric Reickers as an alternate, each for a term of not more than one year from date of appointment.

The Commission is charged with issuing a final report with salary schedules no later than April 18, 2022. At that time, a summary of the Salary Commission’s report will be published for two weeks in the City’s official newspaper. If no petition is filed with the City to alter or stop the action within 30 days of the last publication, the salary adjustment, if any, will automatically go into effect.

The five-person commission is appointed for one year, serves without pay, must be residents of the City, and registered to vote in Spokane County. No officer, official, or employee of the City or any of their immediate family members may serve on a salary commission.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Masks must be worn in the building. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. Public participation on action items or public comment periods can be in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

This formal meeting of the Spokane Valley City Council commenced with a proclamation from Mayor Pam Haley recognizing January 17th as Martin Luther King Day and his legacy of improving human rights.

The first business item was a public hearing on the City’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Amendment #1. Each year, as required by state law, the city reviews its Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) with an eye to adding projects that address the transportation needs of the City. The list includes projects that are intended to be implemented in the next six years, the progress on those already on the list, and eliminating those completed. When adopted, the TIP is submitted to the Washington State Department of Transportation by June 30th of each year.
The latest TIP adopted on June 8th, 2021, by Resolution 21-002, included 9- ‘Closeout Projects for 2022’, 5 Bridge & Grade Separation Projects, 15 Intersection Improvement Projects, 27 Reconstruction/Preservation Projects, 4 Citywide Projects and 4 Sidewalk, Trail, and Stormwater Projects for a total of 64 projects scheduled to be addressed over the next six years.

This amendment will add the following new proposed projects:
• 2022 Local Access
     (Summerfield East Neighborhood)
• 2023 Local Access Streets
     (Donwood Neighborhood)
• Northeast Industrial Sewer Extension
     (Flora, Dalton, Tschirley)
• Buckeye Sewer Extension
• Sprague Ave. and Pines Rd. Intersection
     Improvementsw
• Vera Crest and Rocky Ridge Street
     Reconstruction
• 8th Avenue Sidewalk (Park to Coleman)
• Barker road Improvements
     (Appleway Ave. to South City Limits)
The two sewer extension projects are proposed in response to potential American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that may be made available for sewer infrastructure improvements. Construction of those projects would impact the underlying streets’ full-width pavement. The Sprague/Pines Intersection project may require an additional evaluation to determine if a potential additional land acquisition is necessary at the northwest corner of the intersection. City funds are available to meet matching requirements. There was no public comment.

The public hearing was immediately followed by a motion to adopt Resolution 22-001 which encompasses the above amendments to the 2022 TIP. That motion passed unanimously. With the transition to a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor, a resolution (Resolution 22-002) is necessary to declare which qualified public depositories the City is authorized to conduct financial transactions with and further declaring which Councilmembers and City officers have signing authority on behalf of the City. The motion to approve Resolution 22-002 was adopted unanimously.

On October 15, 2019, Council agreed to participate in the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Each year HUD provides CDBG entitlement funding to Spokane County in which the City participates, but the City must apply for the grants even though it is entitled to its own set-aside. On October 26th, 2021, Council identified two potential CDBG sidewalk projects for application:
• Park Road—Broadway Avenue to Cataldo
     Avenue $400,000
• 4th Avenue—Eastern Road to Catherine Johnson
     Apts. $350,000

Those projects were included in a list for Council to prioritize applications for grants. Each participating Councilmember has prioritized his or her list which was then compiled into a master list. That list in order is:

AGENCY                                                          Activity
1. Spokane Valley Partners =    Emergency Food Bank
2. Spokane Valley Partners  =  Emergency Services
3. Meals on Wheels  =  Senior Services Nutrition
4. City of Spokane Valley  =  Park Rd Sidewalk Improvmnt
5. City of Spokane Valley   =  4th Ave. Sidewalk Improvmnt
6. Spokane Neighborhood Action Program  =  Essential Home Repair
7. Salvation Army  =  Emergency Food Bank
8. Spokane Neighborhood Action Program   = Micro Enterprise Assistance

That list will be presented to the Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee at their allocation meeting on January 13th, 2022. The motion to approve the City Manager’s presenting this list to the CDBG Committee passed unanimously.

Mayor Haley appointed with Council approval herself, Deputy Mayor Higgins, and Brandi Peetz to finalize the employment contract with City Manager John Hohman.
 
Council was then treated, for its edification, to its annual Open Public Meetings training.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Masks must be worn in the building. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. Public participation on action items or public comment periods can be in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

After a swearing in ceremony for three re-elected members and one newly elected member in Council Chambers, the inaugural Council meeting of 2022 was opened by City Clerk, Chris Bainbridge for the purpose of electing the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the ensuing two years. Pam Haley was elected Mayor and Rod Higgins was elected as her deputy. In Spokane Valley’s Council-Manager form of government, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are elected by the City Council from within the sitting Council members. Ms. Haley and Mr. Higgins were re-elected in November to four-year terms on City Council.
Newly elected Mayor Pam Haley assumed control of the meeting and moved to the business portion. An amendment to the agenda brought the Mayoral appointment of Councilman Arne Woodard for a full term as the City’s representative on the Spokane County Housing & Community Development Advisory Committee (HCDAC). Mr. Woodard has served on that committee in the past and this appointment solidifies that continuity. The vote to approve the Mayor’s appointment was unanimous.

The next item of business was an amendment to the City’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Each year, as required by state law, the city reviews its Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) with an eye to adding projects that address the transportation needs of the City. The list includes projects that are intended to be implemented in the next six years, the progress on those already on the list, and eliminating those completed. When adopted, the TIP is submitted to the Washington State Department of Transportation by June 30th of each year.

The latest TIP adopted on June 8th, 2021, by Resolution 21-002 included 9- ‘Closeout Projects for 2022’, 5 Bridge & Grade Separation Projects, 15 Intersection Improvement Projects, 27 Reconstruction/Preservation Projects, 4 Citywide Projects and 4 Sidewalk, Trail, and Stormwater Projects for a total of 64 projects scheduled to be addressed over the next six years.  
This amendment will add the following new proposed projects:
• 2022 Local Access (Summerfield East Neighborhood)
• 2023 Local Access Streets (Donwood Neighborhood)
• Northeast Industrial Sewer Extension (Flora, Dalton, Tschirley)
• Buckeye Sewer Extension
• Sprague Ave. and Pines Rd. Intersection Improvements
• Vera Crest and Rocky Ridge Street Reconstruction
• 8th Avenue Sidewalk (Park to Coleman)
• Barker road Improvements (Appleway Ave. to South City Limits)
The two sewer extension projects are proposed in response to potential American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that may be made available for sewer infrastructure improvements. Construction of those projects would impact the underlying streets’ full-width pavement. City funds are available to meet matching requirements.

On September 28th, 2021, Council approved Resolution 21-007 setting the date of October 28th, 2021, for a public hearing with the Planning Commission to hear an application by the owner of Derek Apartments, LLC, for vacation of a section of street 32’ by 237’ along the south side of Appleway Avenue. The proposed vacation lies approximately 526 feet east of the intersection of Appleway Avenue and Farr Road. The requested area is unimproved right of way, encompassing approximately 7,584 square feet.

The requirements for a public hearing and subsequent deliberations having been met, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended forwarding the application to Council for action. The appraised value of the vacated land is $530.76 less than the fee paid to make the application. Council reached unanimous consensus to move the application to a first reading on January 25th.

In a separate action, Mr. Woodard moved to appoint John Hohman as the City’s permanent City Manager. At its last meeting of 2021, Council voted to hire Mr. Hohman as its Interim City Manager, holding that office until the posting for City Manager was filled.  Mr. Woodard’s motion suspends the search to fill the vacant city manager position and immediately employs Mr. Hohman as permanent City Manager subject to completion of terms of employment. The vote was 5-2 with Mr. Wick and Mr. Hattenberg voting no.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Masks must be worn in the building. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. Public participation on action items or public comment periods can be in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

View Past Spokane Valley City Council Highlights