Council opened with a short memorial to Tony Lazanis, a long-time resident of the Valley who was a frequent attendee at Council meetings. He cared deeply for his City and will be missed.

The City of Spokane voters in the last election passed Proposition 2 prohibiting a city income tax there. The action was prompted by an appeals court decision that ruled that the City of Seattle had statutory authority to impose an income tax even though the state constitution specifically prohibits an income tax and prior court cases have upheld that prohibition.

That appeals court decision could be heard by the State Supreme Court if it accepts review of the lower court decision. In the meantime, Mayor Higgins suggested that City staff draft a proposed resolution to address the matter for Spokane Valley. The resolution was drafted as “strongly opposing” a city income tax. Council, by consensus, directed that the wording be changed to “prohibit.” Resolution 19-018, prohibiting a city income tax passed unanimously.

Council approved a revised agreement with Gordon Thomas Honeywell, the City’s legislative lobbyist. The new contract will initially be for 18 months, with up to four one-year extensions. The starting 18-month contract is to adjust the contract end date to June 30th of each year rather than December 31st since that date falls close to the start of the legislative session. The lead-in period (18 months) calls for a $90,900 fee. The contract allows for a 3% annual cost of living increase plus $15,000 additional for tracking and reporting on agency rulemaking and other administrative actions.

On October 15, 2019 Council approved Resolution 19-014. That memorialized the idea of using the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocation for the Barker Road Homes Sewer Project. That enabled the City’s joining Spokane County in a partnership to complete a septic tank replacement in the manufactured home subdivision project located east of Barker Road just north of the Spokane River.

The project will eliminate existing septic systems above the aquifer, one of the last remaining unsewered areas in the City. The agreement calls for installation of a sewer line and re-paving the disturbed roadway which was already failing. The City and County will work together to establish a financial assistance program designed to mirror a prior CAPA (Community Aquifer Protection Assistance) program when the County eliminated septic tanks years back. The County will manage and operate the program.

In this meeting Council authorized the City Manager to enter into and execute the Interlocal Agreement between Spokane County Environmental Services and the City enabling the installation of the sewer and re-pavement of the roadways in the Barker Road Homes Sanitary Sewer Project. The project’s total cost is $3,355,000. The City share is $1,615,000. Motion passed unanimously.

The City’s regional event center, CenterPlace, has been beset by leaking roof problems almost from its inception. Attempts to address the problems have not succeeded in part because of faulty installation of the tiled roof. The consultants retained to produce a workable roofing solution are recommending an entire re-roofing of the building with a metal roof. The estimated budget for this recommendation is $607,000 which includes architectural, engineering and staff time ($34,500), actual construction ($532,500) and a contingency fund ($40,000). Council unanimously reached consensus to proceed with a metal roof.

In May 2018, the City awarded a $125,000 marketing contract to KREM Marketing Solutions to continue implementation of a five-year marketing strategy created in 2016. In 2018 KREM developed and implemented campaigns using both video and digital advertising; developed printed materials using brochure templates and the Hot Topic survey; and reviewed and recommended changes to websites and media content enhancing user interaction through search engine optimization together with other marketing strategies. Satisfied with the results, the City exercised the first-year renewal option with KREM for 2019 at $135,000.

There was no Council meeting on December 3rd.

Council’s Study Session opened with three action items: 1) Resolution 19-016 granting a street vacation (relinquishing City rights) along Carnahan Road between 12th and 13th Avenues, the alleyway between the streets and 500 feet of Chronicle Road. The site is adjacent to eight parcels that are either vacant or under development. The resolution passed unanimously.

2) Motion Consideration for action on Comprehensive Plan amendments. Comprehensive Plan amendments can only be made once a year and can be initiated either privately or by the City. Amendments fall into two categories; map amendments and text amendments. This year there are seven amendments, five privately initiated and two City initiated. At Council’s last meeting, they instructed staff to not include two of the privately initiated for further consideration. Motion passed unanimously.

3) A Motion Consideration to adopt the City’s 2020 State Legislative Plan containing requests for assistance in Bridging the Valley, especially Phase II of completing the Pines/BNSF rail crossing; I-90 Barker to Harvard project cost overruns, to clarify that the Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is entirely responsible for the project; a capital project request for $413,000 to cover the installation of a water line to Sullivan Park and the newly acquired addition to that park. No water district serves the park, so a water line under the Union Pacific railway must necessarily be built to accommodate it.

Other items such as defending local control of the ability to govern our city, restoration of revenues formerly shared by the state, easing regulatory burdens, and support for additional business development tools not now available to the city round out the plan. The motion passed unanimously.

At its June 2019 meeting, the Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) voted unanimously to hire a Census Coordinator to assist in ensuring an accurate census count of Spokane County and allocating $100,000 to cover the estimated cost. Spokane Valley’s share of that cost would be $10,102 which Council had previously agreed to fund. This evening was a presentation on the role and other details of the coordinator.

At a past Council meeting, Councilwoman Thompson asked for a report on what the City might do to correct a water contamination problem at the Pinecroft Mobile Home Park (MHP) located west of Pines Road between Mansfield Avenue and Montgomery Drive. The MHP has its own water system with wells which are rather shallow. The MHP is not hooked up to the County sewer system. Each pad has its own septic tank. The contamination source, according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, could be the septic system at MHP. Neither the MHP water supply nor sewage disposal are within City control.

With the adoption of a revised Park Master Plan, the fee schedule is also undergoing review. The addition of more useable space on CenterPlace’s west lawn gives rise to charges more in line with like facilities in the area. For exact proposed fees, please visit www.spokanevalley.org, and go to parks. That fee schedule will come before Council on December 10th.

Spokane Valley, being a contract city, maintains rosters of contractors properly licensed and registered to perform various types work in the state of Washington which the City uses where the estimated cost of the work to done is $300,000 or less. Depending on the amount of the service to be performed, other rosters might have to come into play.

Washington State Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) maintains rosters which the City can use for a small annual membership fee, relieving it of the chore of constantly updating its own. MRSC Rosters is the only contracting directory that connects businesses directly with public agencies. Businesses register once with as many participating agencies as desired. Registering online is easy, supplying fast approval. Council will take the proposal up on November 26th.

The contract with the City’s state legislature lobbyist was presented by City Attorney Cary Driskell. The new contract will put the City and lobbyist on a new contract closing date of June 30 instead of the December 31 date currently in use. The new fee schedule includes an annual 3% increase and continuing coverage of administrative rulemaking.

There are only three more Council meetings before the end of the year. The December 3rd meeting is cancelled, and there will not be meetings after December 17th.

YOU ARE INVITED!! Please mark your calendars for the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting at City Hall on Thursday, December 5th at 5:30pm at City Hall.

After the final hearing on the City’s proposed 2020 budget, Council took up the second reading of Ordinance 19-016, an amendment to the 2019 Budget. That amendment addresses both increases and decreases in capital and recurring accounts. The net effect is an increase in Revenues of $3,357,112 and a concurrent increase in Expenditures of $3,745,751. Second Reading of Ordinance #19-016 amending the 2019 Budget passed unanimously.

The Second Reading of Ordinance 19-017, adopting the 2020 Budget, also passed unanimously. This is the eighth and final time Council will have discussed various aspects of it. The 2020 Budget includes total appropriations of $89,998,731 including $28,594,710 of capital expenditures (not to be confused with recurring expenditures in the normal course of City Operations). Those capital costs are anticipated to be partially offset by grant revenues of $19,897,385 from State and Federal sources.

2020 recurring revenue is estimated to be $48,281,200, representing a $2,784,400 (6.12%) increase over 2019. Recurring expenditures are estimated at $43,221,986 which is $1,260,515 (3%) greater than last year. Budgeted recurring revenues currently exceed expenditures by $5,059,814. Council unanimously adopted Ordinance #19-017.

Ordinances 19-018 and 19-019 amend park regulations and regulate public camping. The two ordinances work together to update existing park regulations adding new language protecting our parks and streets from people living on public land without the proper health facilities to support continual residence. Ordinance #19-019 specifies public property, including roadways, sidewalks, stormwater property, City Hall, parks and park facilities and any other public property where camping materially interferes with the intended use of the property.

The above provisions are not enforceable if shelter bed space is not available, pursuant the Ninth Circuit Court’s Martin v. Boise decision. However, there are certain areas where ‘camping’ is never allowed, including City Hall grounds, Balfour Park, and Mirabeau Meadow/CenterPlace grounds. The ordinances both passed unanimously.

As the City progresses toward acquiring the necessary right-of-way (ROW) to complete the Barker/Trent rail crossing, agreements have been reached with three of the four property owners.  However, a fourth owner has failed to reach agreement. In the event agreement cannot be reached, Ordinance No. 19-020 is the city’s “final action” ordinance. Upon passage, the City will continue to attempt to reach a mutually agreeable result with all property owners through negotiation. Failing success in those negotiations, the City will initiate condemnation proceedings. That action will consider fair and just compensation while allowing ample opportunity for the owner to provide their rationale for what they believe to be fair compensation for their property. A motion to suspend the rules and approve Ordinance 19-020 passed unanimously.

In administrative business, Council was visited by Sheriff Knezovich for a discussion on police force staffing in the City. There has been disagreement on whether the City’s police staffing level has met contract requirement set forth in the agreement between the City and the Sheriff.  The City maintains that there has been a consistent shortage of between 13 and 19 patrolmen, while the Sheriff claims that the City is fully staffed. Overtime records and ‘boots on the ground” analysis indicate that the City’s position is correct.

The State’s Growth Management Act allows local jurisdictions to consider amendments to their Comprehensive Plans once each year. This year the City will entertain five mapping adjustments and two City Initiated Amendments. Council will return the docket for consideration at its November 19th meeting.

Each year the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), comprised of five members recommends to Council the allocation of money collected through the City’s Lodging Tax which amounts to $795,000. After applicant presentations the LTAC passed a motion appropriating $450,000 from that fund, moving the money to the 1.3% Lodging Tax Fund account dedicated to a large sports venue or venues for tourism facilities. That left $345,000 to be allocated among applicants. The LTAC chose to allocate only $319,000 of the available $345,000, leaving the remainder available for award in future years.

Spokane Valley City Council Highlights Archive