Welcome to CIVICS, where we break down the week’s municipal meetings throughout the Inland Northwest, so you can get involved and speak out about the issues you care about.
Some of the items that stick out to us this week include:
- An update to Spokane city code on the euthanization of animals at SCRAPS
- A possible independent investigation into sexual misconduct allegations made against former City Administrator Johnnie Perkins
- A proposed city code section aimed at sex trafficking at massage and reflexology establishments
- A proposed back up plan for Spokane Valley City Council’s law enforcement funding needs
Important meetings this week:
- Spokane City Council
- Public Infrastructure, Environment, and Sustainability Committee (Spokane city)
- Spokane Valley City Council
- Spokane County Board of Commissioners
- Spokane Housing Authority
- Mead School Board
- Central Valley School Board
- Parking Advisory Committee
- Spokane City Plan Commission
- Spokane Regional Health District
Spokane City Council
In the arms of an angel…
After public discussion around Spokane County Regional Animal Program’s (SCRAPS) euthanasia practices and media reports about the deaths of 14 dogs in one day last week, Spokane City Council is voting on an emergency ordinance to limit euthanasia in the shelter. The City of Spokane contracts with SCRAPS under an interlocal agreement, which requires SCRAPS to follow county code, city code and state law.
Because the current county code grants a lot of discretion to the director of SCRAPS, and the City Municipal Code has no separate provisions regarding euthanasia practices, City Council wants to remedy that by adopting this ordinance, which will adopt a clear legal framework in the code against killing animals based solely on capacity to hold them. The new language specifies that euthanasia is only permitted for impounded dogs and cats when “a veterinarian determines the animal is severely injured, sick, diseased or suffering.” This is also the state standard for euthanasia. Because this is an emergency ordinance, it would go into effect immediately.
The agenda sheet, which is coming to council from the Urban Experience committee, states that the city is also working with the county on possible revisions to the interlocal agreement to clarify euthanasia rules and other provisions, but felt the emergency ordinance was required to protect animals in the meantime.
Here’s Johnnie!
Councilmembers Zack Zappone and Betsy Wilkerson have submitted a resolution for an independent investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations made against former City Administrator Johnnie Perkins, who resigned in July, as well as into the process of review by city leadership and the alleged violations of city policy. The resolution cites the memo that was made publically available in early August as a reason to investigate the extent of Perkins’ alleged misconduct, as well as the extent of the mayor’s knowledge of his actions and senior administrators’ response to his potential violations of city policy.
The city spokesman Brian Coddington, said in response to the resolution that “Opening it up for another investigation forces those who have been through this already to relive the experience. And that's not something that is helpful for anybody. It's certainly not helpful for those in the future who may have an incident that they need to be able to report.”
City Council will vote on whether or not to request an independent investigator to conduct a thorough investigation into Perkins’ conduct, the administration’s response, possible violations of city and state law, as well as make recommendations for changes to human resource policy to better protect city employees.
Formal denouncement resolution
City Council will vote on a formal denouncement of Mayor Nadine Woodward for her associations with Matt Shea and Sean Feucht. The denouncement is a downgrade in severity from the original censure, but they both basically mean that the council doesn’t approve of the mayor’s actions. We covered that at length earlier today, so check out Aaron Hedge’s piece here.
Massage parlors, a threat to public safety?
Earlier this year, Spokane Valley City Council passed two ordinances intended to crack down on businesses using massage and reflexology as a front for human trafficking and prostitution operations. Spokane City Council could follow suit, as they will hold a first reading of an ordinance intended to “protect the reputation of legitimate and licensed business and practitioners, as well as public health, safety and welfare.” The ordinance, which will put a whole new chapter into city code, states that it will address a potential hole in the city’s business regulation plan that could allow for unlicensed businesses by providing a limited right of inspection that can aid in enforcement.
The chapter seems to be focused on ensuring that all practitioners of massage and reflexology businesses are certified and recorded as providing services on the property. It also gives law enforcement the right to inspect the premises of any massage or reflexology business to check that all practitioners are licensed, recorded and of age. If passed, this ordinance could assist in a continuation of a long line of Spokane Police Department busts of massage parlors accused of acting as fronts for sex trafficking and prostitution, which happened prominently in 2018 and 2012.
More multi-family housing on the horizon
Three property owners are looking to take advantage of the city’s multiple family housing property tax exemption program and create additional units of multi-family housing. The first project will construct four units on the South HIll near Ferris High School, at least one of which will be designated for a low or moderate income household. The other two projects plan to build in the Garland District for a combined total of 15 units, of which 25% would be designated for households of low or moderate income. There’s no timeline attached to any of these projects in the agenda, but it gives us hope to see folks taking advantage of tax exemptions to create more middle housing, especially affordable units.
Agenda here
Monday, September 25 at 6 pm
Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall.
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Public Infrastructure, Environment, and Sustainability Committee
Term limits for neighborhood councils
The city council may soon consider an ordinance that would impose term limits for officers of neighborhood councils and community assembly, among other changes. The Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) requested the changes with the goal of promoting “diversity within local neighborhood councils and within the Community Assembly by ensuring regular turnover of officers and creating more opportunity for participation from all segments of the City.”
The ordinance also requires that official statements from councils or the assembly to the city must be submitted through a resolution to make sure the body actually voted on it. It also clarifies how the ONS is supposed to work with the councils.
Money growing on trees
There’s only one line of information regarding this item, but it sounds exciting so we’ll include it here. In a grant update on SpoCanopy, “The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Spokane will receive millions of dollars in grants aimed at improving the tree canopy in our community.” Yay trees!
Agenda here
Monday, Sept 25 at 1:15 pm
Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall.
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane City Council Study Sessions
Agenda here when available
Thursday, September 28 at 11 am
Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall.
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane Valley City Council
New year, new priorities
Spokane Valley City Council has been drafting their state legislative priorities for 2024, and after public comment on September 5 and a few new considerations, the council will be voting on whether to approve a list of priorities and funding requests to bring to the state. Some of the key items on that list include:
- $600,000 for a cross country course
- A vague funding support request for the new Idaho Central Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center
- Continued federal funding for improvements to the Sullivan-Trent Interchange
- Policy requests for bold legislation to address “the fentanyl crisis” and to re-establish a reasonable suspicion standard for when officers engage in vehicular pursuits.
Back up jail tax plan
The Valley city council will discuss how they want to approach Spokane County’s Measure 1 jail sales tax measure that voters will see on the ballot this November. In the agenda packet, city staff give background information for the measure and plans for the new jail if voters approve the 0.2% sales tax. Spokane Valley can expect to receive about $2.9 million per year from that tax, but if county voters don’t pass it, the Valley could consider levying its own 0.1% criminal justice sales tax. Valley voters would still have to approve that levy, but the city could expect to take in about $2.6 million in that case.
The packet doesn’t specify what that money will be used for, but says it could cover any increased detention services costs, paying for law enforcement officers and other public safety or behavioral health purposes.
While cities by law can’t use public resources in support or opposition of any campaign, city councils can vote on a resolution in support of or in opposition to a ballot measure. The city staff is recommending the council decide to vote on a resolution to support or oppose Measure 1.
Agenda here
Tuesday, September 26 at 6 pm
CenterPlace Great Room
2426 N Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, WA 99216
Virtual attendance here.
Spokane County Board of Commissioners
Direct services for Fentanyl addiction
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) may vote to provide up to $600,000 of money generated by the Mental Health 1/10 of 1% Sales Tax to fund direct services related to Fentanyl addiction. The Rayce Rudeen Foundation requested funding through the ARP process and would enter into an agreement with Spokane County to provide the services. The foundation would use the money to fund a pilot program that provides Narcan kits and training on how to use them as well as other direct services. The funding would be dispersed over three years, but along the way the Rayce Rudeen Foundation will need to raise matching funds and show BOCC that they have met other program goals.
Taking out the trash just got more expensive
It is going to be slightly more expensive to dispose of waste at two Spokane County solid waste facilities starting on January 1, 2024. The two facilities raising prices are the North County Transfer Station located at 22123 North Elk Chattaroy Road in Colbert and the Valley Transfer Station located at 3941 North Sullivan in Spokane Valley. At both facilities, the cost for disposing of general mixed solid waste will go from $15 to $17 per vehicle with 280 pounds of waste or less and will go from $114 to $125.40 per ton of waste. The yard waste gate fee will increase from $55 to $60.50 per ton and the minimum charge of $8 for vehicles carrying 300 pounds or less will now apply to vehicles carrying 280 pounds or less. The Environmental Program Charge added to every transaction will go up from $2 to $3. The price increases come after the Solid Waste Advisory Committee reviewed an analysis of solid waste operations and projected costs and voted to raise rates back in August.
Agenda here
Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 2 pm
Public Works Building
1026 W Broadway Ave. Spokane, WA 99205
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane Housing Authority
Potential acquisition, but it’s a secret
Spokane Housing Authority is meeting this week. The agenda is thin, but notes some interesting items that will be discussed in an executive session the public cannot attend, including the purchase or lease of new property and a discussion with legal counsel. So while we don’t have the deets and you won’t either, maybe there’s a new low-income apartment complex coming soon?
Agenda here
Monday, September 25 at 3:30 pm.
25 W Nora Ave.
Spokane, Washington 99205
Virtual attendance here.
Mead School Board
Agenda here
Monday, September 25 at 6 pm
2323 E. Farwell Rd.
Mead, WA 99021
Central Valley School Board
Agenda here
Monday, September 25 at 6:30 pm
Learning and Teaching Center
2218 N Molter Rd Liberty Lake WA
Attend virtually here.
Parking Advisory Committee
Agenda here
Monday, September 25 at 6:30 pm
City Hall Lobby, Tribal Room
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd
Spokane Plan Commission
Agenda here
Wednesday, September 27 at 2:00 pm
Council Briefing Center
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
Attend virtually here.
Spokane Regional Health District
Agenda here
Thursday, September 28 at 12:30 pm
First Floor Auditorium
1101 W. College Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201
Attend virtually here.
