How to help in the upcoming freeze, revisiting Monaghan and more

There’s a lot going on this week. (Photo illustration by Valerie Osier)

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.

It’s a monster of a week for civically engaged folks (it’s also the first day of the state’s legislative session, for those that celebrate), and we had some difficulty narrowing down the most important items happening this week, but some things that stick out to us include:

Freezing temperatures = a need for community mutual aid.
A new antisemitism and Islamophobia resolution.
Revisiting the Monaghan statue.
Traffic calming money to be used for bike infrastructure equipment.

Important meetings this week:

Immigration attorney announcement

After a successful documentary screening fundraiser, Latinos en Spokane (LES) has just posted an open position for a full-time immigration attorney position. The attorney will play a key role in developing a legal center for LES, which will provide low-cost and free legal, criminal and immigration services. Representation of low-income, primarily Spanish-speaking immigrants seeking asylum, visa assistance, citizenship and removal proceedings is the primary focus area.

The position pays between $95,000 and $110,000 per year, with benefits. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and qualified applicants are invited to apply here.

How to help the unhoused in the cold snap

Temperatures have been steadily dropping, and could hit below zero this weekend. Currently, there are less than 30 low-barrier beds available in our sheltering system, according to Sheltermespokane. On Saturday, Mayor Lisa Brown’s office shared a press release that said they’re looking for places to expand surge capacity in the shelter system with existing service providers, as well as with partners in the nonprofit and faith communities. They’re also exploring the possibility of temporarily re-opening the Cannon Shelter.

In the meantime, local mutual aid groups and nonprofits have been jumping into action to distribute winter survival supplies. CoolSpokane and MAC Movement are calling for the support of the community to enable them to continue distributing supplies. Folks can purchase items off their online wishlist here or contact either group on social media to sign up to help with distribution. Jewels Helping Hands is asking for donations of water or hand warmers, which can be dropped off at 1028 W Rosewood, Suite 100 A from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, and at 5128 N Jefferson on the weekend. They also take Paypal donations, which will be used to purchase necessary items in bulk. CAT Spokane will be operating an emergency warming shelter, beginning January 11, and is asking for donations of items like blankets, hand and foot warmers, clean socks, warm hats, coats and gloves, prepackaged snacks and microwaveable meals, which can be brought to their location at 168 S Division Street. Folks can also donate online here.

Spokane Reimagined Info Sessions

Spokane Reimagined, a citizen proposal to “repurpose existing rights of way to improve Spokane's connectivity, increase density and spur economic development,” is hosting public information sessions at local libraries in the next few weeks. The first of those sessions are scheduled for this week and are free to attend. More information on the Spokane Reimagined proposal can found here.

Tuesday, January 9 from 6 - 7 pm
Central Library
906 W Main Ave, Spokane, WA 99201
Thursday, January 11 from 6 - 7 pm
Hillyard Library
4110 N Cook St, Spokane, WA 99207

Spokane City Council

Deferral of some high profile business

At the start of each new year, the city council votes on updated council rules and committee and board assignments, both of which are proposed by the president. City Council President Betsy Wilkerson’s draft versions of both the council rules, which sought to move all open forum comments to one day a month, and proposed board assignments have sparked some council conflict and community conversations. While both of these items are on the agenda to be voted on during tonight’s legislative session, Wilkerson expressed a desire to push back a vote until January 22 so council can take the time to continue to discuss and hear community voices on the issues. They are now listed under an item requesting a motion to defer them to January 22. The two items will also see a combined 20 minutes of discussion at the Urban Experience Committee (UEC) today, and we will be following any potential updates.

Mayoral appointments up for approval

Some of Brown’s first mayoral appointments are slated to come for a vote before city council tonight, including Mike Piccolo for city attorney and Erin Hut as director of communications and marketing. There is also a request to suspend the rules and add a vote on Dawn Kinder, who will be replacing Kim McCollim as the director of Neighborhood, Housing and Human Services.

Traffic Calming Fund to bike equipment

Big news for some of our transit-minded friends - Spokane City Council is planning to use $550,000 from the Traffic Calming Fund to finance bike lane maintenance equipment that would allow the city to keep bike lanes clear in the winter. This agenda item was covered in depth by the Spokesman, and is slated for discussion at today’s UEC meeting and a vote in the consent agenda of tonight’s legislative session.

Cars for cops

Spokane’s Police Department (SPD) is getting thriftier. Tonight’s consent agenda has a pre-approval for SPD to purchase three used undercover vehicles for their tactical unit. They’re also asking to purchase a used 2018 Dodge Charger from the Douglas County Sheriff’s office. In total, the four used vehicles will cost the city just under $100,000.

Agenda here
Monday, January 8 at 6 pm
City Council Chambers – Lower Level of City Hall
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
The meeting is also live streamed here.

Urban Experience Committee (Spokane city)

New antisemitism and Islamophobia resolution

After months of protests, demonstrations, public comment during the Open Forum section of the weekly city council meetings and closed door community roundtable discussions calling for a replacement of the pro-Israel resolution passed in October, Spokane City Council is preparing to vote on a new resolution, titled in the agenda, “Resolution against antisemitism and Islamophobia.” The full text of the new resolution, beginning on page 288 of the UEC agenda, begins, “A resolution of solidarity with those whose lives have been forever altered by the conflict between Israel and Hamas. We envision a world where every life is cherished and valued as equal - where all humanity lives in peace, freedom, and safety.” The new resolution does not contain the words “genocide,” “occupation,” or “ceasefire,” some of the language demonstrators from pro-Palestinian groups have been calling for at open forum.

The resolution will be discussed at today’s UEC and is scheduled for vote on January 22.

Revisiting the Monaghan statue

For one of his first council actions, freshman Council Member Paul Dillon is reviving the ordinance previously passed by city council and vetoed by former Mayor Nadine Woodward this summer that would have established a review of community concerns regarding institutional statements, names or monuments on property owned by the City of Spokane. The ordinance was spurred by a community push to remove the Monaghan statue, which features a bas-relief image that has been labeled a racist and inaccurate depiction of Samoan people.

At the time the initial ordinance was vetoed, there wasn’t enough council support to override the veto, but with a different council makeup and a new mayor, Dillon is resurfacing the ordinance, co-sponsored by Wilkerson, which now includes a timeline for a portion of the review process. This UEC will be the first discussion of it, and it is scheduled for a first read at the January 22 legislative session and a final reading and vote on January 29.

Agenda here
Monday, January 8 at 1:15 p.m.
Council Briefing Center 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, January 11 at 11 am
City Council Chambers – Lower Level of City Hall
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
The meeting is also live streamed here.

Mead School District Board of Directors

Learn more about the levy

Mead’s superintendent will give the board an update and presentation on the replacement levy that voters will decide on in February. There isn’t much information in the agenda, but it could be helpful for folks to watch the presentation and learn more about it.

School calendars

The board will be approving the 2024-2025 school year calendar at this meeting. District staff had two options to choose from and they voted on the calendar that puts the first day of school right after Labor Day, and the last day of school on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Once that’s approved, families and teachers should be able to plan their time off for the coming year.

Highly capable kids

The board will have the first reading of a revision to Policy 2190 about the district’s Highly Capable Programs, which accelerate learning and instruction for students who qualify. According to the agenda sheet, the revision is to clarify that the state does not require all K-12 students to be screened, only students in two grade levels in elementary schools, though it does not specify which grades.

Increasing contract limits for principals

The board will also consider a new policy, which is now required by the state, that would give the school board the ability to offer principals up to three-year contracts rather than one-year contracts. Principals would have to meet some criteria before qualifying for the longer contracts, including: they’ve been employed as a principal for three or more years, they’ve been recommended by the superintendent and they’ve met the requirements for updated record checks.

Agenda here
Monday, January 8 at 6 p.m.
Union Event Center
12509 N. Market St. Bldg. D, Mead, WA 99021
Watch via Zoom here.

Central Valley School District Board of Directors

Cleaning up after guns

The CVSD school board will be voting on a $2.9 million contract with Halme Construction, Inc. to clean up the former Spokane Gun Club property at North Henry Road and Sprague Avenue. According to the Spokesman, the district bought 99 acres of land from the club in 2018 to build a new high school and a new elementary school. But before any construction can happen, the district needs to get the site cleaned up of its hazardous levels of lead contamination and have it be approved by the state department of ecology.

Agenda here
Monday, January 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Learning and Teaching Center (district office)
Board Room at 2218 N Molter Rd, Liberty Lake
Watch via Zoom here.

Board of Spokane County Commissioners Briefing Session

Agenda here
Tuesday, January 9 at 9 am
Public Works Building Lower Level, Commissioners’ Hearing Room
1026 W. Broadway Ave, Spokane, WA 99260
The meeting is also live streamed here.

Board of Spokane County Commissioners Legislative Session

Harvard Road construction

The BOCC will decide whether to approve more than $2.4 million to repave parts of Harvard Road between the Spokane River, near I-90, and the spot where the road crosses the BNSF railroad near Trent Avenue. The straight distance of road spans about 1.7 miles between the interstate at Liberty Lake and the McKinlay & Peters Equine Hospital.

Agenda here
Tuesday, January 9 at 2 pm
Public Works Building Lower Level, Commissioners’ Hearing Room
1026 W. Broadway Ave, Spokane, WA 99260
The meeting is also live streamed here.

Spokane Valley City Council

Mayoral appointments to boards and committees

Last week, Spokane Valley, which selects their mayor from elected council members, voted in Pam Haley to continue as the city’s mayor for the next two years. At Tuesday’s meeting, city council will vote to confirm Haley’s list of appointments of council members to boards and committees. One of the notable appointments includes keeping Haley and Tim Hattenburg, the only Democrat on the council, on the Spokane Transit Authority Board, which will probably continue to be a site of high tension politicking.

In 2022, Haley’s list of appointments was extremely lopsided, giving her political allies a greater portion of the appointments and limiting Hattenburg and the more moderate Ben Wick and Brandi Peetz to one or two each. This year’s list of appointments seems to be spread more evenly. A list of Haley’s other proposed appointments can be viewed here.

Agenda here
Tuesday, January 9 at 6 pm
City Hall
10210 E Sprague Ave
Spokane Valley, Washington 99206
Virtual attendance here.

Spokane School District Board of Directors

Agenda here
Wednesday, January 10 at 6 pm
Spokane Public Schools Administration Building
200 N. Bernard, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.

Spokane Plan Commission

Agenda here
Wednesday, January 10 at 2 pm
Council Briefing Center
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.

Park Board

Agenda here when available
Thursday, January 11 at 3:30 pm
Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall.
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed via WebEx,
Call in: 408-418-9388 Access code: 2491 764 3350

Spokane Regional Transportation Council

Agenda here
Thursday, January 11 at 1 pm
Spokane Regional Transportation Office
21 W Riverside Ave, Suite 504, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.