Welcome to CIVICS, where we break down the week’s municipal meetings throughout the Inland Northwest, so you can get involved and speak out on the issues you care about.
Some things that stick out to us this week include:
- Put public meetings back on the public record, and get paid to do it! We have another Documenters orientation this week.
- Spokane City Council will hold a Town Hall style meeting where they’re scheduled to vote on a couple of hot ticket items like ARPA funds and the heat protection for renters ordinance.
- Central Valley School District will vote on raising the prices of school lunch.
Important meetings this week:
- Spokane City Council (and Study Session)
- Urban Experience Committee
- Board of County Commissioners - Briefing Session and Legislative Session
- Spokane Valley City Council Special Budget meeting
- Mead School District Board of Directors
- Central Valley School District Board of Directors
- Plan Commission
- Spokane Park Board
- Spokane Regional Transportation Council
Documenters Training
If you’ve found yourself with some extra time this summer, if you want a flexible side gig to help save up for a big trip or if you’re passionate about putting public meetings back on the public record, we have an opportunity for you! We’re looking to hire Documenters to go to public meetings and take notes. If this sounds like something that might be a good fit for you, take the first step and attend our virtual Documenters orientation on Wednesday at 5:30 pm to learn what it’s all about and get trained to take notes! Sign up here.
Wednesday, June 12 at 5:30 pm
Virtual orientation, register here.
Spokane City Council
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 peppers
Time for a Town Hall!
Tonight’s city council meeting is another Town Hall meeting, which means it will NOT be at City Hall. Instead, it will be at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in the Multi-Purpose room at the usual time of 6 pm.
Besides taking place out in the community, there are a few other changes to the format of the meeting. It will not be available for live-streaming, but a recording will be uploaded after the fact, so if you want live council updates, you’ll have to tune into our live-tweet. Before talking city business, the council will hear presentations from the neighborhood councils of District 2.
There are also changes to Open Forum. First, in-person sign ups at city hall to testify at Open Forum or on legislative items will close at 5 pm, but don’t worry — you can sign up online to speak until 6 pm or at the MLK Community Center from 5 to 6 pm. The other changes, as passed in the council’s 2024 rules, state that the meeting will conclude at 8:30 pm, whether Open Forum is done or not, and that speakers from the district where the meeting is held will be prioritized.
Counseling at TRAC
Last week, a contract that would extend Revive Counseling’s services at the Trent Shelter from June through September was deferred until tonight. Because of the deferral, Revive is currently operating without an active contract, as the new agreement was supposed to run from June 1 through September 30, paying the service provider about $50,000 a month in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. City Council Member Paul Dillon said the item had been deferred to ensure the contract timing lined up with a wind down of the Trent Shelter but we’re still getting a little bit of deja vu for the last Town Hall meeting, where an ill-timed deferral left Jewels Helping Hands struggling to provide services without funding.
More funds for overdose response
Spokane Fire Department’s Behavioral Response Unit (BRU), which pairs mental health professionals with first responders to more effectively respond to overdose and mental health crisis calls, is set to receive $100,000 through a contract with University of Washington. The money is set to procure two vehicles that will be used for both the BRU and SFD’s CARES team, which also connects people with resources. This arm of SFD is crucial in Mayor Lisa Brown’s plan to address the overdose crisis, as stated in her emergency declaration last week, and the agenda lists the procurement of vehicles as a necessary step in the department’s expansion.
Will we beat the heat?
After a deferral last week, the ordinance to codify renter’s rights to a cool living space is once again slated for a vote. We’ve covered this one multiple times, but here’s a reminder: it would ensure renters had the right to install AC units in their apartments during heat events, as long as those AC units didn’t damage the building, prevent them from locking a ground floor window or require excessive bracketing, per Council Member Kitty Klitzke’s most recent amendment.
Down to the wire
As the timer to get all ARPA funds contracted and committed to projects by the end of 2024 ticks down, the Spokane City Council is once again scheduled to hold a vote on what projects they should move forward with. Last week’s vote, which was deferred, saw multiple proposals submitted by different combinations of council members. This week, the list has narrowed, but there’s still quite a few proposals on the table. Here’s the breakdown.
Proposal 1 is submitted by Council President Betsy Wilkerson and Council Member Zack Zappone:
- $2,650,000 to support a new housing model
- $1,800,000 for adequate addiction treatment facilities
- $484,809.36 for childcare center capital projects
Proposal 2 is from Zappone, and is extremely similar, but carves out some funds for municipal court.
- $2,284,809.36 to support a new housing model
- $1,800,000 for reduction of homelessness in downtown
- $550,000 for municipal criminal justice services
- $250,000 for childcare center capital projects
Proposal 3 is from Wilkerson alone and most notably, leaves over $2 million not committed to any specific project, which could be an issue, since the funds need to be contracted soon:
- $1,870,809.36 for property acquisition to reduce of homelessness in downtown
- $400,000 for childcare center capital projects
- $550,000 for municipal criminal justice services
- $2,064,000 for “future projects”
Proposal 4 is a joint pitch from council members Klitzke, Jonathan Bingle and Lili Navarrete:
- $1,770,809.35 for property acquisition to reduce homelessness in downtown
- $400,000 for childcare center capital projects
- $550,000 for municipal criminal justice services
- $250,000 for scholarships and equipment for youth sports
- $700,000 for refuse removal in neighborhoods
- $14,000 for more trash cans in the East Sprague Business Improvement District
- $125,000 to conduct a downtown housing and public bathrooms study
- $500,000 for facility improvements to the downtown fire station
- $250,000 for alleyway activation
- $150,000 for the the Cannon Hill Pond lining project
- $100,000 to improve the workspace of the Office of the Police Ombudsman
- $75,000 to buy a vehicle for behavioral health services
Proposal 5 is a joint pitch from Zappone, Wilkerson and Dillon and seems to be a compromise pitch that includes pieces of almost all of the above plans:
- $1,876,233 for property acquisition to reduce homelessness in downtown
- $225,000 for childcare center capital projects
- $550,000 for municipal criminal justice services
- $250,000 for scholarships and equipment for youth sports
- $503,576.36 for refuse removal in neighborhoods
- $14,000 for more trash cans in the East Sprague Business Improvement District
- $150,000 for residential street lighting
- $166,000 for alleyway activation
- $50,000 for a downtown housing study
- $100,000 to improve the workspace of the Office of the Police Ombudsman
- $250,000 for a campaign to help get community members signed up for the Working Families tax credit
- $200,000 for the purpose of school-based health center in partnership with Spokane Public Schools
- $300,000 for facility improvements to the downtown fire station
- $150,000 for the the Cannon Hill Pond lining project
This proposal also notes that should any other ARPA funds become available for reallocation, for example, if a project falls through, that funding will be allocated to capital projects in the Parks Department that are equitable and have a long-term benefit to the city.
We anticipate discussions about ARPA funds will be the spiciest part of both the meeting and the earlier Briefing Session where amendments are typically voted on.
Agenda here
Monday, June 10 at 6 pmMLK Center
500 S. Stone Street
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane City Council Study Sessions
Agenda here when available.
Thursday, June 13 at 11 am
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)
🌶️🌶️🫑/5 peppers
A few weeks ago, Brown announced she would be pursuing moving the city to a biennial budgeting process, which means each budget would be for the following two years, instead of one. This idea has bipartisan support, as Council Member Michael Cathcart has been advocating for it for months. The mayor’s administration has submitted an official ordinance draft to the council, which is up for discussion at today’s Urban Experience Committee.
An update on homelessness
In January, the city held its annual Point in Time count, where volunteers canvassed the city over five days to collect data on rates of homelessness. The results of this process help guide how the city’s elected officials approach homelessness and housing services. Today, Dawn Kinder will present on the findings and highlights of the 2024 Point in Time count. Her presentation isn’t linked in the agenda, so there’s no preview, but we anticipate it will be particularly illuminating.
Homelessness and housing funding convo
Kinder will also be leading a council discussion on funds from the Homeless Housing, Operations and Services (HHOS) Grant Program, which is designed to provide resources that “address the needs of homeless and at risk households.” This discussion will likely be spirited.
Agenda here
Monday, June 10 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.
Board of Spokane County Commissioners Briefing Session
🌶️🌶️/5 peppers
Sign-on bonus extension for sheriffs
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office hopes to extend their Sign On-Bonus Program for 2024-2025. At the moment, the Sign-On Bonus Policy provides $25,000 maximum to new applicants to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, but this payout is only available through June 30, 2024. After the end of this month, the bonus decreases to $7,500 maximum, so the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is requesting to extend the $25,000 payment, citing the bonus as a way to attract applicants. Chief Don Hooper from Detention Services will also provide a briefing on extending the jail’s sign-on bonus policy, including updates to adjust dates from 2024 to 2025 on the current policy.
Well Well Well(s)
After it was discovered that firefighting foam used at Fairchild Airforce Base was the cause of forever chemical pollutants found in wells surrounding the base, the Air Force started monitoring the area’s water quality as required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Last year, the county commission granted a one-year License Agreement to install monitoring wells and track potential contamination. Now, public works is opening another License Agreement, this time for the installation of several wells which will be used throughout the next 20 years around the base and into Airway Heights.
Agenda here
Tuesday, June 11 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
🫑/5 peppers
Funding for road improvements
The BoCC will vote whether to approve $2 million of funding — $500,000 of which would come from the county, the remainder from state funds — for improvements to Hatch Road between Midway and Bridle Trail roads. The construction would include a 10-foot-wide trail, along with curb inlets, concrete pedestrian ramps, swales to mitigate flooding and a resurfacing of the road. The total amount of funds have not yet been found; Public Works will have to identify about $30,000 extra in funding if the BoCC approves the project estimate. Bidding for the project has not started yet.
Mystery public hearing
Look, if we always knew what public hearings were for in advance, what would be the fun in that? Mystery is the spice of life, right? Just kidding. Though technically the county commission only has to get agendas posted 24 hours in advance, it would be nice to tell people what a public hearing is going to be about earlier than that. As it stands, all we know is that there’s a public hearing Tuesday, June 11 at 5:30 pm. Hopefully more details will be posted here by 5:30 on Monday.
Agenda here
Tuesday, June 11 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
🌶️🌶️/5 peppers
Marathon budget meeting
Spokane Valley City Council is holding an all day meeting to workshop the budget, starting at 8:30 am. This is open for public attendance but no public comment time is scheduled. Different city departments will be presenting on their needs and status throughout the day. The council will also discuss the projects they want to prioritize, get an economic forecast and projections presentation and an update on needs from the Spokane Valley Police Department.
Agenda here
Tuesday, June 11 at 8:30 am
City Hall
10210 E Sprague Ave
Spokane Valley, Washington 99206
Virtual attendance here.
Mead School District Board of Directors
🌶️🫑/5 peppers
Opioid Overdose Reversal Medication
The Board will hold their first reading to revise the Opioid Related Overdose Reversal Policy/Procedure 3424 adopted in June 2020. The revisions requested are to make all district schools — as opposed to what was previously just high schools — required to seek to obtain at least one set of opioid overdose reversal medication doses. The revision is on the table as a result of recent state legislative sessions, which broadened district requirements for opioid overdose reversal medications.
High School & Beyond
Revisions to high school graduation requirements are also on the agenda, and the board will discuss ongoing revisions to the district’s graduations plan. At their last meeting, the board focused on how homeschool credits transfer to high schools and determining a “school of record” on transcripts. Currently, the district accepts nearly all homeschool credits as a general rule, and uses the high school a student graduates from as that which is recorded on their final transcripts. The new revisions will explicitly state these rules.
Agenda here
Monday, June 10 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
🌶️/5 peppers
No such thing as a free lunch?
The Central Valley School District board will present and discuss breakfast and lunch meal prices for the 2024-25 school year. With the price of food and labor costs on the rise, the district presents three options to alleviate the costs of feeding students: raising meal prices by $0.05, using non-federal funds to pay for meals, or splitting the cost by both raising prices and using non-federal funds. By raising prices alone, CVSD expects to receive an additional $19,324 in revenue. In the past, the district offset the cost of food and supplies with money from local levy enrichment money, but claims they have not been able to match recent food prices due to inflated costs.
Agenda here
Monday, June 10 at 6 p.m.
Learning and Teaching Center (district office)
Board Room at 2218 N Molter Rd, Liberty Lake
Watch via Zoom here.
Spokane Plan Commission
🌶️/5 peppers
Public comment opportunity for planning our city
Beginning today, the 2023/2024 Comprehensive Plan Amendments workshop is open for public comment. The commission will host six workshops over a 60-day period ending on August 9, to discuss each proposal to the Comprehensive Plan Amendments. This week, Spokane residents have the opportunity to attend the first workshop, which covers the recommended Land Use Plan map designation and zoning changes for the South Logan Transit Oriented Development Plan (TOD) adopted by the city council last January. The South Logan TOD Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which reviewed environmental impacts and ways to lessen this impact, will also be discussed at public comment.
Agenda here
Wednesday, June 12 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, June 13 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
🌶️/5 peppers
RSAP, DATA, & VMT, Oh My!
Spokane Regional Transportation Council will meet this week and discuss upcoming plans to support the Regional Safety Action Plan (RSAP), Safe Streets for All, and the Data Applications for Transportation Analysis (DATA) project by adding funds. A new budget amendment would add Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) grant funds of $138,000. VMT aims to decrease greenhouse gases released by city-owned vehicles, and its funds will also support RSAP and DATA, which both allow the council to measure and increase street safety.
You’re Invited
STA will attend and offer information about the organization at several in-person events this month. They will be present at an STA Public Open House on June 10, a Juneteenth Celebration on June 15, and Summer Parkways on June 18. The Washington State Transportation Commission will also hold a meeting in Cheney on June 26 and 27, including a bus tour of the region.
Agenda here
Thursday, June 13 at 1 pm
Spokane Regional Transportation Office
21 W Riverside Ave, Suite 504, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the address for the Spokane City Council meeting.
