Welcome to CIVICS, where we break down the week’s municipal meetings throughout Spokane and the Inland Northwest, so you can get involved and speak out about the issues you care about.
We’ve got updates on some hot button issues this week. Here are the items that stick out to us:
- Police are once again over budget on their overtime hours.
- Parks hours will be staying the same and the parks ordinance is changing, meaning even less legal time in public taxpayer-funded parks.
- The anti-camping initiative is getting a final reading and a roll call vote to put it on the ballot in November.
- Water restrictions and how to help in the heat
- Town hall with your congresswoman
This week, these groups are meeting:
- Spokane City Council
- Spokane Public Safety & Community Health Committee
- Liberty Lake City Council
- Spokane Community, Housing and Human Services Board
- Spokane Citizens’ Transportation Advisory Board
- Spokane Human Rights Commission
The Spokane County Board of Commissioners meetings are canceled this week.
Ballots are still due August 1 (that’s tomorrow!!)
If you haven’t already walked your boots to a ballot box, you better do it before tomorrow, because ballots are due August 1 by 8 pm. Thank you to a RANGE reader who pointed out that if you miss that deadline, you have until 9 pm to mail them at the Post Office located at 2928 S Spotted Rd, Spokane, WA 99224.
It’s getting hot in here, so…
Ration your water and support Cool Spokane. The river is flowing at less than 1,000 cubic feet per second, which means a drought has been declared and the city is moving into Level 2 Water Restrictions. The city ordinance has no enforcement methods attached (let’s hear it for the honor system), but drought measures include:
- No outdoor watering between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm.
- Limit watering to no more than two days per week.
- No more than a total of two hours of watering per day.
- No using water to clean hardscapes such as: sidewalks, driveways, decks and patios.
The heat is also affecting our unhoused neighbors, so mutual aid efforts through Cool Spokane are back in full swing. Keeping everyone safe and hydrated is a cool thing to do, so check out the donation information below!
Conversations with Cathy (McMorris Rodgers)
On Wednesday evening, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers is hosting a town hall event at the Spokane Convention Center. She wants to hear about the issues important to you and your family. Space is limited and the event is listed as “first come, first served,” so if you want to make your voice heard, maybe get there early?
Wednesday, August 2 from 5 pm - 6 pm
Spokane Convention Center, Centennial Ballroom
202 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
Community Open House: New Park in West Plains
There’s a new park coming to Cheney, and the Spokane County Parks, Recreation & Golf Department is hosting the first of three open houses for community input. If you’ve ever wanted to feel like you’re in an episode of Parks and Recreation, now is your chance! Share your hopes, dreams and ideas for the new park. If you can’t make this one, don’t worry — there are open houses in September and October too.
Tuesday, August 1 from 5 pm - 7 pm
Inland Power & Light Co Training Room, north entrance facing I-90
10110 W Hallett Rd, Spokane, WA 99224
Spokane City Council
Big chunks of change for eviction prevention
After concluding a review of applications from a Request for Proposals in May, the Community, Housing and Human Services (CHHS) Department has their recommendations ready to present to City Council. Pending a vote to approve, $2,336,200 of eviction prevention funds will be split between Carl Maxey Center ($1,077,082), Nuestra Raices ($425,218), and Family Promise ($833,900).
More hours, more problems … even less legal time in the parks.
After a public back and forth on City Council’s controversial parks trespassing law, the Parks Board has come out on top — City Council will be changing the ordinance. But on top for who? The initial approved ordinance made it illegal to be in most parks between 11 pm and 5 am, and in Riverfront between midnight and 5 am, but the actual closure hours of the parks are 10 pm to 6 am, and midnight to 6 am in Riverfront. Citing the cost of sign changes and public re-education, the Parks Board is asserting their authority over park operation and declining to change their hours. The City Council will be voting to edit the ordinance to be in alignment with the current closure hours, which means even less legal time in city parks.
Homeless near kids initiative head to the the ballot
Should it be illegal to be homeless in front of kids? We’ll find out this November. City Council is holding a final reading of Ordinance C36408, which prohibits encampments near schools, parks, playgrounds and child care facilities. Despite having 2,713 signatures thrown out, the Larry-Stone-bankrolled ordinance received enough valid signatures to make the ballot on November 7, pending a roll call vote today.
Police Academy expansion
We’ve covered updates on this in CIVICS a few times, but there’s some movement on efforts to expand the Police Academy. City Council will vote today on a special budget ordinance to accept $1.4 million of funding provided by Washington State through Senate Bill 5200. The funding will be used for a construction of a new building at the existing academy location.
Agenda here
Monday, July 31 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 Safety & Community Health Committee
Overtime and Over Budget
Overtime is out of control for both Spokane Police Department (SPD) and Spokane Fire Department (SFD). The budget information in the agenda shows SPD has spent $1,239,499 over their budgeted amount. SFD is $941,554 over. These numbers are pretty big, but the agenda item is just listed as an Overtime Update, so while we know about the problem, we don’t know where the money to solve it will come from.
Blanket Budget: New Ballistic Body Armor and Fire Pants
Firefighters need new pants, and police need new body armor. Some budget items up for a vote include $400,000 to SPD over the next two years for ballistic body armor and external carriers, and $430,000 over the next five years to SFD to purchase new pants. These pants will be Dual Certified to be worn daily and in fighting wildland fires.
We didn’t start the fire, but maybe somebody did?
The Public Safety & Community Health Committee has 10 minutes bookmarked on the agenda for SFD Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer to give an update on suspected arson occurrences. If those new fire pants get approved, they might be getting put to use quickly.
Agenda here
Monday, July 31 at 1:15 pm
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.
City Council Study Sessions
Agenda here once posted
Thursday, August 3 at 11 am.
City Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall.
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Liberty Lake City Council
Agenda here
Tuesday, August 1 at 7 pm
Liberty Lake City Hall
22710 E Country Vista Dr, Liberty Lake, WA
Virtual attendance here.
Community, Housing, and Human Services Board
Agenda here once posted
Wednesday, August 2 at 4 pm
City Council Briefing Center in the Lower Level of City Hall
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
Virtual attendance here.
Citizens’ Transportation Advisory Board
Agenda here
Wednesday, August 2 at 5:30 pm
Streets Department Conference Room
901 N Nelson Street, Spokane, WA 99202
Virtual attendance here.
Spokane Human Rights Commission
Agenda here once posted
Thursday, August 3 at 5:30 pm
City Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
Virtual attendance here.
Board of County CommissionersBallots due tomorrow!
August 1 meeting is canceled.
