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 the week before Election Day! Make sure you turn your ballot in! Some things that stick out to us this week include:
- A discussion on Spokane School District bond and levy ballot language.
- Budget season incoming.
- Possibly getting rid of fee waivers for solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.
- RANGE Halloween Office Hours!
Important meetings this week:
- Spokane City Council
- Spokane City Council Study Session
- Spokane Valley City Council
- Board of County Commissioners
- Spokane School District Board of Directors
- Community, Housing, and Human Services Board
- Citizen’s Transportation Advisory Board
- Spokane Human Rights Commission
RANGE Office Hours
Join us for a special, spooky edition of our Office Hours this Tuesday from 3 to 6pm at PJ’s Pub. Alyssa and Erin will be there (in costume!) to discuss the upcoming launch of our Documenters program, answer questions, mix, mingle and hear all of your spookiest news tips. Plus, we heard a rumor there might be some kind of prize for best costume?
Tuesday, October 31 from 3 to 6 pm
PJ’s Pub
1717 N. Monroe St.
Wear a costume!
Don’t forget to vote!
We’re a week and a day out from Election Day, so don’t forget to vote. For all the most up-to-date info on ballot box drop-off locations, important dates and the Voter’s Guide, check out the County’s elections page here.
We interrupt this program with a message from our sponsors!
🍺 Golden Handle is an inclusive, worker-owned brewery. We donate $1 of every house pint to a local Spokane organization — all day, every day. November donations support Second Harvest food bank, so bring some friends and toast an important cause.
🤓 Looking for a new office? Spokane Workers Cooperative manages the beautiful Holmes Block Executive Suites (also the home to RANGE’s office!). Come to the Holmes Block Open House this Friday from 5 to 6 pm to check out the space and what they have to offer!
Spokane City Council
Too many people want solar panels?!
In 2018, Spokane City Council passed an ordinance to incentivize renewable energy that waived the building and construction permit fees for the installation of solar panel systems. According to council members Jonathan Bingle and Michael Cathcart, so many construction projects have been taking advantage of these fee waivers that an undue burden has been placed on the Development Services Center and the Fire Department, who have been “doing this work without pay.” The section of code says the fees will “be waived until the majority of energy sourced in Washington state is derived from renewable resources.” Bingle and Cathcart are proposing repealing the city code.
First reading for Capital Improvement Program plan
Every year, the city has to update and adopt our Citywide Six-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to be in alignment with the city’s budget. The CIP has been workshopped at a couple of Planning Commission meetings, and at the first reading of it today, public comment is welcome. If the consent agenda passes, there will also be a hearing for it on November 6, where public testimony will also be heard. The newest draft of the CIP can be read here.
Money on the mind
Items related to the city’s budget take up a large portion of this week’s agenda as the city council preps for 2024. A public hearing on possible revenue sources for the 2024 budget will be held at tonight’s meeting, in advance of the city considering a possible property tax increase on November 30. The city council is also setting public hearing dates for November 13 and November 20 in the consent agenda, where testimony will be taken on the 2024 budget.
The biggest item pertaining to the budget is a first reading ordinance that seeks to legislate more budget transparency and collaboration between the mayor’s office and city council. The ordinance would require the Finance, Treasury and Administration Division to provide regular, monthly, financial reports, including budget-to-actual data for the General Fund and other key funds, to city council. It would also require monthly budget deliberations between key officials in the mayor’s department and city council. These meetings would take place during regular city council study sessions on the second Thursday of each month and would allow public viewing via live telecast or streaming.
Agenda here
Monday, October 23 at 6 pm
City Council Chambers – Lower Level of City Hall
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane Board of County Commissioners
Rules for public testimony
The board of county commissioners will discuss the rules for open public forum. A 2020 resolution formalized the rules of conduct for giving public testimony, laying them out in a bulleted list. Rules include time limits for speaking and disallowing those giving public testimony from wearing clothing that expresses political opinions. The rules are meant to be in line with Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act. Although the resolution is included in the board’s Briefing Meeting agenda, a note states that it will be addressed immediately after the end of the 2 pm Legislative Session.
Rental assistance for those with behavioral health conditions
Spokane County Regional Behavioral Health and Rural Resources Community Action are planning to partner to offer long-term rental assistance for people with high-risk behavioral health conditions. The program, called Community Behavioral Rental Assistance, would serve six counties: Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Stevens. If commissioners vote to approve the partnership, the program will be funded from now through June 2024 with $240,036.
Agenda here
Tuesday, October 31 at 2 pm
Public Works Building
1026 W Broadway Ave. Spokane, WA 99205
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane Valley City Council
More action with Homeless Action Plan, less “affordable housing”
Last week, Spokane Valley City Council unanimously voted to adopt the same regional 5-Year Continuum of Care plan that Spokane City uses for the next year, making them eligible for state funding and giving them time to draft their own five-year plan for the next cycle. This week, they’re considering voting to adopt a Homeless Action Plan — which is not the same thing as the 5-Year plan or the Regional Homeless Authority (we know, it’s confusing).
The plan has gone through a community and council feedback process that’s been ongoing since 2021, and states council goals for the plan are for it to provide Spokane Valley-specific data whenever possible, advance the goals of the valley while collaborating regionally and maximizing funding and to stress accountability. The other main point is to “aim to increase workforce or entry-level housing rather than “affordable housing.” This can be seen in line-edits throughout the draft of the plan correcting most usage of the term “affordable housing” to “housing that residents can afford.” There are other interesting cuts and additions to the plan, which you can read here. The Spokane Valley City Council has the option to adopt this plan or propose other actions, but the recommended action in the agenda is to adopt it.
City council craves power … over roads
Spokane Valley City Council wants to take on the rights, powers, functions and obligations of the Spokane Valley Transportation Benefit District (TBD). The TBD provides funding for the preservation and maintenance of the city’s roads. Since the council already makes lots of decisions and passes lots of resolutions relating to pavement improvement and street maintenance, council members want to formally assume the powers of the TBD.
In order to assume the powers of the TBD, the law requires the council to adopt a resolution, hold a public hearing, and pass an ordinance. They’ll vote on the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting, which includes setting the date for a public hearing on November 14, 2023.
Agenda here
Tuesday, October 31 at 6 pm
CenterPlace Great Room
2426 N Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, WA 99216
Virtual attendance here.
Spokane School District Board of Directors
Bond & levy ballot language
The Spokane School District Board of Directors has a big night of bond and levy discussions ahead of them. They’ll be providing an update on projects that are currently underway as the result of the last bond, as well as discussing ballot language for February’s election to renew the bond and levy. Priorities currently in the proposed bond language include replacing Adams and Madison elementary schools, modernizing and expanding Garry Middle School and North Central High School and improving Chase Middle School, The Community School, Spokane Public Montessori and Libby Center. The ballot language also includes plans to design replacements for Balboa and Indian Trail elementary schools, acquire land and make district-wide improvements to safety and technology. The language for the levy is a lot more general, as it seeks to replace an expiring levy to continue funding operating expenses. This item is marked for “potential action” on the agenda, so could see a vote following a 20-minute presentation.
Agenda here
Wednesday, November 1 at 6 pm
Spokane Public Schools Administration Building
200 N. Bernard, Spokane, WA 99201
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane City Council Study Sessions
Agenda here when available.
Thursday, November 2 at 11 am
City Council Chambers – Lower Level of City Hall
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
The meeting is also live streamed here.
Community, Housing, and Human Services Board
Agenda here when available.
Wednesday, November 1 at 4 pm
City Council Briefing Center
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Attend virtually here.
Citizen’s Transportation Advisory Board
Agenda here when available.
Wednesday, November 1 at 5:30 p.m.
In person at the Streets Department Conference Room or Zoom link here.
901 N Nelson Street, Spokane, WA
Spokane Human Rights Commission
Agenda here when available.
Thursday, November 2 at 5:30 p.m.
Council Briefing Center in the Lower Level of City Hall.
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
See something you want to speak up about?
We have a handy guide on the
do’s and don’ts of civic engagement in Spokane city.
