City Council’s regular business meeting commenced with the Mayor reading two Proclamations. The first recognized 2020 Census Awareness Day, pointing out the importance of participating in the national population count.

The second Proclamation acknowledged the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. March 29th was chosen to be celebrated as March 29, 1973 was the day the Military Assistance Command Vietnam was deactivated. The recognition extends to all U. S. military veterans as well as the South Vietnamese military veterans and Lao veterans who served in that war.

In its first item of business, Council adopted Ordinance 19-003, which amended the City’s 2019 budget. Since a prior public hearing was held, no public comment was allowed on the action. The budget adjustments allowed for an increase in Council salaries, salaries and wage increases for staff employees negotiated in the new contract, a replenishment of the Winter Reserve Fund which was depleted by the late winter snowfall and freezing, and a transfer of funds from the General Fund to the Capital Reserve fund, representing the excess over the 50% of recurring expenditures that Council requires in that
reserve account.

In a second action, Council authorized the City Manager to apply for a grant under the Federal Local Bridge program for repairs on the Northbound section of Sullivan bridge. The scope of the plan is not to exceed $400,000, which includes a required 13.5% match from the City. However, if funds are authorized before November 30, 2023 the local match for the construction phase is waived.
In the last item of business, Council approved authorizing the City Manager to award the contract for the Argonne Road Preservation Project (Valleyway to Broadway), grind and inlay, with minor stormwater improvements, to Inland Asphalt Paving Company. The engineers’ estimate for the cost of the project was $227,843. Inland’s bid was $220,000, $7,843
below the estimate.

The last agenda item was a presentation on homelessness made by Morgan Koudelka and Chas Bates together with Tim Crowley and Kate Kennedy from Spokane County Community Services. Their visit was prompted by an investigation into the assertions from a neighboring entity that Spokane Valley wasn’t paying its ‘fair share’ of expenses generated by the region’s homeless population.

The funding coming from the federal government, primarily HUD, dictates how the money received from those sources can be applied for and used. Under the arcane rules devised for program administration, the maximum amount of support is gained by the region’s communities banding together to solicit the funds. However, the region’s largest community mainly controls how the money is spent, but the results from their management appear to attract more homeless.

What seems to be a nonsensical part of the government solution is the exclusion of faith-based providers from funding sources. Also is absent is accountability from the recipients of the aid. The term ‘low-barrier’ means simply that residents of the shelter can continue the lifestyle that put them in need of assistance.

Valley Partners, a provider of a broad range of services to disadvantaged people will be holding a mortgage burning observance on May 14th at 4:00pm.

The City’s State of the City event, sponsored by the Greater Spokane Valley’s Chamber of Commerce, was very well attended with approximately 275 participants. The address covered the past achievements of the City, while painting a very bright picture for its economic future. The completion of Katerra in the new section of the industrial park has attracted lots of attention from businesses looking to re-locate. The City’s work to accommodate that growth and facilitate permitting is paying off.

Council’s Study Session opened with a presentation by the Spokane Valley Arts Council (SVAC) pursuant to an agreement between the City and SVAC adopted at Council’s March 12th meeting. The agreement formalized what had been an informal understanding allowing for additional consultation on selection and placement of art pieces as well as usage of CenterPlace for SVAC fundraising.

With the agreement finalized, SVAC, per the agreement presented a report to Council on potential projects for 2020 with the intention that a consensus would be reached on what pieces would be pursued by SVAC. In addition, discussion would commence on potential locations for the piece(s) after acquisition. SVAC has ideas for three pieces which could be acquired for very reasonable prices, well within the range of the money that could be available. Also, Dr. Harken, the director of SVAC has indicated he would donate a piece from his personal collection.

In July 2015 the City was notified by Washington State Department of Ecology that it had been selected for a Stormwater Financial Assistant grant contingent upon funding. However, in 2016 the City was notified that the State Legislature had delayed funding the grant for lack of funds. That problem was solved in 2018, when funding was restored.

The City will use the funds from the DOE grant to supplement its Stormwater Utility Drywell Retrofit Program. That program retrofits existing drywells with pretreatment, basic treatment, and enhanced treatment facilities. These facilities provide varying levels of water quality treatment and long-term maintenance benefits. The affected facilities include but are not limited to catch basins, infiltration trenches and bio-infiltration swales. The retrofits will be incorporated into pavement preservation projects or stormwater projects as prioritized. Total project cost is $910,000. DOE’s share is $682,500; City share is $227,500.

At a previous Council meeting, a member asked that a history of the Mayor’s Ball be placed on the agenda for Council consideration. Previous Mayor’s Ball occasions were neither funded by the City nor did City Staff participate in the organization. After a brief discussion, it became apparent that the issue was not properly on the meeting agenda.

At the last Council meeting on March 12, during the Advanced Agenda portion, it was noted that both house and senate bills entitled ‘Encouraging Investments in Affordable and Supportive Housing’ were moving through the legislature. The legislation would enable county and city governments to implement a local sales tax of up to .02%, of which .1% would be a new sales tax which would qualify that municipality for a .1% credit from existing state sales tax revenues. The funds would go, as the title indicates, toward subsidizing low and no-cost housing. In essence, the municipality would have to increase its sales tax to qualify to receive a sales tax rebate. The requirements to ‘qualify’ get rather convoluted thereafter. Council didn’t indicate an interest in pursuing the issue further.

Looking ahead to the March 26th Council meeting, there will be an administrative report on Regional Homeless Funding. This highly controversial issue is surrounded by misinformation. The report is intended to clarify the City’s contributions to regional efforts as well as define areas in which the City is working to find a solution.

The State of the City address is happening on Friday at CenterPlace at 11:30am. Although the event is sold out, there are usually vacancies if you’re interested in going.

City Council’s regular meeting commenced with a public hearing on an amendment to the City’s 2019 budget encompassed in the first reading of Proposed Ordinance 19-003. The proposed budget amendment is necessitated by events taking place after the adoption of the 2019 budget on November 13th of 2018. This amendment will address:
    a) changes such as an increase in Council salaries,
    b) adjustments for staff salary increases
    c) related payroll taxes and benefits
    d) election costs paid to the County
    e) replenishment of our Winter Weather Reserve Fund to the
    regularly maintained $500,000 level

There being no public comment, Council moved Proposed Ordinance 19-003 to a second reading.

Ordinance 19-002, dealing with the City’s proposed Planned Action Ordinance returned to Council for its second reading.

By way of explanation, Council works on what is termed the ‘three touch’ system for adopting legislation. The first touch is an explanation of the legislation, sometimes called a ‘Request for Council Action’ or RCA. If, by consensus Council chooses to move the legislation forward, it goes to a First Reading where it’s discussed and opened for public comment. Assuming passage, it moves to a Second Reading where it goes through the same process of discussion and comment. If it passes, it becomes law.

The Planned Action Ordinance (Ordinance 19-002) is the product of a long, carefully coordinated process with various regulatory agencies designed to facilitate prior approvals for developers choosing to use the PAO process. Using the PAO process is strictly voluntary designed to save valuable time. The PAO does not cut corners, nor does it avoid compliance; it offers a smoother way to move forward. However, if a developer prefers not to use the process, they are free to do so.

In its November 15, 2018 meeting, the Spokane Valley Planning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend adoption.

For several years the Spokane Valley Arts Council (SVAC) has been instrumental in identifying and securing pieces of art for display at various locations around the City and at CenterPlace. The cooperative efforts between the City and SVAC include finding suitable art pieces, negotiating favorable terms, engaging in fundraising activities to pay for them, and then overseeing the delivery and placement by the artists onto City property.

Council adopted an agreement reached between the City and SVAC to formalize what has up to now been an informal agreement allowing for additional consultation on selection and placement of art pieces as well as usage of CenterPlace for SVAC fundraising. Motion passed unanimously.

The City earlier reached agreement with Spokane County Water District #3 (SCWD#3) to perform concurrent repairs on its roadways as SCWD#3 replaces aging water pipes. The total project cost was estimated by engineers to be $4.043 million, with the City portion to be $295,806. The successful overall bid was $3.927 million. The City is $262,377. The work locations are: Valleyway, Marguerite to Mullan; Farr, Appleway to 8th; and Woodruff, 9th to 10th. Motion passed unanimously.

A January 15th administrative report to Council outlined plans for a westerly extension of Garland Avenue from Barker Road to Flora Road. Returning before Council as a Motion Consideration, the project is part of the improvement planned for Barker Road south to Euclid Avenue from the BNSF rail crossing. Funding for the Garland extension would come 50% from City funds and 50% from the adjacent property owner. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $3 million.

The Garland extension would will provide an alternate route for when Barker is closed for construction of the BNSF rail overpass. It will also, together with the County’s laying a sewer line along Garland, open the entire area for development. Motion passed unanimously.

Don’t forget, Spokane Valley’s State of the City Address on March 22nd at CenterPlace. Sponsored by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, it’s a luncheon meeting commencing at 11:30am.

The March 5th City Council Meeting was a Study Session. It opened with a proposal by Mr. Sam Song and Ms. Charity Doyle to host a new public event at the City’s Mirabeau Meadows Park entitled “NW Winterfest 2019.” The festival would provide a tourism opportunity during the months of November and December. This event would be similar to the Chinese Lantern Festival held in Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane a few years ago.

While the festival’s timing would fill a void in civic events at a time of year when virtually none occur outdoors, it does present a challenge. It would require removing Mirabeau Park from public use for approximately 2.5 months – the duration of the festival. Council’s discussion centered on the trade-offs between the benefits of the wintertime event versus restricting park use during months when usage is at a low point. Council reached unanimous consensus to move forward with the event.

For several years the Spokane Valley Arts Council (SVAC) has been instrumental in identifying and securing pieces of art for display at various locations around the City and at CenterPlace. The cooperative efforts between the City and SVAC include finding suitable art pieces, negotiating favorable terms, engaging in fundraising activities to pay for them, and then overseeing the delivery and placement by the artists onto City property.

An agreement has been reached by both the City and SVAC to formalize what has up to now been an informal agreement allowing for additional consultation on selection and placement of art pieces as well as usage of CenterPlace for SVAC fundraising. Council reached a consensus to place the agreement on its future agenda for action.

Each year Council sets forth the goals it hopes to achieve or at least make significant progress toward reaching them. Those goals for 2018 included:

1) Continuation of work with state and federal governments to obtain funding assistance for the Barker and Pines rail crossing projects;
2) Continuing to work on finding a solution for sustainable funding for preservation of the City’s roads;
3) Finding an overall strategy for funding all of the City’s rail crossings;
4) Pursuing all sources of funding assistance for improving the Balfour Corridor road system;
5) Continuing to pursue funding for all the City’s parks and assistance with additional parkland acquisition;
6) Continue to expand where possible the City’s economic development efforts, building on its successes;
7) Continue to foster collaborative working relationships with federal, state and local legislators.

Overall, this has been a very successful year. The Barker rail crossing is now fully funded. Through various agencies, including $3.6 million of City funds, a total of $24.7 million has been raised. Project engineering is progressing as is the property acquisitions necessary for the rail overpass, access roads, and the roundabout planned for the intersection of Barker and Trent.

The Pines rail crossing engineering work proceeds while efforts to acquire outside funding support for all the City’s rail crossings continue. To date just over $5 million has been secured; $3.2 million of that total is from City funds. The Pines/Trent rail crossing ranks number one of most unsafe crossings on the state’s list. While work commences on Barker, the preparation work to get started on the Pines rail crossing moves parallel with it.

The current and projected growth along Barker Road have necessitated advancing the improvement of the Barker Corridor from Trent to the southern city limits on the priority list.

The City’s business development efforts have been very successful in attracting major manufacturing companies such as Katerra. Plans for expanding infrastructure in the northeast section of the City are drawing additional attention from potential industrial clients. All this necessitates the attention to improving the Barker Corridor.

The City’s parks – Appleway Trail, Brown’s Park, and Balfour Park – are all in the process of improvement. Appleway Trail will be largely completed by 2020; the sand volleyball courts at Brown’s Park are done, and the remaining details for completion are underway. The improvements will commence on the undeveloped portion of Balfour Park in coordination with the Spokane County Library District and their plans for a new library on the west end of the property.

The list of successfully completed projects is too lengthy to recount here. The complete list can be found on the City’s website: www.spokanevalley.org.

Just a reminder: Save a place on your calendar for Spokane Valley’s State of the City Address on March 22nd at CenterPlace. Sponsored by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, the occasion will be a luncheon meeting commencing at 11:30am.