Your Connection to the Spokane Valley City Council

This meeting of the Spokane Valley City Council was a Study Session where usually items of new business or interest are introduced for discussion. However, there was one action item included in this Council agenda, a carryover from last week’s meeting.

In June 2021, the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) called for projects under the 2021 Complete Streets Program. On September 14th, 2021, Council adopted Ordinance 21-012, committing the City to provide safe, practical, and equitable transportation improvements for all its users. It also serves as a tool to enhance eligibility for state and federal funding programs that enable the City to expand its capabilities for improving its transportation facilities. The ordinance requires that the City consider but not necessarily implement complete street elements in all its road projects.

Having adopted Ordinance 21-012, the City is positioned to apply for Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) grants. Those grants are nominated by organizations from a TIB approved list based on quality and content of its Complete Street Ordinance. They are awarded based on a proposed project workplan outlining potential projects that may be undertaken assuming one of three award amounts: $300,000, $400,000 or $500,000.

Potential projects put forward by the City include a $500,000 project for sidewalks (8th Avenue, Coleman to Thierman), and $400,000 and $300,000 level requests for sidewalks (Nora to Baldwin). All projects are consistent with the City’s 6-year TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan). The City would cover any project overages. The grants do not require matching funds. Motion to approve submission of the workplans passed unanimously.

On March 12, 2019, Council approved an agreement with the Spokane Valley Arts Council (SVAC) clarifying aspects of the long-term relationship. A salient feature was for SVAC, which regularly donates sculptures to the City, to provide the City with information on a) what it plans to present, and b) what its intentions are regarding placement. The information is to be made available at least one year in advance to give the City the opportunity to determine where the piece will be placed and to budget for the costs related to installation.

Four recently accepted sculptures are currently in storage in the City’s maintenance facility awaiting placement in various places, some of which like Balfour Park, are under construction. The most recent piece offered, Soulmates, a marble statue, was the recipient of a $15,000 outside agency grant from the City. Discussion on placement of the piece and future action was discussed with the plan to be presented for action at Council’s February 22nd meeting.

In 2019, Council adopted amendments to its code authorizing the Parks and Recreation Department to issue notes of trespass to any individual who has violated city park rules and/or regulations on the property. However, a similar provision is needed to cover other City property such as City Hall. Proposed Ordinance #22-003 would adopt a standardized trespass and appeal process for all City owned property and facilities. Consensus to proceed to a first reading at a future Council meeting was unanimously reached.

In the past, Council has evaluated the performance of the City Manager annually using varying methods to do so. A new process presented to Council gives more structure and makes more information available for Council use during the evaluation, placing emphasis on setting and achieving goals together with increased collaboration through self-assessment. Consensus was reached to use the process.

In 2017, the City’s Public Works and Economic Development Departments were consolidated to increase efficiency by eliminating departmental overlapping, merging two director positions. With the increase in the City’s population, it has become desirable to bring back the position of Director of Public Works to provide additional management support allowing the City Manager to focus on improving citywide coordination and efficiency while building stronger relationships with regional partners. This will bring the City’s employee count from 102.25 to 103.25. Council consensus was unanimous.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Masks must be worn in the building. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. Public participation on action items or public comment periods can be in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

The Spokane Valley City Council will be considering how to put the $16 million received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recover fund (CLFR) to the most beneficial use. In its last meeting Council decided that to facilitate the process, a subcommittee would be appointed to preliminarily propose the list of recipients and projects for Council’s initial consideration. Mayor Pam Haley appointed herself, Deputy Mayor Rod Higgins, and Councilman Tim Hattenburg to the subcommittee. The appointment was approved unanimously.

CLFR money must be used to cover the negative impacts of COVID-19. To determine eligibility the City must identify a need or negative impact created by the pandemic and how the City’s use will address that need. The expense must have been incurred by the City between March 3, 2021, and December 31, 2014. An expense is considered incurred if it is obligated by December 31, 2024. All obligated funds must be spent by December 31, 2026.

A qualifying expense identified by staff and approved unanimously by Council is for the Buckeye Avenue Sewer Extension Project. The project extends the sewer at East Buckeye Avenue from approximately 650 feet east of McMillan Street to the City limits. This will provide sewer infrastructure to both developed and undeveloped existing parcels that otherwise would require septic systems. The estimated cost is $500,000.

On October 13, 2021, the City purchased the former White Elephant property for future law enforcement purposes. During the negotiations, the City learned of an easement granted by the owners of the White Elephant to the owners of Conley’s Restaurant for parking rights for the restaurant. The easement allows for restaurant patrons to use the parking area in front of the White Elephant building which would conflict with the City’s intended use of the building when it completed its plans. 

That problem was solved by negotiating a license agreement for the restaurant to use the parking space until the City needs it. A motion to approve the easement and license agreements to Conley’s Restaurant and authorize the City Manager to finalize and execute the agreement passed unanimously.

In June 2021, the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) called for projects under the 2021 Complete Streets Program. On September 14th, 2021, Council adopted Ordinance 21-012, committing the City to provide safe, practical, and equitable transportation improvements for all its users. It also serves as a tool to enhance eligibility for state and federal funding programs that enable the City to expand its capabilities for improving its transportation facilities. The ordinance requires that the City consider but not necessarily implement complete street elements in all its road projects. 

Having adopted Ordinance 21-012, the City is positioned to apply for Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) grants. Those grants are nominated by organizations from a TIB approved list based on quality and content of its Complete Street Ordinance. Potential projects put forward by the City include $500,000 for sidewalks (8th Avenue, Coleman to Thierman), and $400,000 for sidewalks (Nora to Baldwin). Both projects are consistent with the City’s 6-year TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan). Consensus to submit those proposals to the TIB Complete Streets program was unanimous.

In another grant opportunity, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced the availability of $50 million statewide through the National Highway Freight Program (NHFP). Those funds will be allocated locally through SRTC (Spokane Regional Transportation Council) which is Spokane County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, the agency through which applications for funding must be submitted.

SRTC has compiled a list of priority freight projects for the area. The top five are: (See Below Chart)

Consensus was reached to develop and submit applications and cost estimates for the three City projects listed.

In a third grant opportunity, WSDOT issued a Call for Projects that help mitigate fatal and serious injury crashes through the City Safety Program (CSP). The CSP has $35 million for distribution statewide. Applicants must provide a Local Road Safety Plan that addresses fatal and serious injury crashes and systemic needs. Potential projects identified are Pedestrian Crossings (Appleway Trail); Hit Pedestrian Mitigation such as pedestrian signal crossing at City Hall, narrowing of roadway on Sprague at City Hall, and consolidating driveways whenever possible. The item will be brought back for future action.

The Barker Road/BNSF Rail Crossing project was awarded for construction to the Max J. Kuney Company (Kuney) on January 28, 2021, by WSDOT. Although the City accumulated the funding and remains responsible for accounting for those funds, it has ceded project management to WSDOT for the construction. The City and WSDOT coordinate on all change orders with Kuney regardless of the amount. To date the total of those change orders is $205,195. The purpose of this evening’s discussion is to discuss the process for approval of change orders once the $350,000 authorization is reached.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Masks must be worn in the building. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. Public participation on action items or public comment periods can be in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

In preparation for creation and adoption of the Spokane Valley 2022 Federal Legislative Agenda, the City’s federal lobbyist, Cardinal Infrastructure, presented an update of the 2021 Agenda. Those items appear below:
• Pines Road/BNSF Rail Crossing Project—No recent federal activity. The project received no direct funding in 2021.
• Spokane Valley River Loop Trail—No recent federal activity. Engineering design will commence in 2022 but no funding was received in 2021.
• Bigelow Gulch/Sullivan Corridor Project—Representative McMorris-Rodgers included the project in the House version of its draft Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill (THUD), which will probably not move forward.
• Spokane County Regional Expo Expansion—No recent federal activity. The project has a separate active funding request (in addition to the Economic Development Administration’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) application) for $4.25 million, approximately 50% of the total budget. 
• South Barker Corridor—Senator Murray included this project in the Senate’s version of its draft appropriations bill. This project has tentatively been awarded $3 million. While this is tentative, the bill is ‘alive’ at this time.
• Programmatic Request—Earlier this month, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which includes $3 billion over five years for the “Railroad Crossing Elimination Program,” passed. It is a competitive grant program with $600 million in first year funds available for highway-rail at-grade crossing improvement.

View Past Spokane Valley City Council Highlights