This Spokane Valley City Council meeting opened with a continuation of business from last week’s meeting. The City received information from the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority Revenue Bond Program (WEDFA) concerning a proposed issuance of up to $12,163,000 of non-recourse revenue bonds to Mutual Materials, a company that has manufacturing facilities throughout the state, including here in Spokane Valley at 6712 E. Trent. Mutual Materials plans to construct a concrete masonry unit manufacturing facility and make exterior building and other site and equipment improvements. WEDFA will not issue the bonds without a resolution that the City has no objection to the business being assisted. The City has approved similar action in the past.
 

Resolution 22-014 is a statement of support of the state issuing economic development bonds for the project. The City would not have any financial or liability exposure. The motion to approve Resolution 2-014 passed unanimously.
 

In the past, the City was awarded $163,685 to improve the crossing between City Hall and Balfour Park on Sprague Avenue (Crossing Project). An additional $556,400 has been obtained from the Pedestrian & Bicycle Program. The Stormwater and Crossing Project were planned to be completed concurrently. However, escalating costs have moved the costs to more than $5 million with expectations that they could be significantly higher in the timeframe of these discussions. Faced with this dilemma, Council decided to return the Department of Ecology grant. DOE has indicated that it will not require repayment of grant funds expended to date. Motion to authorize termination of the agreement with DOE and return the grant funds passed unanimously.
 

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced its 2022 call for projects for its Railroad Crossing Grant (RCG) program which was primarily sponsored by Senator Padden last legislative session. The RCG program is intended to provide non-federal funds for federal rail crossing projects that require matching funds. The available funds are up to $5 million. A motion to authorize application for $5 million for the Pines Road/BNSF rail crossing project passed unanimously.
 

On April 26th, the City was presented with an opportunity to join other cities in the state in a suit against the various companies and individuals involved in the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of opioid products and prescriptions. Those companies are Johnson & Johnson, Cardinal Health, Amerisource, and McKesson. The suit is based on well-documented harm to individuals and communities resulting from use and ancillary illegal activities stemming from the opioid supply chain. The City joined in that suit to become eligible to participate in any future settlement of the case if or when that happens. 
 

Now, a separate settlement reached by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office has been decided for $518 million against Cardinal Health, Amerisource, and McKesson. The City can participate in that settlement when finalized, leaving Johnson & Johnson still unsettled. Council authorized the City Manager to execute a required Subdivision Participation Form enabling participation in the Attorney General’s settlement agreement.

A Commerce request for Proposals for relocating the residents of “Camp Hope” on Washington State Department of Transportation land at 2nd Avenue and Ray Street in Spokane has made $24.2 million available for proposals, preferably by a consolidation of jurisdictions with a coordinated long-term plan for moving the Camp residents into housing of various types. The camp currently houses over 600 individuals.
 

While Camp Hope is located in Spokane, it has residents from all jurisdictions. Mayor Haley has penned a letter to Washington State Department of Commerce outlining the City position on relocation. Late discussions among all entities have not offered productive solutions, causing doubt that Commerce’s deadline for submission of proposals by July 21st can be met. A motion to forward the Mayor’s letter to Commerce passed unanimously.

After two years of modified programs. due to COVID, the City Parks Department’s recreation department is back up and running with its regular programs plus a few new ones. The programs include Summer Park and Meals, Storytime in the Park, Adult Dance Lessons, Summer Day Camp, Outdoor Yoga, Outdoor Movies, Paws in the Pool, and Volleyball at Browns Park.
 

Spokane Valley Fire Chief Soto presented a report of the department’s monthly activities which included 1,640 incidents in June, and 1,507 responses. That brings the annual to date totals to 9,083 incidents and 9,651 responses.

 

In 2013 the City adopted goals and priorities for how it would use lodging tax revenues and encouraged the Lodging Tax Committee to consider those when making award recommendations. In summary, those goals and priorities are: 

• To direct awards toward funding projects, activities, events, or festivals that will highlight Spokane Valley as a tourism destination. Lodging taxes will be used for purposes allowed by State law including:

• Tourism marketing

• Marketing and operation of special events and festivals

• Operation and capital expenditures for tourism related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or public facilities district

• Operation of tourism related facilities owned or operated by non-profit organizations

• Emphasize use of funds for capital expenditures to develop tourism destination facilities or venues within the City to draw visitors.

• Priority consideration will be given to projects with a history of increasing overnight stays and the shopping, dining, and overnight visit components in that category.

• Recognition is given to revenues generated by other lodging sources outside the City for promoting Spokane Valley facilities.

• In a departure from past practice, the City will now accept applications from applicants other than non-profit entities for tourism promotion projects.

An award to a Lodging Tax applicant cannot be greater than the amount requested in the applicant’s application. 
 

Notice to any parties interested in applying for tourism grants will be made by newspaper, city website, and letters to past award recipients on August 26th. Applications will be due to the City by 4pm, Friday, September 30, 2022. Candidates will present their applications to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) on Thursday, October 20th. LTAC will make its recommendations for awards to Council at its November 8th meeting, and Council will approve the final awards on December 13th.
 

The unsettled issue of illegal camping was once again on the agenda. The issue is driven by homeless abusing the established regulations and the use of the word “camping” applied to homeless activity. That activity is not camping in the traditional sense of the word and using it as such causes remedial action to enter into areas that affect normal property ownership rights. The issue of children camping in a parent’s backyard stands out. A revised proposal would remove restriction of that activity while targeting illegal “camping.” 
 

Based on prior Council discussions, Recreational Vehicle (RV) parking on private property should be allowed for up to 30 days with a temporary use permit (TUP). A permit would be obtained from the city for a fee.
 

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. The Public is invited to participate in action items or public comment periods in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

Additionally, the City contracts with MRSC (Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington) to use its state-wide electronic databases for contracting with small public works contractors, consulting services, and vendor services which are developed and actively maintained by MRSC through rosters they actively provide. Ordinance 22-013 addresses both issues. The motion to adopt Ordinance No. 22-013 passed unanimously.
 

The City has received a letter and packet of information from the Washington Economic Development Finance Authority Revenue Bond Program (WEDFA) concerning a proposed issuance of up to $12,163,000 of non-recourse revenue bonds to Mutual Materials, a company that has several manufacturing facilities throughout the state, including here in Spokane Valley at 6712 E. Trent. Mutual Materials plans to construct a concrete masonry unit manufacturing facility, make exterior building and other site and equipment improvements.
 

The City does not have any financial or liability exposure. This action is simply a statement of support for the state to issue economic development bonds for the project. The City has done so in the past. WEDFA will not issue the bonds without a resolution that the City has no objection to the business being assisted.
 

The property for Greenacres Park was acquired in 2007 with funding assistance from The Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office (RCO) which offers grant programs for improving parks throughout the state. Two such programs are the Washington Wildlife and Recreation (WWRP) Local Parks; and Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). 
 

When Council opted not to pursue either grant for Balfour Park because of the unacceptable increases in bids tendered for planned work there, discussion moved to transferring the grant application to Greenacres Park to complete Phase 2 programs already planned there such as: a baseball field, basketball court, and tennis/pickleball courts. A motion to apply for the RCO and LWCF grants passed unanimously. Since that time, a public outreach program has been underway including an online public survey, stakeholder interviews, and a public workshop.
 

On June 1st, the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) issued a call for projects for its Urban Arterial Program (UAP) and Active Transportation Program (ATP). The UAP has in the past funded the City’s street related projects. The ATP program is designed to deliver more holistic transportation projects related to non-motorized users.
 

The UAP has $7.3 million for the Northeast Region, while ATP has $1.7 million for the Eastern Region. Matching requirements are a minimum 20%, with more points for more matching funds. Applications are due by August 19th; funding awards will be made on December 2nd.
 

The City intends to make UAP applications for 1) Broadway & Park concrete intersection, $2 million; 2) Barker Roundabouts at 4th & 8th Avenues, $2.4 million; 3) Pines Road/BNSF rail crossing, $2.8 million.
 

A single ATP application will be for 8th Avenue, Dickey to Park, bike, and sidewalk improvements, $425,000. Council reached consensus to apply for all of the above.
 

On March 23rd, 2021, Council created the Streets Sustainability Committee (SSC), to find a consistent, reliable funding source to sustain a long-term pavement management program (PMP). The SSC identified three goals:

1. Evaluate citizens’ interest and support for main-
 taining city streets and suggesting pavement con-
 dition goals.

2. Identify preference for maintaining city streets, 
 types of treatments used, and long-term levels of 
 service.

3. Investigate current revenues and potential future 
 funding sources for maintaining city streets at the 
 recommended level of service.

The Key Findings by Goal were:

GOAL 1.

A. The pavement condition of City streets is de-
 scribed as “fair” or better.

B. The PMP should be prioritized in the City’s bud
 get planning process.

GOAL 2.

A. Survey respondents support increasing the prioritization of local access streets.

B.  Implement surface treatments in the PMP.

C. Increase PMP funding to maintain the streets in 
 their current condition.

GOAL 3.

A. Do not reduce funding of other City programs to 
 increase funding of the PMP.

B. Transportation Benefit District is the most-pre-
 ferred funding option.

C. Survey respondents indicate new funding should 
 evenly distribute costs to everyone.

D. PMP funding should not rely on annual operating 
 budget surplus fund transfers. (author’s empha-
 sis)

Roughly two thirds of the City streets’ pavement areas are local access streets. The remaining third are arterial or collector streets. As the City moves forward in prioritizing its projects for local streets, consideration has to be given to:

1. Should projects focus on the 10% of existing local 
 streets that require reconstruction or focus on pre
 serving the remaining 90%?

2. What criteria should be used to prioritize neigh-
 borhoods? Should staff conduct public outreach to 
 help Council prioritize?

3. How are the proposed local access street projects 
 to be funded?

4. What does a successful PMP look like to Council 
 members?

A Department of Commerce (Commerce) Request for Proposals for relocating the residents of “Camp Hope” on Washington State Department of Transportation land at 2nd Avenue and Ray Street in Spokane has made $24.3 million available for proposals, preferably by a consolidation of jurisdictions with a coordinated long-term plan for moving the Camp residents into housing of various types. The camp currently houses over 500 individuals.

Information on plans other than from the City of Spokane, if any, have not been readily available, causing confusion. While Camp Hope is located in Spokane, it has residents from all jurisdictions. Discussions continue. The deadline for submission of proposals is July 21st. City of Spokane Valley staff continue to work with surrounding jurisdictions to fashion a County-wide plan.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Masks are no longer required in the building. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. The Public is invited to participate in action items or public comment periods in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

The first meeting of Council in the second half of the year opened with amending the City’s code to increase the limit for expenditures without approval by higher authority (department heads) from the current limit of $1,000. With inflation running rampant, the limit for necessary goods, equipment and supplies is raised to $2,500. 

Additionally, the City contracts with MRSC (Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington) to use its state-wide electronic databases for contracting with small public works contractors, consulting services, and vendor services which are developed and actively maintained by MRSC through rosters they actively provide. Ordinance 22-013 addresses both issues. The motion to waive the rules and adopt Ordinance No. 22-013 passed unanimously.

In the continuing consideration of meaningful and useful application of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds which the City is responsible for directing, Reclaim Project (Reclaim) Board of Directors President Kenny Carlson and Lisette Walser were invited to present a description of the Reclaim Project, a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. 

Reclaim provides services for men transitioning away from addiction, homelessness, and criminality by creating “…opportunities for life-affirming activities, competitive careers, and a culture of growth to strengthen emotional spiritual, physical and social lives.” That translates into providing opportunities for learning skills that open pathways to earning a living and a productive life.

Since 2014, the City and Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) have been in negotiations on a Stormwater Project (Stormwater) to improve the water quality from stormwater runoff into the aquifer. The City initially received a $2 million grant with the City to make up a $1.5 million revenue gap. That work has been delayed by revenue shortfalls at the legislative level and steadily increasing (inflated) costs of completing the project.

Lately, the City has been awarded $163,685 to improve the crossing between City Hall and Balfour Park on Sprague Avenue (Crossing Project). An additional $556,400 has been obtained from the Pedestrian & Bicycle Program. The Stormwater and Crossing Project were planned to be completed concurrently. However, escalating costs have moved the costs to more than $5 million with expectations that they could be significantly higher in the timeframe of these discussions. Faced with this dilemma, Council decided to return the DOE grant, separate the projects, and move ahead with the Sprague Pedestrian Crossing Project after gathering more information on the Crossing Project and Spokane Transit Authority passenger pickup site.

On April 26th, the City was presented with an opportunity to join with other cities in the state in a suit against the various companies and individuals involved in the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of opioid products and prescriptions. Those companies are Johnson & Johnson, Cardinal Health, Amerisource, and McKesson. The suit is based on well-documented harm to individuals and communities resulting from use and ancillary illegal activities stemming from the opioid supply chain. The City joined in that suit to become eligible to participate in any future settlement of the case if or when that happens. 

Now, a separate settlement reached by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office has been decided for $518 million against Cardinal Health, Amerisource, and McKesson. The City may participate in that settlement when finalized, but that leaves Johnson & Johnson still unsettled. Additional information is forthcoming on that portion of the suit as well as claims against the bankruptcy of the Purdue company in the same action.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. Masks are no longer required in the building. Council meetings begin at 6:00pm. The Public is invited to participate in action items or public comment periods in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.