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.
Some things that stick out to us this week include:
- Spokane City Council could pass an ordinance that would require landlords to provide tenants with eviction diversion program information and lays the groundwork for a city-operated pre-eviction diversion and mediation program.
- Spokane City Council could also approve their lobbying agenda for the upcoming state legislative session, which includes fighting for a Climate Commitment Act exemption for the Waste-to-Energy plant and seeking approval to run a land value tax pilot program.
- The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) is awarded more than $8 million of federal funding to buy technology to surveil private drones that are apparently a big national security concern.
- SCSO is looking to spend an extra $1 million+ on TASERs and body cameras over the next decade from the policing technology company Axon.
- Spokane County is asking in its legislative agenda for $10 million to install filters on private West Plains wells that are contaminated with “forever chemicals.”
- Mead School District Board will vote on a staff expression policy reserving the right to fire staff for statements made in their personal capacity and to set out strict guidelines for what teachers can display in their classrooms.
Important meetings this week:
- Spokane City Council (and Study Session)
- Urban Experience Committee
- Spokane Plan Commission
- Spokane Park Board
- Spokane Public Facilities District
- Board of County Commissioners – Briefing Session and Legislative Session
- Spokane Regional Transportation Council
- Spokane County Planning Commission
- Spokane Valley City Council
- Liberty Lake City Council
- Mead School District Board of Directors
- Central Valley School District Board of Directors
- East Valley School District Board of Directors
- West Valley School District Board of Directors
Spokane City
Spokane City Council
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Safe streets streets projects
Safer streets and more pedestrian and bicyclist infrastructure could be coming soon to your neighborhood, if council approves a list of 27 by 2027 and adaptive design street projects, paid for with dollars from the Safe Streets for All Fund. Here’s a preview:
There is also an amendment on the table, proposed by Council President Betsy Wilkerson and Council Member Kitty Klitzke, that would add an additional resolution requesting the mayor direct staff to present exactly what the “quick-build,” program entails and revising the names for two of the District 3 projects to “Maple/Ash corridor speed control pilot” and “Francis Ave; Cannon St Pedestrian Crossing.”
Legislative session is coming…
Re-using this from last week because it didn’t end up getting voted on, but in about a month, the Washington State Legislature will convene in Olympia to pass laws. So tonight, the Spokane City Council could adopt their own legislative agenda, laying out the city’s goals they plan to lobby the state for.
At the top of the list is seeking a Climate Commitment Act (CCA) exemption for Spokane’s Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant, which is the only solid waste disposal system in the state currently slated to have to pay fees under the CCA — despite producing less greenhouse gasses than landfills, which have an exemption. If city lobbyists and local legislators can secure an exemption, it could save Spokane residents from up to $8 million in penalties, which will start in 2027 if no exemption is granted…