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 could finally pass the rules that govern them for 2026, more than three months into the year.
- The Public Infrastructure, Environment, and Sustainability Committee will discuss a new ordinance to allow Spokanites with disabilities to reserve a free street parking spot near their house.
- Spokane County sheriff wants to establish a fee schedule for releasing body camera footage to people who request it, citing the time it takes for records custodians to review and redact the videos.
- The Central Valley School District will weigh in on a proposed change to policies related to school sports that says transgender students shouldn’t be allowed to play. The state has a law against this, so the vote is merely ceremonial.
Important meetings this week:
- Spokane City Council (and Study Session)
- Public Infrastructure, Environment, and Sustainability Committee
- Spokane Public Facilities District
- Board of County Commissioners – Briefing Session and Legislative Session
- Spokane Airport Board
- Mead School District Board of Directors
- Central Valley School District Board of Directors
- West Valley School District Board of Directors
- Spokane Valley City Council
Spokane City Council
🌶️🌶️🫑/5 peppers
Council staff structure consultant contract
Tonight, the council will vote on a $64,500 contract with Matrix Consulting Group. Matrix won the bid to do an organization analysis of the council staff to help the council decide which (if any) council staffers should have their positions cut, after budget negotiations last year. They’re also planning to do other stuff, like create an office handbook that formalizes roles, responsibilities and expectations. The whole process is slated to take 10 weeks, once the $64,500 contract is approved.
Flashbang injury
Also on the agenda for tonight is the approval of a $425,000 settlement for Sierra Athos, who was injured in “a joint training with Spokane County Sheriff’s Office,” in 2023. Athos’ Facebook page shows her being sworn into the Eastern Washington University Police, and in 2024, she posted about still being unable to walk after being hit by a flashbang grenade. If this settlement is passed, it will resolve Athos’ claims against the city, but she may still have claims against the county.
Rules, at last?
It’s the second week of the third month of the year, and the council may finally decide on the ruleset that will govern (the rest of) their year. Last week, they passed the portion of the rules that would move future meetings to Wednesday nights, with agenda review and committees happening on Tuesday, starting in July. They also passed amendments to the package that would change the process of how an ordinance becomes a law, shortening the time from committee introduction to passage, while allowing for more public comment throughout the process. Council Member Sarah Dixit posted an explainer video from staff on the new flow of an ordinance.
Tonight, they’ve got one last amendment on the table from Council Member Zack Zappone that further clarifies the public comment procedure and timeline. If the Zappone amendment is passed without a rules suspension, it would defer the final rules vote one more week.
HEART Funding
Previously known as the 1590 fund — in reference to the state law that allowed the city to collect the sales tax to seed it — the HEART fund spending priorities are going to be approved today. In general, the rules governing the fund state that 70% must be spent on things like building affordable housing, supporting or acquiring behavioral health facilities and funding operation of these facilities. The other 30% can be spent on the “Legal Services and Relocation Fund,” — which helps tenants relocate if landlords violate habitability requirements — and costs related to operating behavioral health and housing-related services and programs…