2022, 07-05 study session MINUTES
City of Spokane Valley
City Council Study Session Meeting
Tuesday, July 5,2022
Mayor Haley called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. The meeting was held in person by Council and staff in
Council Chambers,and also remotely via Zoom meeting.
Attendance:
Councilmembers Staff
Pam Haley, Mayor Erik Lamb,Deputy City Manager
Rod Higgins,Deputy Mayor Cary Driskell, City Attorney
Tim Hattenburg, Councilmember Chelsie Taylor, Finance Director
Laura Padden, Councilmember Tony Beattie, Deputy City Attorney
Brandi Peetz, Councilmember John Bottelli, Parks, Rec&Facilities Dir.
Ben Wick, Councilmember Dave Ellis, Police Chief
Arne Woodard, Councilmember Bill Helbig, Community&Public Works Dir.
Gloria Mantz, City Engineer
Jeiremy Clark, Traffic Engineering Manager
Mike Basinger, Economic Development Dir.
Christine Bainbridge, City Clerk
ROLL CALL: City Clerk Bainbridge called roll; all Councilmembers were present.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA It was moved by Councilmember Wick, seconded and unanimously agreed to
approve the agenda.
PROCLAMATION: Mayor Haley read the Parks&Recreation Month proclamation,which was accepted
with thanks from Parks,Recreation&Facilities Director Bottelli.
ACTION ITEM:
1. First Reading Ordinance 22-013 Amending SVMC 3.48 Vendor List-Purchase Orders—Tony Beattie
It was moved by Councilmember Woodard and seconded, to advance Ordinance 22-013 to a second
reading.Mr. Beattie reiterated the background and purpose of this ordinance, which is to amend Spokane
Valley Municipal Code 3.48 regarding changing the threshold for expenditures requiring a purchase order,
from $1,000 to $2,500, along with other changes concerning the use of MRSC's services for our small
public works contracts, consulting services,and vendor services. Mayor Haley invited public comment;no
comments were offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor: unanimous. Opposed: none. Motion carried.
NON-ACTION ITEMS:
2, Reclaim Project—Erik Lamb,Lisette Alent,Kenneth Carlson, Shawn Kingsbury
Deputy City Manager Lamb said City staff members Eric Robison and Mike Basinger have been working
on the development of a homeless program and as part of that have been meeting with a wide variety of
service providers and stakeholders; that one such group was the Reclaim Project; said staff were very
impressed with this group and that they are doing a lot of good building capable men, and giving them lots
of good opportunities; that we felt it would be good to bring them here to provide information to Council
on their project.
Mr. Shawn Kingsbury, co-founder and director of the Reclaim Project; said that the Reclaim Project is a
501(c)(3) non-profit designed to give life-affirming activities and build community; said there are three
companies working together, including the Reclaim Project, Pura Vida Sober Living, which is a sober
transitional housing opportunity, that they house 135 men in individual bedrooms, they have six family
Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session:07-05-2022 Page I of 3
Approved by Council:07-12-2022
homes to accommodate someone who is inside the community of sober transitional housing who has gone
through the program and are re-united with their families in one of the family houses;and that the third part
of their Project is Revival General Contracting. Mr. Kingsbury mentioned there are two parts of their
general contracting; one is they have a professional renovation group that works on commercial and
residential renovations; said they have about 15 carpenters and laborers in that program; they also have a
labor pool that ebbs and flows with whoever needs transitional work to help bridge the gap between coming
out of addiction, homelessness, or incarceration, and moving to employment, which he said is the
population they serve; said they refer to their organization as a men's transformational platform; said they
are addressing multiple epidemics at once, including homelessness, loneliness, substance abuse, a work
force shortage, and a lack of affordable housing; said they believe there is a need here and they want to
come to Spokane Valley.
Mr.Kenny Carlson,Chaplin for the Project and President of the Board; said they wear many hats,said they
experience life with the men and that today they were on work crews with many of the men; said they are
very passionate about what they do and know what it takes to help get men from point A to point B. Ms.
Lisette Alent said she is the grant writer for the Reclaim Project and has been working in the nonprofit
sector for over thirteen years; said what has astounded her is this organization's ability to meet so many
factors for supporting the community in very critical ways,which includes providing very emergent social
healing services to these men for their basic needs, as well as work force development, providing career
pathways,and simultaneously building the community,the family and the individual; said she is aware that
ARPA funding is possibly coming forward very soon and different RFP (request for proposal) programs,
and they wanted to introduce their organization and the critical programs they provide.
There was discussion about transitional homes and Mr.Kingsbury mentioned the Project's most successful
model of community housing; he said they have a gym, yoga studio, and a construction area where men
can train; said they work to attach someone with no work skills with someone who has those skills; said
they have also had discussions with the Spokane Homebuilders Association about being a formal program.
Mr. Carlson said they are not a faith-based program, but it takes work on the elements of the physical,
mental, and spiritual. Mr. Kingsbury said their program is open to men with 48 hours of sobriety; that the
population they serve best are those men coming out of prison,homelessness, and addiction and they work
on physical, spiritual, and emotional components. Mr. Kingsbury also noted they are a licensed bonded
general contractor, and have a long list of clients whose projects Reclaim is working on; said the
construction company is able to pay competitive wages, and an entry level carpenter would earn $18 an
hour while a licensed carpenter world earn $30 an hour; said the community is needed to hold people
together and he suggests having men work with them for two to three years in order to give them a thriving
base; said during the project's early history, they had tried putting people into an apartment but it rarely
work outs as people need that community transition housing as it is a structure that will lift more out of
homelessness because of the effect of community; and he noted in response to Councilmember Peetz's
question, they already have a strong working relationship with the therapeutic courts. Mayor Haley and
Council thanked them for their presentation.
3. Sprague Avenue Stormwater Department of Ecology Grant—Bill Helbig, Gloria Mantz, Jerremy Clark
City Engineer Mantz explained the scope of the project;that it would be two miles long from University to
Park Road and would provide treatment for swales on the south side of Sprague, and provide Filterra
systems on the north side of Sprague; that the idea is to reduce Sprague Avenue from five to four lanes
between Balfour and Park Roads; concerning the crossing project, it would provide safe crossing between
City Hall and Balfour Park; she mentioned our agreement with the Department of Ecology which expires
June 2023, and of our grant award of$1.5 million; she added that in 2021 STA awarded $163,685 for
signalized pedestrian crossing, and in 2022, the Pedestrian & Bicycle Program awarded $556,400 for
signalized crossing. Ms. Mantz said the signalized crossing would not qualify for the ecology grant.
Council Meeting Minutes,Study Session:07-05-2022 Page 2 of 3
Approved by Council:07-12-2022
Traffic Engineering Manager Clark then went over the traffic impacts as well as the preliminary design
plan for the stormwater and the crossing project,followed by Ms.Mantz explaining the estimated costs and
anticipated budget shortfall of about$2.4 million,which she said qualifies for CLFR funds.Ms. Mantz said
that the total project cost has increased to over $5 million and could be substantially higher due to recent
additional construction cost increases; and she explained that due to the large funding gap to move the
projects forward,staff has evaluated two options for Council's consideration: to return the remaining grant
funds,or advance the crossing project with stormwater treatment components.
Discussion turned to the crossing project with subsequent lane reduction; problem with bus stops and the
idea of having a bus turnout,which Mayor Haley noted STA is not fond of due to the problem of trying to
re-enter traffic; future traffic issues; the possible use of CLFR funds; and the type of crossing and that the
crossing is critical to the Park.There was ultimate full Council consensus to return the grant funds. Council
would also like to hear more about and have further discussion on cost estimates and whether to have three
or four lanes. Mr. Helbig said staff will return with a motion for Council's consideration, to return the
ecology grant. Council concurred.
4. Opioid Distributor Settlement with Washington State—Tony Beattie
Deputy City Attorney Beattie went over the background of this issue,which deals with the State Attorney
General's announcement of a settlement agreement between the State of Washington and opioid
distributors, which is referred to as the Distributors Washington Settlement, and that in order for our City
to become a participating non-litigating subdivision and receive possible payment, we are required to sign
the document; he added that allocation amounts are not known at this time, and he is seeking Council
consensus to bring this back for a motion consideration. Council agreed.
5. Advance Agenda—Mayor Haley
Mayor Haley said she would like to discuss the possibility of putting more money into the gang unit issue,
and there was Council consensus to add this as a future agenda item.
6.Department Monthly Reports
These reports were for information only and were not reported or discussed.
7. Council Comments—Mayor Haley
There were no further Council comments.
8. City Manager Comments—John Holtman
Deputy City Manager Lamb said he had no further comments.
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Higgins, seconded and unanimously agreed to adjourn. The meeting
adjourned at 7:06 p.m.
ATTE �
Pam Haley,Mayor
hristine Bainbridge, City Cler
Council Meeting Minutes,Study Session:07-05-2022 Page 3 of 3
Approved by Council:07-12-2022