2024, 04-09 Special Meeting
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April 9, 2024 Meeting Agenda
Activities Timeline
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Break 6:30PM
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Adjourn 8:00PM
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/źƷǤ ƚŅ {ƦƚƉğƓĻ ğƌƌĻǤ wĻƷƩĻğƷ wĻƦƚƩƷ ŅƩƚƒ CĻĬƩǒğƩǤ ЊЌͲ ЋЉЋЍ
City of Spokane Valley
Council Retreat Report
February 17, 2024
Prepared by
914 164th Street SE, #400 I Mill Creek, WA 98012 P 425.337.1100
www.mktg-solutions.com
Spokane Valley/Retreat Report Page I 1
Vision
> City of opportunities, where people thrive, and businesses prosper.
SWOT Analysis
This analysis outlines the core Strengths and Weaknesses (internal conditions within
the City’s control), as well as Opportunities and Threats (external conditions beyond
the City's control) as assessed by City Council and staff leaders.
Key: The numbers in parentheses represent the number of votes each condition
received…they are listed in priority order. T=total # of dots, G= Council dots, R=Staff
dots.
Strengths
> Financially solvent (T=48, G=18, R=30)
> Maximizing/leveraging resources (T=31, G=6, R=25)
> Culture of continuous improvement (T=19, G=3, R=16
> Partnership with Spokane County – contract city (T=7, G=4, R=3)
> Talented and friendly staff (T=6, G=0, R=6)
> Excellent permitting process for businesses (T=5, G=5, R=0)
> Relatively low tax (T=3, G=3, R=0)
> Solid infrastructure (T=3, G=2, R=1)
> Caring and engaged community members (T=1, G=1, R=0)
> Attentive to our citizens’ needs (T=0)
Weaknesses
> Lack of revenue diversification due to low taxes (T=45, G=12, R=33)
> Insufficient public safety staffing and facilities (T=34, G=18, R=16)
> Under funded infrastructure maintenance (T=24, G=6, R=18)
> Underfunded capital improvement program (T=6, G=0, R=6)
> Capacity issues with City staff (T=5, G=1, R=4)
> Citizens expect more communication (T=4, G=4, R=0)
> Business diversification not forward facing (T=3, G=3, R=0)
> Contract city, less control (T=1, G=0, R=1)
Spokane Valley/Retreat Report Page I 2
> Decentralized city (T=0)
Opportunities
> Great location and quality of life (T=41, G=15, R=26)
> Grant funding (T=23, G=5, R=18)
> Expandable urban growth area (T=14, G=0, R=14)
> Partnership opportunities (T=14, G=5, R=9)
> Business environment in Spokane (T=12, G=4, R=8)
> Education and workforce development (T=5, G=2, R=3)
> Close proximity to transportation hubs (T=5, G=5, R=0)
> Economy is transitioning – remote workforce (T=3, G=3, R=0)
> Annexation (T=3, G=3, R=0)
> Younger population demographic (T=0)
Threats
> Drug and mental health crisis (T=31, G=11, R=20)
> Economic downturn (T=27, G=0, R=27)
> Preemption of local control (T=14, G=7, R=7)
> Lack of detention facilities (T=13, G=11, R=2)
> Political climate – fed, state, local (T=12, G=6, R=6)
> Lack of affordable housing (T=11, G=1, R=10)
> Homelessness (T=5, G=3, R=2)
> GMA restrictions (T=4, G=3, R=1)
> Technology concerns, e.g. AI (T=3, G=1, R=2)
>Workforce hiring and retention (T=1, G=0, R=1)
Budget Goals Update for 2025/26
> Public Safety
— #1 Switch out “maintain” with “achieve”
#2 Switch “jail operations” to detention services
—
> Pavement Preservation
— More definition around what is included in “maintenance”
> Economic Development
— #1 Consider adding small and new businesses
Spokane Valley/Retreat Report Page I 3
— #2 Add “brand”
> Homelessness and Housing
— Define our expectations with other partners and municipalities
> Communications
— Provide regular, timely, clear, and accurate information through a unified,
creative, and professional brand
— Increase opportunities for community members to share thoughts and
inform City decision-making
> New category: Housing Development
— Insure an equitable amount of cost to developers and end-users versus city
taxpayers. Note: This will be covered in the Comp Plan update.
Budget Goal Priorities
> Public Safety (T=75, G=42, R=33)
> Pavement Preservation (T=42, G=23, R=19)
> Economic Development (T=40, G=30, R=10)
> Homelessness and Housing (T=29, G=17, R=12)
> Transportation and Infrastructure (T=26, G=24, R=2)
> Communications (T=16, G=9, R=7)
Note: For the priorities above, Councilmembers had six dots and staff only had three.
Public Safety Areas of Focus Priorities
>Police (21)
> Detention (6)
> Pre-trial/Post Detention (6)
> Police Campus (6)
> Courts (2)
> Prosecuting Services (1)
Note: Only the Council voted on the priorities above. And, two new categories were
added to the original four: Pre-trial/Post Detention and Police Campus.
Spokane Valley/Retreat Report Page I 4
Next Steps
> Evaluate SWOT to make sure it is in line with our budget goals
> Staff to rewrite budget goals to be more concise statements
Parking Lot
> Define level of service for Public Safety bullet #1
Evaluation
Pros
> Visioning exercise
> Staff part of the conversation
> Good room layout
> Liked facilitation
> Sticky dots
Cons
> Wanted more time on the budget goals
> Better connection between SWOT and budget goals
> Wanted more time of the Police areas of focus
> Get public comment
Spokane Valley/Retreat Report Page I 5