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2024, 02-06 Study SessionMINUTES City of Spokane Valley City Council Study Session Meeting Tuesday, February 6, 2024 In the absence of a mayor, City Clerk Patterson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The meeting was held in person in Council Chambers, and also remotely via Zoom meeting. Attendance: Councilmembers Staff Pam Haley, Councilmember John Hohman, City Manager Rod Higgins, Councilmember Erik Lamb, Deputy City Manager Tim Hattenburg, Councilmember Chelsie Taylor, Finance Director Laura Padden, Councilmember Gloria Mantz, City Services Administrator Al Merkel, Councilmember Kelly Konkright, City Attorney Jessica Yaeger, Councilmember Bill I-lelbig, Community & PW Director John Whitehead, Human Resources Director Tony Beattie, Sr. Deputy City Attorney Absent: Dave Ellis, Police Chief Ben Wick, Councilmember Jill Smith, Communications Manager John Bottelli, Parks & Rec Director Virginia Clough, Legislative Policy Coordinator Mike Basinger, Economic Development Director Adam Jackson, Engineering Manager Dan Baker, Engineer —Planning & Grants Eric Robison, Housing & Homeless Coordinator Deanna Horton, Administrative Assistant Patricia Rhoades, Deputy City Clerk Chad Knodel, IT Manager Marci Patterson, City Clerk ROLL CALL: City Clerk Patterson called roll; all Councilmembers were present except Councilmember Wick. It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, seconded and unanimously agreed to excuse Councilmember Wick from today's meeting. APPROVAL OF AGENDA It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, seconded and unanimously agreed to approve the agenda. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: After City Clerk explained the process, she invited public comment. Barb Howard, Spokane Valley (via Zoom); Mr, Dan Allison, Spokane Valley; Mr. Bob West, Spokane Valley; Mr. Rob Tupper, Spokane Valley; Diana Wilhite, Spokane Valley; and John Harding, Spokane Valley all made general comments. ACTION ITEM: 1. Ordinance 24-001 Amendina Planning Commission Meeting Reauirements — Tonv Beattie After City Clerk Patterson read the Ordinance title, it was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to advance Ordinance 24-001 related to Planning Commission meeting requirements to a second ordinance reading. Mr. Beattie noted that the Ordinance would provide flexibility in the number of required Planning Commission meetings. He also noted that the draft ordinance also takes into account the minor language change proposed by Council at the January 9, 2024 Administrative Report, which would cancel the first regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting in a January that follows City Council elections. Mayor Haley called for public comments. Barb Howard, Spokane Valley (via Zoom) provided comment. Vote by acclamation: in favor: unanimous. Opposed none. Motion carried. Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 02-06-2024 Page 1 of 3 Approved by Council 06-25-2024 2. Motion Consideration: Bridge Investment Program — Adam Jackson, Dan Baker It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to authorize the City Manager or designee, to apply for the BIP Fiscal Year 2024 grant for the Sullivan & Trent Interchange Project in the amount of $33,587,992. Mr. Jackson briefly explained the purpose of the grant and provided a background on the funding with a PowerPoint presentation. Mr. Balser provided details on the parameters of the grant and what the city would do with the funds if they were awarded the grant and went over the table of information provided in the RCA. Council briefly discussed the grant and requirements for submitting an application. Mayor Haley called for public comment. Mr. John Harding, Spokane Valley provided comment. Vote by acclamation on the original motion: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried. 3. Motion Consideration: Ma oral A ointment Planning Commission - Ma or Hale It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg to confirm the Mayor's nomination of Matthew Hurd to the Planning Commission for term beginning February 1, 2024 and ending December 31, 2025, With a lack of a second on the motion, the motion died. NON -ACTION ITEMS: 4. Admin Report— Recruitment and Retention Plan — Chief Ellis Chief Ellis and Deputy City Manager Lamb presented a detailed PowerPoint presentation that included a review of historical and current trends, recruiting efforts, employee retention, making hiring easier and faster, providing the most efficient and effective initial training and hiring goals and benchmarks. Council discussed the public safety budget, current trends in the recruiting efforts, costs for initial start-up and training of an officer and length of time to get officers in the field. Council thanked Chief Ellis for his continued efforts and looked forward to an update on the recruitment of the additional officers. 5. Admin Report: Pines Rd Grade Separation Project Update - Erica Amsden, Bill Helbig, Gloria Mantz Ms. Amsden, Mr. Helbig and Ms. Mantz presented a PowerPoint presentation that detailed a project overview and status, the utility coordination and relocation, the BNSF railroad coordination, the right-of- way acquisition update, a funding update, the tentative schedule and next steps for the project, and potential risks to the project schedule. Council discussed the concerns with BNSF and the RAISE grant, the potential double track installation project, material supply questions and general questions regarding the timeline of the project. 6. Admin Report: Potential Grant Opportunity, I -IUD Gloria Mantz, Eric Robison Ms. Mantz and Mr. Robison reviewed a potential grant opportunity with the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2024 Program. Staff reviewed a detailed PowerPoint presentation that included an overview of the cooperation agreement, CDBG funding criteria, the types of projects accepted with CDBG funding, objectives for each funding type, the priority projects for CDBG with Spokane County, what the funding Iimits are, and a review of the historical awards provided. They also detailed the HOME project types and funding, the ESG project types and funding and the overall timeline for each funding source. Ms. Mantz noted that the next steps would be to identify projects that the city could apply for or to support current providers serving the Spokane Valley community. Staff will come back at a later date with findings on the projects and finally submit applications or provide letters of support if necessary. Council discussed the process of the reviewing the projects identified and noted that often tithes the sidewalk projects are difficult to score for this kind of funding. Council provided consensus to allow staff to speak with current providers and come back with a list of projects. 7. Advance Agenda — Mayor Haley Councilmember Merkel requested adding a review of SCRAPS to the agenda. City Manager Hohman stated that it is already on the pending portion of the agenda and perhaps council should schedule a tour of the facility. Mayor Haley requested reopening of the planning commission appointment process. There was consensus to move that item forward and reopen the process. Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 02-06-2024 Page 2 of 3 Approved by Council: 06-25-2024 Mayor Haley requested that the nifflion dollars ofARPA dollars that were set aside to be used for non- reeLirring funds for the police be put oil the advance agenda so those funds could be moved and Used. There was consensus to get that item moved forward. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councifinernber Merkel noted that he appreciates the recruitment process and the cortimittee moving as fast as possible and keel) on the agenda, City Manager Holu-narl noted that the meeting on the 27"' does include the next touch for the safety committee review and staff is working hard on getting the information gathered, Councilinernber Yaeger wanted to apologize to people watching that this was the first normal meeting and that she hopes this feeling call continue. She felt behaviors have been embarrassing and noted that she Would like to see the work getting done. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS Mr. Holman spoke about scheduling a presentation For the Lower Snake River Dallis and that there was an opportunity to submit a letter to Cathy MeMorris Rodgers as the comment period was still open and had done so based upon council approval.The letter noted how important the darns in our area are to Our economy and our industries. MI-, I-Johman noted that council expressed interest in sending a sirnilar letter to Senator Canwell and Murray. Council provided consensus to send the letters, Mr. Holiman also stated that there would not be all evening meeting on the 13111 as there will be a strategic planning workshop that day. Executive Session: 11 i,i,,as inoved Iay Depulylvlqyor Hallenburg, secondedto culjourn info executive sessiorl for 40 ininutes to (liscuss pending litigation, and that no action ivi// be taken qj)on relurri to open se.ssion. Vote by acclaination., in fi7vor: Unanimous. Ppl-)osecl: None, Allotion carrie(l, Council a4jo-urnecl hilo, ax.eculNe session (it 8:20 p. in. At 8:45p. in, Delwity Mayor TIaltenburg declared Council out of executive session, tit which fline itl,vav moved 4y Dej)'uty It tiyoiHdttenbui-g, secontled and unaninlousl cg eed to AT"1 F ST, ........... . Ma�rei katterson, City Clerk Pang I-Ialey, Mayor COLincil Meeting Minutes, StUdy Session: 02-06-2024 Apptoved by Council: Page 3 of 3 ct'I'v'O'S ors 6I I CC I'I'Y OUNCIL 0100ne 10210 F Sprague Ave Spokane Valley WA 99206 ,,;oo*Va11ey- Phone: (509) 720-5000, Q www,spokinevalleywa.90v February 2, 2024 The Honorable Cathy McMorrIs, Rodgers House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair 2125 Rayburn HOUSE1 Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Chair McMorris Rodgers: The City of Spokane Valley extends Its strong support to maintain the Colurnbla River System Including the Lower Snake Rivet, dams, as removal of the darns would negatively Impact our community and the region. Please add this letter of Support to maintain the dams to the record. The Lower Snake River dams are an Irnportallt Cog In Our economy providing clean and reliable power and fuel, Irrigation for local farmers and the agricultural community, transportation of goods and commodities, recreation and tourism, and water supply management for the region. Additionally, there are several concerns If the dams are breached, Such as increased regional blackouts In tile electrical distribution system, job losses, less efficient cargo conveyance that would likely result In Supply diain delays, adversely Impact to agricultural Industry and rising costs to consurners. The clarns also regulate river flows, without dams, communities are subject to flooding or drought cycles, In this era of extreme weather, it is even more vital to have a reliable hydroelectric power source to keep Our citizens safe to heat their homes during Our frigid Inland Northwest winters and cool them during the heat Of SLIMI-ner. Keeping costs low, while maintaining reliable hydropower for our citizens and businesses, is a priority for the City of Spokane Valley, Currently, our region has some of the lowest residential energy rates In the nation due to hydroelectric power. According to the 2020 Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement, breaching tile Lower Snake Rivet- darns could double the risk of region -wide blackouts and increase the region's electricity costs by $800 million per year and Bonneville Power Association's power costs by 50%, The result is an estitmted 25% Increase in home energy costs and a loss of $540 million per year in regional economic productivity among other harmful consequences, The Increase In electricity costs will adversely impact the manufacturing Industry, lead to job losses and reduce our global competitiveness, While one of the key goals of the Federal Administration's proposal Is to save the salmon population, there are numerous Studies and articles showing that hydropower technologies Including fish ladders and turbine bypass systerns have resulted in very high fish survival rates, In fact, the Lower Snake River dams meet and even exceed federal and state standards for safe fish passage according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Branch Clilef for the Interior Cokimbia River Basin Office, On behalf of our City Council and community, I applaud your efforts and those of the Committee to save these dams that are critically important to, the people of Spokane Valley and our region. Sincerely, Parry Haley, Mayor Oil behalf of City of Spokane Valley Council SPOKANE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, February 6, 2024 6:00 p.m. G E NE R A L P LJ B Ll, C MMEN'T' OPPORETUNITY YOUR SPEAKING TIME WILL GENERALLY BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES You mnv,-qifvn in to stwalc but it is not necessarv, as the Mavor will afford the public the opportunity to speak. NAME PLIj.d SE PRINT TOPIC OF CONCE RN YCIU WILL SPEAK ABOUT YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE tz ddjrl� (E' L'/ ------------ . ..... ....... . . ........ . ...... . . .... . ......... . Please nole thal once hifivination is eitlered on thisf6rin, it becomes et public recordsul.?ject it) public disclosure.