2025, 01-21 Formal B MeetingMINUTES
City of Spokane Valley
City Council Meeting
Formal B Format
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Mayor Haley 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, Mayor
John Hohman, City Manager
Tim Hattenburg, Deputy Mayor
Erik Lamb, Deputy City Manager
Rod Higgins, Councilmember
Chelsie Walls, Finance Director
Jessica Yaeger, Councilmember
Kelly Konkright, City Attorney
Ben Wick, Councilmember
John Bottelli, Parks & Rec Director
Al Merkel, Councilmember
Robert Blegen, Public Works Director
Jill Smith, Communications Manager
Mike Basinger, Economic Development Director
Dave Ellis, Police Chief
ABSENT:
John Whitehead, HR Director
Laura Padden, Councilmember
Virginia Clough, Legislative Policy Coordinator
Glenn Ritter, Senior Engineer
Eric Robison, Housing & Homeless Coordinator
Miguel Aguirre, IT Specialist
Marci Patterson, City Clerk
INVOCATION:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Council, staff and the audience stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL: City Clerk Patterson called roll; all Councilmembers were present except Councilmember
Padden. It was moved by Councilmember Yaeger, seconded and unanimously agreed to excuse
Councilmember Padden.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA It was inoved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, seconded and unanimously
agreed to approve the agenda.
SPECIAL GUESTS/PRESENTATIONS:
19 ZoZyWl I ►i lV 0 to)9L, I
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: After Mayor Haley explained the process, she
invited public comment. Mr. John Harding, Spokane Valley; Mr. Ben Lund, Spokane Valley provided
comments on various topics.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Resolution 25-001: Permanent Homeless & Housina Task Force — Eric Robison
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to approve Resolution #25-001, establishing the
Permanent Homeless & Housing Task Force. Mr. Robison provided details on the history of the interim task
force and the need for the permanent task force. He also noted that they are adding additional seats on the
task force to allow for expansion of representation. Council discussed the various positions that could be
part of the task force. Councilmember Merkel motioned to amend that portion to include a recommendation
and preference for at least one person with lived experience with the exception that if no such candidate
Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 01-21-2025 Pagel of 3
Approved by Council: 04-08-2025
presents themselves at the time of selection then we can move to other possible candidates. With no second
on the amended motion, the amendment died. Mayor Haley invited public comment; no comments were
offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Mayor Haley, Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, Councihnembers Wick,
Higgins and Yaeger Opposed: Councilmember Merkel. Motion carried.
2 Motion Consideration: ILA for King County Director's Assoc. The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS)
and Sourcewell Purchasing Cooperatives - Glenn Ritter
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to authorize the City Manager to finalize and
execute the Interlocal Agreements with the King County Director's Association (KCDA) and The Interlocal
Purchasing System (TIPS) and Sourcewell purchasing cooperatives. Senior Engineer Ritter provided details
on the cooperatives for the procurement process. Mayor Haley invited public comment. Mr. Ben Lund,
Spokane Valley provided a comment. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion
carried.
3. Motion Consideration: Greenacres Park Phase 2 Bid Award — Glenn Ritter
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to award the Greenacres Park -Phase 2 Project
CIP #0360 to Cameron Reilly, LLC for the Base Bid and Alternates I and 3 in the amount of $1,177, 500
plus applicable sales tax and authorize the City Manager to finalize and execute the construction contract.
Senior Engineer Ritter and Parks and Rec Director Bottelli explained the funding that was received for
Greenacres Park and how we are now able to support the phase two elements for the park. Mr. Ritter
explained the bid process and noted that the city received four responsive bidders and that Cameron Riley
was the lowest responsive bidder for the project. Council spoke about the funding, the grant process for the
project. Finance Director Walls spoke about the council's prior approval of the fund 312 projects and use of
the funding. Councilmember Merkel stated that he felt the funds could have been used for something else
and noted that if nothing else, he was being strong armed into the project. Councilmember Higgins poised a
point of order and stated that Councilmember Merkel was being argumentative and wanted to know if we
were going to vote on the project. Mayor Haley allowed Councilmember Merkel to continue his comment
and he concluded with stating that there are other needs in the community before the wants. Council
continued the discussion regarding the Fund 312 and that they are one-time funds and that council previously
discussed using those funds for such projects. Mayor Haley invited public comment; no comments were
offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Mayor Haley, Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, Councihnembers Wick,
Higgins and Yaeger Opposed: Councilmember Merkel. Motion carried
NON -ACTION ITEMS
4. Admin Report: CTA- Signs Within the City Right -of -Wady Konkright
Mr. Konkright provided details on the history of the first amendment and where the signs come in to play
with locations in the city. City Attorney's office is going through the code review and this is one of the first
items up for review and updating. Mr. Konkright went on to provide details on compliance and regulations
and proposed changes for the sign code. He also noted that any additional changes could be brought forward
during the process and that what was presented was a start for the discussion. Council discussed the need to
restate some of the regulations so that they obvious and a nice shortcut for compliance. Mr. Konkright noted
that by doing so, that someone looking through the code would not have to look to multiple places to find
the information. Council also suggested that Mr. Konkright look at the provision for the size of the signs an
the ability to identify the person listed on the sign. Consensus was provided to move the code revision
ordinance to a first reading at a later meeting.
5. Admin Report: OPMA & PRA Training, — Kelly Konkright
City Attorney Konkright presented a PowerPoint presentation that reviewed the Open Public Meetings Act
(OPMA) and public records training. Mr. Konkright provided specific details on what a public record
included and noted those records could be on city devices or a personal device. He stated that best practice
Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 01-21-2025 Page 2 of 3
Approved by Council: 04-08-2025
is to not use personal devices for city related business. He also stated that the city has methods for preserving
records and can provide those records if requested. Council discussed exemptions to certain records and
what campaigning means in terms of public records. Councilmember Merkel proceeded to continue
questioning the meaning of campaigning and Councilmember Higgins poised a point of order stating that he
was boxing in the attorney and that he questions had been asked and answered. Mayor Haley agreed and
asked to move on. Councilmember Merkel called for an appeal to the ruling. The appeal did not receive a
second and in turn the appeal died. Mr. Konkright then moved into the OPMA training and reviewed the
rules and requirements for an open public meeting and what the executive sessions are and when they are
used. Council discussed guidelines the city committees. Mr. Konkright noted that the current committees
are purely advisory and therefore don't meet the criteria for OPMA. Mayor Haley closed the discussion
stating that with the other boards that she sat on there was also a requirement that phones were not allowed
to be out during the meetings and that she felt like that was a good practice.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: Mayor Haley stated that the general public
comment rules still apply and called for public comments; no comments were offered.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Councilmember Merkel noted that he went on a ride along with the homeless outreach officer and noted
that the area along Broadway and Sullivan is overrun with panhandlers and that even worse is the
mismanagement by WSDOT and their property and their stated that their fences are awful and puts the city
is a terrible situation. He will be proposing that we do an impoundment on DOT funds until their area is
cleaned up and fences are restored.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS
Mr. Hohman asked Chief Ellis to provide an update on the SREC Governing Board. Chief Ellis provided an
update on the delays with City of Spokane and the push back in time for the City of Spokane to join SREC.
There are significant projects within SREC, noting that they have new hardware updates and new facility.
City Manager Hohman provided an update on the Pines Grade Separation project that included the grant
funding, a construction update, and stated that materials for the bridges have been ordered, and the project
is moving forward. He noted that staff is working together with the connection and stage for the road changes
and looking forward to future updates on the project.
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, seconded and unanimously agreed to adjourn. The meeting
was adjourned at 8:02 p.m.
ATTEST:
i/I A I ri' 1"VM A
Mar 'Patterson, City Clerk
QP, 0-&,
Pam Haley, Mayo
Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 01-21-2025
Approved by Council: 04-08-2025
Page 3 of 3
PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN -IN SHEET
SPOKANE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
6:00 p.m.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY
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