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2025, 04-15 Formal B Meeting
MINUTES City of Spokane Valley City Council Meeting Formal B Format Tuesday, April 15, 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 Laura Padden, Councilmember Gloria Mantz, City Services Administrator Jessica Yaeger, Councilmember Kelly Konkright, City Attorney Al Merkel, Councilmember John Bottelli, Parks & Rec Director Robert Blegen, Public Works Director Jill Smith, Communications Manager Dave Ellis, Police Chief Absent: Caitlin Prunty, Deputy City Attorney Ben Wick, Councilmember John Whitehead, HR Director Virginia Clough, Legislative Policy Coordinator Adam Jackson, Engineering Manager Erica Amsden, CIP Engineering Manager Miguel Aguirre, IT Specialist Patricia Rhoades, Deputy City Clerk INVOCATION: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Council, staff and the audience stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Deputy City Clerk Rhoades called roll; all Councilmembers were present except Councilmember Wick. It was moved by Councibnember Yaeger, seconded and unanimously agreed to excuse Councibnember Wick. APPROVAL OF AGENDA It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, seconded and unanimously agreed to approve the agenda. SPECIAL GUESTS/PRESENTATIONS: PROCLAMATIONS: GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: After Mayor Haley explained the process, she invited public comments. Mr. Derrick Baziotis, Spokane Valley; Ms. Kim Kilham, Spokane Valley; Mr. Ben Lund, Spokane Valley; Mr. Paul Swift, Spokane Valley; Mr. John Harding, Spokane Valley all provided comments on various topics. ACTION ITEMS: 1. PUBLIC HEARING: 2025 TIP Amendment — Adam Jackson Mayor Haley opened the public hearing at 6:16p.m. Mr. Jackson provided details on Amendment 1 of the 2025 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). He reviewed the newly added projects that included Thorpe Rd Bridge Replacement, Wellesley Preservation, Barker & 8th Roundabout, and Barker Rd Corridor Project. He also noted that there were cost adjustments for 17 projects. Mayor Haley invited public Council Meeting Minutes: 04-15-2025 Page 1 of 4 Approved by Council: 05-27-2025 comments. Mr. John Harding, Spokane Valley provided comment. Mayor Haley closed the public hearing at 6:28 p.m. 2. Resolution 25-004: 2025 TIP Amendment —Adam Jackson It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to adopt Resolution 25-004, amending the 2025 TIP. Mr. Jackson noted that he did not have any additional information to provide. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Mayor Haley, Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, Councilmembers Higgins, Padden and Yaeger. Opposed: Councilmember Merkel. Motion carried 3 Ordinance 25-003• Second Read: CTA Relating to Illicit Massage Business —Kelly Konkright, Caitlin Prun It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to approve Ordinance 25-003 as proposed Ms. Prunty, Chief Ellis, and Detective Keys highlighted the changes to the municipal code. Council briefly discussed the changes and thanked staff for the work on the ordinance. Vote by acclamation: in favor. - Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried 4. Ordinance 25-004: Second Read Public Safety Sales Tax Ballot Measure — Erik Lamb After Deputy City Clerk Rhoades read the Ordinance title, it was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to approve Ordinance No. 25-004, submitting a 0.1 % public safety sales tax measure to voters at the August 5, 2025 election. Mr. Lamb and Chief Ellis provided details on the potential public safety sales tax ballot measure. Councilmember Merkel stated that this is a waste of money and that we absolutely need the officers, but we should not be asking for more money. Councilmembers Yaeger and Padden noted that we have taken cuts out of the budget where appropriate and we have heard from the public that they want public safety and now they will get the opportunity to vote on that. Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and Mayor Haley agreed and also noted that we are responsible for more than just public safety and we need to let the voters decide on how to proceed with public safety. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Mayor Haley, Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, Councilmembers Higgins, Padden and Yaeger. Opposed • Councilmember Merkel. Motion carried. 5. Motion Consideration: WSDOT Bridge Grant — Adam Jackson It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to authorize the City Manager or designee, to apply for the Federal Local Bridge Program grant, requesting $18,079,440 for the Sullivan & Trent Interchange Project. Mr. Jackson provided details on the call for projects from the state and noted that the city is requesting to apply for about 18 million dollars for the Sullivan and Trent Bridge for costs that are eligible to the program. Mr. Jackson noted that there is no match for the finding. Councilmember Merkel asked about an equity component and Mr. Hohman and Mr. Jackson explained the need for the project. Councilmember Higgins poised a point of order and noted that this has been pointed out multiple times and that these questions may be to lengthen the meeting. Councilmember Merkel interrupted and stated that if Councilmember Higgins didn't want to be here, the door was right over there. Mayor Haley interjected and asked Councilmember Merkel to not interrupt. Mayor Haley agreed with the point of order and Councilmember Merkel appealed the ruling and with lack of a second, the appeal died. Mayor Haley invited public comments. Mr. Ben Lund, Spokane Valley; Mr. John Harding, Spokane Valley; Mr. Schade Jameson - David Maghan, Spokane Valley; and Ms. Jodie Buehler, Spokane Valley provided comment. Councilmember Higgins poised a point of order and stated to that you will not insult our mayor and you need to treat the mayor appropriately. Mayor Haley stated that we are trying to run a business meeting and need to stay on topic. After further discussion, it was moved by Councilmember Yaeger and seconded to call for the question. Vote by acclamation to call for the question: in favor: Mayor Haley, Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, Councilrnernbers Higgins, Padden and Yaeger. Opposed: Councihnember Merkel. Motion carried Mayor Haley continued with a call for the vote on the original motion. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Mayor Haley, Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, Councilrnernbers Higgins, Padden and Yaeger. Opposed: Councilmember Merkel. Motion carried. 6. Motion Consideration: Staffing & Master Fee Schedule Update — Gloria Mantz, Erica Amsden Council Meeting Minutes: 04-15-2025 Page 2 of 4 Approved by Council: 05-27-2025 It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to authorize the City Manager to update the ROW Permits fees in the Master Fee Schedule; hire a fill-thne ROW Inspector, a fidl-time Senior Engineer, and a full-time Engineering Tech II; make proposed organizational changes, and amend the 2025 Budget as necessary; or take other appropriate action. Ms. Mantz and Ms. Amsden reviewed the recommendations of hiring which included an additional Right -of -Way (ROW) inspector, a full-time engineering tech, and a full time senior engineer. It was noted that by increasing the fees, the city would be able to find the new ROW position. Ms. Amsden further explained the need for a Pines Rd GSP Construction Management employee and Ms. Mantz explained the need for the Facilities Division Management employee. Council discussed the ROW position and the difference between the Facilities inspector and the manager position. Mayor Haley invited public comment; no comments were offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried. 7. Resolution 25-006 Master Fee Schedule Update - Gloria Mantz It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg and seconded to approve Resolution #25-006 amending the Master Fee Schedule. Ms. Mantz reviewed the details for the items being updated in the master fee schedule. Mayor Haley invited public comment; no comments were offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried Mayor Haley called for a recess at 7:13prn for 12 minutes and that the meeting lvould resume at 7: 25pm. NON -ACTION ITEMS 8 Admin Report: DNR Pinecroft Management Plan Update — John Bottelli & Guests Mr. Bottelli introduced Connor Nikkola, Natural Areas Manager; Kyle Pomrankey, Assistant Northeast Region Manager; and Pat Ryan, Northeast Region Manager for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. They detailed a PowerPoint presentation that reviewed the Pinecroft Natural Areas Program. The program included details on the types of areas, the location and acreage, the need for the plan, the restoration work being done in the area and the environmental education that is taking place. Mr. Bottelli discussed the history, potential activities, and general concerns for the area. Council provided consensus to continue work with DNR. 9. Admin Report: Short Term Rental Discussion — John Hohman Mr. Hohman spoke about why and how this discussion came about, factors to consider, wanting to have a free market that is not burdensome, the software and that we might need to look at alternatives to Granicus, legislation, and a potential round table group. He suggested that as council heard a lot of information that staff can look into some of these things and review the revenue picture and return with more details. Council discussed multiple options that included a round table group made up of hoteliers and short term rental owners. Mr. Hohman closed with noting that staff will look at the revenue piece and the short term rental owners. INFORMATION ONLY (will not be reported or discussed): 10. 250"' USA Celebration Events GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: Mayor Haley stated that the general public comment rules still apply and called for public comments. Mr. Daryl Williams, Spokane Valley provided comment. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Merkel spoke about adding the union information for the firefighters to the legislative agenda at the next advance agenda opportunity. He also noted that we are asking people to pay more money when we should be looking closer at the budget and our priorities. Councilmember Padden spoke about the legal fees for Councilmember Merkel and that they are one-time fees and we are talking about recurring fees. She also spoke about some of the accomplishments: Barker GSP, started work on the Pines GSP, Cross Country Course, Greenacres Park, Balfour Park, just started the Council Meeting Minutes: 04-15-2025 Page 3 of 4 Approved by Council: 05-27-2025 Outstanding Services Award (You Rock), increased public safety, and our summer camps filled up on the first day. Councilmember Yaeger noted that she wanted to thank Virginia Clough, Jill Smith and RaeAnna Victor for putting together the 250th USA celebration. Spoke about the road/bridge project and how it affects the fire department and citizens safety. Mayor Haley: Spoke about how a Councilmember continues saying that she is not doing her job correctly pertaining to Roberts Rules of Order. She also spoke about why the city moved forward with the current lawsuit against Councilmember Merkel. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS Mr. Hohman spoke about the fees associated with the lawsuit against Councilmember Merkel and where that money will come from and that we may need to bring an amendment forward for the council to approve. He also spoke about the RCAs, the agenda, and the packet of information and how the public can view and read items on the agenda. He thanked those that came in to speak with councilmembers and noted that the city will be launching the community recognition program, "You Rock". Mr. Hohman closed with stating the city parks are officially open. It was moved by Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, seconded and unanimously agreed to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m. ATTEST: �A Marci atterson, City Clerk Qp,— ht&� Pam Haley, Mayor Council Meeting Minutes: 04-15-2025 Approved by Council: 05-27-2025 Page 4 of 4 PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN -IN SHEET SPOKANE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, April 15, 2025 6:00 p.m. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY #1 Please sign up to speak for up to THREE minutes and the Mayor will afford the public the opportunity to speak. The public comment opportunity is limited to a maximum of 45 minutes. You may only speak at one of the comment opportunities, not at both public comment opportunities. NAME PLEASE PRINT TOPIC YOU WILL SPEAK ABOUT YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE � k raz�or�5 ST �z S P©I<Y) %LE-11 0 Please note that once information is entered on this form, it becomes a public record subject to public disclosure. PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN -IN SHEET SPOKANE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, April 15, 2025 6:00 p.m. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY #2 Please sign up to speak for up to THREE minutes and the Mayor will afford the public the opportunity to speak. The public comment opportunity is limited to a maximum of 45 minutes. You may only speak at one of the comment opportunities, not at both public comment opportunities. NAME PLEASE PRINT TOPIC YOU WILL SPEAK ABOUT YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE 'A� �w,,F�- �e�f ��, �r� „� S�k4 ✓�1�� Please note that once information is entered on this form, it becomes a public record subject to public disclosure. Spokane Valle � 10210 E Sprague Avenue ❑Spokane Valley WA 99206 ,;oOY Phone: (509) 720-5000 ❑ www.SpokaneValleyWA.gov Memorandum To: Mayor and City Council From: Virginia Clough, Legislative Policy Coordinator Date: April 14, 2025 Re: Gordon Thomas Honeywell — Government Relations Legislative Report —April 12, 2025 Please find attached the April 12 GTH — Government Relations' report recapping the week of April 7. The report notes that the Opposite Chamber cutoff happens this Wednesday, April 12 and the Concurrence Calendar begins for those bills that passed both chambers and were amended in the second chamber. This report also provides an overview of what is happening in the final two weeks of the session. As of today, there are 13 days remaining in the 105-day session. Other highlights include Spokane Valley investments and the capital and transportation budget/grant funding requests on our legislative agenda: Balfour Park playground and spray park (full funding in both H and S budgets), Spokane Valley Sport Courts ($415K or $800K requested in S budget only), and Barker/1-90 Interchange (only on the Senate's "new" project list with funding amounts and phasing TBD). HB 1260 (document recording fee) passed the Senate unanimously on April 10 and was signed by the Speaker of the House last Friday. Now it goes to the Governor for consideration and hopefully his signature. This bill would be effective 90 days after being signed into law. Floor votes for bills to pass the opposite chamber continue until 5pm on Wednesday, April 16. Three bills that died last week: HB 1622 (bargaining related to the use of artificial intelligence) SB 5061 (prevailing wage for public works contracts) SB 5719 (local government hearing examiners) The report also provides a status update on 15 other bills that are still in play under our legislative priorities. GORDON THOMAS HONEYWELL GOvERNMENT RELATIONS City of Spokane Valley Legislative Report April 12, 2025 SESSION CUTOFF CALENDAR MA rn�Z025 Chamber of Origin Deadline April 22,22025Fite Chamber Dnliw Gernmittee Dead!ino April 8, 2025 Opposite Chamber Fi6G@l Gernmittee Dead! April 16, 2025 Opposite Chamber Deadline April 27, 2025 Session adjourns - Sine Die Weekly Overview April 8 marked the second -to -last deadline of the 2025 Legislative Session. Bills needed to have been approved by the opposite chamber's fiscal committee to remain under consideration. The final cutoff is approaching on April 16 - policy bills must pass the opposite chamber to remain under consideration. Below are some of the local government -related bills that died with the recent cutoff. • House Bill 1622 - Bargaining related to the use of artificial intelligence Senate Bill 5061- Prevailing wage for public works contracts • Senate Bill 5719 - Local government hearing examiners While each chamber is meeting on the floor to consider bills, budget writers are working diligently to reach an agreement on final operating, capital, and transportation budgets. Following the Governor's announcement that he would be unwilling to sign either chamber's initial proposed budgets, budget writers have gone back to the drawing board. Modified revenue and budget proposals are anticipated to be released next week. There continues to be uncertainty on whether the Legislature will be able to complete their work prior to the final day of session. GTH-GOV On Wednesday, the Legislature will begin addressing bills on the Concurrence Calendar. The Concurrence Calendar is a list of bills that have passed out of both chambers but were amended in the second chamber. For the bill to pass the Legislature, the differences between the two versions of the bill approved by each chamber need to be reconciled. The chamber of origin may concur with the amendments made by the opposite chamber, ask the opposite chamber to recede from the amendments, or request a conference. A conference is where a small group of selected legislators work to develop a compromise version of the bill. If the two chambers cannot reach an agreement prior to the end of session, the bill does not pass. Once a bill passes the Legislature, it is delivered to the Governor for him to sign into law, veto, or partially veto (he has the authority to remove entire sections of a bill, but not specific sentences). After the Legislature approves a bill, the Governor has five days, excluding Sundays, to act on it, unless the Legislature is within five days of adjournment when it approves the bill, in which case the Governor has 20 days to take action. Click here to view the bills that the Governor has signed into law to date. The final day of the 2025 Legislative Session is Sunday, April 27. Legislative Agenda Items Spokane Valley Budget Investments Capital Budget Project House Senate Spokane Valley Sport Courts -- $415,000 Balfour Park WWRP Local Parks - $500,000 $2 million in Land Water Conservation WWRP Local Parks - $500,000. $2 million in Land Water Conservation Partners INW Resource Center $515,000 -- Plante's Ferry Sports Complex -- $1,000,000 Spokane Valley Heritage Museum $225,000 -- Freedom Center $338,000 $338,000 Inland Grange -- $98,000 Mission Ave Frontage Improvements -- $1,030,000 Newman Lake Revitalization -- $120,000 Spokane County Stabilization Center $3.050 million $3.050 million GTH-GOV 2 Transportation Budget Project House Senate Barker 1-90 Interchange -- Included in "new project" list; funding amounts and phasing TBD Clarify Administrative Fee Collected on Document Recording Fees At the City's request, House Bill 1260 was introduced by Rep. Suzanne Schmidt (R-4th LD), Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-3rd LD), and Rep. Natasha Hill (D-3rd LD). The bill amends the distribution and administrative handling of document recording fee surcharge funds to enhance support for county and city homeless housing programs. This bill is a top priority for the Cities of Spokane Valley and Spokane as they are the only two cities known to be using this provision. The bill limits county administrative costs to 10 percent of the funds retained after distributing the required share to cities and clarifies how cities can receive and use their portion of the surcharge for local homeless housing programs. It also maintains the requirement that at least 15 percent of the funds retained by counties be used for housing activities targeting extremely low-income households, prioritizing those with incomes at or below 30 percent of the area median income. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on April 10 and was signed by the Speaker of the House on April 11. It will now head to the Governor's desk for final signature. Other Policy Issues Housing Affordability Housing Cost Analysis: House Bill 1108, sponsored by Rep. Mark Klicker (R-16th LD), establishes a legislative task force to analyze the primary cost drivers of homeownership and rental housing. The task force will include four legislative members and seventeen non -legislative members representing diverse stakeholders, such as housing developers, labor organizations, local governments, tenants, landlords, and financial institutions. On April 9, the Senate adopted committee amendments as amended, removing the designation of specified groups as a task force and directing the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to gather and consider input from these groups without requiring the facilitation of three task force meetings. WSIPP is also directed to study and report on the primary cost drivers of homeownership and rental housing in Washington by December 1, 2026, with support from the Department of Commerce to provide data and resources. The bill the Senate with a vote of 44 yeas, 5 nays, 0 absent, and 0 excused. Rent Stabilization Measures: House Bill 1217, sponsored by Rep. Emily Alvarado (D-34th LD), establishes rent stabilization measures and tenant protections under Washington's Residential Landlord Tenant Act (RLTA) and Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act (MHLTA). The bill caps annual rent increases and prohibits rent increases during the first 12 months of tenancy. The bill was voted out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee on April 7 with an amendment that applies the rent limits only to buildings older than 15 years, rather than 12 years. On the Senate floor, the bill was further amended to raise the allowable rent increase GTH-GOV 3 from 7 percent to 10 percent plus inflation. Another amendment exempts single family residential tenancy if the property is not owned by a corporation. After a passionate floor debate, the bill passed the Senate with a vote of 29 yeas, 20 nays. It is unlikely the House will approve the Senate's changes to the bill, and is expected to go through the conference committee process. Manufactured Home Sales: Senate Bill 5298, sponsored by Sen. Noel Frame (D-36), mandates that owners of manufactured/mobile home communities provide written notice of an opportunity for tenants to compete to purchase the community before marketing it for sale or considering an offer. The notice must be sent to each tenant, any known qualified tenant organization, the Department of Commerce, local government, relevant housing authorities, and the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, with electronic delivery allowed for certain entities. The bill outlines the content of the notice, including the owner's intent to sell and steps for tenants to form a qualified organization. It requires updates on the sale status to the Department of Commerce within six months and mandates a new notice if the sale does not occur within nine months. The bill also establishes the right for tenants to seek injunctive relief and damages if the owner fails to comply with these requirements. On April 9, the House passed the bill unanimously after adopting the committee amendments. Condominium Liability Reform: House Bill 1403, sponsored by Rep. Jamila Taylor (D-30th LD), proposes significant updates to condominium construction and defect resolution statutes. The bill passed off the Senate floor on April 8 with a vote of 47 yeas, one nay, with 1 excused with an amendment that revises certain arbitration and warrant requirements. Click here to view the changes to the bill. Short -Term Rental Tax: Senate Bill 5576, sponsored by Sen. Liz Lovelett (D-40), establishes a local option tax on short-term rentals. Funds may be used for affordable housing programs, homeless housing assistance, temporary shelters, and housing infrastructure projects. The bill passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on April 7 with an amendment that lowers the tax rate from 6 percent to 4 percent and includes that if a county and city impose the tax, the city tax must be a credit against the county tax. The bill is in'the House Rules Committee. Local Decision -Making Authority State Housing Oversight: Senate Bill 5148, sponsored by Sen. Jessica Bateman (D-22), establishes a framework for state oversight of local housing plans and regulations under the Growth Management Act. The bill passed out of the Appropriations Committee on April 7 with amendments. The amendments include authorizing the Department to conduct up to 60 housing element and development regulation compliance reviews per year, with voluntary submissions prioritized first. It also includes lengthening the time period for a city to amend its housing element plan or development regulations if found noncompliant from 60 to 120 days. Lastly, a null and void clause was added to the bill, unless funding is included in the budget. The bill is currently on the House Floor Calendar and could be voted on at any point. It is anticipated that the House will further amend the bill to reduce the number of compliance reviews that GTH-GOV 4 Commerce would conduct each year, and to better define which development regulations are subject to review. Transit -Oriented Development: House Bill 1491, sponsored by Rep. Julia Reed (D-36th LD),, mandates higher -density residential and mixed -use development near major transit stops to promote transit -oriented development (TOD) and address housing shortages. The bill requires cities to adopt regulations facilitating TOD in designated "station areas," including minimum floor area ratios and affordable housing requirements. It preempts local restrictions, limits parking mandates, and provides exemptions from the State Environmental Policy Act for qualifying developments. The bill was voted out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee on April 7, with an amendment that clarifies that a city with an incentive program prior to January 2025 that requires public benefits may continue to do so as long as benefits provide development capacity that is similar. The development community is opposed to the bill; they believe that it will hurt the housing supply and push development outside station areas. Preemption on Parking Requirements: Senate Bill 5184, sponsored by Sen. Jessica Bateman (D- 22nd LD), limits city parking requirements for both residential units and commercial spaces. An amended version of the bill passed off tho House floor on April 11 with 64 yeas, 31 nays, and 3 excused votes. The amendments include population limitations for implementation dates (30,000-50,000 within three years and over 50,000 within 18 months of the effective date), as well as allowing cities to seek variance from the requirements of the bill to accommodate additional ADA spaces. Additionally, it prohibits cities from imposing minimum parking requirements for buildings undergoing a change of use for commercial use. Since the House passed a different version of the bill than what passed the Senate, it will return to the Senate for concurrence. Miscellaneous Paid Family Leave: House Bill 1213, sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry (D-36th LD), expands worker protections and small business support under Washington State's Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. The bill reduces the minimum claim duration for PFML benefits from eight to four consecutive hours, requires employers to provide written notice of employee rights after seven consecutive days of leave, and mandates updated workplace notices summarizing program requirements. Employers with 50 to 150 employees are eligible for grants to offset costs associated with employee leave, including hiring temporary workers, covering wage -related costs, and reimbursing health care benefits for up to four months. Additionally, employers with voluntary plans must meet stricter requirements for leave duration and pay, while maintaining separate sick leave under RCW 49.46.210. The bill was voted out of the Senate Ways & Means Committee on April 8 with an amendment that adds employment protections while on PFML for employers with 25 or more in 2026, 15 or more in 2027, and 8 or more thereafter. The bill is now on the Senate floor calendar and can be voted on at any time. Permitting: Senate Bill 5611, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-32nd LD), expands the definition of "commercially zoned property" for the purposes of binding site plans to include GTH-GOV 5 areas permitting multifamily residential uses, provides that a city can extend project permit deadlines for any reasonable and certain period of time if it is agreed upon in writing, and states that a city cannot deny project permits for certain residential housing units. The bill passed the House on April 10 with a vote of 96 yeas, 0 nays, 0 absent, and 2 excused. Revenue for Fish Culverts: Senate Bill 5804, sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-27th LD), establishes a funding mechanism to address the state's fish culvert injunction. The bill diverts the three revenue streams for the Public Works Assistance Account (PWAA), a public utility tax, a real estate excise tax and a solid waste tax, and directs them to the state general fund. The remaining revenue stream for the PWAA would be loan repayments. It also creates a new tax on light and power businesses at a rate of 2.011 percent while reducing the existing tax rate for these businesses from 3.62 percent to 1.741 percent. Revenue from the new tax is dedicated to the "Federal Injunction Salmon Habitat Restoration Account," which funds habitat restoration projects and repayment of up to $5 billion in special tax obligation bonds. The bonds, payable solely from the new tax revenues, are not general obligations of the state and are limited to a debt service period ending December 31, 2075. Executive action was taken in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on April 8, where the committee approved an amended version of the bill that made mostly technical changes. The main impact for local governments is language that allows funds to be used for both local and state culvert projects if a mediation or settlement agreement identifies projects as necessary to maximize fish habitat. The bill is in the Senate Rules committee and is considered NTIB; therefore it is not subject to cutoff deadlines. Public Safety & Behavioral Health Public Safety Funding: House Bill 2015, sponsored by Rep. Debra Entenman (D-47th LD), and developed by the Members of Color Caucus, establishes mechanisms to enhance funding for local law enforcement recruitment, retention, training, and public safety initiatives. The bill creates a grant program for qualified cities and counties that meet specific requirements. It also creates councilmanic authority for a 0.1% sales tax that may be used for criminal justice purposes, which includes public defense staffing. To be eligible to receive a grant, a jurisdiction needs to either impose the sales tax in the bill, or have previously imposed the public safety or criminal justice sales tax authority provided for in current law. The bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means on April 8, with several amendments such as expanding the use of the grant program, adding additional grant applicant requirements and more. Click here to view all of the changes to the bill. There are additional amendments likely to be offered on the floor. While there was some discussion on increasing the authorized taxing authority in the bill from .01 to .03, that prospect now seems unlikely. Expanded Weapon -Free Zones: Senate Bill 5098, sponsored by Sen. Javier Valdez (D-46th LD), expands weapon -free zones to include parks, public buildings, and county fairs. The bill prohibits weapons in park facilities where children are likely to be present, public buildings owned or leased by governmental entities, and county fairgrounds during public hours, with exceptions for gun shows. It requires municipalities to post signage at common access points to notify the public of these restrictions. Violations are classified as gross misdemeanors, and exemptions are provided for law enforcement, military personnel, and certain ceremonial GTH-GOV 6 activities. The bill passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on April 7 with amendments that add exceptions to the restrictions of weapons, including certain knives, at county fairs related to scholastic youth or development organizations. The bill is awaiting a floor vote. Transportation/Public Works Public Works Bidding: House Bill 1549, sponsored by Rep. Mary Fosse (D-38th LD), strengthens bidder responsibility criteria for public works projects in Washington State. The bill revises training and experience requirements for bidders, eliminates exemptions for experienced bidders, and mandates that bidders on projects subject to apprentice utilization requirements submit an apprentice utilization plan within 10 days following notice of the proceed date. Additionally, the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) is tasked with maintaining and publishing records of training completion and providing a template for the apprentice utilization plan. The Senate passed the bill on April 7 with a vote of 48 yeas, 1 nay. The bill was delivered to the Governor on April 11. GTH-GOV 7 Mard Patterson From: Jody Sander <jsander@impressguest.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 10:06 AM To: Council Meeting Public Comment Subject: Agenda item: Short Term Rentals [EXTERNAL] This email originated outside the City of Spokane Valley. Always use caution when opening attachments or clicking links. Agenda item: Short Term Rentals Council Meeting: 4/15/2025 Councilmembers, Thank you for continuing the conversation around short-term rentals in Spokane Valley. I am the Director of Operations for the Fairfield Inn and the Holiday Inn Express which reside in the Spokane Valley. Our management wants to be part of a solution that supports tourism, respects neighborhoods, and ensures fair rules for all types of lodging. Moving forward with draft regulations —or even a collaborative working group —is the right next step on short term rentals. Pausing now would mean missing a valuable opportunity to create balance and clarity for the community. I support the City taking the next step in this process and appreciate your time and consideration. Sincerely, Jody Sander Director of Operations Fairfield Inn & Suites Spokane Valley Holiday Inn Express Spokane Valley Sterling Hospitality Spokane Valley www.irnpress5luest.com 509.969.9923 cell Mard Patterson From: Bernadette Crain <Bernadette.Crain@Hilton.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 12:21 PM To: Council Meeting Public Comment Subject: Public Comment 4/15/2025 [EXTERNAL] This email originated outside the City of Spokane Valley. Always use caution when opening attachments or clicking links. Meeting date: 04/15/2025 Name: Bernadette Crain Residence: Spokane Action Items: STR Regulations Dear Councilmembers, As a local hotel operator in Spokane Valley, I'm asking you to move forward with the development of reasonable short-term rental (STR) regulations. We're not opposed to STRs—but the playing field needs to be fair. Hotels follow strict safety, health, and tax rules that ensure guest wellbeing and community accountability. STRs should be expected to meet similar standards. We appreciate the City taking time to hear from all sides. But now is the time to act. Let's move forward with a process that creates clarity and consistency for everyone. Thank you for your leadership. Bernadette Crain CHA General Manager Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Spokane Valley 16418 E Indiana Ave. Spokane Valley, WA 99216 0: 509.928.6900 F: 509.928.6908 bernadette.crain@hilton.com Hampton byHilton.com This transmission is not a digital or electronic signature and cannot be used to form, document, or authenticate a contract. Hilton and its affiliates accept no liability arising in connection with this transmission. Copyright 2025 Hilton Proprietary and Confidential Mard Patterson From: Jessica Glasson <jglasson@impressguest.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 11:28 AM To: Council Meeting Public Comment Subject: Comment for 4/15/25 city council meeting [EXTERNAL] This email originated outside the City of Spokane Valley. Always use caution when opening attachments or clicking links. Myna me is Jessica Glasson. I live and work in Spokane Valley. For the 4/15/25 meeting concerning short- term rentals, I have the following comment to share: Dear Councilmembers, As a local hotel operator in Spokane Valley, I'm asking you to move forward with the development of reasonable short-term rental (STR) regulations. We're not opposed to STRs—but the playing field needs to be fair. Hotels follow strict safety, health, and tax rules that ensure guest wellbeing and community accountability. STRs should be expected to meet similar standards. We appreciate the City taking time to hear from all sides. But now is the time to act. Let's move forward with a process that creates clarity and consistency for everyone. Thankyou for your leadership. Jessica Glasson General Manager Holiday Inn Express Spokane Valley 9220 E. Mission Ave. Spokane Valley, WA 99206 P: 509.927.7100 F: 509.927.7111 E: jglasson@impressguest.com ,vwxv.spokaneexpress. corn AN IHC7 1 IQ I EL Our hotel is independently owned by Valley Hospitality LLC. and operated by Sterling Hospitality Management WWASHINGTON STATE MASSAGE mTHERAPY SSOCIATION ADVOCATE FOR MASSAGE THERAPY AS A RECOGNIZED AND RESPECTED HEALTHCARE PROFESSION Date: April 15, 2025 To: Mayor: Pam Haley City Council Members: Rod Higgins, Jessica Yaeger, Al Merkel, Ben Wick, Pam Haley, Tim Hattenburg, Laura Padden City Attorney: Kelly Konkright -- kkonkright@spokanevalleywa.gov Deputy City Attorney: Caitlin Prunty — cprunty@spokanevalleywa.gov Police Chief: Davis Ellis Sheriff's Office: Detective Tom Keys From: Robbin Blake, LMT, WSMTA Government Relations Director and Board Member Marybeth Berney, LMT, WSMTA President and Board Member Sherise Gueck, LMT WSMTA Government Relations Program Member Re: City Council Meeting 4/15/25 -- Ordinance 25-003 Massage or Reflexology Businesses Dear Spokane Valley Mayor and Councilmembers, On behalf of the Washington State Massage Therapy Association (WSMTA), we would like to thank you for your commitment to addressing the serious issue of illicit businesses operating under the guise of massage therapy or reflexology businesses in your municipality. The WSMTA Government Relations team fully supports Ordinance 25-003 in its current form. In this memo, we will briefly discuss the following points: • How this ordinance functions. • Why WSMTA supports this ordinance. • How licensed massage therapists (LMTs) might respond to this ordinance without context. • WSMTA's plan to educate LMTs about this ordinance. How Ordinance 25-003 Functions Massage therapy in Washington State is recognized as part of the healthcare system and is regulated by the Department of Health. Licensed massage therapists must adhere to a robust framework of state laws (RCWs) and administrative codes (WACs) that govern our practice. These regulations provide municipalities with tools not available in most other states to help eliminate unlicensed and unlawful businesses posing as massage therapy or reflexology establishments. Ordinance 25-003 specifically incorporates these RCWs and WACs to clearly define unlawful conduct. It outlines who holds responsibility for violations and the resulting consequences. (For clarity, from this point forward, the abbreviation "LMT" will refer collectively to massage therapists, massage businesses, reflexologists, and reflexology businesses.) At a minimum, it allows the city to revoke an illicit establishment's business license to prevent them from working within Spokane Valley, but it also provides law enforcement and prosecutors with a broader array Washington State Massage Therapy Association Page 1 of tools to shut down illicit businesses compared to what they previously had. In addition, the ordinance strengthens preventive efforts by enabling the review of license applications by non-LMT business owners to identify potential illicit operations before they can establish themselves. Why WSMTA Supports This Ordinance WSMTA is sincerely appreciative of the Spokane Valley City Attorney's Office, especially Caitlin Prunty, for engaging with our feedback and thoughtfully restructuring the ordinance. We are particularly grateful that the ordinance was moved out of the Criminal Code (Section 8.20) — which carried the risk of stigmatizing legitimate professionals — and placed more appropriately under the Business Licensing section (Section 5.30). We also appreciate the City Attorney's office for their careful efforts to: • Ensure the ordinance does not penalize legitimate, law-abiding LMTs • Avoid conflicts between municipal requirements and existing state laws and regulations • Prevent undue burdens on LMTs, which have unfortunately occurred in other municipalities with similar ordinances How LMTs Might React if Uninformed About This Ordinance If an LMT reads the ordinance without context, they might be concerned — especially about the listed penalties. The ordinance treats violations as misdemeanors for a first offense and gross misdemeanors for subsequent ones, which are stronger than state -level penalties for similar issues. However, in municipal code, these violations must be classified as criminal to help shut down illegal businesses. Without understanding this, an LMT's first reaction might be negative. At the prior City Council Meeting involving this ordinance, the LMT who spoke during public comment expressed both her support for closing illicit businesses and her concern over the ordinance's increased penalties for LMTs. It is important to emphasize to LMTs that the ordinance is grounded in legal requirements already established for our profession. The primary focus of law enforcement is to identify and close illicit operations posing as legitimate massage or reflexology businesses. In the event of a compliance issue, LMTs are typically able to resolve the matter promptly upon notification — a distinction that separates legitimate LMTs from unlawful establishments, which are unable to do so. WSMTA's Plan to Educate LMTs About This Ordinance If Ordinance 25-003 is adopted, WSMTA will promptly initiate an outreach campaign to ensure LMTs in Spokane County are aware of the new ordinance. Our goal is to clearly communicate its intent, function, and relevance to their practice. Detective Keys has already laid the groundwork for this by talking to larger massage businesses in Spokane Valley. Additionally, we will coordinate several massage schools in the area with the Washington Reflexology Association to extend a similar outreach to reflexologists and the several massage schools in the area. Conclusion WSMTA respectfully urges the Spokane Valley City Council to adopt Ordinance 25-003. We believe it will be a valuable tool in preventing and eliminating illicit businesses while having minimal or no negative impact on legitimate massage and reflexology professionals. For further information or discussion, please feel free to contact Robbin Blake at rblake@mywsmta.org. Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration. Washington State Massage Therapy Association Page 2 Washington State Massage Therapy Association (WSMTA) Washington State Massage Therapy Association Page 3 DRAFT 3/9/2025 [NOTE — LIMITED TO 175 WORDS] Explanatory Statement: City of Spokane Valley, Washington Public Safety Sales Tax The City of Spokane Valley provides public safety and related services to its residents and businesses through a contract with the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. The City has identified a need for additional dedicated police officers to keep up with the rising population within the City and increasing calls for service. In order to pay for public safety expenses, including additional police officers and increasing law enforcement costs generally, the City Council has approved a Public Safety Sales Tax ballot measure. If approved by voters, the City would impose a 0.1 % sales tax on retail sales within the City that would be paid by all retail sales consumers, including non-residents. New sales tax revenue would pay costs associated with: providing public safety services; adding at least ten new police officers; paying public safety operations, maintenance and capital; providing for law enforcement staffing and retention; and providing other public safety operations and services authorized by RCW 82.14.450. If this measure is approved, the additional 0.1 % sales tax would generate approximately $2.6 million in 2026. n4n., qp� -GOWN Xl\ 4/15/2025 City Council Speech Good evening, City Councils, Mayor Hailey and City Leadership Ben Lund a proud 36 year resident I want to begin tonight by asking a question, Is justice fluid? Because if justice is allowed to shift depending on whose involved —if it bends for titles or political tribes —it stops being justice. It becomes favoritism. And with it, public trust begins to unravel. Justice and liberty are Siamese twins —you cannot have one without the other. Without justice, liberty becomes lawlessness. We recite the words "liberty and justice for all" in the Pledge of Allegiance. But tonight, I ask: are we living up to those words, or just repeating them out of habit? As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. " Let that soak in- "Injustice anywhere is threat to justice everywhere " That threat is now sitting inside this very chamber. And it's not just a moral issue —it's a financial one. Councilman Merkel has repeatedly violated campaign sign ordinances, misused social media in ways that violate the Public Records Act, and ignored the city's Governance Manual —all while sitting on this dais. These aren't accusations —they're documented actions. And now, because of his choices, the City was forced to pursue legal action to protect its integrity., the City Council unanimously voted on February 4, 2025, to initiate legal action against Councilmember Merkel to enforce compliance with the Washington State Public Records Act and the Council's Governance Manual . His attorney is expected to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit — standard practice in cases like this. But let's be clear: that's not a denial of wrongdoing. It's a legal maneuver. And the projected cost of defending this case, added to previous impacts, could bring the total burden on taxpayers to nearly $500,000.47% of the cost of Phase II Public Safety Sale Ballet Measure, $1038,503 that will be discussed later today. So again I ask: Is justice fluid? Or is it the foundation of liberty and ethical government? Councilman Merkel, you are not above the law. Justice is not optional for elected officials —it's the very thing that gives this body legitimacy. To the citizens of Spokane Valley: this is not about politics. It's about preserving accountability, protecting your tax dollars, and holding every leader to the same standard —no more, no less. Mr. Merkel, justice will be served! Thank you.