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Home My WebLink About2025, 09-16 Formal B MeetingMINUTES City of Spokane Valley City Council Meeting Formal B Format Tuesday, September 16, 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 Rod Higgins, Councilmember Erik Lamb, Deputy City Manager Laura Padden, Councilmember Kelly Konkright, City Attorney Jessica Yaeger, Councilmember Tony Beattie, Senior Deputy City Attorney Ben Wick, Councilmember Chelsie Walls, Finance Director Al Merkel, Councilmember Robert Blegen, Public Works Director Virgina Clough, Legislative Policy Coordinator Absent: John Whitehead, HR Director Tim Hattenburg, Deputy Mayor Sean Walter, Assistant Police Chief Mike Basinger, Community & Econ. Dev. Director Jill Smith, Communications Manager Justan Kinsel, IT Specialist Marci Patterson, City Clerk INVOCATION: Pastor Jim Hillbrick with Millwood Presbyterian Church gave the 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 Deputy Mayor Hattenburg. It was moved by Councilmember Yaeger, seconded and unanimously agreed to excuse Deputy Mayor Hattenburg. APPROVAL OF AGENDA It was moved by Councilmember Higgins, to approve the agenda. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried. SPECIAL GUESTS/PRESENTATIONS: Blake McCracken, You Rock Recognition Award Mayor Haley thanked Mr. McCracken for his hard work and commitment to the Cops and Kids Car Show and bringing the event to Spokane Valley. The event helped to connect our community and the city is looking forward to a bigger and better event next year. Mr. McCracken thanked everyone for supporting the event and agreed that next year will be great and is already planning for it. Before moving to the Proclamation portion of the agenda, Mayor Haley took a moment to speak about the loss of Charlie Kirk and stated that we will not condone political violence in our community and that we need to embrace our diverse perspectives and have healthy discussions on behalf of the best interest of our community. At the end of her comments, Mayor Haley asked for a moment of silence to honor Mr. Kirk and those who have experienced violence due to their beliefs. PROCLAMATIONS: Valleyfest & Constitution Week Mayor Haley read the proclamation supporting Valleyfest and Peggy Doering accepted the proclamation on behalf of Valleyfest and noted that she was looking forward to another successful event this year. Mayor Haley read the proclamation declaring Constitution Week the week of September 17-23, 2025, and representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution accepted the proclamation and provided details on the importance of the week. Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 09-16-2025 Page 1 of 4 Approved by Council: 10-14-2025 GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: After Mayor Haley explained the process, she invited public comments. Sue Delucchi, Spokane Valley; Linda Klesch, Spokane Valley; Ben Lund, Spokane Valley provided comments. ACTION ITEMS: 1. Public Hearing: Interim Ordinance 25-013 Communications Tower Height Restrictions — Kelly Konkright Mayor Haley opened the public hearing at 6:31p.m. Mr. Lamb provided details and background on the need for the interim ordinance and explained that SREC is moving forward with their building but that it will take time to make the necessary improvements at the new location. He noted that SREC will need to find an alternate location until the new Spokane Valley location is ready as the City of Spokane will be taking over their current location as of Jan 1, 2026. Mayor Haley invited public comments; no comments were offered. Mayor Haley closed the public hearing at 6:35p.m. 2. Resolution 25-017: ReaffirmingFinding inding of Fact and Ordinance 25-013 — Kelly Konkrig_ht It was moved by Councilmember Higgins, seconded to approve Resolution 25-017 reaffirming ordinance 25- 013 adopting emergency interim regulations concerning the maximum height of wireless emergency communication towers. As there were no further questions or comments Mayor Haley called for the vote. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried. 3. Ordinance 25-014: First Read, Business License Threshold — Mike Basinger It was moved by Councilmember Higgins, seconded to advance Ordinance 25-014 to a second reading. Mr. Basinger provided details on the code text amendment and noted that it will be in line with state requirements and must be completed by October 1 and become effective with the state as of January 1, 2026. Mayor Haley invited public comments; no comments were offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed- None. Motion carried. 4. Motion Consideration: 2026 TPA Budget & Work Plan - Lesli Brassfield It was moved by Coimcilinernber Higgins, seconded to approve the 2026 TPA Budget of $1, 775, 000 and Work Plan as presented. Ms. Brassfield provided details on the 2026 TPA budget and work plan and noted that there had not been any changes since her previous presentation. She gave an overview on what the budget would include and that it's proposed at $1,775,000.00 and that the TPA approved the budget and work plan unanimously. Mayor Haley invited public comments; no comments were offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor.- Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried 5. Motion Consideration: Perdue Pharma & Secondary Manufacturer's Opioid Settlements — Tony Beattie It was moved by Councilineinber Higgins, seconded to approve the Purdue bankruptcy Plan of Reorganization, participate in the Purdue and Sackler Settlement, and authorize the City Manager or designee to finalize and execute all necessary documents regarding the sanie. Mr. Beattie provided details on the opioid settlements and noted that the City is expected to receive approximately $33,958.46 after attorneys fees. Councilmember Merkel asked if the city had double checked the math. Mr. Beattie stated that it is the same calculation that has been utilized for all the previous allocations for other settlements. Mayor Haley invited public comments; no comments were offered. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried Mayor Haley called for the second motion for the Secondary Manufacturer's Settlement. It was moved by Councilmember Higgins, seconded to participate in the Secondary Manufacturers Settlements and authorize the City Manager or designee to finalize and execute all documents regarding the same. Once again there were no comments. Vote by acclamation: in favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None. Motion carried. NON -ACTION ITEMS: 6. Admin Report: Flay; Policy Discussion — Kelly Konkri hey Beattie Mr. Konkright and Mr. Beattie provided details on the potential flag policy and the need for a policy. Mr. Beattie noted the city obligation to fly the state, POW/MIA flag and the US flag. The armed forces flags, law enforcement services flags, city council programs, policies or priorities that align with those city items may also be considered. The policy also listed the Purple Heart Flag and the Tree City USA Flag as preapproved Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 09-16-2025 Page 2 of 4 Approved by Council: 10-14-2025 flags that the city currently flies during the designated time. Mr. Beattie also reviewed the restrictions for flag requests and noted that any request would be submitted for approval from the mayor and if accepted the requestor would make arrangements with the city clerk regarding the proclamation for the request and the appropriate date to put the flag up. Councilmember Padden suggested adding "adopted" in front of the programs, policies or priorities section. Council discussed who designated the US flag to be lowered and City Attorney Konkright noted that the President and the Governor are the only ones that can make that request. Council provided consensus to move forward with the Flag Policy Resolution with the added suggestion. INFORMATION ONLY: GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: Mayor Haley stated that the general public comment rules still apply and called for public comments. Kendra Rojas, Spokane Valley provided comments. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Merkel thanked some of the speakers this evening for speaking about the critical issues in the city. He noted that it is encouraging to hear the residents are not taking this lying down and it doesn't have to be this way, and the city has the ability to do better. It has come to his attention regarding the project on Sprague and he is not sure what the information is as he thought the project was happening now but may be pushed to Spring. Councilmember Wick stated that he had a great time at the fair and supervised the Llama barn and gave details on the 4-H sale of the livestock. He also stated that he was looking forward to Valleyfest in the upcoming weekend. Councilmember Higgins stated that he had no comments. Councilmember Padden stated that it is a sad reality that there are a lot of people out there that do bad things. There are many of us that have become victims to their behaviors such as anytime someone is threatened, physically harmed or stolen from and we are no longer in control of our own safe spaces. She noted that calls for service are prioritized by SREC and Crime Check due to the lack of available officers. We can improve things with more officers and will improve more in the coming months with the implantation of the public safety sales tax. She went on to thank the community in acknowledging the need for more officers and approving the sales tax. Councilmember Yaeger stated that she had no comments. MAYOR'S COMMENTS Mayor Haley stated that she had no comments to add. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS City manager Hohman spoke about the Sprague Preservation project and a letter that went out to the businesses and spoke about the potential change from a Fall project to a Spring project due to the operators strike and staff have had several conversations regarding the project timeline. He also stated that the city would not start a project unless they knew it could be completed in a timely manner and with the operators' strike, the timeline for completion was unknown for Fall. City Manager Hohman looked into the project permit review times as it was brought up in a previous meeting by Councilmember Wick and it appears that they have not changed over about the last decade and provided a timeline update on the first reviews. He noted that he will track down any specific problems. Mr. Hohman followed up with question that was brought up regarding cedar wood chips used in the playgrounds and if there were issues at the playground using the cedar chips. He noted that cedar chips are a form of engineered wood fiber product that is a natural pest deterrent and that the chips are part of the safety requirement for the playground as they are made to help absorb energy from fall. The cedar chips are recommended by US consumer products safety commission and the certified playground safety inspector program and are a standard product that is widely used. EXECUTIVE SESSION: It was moved by Councibnember Higgins, seconded and unanimously agreed to adjourn at 7: 09p.ru. Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 09-16-2025 Page 3 of 4 Approved by Council: 10-14-2025 ATTEST: Q�- Pam Haley, May Marci atterson, City Clerk Council Meeting Minutes, Study Session: 09-16-2025 Page 4 of 4 Approved by Council: 10-14-2025 090� prortamation Spokane City of Spokane Valrey, Washington ,;OOValley® Constitution ?Week WHEREAS, On September 17, 1787, members of the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the U.S. Constitution. For almost 250 years, the Constitution has served as the most important document in American history and government; and WHEREAS, This sacred and important document established our national government, fundamental laws and has protected and guaranteed certain basic rights to citizens of the United States; and WHEREAS, Each year on September 17, Americans celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. The observance of Constitution Week runs annually fi°om September 17 to September 23; and WHEREAS, It was officially enacted on August 2, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower from a congressional resolution petitioned by the Daughters of the American Revolution. President George W. Bush officially declared the inception of Constitution Week in September 2002; and WHEREAS, During this time, Americans are encouraged to reflect on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and what it means to be a US. citizen; and WHEREAS, The City of Spokane Valley and the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution have joined together to celebrate our Nations 250th Semi quincentennial with a variety of activities; and WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper to accord official recognition to this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary, and to the patriotic celebrations which will commemorate the occasion. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Pain Haley, Mayor of the City of Spokane Valley, on behalf of the Spokane Valley City Councilmembers, do hereby proclaim the week of September 17 through 23 as Constitution Week and I encourage all citizens to reaffirm the ideals the Framers of the Constitution had in 1787 by vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our liberties. Dated this 16Ih day of September 2025. qotl— u` c \ Pain Haley, Mayor Y OF �o �Y�rrY�ctio r� SPokane o o S ane �a Washington Valle ® city of pk �' y valreffest WHEREAS, Valleyfest has served as Spokane Valley's premier community celebration for over three decades, beginning in 1990 with a small group of volunteers and growing into a vibrant, city-wide tradition; and WHEREAS, Valleyfest offers a three-day experience each September at Mirabeau Point Park, and CenterPlace Regional Event Center, featuring live entertainment, family -friendly activities, cultural showcases, and opportunities to recognize and uplift youth talent; and WHEREAS, Valleyfest has evolved alongside the City of Spokane Valley, predating its incorporation in 2003, and continues to reflect the city's values of inclusion, community engagement, and civic pride; and WHEREAS, Valleyfest draws more than 35,000 attendees to its events and over 10,000 parade goers to the Hearts of Gold Parade along Sprague Avenue, creating a lasting economic impact on local businesses and fostering regional tourism; and WHEREAS, Valleyfest provides a platform for nonprofits to raise awareness for their missions and for local businesses to promote products, services, and employment opportunities that support economic growth and quality of life in the Spokane Valley; and WHEREAS, Valleyfest continues to thrive thanks to the dedication of Executive Director Peggy Doering, countless volunteers, and the strong support of the City of Spokane Valley, Spokane Valley Fire Department, Spokane Valley Police Department, and community partners. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Pam Haley, Mayor of the City of Spokane Valley, on behalf of the Spokane Valley City Council and Spokane Valley citizens; do hereby invite all residents throughout the area, to join in the September 19 through 21, 2025 festival known as Valleyfest and I encourage all of our community members throughout the region and beyond, to enjoy this wonderful local festival. Dated this 16`h day of September 2025 (�-_ �� 0 A �_ \ Pam Haley, Mayor PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN -IN SHEET SPOKANE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday, September 16, 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 dy Please note that once information is entered on this form, it becomes a public record subject to public disclosure. Spokane ,;oos Valley Sept. 11, 2025 Dear Valued Sprague Avenue Business, The City of Spokane Valley's Capital Improvement Program maintains and enhances city infrastructure to improve safety, access, connectivity and support economic development. We're reaching out to keep you informed about the upcoming Sprague Avenue Preservation Project from S. Bowdish Road to S. McDonald Road. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: New asphalt, updated curb ramps, stormwater repairs, roadway markings The Sprague Avenue Preservation Project will grind and overlay the existing asphalt, replace concrete curb ramps to meet current accessibility guidelines, and repair existing stormwater systems to protect drinking water. The roadway will be striped to add an edge line to the outside lanes and reduce the center turn lane to standard widths. No lanes will be eliminated as part of this project. PROJECT SCHEDULE: Anticipated to begin in spring 2026 While the project was originally planned for 2025, the ongoing Local Union 302 operator's strike is impacting construction project schedules throughout the region. Currently, we anticipate the project to begin in early spring 2026. Though, it is possible that some preliminary project items will occur in late fall 2025. An update will be provided once the project schedule is finalized. ANTICIPATED IMPACTS: Single lane closures, short duration full closures at night, access to businesses will be maintained Once the project begins, anticipated in spring 2026, the initial phases will require single lane closures for stormwater and curb ramp work. Access to all businesses will be maintained. The pavement grinding and overlaying will occur in two phases at night to minimize impacts on businesses. Overnight paving will require a full closure of Sprague anticipated to last for three nights. Business access may be restricted overnight while paving is occurring and will be coordinated with you prior. Details will be provided with the final construction schedule. PROJECT CONTACTS Please contact the city's project team directly for accurate information and updates on this project. During construction of the project, the contractor will also have a public liaison to provide project updates and answer any questions. Kelly Lynch Sr Engineer/Project Manager klynchCEbSpokaneValleyWA.gov 509-720-5001 Erica Amsden General Public Works Inquiries Engineering Manager publicworksl(@spol<anevalleywa. ov eamsden(@Spol<aneValleyWA.gov 509-720-5000 509-720-5012 Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Robert Blegen Public Works Director Mayor Comments Regarding Charlie Kirk I'd like to take a moment to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk, a significant figure in the conservative movement. This tragic event reminds us of the importance of civility in our political discourse and respecting differing points of views. We will not condone political violence. As we continue the important work for Spokane Valley, let's embrace our diverse perspectives and have healthy discussions on behalf of the best interest of our community. The loss of any individual taken too soon creates a noticeable void, so please join me for a moment of silence, remembering Charlie Kirk and all who have experienced violence due to their beliefs. 9.16.2025 Clarity, Truth and Accountability in Spokane Valley Good evening Mayor Hailey, Deputy Mayor Hattenburg, Councilmembers, and City Leadership. My name is Ben Lund, proud 37-year resident of Spokane Valley. We as parents of Students who went to college are so appreciate and grateful for Charlie Kirk's vision to reach our children's in ways we never could. His example will live on. He was passionate about his faith in Jesus Christ, he cared for people on both the right and the left, he asked for clarity, and he boldly spoke the truth. That same standard should apply to Councilmember Merkel's recent press release —issued through his surrogate, his wife Stephanie Carter, on NextDoor. This practice raises serious concerns under RCW 42.56 — Public Records Act and RCW 9A.80.010 — Official Misconduct. Here's what was posted: "Please join me in pledging to listen, learn, and debate rather than punch, stab, and shoot. Please comment below your pledge. " The community deserves clarity. What exactly does this mean? Is it sincere —or more of the political theater we've endured for 22 months? Let's be clear about the facts: CM has "punched" Spokane Valley citizens in the gut with lies, false claims and verbal attack on citizens who disagree with him. Including his coalition and followers on me from Mike Dolan, Bob West, Catherine Nelson, Brad Hohn and Daryl Williams. • CM has "stabbed" the heart of this community with divisive tactics, especially the push to change our government structure to a strong mayor. • CM has "shot" a hole in our city budget — more than $400,000 drained in legal costs because of non-compliance with the law. If CM "please join me" statement is truly about accountability and transparency, then prove it. End the bleeding of $20,000 per month in legal expenses. Call your attorney, resolve the City's court case, and take responsibility for your actions. Charlie Kirk never shied away from the truth, even when it was difficult. Spokane Valley deserves no less from its elected officials. Right now, your actions alone account for nearly half of our city's budget shortfall. That is not leadership — it is negligence. Thank you /ON.01 jkw FC. R.wcardo CPok-)n SOent Preacher 9r7025 AV Is Fact Sheet Clarity, Truth and Accountability in Spokane Valley Supporting Facts for Council Remarks — Ben Lund, Proud 37-Year Resident Councilmember Merkel's Surrogate Use of Nextdoor Recent press release issued by Stephanie Carter (Merkel's wife) on Nextdoor. Raises concerns under: o RCW 42.56 — Public Records Act (official business must be preserved in public record). o RCW 9A.80.010 — Official Misconduct (knowingly violating the law or duties of office). Merkel's Statement Quoted "Please join me in pledging to listen, learn, and debate rather than punch, stab, and shoot. Please comment below your pledge. " (Posted September 11, 2025, through Stephanie Carter's account) Contradictions Between Words & Actions Punched citizens: spreading lies and false claims, including direct attacks on me by Mike Dolan, Bob West, Catherine Nelson, Brad Hohn and Daryl Williams. Stabbed the community: divisive tactics pushing a strong -mayor takeover against Spokane Valley's proven council-manager form of government. Shot the budget: more than $400,000 in taxpayer funds drained by legal costs from Merkel's non-compliance. Financial Impact 0 Ongoing cost to taxpayers: $20,000+ per month in legal fees. • Merkel's actions alone represent nearly half of Spokane Valley's current budget shortfall. Accountability Path Forward • Stop the political theater. • Call attorney Patrick Kirby and resolve the lawsuit. • Accept responsibility for misconduct. • Uphold the same clarity and truth Charlie Kirk modeled in his leadership. Closing Spokane Valley deserves leadership rooted in clarity, truth, and accountability — not divisive tactics, financial negligence, or violations of public trust. Ben Lund Proud 37-Year Resident of Spokane Valley