2013, 04-09 Regular MINUTES
City of Spokane Valley
City Council Regular Meeting
Formal Meeting Format
Tuesday,April 9,2013
Mayor Towey called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Attendance: City Staff:
Tom Towey,Mayor Mike Jackson, City Manager
Gary SchimmeIs,Deputy Mayor Cary Driskell, City Attorney
Dean Grafos,Councilmember Mark Calhoun,Finance Director
Chuck Hafner, Councilmember Erik Lamb,Deputy City Attorney
Rod Higgins,Councilmember Mike Stone,Parks&Rec Director
Ben Wick, Councilmember John Hohman, Community Development Dir.
Arne Woodard, Councilmember Lori Barlow, Senior Planner
Scott Kuhta,Planning Manager
Steve Worley, Senior Engineer
Inga Note,Traffic Engineer
Morgan Koudelka, Sr. Administrative Analyst
John Pietro,Administrative Analyst
John Whitehead, Human Resources Manager
Rick VanLeuven,Police Chief
Carolbelle Branch,Public Information Officer
Chris Bainbridge,City Clerk
INVOCATION: Pastor Sid Johnson of Spokane Valley Baptist Church gave the invocation.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Towey led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL: City Clerk Bainbridge called the roll; all Councilmembers were present.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Mayor Towey announced there will be an executive session after tonight's
open meeting. It was then moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels, seconded and unanimously agreed to
approve the agenda.
INTRODUCTION OF SPECIAL GUESTS AND PRESENTATIONS: nla
COMMITTEE,BOARD,LIAISON SUMMARY REPORTS:
Councilmember Hafner: said he attended a 9-1-1 Board Meeting last week where Senate Bill 5034 was
discussed, which if passed, could take a dedicated $15 million from 9-1-1 sources, and said he should
know something within the next few days; adding that it those funds are taken, the largest communication
system will be making sure that hearing-impaired people will be able to text 9-1-1 if needed; said he
attended the employee appreciation luncheon; went to the STA (Spokane Transit Authority) presentation
at the Mall concerning STA Moving Forward;went to the Parks and Recreation presentation; attended the
breakfast at the Valley Hospital; met with a representative from Health Homes, which is a transition
program for women and children, and said they are in the process of developing their board; went on a
three or four-hour STA bus tour and said they are working to hold a public meeting next Wednesday to
get input on multiple transit options, and on adjacent bus routes and schedules in order to improve
connections,
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Councilmember Higgins: reported that he attended the Girl Scout luncheon; went to a briefing on the
Police Department given by Chief VanLeuven; attended the transit meeting as well as the Parks and
Recreation meeting; and also went to the employee award luncheon.
Deputy Mayor Schimmels: reported that he attended two committee meetings regarding SRTC (Spokane
Regional Transportation Council),and attended the employee lunch.
Councilmember Grafos: said he went to the ITA (International Trade Association) meeting where they
discussed a potential merger with GSI (Greater Spokane, Inc.); and he attended the meeting with
Representative McMorris-Rodgers where they discussed issues such as the Sullivan Road.
Councilmember Wick: said he also participated in the meeting with Representative Mc Morris-Rodgers
and said one of the topics discussed was bridging the valley; said he went to the Chamber of Commerce
Transportation meeting where bridging the valley was also a topic, and he said they are asking if people
are still interested, to provide a letter of support for their master plan, and said their goal is to involve all
jurisdictions interested in keeping that topic on the master plan, and he asked Deputy Mayor Schimmels if
he felt such a letter appropriate; said he attended the Parks Master Plan and the STA Open House;
participated in the Governance Committee meeting, and said changes will be coming forward shortly. In
response to his question, Deputy Mayor Schimmels said they will have a meeting next Thursday and will
discuss that issue.
Councilmember Woodard: said he attended the employee appreciation luncheon; and went to the Parks
and Recreation meeting.
MAYOR'S REPORT:
Mayor Towey reported that he attended the Girl Scout Convention; went to the Regional Health District
meeting and said they just completed their accreditation, and out of 2800 districts in the United States,
only eleven were accredited, and that our district was the only one to reach 100%, and he extended
congratulations to staff and those connected with that process; said he participated in the meeting with
Representative McMorris-Rodgers; that today he gave a five-minute interview to Comcast Newscast as
they wanted to know what we are doing to celebrate our anniversary. Mayor Towey mentioned that there
was some confusion about an upcoming meeting of the University Road Overpass Study, and said it will
be held at the Spokane Valley Fire Administration Building on North Wilbur Road,April 17 at 6 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Lois Harger, 1021 N. Skipworth, said she went to the open house sponsored by Parks and that she wasn't
excited by anything nor could she see an additional benefit of what we currently enjoy, except she
appreciates the clean park grounds; she said one facility that would benefit everyone is an indoor aquatic
center and said she has been waiting for such a facility since this city incorporated; said it would benefit
many people by giving them a place for exercise, sports,and therapy.
1. CONSENT AGENDA: Consists of items considered routine which are approved as a group. Any
member of Council may ask that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda to be considered
separately.
a. Approval of the following claim vouchers:
VOUCHER LIST DATE VOUCHER NUMBERS: TOTAL AMOUNT
03/21/2013 4262-4265; 28687 $66,280.93
03/24/2013 28688-28689 $2,640.00
03/29/2013 28690-28753; 326130062 $399,701.60
GRAND TOTAL $468,622.53
b.Approval of Payroll for period ending March 31, 2013: $387,458.70
c.Approval of March 19,2013 Council Study Session Meeting Minutes
d. Approval of March 26, 2013 Council Formal Format Meeting Minutes
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It was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels, seconded and unanimously agreed to approve the Consent
Agenda.
NEW BUSINESS:
2. Second Reading Proposed Ordinance 13-002 Amending 2.50.060(B)Pre-employment Physicals-
John Whitehead
After City Clerk Bainbridge read the ordinance title, it was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels and
seconded to approve ordinance 13-002 amending Spokane Valley Municipal Code 2.50.060 pre-
employment physicals. Human Resources Manager Whitehead explained that this ordinance would
change the requirement of all employees taking a pre-employment physical, to have such physical be
determined by the Human Resources Manager, based on duties of the position. Mayor Towey invited
public comment; no comments were offered. Vote by Acclamation: In Favor: Unanimous. Opposed.'
None. Motion carried.
3. Second Reading Proposed Ordinance 13-003 amending Spokane Valley Municipal Code 19.120,
Townhouses in Neighborhood Commercial— Scott Kuhta
After City CIerk Bainbridge read the ordinance title, it was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels and
seconded to approve ordinance 13-003, City-initiated Amendment CTA 01-13. Planning Manager Kuhta
said this previously discussed and there have been no changes since that initial reading. Mayor Towey
invited public comment; no comments were offered. Vote by Acclamation: In Favor: Unanimous.
Opposed:None. Motion carried.
4.Motion Consideration: Grant for School Beacons—Inga Note,Eric Guth
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels and seconded to authorize staff to determine from the list in
Table 2 above, a maximum of three locations to submit for grants for school zone beacons. [Table 2
includes the schools of Adams, McDonald and Sunrise Elementary, and Horizon Middle.] Traffic
Engineer Note said she did more research on some of the right-of-way issues and spoke to the Principal at
Adams Elementary, and will wait to get the speed study results before making a final determination.
Councilmember Hafner said he feels this is a safety factor and we need to provide some kind of money to
get beacons at the other schools as well. Mayor Towey invited public comment; no comments were
offered. Vote by Acclamation:In Favor: Unanimous. Opposed:None. Motion carried.
5.Motion Consideration: Spokane Regional Transportation Council Interlocal Agreement---Eric Guth
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels and seconded to approve and authorize the City Manager to
finalize and execute the updated Interlocal Agreement with the Spokane Regional Transportation
Council. Senior Engineer Worley said this issue was also discussed last week; that the City entered into
an agreement in 2003 which was updated in 2010, and this is now the most recent update. There was
some discussion about the member voting process, as well as discussion about Medical Lake's population
and that if that population changes, there would be a need for another update. Mr. Worley said that once
our City exceeds the 100,000 population, we would be eligible to have a second member. Deputy Mayor
Schimmels noted that the last agreement amendment took a year to collect all the signatures; and if
populations change enough, the interlocal could be further amended. Mayor Towey invited public
comment; no comments were offered. Vote by Acclamation: In Favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None.
Motion carried.
6.Motion Consideration: Public Safety Contract Addenda—Morgan Koudelka,John Pietro
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels and seconded to authorize the City Manager to finalize and
execute the Master Addendum, and Amendment to Interlocal Agreement for District Court Services.
Administrative Analyst Pietro briefly explained the purpose of the two agreements as discussed last week;
and said the Addendum would cover various interlocal agreements, and added that staff received
notification yesterday that the public defender case load limits has been postponed while the weighed
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analysis is calculated further; and Mr. Koudelka said it could delay any expected impact we thought we
might have, and said staff will continue to review the entire system and look at efficiencies that could
make an impact; but said that change does not affect these documents. Mayor Towey invited public
comment; no comments were offered. Vote by Acclamation: In Favor: Unanimous. Opposed: None.
Motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mayor Towey invited public comment;no comments were offered.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
7. Code Text Amendment for SEPA(State Environmental Protection Act)Regulations—Scott Kuhta,
Lori Barlow
After Planning Manager Kuhta briefly mentioned the latest efforts to update the SEPA Regulations, and
that these amendments are as a result of those efforts, Senior Planner Barlow went through her
PowerPoint presentation explaining the proposed City-initiated text amendments to the Spokane Valley
Municipal Code Chapter 21, which amendments would increase the exemptions to adopt the maximum
levels allowed; she said those include(1) increasing the number of single family residential units from 20
to 30, (2) establishing 60 unites as the threshold to consider multifamily residential units separate from
single family, (3) increase the square footage for agricultural structures from 30,000 up to 40,000, (4)
increase the square feet for office, schools, commercial, recreational service or storage buildings from
12,000 up to 30,000, (5) increase the number of parking stalls from 40 up to 90 and include stand alone
parking facilities as well as associated parking, and (6) increase landfills and excavations from 500 cubic
yards up to 1,000 cubic yards. After Ms. Barlow's presentation, there was Council consensus for staff to
proceed to bring this material back for a first ordinance reading.
8. Sponsoring of Spokane County Libra District for AWC Association of Washin on Cities
Membership—John Whitehead
Human Resources Manager Whitehead explained that a resolution is needed in order to sponsor a special
service district, such as Spokane County Library District, to become a member of the Association of
Washington Cities, Benefit Trust; and said this is done at no cost to our City and places us under no
obligation. Council concurred to have the resolution placed on the next Council Consent Agenda.
9.Advance Agenda—Mayor Towey
Councilmember Grafos said he would like to put the issue of wastewater study on an upcoming meeting,
as there is a disposal study in progress by Spokane County which involves the floodplain in the Saltese
Flats, which in turn he said, could have a huge impact on our citizens. Mr. Jackson said he is aware of
this issue but it is not yet timely to bring the material forward; he said the Community Development
Department is reviewing the floodplain study provided by the County for possible discussion in the near
future.
INFORMATION ONLY The (10); UGA-Urban Growth Act Update; and the (11) Decant Facility
Update were for information only and were not reported or discussed.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS
City Manager Jackson said in reviewing the minutes of a previous SRTC (Spokane Regional
Transportation Council) meeting, it was noted that Medical Lake had not surpassed the population
designation at the time but when and if they do, the agreement could be updated accordingly; and that the
other cities were mentioned by name as they were added to the voting structure. Mr. Jackson also noted
that the lodging tax bill will go back to the House, and said it could go back and forth between the Senate
and the House various times, and said he would send Council a copy of the latest update concerning this
bill.
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EXECUTIVE SESSION: It was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels, seconded and unanimously
agreed to adjourn into executive session for approximately thirty minutes to discuss acquisition of real
estate, and that no action is anticipated upon return to open session. Council adjourned into Executive
Session at 7:16 p.m. At approximately 7:43 p.m., Mayor Towey declared Council out of Executive
Session; after which it was moved by Councilmember Woodard, seconded and unanimously agreed to
adjourn.
ATTEST: Th•mas E. To; ey, ayor
1
A AB • A.-.. � # Al
Christine Bainbridge,` ity Clerk �`----�
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