County Planners Organized Out Of Jobs Decisions Will No Longer Be Based On Growth Management, Harris Says

Two county commissioners who have spoken out against growth-management laws fired three top planners Friday, sending them home with a one-page letter and personal possessions.

Planning Director Wally Hubbard and planners Steve Horobiowski and John Mercer were told their jobs were eliminated by Jim Manson, director of the county’s newly formed division of planning and buildings.

“Please remove your personal items before leaving today and return the key to this building to me,” he wrote.

The three men have a combined 50 years experience in county government and will be paid until Sept. 14.

“Nowhere did I hear the word firing,” said County Administrator Jim Lindow. “A reorganization is what it is; obviously the jobs are not available.”

Both Hubbard and Horobiowski have been involved in controversy - including an allegation of ethical violations when Horobiowski and his family bought development property on Five Mile Prairie.

Commissioners Steve Hasson and Phil Harris said they gave wide authority to restructure the planning department to Lindow and his managers.

Harris was elected with strong support from builders and developers and has expressed frustration at state and county regulations on new buildings.

“We want to be user friendly,” Harris said Friday. “That doesn’t mean we’re going to give away the county. But we’re going to base decisions on sound principles of managed growth - not growth management.”

Hasson has run interference for several builders, often walking them over to the planning department himself as he rails against the county’s bureaucracy.

“If the planning department is still there and its still marching forward, then I would say this has been a healthy process,” said Hasson.

Land-use planners enjoyed strong support from former commissioner Pat Mummey, an advocate of broader growth laws.

In January, after Mummey was replaced by Harris, commissioners moved the planning department under Public Works Director Dennis Scott.

Two weeks ago, there was further consolidation, creating a Building and Planning Division under Manson.

Hubbard resisted the merger, arguing that it eroded his agency’s regulatory control and environmental review.

“There’s been some friction, that’s safe to say,” said Manson. “I could be viewed as pro-development, there’s no secrets about that.”

Manson said the move saves money, eliminates duplication of services and makes the office friendlier to developers, who have complained of overregulation.

Commissioners said Manson came up with the streamlined operation that results in fewer managers. Both commissioners were briefed and gave their blessing.

“We don’t do anything by ourselves, we always keep everybody informed about what we do,” Manson said Friday.

Hasson said the changes were started under Skip Chilberg, who resigned May 31 to serve on a regional growth management panel. His replacement was named Friday.

Chilberg, a Democrat, had been a voice for strong and independent land-use planning.

Reached at home, Chilberg denied he agreed to merging permitting and planning, which are fundamentally different functions.

He did agree that some management jobs should be cut, but thinks Mercer should have remained. “I feel this is something that bears watching,” he said.

“These are very strong people who have done a great deal for Spokane County,” said Brenda Bodenstein, a West Plains attorney who chairs the planning commission, a citizens panel that oversees comprehensive planning.

“John Mercer has been so key to all this. I’m not quite sure what is the benefit of somebody leaving who has such an excellent method of moving the process forward.”

Horobiowski was not in his office Friday afternoon. His secretary in tears, Hubbard declined to talk to a reporter.

Meanwhile, Mercer was packing into boxes books and belongings - including a metal hard hat from Civil Defense training.

“I’ve put a lot of my adult life into this job,” said Mercer, 46, and hired in 1978.

But more than the job, he was saddened that managers never even consulted him about the changes or what would be best for the public.

“They said this is participatory management. The first time I talked with Mr. Manson individually was this morning - and it wasn’t a long meeting.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Planning duties Land-use planners who work for Spokane County review all development projects in unincorporated areas to make sure they comply with zoning and environmental laws. The department also coordinates state growth management laws for the county and its 11 cities. The laws were written to rein in urban sprawl, preserve open space and protect prime agricultural land from development.

The following fields overflowed: BYLINE = Bruce Krasnow Staff writer Staff writer William Miller contributed to this report.