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Questions About Consolidation Answered

Dan Hansen Staff Writer

Here are some questions and answers regarding the proposed city-county consolidation:

Question: Other than the elected executive and 13-member council, what positions would the charter create? What would be their responsibilities?

Answer: The prosecutor would be elected, as required by state law. But an appointed attorney would become the council’s legal adviser and would represent the city-county government when it is sued.

Some attorneys say that division of powers may not be legal under state law, suggesting that portion of the charter may be challenged if approved by voters.

An appointed police chief would replace the city chief and the county sheriff. Appointed officials would replace the coroner, treasurer, auditor and assessor.

An independent examiner, who would conduct performance reviews of government agencies, would answer to a committee comprised of three council members, three council appointees and the executive.

Q: Where can I get copies of the proposed charter?

A: The state constitution requires Spokane County to publish the complete text of the charter four times in two newspapers before the Nov. 7 election.

It will be published in The Valley Herald and The Spokesman-Review on four consecutive Thursdays: Oct. 12, Oct. 19, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2. Early estimates put the cost at $37,000, including $15,000 to the Herald and $22,000 to The Spokesman-Review.

Copies of the charter also are available at public libraries, the Spokane County Courthouse and Spokane City Hall.

The charter text also is on the Internet. Point your browser to City Hall Link at http://www.eznet.com/ cityhall/cityhall.html.

Q: Have we voted on consolidation before?

A: City-county consolidation has been discussed in Spokane since the early 1960s, but the idea never has been put to a vote. Spokane city and county residents in 1992 authorized freeholders to write a charter, which is the document voters will be asked to approve Nov. 7.

, DataTimes MEMO: You just have to ask Have a question about the proposed merger of Spokane’s city and county governments? We’d like to answer it before the Nov. 7 election. Call Cityline, 458-8800, on a Touch-Tone phone, press 9865 and ask the question. Cityline is free, but normal longdistance tolls to Spokane apply.

You just have to ask Have a question about the proposed merger of Spokane’s city and county governments? We’d like to answer it before the Nov. 7 election. Call Cityline, 458-8800, on a Touch-Tone phone, press 9865 and ask the question. Cityline is free, but normal longdistance tolls to Spokane apply.