Caller Spreads False Claims

FOR THE RECORD: Wednesday, November 1, 1995 CORRECTION: Mike Patterson is city administrator in Airway Heights. A story in Tuesday’s Spokesman-Review placed him in the wrong city.

A foe of Spokane city-county consolidation spent Monday falsely warning small-town officials their burgs could cease to exist if the unified charter passes next week.

Spokane Valley resident Todd Harper said in his calls that towns automatically will be dissolved if more than half of their residents vote in favor of consolidation, and the issue passes countywide.

Clerks and administrators in Millwood, Medical Lake and Deer Park confirmed getting calls from Harper.

“He told me he had contacted every other small town in the county,” said Mike Patterson, Medical Lake’s city administrator.

“It scared me a little bit,” Patterson said of the call.

“Everything we’ve been reading so far is that we small cities would be left alone.”

County attorney Jim Emacio said voters next Tuesday are deciding only whether the city and county of Spokane would merge. Small towns could join the consolidated government later, if residents vote to do so.

After spending the day on the telephone, Harper cut short a call from a reporter, saying only that he knows he’s right.

“I’ve read legislation before and I know how to read it,” he said.

Joe McKinnon and Margaret Leonard, leaders of the anticonsolidation group We The People, said they don’t know Harper and haven’t told people the towns would disappear.

“He’s never attended a meeting of We The Taxpayers and he’s not a member of the steering committee,” McKinnon said.

“He may oppose it (the charter), but a lot of people oppose it.”

Patterson and clerks in Millwood and Deer Park said that after hearing from Harper, they called freeholders - including some who oppose the charter - who assured them their towns are safe. But they aren’t taking chances.

“We’ve referred it to our attorney,” said Eva Colomb, Millwood town clerk.

, DataTimes