Anderson Says Goodbye For Now

Spokane City Councilman Chris Anderson is packing up a moving van and heading for warmer climates.

In a short e-mail message to Mayor Jack Geraghty, Anderson said Monday he’ll miss next week’s council meeting and possibly the one after that.

“I’ll be taking advantage of this time to visit with family and friends along the coast and to begin the relocation process for my family and belongings,” Anderson wrote.

Anderson, who plans to resign Dec. 31, told the mayor he’ll be “back to conclude my activities on the council and other Spokane business” by year’s end.

In the message, he doesn’t disclose his final destination.

While loading a table and chairs into a U-Haul truck outside his Indian Trail home Monday afternoon, Anderson refused to answer questions about his trip.

“I’m not going to be rude to you, but I have no comment,” Anderson said. He sarcastically referred inquiries to KXLY-TV, which recently ran a series on his comings and goings. Anderson left his council post May 28 to drive a truck on the “Dante’s Peak” movie set in Wallace, Idaho. He moved with the film crew to Los Angeles in September.

After missing 21 meetings, he returned to the council Nov. 4 and announced his plan to resign.

Anderson arrived late to Monday’s council briefing, just minutes after Geraghty read aloud Anderson’s e-mail and began discussing how he might be replaced.

“I have suggested that - until we have a vacancy - it would be inappropriate for the council to move ahead,” said Geraghty. “We don’t really have a vacancy. It isn’t an absolute resignation.”

Councilman Mike Brewer agreed.

“When we get a formal resignation instead of an intent, I suggest that we accept it,” Brewer said.

A red-faced Anderson said he’d hoped to take part in the process of “replacing, obviously, my position.

“In light of what’s appeared in some of the media, your suggesting my changing my mind is pretty far-fetched,” he said.

Councilman Jeff Colliton said later outside of Anderson’s presence that he wished Anderson would stop “prolonging it.

“Let us get on with the process of finding a replacement,” Colliton said. “Why doesn’t he just resign?”

, DataTimes