Public Periscope

FOR THE RECORD: 2-4-97 Two secretaries in the Spokane County commissioners’ office received salary increases of $115 and $299 a month when they became commissioners’ assistants. A story in Monday’s newspaper indicated they got larger wage increases.

Testing the water?

U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt isn’t saying yes or no about a run against Sen. Patty Murray in 1998. He is, however, saying maybe, contingent on some things that are out of his hands … Friends, other Republicans and some members of Congress have asked him to run next year, he said last week after a Washington, D.C., newspaper reported on the rumor. He responded with the quintessentially noncommittal, “I’m flattered by their expression of interest”… He won’t run if Jennifer Dunn, the Bellevue Republican with two years’ more seniority in the House, decides to challenge Murray. But he wouldn’t rule out a primary race against Linda Smith of Vancouver, another second-termer, if Dunn doesn’t run … While all this sounds premature at the beginning of 1997, both parties can “do the math” for the money that campaign could take: A Senate race in Washington could cost about $3.5 million. There are roughly 100 weeks between the the 1996 and 1998 elections. That’s $35,000 a week a candidate would have to raise. Twelve of those weeks are already gone … Nethercutt said he, or any candidate, will have to decide by this summer. In the meantime, “I’ve got a lot to do in this job.”

A place at the table

Supporters and opponents of the River Park Square project have been at each other’s throats for months, but that didn’t prevent them from breaking bread together at last week’s City Council meeting. Both sides of the debate over the $100 million downtown redevelopment project dined on a buffet paid for by the River Park Square development team. At least two City Council members also filled their plates with crackers, cheese and various salads … “Hey, it’s free,” Laurent Poole, executive vice president of Sabey Corp., an opponent of the project, said between bites.

Out of sight, but not mind

When Mayor Jack Geraghty asked new City Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers to introduce herself during last week’s briefing, she couldn’t help but reflect on her predecessor’s spotty attendance record. “After I’m sworn in, I’m taking an extended leave of absence,” said Rodgers, prompting uproarious laughter from those gathered in the council’s briefing room. Council members recently appointed Rodgers to the seat vacated by Chris Anderson, who resigned Dec. 31 after missing 21 meetings.

Moving up

County commissioners don’t have secretaries anymore. They’ve got assistants … Nancy Voermans, Demeris Skaggs, who were secretaries until Jan. 1, and newcomer Laura Reinhardt now answer some of the constituents’ questions that were once relayed to their bosses. They represent commissioners at some meetings and help with research, while still handling secretarial duties, said Personnel Director Ben Duncan, who suggested the change … The promotion came with a pay raise of between $400 and $548 a month, depending on seniority.

If you can’t beat ‘em …

Spokane County commissioners filled three new positions on the Spokane County Health Board recently, giving the volunteer positions to retired teacher Margaret Jones, Republican activist Lynn Schindler and pediatric nurse practitioner Carol Rudy. Among the applicants they passed over was Larry Wendel, owner of Appleway Septic Service and a failed 1994 candidate for coroner … Wendel certainly is familiar with the board’s work. Last year, it rebuffed his plea to reopen a pair of man-made ponds where he dumped sewage. About the same time, an anonymous caller left a threatening message for a health district official … Close friends thought the voice on the answering machine was Wendel’s, although he denied making the call.

, DataTimes MEMO: Public Periscope, published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports