City Charter Review Seeks Public Input Election By District, Parks Funding, Civil Service, Unions Among Topics

In the past, most Spokane voters haven’t supported changing how their government works.

Voters two years ago shot down a proposal to consolidate city and county governments. A year later, city residents rejected a proposal to switch to a strong-mayor system.

Now, members of a City Councilappointed citizens committee want residents to help them improve city government by proposing changes to the city’s charter.

The committee known as Community Partners is holding a public hearing Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Champion’s Room of the Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave.

Committee members aren’t looking at changes as sweeping as past proposals. Instead, they’re studying four areas suggested by the council: charter provisions that govern parks and commissions, civil service and unions, the initiative process and elected representation.

Chairwoman Judith Gilmore said the committee won’t make any recommendations until after hearing from the public. “None of us wants to even appear as if we’d made a decision before talking to the public.”

One area under review is the charter’s archaic language. Currently, the charter states city officials should hire “married men and men of family in preference to unmarried men.”

“It’s sexist, inappropriate and illegal,” said Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes, the council’s liaison to the committee.

Other issues under consideration include:

Allowing officials to contract for work currently being done by city employees.

Requiring citizens circulating initiative petitions to have the documents registered and reviewed by the city’s legal staff.

Limiting the terms of board and commission members to two, three-year terms.

Increasing how much money the city’s Parks Department gets from the general fund.

Requiring council members to be elected by district.

Reducing the number of council meetings.

Tuesday’s meeting won’t be confined to those topics, Gilmore said, noting that residents can suggest other possible charter changes.

The city is paying consultant Tom Agnew about $30,000 to lead the charter review process and generate public interest. He knows he faces a challenge, he said.

“This is a very important issue with very little consumer appeal,” Agnew said, noting that parking at the Arena will be free during the meeting. “We need to do all we can to make it attractive.”

The committee plans to take its recommendations to the council in April. Council members then will decide whether to take the proposal to voters for approval.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MEETING Community Partners public hearing Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Champion’s Room of the Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave.