City Council prepares plan to fill vacancy

On Tuesday the Spokane Valley City Council again debated the intricacies of the procedure they will use to fill the hole in their ranks, a process that will begin next week.

As of Tuesday the city had received eight applications to replace council member Steve Taylor, who resigned. An executive session is scheduled for July 21 for council members to discuss which applicants to interview on July 28. A decision on who will fill the empty seat is expected on Aug. 2.

Tuesday’s discussion centered on more tie-vote scenarios and how many questions applicants will be asked. Council members prepared a list of 24 questions, but with a 30-minute time limit for each interview, asking all the questions will be impossible. The questions range from what the council should do about the Milwaukee right of way to how the city should raise $4 million for street maintenance.

Council member Rose Dempsey expressed concern that some of the questions seemed to be phrased in a way to solicit a predetermined answer. Council member Dick Denenny replied that he had no problem with that. “I want to find the kind of candidate I want on the council,” he said.

The list of questions will be provided to the candidates in advance. Each council member will ask each candidate two questions, so which questions will actually be asked won’t be known in advance.

“We should just warn them that whatever question they dread the most is the one they should prepare for,” Dempsey said.

In other business, the council got a first look at an amended ordinance that would condemn all Hite Crane property at 4323 E. Broadway Ave., just inside the city limits. The property is needed for the Havana Street bridge project headed up by the city of Spokane. The bridge would span multiple railroad tracks that cross Havana Street north of Broadway.

The original ordinance passed by the council in April gave Spokane permission to condemn a portion of the land but planners realized that taking the piece that they needed would inhibit access to the remaining land, said city attorney Mike Connelly.

Land owner Gary Hite expressed frustration about the years-long process that has left him unable to expand his business or plan for the future while he attempts to negotiate a fair price for the land. “I am in favor of this happening,” he said of the ordinance. “I urge the council here to pass this resolution.”

Hite said the city of Spokane sued him to condemn the land and he’s had to hire a lawyer. He’s currently waiting for the city to make an offer based on a recent appraisal. Hite said he has no idea where he will move his business. “I have no clue what I’m going to end up with as far as funds to acquire new property.”

The ordinance will come back to the council for a final vote later this month.

The council also voted to award the bid for the second phase of the Broadway reconstruction project to Knife River for $508,000. The project will complete the area from Fancher to Thierman.