Council goes halfway on Greater Spokane Inc. grant

“Half now, half on delivery,” the Spokane Valley City Council said Tuesday when it authorized a $60,000 grant to Greater Spokane Inc. for economic development.

Unhappy with the regional booster organization’s past performance, the council gave Greater Spokane until Oct. 1 to deliver a plan that focuses more aggressively on Spokane Valley.

Without an approved plan, city support of the organization will be limited to $30,000. And that was the charitable approach.

“I don’t want to give a dime until we see some plan … that they’re going to market this city in an aggressive manner,” Mayor Rich Munson said.

“We’ve given them $65,000 a year for six years and they’ve given us 586 jobs,” Munson said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not beating my chest over that.”

He said Greater Spokane needs to “start looking at Spokane Valley in a manner that reflects our position of being the second-largest city in Eastern Washington.”

“I think the statement does need to be made that we would like something a little more specific,” Councilman Dick Denenny agreed.

But Denenny said Greater Spokane has brought new companies to Spokane Valley and helped existing ones, so he moved to give the organization $30,000 and dangle another $30,000 as a “carrot.”

Councilman Bill Gothmann liked the compromise, and Councilman Gary Schimmels said he “could agree” to it.

With council members Diana Wilhite and Ian Robertson recusing themselves because of ties to the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce – which was awarded $20,000 – the rest of the council voted abortively for Denenny’s motion.

Support dwindled when the council took a second vote because Munson forgot to invite public comment.

Munson said he found it “disheartening” that Greater Spokane Inc. executives weren’t familiar with the city’s Sprague-Appleway Revitalization Plan, but the plan is a liability according to Brenda Grassel, who is running for council against Wilhite.

“How do they promote a city that has a SARP plan that actually discourages businesses from moving into this area, and discourages building in the area by a difficult permit process and does not engage in business-friendly practices?” Grassel asked.

She said she owns a manufacturing business and supports Greater Spokane Inc.

On the other hand, Spokane Valley resident Tony Lazanis thought the city had gotten “very little benefit” from Greater Spokane Inc. He suggested offering more money to the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and asking that organization to hire an economic-development specialist.

No one from Greater Spokane Inc. addressed the council.

When the council voted again, the motion passed 3-2 with Munson and Councilwoman Rose Dempsey dissenting. Dempsey said she wanted more than “a promise” that Greater Spokane would do better.

The council also distributed money to community service organizations. Robertson recused himself from that discussion as well because he had been involved in many of the organizations until his appointment to the council last month.

With Munson dissenting, the rest of the council adopted Wilhite’s formula for focusing money on fewer organizations than in the past. Each council member had submitted a proposed allocation, and Wilhite’s plan distributed money only to agencies that had support from a majority of council members.

Munson wanted to fund more organizations, but Wilhite said spreading the money too thin might produce no benefit.

The council awarded $25,000 to Spokane Valley Partners, $20,000 to Project Access, $6,500 to Valley Meals on Wheels, $6,000 to the Spokane Valley Arts Council and $5,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The Coalition for the Responsible Disabled, Hearth Homes, Arc of Spokane, Center Pointe and Community Minded Television got nothing.

In all, the council awarded $142,500. That was $1,500 more than planned, but City Manager Dave Mercier said he would adjust the budget.

In other business, the council confirmed Munson’s appointment of himself and Robertson to a new city-county sewer rate advisory board. Dempsey wanted a seat on the board and voted against the selection.

“I have been on the council for 21 months, and I feel I have earned the right to sit on some of these boards,” Dempsey said.

The five-member board is to be composed of two council members, two Spokane County commissioners and a citizen appointed by the elected officials. Munson wants Denenny, who is stepping down from the council at the end of the year, to be the citizen member.