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March 30, 2010 in City
Spokane council OKs conservation funds for YMCA
4-3 vote could mean end of riverside building
A pair of photographs showing the Riverfront Park YMCA building as it stands today and a conceptual image of what the site would look like post-demolition.
(Full-size photo)
A sharply divided Spokane City Council on Monday finally agreed to tear down the vacant downtown YMCA and blend the waterfront parcel into Riverfront Park.
It took a year of debate, study and even a bidding process that considered private development on the land bordering Spokane Falls for the council to reach the conclusion.
In the end, the council voted 4-3 to accept Spokane County’s offer to pay the city’s $4.3 million debt to acquire the land using Conservation Futures property taxes.
The decision is a relief to the Spokane Park Board, which took public heat for its decision to purchase of the land in 2006 for $5.3 million to prevent the construction of condos on the site. The board won support from county park leaders in 2008 to use Conservation Futures to pay off its remaining debt, but the City Council blocked that effort – until Monday.
“We’ve left the issue thoroughly discussed and completely reviewed,” Spokane Park Board President Ross Kelley said after the council’s vote. “The results are over. Now we have to work together to make this all happen.”
Most council members took at least eight minutes each to explain their votes. An unusual coalition of Richard Rush and Jon Snyder – often considered the council’s most liberal members – and the council’s most conservative member, Nancy McLaughlin, voted against using the Conservation Futures money for the purchase.
They noted that use of Conservation Futures will require the Y to be torn down and will prevent future development on the less-than-1-acre parcel. They also argued that Conservation Futures money should be used for land already in a pristine condition.
“This program is our mini national park system,” Snyder said.
Rush said that over the years, the county fund has spent $2.9 million to preserve 223 acres of land within the city. He noted that the county will pay off the Y with interest over as many as 20 years – increasing the total cost to about $6 million.
But others said there may be no more important piece of land to secure for open space because of its placement on the shore of Spokane Falls. The area that became Riverfront Park had been a commercial and industrial area until city leaders decided to place emphasis on the falls and create a place for the World’s Fair.
“I am here to urge you to take the opportunity to secure the final parcel of land needed to complete geographically the dream of previous generations, which began with Expo ’74,” said Carol Barber, a former Park Board president and one of more than a dozen people who testified Monday night.
Monday’s decision won’t end the debate about the YMCA. The vote will spark negotiations to write a final agreement between the city and county for use of the Conservation Futures money. That deal will require another City Council vote. Former city councilman Steve Eugster plans to file a legal challenge to the use of the money to buy the Y. Some also have argued that the Y is historic and thus must be preserved under city law. Park leaders have responded that it’s unlikely the building would qualify for historic registries and is eligible for demolition.
Council members Joe Shogan, Amber Waldref, Steve Corker and Bob Apple said using Conservation Futures money was the only viable option to pay off the city debt and preserve the land.
“I’m not going to turn this debt over to another council or another council president because I didn’t have the guts to address it,” Shogan said. “I’m going to address it right now.”
MAC faces angry crowd 
misjustice on March 30 at 7:31 a.m.
Finally, a Council decision that I can applaud.
Leave it up to the Eugster to file a lawsuit…
The building may have some historical value but it also has so many structural problems, and a beaver colony in the basement, that a major overhaul would be required to make the building usable. Besides that, the land was there first…
Tearing down the building will return a corridor of the river to a more natural state, will open up the river vista, and be more supportive of the surrounding ecology than a hulking, decaying, and might I add ugly, building.
west on March 30 at 8:19 a.m.
I hope under the building is not an old RR dump site, contaminated with PCB.
singinthebloos on March 30 at 8:30 a.m.
I’m in favor of tearing that building down.
jake on March 30 at 8:31 a.m.
While Snyder, Rush and McLaughlin are a disappointment on this issue, the other council members deserve this city’s praise.
These are difficult economic times and the four council members who voted for spending the money used their long range vision to further the mission of Riverfront Park in providing open space and preserving river views in the heart of the city. Kudos to them.
steveeugster on March 30 at 8:47 a.m.
The Spokane City Council has finally decided to try to use Spokane County Conservation Futures Taxes for the payment of the loan it took out to buy the YMCA building on the Spokane River. Council members and two Spokane County Commissioners say the money is being used to create open space on the river. That is an excuse. The money is to be used to pay a loan the city made to itself from funds it held in an account which has nothing to do with parks and recreation funding.
What we witness here is the misuse, the illegal use, of tax revenues for an impermissible purpose. The city and the county are merely raiding the Conservation Futures Tax account to pay off a loan the city of Spokane has incurred and which it does not want to pay.
This money was to be used to purchase open space, not buildings which are to be torn down. Now, hundreds of acres of open space in the areas where the city is growing will not be purchased. The quality of life in Spokane has hardly been advanced by this decision.
spokanecommunistparty on March 30 at 8:49 a.m.
I wonder what kind of super-fund cleanup site pollutions were underneath River Front Park when they hastily built it during the 1970’s.
spokanecommunistparty on March 30 at 8:52 a.m.
I love Conservation Areas, but this new one seems kinda small.
misjustice on March 30 at 8:59 a.m.
More open space around our City’s most treasured natural resource, priceless!
MrNatural on March 30 at 8:59 a.m.
Hooray-Hooray!…It’s nice to see a higher vision exercised by our elected folks.
Let the sun shine on the beautiful Spokane Falls with a reclaimed and enhanced riparian area for all who wish to experience this spiritual jewel in our midst.
And for Christ sake Eugster! Do you do these obnoxiously contrary things just to get the award for Spokane’s greatest Twit!
lewis8457 on March 30 at 9:05 a.m.
So lets see the facilities department buys CJ shenanigans for 4.5 million now we get to spent 4.5 million on this problem, plus of course the race track which I do know is county and what was that 4.5 million too?
So in the last 30 days Spokane has decided to spend 9 million dollars, on projects that are not immediate issues.
Do they know there is a budget crunch or is that just another story?
This building is going to be like the racetrack lots of extra expense for contamination from years past.
The city was stupid for even getting involved in this.
peteroundy on March 30 at 9:07 a.m.
I’m with you guys on this one. That monstrosity is an eyesore and anything we can do to keep our river in view is a good thing. I just hope they don’t end up building condos there.
Lulubelle on March 30 at 9:15 a.m.
sniff - sniff……..I smell racetrack
theisena on March 30 at 9:22 a.m.
While I understand where Snyder and Rush are coming from, I disagree with their claim that this isn’t a wise use of the CF funds. I’ve spent a lot of lot of time at various city and county CF areas, and I’m familiar with the other areas folks are hoping to protect with CF funds, all worthy candidates. It’s great to have places in which you can get a taste of what this land was like hundreds of years ago—all easily accessible from town. However, the opportunity to protect the crown jewel of Spokane is immeasurable, as is the opportunity for people to be inspired by nature right in the downtown core. So, although the “acres per dollar” value is low for this property, the “lives positively impacted” value is very high.
As far as the argument that the CF funds were intended to protect areas already in “pristine” condition, this is not so. Several of these CF areas have old buildings from the former private landowners, and on several parcels the natural state has been altered by agriculture. The land doesn’t have to be pristine to be protected; we just have to give it the opportunity to revert toward its natural state.
lewis8457 on March 30 at 9:35 a.m.
I wonder how big brothers cameras will blend into the natural state. I guess with all the people that think this is a good use of tax money i know why our streets are in such bad shape.
Ron_the_Cop on March 30 at 10:54 a.m.
Folks I’m conflicted over this. OK here’s my two cents worth.
I don’t see the Y as being a historical building worth saving for that purpose alone. From the aspect of “natural surveillance” I can understand the concerns for creating public safety issues with removing this building. What goes here must be open in design that allows for public viewing from passing foot and vehicle traffic. Such public view provides natural surveillance and deters unsavory and uncivil behaviors that sometimes become the norm in public parks. This is a delicate dance to be sure.
The Spokane Falls and its view are a natural treasurer that are well worth preserving. The reuse of the Y building was problematic for a number of reasons that would be a burden on the Spokane taxpayers - cost effective rehabing/reuse of the building, traffic flow and parking issues. I generally believe in using land for its best economic use. In most cases this may be allowing the private development of real estate so its worth on the property tax rolls is fully maximize. Because the Y property is already surrounded by River Front Park and with the view of the falls, I give the edge to making this property part of the existing park.
What concerns me most is the the public financing aspects of this decision in using the conservation funds to pay for this property. I tend to side with Eugster that this was inappropriate for a number of reasons too long to list here. The use of these funds comes with considerable use limitations. The key factor in all of this has been ill-advised actions by the unelected Park Board. The Park Board committed the City Council to take this questionable action. The Park Board did not have the money to purchase this property. As I understand it the Council acted more to bail out the Y in building of the new Y than financing the purchase of this property.
The City used its “Bank of Hein” (Solid Waste Reserve Fund with a fund balance of around $49 million dollars) to issue a short term bridge loan to cover this deal. I’m ok with this on a very short term basis. This brings up however an unrelated issue of why do we have $49 million in this fund which is largely kept off the City’s Annual Budget and from public view? Is this fund being adequately managed and why such a large fund balance? Perhaps Mr. Cooley when he is not so busy that he can’t maintain his CPA license ( http://tinyurl.com/ylmmodu) give some explanation and public transparency to the Council and the taxpayers to explain just what the purpose of this fund is for?
I shouldn’t criticize without offering a solution. Actually Mr. Cooley whether he reads my emails or not is on the right track. The Northbank River Front property that the Park Board purchased for around $4 million dollars from the Barberies with 2000 Park Bond money in part to facilitate the ill-advised and now defunct MOBIUS PROJECT, should be sold. This money could be used to pay off the Conservation Fund which will pay the total cost of this purchase over many years anyway. Then the use of this land wouldn’t be encumbered with the strings that come with the use of the conservation fund money.
To do this would require both Park Board and City Council action and a vote of the people by City Charter to sell this property. I encourage the Park Board and the City Council to take immediate action to do just this. I would keep a ribbon of property along for the River for the Centennial trail and public use. The rear of this property could be brought back on the property tax rolls and allowed to develop to it’s best and full economic use either in residential/commercial use. NO TIF financing or property TAX EXEMPTIONS please this is prime river front property!
[Continued]
Ron_the_Cop on March 30 at 10:55 a.m.
[Continued from above]
Where I’m from there is no need to publicly subsidize development of such prime river front property. This only happens in Spokane because this is how Spokane’s power elite has successfully raided the public treasury over the last 100 years. I’m still in amazement of the Machiavellian financial maneuvering that went on downriver with Kendall Yards as it progressed from Metropolitan ownership to Marshall Chesrown, and now to Greenstone with perhaps Besty Cowles’ financial backing. I should say I do like Greenstone projects. So far no enterprising S-R reporter has bothered to ask if Greenstone has such Cowles’ backing at Kendall Yard as it does in the controversial development with TIF funding in Liberty Lake. Kendall Yards both has TIF and PROPERTY TAX exemptions.
I do understand the City’s policy of giving tax credits to encourage infill development along certain corridors but Kendall Yards reeks and is beyond the pale!
At some point in the near future the Taxpayers of Spokane will come to realize the much touted expansion of the River Park Square cost them $87.5 million dollars and the life of Jo Ellen Savage. Did we get our monies worth or did we unfairly line the pockets of Spokane’s power elite? Of course no thanks is given to investigative reporting of the S-R? Dare I ask why?
See my recently completed background report for filing federal RICO complaint:
RPS Bond Frauds and Jo Savage Manslaughter RICO Case
http://tinyurl.com/ykemtqr
See also Table of Evidence in support of this report:
http://tinyurl.com/ybgkjqe
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
ruthven78 on March 30 at 11:22 a.m.
IMO, Eugster needs to move to Seattle where he would do Spokane the most good.
This decision keeps an area inside the park from becoming a dark cloud over the park which is what a condo or other retail residential use would do. Yeah so you could buy a larger area somewhere else…a larger area nobody will visit….go look at the area parks and count the number of people that use them on a weekly basis. Let Eugy file his frivilous suit, he has no qualms of filing lawsuits over stupid stuff (like suing a commenter for slander, remember that?)
I think Eugy is just mad because he wanted a condo with view….
misjustice on March 30 at 11:30 a.m.
Ron, maybe you should go back to where you are from if this bothers you so much.
Ron_the_Cop on March 30 at 12:15 p.m.
Misjustice,
Glad you asked. Sorry, but I’m here to stay and will call a “shovel a shovel” if no one else will. I chose to live in the Spokane Region for many of its fine attributes and quality of life elements. It’s just the political/governmental environment here is in need of much improvement. I have the time to effect change in this one area that is lacking. The Spokane Region is destined to grow economically and in many other areas as well once the yoke of the company town nature is lifted that is artificially restraining it. Further from my professional training and experience I can’t in good conscience allow robbers to prey on the public whether the public realizes they’re being conned or not.
Do read my RICO complaint. I just don’t understand why the public has allowed this criminal enterprise to continue to rob them without standing up. There is no appeasing organized crime it must be destroyed. As I conclude in my report:
“In conclusion in my 35-year career as a criminal investigator, this is certainly one of the most blatantly criminal enterprises I have ever encountered. It’s hard to find words to adequately describe it.
The people have been repeatedly victimized by this criminal enterprise ⎯ this is organized crime. Organized crime cannot be appeased but must be destroyed because of its corrosive impact on government. The citizens of Spokane and the family of Jo Savage have a fundamental right to ensure that justice is served when their political/ governmental law enforcement bodies and decision makers because of their systemic co-option/ corruption can’t or won’t act to protect them from criminal victimization and from imminent public hazards.
In our legal system the law is of, for and by the People – NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.”
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
misjustice on March 30 at 1:06 p.m.
Yes, please help us to become as great as it is where you come from; we really need help. Thank you for your vision and dedication. Don’t know what we would have done without you or your ceaseless, overly long posts about your attempts to bring the truth to light and fight corruption all on behalf of those of us that don’t know we are being duped by organized crime.
And no, I did not read your Rico link…I could barely wade through your posts. It just sounds like so much blah,blah,blah,blah…ax grinding, ax ginding, hate city hall, blah,blah,blah… riverpark square rehashing…blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah,blah
I respect your 35 year career AND your right to fill up blogs with overly long posts explaining your views, and at least you offered a “solution” to what you perceive as the problem.
Ron_the_Cop on March 30 at 1:50 p.m.
Thx Misjustice,
I support your right to have an opinion too. It’s such dynamic debate that informs the public who then can CHOOSE to hold their elected accountable or not once they are informed. Sorry no sour grapes here. It’s counter to my calling as a sheepdog:
On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs
(From the book, On Combat, by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman)
http://www.killology.com/sheep_dog.htm
I will not walk in this town with a sign on my back that says,” ROB ME - SUCKER HERE!”
Yes I’m passionate re the death of Jo Ellen Savage. People have every right to be concerned about the death of Otto Zehm too for many reasons some apparent and some not. The circumstances of the death of Jo Ellen Savage’s death also demand public transparency and accountability for many of the same reasons. Why the gap in public knowledge in Savage’s death? This is the corrosive nature of organize crime to corrupt government.
It’s this informing of the public that been so lacking in this process. That’s why I’m taking the advantage of using the new social media to inform the public of what the S-R can’t or won’t report re the business dealings of its owners and of Spokane’s power elite. Former Sheriff Bamonte of breaking blue fame (http://tinyurl.com/ykz9wcb) and I don’t like what we see and we’re calling out our law enforcement colleagues for their lapses of duty that they are sworn to do on behalf of the people.
Your law enforcement community has lied to the public saying that there was insufficient evidence to file criminal charges in the Savage death. Why? Because no one ever did the complete and thorough criminal investigation that was necessary from which any rational filing decision could be made by County Prosecutor Steve Tucker. This was a cover up. Further I can’t in good conscience continue to teach my students in my college criminal justice classes without first speaking out. I would be rightly called a hypocrite.
Sorry if I offend those that would rather not hear this troubling information. Just ignore what I write. Others may actually value my perspective and too want to effect beneficial change in our government.
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
lewis8457 on March 31 at 8:34 a.m.
Ron thank you for your concern,
Could you in all your wisdom make some points about Otto to our esteemed leaders? Or maybe put both Mrs. Savage and Otto together in your march for justice?
It is too bad Mrs. Savage had to die. But she wasn’t clubbed, tasered, beat and sat on while her breath was slowly squeezed out of her by our wonderful law enforcement personnel.
Her death was an accident caused by poor craftsman’s ship. Otto’s death was homicide by police officers in a public setting.
Could you work your magic on the Otto murder? After all his murderers are still employed supposedly holding others to the letter of the law while they have the blood of a innocent on their hands.
Thank you, have a good day.
Ron_the_Cop on March 31 at 3:08 p.m.
The Savage death was a manslaughter not just poor craftsmanship that led to an accidental death. The owners knew of this imminent public hazard for at least ten years running and did nothing. Two other vehs broke thru barriers and hung on there undercarriages in the 90s. These barriers were failing on average of one to three barriers per year. The meeting any standards defense is a red herring and is fallacious. The reasons for not fixing this hazard has to do with the RPS bond frauds. This is all the direct result of the operation of the criminal enterprise/organized crime. The cover up of her death is also the result of this organized crime’s corruption of our government.
Until this organized crime’s influence is removed from our government, reforms that might be necessary at Spokane PD may be limited by whom the victim is. Fix the corruption and both issues can be addressed. The Otto death is definitely a wrongful death that the City should have been settled a long time ago. Whether Ofc. Thompson’s action rises to a criminal vio of fed civil rights remains to be seen, having been involved as POA president when we had a tragic death. The feds will probably get a lying to fed investigators as they did in the Martha Stewart case.
Ron
misjustice on March 31 at 10:33 p.m.
Ms. Savage’s tragic death was not covered up. The death was investigated and reported on by the SR and other news outlets.
And while I appreciate your dedication to her cause, the story that started this thread is about the Y Building. Are the Conservation Funds some part of this vast, criminal enterprise and cover up?
Ron_the_Cop on April 01 at 8:52 p.m.
Misjustice,
We’ll have to agree to disagree. Sorry I did this for thirty-five years. The Savage death was never investigated as it should have been done. Sorry. Yes I’m off thread here but you did ask. For those wishing more read my RICO report I linked to above.
I have no issues of yet with the Conservation Fund. I do have issues with the Park Board and it’s decision making processes e.g., the purchase of the YMCA building, the purchase of the North Bank property from the Barberies to facilitate the MOBIUS PROJECT which was another deal that would have unduly benefited Spokane’s power elite. There seems to be a long series of suspicious public projects e.g., The Sports Arena, the Convention Center via the unelected Public Facilities District, the STA Transit Plaza and the yet to be resolved “Sewer Wars” in the Spokane Valley:
‘Sewer Wars’ a Redux - Law extends time limit for Spokane River cleanup
http://tinyurl.com/ygl287g
misjustice on April 01 at 9:47 p.m.
Thanks Ron for your reply, didn’t know if I missed an important part of the Conservation Funds/Y story. By all means, if you feel there are grounds for a continued investigation on the tragic Savage death, proceed. (As if you need my permission…)And good luck to you; perhaps her family can have some peace…
Ron_the_Cop on April 01 at 10:17 p.m.
Misjustice,
You’re welcome. It’s more though than just the Savage family. We still don’t know if the RPS Parking Garage is safe for continued public occupancy because the Mayor and City Council are ducking their responsibility. See my Savage case file and decide whether your law enforcement community is being truthful with the public re the investigation into the Savage death:
http://tinyurl.com/yes3g27
Back on thread I think the best way to make lemonade out of lemons in these convoluted deals is to sell the North Bank property leaving a corridor along the River and use the money to repay the Conservation Fund.
Gary D Rhodes on April 02 at 4:42 p.m.
The North Bank property, properly used, could be the cash-cow needed to keep Riverfront Park profitable and pristine.
The city should take advantage of the great location and natural draw for tourists and residents alike.
The US Pavilion should become an outdoor amphitheater, after removal of old buildings.. Build new, all season and seasonal rides, a science center with 3d IMAX.
Lease this 4 acre area then.
The conservation futures money should be used for more urban forest, such as the land below 57th and Hatch, where a feeder trail for the Centennial Trail is blocked. This trail-head would enable more Spokanites to have access to this wonderful trail system, and would help cement our ‘Near Nature’ cred.