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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

City administrator, consultant unneeded

Steve Peterson was elected the second time as Liberty Lake mayor. The city has a nice emergency money fund and has not used a city administrator for close to six years, so why is there a need for one at this time at a cost of $160,000 per year when the mayor is only paid $9,000 per year?

Why have City Council and present Mayor Van Orman hired an outside consultant to advise the city when it doesn’t need advice?  Mayor Van Orman will no longer be mayor as of Jan. 1, so why is she trying to dictate what the new mayor should have to accept?  What is the benefit of signing a four-year contract with a lawyer when a month-to-month would be sufficient? 

When Steve Peterson tried to inject common sense at the last council meeting regarding this matter, Mayor Van Orman told him he was not allowed to speak on that subject. Why wouldn’t the new mayor be allowed to suggest something that might help the city?

I remember when Mayor Van Orman was on the City Council and SCOPE was told they could use any supplies they needed from the city supply room, but when a SCOPE volunteer went to get a  box of staples, Van Orman told her to go to Albertsons and buy them.

It appears now Mayor Van Orman has no problem spending taxpayers’ money for a consultant to see if Liberty Lake needs a city administrator. It’s been reported the city will pay the consultant $77 per hour, and if he is in agreement of a need for a city administrator, that would be another $160,000 per year. Quite a difference between the cost of a box of staples needed to do volunteer work for the city.

Ever wonder why you don’t see SCOPE patrol cars patrolling your neighborhood late at night to let you know your garage door is open? Could this be that Mayor Van Orman doesn’t think the SCOPE volunteers are worth a box of staples?

  Harry Hansen

Former president

Liberty Lake SCOPE