February 7, 2012 in City

Post-election City Council is politics as usual

By The Spokesman-Review
 

Doug’s City Council Diary …

5:40 p.m. – My first visit to the Spokane City Council for 2012 begins outside City Hall. I bump into rookie Councilman Mike Fagan, who is about to set fire to a menthol Marlboro light.

5:41 – I ask Fagan if he’s the council’s only politically incorrect nicotine fiend. Fagan says there’s one other but won’t give up a name. Chicken.

5:45 – Once inside, I introduce myself to Ben Stuckart, the new council president.

Stuckart returns my pleasantries but adds a caveat. I’m the one journalist in town he probably shouldn’t talk to, he tells me.

“Where’d you get that?” I ask.

“From reading your columns,” he deadpans.

Point Stuckart.

5:48 – I normally don’t attend council meetings. The editors prefer that I stay home and make up stuff from the safety of my couch.

Tonight’s an exception, however. I want to eyeball the community’s new leaders before they let us down, just like the last pack did.

5:50 – The November election not only added new faces to the City Council, but also drastically changed the political makeup. While the council used to be heavy on tree huggers, it now leans a little to the right of a South American junta, minus the firing squads.

5:58 – Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin makes the mistake of saying hello. I quickly press her to identify the mystery smoker. She whispers a name and I file it away for future blackmail purposes.

Point Clark.

6:00 – Council called to order. Flag salute. Yada yada …

6:03 – Public Forum time, where angry citizens scold the council about issues too weird or convoluted to follow.

6:20 – We are watching a video presentation about Spokane landmarks and whether or not to tear down the antique Jensen-Byrd building, which is owned by Washington State University.

6:22 – Jensen-Byrd is toast if WSU gets its way. Makes sense. Why revitalize a historically significant Spokane building when you can spend millions on a new football coach?

6:45 – One by one, citizens approach the podium to air their Jensen-Byrd love and ire. Some say tear it down. Some say turn it into the next Davenport Hotel.

I’m always for bringing old ugly things back to life. Why else would I still be driving a 1967 Vista Cruiser?

7:00 – The Jensen-Byrd testimony continues.

7:10 – And continues.

7:15 – Council meetings should have sales crews hawking concessions to the crowd, like at a ballgame.

“Popcorn. Peanuts. NoDoz!!!”

7:45 – I’ll give the council members this: They all look a lot more alert than I feel.

7:59 – The final Jensen-Byrder testifies. And not a moment too soon. My derriere is suffering from the dreaded CF. (“Council Fatigue.”)

8:00 – Now the council members wade in, beginning with Steve Salvatori.

Interesting dude, that Salvatori. Reputedly wealthy, the guy moved here and kept running for office until he won a council seat.

If I had his money I’d be sipping sweet drinks on a beach on Maui.

8:10 – The council jawing continues with no apparent thought to my discomfort.

8:33 – The council votes on a Jensen-Byrd resolution. No surprises. The right-leaning council quartet combines 4-3 in favor of demolition.

8:34 – Time to leave Spokane’s den of smoke and mirrors. I exit City Hall reminded of an old saying.

There is one way for a journalist to look at politicians.

And that is down.

Doug Clark is a columnist for The Spokesman-Review. He can be reached at (509) 459-5432 or by email at dougc@spokesman.com.

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