State lawmakers praise Spokane Valley City Council
Tuesday evening became an unofficial legislative recognition night at the Spokane Valley City Council meeting, when all the Valley’s representatives in Olympia showed up.
Rep. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane Valley, thanked the council and city staff for working hard on keeping his hometown safe and prosperous.
He said they’d had three productive sessions in Olympia and thanked the council for coming to visit.
“It was a thrill to have you come visit me and encourage me,” McCaslin said. “We are so supportive of you guys and we want to continue to be supportive of everything you do – up to a point.”
Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, followed the lighthearted tone by saying he’d wear a Hawaiian shirt to the next meeting – a trademark of Deputy Mayor Arne Woodard – and that council member Ed Pace now owes everyone doughnuts because his cellphone went off on the dais. “That’s what it’s like in the House,” Shea said, and everyone laughed.
On a more serious note, Shea thanked the council for its continued work on infrastructure and transportation issues in the Valley and said he is looking forward to working with the Valley on consolidating the rail lines – something that’s been debated for a long time.
Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said it had been a great legislative season and that working with city staff and the council, they’d gotten some things accomplished.
“I wish the state was run as well as the city of Spokane Valley,” Padden said.
Also Tuesday night:
• The mining moratorium was moved on to its second hearing after much testimony in opposition from Central Pre-Mix’s staff and attorney. Deputy city attorney Erik Lamb reminded everyone that the moratorium is a temporary measure to allow the city time to identify and protect natural resource lands as required by the growth management act.
The moratorium has no effect on current lawful mining and gravel pit operations, Lamb said.
The moratorium has broad support from the City Council, yet no one from the public has testified in its support. If adopted, the moratorium would be in place until the end of the day Feb. 23.
The council asked for more information on the reclamation process that takes place after a gravel pit is exhausted.
• City manager Mike Jackson presented a proposal to contract with Greater Spokane Incorporated for business development services for $43,000 a year.
Jackson said the contract has specific performance measures to ensure the city gets what it’s paying for.
Jackson explained that the contract demands monthly updates from GSI and spells out how much new business recruitment and expansion the organization is expected to pursue on behalf of Spokane Valley.
The contract would be for one year, starting in 2016, and when the year is up it could be renewed.