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

City of Spokane, Proposition 1

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Spokane lights up new tradition

It was pouring hard when the time came to flip the switch to light up dozens of holiday light displays in Riverfront Park Friday night, but the crowd of nearly 200 people stuck it out.

Spokane mayor’s wage would be set by panel under proposal

Spokane’s mayor would no longer have to be the highest-paid city worker under a proposal voters may decide next year. Councilman Mike Fagan is proposing to give the city’s Salary Review Commission the power to set the mayor’s wage, a change that would require approval from city voters. The idea was first proposed by Mayor David Condon after the blowback he received when he proposed giving himself a raise based on the city charter, which currently requires him to be the top-paid city worker.

Harpman Hatter renders Dr. Evil

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Spokane proposes lower sewer rates for apartments, multifamily homes

If you flush less, you pay less. That’s the idea behind Spokane’s proposed sewage rates for the next three years. According to the plan, which will be considered by the Spokane City Council on Monday, apartment dwellers and the bottom 20 percent of water users will be given discounts on their monthly sewage bills. Multifamily residences would pay $2 a month less, and low water users would see their monthly bills shaved by up to $5.

Will Condon overcome the curse of Spokane’s one-term mayors?

Mayor David Condon is a guy’s guy. Early in his term, he referred to himself as an “action guy.” Not long ago, he called himself an “accountability guy.” Earlier this week – during an interview discussing his time so far in office – he called himself “kind of an operations guy.”

Shawn Vestal: Spokane police reform to get federal report card

The feds are getting ready to give the Spokane Police Department a report card of sorts – a wide-ranging set of recommendations arising from a two-year review of department practices. It will be several weeks before the public is allowed to see the details. But next week, the team from the Department of Justice’s COPS program will be back in town to go over the preliminary recommendations with city officials and to establish a schedule for how and when the department will meet what are expected to be about 40 recommendations.

Doug Clark: Planning director’s plight not at top of my mind

Spokane may never get the straight skinny behind last week’s forced resignation of city planning director Scott Chesney. Some mysteries (i.e. Jimmy Hoffa, Amelia Earhart, KFC’s secret spices …) are probably better off unknown.

Scott Chesney remains mum on specific reasons for ouster

Scott Chesney, Spokane’s planning director who was abruptly ousted from his position last week, said Wednesday he was taking the “high road” and ending his role at the city. Chesney did not give details on why he was forced to resign, but his silence is in line with that of Mayor David Condon and Jan Quintrall, head of the city’s Business and Development Services and Chesney’s supervisor, who both said they could not comment on the matter because of personnel confidentiality.

Developers still in dark after meeting with mayor

Spokane Mayor David Condon on Friday met with a group of developers critical of the recent forced resignation of city planning director Scott Chesney. But Condon did not tell them why Chesney was fired.

Ousted Scott Chesney gains support of Spokane developers

Within a day of being ousted as Spokane’s planning director, Scott Chesney gained influential supporters both within and outside City Hall. Walt Worthy, developer of the Grand Hotel Spokane being built downtown, and Dave Black, who brought Target to the South Hill, said separately that Chesney’s dismissal was unneeded and called for his reinstatement. Their support comes on the heels of that from Jim Frank, president of Greenstone Corp., which is developing Kendall Yards, and Ron Wells, who is renovating the Ridpath Hotel.

Spokane planning director leaves abruptly after ‘loss of confidence’

Hours after the city planning director was forced out of his job on Wednesday, one of Spokane’s premier developers publicly called on the mayor to hire him back. Jim Frank, president of Greenstone Corp., which is developing Kendall Yards, sent an email to numerous city and business leaders Wednesday evening after hearing that Scott Chesney, Spokane’s planning director since 2011, abruptly left the city.

Kendall Yards developer calls on Condon to rehire planning director who was forced out

Hours after the city planning director was forced out of his job on Wednesday, one of Spokane’s premiere developers publicly called on the mayor to hire him back.

Spokane 2015 budget pays 164 workers six figures

The number of city employees earning six figures has increased under Spokane Mayor David Condon, despite his critical stance against such high earners when he was campaigning for office and drastic cuts to the number of people on the city’s payroll under his watch. In Condon’s 2015 budget proposal, 164 positions at City Hall will earn more than $100,000, not counting overtime pay. Of the top 100 paid positions at City Hall, 64 are from the police or fire departments.

Stuckart action referred to city’s ethics panel

Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart is the subject of a possible ethics violation for leaking what city officials call a “highly confidential email regarding a pending matter of litigation.” The matter was referred to the city’s Ethics Committee Thursday by City Attorney Nancy Isserlis, and Stuckart already has retained an attorney to represent him.

Mayor inherits $1 million from Myrtle Woldson

Spokane Mayor David Condon inherited $1 million earlier this year from noted Spokane philanthropist Myrtle Woldson, who died in April at age 104. Condon, who was called a “personal friend” in Woldson’s obituary, lives just down the street from her West Sumner Avenue home, the same street where he grew up. He is one of eight people who received gifts in Woldson’s will.

Spokane mayor to decline $7,000 pay raise

Facing public pressure and criticism from the City Council, Spokane Mayor David Condon said Wednesday he will not take a $7,000 pay increase as planned in his 2015 budget proposal. Condon’s salary was set to climb to nearly $180,000, which would almost match that of Seattle’s mayor. The increase in pay sparked an uproar, and the City Council said the budget didn’t reflect the “community’s values.”

Doug Clark: Condon will be a better-paid one-term mayor

OK. Let’s pretend for a moment that you are a Spokane mayor planning on a second term. (Guffaws. Chortles. Giggles …)

Administrative raises jar city budget talks

Concerns over proposed pay increases for Spokane Mayor David Condon and a majority of his 13 cabinet members are threatening to derail budget discussions at City Hall, as the mayor and City Council members forcefully argued their cases in dueling news conferences on Friday. Standing in front of a C.O.P.S. shop in the West Central neighborhood Friday morning and flanked by four council members, Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart said a proposed $7,000 pay increase for Condon was “utterly ridiculous” and vowed to craft “a new budget that reflects the community’s values.”