Anderson Fears Suit, Abstains

Spokane Councilman Chris Anderson has refused to vote on the future of the Mission Springs apartment project, saying he fears he’d have to hire an attorney to defend himself.

Anderson said Monday he has been warned by city legal counsel that many of his statements blasting the project have left him personally liable.

“I’ve been told I’m on my own,” said Anderson, who abstained from the 4-1 vote. He said he wants to “wash his hands of the whole sordid affair.”

Anderson said Tuesday he was told by attorney Mike Williams to remove criticisms of the project from the daily phone messages Anderson issues from City Hall.

Williams is a private attorney hired by the city to represent the individual council members in a lawsuit filed by Mission Springs’ developers.

Contacted Tuesday at his office, Williams said he couldn’t discuss his conversation with Anderson without first talking to his client.

City Attorney James Sloane said Tuesday he has told Anderson that all council members are protected from personal liability for their council decisions.

Mission Springs developers in July sued the city, the council and four council members, including Anderson, for blocking the project’s building permits.

Another ongoing legal dispute over who owns the Mission Springs property is further complicating the project’s future.

Dennis and Yvonne DeBill sued the city and the developers last year, arguing that part of the land included in the project belongs to them.

If the DeBills do own part of the property, the project plan is invalid, said Pat Dalton, the city attorney handling both cases.

The legal battles could delay permits, but as of Tuesday, no decision had been made, Dalton said.

, DataTimes