Council Harmony Short-Lived Anderson Claims Other Members Kicked Him Off Committee

So much for $7,200 worth of harmony.

Taxpayers doled out hard cash last month for a consultant who promised to teach Spokane City Council members how to communicate better with each other.

Council members emerged from their recent weekend retreat waxing poetic about their bonding session and promising residents they wouldn’t be disappointed with the results.

According to some, the friendliness didn’t last long.

“It was over within three days,” said Councilman Orville Barnes.

“We’re just out the money,” said Councilman Chris Anderson.

Anderson and Barnes clashed head-on Friday when Anderson took umbrage at being kicked off a committee his colleague chaired.

“This action once again flies square in the face of the concept of open government .. that so many of my council colleagues give lip service to,” Anderson said in a statement.

Anderson claims that Barnes, along with council members Mike Brewer and Bev Numbers, pushed him off a committee formed to streamline government because they wanted to keep the discussions private.

“Clearly, they did this with an ulterior motive,” said Anderson, who didn’t make the committee’s first meeting earlier this week. “I’m the most vocal member of the council, but I’ve never violated discretion related to legal or executive session matters.”

Barnes denies Anderson’s charge. He said the group realized that four members would constitute a quorum - a voting majority that would force sensitive discussions about civil service and unions to be held in public.

“This is very sensitive stuff,” said Barnes, adding the talks would center on negotiations and personnel issues, which are routinely discussed in closed sessions.

The streamlining committee was one of several the council formed during its weekend retreat. Because most council members were only serving on two committees and Anderson was on three, he was the most logical member to go, Barnes said.

“If he would just ask me,” Barnes said, adding that he didn’t even know Anderson was upset until a reporter called him.

In addition to his furor about being removed from the committee, Anderson said Barnes should have told him person-to-person, instead of in a memo written two days later.

Anderson called a news conference Friday afternoon to discuss the issue, but didn’t tell Barnes.

“Process is OK for everybody but you,” said Barnes, who showed up anyway.

Mayor Jack Geraghty said that in spite of the flap, he still believes the council is committed to better communication.

“This is just a misunderstanding that’s grown into hard feelings,” Geraghty said. “It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t sit down at a table and work this out.”

As for Barnes, he said he plans to resign from the committee.

And Anderson - who said he wouldn’t have been so upset if this type of thing hadn’t happened before - plans to attend the committee’s meetings regardless of the outcome.

He has to, he said, because he’s dedicated to keeping government open.

“I may go out of office limping because I’ve been beaten to a pulp, but at least I’ve brought some sunshine into this building.”