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

Public Periscope

Hot topics:

Saturday, 10 a.m.: Residents get a chance to discuss Spokane city priorities at the first-ever Citizens Retreat. City Hall Council chambers.

It’s popular, but is it legal?

Making county government more accessible to citizens may not be as easy as populist commissioners thought. Take the proposal to hold meetings in outlying areas. Might violate state law that restricts meetings to the county seat, said county civil attorney Mike Dempsey … That plan to let citizens take the microphone at the end of regular meetings to talk with commissioners? Commissioners could run afoul of the open meetings law if they join the discussion of items citizens bring up. Commission clerk Rosanne Montague says items that are discussed must, by law, be advertised ahead of time … Commissioner Phil Harris calls the first law dumb, says the county should work to change it. Commissioner Steve Hasson says they’ll take their chances with the open meetings law, and continue the forum.

Inflated opinions

City Council critic George McGrath complained last week that children who supported the Pacific Science Center were violating council rules by bringing balloons into council hearing. Rules say no signs, no applause, just verbal presentations. “Those blue balloons violate that,” he said. … Mayor Jack Geraghty asked the balloons be taken out into the reception area. When McGrath finished his testimony, Geraghty suggested he ask one of the kids to “share one of those balloons with you as you leave.”

Friends in strange places

Conservative Republican State Rep. Mike Padden is getting some unexpected support in his bid to fill a vacant Spokane County District Court seat. From West Side liberal Democrats. … One of 21 judicial hopefuls, Padden is rumored to have an edge among county commissioners, despite a middling rank in the local Bar Association poll. … Abortion-rights Democrats in Seattle want abortion foe Padden on the bench to get him out of Olympia. Especially now that he is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Just wondering

Why is it when the state wanted to discuss a land trade involving Riverside State Park and Mount Spokane State Park, the hearing was in the Spokane Valley?

Speaking of land deals

Congratulations to negotiators for Spokane County and two local companies who have arranged a land swap involving four acres and several old buildings. The deal took two years to put together. Only naysayers would point out that the Louisiana Purchase - which involved 828,000 square miles, two nations and Manifest Destiny - took less than a month.

Help not wanted

County commissioners Steve Hasson and Phil Harris say they might try to save money by not replacing Sam Angove, the county’s parks, recreation and fair director, when he resigns later this year. … They may leave the $68,000-a-year position empty and have Parks and Recreation Manager Wyn Birkenthal and Interstate Fair Manager Jim Cotter run their respective divisions.

Help wanted - really

Commissioners do plan to replace Human Resources Director Skip Wright, who is resigning. … Search begins today for someone to fill the $63,000-per-year job in charge of a 10-person department. Commissioners say they plan to look first on the West Coast.

Getting involved

County commissioners appointed Michael Schrader of Liberty Lake, a partner in Schrader & Murphy Insurance Co., to a four-year term on the Planning Commission.

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