Valley Incorporation Heads For May 16 Vote

It’s a lucky day for supporters of Spokane Valley incorporation.

County commissioners meet this morning to set May 16 as the day Valley residents will decide if they want to form their own city.

Today is the deadline for putting incorporation on the May ballot. Incorporation leaders targeted a May election as they have moved ahead with their third attempt at creating a Valley city since 1990.

Otherwise, the election would have been pushed to September, costing incorporation supporters key momentum in their drive to form their own city.

The state’s Boundary Review Board for Spokane County cleared the way for the May vote Thursday when it unanimously accepted the boundaries of the proposed city. The review board had to finish its review of the proposal before an election could be set.

Howard Herman, co-chairman of Citizens for Valley Incorporation, praised the review board for getting its work finished so quickly. Board members could have taken another month. “They’re to be commended for working so hard to accommodate us,” Herman said.

The only thing that can stop the May election now is a lawsuit filed by someone who feels the review board erred in approving the final boundaries.

Such a suit must be filed in Superior Court within 30 days.

While incorporation leaders were pleased Thursday, they also were realistic. A Valley incorporation proposal never has reached the ballot without someone appealing it.

“This is just another step in the process,” incorporation leader Joe McKinnon said. “I’ve learned that you never look back, but we’ll see.”

The boundaries are roughly Havana Street on the west, Harvard Road on the east, the Spokane River on the north and 32nd Avenue on the south.