Public Periscope

Trading a Beare for a Wolfe?

County commissioners may be leaning toward replacing Health District Chief John Beare with Charlie Wolfe. Commissioner Phil Harris suggested the former legislator as temporary health chief last week, but other members voted to accept Beare’s offer to come out of retirement one week a month until a replacement is selected … Wolfe is a physician with a master’s degree in public health. He won praise from anti-abortion and property rights groups during his one term in Olympia. But he angered environmentalists and social liberals for opposition to such things as the district’s needle-exchange program and a popular clean-water bill … If commissioners take control of the health district, which they are considering, Harris would gain more influence over hiring Beare’s replacement. A nine-member advisory committee last month recommended against a takeover, but Wolfe was one of two members who favored county control.

Anderson’s already in the action

Spokane City Councilman Jeff Colliton told his colleagues last week he volunteered to help Budget Manager Ken Stone make a short film on taxes … “Unless someone else has a burning desire to be in the movies,” Colliton said, he’d do the public information spot that lets residents know what happens to their tax dollars. No one jumped at the chance to replace Colliton … but, of course, Councilman Chris Anderson wasn’t there. He’s the only council member with any real movie experience, but he’s away in Wallace, Idaho, working as a driver on the “Dante’s Peak” set.

Agreeing to disagree on whether they agree

Speaking of the Health District board, Harris and City Councilwoman Roberta Greene sparred several times during last week’s meeting. Discussing Beare’s replacement, Harris told Greene they have never agreed on issues that came before the board. Not a necessary comment, Greene shot back. When Harris suggested the two were “good friends” outside the political arena, Greene replied, “I don’t know about that either” … But it had to happen eventually. During a later discussion about warning restaurantgoers about air quality, the two actually agreed. Both thought the warning system would be a detriment to owners … “I’m not coming to any more meetings,” said Greene, putting her head in her hands in mock defeat. “I can’t take the stress.”

That’s why it seemed familiar

Councilman Mike Brewer asked his fellow health board members whether they, too, had received four copies of the same report detailing a county resident’s request to put a holding tank for solid waste on his Eloika Lake property. Brewer said he read all four copies enclosed in his agenda packet before realizing he was the victim of a sorting mistake.

Home court advantage

Spokane County Commissioners recently gave the city’s Parks Department $250,000 in taxpayer conservation money to buy Dr. Hrair Garabedian’s property at 4444 W. Downriver Drive … Mike Stone, assistant parks director, told the council last week one person has already bid on the property next to Downriver Golf Course long sought by the city, but the department would appear to have an edge in acquiring the land. “There’s an ingress and egress that has to come back before the park board, so we think we have a very good chance,” Stone said.

, DataTimes MEMO: Public Periscope, published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. If you’ve got a question about local government, growth or development, we’d like to help you find an answer. You can write us c/o The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Or e-mail to jimc@spokesman.com. Or send a fax to (509) 459-5482. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9120 to leave a message.

This sidebar appeared with the story: Hot Topics Wednesday: The Spokane Plan Commission will listen to arguments on whether it should expand areas where manufactured homes can be located. 1:30 p.m., council chambers, City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports