City Council To Hold First Town Hall Meeting Monday Televised Sessions Meant To Make Up For Pulling Plug On Regular Forums

Spokane City Council members are taking their show on the road, moving to the East Central Community Center for their first town hall meeting.

Monday’s free-form, televised session starts at 6:30 p.m. at the center, 500 S. Stone.

The meeting will begin with a report from East Central residents about neighborhood activities.

After that, anyone can comment on the five priorities set by the council during its February retreat. Those include public safety, economic development, city services, growth management and streets.

People will have three minutes to testify, and the mayor will close testimony by 11 p.m.

Last January, the council voted 4-3 to take the public forum off the air, angering some residents who called the move censorship. Mayor Jack Geraghty and councilmen Chris Anderson and Jeff Colliton opposed the plan.

Partially to appease forum fans, the council voted unanimously to hold four televised town hall meetings each year.

A briefing for residents will take place at 3 p.m. in the lower-level conference room at City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The council’s briefing starts at 3:30 p.m.

, DataTimes