Public Periscope

Objections so noted

Councilman Jeff Colliton suggests the City Council should pull the City Cable 5 program that scrolls the names of those arrested for drug dealing and convicted of buying or selling sex. “The stats don’t show we’ve changed anything,” he said at last week’s council briefing … The program was former Councilman Joel Crosby’s plan to embarrass perpetrators out of their evil ways. Colliton’s suggestion energized colleague Chris Anderson, who’d been silent during most of the briefing session. “So, all the things we who were opposed to the plan feared are now coming to pass?” he said. “I want the record to reflect that.”

Here today, gone tomorrow

Before the briefing started, Mayor Jack Geraghty’s eyes widened when he arrived to see the long-absent Anderson. “This is a surprise,” said Geraghty. “Let the minutes reflect - for the first time in a number of months - we have seven council members here,” said Geraghty. … After five months away working on movie sets in Idaho and California, Anderson returned last week to announce he planned to step down from the council Dec. 31.

Centennial Trail in good company

What do Spokane and Bergen, Norway, have in common? Really cool shoreline projects, according to The Waterfront Center in Washington, D.C. … A five-member jury selected the Centennial Trail and Bergen’s wharf buildings as the best of 99 waterfront projects it reviewed. The trail “guarantees conservation of the river for future generations,” the panel wrote. Folks in Bergen built a museum, hotel and other buildings on a section of the waterfront destroyed by fire in 1955, blending new buildings with medieval ones next door … A wetlands restoration project in Snohomish County, Wash., one of several runners up, was the only other Northwest project on the list.

Remember: Tax-and-spend

The morning after Tuesday’s election, a Spokane County commissioner-elect gave a preview of the kind of scrutiny she plans to give budget issues. Thumbing through a copy of the 1997 budget that’s as big as the New York City phone book, Kate McCaslin noted that each page lists expenses first, then revenue … In business, she said, it’s the other way around. “We should be looking at revenue less expenses equals balance,” she said. … Commissioners and accountants agreed the order will be flip-flopped for future budgets.

Pacifists need not apply

The county may add shooters to its no-shooting committee. The panel, which considers proposals for expanding the no-shooting zone, currently has a sheriff’s deputy, county engineer and parks worker. County commissioners agreed Tuesday to add two people not on the county payroll. “If there’s a good applicant from a gun club, maybe he’ll get it,” said Commissioner Phil Harris.

Toilet paper is still free

Starting in January, it will cost 17 cents a page to get copies of documents from the county commissioners’ office. The price factors in the cost of staff time, paper and toner … But that’s a bargain. Two floors up in the courthouse, copying Superior Court documents costs $2 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. That price is set by state statute.

Pundits in the making?

Just to see who knew what about the elections, The Spokesman-Review’s online service, Virtually Northwest, asked users to guess the outcome of 15 races and ballot measures in Washington and Idaho. Three readers tied for first with 14 right: Bryce Ault of LaCrosse, Wash., and Ross Coble and David Harris, both of Spokane … Coble came closest to guessing the number of Electoral College votes Bill Clinton would win.

, 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, Wash., 99210. Or e-mail to jimc@spokesman.com. Or 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 Thursday: The Spokane Park Board will discuss plans to revamp its green fees for golfers. The changes won’t necessarily cost duffers more money, just alter the way they pay. 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