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

City Gets An Earful Over Restaurant Controversy

Doug Floyd Interactive Editor

It sounded “pretty strange” to Sheila Coleman that the city wanted to buy the site Clinkerdagger Restaurant was trying to lease.

Clinkerdagger wants to move from the Flour Mill into the former Salty’s at the Falls. City officials say that would pose engineering and liability problems for a new Lincoln Street Bridge.

“It sounded to me like Salty’s had pretty much finalized the deal with the city’s blessing and then the city came through at the last minute and said, ‘no, no, no, we changed our mind,”’ said Coleman.

Clinkerdagger’s owners and city officials disagree over whether the city encouraged the lease plans.

“I think Clinkerdagger deserves a better shot at getting the space,” Coleman said. “If it’s absolutely not possible, that’s fine, but I don’t know why that wouldn’t have been known a couple of months ago.” The Lincoln Bridge Citizens Committee first recommended the purchase in 1993, said one member.

“We involved citizens do have more information than those who do not participate in volunteer committees,” Julian Powers said. “The taxpayers may spend less to buy Salty’s than to provide a contorted access to the site with the Lincoln roadbed adjacent and higher than Salty’s.”

But Fred Ebel calls the decision “the most notorious of a series of questionable decisions by city executives.”

In another, he said the city bought riverbank land to prevent condominiums that would block the library’s view of the Spokane River.

“Revitalizing downtown means solid, quality development. Both Clinkerdagger and the condo development meet this criteria.”

“The City Council’s support for the parking garage is a step in the right direction. Let’s hope we can put together a string of good decisions to support it.”

“Grabbing the Salty’s location after Clinkerdagger had arranged to lease it and had begun remodeling and had given the Flour Mill notice, was as anti-business as the city could be,” said Roger Walters.

Saying the city’s action “smells worse than a 3-day-old lutefisk dinner,” Jock Swanstrom accused Phil Williams, city planning and engineering director, of a series of poor moves, going back to the waste-to-energy plant. “With the Salty’s deal, Williams, the opposite of King Midas, should take a stage-right exit from City Hall,” said Swanstrom.

, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.

“Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.