Public Periscope

Panic alarm brouhaha

When Sen. Patty Murray’s Spokane office recently moved up to the 12th floor of the Washington Mutual Financial Center, some of her neighbors got an advisory from building management. Murray’s office has a panic alarm, which allows staff to silently summon police in an emergency … Other offices were advised that if this happens, they should stay put rather than go investigate the goings-on at Murray’s. They should also lock the door to “prevent a disgruntled person from entering their office and harming anyone else,” wrote Gordon Hester of Kiemle & Hagood, the building managers.

This prompted some good-natured squawking from nearby businesses - a law firm, a brokerage and an investment manager - who noted they have disgruntled visitors of their own. How come Murray gets a button and they don’t? “We wonder whether Mrs. Murray perhaps harbors an inflated opinion of her importance in our society. Or maybe she should examine why her behavior causes people to react to her in such a violent manner,” wrote the Potential Hostages on the 12th Floor … Stick her in the basement, they suggested.

A rejoinder came the next day from the managers, who called themselves The Powers that Be. It suggested the Potentials chill out. The basement already has a high-risk tenant, the Postal Service, and the 12th floor is well-secured. After the Black Monday stock market crash of 1987, they removed all operating windows to keep the brokers from jumping and extra insulation to muffle their screams. “We are not able to change the behavior of the newest tenant (we tried).”

On the road

He’s not always jolly and we’re not qualified to determine whether he’s good, but state Sen. Jim West is officially a fellow. A fellow of the Japan Society Local Government and Public Policy Fellowship Selection Committee … That means he’s one of four Americans who will spend October and November in Japan learning about government and policy in that country and improving communications with leaders there. West said he’s excited about the chance to study the country and develop friendships that could benefit the state.

Your city needs you

Spokane Mayor John Talbott is accepting applications for vacancies on the Cable Advisory Board, the Spokane Arts Commission and the Spokane Housing Authority.

Volunteers are nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the council.

The deadline for the Arts Commission vacancy is July 6. Deadlines for the other boards is July 12.

Applications are available at the mayor’s office, on the fifth floor of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. For more information, call 625-6252.

When all else fails

This company’s press release probably caught our eye, because it uses the words “negotiate” and “Internal Revenue Service” in the same sentence. Then we noticed the new business is aiming to help delinquent taxpayers caught in the middle of asset seizure and wage garnishment - an often overlooked group.

“If you have a tax problem, you may have noticed that trying to deal with the IRS is next to impossible,” the notice said.

But apparently Consumer Tax Relief has found a way to do it. Its toll-free number is 888-282-9753.

One good deed …

Bryan Robbins, a commercial recycling collector for the city, took time from his route recently to help a woman who had fallen while jogging on Five Mile Prairie and torn a hamstring.

The woman, Sandi Mattison, in turn took time to write a letter to his supervisor, thanking and commending Robbins for helping her.

The letter made its way to the mayor, who read it during the City Council meeting last Monday.

“In this day and age,” wrote Mattison, “when too many people are too busy with their own jobs and lives to take a moment for others, his help was deeply appreciated.

“I want to let you know what a terrific gentleman you have working for you,” she said.

HOT TOPICS Spokane County Commissioner Kate McCaslin will hold a town hall meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Millwood Town Hall building, 9103 Frederick Ave.