Pay Raises Rejected, Davenport Plan Approved

The Spokane City Council voted against giving itself a pay raise and for clearing an obstacle from the redevelopment of the Davenport Hotel on a busy Monday night.

As the council finds itself with a dwindling number of meetings before the end of the year, its recent meetings have become packed with a range of issues.

Few have gathered as much attention as the council’s efforts to ensure that Walt and Karen Worthy are able to redevelop the Davenport.

Walt Worthy has complained that the council passed a sweeping downtown zoning and design ordinance that would thwart his planned parking garage without first notifying him.

The ordinance would require Worthy to include retail or office space in his proposed garage, which he said is impossible given the limited space he has for the structure.

Although City Plan Director John Mercer said the city’s records indicate Worthy was notified of a hearing on the changes, City Councilman Steve Eugster took up Worthy’s cause. Last week he urged the council to support an amendment to the zoning ordinance that would make an exception for historic buildings like the Davenport.

The proposal was deferred and this past week, the City Plan Commission met and recommended the council alter Eugster’s amendment to limit the exemption to historic buildings that have a 25,000-square-foot footprint and are at least 10 stories high.

The idea, said Mercer, would be to trim the number of buildings eligible for the exemption from 236 to three.

Eugster, however, said the city should avoid drawing the circle too tightly around the Davenport.

“If the amendment is drafted so narrowly that it applies only to the Davenport, what we have presented to Mr. Worthy is a problem,” Eugster said. “Someone could appeal that we have passed special legislation” for Worthy.

Eugster proposed limiting the exemption to historic buildings five stories high and with a 15,000-square-foot footprint, which would apply to approximately nine downtown buildings.

Eventually, a compromise was reached that kept most of Eugster’s criteria but lifted the height requirement to seven stories. The amendment then passed unanimously.

“Obviously, I’m very pleased with the decision,” Worthy said following the vote. “I expected it to be a 7-0 decision. Not because I’m boasting but because we’ve gotten so much support from the community.”

Another council agenda item that has attracted much attention was the $12,000-a-year pay raise proposed by Eugster.

The pay raise, which would take affect with the three council members elected next fall, would enhance the quality of the council by enticing a higher caliber politician to run, Eugster has argued.

But the notion was widely panned and Mayor John Talbott attempted to eliminate discussion on the item by saying it didn’t have enough votes to pass.

Eugster, however, proposed an amendment that would instead lower the salary to $12,000.

“Basically, this community and council members are saying council members should be serving for less and when they start doing a better job, the electorate can raise their salaries,” Eugster said.

Councilman Steve Corker said he wouldn’t support any changes in the salary but said the issue should be looked at.

“I would like to suggest we do what the county did and and ask a group of citizens to review salaries and make recommendations,” Corker said.

Eugster’s amendment failed by a 5-2 vote, with Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers joining Eugster in supporting it. Then Eugster’s original ordinance raising the salary was voted on and it failed, 6-1, gaining only Eugster’s vote.

Also Monday, the council held a hearing on a proposed change to the Indian Trail Neighborhood Specific Plan in order to build a shopping center. After more than a hour of testimony, the council deferred a decision to next week.

A Eugster resolution putting the dissolution of the Spokane Parking Public Development Authority before the voters was also deferred.