Mayor Says ‘Spokane Is In Good Shape’ Talbott Lauds Community Groups, Acknowledges Concerns

The state of the city?

It’s pretty good, according to Mayor John Talbott, who delivered his annual State of the City address Thursday.

In a talk brimming with positive observations but scant on specific initiatives, Talbott laid out where he thought Spokane is and where it’s going.

“Overall, Spokane is in good shape,” Talbott said to about 60 people at the Northeast Community Center.

That’s despite a recent period of turmoil caused by Initiative 695 budget cutbacks, the strong-mayor initiative and last year’s resignation of City Manager Bill Pupo, he said.

Talbott pointed to the good work done by the many Community Oriented Policing volunteers, the Human Services department and the neighborhood councils as evidence of the city’s vitality.

“We are a community that is healthy,” he said. “We have young people that we want to keep here.”

Talbott acknowledged that many city employees have taken early retirement because of the uncertainty at City Hall. Many of the remaining workers are worried about their future, given the aggressive approach to reorganizing government advocated by some council members, he said.

“Are they concerned? Yes, they are. Are they uncomfortable? Yes, they are,” Talbott said. “Do they feel we are asking the right questions? Yes, they do.”

Talbott laid out a handful of his goals for 2000.

Among them is a reassessment of the city’s contracts with what he called “downtown organizations,” namely, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Downtown Spokane Partnership and the Economic Development Council.

“I would like to challenge those agencies to be available to go out to bid, and if we don’t (put them out to bid), challenge them to do a bit better job,” Talbott said.

Talbott said that would only happen with the support of the City Council.

“It’s not going to happen because I want it to happen,” he said.

The mayor reaffirmed his desire to see the city tackle $96 million in overdue street repairs.

“They need to be repaired and the longer we defer that, the more costly it becomes,” Talbott said.

Talbott said he is awaiting a plan produced by neighborhood councils identifying streets in need of repairs and suggestions for paying for them.

A gasoline tax might be levied as a funding mechanism, he said.

Talbott also made the case for an independent auditor who would report to the City Council and examine data produced by city staff. The position, which is being looked at by the council as part of the transition to strong mayor, could be paid for by existing funds, Talbott said.

Talbott said he will also pursue the goals the City Council identified as priorities at its Jan. 8 retreat.

Those included smoothing the way for the new strong mayor form of government, finishing the comprehensive plan and improving economic development in Spokane.

TO WATCH State of the City A tape of the address will be cablecast on CityCable 5 throughout February. It will be aired Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., Sundays at 5 p.m. and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.