City Council Spends Evening Bickering

Tue., Sept. 26, 2000

By Oliver Staley olivers@spokesman.com

FOR THE RECORD: September 27, 2000: Council meeting error: At Monday’s Spokane City Council meeting, it was Councilman Steve Corker who first left the council chambers after an argument, not Rob Higgins. An article Tuesday said otherwise.

The Spokane City Council dissolved into its fiercest fighting of the year Monday, feuding over an issue that was all but settled.

Council members sparred and stormed out of the council chambers as personal attacks and politics inserted themselves into a hearing over disestablishing the Business Improvement District.

The main issue at the hearing, which had been proposed by Councilman Steve Eugster, was whether the BID should be terminated and reformed under a plan devised by Eugster.

While BID board members disagreed with Eugster’s tactics, they had said previously that they were willing to work with the city to evolve the organization, which charges downtown business and property owners in exchange for services like security and marketing.

But the substance of the hearing was overshadowed by the venom of the council.

Eugster was criticized by councilwomen Phyllis Holmes and Roberta Greene for using the threat of termination as a way to continue his private fight against the BID. Eugster, a downtown property owner, has unsuccessfully sued the BID over its policies and has since paid his fees under protest.

Eugster had railed against the council’s unwillingness to consider what he said were essential changes to the organization.

“I’m absolutely astounded by the complete inability of anybody to think a little bit differently,” he said as he blasted the BID’s assessment methods as illegal.

“It appears to me what we’ve just heard represents an individual’s problems that have existed for years with an entity that he’s a part of,” Greene said. “It’s become very evident that if you don’t like what we do, we have a gun to your head.”

Eugster protested that personal attacks were out of order and the council broke down into bickering, stopping only when a citizen, real estate developer Dick Edwards, addressed the council.

“I’m embarrassed,” Edwards said, his voice quavering with emotion. “I’m ashamed I have to go home and tell my kids about tonight. This is not democracy.”

But while tempers settled briefly, they flared again even as Councilman Steve Corker was trying to explain to the stunned crowd the reason for the council’s behavior.

“Why you hear arguing is because you have up here people who care so much about this community,” Corker said. “That’s what this election is all about …” Before Corker could finish, he was interrupted by Councilman Rob Higgins, who is opposing Corker in the race for council president. Corker and Higgins, who sit next to each other, started arguing, and were joined by Eugster.

The council was gaveled into recess by Mayor John Talbott, and Higgins shot out of his chair and into the council lounge, followed by Corker and Eugster. As the three argued audibly, Talbott shook his head and went over to the assembled business people in the audience to apologize.

When the meeting resumed, the focus was back on the BID, and its reform.

Eugster had proposed voting on a revamped BID concept until Nov. 13, which the BID supporters said was too soon to get feedback from their many members

Eventually, they agreed to bring back a status report in a month.

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