Spokane Valley shines in state audit

Spokane Valley’s books are looking clean, according to a state financial audit.

An expansive set of state regulations governs how cities conduct their business and report their finances. And in its first two years, Spokane Valley has met all of them, according to reports released to the public Friday.

“As a new city, the auditors would want to look at almost everything,” said city finance director Ken Thompson.

Spokane Valley had about $82 million in net assets in 2004, and the audit states the city’s procedures to account for them were up to code.

All city policies analyzed complied with state laws, although auditors suggested that the city develop ways to confirm outside revenues like gambling taxes are fully paid.

The city will pay about $75,000 for the cost of the audit, Thompson said.

– Peter Barnes

EWU professor joining SCAPCA

An Eastern Washington University chemistry professor who’s studied air pollution from agricultural field burning will represent Spokane on the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority board.

Jeff Corkill, who has taught chemistry at EWU for 24 years, was recently elected by a majority of the county’s small-city mayors to fill the SCAPCA seat previously occupied by former Spokane City Councilman Mike Brewer. He was nominated by Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession for the four-year term.

Corkill is no stranger to SCAPCA, having served on its advisory committee for 15 years.

He is critical of the SCAPCA board for its hostility to former agency director Eric Skelton, who resigned in September to work for a regional air quality agency in Boston.

“Eric did a fantastic job at SCAPCA and it’s too bad he got forced out,” Corkill said. He will serve on the board’s search committee for Skelton’s successor.

Corkill is one of four authors of a recently published paper in the science journal Atmospheric Environment which analyzes the pollutants in smoke emitted from wheat and bluegrass stubble burning.

– Karen Dorn Steele

Five arrested in hydrant floods

The investigation into the vandalism of Spokane Valley fire hydrants has wrapped up, fire officials said Friday.

Spokane Valley Fire Department spokesman Bill Clifford said five suspects were arrested: Michael R. Girven, Brandon T. Lopes, Adam W. Miller and Richard T. Houston, all 18, and a 17-year-old.

They were charged with a combined total of 27 counts of malicious mischief, two counts of harassment and two counts of intimidating a witness.

The pipe wrench used in the vandalism was located and recovered for evidence Thursday at the intersection of Cimmaron and Ridgeview in the Ponderosa neighborhood, Clifford said.

Spokane Valley police said eight fire hydrants were opened in late February, including one that flooded the basement of a home in the 3400 block of South Sundown Drive.

The vandalism caused hundreds of dollars in damage, Clifford said.

– Jody Lawrence-Turner