Council OKs budget changes, street contract

Thu., April 26, 2007

By Peter Barnes peterb@spokesman.com

With three of its seven members absent, the Spokane Valley City Council had a short but productive meeting Tuesday night.

Steve Taylor, deputy mayor, along with council members Dick Denenny, Bill Gothmann and Rich Munson, unanimously approved changes to the city budget, a contract for street repair services and a change to the city’s logo ordinance.

The budget amendment was one of two each year that account for changes in city finances since the budget was adopted in November.

It included five new positions costing roughly $200,000 to handle development and city planning following complaints from builders that projects have been held up in the permitting office. Several groups also expressed concern that long-term planning tasks weren’t getting the attention they deserved from staff.

The budget also reflects an additional $34,000 for a City Council salary increase approved by a salary commission late last year and $50,000 for a consultant to work with landowners in the U-City area on developing a city center.

The council also finalized a contract with Poe Asphalt Pacing to complete up to $1.175 million in routine repairs to streets and storm water infrastructure previously handled through a contract with the county.

“I think it’s a move in the right direction,” Munson said, adding that he was happy to see that more than one company submitted a bid for the work.

His colleagues concurred.

“I’m very pleased that we were able to go in this direction,” Taylor said.

Over the past year, the city and the county have agreed to transition many of the public works tasks to the private sector or the city.

In other council business, the city tweaked the rules surrounding how the city logo is used.

Purrfect Logos was named in the original ordinance adopted last year.

The city attorney advised it would be better if there was not a specific business listed in the City Code, but added the change was not a reflection on the company.

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