Leaders briefed on misconduct probe

Wed., Feb. 21, 2007

The Spokesman-Review

County leaders were briefed privately Tuesday on preliminary results in an investigation into alleged misconduct in their building and planning department.

In December, county planner Bruce Hunt filed a whistleblower complaint that accused Building and Planning Director Jim Manson of providing special favors for developers at the expense of zoning and other rules.

Among several complaints, Hunt alleged that Manson rezoned 8 acres of land without a public hearing and also ruled that a child care center could be placed in a Spokane International Airport crash zone in blatant disregard to county zoning laws.

Manson has denied wrongdoing.

The investigation has been handled by a Stevens County deputy prosecutor. Commission Chairman Mark Richard said the board has more questions before a final report is issued. He said he could not yet provide details of the briefing.

Richard said the case should be done in two or three weeks.

– Jonathan Brunt

New housing ban extended

Spokane County commissioners voted Tuesday to maintain a ban on new housing in the West Plains for six more months.

Officials said they want to finish new land planning studies they are conducting with Fairchild Air Force Base and the Spokane International Airport before removing the moratorium.

Commissioners first approved the moratorium in October on land mostly south of U.S. Highway 2 and north of Intersate 90 in response to concerns from airport and base officials.

The land is zoned light industrial, which didn’t allow residential construction until commissioners changed the rules in 2005. Developers said there was high demand for residential use on the West Plains, but airport officials expressed concerns that housing might not be compatible with airplane noise.

– Jonathan Brunt

Boise

Speed limit bill dies in committee

Legislation to slow cars on Idaho freeways while letting trucks go faster came screeching to a halt in the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

The committee voted unanimously to kill the bill, though the senators said they want to learn more about the issue in the future from the state Transportation Department and the Idaho State Police.

Sen. Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, proposed SB 1075 to set 70 mph as the top speed for trucks and cars on Idaho freeways. Cars now can go 75 mph, and trucks just 65. Corder, who owns a trucking company, argued the universal speed would be safer. – Betsy Z. Russell

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