Efficiency debate kicks off campaigns

Spokane’s three better-known mayoral candidates sparred over ways to make city government more efficient and two new candidates formally entered the race Monday on the first day of filing for office.

Incumbent Mayor Dennis Hession defended a $260,000 efficiency study by an out-of-state consulting firm, saying that the Matrix Group had a range of recommendations for saving the city money.

They include proposals easy to accept as well as those that cause city workers to say “no way,” he said during a forum hosted by the Warren Magnuson Democratic Club. “We’re working with the departments on the controversial ones, particularly the reductions in force.”

Councilwoman Mary Verner said she regretted her vote to spend money on the report, contending it was poorly researched. The city would have done better by asking city employees and supervisors for ideas on how to save money, she said. “That’s what we get for hiring someone who’s not from Spokane to tell us what we need,” she said.

Councilman Al French said he believes most of the savings will come from cuts in utilities, which have budgets separate from the general fund, which covers such things as police and fire services.

“The question I have is, what do these recommendations do to the level of service?” he asked.

French and Hession also clashed over the dismissal of former Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch. Hession was asked why it was difficult for the public to learn information about Lynch’s situation leading up to his dismissal and why the city hired a public relations firm for advice while Lynch was on an unexplained medical leave last year.

“What we wanted to do with Jack Lynch was to communicate the information in a way that citizens would accept it,” Hession said.

Lynch’s title of deputy mayor didn’t accurately reflect his job and made it seem like he was an elected official, Hession added, and his replacement, John Pilcher, carries the title of chief operating officer.

French said he called for Lynch’s firing a week before Hession made the announcement, as well as changing the title and job description of his successor. While the title has changed, the job has not, he contended.

“You can change the Titanic to the Good Ship Lollipop, but it’s still going to crash,” French said. While the mayor calls the public relations firm’s work as “shaping the message, some of us call it spin.”

The luncheon session with Verner, Hession and French came about three hours after filing opened for local candidates around the state at county elections offices. It was scheduled before organizers knew about some recent additions to the race.

In line as the Spokane County office opened was a surprise entry into the mayor’s race. Michael Noder, a demolition contractor and a member of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, said he was entering the race after several years of unsuccessfully trying to get officials to address problems in the waste disposal system.

Noder, 49, has been a member of the committee for about two years and believes the waste disposal system is mismanaged and too expensive, and faced with increasing losses in the next four years. He said he has written to local and county officials about his concerns, but they have been “pretty much nonresponsive.”

So he decided to run.

“If I want a seat at the table, I better pull up a chair,” Noder said after paying the nearly $1,400 filing fee to run for the mayor’s office.

Also filing to run for mayor was Robert Kroboth, 73, a retiree who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2000, finishing fourth in a four-person race. Kroboth is refusing to debate or grant interviews, but his Web site describes him as an average citizen looking to bring radical change to the city. He opposes public-private partnerships, tax increment financing, the trash incinerator and fluoridation in the water.

First in line Monday morning was incumbent Council President Joe Shogan, who arrived at 7:15 a.m., more than an hour before the election office opened. Shogan, who was appointed to the position when Hession became mayor, is campaigning to keep it.

“If you’re not going to be first, it doesn’t matter – you could file any time,” Shogan said after submitting his paperwork. “I was up anyway.”

Hession arrived shortly after the doors open, as his campaign had advised the local news media.

“It’s important for me to come early to show the citizens I’m serious about this,” he told waiting camera crews.

He deflected questions about a recent vote of “no confidence” by the Spokane Police Guild, saying he realizes there are concerns about possible layoffs because of the Matrix report. He had confidence in the police and the job they do, and in Chief Anne Kirkpatrick.

He’d look to Kirkpatrick for advice on any changes to the department, and if her recommendations were different than the Matrix report, “I will give that a lot of weight,” he said.

Filing continues through 5 p.m. Friday.

The Spokane County Elections Office is posting the names and addresses of candidates on its Web site, www.spokanecounty.org/elections, as they file.