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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Hopefuls’ attendance similar

Although Mayor Dennis Hession criticizes challenger Mary Verner for missing “key votes” on the City Council, documents show both candidates have a 98 percent attendance record.

Hession first leveled the charge in a campaign attack ad that began airing earlier this month: “And for dozens of key votes, Mary Verner didn’t even show up,” the ad says.

But a review of Verner’s attendance shows that from her first meeting in March 2004 through last week, she has attended 179 of 183 weekly evening meetings. While Hession served on the council, from 2002 to the end of 2005, he attended 201 of the city’s 206 regular weekly evening council meetings.

“It’s obviously just an attempt to exaggerate,” Verner said Thursday.

Hession, however, stands by the ad.

He said the point isn’t attendance, it’s about the votes she missed. A “fact check” handout about the ad provided by the Hession campaign notes 38 missed “key votes” rather than meeting attendance.

A review of the missed meetings indicates that Verner has missed votes on more issues than Hession. That’s partly because a couple of meetings she missed had long agendas and because of votes missed when she left a meeting early.

While some of the “key votes” cited by the Hession campaign were high-profile decisions – such as the appointment of Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick and the budgeting of four firefighters – others appear routine. Those include two votes to pave alleys, two to vacate alleys, two to schedule hearings to vacate alleys and a vote allowing monthly purchases of asphalt.

The votes Hession missed while serving on City Council include settling a $75,000 claim against the city, accepting a law enforcement grant and creation of a city position called “golf program supervisor.” He also missed three street vacation votes.

Most votes missed by Hession and Verner were unanimous decisions. But a vote missed by Hession at an afternoon meeting to decide if the city should make a payment to the Downtown Spokane Partnership, failed on a 3-3 vote and could have had a different outcome if he had been there. The payment was later approved on a 4-2 vote when Hession also was absent.

Verner said she missed two meetings when her mother, who lived in Georgia, was dying, and another about two months after that to take care of family affairs related to her death.

The vote Verner missed on Kirkpatrick’s appointment came at the meeting after her mother’s death.

A flier sent to Spokane voters by Hession’s campaign points out that “Hession appointed new woman police chief,” while “Verner missed the vote for new police chief.”

Asked if that’s a fair criticism of Verner given the reason for her absence, Hession said that’s up to voters to decide.

“If she wants to defend herself that’s fine, let her defend herself,” Hession said. “It’s for the public to make their assessment relative to her fitness for this office and her ability to do it well.”

The attendance rates of 98 percent for each candidate reflect the council’s regularly scheduled weekly evening meeting. Both missed nine weekly afternoon sessions, too, which is where council members generally approve routine matters such as contracts and payroll.