In brief: Library/center fails; fire proposition passes
Liberty Lake residents won’t get a library and community center, but a rural fire district will get more money.
Voters on Tuesday rejected a 20-year, $9.8 million bond proposal to build a combination library and community center at Mission Avenue and Signal Road in Liberty Lake, with 38 percent in favor and 62 percent opposed, according to the Spokane County Elections Division.
But elsewhere, they approved a proposition to allow increased property taxes for Fire Protection District 8, with 61 percent in favor and 39 percent opposed. The extra money will pay for additional staffing.
Election officials reported a voter turnout of 38.76 percent.
– Meghann M. Cuniff
Spokane
Student questioning policy under review
Spokane police aren’t required to contact a parent or guardian before interviewing a child at Spokane Public Schools, but a proposed policy could require them to try.
According to a draft of the policy, Spokane police would need to make efforts to make such contacts, and document unsuccessful attempts.
All Spokane Police Department policies are being reviewed by Lexipol, a California-based company that’s revised policy and procedures manuals for police all over the nation. The policy regarding questioning juveniles at schools drew attention in March, after two Salk Middle School students were questioned about construction-site vandalism. Their parents were not notified, and later objected.
Police in Washington can interview anyone 12 or older without parental consent. It’s the only state that includes preteens in such laws.
– Jody Lawrence-Turner
POST FALLS
DEQ seeks comment on dam relicensing
Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality is accepting comments through May 22 on a water quality plan for Avista Corp.’s operation of the Post Falls dam.
As part of the dam’s federal relicensing process, DEQ weighs in on how the dam affects water quality in Lake Coeur d’Alene, the Spokane River and portions of the St. Joe, St. Maries and Coeur d’Alene rivers.
DEQ, Avista and the Department of Fish and Game have entered into a settlement agreement, outlining conditions for the dam’s operations. Avista agreed to:
“Keep Lake Coeur d’Alene at full-pool summer levels of 2,128 feet until the Tuesday after Labor Day.
“Spend $350,000 on annual monitoring related to native fish, water temperature, flows and erosion control.
“Improve wetlands and bull trout habitat.
Avista is also relicensing its four dams on the Spokane River in Washington. As part of that process, the utility agreed to run more water over Spokane Falls during the summer tourist season.
To see DEQ documents related to the Post Falls dam, visit www.deq. idaho.gov/public/comment.cfm.
– Becky Kramer