Editorial: Wick would provide added perspective on Spokane Valley Council

Four candidates are vying for Spokane Valley City Council Position 6, a seat held by Bill Gothmann, who has chosen not to seek re-election. The contenders are John Baldwin, Marilyn Cline, Lewis Higgins and Ben Wick.

They differ only slightly on most of the issues facing their community, which has the good fortune to have a solid financial reserve.

All are passionate about Spokane Valley.

All want the line held on taxes, all want to assure the city is business friendly and all praise the relationship the city has with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, which provides police services. Baldwin and Cline have some knowledge of law enforcement, having served with the Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort, or SCOPE.

Among all the issues, “the elephant in the room,” Cline says, is the future of the Sprague Avenue-Appleway Boulevard couplet. Converting those streets to one-way each has moved traffic more freely from Spokane into the Valley, but it has also had a devastating effect on some small businesses. The Spokane Valley council will likely vote next Monday, the day before the primary ballots are due, on whether to put an initiative on the general election ballot that would call for restoring two-way traffic on both at a minimum cost of $1.6 million.

All of the candidates think the idea should be put to the voters. Higgins questions the cost; Baldwin says he would extend the couplet all the way to Liberty Lake.

Not just the couplet, but the future of all Valley roads will be an issue as leaders look for a way of providing sustained funding for maintaining and adding new pavement. The city has relied on state and federal grant money for many of the improvements undertaken so far, but that money is drying up, as Higgins and Wick say they recognize. None would support a new tax for roads.

Wick, at age 29, is the only candidate who is not retired. He says the city needs a better handle on long-term needs not just for roads, but for other services as well. The information systems administrator for Goodrich Corp. also says he would employ his knowledge of best practices and continuous improvement to city services, such as permitting.

Like the other candidates, he would consider whether the Valley needs a city hall, but says building an identity for the city while preserving its variety of lifestyles is more important.

Wick has sought a council seat, from voters or by appointment, since Spokane Valley was created. He has the support of Gothmann, who has often been the odd man out on council controlled by a Positive Change majority. All but Brenda Grassel have lined up behind Cline.

A dissenting voice, or at least a different perspective, is necessary for any organization, public or private. Wick can fulfill that role, and deserves the opportunity to show Spokane Valley residents what he can do as their new council member.