Letters for Jan. 19, 2023

Thanks to Sheriff Knezovich

Thank you to Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich for his 16 years of exceptional service in Spokane County. He is the epitome of the finest in law enforcement and has left big shoes to fill. His leaving here is a sad loss and for some time, I believe we will struggle without his leadership.

Though constantly undermined by misinformed and mislead “officials,” he carried on with total honesty, wisdom, openness and integrity.

Each time he took proper action in firing an officer who blatantly broke the law, that same officer would not only be exonerated, but given a lengthy paid vacation. The public knows this was and always will be totally unacceptable. Then when he was asked to surrender his weapon at a public venue, insanity somehow prevailed.

I believe I speak for the majority of the inhabitants of Spokane County when I say he will be greatly missed. I wish him every joy and success in his new endeavors.

Beverly Nelson

Spokane Valley

Little boys will be boys

As I read the article about “GOP commissioners not happy with fellow Republican as chair” (Jan. 11), I felt like I was back in my third-grade classroom with two of my boys yelling at each other, “It’s not fair! It’s not fair!” and stomping their feet.

Well, guess what, Josh Kerns and especially Al French – life is not fair. It’s not all about you. Voters elected five commissioners despite everything you both did to try to stop that. Your reign is now over in controlling everything. It’s time to share and learn to work with one another, especially with your new classmates. Oops! Again, something I would say to my third-graders.

These are grown men. How sad to draw lines at your first meeting and spend precious time attacking fellow commissioner Mary Kuney by saying, “She sided with the Democrats,” and coming up with a dozen excuses why she shouldn’t be chair. Perhaps French and Kerns need to look at one of the strategic objectives of the Spokane County Commission, which is “Enhance Collaboration and Partnerships.” If they can’t do it at their own board meetings, how in the heck will they do it in our community? God help us.

Jenny Rose

Spokane

City Council accountability

Per the city of Spokane’s charter: City Council “is the legislative body of the City” and “has no administrative authority.”

A decade ago, there were 13 people working in the Spokane City Council office at a cost of less than $1 million. 2022 ended with 22 people working in the council at a cost of $2.1 million. The total compensation in 2019, the year before Council President Beggs took the gavel, was $1.7 million, a 24% increase in three years.

A question that Spokane citizens must ask City Council is, “Are we getting a return on investment for these out-of-control council expenses?” As City Council focuses on fighting the mayor on the location of the East Central Police Precinct, continues to reimagine public safety, controls the council redistricting maps, paints crosswalks, attempts to solve climate change, controls city development and pretends to have the answers for solving homelessness, the citizens lose. We deserve an answer from the council as to what impact they have made on Spokane. From my perspective, the more bureaucracy created by council means less productivity, more red tape and a negative impact on the citizens.

As businesses, nonprofits and families try to balance budgets in a challenging economy, why does the council continue to increase its own salaries. As crime continues to increase, homelessness continues to grow and downtown becomes more desolate, it is my opinion that the City Council must get back to what the city charter states: “legislate.”

Chud Wendle

Spokane

Unnecessary meeting at Providence

My daughter had a surgical consult scheduled with a Providence surgeon. He was unavailable, so he was replaced with a younger PA with two years of experience. This young man did not have the Medical Information Requests, only useless X-rays. He had no surgical experience, but he had the audacity to tell her that “surgeons” would not do surgery (hip replacement, in this case) on people over a certain BMI. Thus, telling her she would be in pain until she lost 50 pounds.

I am furious about this uncompassionate bias, grandstanding and posturing that has caused unnecessary suffering! Providence should have canceled our appointment or rescheduled us with another surgeon.

This young man was more harmful than useful!

Kathryn Alexander

Spokane