Resignation of Spokane Councilwoman Lili Navarrete takes effect; replacement to be appointed July 28

Spokane City Councilwoman Lili Navarrete’s resignation took effect Tuesday, leaving a vacancy on the seven-person council that will need to be quickly filled ahead of an election for her replacement.

Navarrete announced in March she would not be seeking election to a new term this year, leaving the door open for business executive Alejandro Barrientos and former prosecuting attorney Kate Telis to vie for the seat in November.

Rumors soon began to swirl that Navarrete planned to resign early and had been offered a job in the city; Navarrete confirmed the former in May, citing health concerns, and on June 16 announced she had accepted a job as a program professional for the city’s Community, Housing and Human Services division.

Navarrete ended her tenure with a marathon city council meeting Monday night, during which an ordinance she had sponsored to prevent warrantless immigration raids at city-permitted events was unable to achieve the supermajority support necessary to approve it on an expedited basis. Councilman Paul Dillon, who along with Navarrete represents south Spokane on the council, pledged Monday to revive the ordinance through the normal legislative track.

Though voters will have an opportunity in November to choose a successor for a full four-year term, the rest of the City Council will have to choose Navarrete’s temporary replacement in the coming weeks.

Applications opened May 23 and closed June 19. Public interviews of the candidates are scheduled for July 10, and the public can weigh in on candidates during the July 14 council meeting. The council is expected to vote on a replacement on July 28.