Tag search results for 'spokane-county-government' page 1

New boundaries, bigger board could mean big shift in Spokane County commission

Sun., March 14, 2021

Local Republicans’ 12-year lock on the Spokane County Board of Commissioners could be broken next year or cemented for another decade, depending on the outcome of a historic change in county government.

Commissioners pitch Spokane as site for new Space Force Command

Mon., June 29, 2020

Spokane has joined several other communities vying to host the command center of the newest branch of the armed forces – the U.S. Space Force.

Mayor, Spokane county commissioners change tune on moving to Phase 3

Fri., June 26, 2020

Spokane County Commissioners and Mayor Nadine Woodward are no longer advocating for the county to move to Phase 3, after case counts have exploded and hospitalizations have doubled in the past week.

Sheriff’s Office requests $300,000 in COVID-19 funding for helicopter thermal imaging system

Mon., June 22, 2020

The Spokane County Sheriff Office has asked for $300,000 in federal COVID-19 aid funding for a helicopter thermal scanner, which it says could help with social distancing, responding to protests and reducing manpower needed when policing the county.

Spokane County Commission votes to ask state to move to Phase 2 of reopening; Inslee vows to ‘look at’ proposal

Tue., May 12, 2020

Spokane County Commissioners voted Tuesday to ask the state to allow them to move to Phase 2 of the Gov. Jay Inslee’s reopening plan immediately, saying they’ve hit all the benchmarks to safely reopen.

Property tax deadline extended in Spokane County to June 15

Tue., March 31, 2020

Spokane County property owners now have an additional month and a half to pay their property taxes due to financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governing by webcam: Councils, boards move meetings online

Mon., March 30, 2020

Local city councils and the Spokane County commissioners will no longer meet in person, but each has been left to determine how to provide public access to their deliberations.

Visit Spokane lays off 70% of its employees; other agencies implement hiring freeze

Wed., March 25, 2020

Local governments have abstained from the extensive layoffs reported in the private sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some have already limited hiring and reined in spending.

Spokane County Commission backs legal effort forcing public employee unions to negotiate publicly

Mon., Feb. 24, 2020

Spokane County has filed a brief in support of Lincoln County’s case that will determine whether counties can force unions that represent their employees to negotiate wages and benefits in public.

Spokane County fined by state over injury to volunteer who was directing traffic

Tue., Jan. 21, 2020

Spokane County is appealing a $2,100 fine after a volunteer was hit by a vehicle while directing traffic for a fallen sheriff’s deputy memorial in August.

Spokane County’s building and code enforcement director resigns after choking accusation

Tue., July 16, 2019

The Spokane County Building and Planning director resigned after a county employee accused him of choking her with a cord while she was sitting at her desk.

While Spokane County bans camping on public land, Valley leaders fear legal issues if they attempt the same

Sun., July 14, 2019

Camping on public land is now illegal in both the City of Spokane and Spokane County, but Spokane Valley leaders worry they won’t be able to enforce a camping law if they pass one.

Secretary in Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office resigns amid accusations that she illegally recorded co-workers

Thu., June 27, 2019

A secretary with the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office resigned this month amid a criminal investigation that alleges she illegally recorded her co-workers discussing sensitive information multiple times.

Baumgartner and French disagree on pay raises for some Spokane County leaders; commissioners will receive 3 percent raises this year and next

Sat., March 16, 2019

Spokane County commissioners will receive a 6 percent raise divided over two years, an independent citizen salary commission decided last week.

Lawsuit challenges state law expanding Spokane County Commission from three to five members

Wed., Feb. 27, 2019

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Spokane County Superior Court. Plaintiffs include the county as well as Commissioner Al French, former Commissioner John Roskelley and the Washington State Association of Counties.

100 years ago in Spokane: County asked to chip in to complete road to Mount Spokane

Wed., Feb. 20, 2019

Civic leaders asked the Spokane County commissioners for $3,500 to complete the road to Mt. Spokane.

Spokane County Commissioner Al French seeks consensus on new jail

Thu., Jan. 3, 2019

“The goal is to have something concrete, defined, this year,” said French, who also chairs the Spokane Regional Law and Justice Council and its facilities committee. “This can has been kicked down the road for so many years that we need to get an answer. We need to get a solution.”

Spokane County Commissioners expected to rehire heads of public defender’s office, counsel for defense

Mon., Dec. 10, 2018

Spokane County commissioners will decide Tuesday whether to rehire two men tasked with leading the county’s defense for indigent defendants.

Commissioners to vote on Spokane County property tax increase

Tue., Nov. 27, 2018

Spokane County commissioners will decide on Tuesday whether to take a one percent property tax increase that could help fund basic county services, road construction and property acquisitions for the Conservation Futures program.

Spokane County prosecutors demand raises, complain of unfair bargaining practices

Tue., Oct. 16, 2018

The union representing Spokane County’s deputy prosecutors has launched a public pressure campaign in hopes of rebooting contract negotiations and obtaining wage increases. Mediated negotiations stalled in August when the union, Local 1553-PA, voted to reject the county’s “last, best and final offer,” which would have immediately raised wages for senior attorneys by 2.5 percent and wages for the two lower attorney classifications by 4.25 percent.