[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6159619,"mediaKeyId","5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0","parentId",5453183,"title","Council amends appointment resolution for vacancy after lengthy debate; ruling on process sustained","audioSeconds",2703,"startMs",977000,"endMs",3680000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0&start=977&end=3680","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0/thumbnail_977000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6159619/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-amends-appointment-resolution-for-vacancy-after-lengthy-debate-ruling-on-process-sustained","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159619-639c4d9bf16cade53fbc5e0d8d34c2a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646986&Signature=YizdFAa7dDuiAnB07YiwVj832ODlos1s2f-aNz8eh6N-V67lESBWMPb2ZqpoEB27tpmdvVcSpceWwgFcnJp6PjZVC65R49Uij~sEG3IahJTQP2h-vPD2PuL3TupTjD5y~yw--QNl~47rxt6wLbFXzwPQRZjPyoXsKWTwmBvNl6tCy1y7SON92HkSjcIh-SUB--dPtOSdQORl3U6RdJ5sPmkW3StOG896uDHyyv1rJz2k5WuWz90zVUlg4TD4V3IlgJCfyuhVcQ8if1wds2sG4Mem6~2-9pO8k7pAOt27OpKCceOxPba0MuReeQ-LLTlel~2-ymfb8ROr8VNiL8CvlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane City, WA","date","2025-07-22T01:01:28Z","article","Spokane City Council considered amendments July 21 to the resolution that governs the appointment to fill the vacant seat left by Lily Navarrete. Staff described the timeline and steps the council used to publicize and process applications.
Jacoby Bird, staff, reviewed the posted timeline: the application opened in May, closed June 20, interviews occurred in a special study session July 10, and a public hearing was held at the last legislative session. Bird said that amendments submitted timely would be considered at the July 21 meeting and a clean version would ideally come back for adoption the following week.
Council debate focused on procedure and fairness. Some councilors said adopting amendments without a rule suspension changes long-standing practice because amendments can shift hearing dates; others said this process had been used in recent months to produce \"clean\" agendas for final votes. A ruling by the chair that the amendment process was consistent with prior practice was appealed and the council voted to sustain the chair's ruling.
The council then voted on a proposed amendment to the appointment resolution (sponsored by Dylan Wilkerson). After debate that referenced specific applicants and their prior service, councilors approved the amendment by a 4-2 vote. Councilors emphasized the need for public process, clarity on timelines and fairness to candidates; proponents cited candidate qualifications and differing views on whether prior council service was a decisive factor.
Why it matters: the resolution sets the process the council will use to fill a city council vacancy and the amendments and procedural rulings determine timing and how the public and council consider candidates.
Next steps: staff will follow the council's amended timeline and process to finalize the appointment; sponsors and staff will publish the clean resolution and proceed to the scheduled final action date per council rules.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 21st, 2025 Spokane City Council Agenda Review Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Councilors debated amendments to the resolution governing the appointment to fill Lily Navarrete's council seat, appealed a chair ruling about calendar/timeline practice and ultimately sustained the ruling; the council adopted an amendment to the appointment procedure by a 4-2 vote after extended debate over fairness and candidate experience.","taxTitle","Spokane, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2644,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6159623,"Council defers procurement equity resolution and community workforce agreement for more review",981,680000,1661000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0&start=680&end=1661","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0/thumbnail_680000.jpg","/articles/6159623/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-defers-procurement-equity-resolution-and-community-workforce-agreement-for-more-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159623-15141ca8fdb35be0e0189aac5ae42b3b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646986&Signature=iHSaWinIDaEA4dNll2S8adnRsxf06PmFwCJHO-DVZuFZkdREQe6B9TzfCssdiCCl7idMZkbQWIdLPfPmrd9hkmf0-aYYfrNv-pWBsYxGcuRL8DT2dTxOmJYe2MMRXt0ywdpdz-dC6mzE277ko~f78WA-CZT7sqZGN67RLnV4zOrH2KMD6QLqVCG2EPQvoZK2Zx1p28XAYJ14LIDUCsYSv-tBLvyJchQ3jTMLx80yNthLqyi1pUSuWK-r9PevJ1wA~ol~WNLzul6zMIM0BR5HOO9X1QLc7JIRIqvDt1ioWCIY~ds0f2F7Y2otu3LpuUM5~676A998UE8JqhsLzY24Rg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Spokane City Council heard July 21 briefings on a procurement equity resolution and a proposed community workforce agreement, then voted to defer action on both measures to allow more review and amendment.
Alex Chibolisco, manager of equity and inclusion initiatives, described Resolution 2025-551 as an item to create a more inclusive, data-driven procurement process to increase participation by small minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses. Jason O'Connoskey, director of Purchasing and Contracts, joined him to answer questions.
Separately, Council member Dylan described a community workforce agreement proposal that would apply to public-works projects over $5,000,000 and prioritize hiring from distressed ZIP codes and change bidding criteria. Dylan said he was circulating amendments after meetings with the Spokane Alliance and the Association of General Contractors and planned to defer the ordinance for more time to process feedback.
Councilors moved to defer Resolution 2025-551 to July 28 for further consideration and also deferred first reading/final consideration of the community workforce ordinance to later August dates so sponsors could circulate amendments and allow more time for review. Council members said the measures are related to procurement and an equity scorecard and that more time would allow improved alignment between the resolution and any pilot or procurement changes.
Why it matters: both items concern city contracting, local hiring, and how public dollars are used; changes could affect bidding processes and contractor participation on large public works projects.
Next steps: staff and council sponsors will circulate amendments; Resolution 2025-551 was deferred to July 28 and the community workforce agreement ordinance was deferred to a later August meeting for additional vetting.
","Councilors deferred a resolution to improve participation by small, minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses and deferred action on a proposed community workforce agreement while staff and council members work on amendments and supporting resolutions.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6159628,"Council adopts Complete Streets amendment adding performance measures; staff says passing by Aug. 15 helps grant competitiveness",1561,1743000,3304000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0&start=1743&end=3304","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0/thumbnail_1743000.jpg","/articles/6159628/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-adopts-Complete-Streets-amendment-adding-performance-measures-staff-says-passing-by-Aug-15-helps-grant-competitiveness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159628-3c0d2bd38ab506ef3804f0f910bc0593/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646986&Signature=CmlZjcxvgJkC2Bd90iklvEPFxcFMp7UVU~qFOzfRh9~zU74Yg-cZv4cZAaFL3oD0~6B6dyf-DIl49sZ~wrrphCPkMNJouOFWmUI92Ra2aCMHh6G~W3Ltv9qeB~Sqln1jNB3abOHgZc4af~0zq5pnBjKNousx44hVIfTqnG1XJwPycm8PqVO7~cqhBVFyL3D17RI8ZVbxGRYMaIAazXijgunC4P4pkr3q41hVcoV31WT0Uxg~vXuL0mTwvHETQ7B-vjBDtAFU5-Ljii5fb~HL7q1AHo2ZN384Du8soOa0J9HoVYn7Dmbm3h-eiafW0T6N3Wc0SodQ03oH5zpWLrWosA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Spokane City Council members reviewed and adopted amendments to the city's Complete Streets ordinance during the July 21 agenda review, after staff described a package of updates to align the code with current state law and planning documents and to add clearer performance measures.
John Snyder, who briefed the council, said the updates add references such as the bicycle master plan and the ADA transition plan, strengthen exception language, and establish monitoring and performance measures that the Transportation Commission will include in its annual report. Section 9, Snyder said, directs reporting on items including annual fatalities and serious injuries by mode, vehicle miles traveled in the city, transit boardings and micromobility trips, plus reporting of new active-transportation facilities built each year.
Snyder told council several of the measures rely on data the city already collects but that the updates consolidate reporting into a single public review. He also said the Transportation Improvement Board has a grant cycle with an Aug. 15 deadline and that having the ordinance passed by that date will improve the city's scoring on applications for complete-streets-related grants.
Councilors voted to adopt the amendment package; staff said the change will give evaluators a clearer set of performance metrics and public reporting via the Transportation Commission's annual report.
Why it matters: the ordinance change standardizes performance tracking and public reporting for multimodal safety and investment measures and may improve the city's ability to compete for state transportation grants.
Next steps: staff will incorporate the new reporting items into the Transportation Commission annual report and use the strengthened ordinance language in future grant applications.
","Council heard staff explain updates to the Complete Streets ordinance to add modern references and performance measures; staff said added metrics should be included in the Transportation Commission annual report and that passing the ordinance by Aug. 15 would improve scoring for a state grant application.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6159632,"Council briefed on $280,000 state grant to continue city climate planning work",71,461000,532000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0&start=461&end=532","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0/thumbnail_461000.jpg","/articles/6159632/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-briefed-on-280000-state-grant-to-continue-city-climate-planning-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159632-694be013114766ebf57f76c029112841/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646986&Signature=Jq6Rne0kAesj0MpDB29UyZcpw3nmp2AIyi26UDZSPDDcNB11eaooFQeN5jVjkxNrw4a~gm1vhrxe7NQ4e2GXzNOOtqUTD39WxzO~2hW1y3CmHFdK8kjiNQfr7FlFOgN3dLjUoAo-GcXEooAja61~Iy-nOJYVAY2dJbmQetS6Fpyis3fdJktsaENX2I10UsBGtr6KOdacnbdghNNacFNvMZybx2YRH5XJ1BKnTSWKU3GgYZLfFiQHzH-SIFW41mcxpDYnheDd8MRmczD~2pEpQJciX8muQJmVe9mb5dRxHQPrzVuxhYjxShJAt0uALujA~I1jB~yo5CVLnbHHzJOyYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff briefed Spokane City Council on July 21 about a Department of Commerce grant to continue the city's climate planning work tied to the comprehensive plan.
Mara Murphy said the grant acceptance ordinance (SBO C36725) would establish a budget and accept approximately $280,000 in remaining funding allocated by the state legislature from the Climate Commitment Act. She said the award aligns with the state biennium that began July 1, 2025, and continues work begun over the prior year.
Murphy said the item creates the authority to accept the grant and that a related consent item for formal grant acceptance appears on the consent calendar. Councilors had no substantive questions during the briefing.
Why it matters: the grant funds continuation of local climate planning work that will feed into the comprehensive plan process and help the city meet state program timelines and reporting.
Next steps: the council later moved to defer the consent item to July 28 for final consideration; staff said accepting the grant will establish a budget to continue climate planning activities.
","City staff told council the Department of Commerce awarded remaining legislative funds from the Climate Commitment Act for Spokane's phase 2 climate planning, and the city will establish a budget to accept about $280,000 aligned to the 2025-2027 state biennium.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6159637,"Council hears reduced state award for therapeutic courts; staff say cuts may eliminate about three positions",111,548000,659000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0&start=548&end=659","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5453183-ac784a700bb0dbbc5dad617ced636db0/thumbnail_548000.jpg","/articles/6159637/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-hears-reduced-state-award-for-therapeutic-courts-staff-say-cuts-may-eliminate-about-three-positions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6159637-10747b3d52f8e224521f69bdfcfdfcfc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773646986&Signature=lO9Mb4wANMKb3YgyYZ~HA6VFNcvQRWSeNs6y8bJ8goEUj4OYz9qx~uJOKhBFqJ~ObbOLjJsG2M4KillPLwGNbDQsZMYE4hviTPQiDmlhKUGHFLhfOqpgBX~24dEuz0tvFVDkjN2SC-fe56d1g3aWvkIuOqIEuZ0NtpKJ5qEx7R4XQzZWnxGio-Hn99QFOADLmfXKur4owO1VqOhaD4N~-shEGllUuTDWNA9VRL0k2nrVlTmBOiF6CM0txzE08Kd4dOR3L0UBMaqEGkcmKmmstfmfnncg6b0d6fw32vukYs-sVCqHMzCT7nIW-RqHhufF9i9C14QTZSDtsap7Ip~HYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Spokane City Council members were told July 21 that a state grant for the city's therapeutic court programs came in substantially smaller than requested, forcing program changes and potential staff reductions.
Micha el Diamond, speaking for the therapeutic courts because the coordinator was on leave, said the city received a state Administrative Office of the Courts award covering July 1 through the following June and that the award was substantially less than requested. He said the funds are intended primarily to support funded full-time positions and travel and training for court staff. Diamond said the shortfall will require the court to \"modify programs and services accordingly.\"
The presenter said the reduced award will mean a cut equal to roughly three positions and that staff are seeking other grant options, including federal grants that become available in March. He said the state awards are annual and that courts across Washington are being affected by state budget cuts.
Council members pressed administration on whether the city would try to find alternate funding to restore any lost FTEs. Diamond said the city is exploring available grants but did not offer a firm plan to replace positions before the next funding cycle.
Why it matters: the therapeutic courts provide supervised programs that the city said rely on funded staff to operate; a contraction in staffing can change the services available to participants and court operations.
Program details and next steps: Diamond said the award will be appropriated to fund positions and training. Councilors and staff discussed pursuing other grants and monitoring upcoming federal and state funding opportunities. No final funding decision or layoffs were voted on at the July 21 agenda review; the related acceptance and appropriation item was deferred for final consideration at the July 28 meeting.
Context: Judge O'Sullivan had discussed the program with council previously, and members referenced that conversation while questioning administration about contingency plans.
","City staff told Spokane City Council that a recent court grant award from the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts was substantially smaller than requested, forcing program adjustments that could eliminate roughly three positions; councilors discussed seeking other grants and options.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council amends appointment resolution for vacancy after lengthy debate; ruling on process sustained

Council defers procurement equity resolution and community workforce agreement for more review

Council adopts Complete Streets amendment adding performance measures; staff says passing by Aug. 15 helps grant competitiveness

Council briefed on $280,000 state grant to continue city climate planning work

Council hears reduced state award for therapeutic courts; staff say cuts may eliminate about three positions