Mayors, residents urge Spokane County to target recovery funds to Elk and Medical Lake needs

Mayors and residents asked Spokane County commissioners on July 15 to focus upcoming recovery funding on local needs in Elk and Medical Lake, and one mayor praised county staff for their preparation work. Mayor Cooper, appearing by Zoom, said she had submitted written public comment and told the commissioners, “I just really want you to know what an excellent job your staff has done.” She named county staff members George, Aiden and Chris and said their work prepared the county for later recovery efforts. The mayor said her written comment summarized public concerns raised at a recent HCDAC meeting and included a list of specific community needs raised in Elk and Medical Lake. “The purpose of my written and public comment is just to say just to put on the record, these are the needs that the communities asked,” she said. Why it matters: commissioners will later decide how to allocate recovery funding; the public record now includes a written list of needs from two communities and a request that the county act on that input. In discussion, the mayor said there had been confusion at the HCDAC meeting about whether funds could be used anywhere in Spokane County and whether residents would receive direct assistance. Her remarks asked the record to reflect the community priorities and to clarify the intended geographic scope of any county recovery spending. No formal motion or decision on recovery funding was made during the public comment period; commissioners proceeded to other agenda items after open forum. The record shows written testimony was submitted and Mayor Cooper offered to answer questions from the board.