Council hears staff requests to contract for temporary workers’ compensation administration and retain outside labor counsel

City staff briefed the Spokane City Council on two personnel-related contracts: a request to bring in third-party administrative services to process workers’ compensation claims temporarily and the continued use of outside special counsel for labor matters.

Mike Piccolo (staff) explained that a specialized workers’ compensation position is vacant and that training a replacement would take months, leaving the city unable to meet statutory workers’ compensation processing requirements without interim help. Staff asked to contract with a qualified third party to carry the workload while the city rebuilds in-house expertise. Council members asked whether the role would be permanent; staff said the long-term goal remains to restore the position in-house once training and recruitment permit.

Council also reviewed the city’s contract with Summit Law Group for labor-negotiation expertise, mediation and arbitration. Staff noted the city is growing in-house capacity—specifically naming an attorney working on labor matters—but that complex labor negotiations (for example with police and fire unions) may continue to require outside counsel for heavy-lift negotiations or specialized steps.

No final permanent staffing decisions were made at the meeting; staff said the workers’ compensation contract is temporary and designed to ensure compliance with state law while recruitment and training proceed. Council asked staff to continue building in-house capacity and to return with any contract language and timelines for restoration of the function to city staff.