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Board discusses Aquifer Protection Area renewal, ballot committee names and possible separate West Plains measure
Summary
County staff asked the board to approve names for the ballot-pamphlet committee for the aquifer protection-area (APA) renewal and discussed a potential separate West Plains APA in November; staff said renewing the existing APA and adding a different aquifer would require separate measures and new notice.
Staff (staff member) told the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners on April 22 that the county must submit committee names to the auditor ahead of the elections-office deadline and presented a short list of candidates for the ballot-pamphlet committee tasked with preparing the "for and against" statement for the APA renewal. The board's packet deadline for elections filings was noted as May 2.
Staff recommended three residents willing to serve; the commissioners and staff discussed candidates including Diana Wilhite (audience member who agreed to serve), Rob Lindsay, Andy Dunau, Catherine Thompson (Spokane Riverkeeper executive director), and Jerry White Jr. County staff advised the committee must include residents within the jurisdiction that will be charged the APA fee and that the committee is limited to three members. The board accepted volunteers' willingness to serve and indicated support for selecting three names from the top of the staff list.
Separately, staff and commissioners discussed adding the West Plains to an aquifer protection-area. Legal staff and county staff explained that expanding beyond the existing Rathdrum Prairie/Rafton Prairie boundaries would not be a renewal: adding a separate aquifer or precincts outside the current APA would be a new measure requiring new title language, new public-notice requirements and city resolutions from municipalities wanting inclusion. Staff said municipalities (Cheney, Airway Heights, and interest from Medical Lake and the city of Spokane were reported) have expressed interest, but that extending the present renewal to include the West Plains would likely complicate or invalidate the planned renewal measure.
Next steps: Staff will finalize three committee names for the auditor by the elections office deadline and will present any proposed separate West Plains APA as a distinct measure if the board wants to pursue a November ballot. Staff also confirmed the county must hold the statutorily required public hearing under applicable RCWs for the APA renewal and that changes to the noticed language would reset notice requirements.
