Council adopts amended 'Keep Washington Working' resolution after debate over scheduling and public comment

The Spokane City Council on Monday suspended its rules to add and amend an updated version of Resolution 20250010, the “Keep Washington Working” measure, then approved an amendment and moved the resolution to the Feb. 10 agenda after extended debate about public participation.

The measure drew sharp disagreement over whether advancing it now would deny members of the public the opportunity to testify. “This is not on our agenda for this evening. Folks who should be here to have the opportunity to testify will, by virtue of this not being on our agenda, be barred from participation,” Council member Cathcart said, opposing the early consideration.

Supporters said the change was meant to respond quickly to community concern. “I think that merited the moving forward,” Council member Dillon said, arguing that recent events created urgency to distribute information about people’s rights.

The council first voted to suspend the rules to allow the updated version circulated by Jackson to be considered. After a motion to adopt specific amendments to the circulated draft, the council approved the amendment. The council then voted to move the resolution to the Feb. 10 agenda for final action.

Opponents said the expedited schedule contradicted adopted rules intended to increase public participation and could privilege organized supporters over opponents. “This really is antithesis of our rules and being done for reasons I really don't understand,” Council member Caglar said. Several members said an earlier public schedule (Feb. 24) had been posted and that moving the item forward would reduce the number of people able to testify in person.

Supporters pushed back that the resolution is nonbinding and that community members had requested the council consider a formal statement. “The community knows that a resolution is just a, like a support document. It … is not changing the laws or implementing the laws,” Council member Navarrete said, adding that community advocates drafted and requested the resolution.

Council discussion also touched on legal concerns in the amendment language. Cathcart said city legal had not had time to review the proposed changes and warned the text as drafted could conflict with federal law and with special rules for the border zone. “I do have concerns that there are aspects of these amendments that do not comport with federal law,” she said. Navarrete disputed that characterization, saying certain warrant requirements apply when officers serve a person with an immigration detainer: “They are required when they are serving someone that has a detainer on like a deportation they by law it is required to have a warrant with the person's name that they are looking for.”

Council president Wilkerson called the votes after debate. The motions to suspend the rules, to adopt the sponsor’s amendment, and to move the item to Feb. 10 all carried by voice vote.

The resolution’s updated provisions, as described on the floor, would 1) create a task force of council staff, administrative staff and community partners; 2) encourage people to know their rights, with specific language referencing warrants; and 3) encourage employers to educate employees about rights. Several members asked staff legal to provide a high-level briefing before a final vote.

The council agreed that city legal and staff would brief members on legal questions before final disposition. The item will return on the Feb. 10 agenda for further consideration and a final vote.

The council’s public comment period and the calendar for additional testimony remain governed by the council’s rules; members opposing the expedited schedule said that those rules exist to protect broad public participation and should guide future scheduling decisions.