Spokane County commissioner outlines state budget wins, opioid funding talks and aquifer-fee renewal on August ballot

Commissioner Amber Waldrep, District 2, told attendees that the Washington state Legislature has passed a budget that includes capital funding for a new sobering center, soccer fields at Plants Ferry Park and water filtration for West Plains residents affected by PFAS, though the plan awaits the signature of Gov. Jay Inslee.

Waldrep said the county and its cities are coordinating on several items she called priorities for public health and water protection. "I wanna thank our state delegation for their bipartisan work to fund these important projects," she said.

The report outlined three items the commissioner highlighted as wins in the legislative session: capital funding for a sobering center, funding for soccer fields at Plants Ferry Park, and money intended for water filtration for West Plains residents impacted by PFAS. Waldrep cautioned that the final effect for Spokane County depends on the governor's signing of the budget and potential subsequent cuts; she said she would share more after the signature decisions are final.

Waldrep also described a joint April meeting between the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners, the Spokane City Council and Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown to coordinate the use of opioid settlement funds. She said the jurisdictions discussed using settlement dollars to expand sobering beds, increase access to treatment and pursue accountability for drug traffickers. The transcript records these as discussion points; no formal county action on reallocating opioid settlement money was recorded in this report.

Separately, the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to place a renewal of the county's aquifer protection area fee on the August 2025 ballot. Waldrep said the renewal is being coordinated with the cities of Millwood, Liberty Lake, Spokane Valley and the City of Spokane; the fee supports education, monitoring and protection of the county's sole-source drinking-water aquifer. The transcript reports the board's unanimous vote but does not list a motion maker, second or the count of votes by name.

Waldrep closed with several community notes, including attendance at the Holocaust Memorial event, the College Success Foundation luncheon, the 10-year anniversary of the WSU School of Medicine in Spokane, the Chase Youth Awards and a student shadowing day. She also announced that longtime executive assistant Amy Fair has moved to a role in the county's Community Services Department and said, "She has been so great to work with, and I know very responsive to people like you in the community."

For additional details, Waldrep directed listeners to her monthly newsletter and her Facebook page.