Council Adjusts Agendas: Defers LRADs and Employee Ordinance, Suspends Rules for Hilliard and Public-Rules Amendments

During its Oct. 27 agenda review, the Spokane City Council approved several motions to defer items and to suspend rules to incorporate amendments to upcoming ordinances and agendas.

The council voted to defer a consent-item relating to LRADs to final consideration on Nov. 10 to allow additional information from Spokane Police Department about device implementation and policies; the motion was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.

Council also moved to defer ordinance C36774 (relating to city council employees) to Nov. 3 to allow budget overlays and budget information to be shared with council prior to final consideration; that deferral was approved by voice vote.

Council suspended its rules and accepted a planning staff amendment to ordinance C36774 related to the Hilliard sub area plan clarifying acreage and land-use designation changes and avoided an automatic deferral for that item, saying the amendment was non-substantive and added clarity.

Separately, the council considered two proposed amendments to the public-rules ordinance (C36752) from Wilkerson and Cathcart; after discussion staff noted a savings clause that would grandfather certain public rules for up to three years unless the council amends that clause by further motion. The Wilkerson and Cathcart amendments were adopted by voice vote.

These motions were procedural and intended to ensure items return to the formal docket with clarified language or additional staff information; the administration and staff indicated they would provide the requested budget detail or policy language before the items’ final consideration.