Post Falls City Council Meeting: May 20, 2026 – Appointments, Annexations, and Ordinance Updates

The Post Falls City Council convened on May 20, 2026, for a regular meeting addressing appointments to the police chief and parks commission, a traditional family values proclamation, a consent calendar, a continued public hearing on the Prairie Avenue annexation zoning, deliberation on the Mullen annexation, approvals of equipment purchases for the water reclamation facility, a professional services agreement, a federal grant application for street safety, and a first reading of an updated door-to-door solicitation ordinance.

Ceremonies and Announcements

• Memorial Day Observance: City offices closed May 25, 2026; community ceremony at Evergreen Cemetery at 10 a.m. on May 25.
• Primary Election: Polls open until 8 p.m. on May 20.
• Appointment of Police Chief: Mark Brantle confirmed as Chief of Police by a roll-call vote (6-1; Councilmember Stigleader dissented, citing concerns about the appointment process lacking a public interview).
• Appointment to Parks and Recreation Commission: Scott Tulliners appointed unanimously (7-0) after describing his local roots and interest in park improvements.
• Traditional Family Values Month Proclamation: Mayor Westland proclaimed May 10 to June 21, 2026, as Traditional Family Values Month, citing statistics on family structure changes (e.g., married-parent households fell from 52% in 1960 to 18% in 2020; births to unmarried women rose from 5% in 1960 to 40% in the present day).

Consent Calendar

The following items were approved by a single roll-call vote (7-0):

• Minutes of the May 5, 2026, City Council meeting.
• Payables for May 6–20, 2026.
• Prairie Medical Campus Phase 1 construction improvement agreement.
• Updated personnel policy, surplus property disposal policy, and procurement policy.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Fire Chief Pete Hawley (Kootenai County Fire and Rescue) : Stated that the fire district remains neutral on annexation and land use decisions, focusing solely on fire and life safety reviews under adopted codes. He emphasized that public safety should not be used to advocate for or against development, and that annexation is a land use decision between property owners and the city.

Discussion Items

• Prairie Avenue Annexation (ANX-25-5) – Zoning Determination: Continued from earlier hearing. Planning Manager John Manley presented the revised proposal to assign the Residential Mixed (RM) zone to the 20-acre site north of Prairie Avenue between Greensferry Road and Highway 41. A key condition (Section 5.2.7) requires improved connections to Greensferry Road or Prairie Avenue before Lynn Street connectivity is allowed, preventing traffic impacts. Council discussed the wording regarding Cecil Road. The motion to assign RM zone passed unanimously (7-0).
• Mullen Avenue Annexation (ANX-25-7) – Continued Deliberation: The owner of 4.39 acres near the northeast intersection of Mullen and Serenga sought annexation with Community Commercial Services (CCS) zoning. At the prior hearing, council asked for a development agreement restricting multifamily residential. The ownership group contested this condition, arguing it was introduced after the public hearing and that multifamily is a permitted use by special use permit. Council debated alternatives (e.g., limited commercial, lower density) but reached no final decision. Councilmember Stigleader moved to table the issue and direct staff to work with the applicant on an acceptable zone that does not allow 100% R3 density. The motion passed 6-1 (Councilmember Luca dissented).
• Solids Conveyor Purchase Contract: Approved $87,000 (plus $9,000 contingency, total $96,000) for a JDV conveyor needed for the Water Reclamation Facility solids handling project (Project One). The conveyor is a long-lead item; pre-procurement allows installation by early 2027. Motion passed unanimously.
• Change Order with BDP Industries: Approved $681,000 to purchase an additional belt press (third unit) for the same project, bringing the total BDP contract to $1.45 million. This press will be installed in Project Two (new facility) and provide redundancy. Motion passed unanimously.
• Professional Services Agreement with JUB Engineering: Approved $430,410 for design and construction phase services for the Pole Line and Greensferry Road improvements, including signal pole relocation, road widening, and a 10-foot pedestrian trail. Funded by impact fees. Council noted that some developments had cashed out their impact fee obligations decades ago for amounts far below current costs. Motion passed unanimously.
• Safe Streets for All Grant Application: Authorized staff to apply for a federal planning grant (up to $440,800, with a 20% city match of ~$88,000) to create a safety action plan aimed at reducing roadway fatalities. The plan would qualify the city for future implementation grants. Staff emphasized that accepting the grant would require future council decisions. The accompanying resolution (expressing commitment to reducing injuries and fatalities) was also approved unanimously (7-0).
• Ordinance Updating Door-to-Door Solicitation: First reading of a revised ordinance targeting commercial solicitation of private residences. Key provisions: individual permits with criminal background checks (disqualifying serious felonies or violent misdemeanors), online application, and a requirement for solicitors to carry and display permits. Council discussed adding an in-person identity verification step when the permit is issued at the police department. The motion to approve the first reading and add that verification requirement passed unanimously (7-0). Final adoption is scheduled for a future meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Police Chief Mark Brantle confirmed (6-1).
• Scott Tulliners appointed to Parks and Recreation Commission (7-0).
• Traditional Family Values Month proclaimed.
• Consent calendar approved (7-0).
• Prairie Avenue Annexation assigned Residential Mixed zone (7-0).
• Mullen Annexation tabled; staff directed to negotiate conditions with applicant (6-1).
• Solids conveyor purchased ($96,000) (7-0).
• Additional belt press purchased from BDP ($681,000) (7-0).
• Professional services agreement with JUB Engineering approved ($430,410) (7-0).
• Safe Streets for All grant application authorized (7-0).
• Door-to-door solicitation ordinance advanced with in-person verification amendment (7-0).