Spokane Valley City Council Regular Meeting – December 16, 2025

The Spokane Valley City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting included general public comments, seven action items, two administrative reports, and council comments. The meeting was extended multiple times, running past 9:45 p.m. to complete the agenda.

General Public Comments

• Sue De Lucci and Linda Clesh provided updates on an upcoming neighborhood meeting on January 8th regarding a proposed development and monitoring of stormwater ponds near their area.
• Ben Lund, a 38-year resident and small business owner, spoke against changing council meeting structure to accommodate Muslim prayer times, arguing that civic traditions should be preserved and that America’s founding documents are shaped by Christian principles.
• Joe Ader, CEO of Family Promise Spokane, reported that over 1,200 homeless students were identified in Spokane Valley schools this school year, with his organization serving 843 of those children from 314 families. He advocated for continued support and noted growing homelessness in East Valley and Central Valley school zones.

Action Items

Ordinance 25-018 – School Speed Camera Program (Second Read)

• The ordinance would adopt chapter 9.60 of the Spokane Valley Municipal Code to establish an automated traffic safety camera program for school zones.
• Councilmember Merkel moved to postpone the vote until January, but the motion died for lack of a second.
• Staff reported that, statewide, once cameras are installed, speed violations drop by about 50% as soon as cameras are present, and 90% of people cited do not receive a second ticket. They also noted over 40% of drivers in measured school zones were driving over the citation threshold.
• Councilmember Wick opposed the program, citing privacy concerns and potential liability from camera footage; Councilmembers Merkel and Yeager expressed conditional support with calls for close monitoring.
• Public comments were mixed: Mike Kelly urged caution about surveillance and future use of cameras, while Manrique Rojas supported the program for child safety. The ordinance passed.

Ordinance 25-019 – Wireless Communication Tower Height Amendment (First Read)

• Council voted to waive the rules and adopt the ordinance, which amends municipal code to allow increased height for communication towers used for first responder communications.
• Councilmember Merkel opposed, noting the Planning Commission had previously concluded the change was unneeded. The ordinance passed with opposition.

Resolution 25-018 – Legal Newspaper of Record

• The resolution designates the Spokesman Review as the city’s official newspaper, replacing the Spokane Valley News Herald.
• Roger Harnack, owner of the Valley News Herald, disputed staff presentations, stating his paper was never asked for a proposal and that Spokesman Review circulation is about 15,000, not 45,000. He said the city had been paying multiple papers unnecessarily and suggested a competitive bid process.
• Councilmember Merkel moved to require an RFP process, but the motion failed for lack of a second.
• Councilmembers Patton and Merkel opposed the change; Councilmembers Wick and Hattenberg supported it for broader reach and efficiency. The resolution passed 5–2.

2026 Lodging Tax Grant Allocations

• Three motions were considered: (1) allocations including up to $260,811 for the Cross Course, $145,000 for Spokane Valley Hub, $50,000 for the Washington State Quilters quilt show, and $27,189 for Spokane County Fair marketing, with $477,000 transferred to the capital fund; (2) allocation of $2 million from lodging tax funds for infrastructure improvements for an ice sports facility, contingent on a ground lease with Anovia; and (3) operational support of up to $600,000 annually for 2027–28 and $550,000 annually for 2029–31 for the ice facility.
• The second motion was amended, per staff request, to add a condition that all lodging tax advisory committee recommendations for operational support are met, including no hotel on the site while lodging tax funds support operations.
• Councilmember Merkel objected to spending lodging tax funds on what he called “money-losing operations” and questioned the process; a call for the question was voted down, then the motions passed.

Five-Year Plan to Prevent & Address Homelessness

• The council adopted the 2025–2030 regional continuum of care plan, as recommended by the city’s Homeless and Housing Task Force.
• Staff explained that the plan is required to receive state and federal funds and that the city’s recording fee revenue is estimated at $365,000 for 2026.
• Councilmember Merkel opposed, arguing the plan’s performance metrics were unrealistic and that the city should develop its own plan. Councilmembers Yeager and Patton supported the regional plan, emphasizing that regional collaboration is necessary and that the plan allows local prioritization.
• The motion passed.

K-9 Patrol Deputy

• The council approved converting an existing patrol position to a canine position, with no increase in FTE count.
• The new K-9 will be funded by a $15,000 donation from a deceased community member’s estate, with one-time kennel costs of about $5,000 and annual recurring costs of $5,200. A DOJ COPS grant will offset the ongoing costs.
• Councilmembers praised the donation and the safety benefits of canines. The motion passed unanimously.

Sullivan/Trent Preferred Alternative

• The council approved advancing the revised “jug handle” interchange concept to final design and authorized a consultant agreement not to exceed $4.1 million with KPFF Consulting Engineers.
• Staff explained that the previous peanut-style diamond interchange grew too costly and complex; the jug handle reduces bridge square footage, shortens construction time from over two years to about 19 months, and reduces lane restrictions from 26 months to about nine months.
• Councilmember Merkel voted no, citing concerns about roundabout performance and project priority. The motion passed.

Administrative Reports

Signal Cabinet Wrap Discussion

• Spokane Arts Executive Director Skylar Oberst proposed partnering with the city to wrap 12 traffic signal cabinets with art, funded by an STCU grant; there would be no cost to the city for printing or installation.
• The wraps are expected to deter graffiti and last three to five years. Locations would be selected based on visibility, graffiti history, and city ownership.
• Council expressed consensus to participate and to appoint the 2026 mayor and deputy mayor to the selection committee.

Comprehensive Plan Discussion

• Consultant Elliot Weiss of Community Attributes presented three preliminary land use scenarios for the comprehensive plan update: no action, a limited rezone/upzone, and an upzone-only approach.
• The city must accommodate a 20-year housing unit allocation of more than 16,000 units across income bands, including low-income bands that are difficult to serve without subsidies.
• Councilmembers raised questions about tax impacts, commercial displacement, and density distribution; the discussion will continue at future meetings.

Council, Mayor, and City Manager Comments

• Councilmember Merkel criticized several decisions made during the meeting, including the newspaper change, tower height amendment, lodging tax allocations, and the homelessness plan, and announced she would not vote for the current mayor or deputy mayor.
• City Manager Holman reported on storm preparedness for a forecast wind event, praised a joint police operation with the U.S. Marshals Service that arrested 15 individuals, and responded to concerns about SCRAPS code changes, calling it a minor administrative matter.

Key Outcomes

• Passed Ordinance 25-018 (speed cameras), Ordinance 25-019 (tower heights), Resolution 25-018 (newspaper of record, 5–2), three lodging tax motions, the five-year homelessness plan, K-9 deputy conversion, and Sullivan/Trent design advancement.
• The meeting adjourned after several extensions.