OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Spokane Valley City Council Meeting - February 10, 2026

City Council & Commissions — Tuesday, February 10, 2026
BodySpokane Valley, Washington
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateTuesday, February 10, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:08

PM when you're ready.

0:10

You were kidding.

0:11

Yeah, how about now?

0:12

It's 6 p.m.

0:13

when you're ready.

0:15

Thank you.

0:16

Good evening.

0:17

This is the Spokane Valley City Council regular meeting, formal A format for Tuesday, February 10th, 2026.

0:25

It's now called to order.

0:28

First, we have an invocation from Pastor Kevin Lind with Opportunity Presbyterian.

0:34

So if you will stand with me.

0:45

God, we ask your uh presence over this meeting tonight, and we thank you for all those gathered.

0:52

And God, we uh pray for our city and for each and every person that you've made in the that lives here and works here, and God, we pray for uh your safety and provision for all of us.

1:08

Lord, we especially think of those who are struggling and uh and God we uh pray for your justice and your mercy and your humility to fill all of us.

1:22

Uh God we lift up our schools and our public servants, we lift up our businesses and uh just all the members of our city to you.

1:35

Amen.

1:36

Amen.

1:38

Join me in the pledge.

1:39

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and which it stands and liberty and justice for all the clerk can call the roll.

2:02

Certainly.

2:03

Mayor Padden here, Deputy Mayor Hattenberg?

2:06

Here, Councilmember Haley, here councilmember Yeager, here councilmember Kelly, present.

2:12

Councilmember Wick?

2:13

Here, Councilmember Merkel.

2:15

Here.

2:16

Thank you.

2:19

Move to approve the agenda.

2:21

Second.

2:22

All those in favor?

2:23

Aye.

2:24

Aye.

2:24

Opposed.

2:25

Agenda has been approved.

2:28

There are no special guests presentations.

2:31

We do have a proclamation.

2:35

So this is the proclamation for the city of Spokane Valley, Washington for President's Day.

2:40

Whereas February 16th is officially President's Day, where we honor the leadership and achievements of all those who have held America's highest elected office.

2:51

And whereas we also celebrate with special pride the rich legacies of Presidents Washington and Lincoln.

2:58

And whereas Abraham Lincoln sought to bring Americans together around core values.

3:17

And whereas each president has left his mark on the history of our nation, each has brought a unique and lasting influence on this 250th year of existence.

3:30

And whereas on President's Day, February 16th, 2026, we express our gratitude to the presidents of the United States of America.

3:40

Now therefore, I, Laura Padd, Mayor of the City of Spokane Valley, on behalf of the Spokane Valley City Council and the citizens of Spokane Valley to hereby proclaim February 16th, 2026 as President's Day in the City of Spokane Valley, and I encourage Americans to reflect on the values of liberty, justice, and democracy that guided these leaders.

4:07

Dated this 10th day of February, 2026.

4:12

We have someone to come up.

4:18

Thank you for the present president's day proclamation.

4:22

Thank you for the partnership between the FAR, DAR, CAR, and the City of Spokane Valley.

4:29

Our organizations are looking forward to celebrating the America 250 with you.

4:34

We would not be here today without the leadership of Presidents Washington and Lincoln.

4:39

Thank you for your leadership.

4:41

We hope all of you will join us for the picnic in the park later this spring.

4:46

Thank you.

4:51

Thank you.

4:57

This brings us to the general public comment opportunity, our first one.

5:01

This is an opportunity for the public to speak on any subject except agenda action items as public comments will be taken on those items when indicated.

5:12

Please keep comments to matters within the jurisdiction of city government.

5:17

This is not an opportunity for questions or discussion.

5:21

Diverse points of view are welcome, but please keep remarks civil.

5:27

Remarks will be limited to three minutes per person.

5:30

If a person engages in disruptive behavior or makes individual personal attacks regarding matters unrelated to city business, then the council and or mayor may end that person's public comment time before the three minute limit.

5:49

Is there anyone on Zoom?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Cannabis Regulation█████████████████████████████████████37%
Public Safety███████████11%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Environmental Protection███████7%
Procedural██████6%
Public Health██████6%
Budget Equity Analysis██████6%
Transportation Safety███3%
Land Use Planning███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Spokane Valley City Council Meeting - February 10, 2026

The Spokane Valley City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at City Hall, 10210 E Sprague Ave. The agenda included a Presidents' Day proclamation, approval of routine consent items, a telecommunications franchise ordinance, a first reading of a Kratom sales restriction ordinance, capital improvement project reports, a clean air regulation comment letter, and a budget overview. The council approved consent items and the franchise, forwarded the Kratom ordinance to a second reading, and directed follow-up on several administrative reports.

Proclamation

  • Mayor Laura Padden proclaimed February 16, 2026, as Presidents' Day in Spokane Valley. Representatives from the DAR/CAR organizations accepted the proclamation and announced upcoming America 250 celebrations.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved claim vouchers dated January 27, 2026 ($7,367,598.72) and February 10, 2026 ($1,174,447.39).
  • Approved payroll for pay periods ending January 15, 2026 ($714,880.78) and January 31, 2026 ($770,630.03).
  • Approved council meeting minutes from January 13, 2026 (listed twice on the agenda), January 20, 2026, and January 27, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • During the first general public comment period, one speaker made brief remarks about police patrols and vaccines; no other speakers came forward.
  • During the Kratom ordinance public comment, several residents and out-of-state advocates testified:
    • Ben Lund (Spokane Valley resident/business owner) supported a total ban, citing lack of data and ease of enforcement.
    • Spencer Coffin (Spokane resident) opposed a blanket ban, urging regulated sales with labeling, testing, and age restrictions.
    • Jennifer Gillis (via Zoom) supported restricting synthetic 70H products while preserving access to whole-leaf Kratom for chronic pain patients.
    • Misty Brown (Thornton, Colorado) opposed the ban, sharing personal recovery experience and speaking for a Spokane Valley resident unable to attend.
    • Melody Wolf (Michigan) urged the council to follow current FDA/HHS positions and avoid banning natural Kratom.
    • Alison Smith (Global Kratom Coalition) recommended a 21+ sales regulation with a 2% limit on 70H and third-party testing.
    • John Shenholzer (American Veterans for Kratom Safe) opposed the ban, citing peer-reviewed studies and distinguishing natural Kratom from synthetics.
    • Jordan Richard (California) opposed the ban, stating Kratom is statistically safer than opioids and culturally established in Southeast Asia.
  • The second general public comment period had no speakers.

Discussion Items

  • Ordinance 26-001 (Second Read) – Forge Fiber 37 LLC Franchise: Councilmember Tony Beattie presented the franchise ordinance for a telecommunications franchise to Forge Fiber 37 LLC, an AT&T subsidiary acquiring Lumen facilities. The performance bond was increased to $100,000, and language regarding potential franchise fees was updated. Councilmember Merkel praised the increased guarantee. The council approved the ordinance on a voice vote.

  • Ordinance 26-003 (First Read) – Kratom Sale & Distribution: Police Chief Ellis and City Attorney's Office representative Caitlin Prunty presented a draft ordinance prohibiting Kratom sales in Spokane Valley. They described Kratom's risks, the lack of federal/state regulation, and enforcement challenges. A class 1 civil infraction ($250 per violation) and potential business license revocation were discussed. Councilmember Kelly raised concerns about banning natural Kratom while synthetic 70H is the primary problem; Councilmember Yeager moved to table the item for three months to gather more information. The tabling motion failed on a voice vote. The council then voted to forward the ordinance to a second reading.

  • 2026 Capital Improvement Projects: Staff presented the 2026 CIP, including:

    • Centennial Trail improvements (bridge completed; trailhead/lighting; roundabout at Trent; construction through 2026–2027).
    • Sprague Avenue Preservation (Bowdish to McDonald; grind/inlay, curb ramps, stormwater, and lane-narrowing to restore shoulder striping; construction spring 2026).
    • South Barker Corridor (Sprague to Appleway; widening, bike lanes, sidewalks, landscaping; late March–June 2026, state-funded).
    • Sullivan Avenue Preservation (8th to 24th; reconstruction, sidewalk infill, new mid-block crossing at 12th, RRFBs; federal/city funded).
    • Local access preservation contract (neighborhood street overlays and stormwater retrofits; spring/summer).
    • 32nd Avenue Preservation/Pines to SR-27 (with 18-inch water main by MOD Irrigation, ITS conduit; May–August).
    • Arterial school crossings (10 crosswalks on Broadway, Pines, and 32nd with ADA ramps and flashing beacons).
    • Belfort Park improvements (pickleball/basketball courts plus amenities; potential lighting/sound system alternate).
    • Pavement condition indices were provided: Sprague 65–75, South Barker ~80, Sullivan 40–60, etc.

  • Clean Air Regulation Comments: City Manager John Holman and Attorney Tony Beattie reviewed a proposed Department of Ecology rule on criteria pollutants in overburdened communities. They argued that major PM2.5 sources are wildfire smoke (45,000 tons/year), wood smoke (17,000), and agriculture (15,000), not local businesses. The city drafted a comment letter requesting proportionality, third-party assessments, and state funding of compliance costs. Council consensus approved sending the letter.

  • Budget 101 Presentation (Part One): Finance Director Cheslie Walls explained governmental accounting (GAAP/BARS), the city's 31 funds, the 2027 budget calendar, state-mandated public hearings, and the general fund 50% minimum fund balance policy (currently projected at 49.04%). A follow-up presentation is scheduled for February 17, 2026, with a winter workshop on February 24, 2026.

  • Advance Agenda Requests: Councilmember Yeager requested an administrative report on noise ordinance options regarding the Shogun nightclub. Councilmember Merkel requested an evaluation of vacant property registration (zombie properties) and a separate report on the pavement preservation pilot program. City Manager suggested existing tools may cover some concerns; consensus was given for staff follow-up.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the consent agenda unanimously.
  • Approved Ordinance 26-001 granting a franchise to Forge Fiber 37 LLC.
  • Forwarded Ordinance 26-003 (Kratom ban) to a second reading; a motion to table for three months failed.
  • Approved sending the clean air regulation comment letter to the Department of Ecology.
  • Directed staff to bring back admin reports on noise ordinance, vacant property registration, and pavement preservation pilot.
  • Noted that agenda items for the HCDAC Grant Application and Resolution 26-002 (Surplus Items) were not covered in the available transcript.

Meeting Transcript

PM when you're ready. You were kidding. Yeah, how about now? It's 6 p.m. when you're ready. Thank you. Good evening. This is the Spokane Valley City Council regular meeting, formal A format for Tuesday, February 10th, 2026. It's now called to order. First, we have an invocation from Pastor Kevin Lind with Opportunity Presbyterian. So if you will stand with me. God, we ask your uh presence over this meeting tonight, and we thank you for all those gathered. And God, we uh pray for our city and for each and every person that you've made in the that lives here and works here, and God, we pray for uh your safety and provision for all of us. Lord, we especially think of those who are struggling and uh and God we uh pray for your justice and your mercy and your humility to fill all of us. Uh God we lift up our schools and our public servants, we lift up our businesses and uh just all the members of our city to you. Amen. Amen. Join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and which it stands and liberty and justice for all the clerk can call the roll. Certainly. Mayor Padden here, Deputy Mayor Hattenberg? Here, Councilmember Haley, here councilmember Yeager, here councilmember Kelly, present. Councilmember Wick? Here, Councilmember Merkel. Here. Thank you. Move to approve the agenda. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed. Agenda has been approved. There are no special guests presentations. We do have a proclamation. So this is the proclamation for the city of Spokane Valley, Washington for President's Day. Whereas February 16th is officially President's Day, where we honor the leadership and achievements of all those who have held America's highest elected office. And whereas we also celebrate with special pride the rich legacies of Presidents Washington and Lincoln. And whereas Abraham Lincoln sought to bring Americans together around core values. And whereas each president has left his mark on the history of our nation, each has brought a unique and lasting influence on this 250th year of existence. And whereas on President's Day, February 16th, 2026, we express our gratitude to the presidents of the United States of America. Now therefore, I, Laura Padd, Mayor of the City of Spokane Valley, on behalf of the Spokane Valley City Council and the citizens of Spokane Valley to hereby proclaim February 16th, 2026 as President's Day in the City of Spokane Valley, and I encourage Americans to reflect on the values of liberty, justice, and democracy that guided these leaders. Dated this 10th day of February, 2026. We have someone to come up. Thank you for the present president's day proclamation. Thank you for the partnership between the FAR, DAR, CAR, and the City of Spokane Valley. Our organizations are looking forward to celebrating the America 250 with you. We would not be here today without the leadership of Presidents Washington and Lincoln. Thank you for your leadership. We hope all of you will join us for the picnic in the park later this spring.

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