February 2021 Splash

FEBRUARY

THE

LIBERTY LAKE

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COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

New faces for the City of Liberty Lake as they continue making moves for the future page 10 MEET THE NEW CHIEF OF POLICE PAGE 2

CENTRAL VALLEY SCHOOL LEVY REQUEST PAGE 9

GREATER SV CHAMBER GETS NEW LOOK PAGE 23

2 • FEBRUARY 2021

The Splash

DOCKSIDE Change agent chief - Simmons

well-suited for top police post

By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor

Damon Simmons was working out at the Liberty Lake Athletic Club on Jan. 21, 2006 when Michael Lybrand suffered a heart attack.

At the time, Simmons was a resident of Liberty Lake, working as a resource deputy at West Valley High School. He had taken plenty of Red Cross lifesaving courses but never administered CPR. When Lybrand collapsed, Simmons was ready.

He began chest compressions and told a bystander to call 911.

Another club member delivered rescue breaths. Within five minutes, paramedics were on the scene. The quick response saved Lybrand’s life. Simmons saw him a month after the incident and Lybrand was taking walks and looking forward to returning to the club.

and called Liberty Lake home until 2014. He now lives in Post Falls but still shops and frequents businesses in Liberty Lake.

“It still feels like home,” Simmons said.

Simmons and his wife Nikesha have five kids in their blended family.

His move to Washington came after serving with the Great Falls Police Department in Montana. Simmons said the Central Valley School District was a major factor when it came to settling in Liberty Lake. He dedicated plenty of time as a youth sports coach for football, basketball, soccer and track.

“It’s great to be back in Liberty

Lake,” Simmons said. “I have a lot of friends and great memories here.”

The city began advertising for the police chief job in late September and received a dozen qualified applications. That list was whittled down to five and eventually three.

Finalists were interviewed by a panel of residents and took part in a virtual open house in November attended by around 60 people. The final step involved an interview with then-Mayor Shane Brickner, City Administrator Katy Allen and Asmus.

“Damon emerged as very qualified because of his community perception of policing and service as well as his commitment to best practices and training for our officers,” Allen said. “His education and communication skills are clear strengths. He provides the kind of

“He saw it as an opportunity for a hand up instead of a move along,” Allen said. “It’s clear that he has compassion for the less fortunate.”

Simmons said he initially felt “a little apprehension” about applying for the vacant police chief role in his former community.

“As a mid-level supervisor, I wasn’t sure I’d qualify,” he said. “But after prayer, research and speaking with my spouse, I felt I could do this. It’s been my dream to be a chief executive.”

“It really did assist me in gathering my thoughts,” he said. “The whole process made me a better leader, period.”

For his fast-acting valor, Simmons was recognized with several honors, including the Spokane Valley Fire Life Saving Award and Kiwanis International Everyday Hero Award.

Simmons was born and raised in Waco, Texas, the son of two hardworking parents who taught him the value of character and accountability.

His dad worked as the supervisor at a glass plant and often held more than one job. Simmons’ mom was employed for years at a mop and broom factory. The couple moved to Liberty Lake in 2010 to be closer to their son and his family. Simmons’ father passed in 2015.

Calm, efficient and sometimes heroic efforts are not uncommon for Simmons who was confirmed as the second police chief in the history of incorporated Liberty Lake on Dec. 15. He replaces Brian Asmus, who served in the role since 2001 and retired in late August.

Simmons moved to the Inland Northwest with his family in 2003

Allen related a story when Simmons was working as an officer with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and encountered a man who was homeless. While Simmons’ partner was intent on moving the man down the street, Simmons responded differently.

Simmons reached out to law enforcement colleagues across the country for feedback and advice. He found a website that featured the 200 most frequently asked questions in police chief interviews and studied them exhaustively.

“I played basketball with (Lybrand’s) grandson and he’d tell me, “Thanks for saving my grandpa’s life,’” Simmons said.

“I’ve always known this department fairly well,” said Simmons who most recently worked as a sergeant with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. “I’ve had a great professional relationship with Brian and consulted with him.

I always knew it would be a great agency to work for and a great community to work in.”

leadership we need right now.”

“Both of my parents were such great role models for me, just that work ethic they each had,” Simmons said.

Contributed photo Damon Simmons was confirmed as the second police chief in the history of Liberty Lake on Dec. 15. The Texas native was a resident of Liberty Lake from 2003 to 2014 and most recently worked as a sergeant with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

Growing up in Central Texas, Simmons remembers facing limited instances of “subtle prejudice.”

“There were only a few incidents that were ugly but I don’t respond See SIMMONS, Page 4

FEBRUARY 2021 • 3

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SIMMONS

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Continued from page 2 to ugliness with ugliness,” he said.

“I will continue to work on myself and being a good person. I just don’t judge people or put them into categories. My goal is to be a change agent.”

Simmons was a standout cornerback on his high school football team and also excelled in track as a long and triple jumper. He walked on to the track squad at Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas, a school he selected because of its outstanding criminal justice program.

At 20, Simmons enlisted in the Air Force and reported to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. He gravitated toward security policing and eventually a career path that led him to become a police officer. While enrolled at the University of Great Falls (later the University of Providence) Montana, Simmons interned for the Great Falls Police Department. In January of 2000, he entered the police academy.

His first law enforcement job was as a patrol officer in Great Falls.

“It was a great place to start,” Simmons said. “It’s a very familyoriented agency that really emphasized health and wellness.”

www.amaculate.com

Simmons was hired by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office in 2003 and held several roles over the years, rising to the rank of sergeant and earning the agency’s Sheriff Star Award. He was preparing to test for lieutenant when the Liberty Lake job came up. Simmons has a PhD in Criminal Justice from Walden University in 2018, a Master of Science in Administrative Justice and Security and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.

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In his newly attired office at LLPD headquarters, Simmons keeps a framed quote from a New York City police administrator that reads simply, “We work for God.” “This job isn’t about me,” Simmons said. “It’s about being selfless.”

Q: You bring a lot of history in Liberty Lake to your new role as police chief. How much do you think your familiarity with this community will be a benefit as you settle in?

A: My knowledge of the character, direction and vision of this community is rooted in the professional and personal relationships I have developed here over the years. I believe my history, in this aspect, is extremely important in helping me settle into my new role.

Q: What do you appreciate most about Liberty Lake?

A: I have always appreciated and valued the emphasis on relationships, both personally and professionally, in our community. Whether it is relationships between neighbors, or relationships between co-workers, people in Liberty Lake value the fact that people are the greatest asset in our community.

Q: Liberty Lake has been ranked consistently among the safest cities in Washington for a number of years. As chief, do you feel there is a possibility of complacency among residents when they consider the relatively low crime rate here and can this attitude potentially increase the risk of vulnerability?

A: Unfortunately, it is human nature to become complacent, especially when residing in a relatively safe community. One thing that we all must remember is that no

Jen Ballantyne Owner, Attorney

CALL (509) 252-5003

one is immune from crime. The easiest way that we can deter crime in our community is to avoid complacency and reduce the opportunities for criminals. For example, taking steps to ensure crime prevention through environmental design at our businesses and residents (for example, having adequate outdoor lighting and clearing vision blocking vegetation). Also, taking steps such as securing open doors at night (garage doors), locking car doors, and removing valuable from vehicles, especially when in plain view, will reduce opportunities for criminals who may want to come to our community to operate.

Q: Sounds like you’ve heard plenty of “big shoes to fill” comments related to your predecessor Brian Asmus who held this office so effectively for two decades. How do you focus on being the first Chief Simmons and not the next Chief Asmus?

A: The first step is realizing that I will never fill those shoes. Chief Asmus’ outstanding contributions to our community stand alone and should never be measured by the contributions of any that follow. I have great admiration and respect for Chief Asmus and he has always been a mentor and someone that I have looked up to. The second and biggest way I will focus on my own individuality is by concentrating on my vision for the agency, as well as the vision of each and every officer, staff member and volunteer within our agency.

Q: What challenges does the continued growth in this community, especially on the north side of town, present to law enforcement?

A: Growth in any community

Danielle Palm Attorney Estates & Elders Law 23403 E. Mission Ave #113, Liberty Lake, WA 99019

FEBRUARY 2021 • 5

The Splash presents challenges. The growth within our community means variables such as, but surely not limited to, calls for service and traffic issues will increase. Such growth means that our agency must also grow to meet the demands of the community. Ensuring that our officers are properly equipped and trained is also a challenge during this growth. Addressing any challenges means proper planning, which I will focus on throughout my tenure.

Q: Looking back at 2020, civil unrest and protests against police were common in many U.S. cities.

Where do you think that issue stands now? In all your years in law enforcement, what have been some of the keys to establishing and maintaining trust and respect between the public and police?

A: The issues that led to civil unrest in 2020 are part of a plethora of parallel issues that have been part of our nation’s history for some time. These issues revolved around one common theme and that theme is fair and equitable policing. The cognitive and procedural evolution in the criminal justice system is key

to establishing and maintaining trust and respect between the public and the police.

Q: You bring a lot of impressive experience to your duties as chief.

What are some of the most relevant components of your professional tool kit that you expect to utilize as part of this job?

A: I believe that everything that I have learned and experienced in this profession is relevant and will be used at some or numerous points in my tenure as a chief. I have learned to place my experiences over the years into my “tool kit” for future use.

Q: What are you looking forward to the most about this new role?

A: I am looking forward to working with and for the members of Liberty Lake Police Department and assisting them get to where they want to by professionally and within life. The professional potential of the men and women within our agency in tremendous and the citizens of Liberty Lake should be proud of the quality and character of our officers.

It’s exciting and this is reflective in the quality of service they provide. I am excited to watch us grow.

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6 • FEBRUARY 2021

The Splash

Introducing the

Safety Awareness Channel

Police Report - Dec. 2020 Splash news sources

Total incidents generated by Officers and emergency calls for service 482 Traffic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Injury Collisions 2 Citations (Traffic/Criminal/NonCriminal) 38 DUI (Driving Under Influence) 1 Thefts / Vehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft / Burglaries 18 Malicious Mischief 5 Council Brief Map DEC 2020 Argument / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Assault w/a Weapon 17 Parking Violations 10 Suspicious Vehicles 9

Least Most

Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle, December 6, 2020; While on patrol LLPD Officers noticed a vehicle matching the description of a stolen motor vehicle Spokane Valley Police had been attempting to locate. Officers stopped the vehicle in the area of 1304 N Liberty Lake Rd and performed a High Risk Vehicle Stop on the vehicle and driver. The driver was booked for Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle (a felony) and the owner of the vehicle responded to the scene and retrieved the vehicle.

DUI, December 15, 2020; Officers responded to the report of a vehicle collision located in the 1700 block of N Country Vista BLVD. Call notes indicated the driver of the involved vehicle hit a

parked car. Through the Officers investigation it was determined two parked vehicles were damaged, the driver smelled of alcohol, and once cleared by medics; the driver was placed under arrest for DUI. Malicious Mischief, December 29, 2020; Officers responded to Orchard Park on the report of kids damaging the Winter Glow lights and display. With the assistance of a witness, Officers were able to determine the house where the kids were staying and who at this location was responsible for the damages done to the display.

Charging requests of Malicious Mischief 2nd (a felony) have been sent to the prosecutor’s office for the individuals responsible for the

circles contain the number of incidents in a given area.

damage.

Burglary (Commercial), December 31, 2020; At approximately 0357 hrs, Officers responded to George Gee GMC located at 21502 E George Gee Ave on the report of an Alarm.

Arriving Officers noticed fresh tire tracks and footprints leaving the building.

Through their investigation, Officers were able to determine someone had illegally entered the business and stole a brand new vehicle from inside the shop portion of the building.

Officer subsequently located and recovered the stolen vehicle, but no suspect(s) have been identified.

Please be safe, be well, and Happy New Year!!

FEBRUARY 2021 • 7

The Splash

The Lookout The Community Corner

By Mayor Cris Kaminskas City of Liberty Lake

I am truly humbled and honored to have been appointed to be your mayor. After 11 years on the legislative side of the organization with the City Council, I am excited to be jumping with both feet into my administrative duties. While I will never live up to Ronald Reagan’s reputation as “The Great Communicator” for my public speaking skills, I do promise to continue making communication to and from City Hall easier.

If you haven’t signed up for

“Notify Me” through the city website (www.libertylakewa.gov) or tried “TextMyGov” by texting “Hi” to 509-255-7445, give them a try!

Jennifer Camp, our stellar director of Operations and Maintenance, has been providing weekly updates on the city’s Facebook page and sharing them with the various community groups.

You will see information about projects, employment opportunities and other announcements/information that affect our community. The Liberty Lake Police Department has started a get-to-know-yourofficers series on their page, and

City Council accepting applications for open seat

City Council accepting applications for open seat The Liberty Lake City Council is accepting applications from individuals interested in serving the interim vacancy for City Council Position 7. The term for service will be through ratification of the votes from the November 2021 General Election.

The City Council is the legislative and policy-making body for the city of Liberty Lake.

It is the council’s responsibility to make and pass laws within the city. The city of Liberty Lake has a strong mayor-council form of government. The mayor chairs all meetings of the City Council.

The council is comprised of seven members who meet twice a month to work on city issues.

As the legislative body, the City Council establishes local laws and policies and has general oversight and control over city’s finances, primarily through the budget process. Regular council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 7 to 10 p.m. Other meetings could

include committee council meetings.

and

special

State law requires that a council member be a resident of Liberty Lake for at least one year and a registered voter at the time of application.

The deadline to submit applications is 4 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. The interview schedule will be determined during the Feb. 16, 2021 City Council meeting.

Complete information on how to apply for the position can be found on the city’s website, www. libertylakewa.gov. Questions may be directed to City Administrator Katy Allen at (509) 755-6728.

February 2021

the library always has something fun or educational to share. Did you know that toddler story time has gone Zoom?

long ago. While surprises are not always avoidable, I would rather warn of a potential issue that never arises.

For my part, I have started a weekly report to the City Council and staff outlining meetings and conversations that I have had during the week. This is something we have never had in my entire time on council. I have also set up a weekly meeting with our mayor pro-tem to further complement my weekly briefing. While the City Council does not get involved in the day-to-day running of the city, they still need to know what is going on.

“No Surprises” is a lesson I learned

Communication goes both ways – and we need to hear from YOU! Call (509-964-1165) or email me (ckaminskas@libertylakewa.gov) or a council member, visit us at the Liberty Lake Farmers Market in the summer, comment on the various city Facebook pages (city main page, police and library), use TextMyGov to ask a question, attend a council meeting – whatever works for you. We are listening!

Library offers new teen volunteer program

New Library Lake Library hours

The Liberty Lake Library is offering a new volunteer program for Liberty Lake and Spokane-area teens (youths in grades 6-12). Volunteer activities will be virtual or distant but could include in-house volunteering in the future. This program offers local teens volunteer opportunities that they may not be able to obtain elsewhere due to COVID and will also provide the library with a new pool of volunteers.

Volunteering is a great way to connect with the community and other teens in additional to providing experience for college or work.

Volunteer opportunities include some of the following activities: book, game or movie reviews (written or recorded), creating Facebook and Instagram content such as library/ literary memes, book lists etc., hosting/ co-hosting games or trivia, creating art or fan-art, book-spine poetry etc. There are also opportunities to brainstorm ideas for, and assist with, programming and ‘take and make kits,’ community projects such as writing letters and cards to seniors and veterans, creating kindness rocks and positivity cards for front-line workers and seniors and donating items to local charitable organizations.

More information on this program can be found on our website at https://www.libertylakewa.gov/660/ Volunteer-Opportunities.

The Liberty Lake Library has changed its holds pickup hours based on community feedback.

Effective Jan.19, 2021, the library began offering holds pickup service – Monday through Friday: 12 to 6 p.m.

Saturday: 1 to 4 p.m.

For more news about library services and programs, check out our website at www. libertylakelibrary.com or call us at 509-232-2510.

Find answers, report issues at TextMyGov Looking for answers? Need to report an issue? Try the city of Liberty Lake’s new tech-powered resource, TextMyGov. This is a new way to skip a phone call and use your phone’s messaging app to find answers to your questions. It could be reporting a pothole, debris, a sign or street light, tall grass, trash or weeds. You may have a question for administration or need more information on a city ordinance, council agenda or resolution. Find it all at TextMyGov. Simply text “Hi” or one of the above phrases to 1-509-255-7445 to quickly find the answers you’re looking for or to report an issue to the city.

https://www.facebook.com/libertylakewa • www.libertylakewa.gov

8 • FEBRUARY 2021

New Hotel Takes Mirabeau Area to next level

By Ben Wick

Splash Publisher

Less than a year ago, when a long time Spokane Valley Family announced a new project in the Mirabeau Park area across the street from the City of Spokane Valley’s Center Place Regional Event Center it never would have guessed the potential it would have ignited.

Grant Guinn with his wife Lisa and their eight children which inspired the name of their hospitality company, GL8 Hospitality decided to build their own hotel in their home town, the first of its kind in the Greater Spokane area, a Tru by Hilton Hotel and forecasted their plans to build a second hotel in the same area but closer to the Spokane River. While unfortunately their plans for the second hotel have become more delayed with the unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, their first endeavor is taking shape and has already started having impacts on the area.

Being built in the area just east of Mirabeau Parkway north of

BUSINESS

the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and Indiana Ave, the project is in an area that seemed to have all but forgotten as all of the recent development in the area had been focused west of Mirabeau Parkway along Mansfield headed towards Pines Rd now home to the Horizon Credit Union Headquarters and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife buildings.

Guinn describes the three story 92 room hotel as being for the people that are young at heart.

“The hotel will have a very open feel with a nearly 3,000 sq ft public space featuring a large pool table as well as life size Jenga and Connect 4 games.”

But the most distinguishing features of the hotel and brand of Hilton’s will be in the technology.

According to Guinn “we will have the fastest internet speeds of any hotel in the greater Spokane area and will be the first Tru by Hilton in the country to be built with a ‘touch free’ package.” Which as Grant says was planned and chosen even before the COVID pandemic.

“The Touch Free package gets its name from the hotel chains connected room technology. Where you can use the Hilton App on your phone to check in at the hotel similarly to how you check in for a flight, you will have the ability to see a layout of the hotel and choose your room similar to selecting your seat on the plane” but the app

integration doesn’t stop there “you can also use the app as a key to open the door to your room, control the temperature within your room, turn on and off the lights, as well as controlling the TV which will feature the ability to pair with your Netflix account so you can watch your favorite shows” In addition to all of the technology and games the hotel will also have more traditional features such as a pool, hot tub, fitness center, patio with fire pit, as well as a continental or topic breakfast [post COVID of course].

While the Guinn’s have hired Common Wealth Hotels out of Kentucky to manage the property for them they are proud that all of the employees including the general manager are local Spokane people and true to their passion for the community will have some sort of exposure and training in Spokane Valley history and knowledge based upon a partnership with the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum.

Passionately Grant will tell you, “while a lot of the hotel is selected from options and package within the Hilton specifications, there is one area we get to customize, the wall mural. We want the mural to highlight the Spokane Valley community.”

While Guinn isn’t ready to reveal the design of the mural quite yet, they plan to do a series of Facebook live sessions where each week they

The Splash

may reveal community aspect that is featured within the mural and ultimately unveil the mural at their grand opening. Follow them on Facebook @TruSpokane to get the latest on their developments.

Just across the street, even before the announcement of the Tru By Hilton Hotel the City of Spokane Valley had identified the desire to focus development efforts on the tourism industry and in particularly at the potential opportunity with the outdoor space at Center Place Regional Event Center.

According to Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation Director Mike Stone one of the most comment request received was ‘could we move our event outside?’ however according to Stone “with all of the access issues, grade issues, and accessibility concerns we didn’t really have any suitable outdoor space available around Center Place.”

“We really wanted to be able to host larger events such as Crave and Valleyfest and be able to do it more frequently” said Stone. After surveying the current users and event promoters which host events at Center Place such as Valleyfest and Crave; the city embarked upon a master plan for the outdoor space which became known as the Center Place West Lawn Project.

The concept got a little attention in 2018 with the city

The Splash council implementing phase 1 of the master plan which included improvements on the North Lawn and grading of the surrounding area to level out the area for accessibility. However, in the fall of 2019, the City Council decided to put the remainder of the improvements into the cities 2020 budget.

“Tourism was a big influencer, if we had a venue that could bring in people to Spokane Valley we could do more” said Stone.

The $2.1 million dollar project included amenities such as a large hard surfaced plaza large enough to host events, bathroom facilities, electrical upgrades, and a little stage area. After starting the project the city also decided to place two art pieces recently donated to the city within the area as well.

While COVID has added to delays in the construction of the project, the contractor William Winkler Co has reached substantial completion of the project and the city is expected to officially open the area in the spring.

While the development of these two projects were decided independently, the possibilities of what they can do together is where the excitement really comes in.

“Having a hotel across the street is a real selling point for events,” stated Stone. “We are excited for the partnership with the hotel.”

“We are excited at the opportunity to partner with CenterPlace,” says Guinn. “We see the meeting rooms within walking distance as a natural extension of the hotel.”

Guinn continued, “even though our construction isn’t complete, we have already submitted at least one joint proposal to host an event jointly with CenterPlace.”

For those interested in know someone who might be interested in staying at the new Tru by Hilton reservations can already be made for nights starting January 10th online at the Tru by Hilton website and as the construction progress continues earlier nights may become available.

Community Statue Opportunity

NEWS

By Laina Schutz

Parks and Arts Commission

As our community has adjusted to life amid a global pandemic, one clear take-away is that our community has stepped up to help those in need and has been stronger together. The Parks and Arts Commission would like to build off of that momentum by using the Liberty Lake Together logo to represent this time and togetherness in our community.

The commission is hoping to do this through a community statue installation. To help support our artists there will be a stipend awarded for their work.

The statue should embody the ’person’ in the Liberty Lake Together logo. It may be abstract but is identifiable. The final location of the statue(s) has yet to be determined but the commission is considering highly visible community locations such as a community park or the Liberty Lake Library.

The long-term vision of this project is to continue to install statues yearly that reflect the things we love about our community.

Submissions for this community statue will be accepted through March 31, 2021. The commission is hoping for a sculpture installation in late spring or early summer of 2021. The project is open to all professional and amateur artists and other creative individuals and groups. This isn’t the first call to artists for the Parks and arts Commission. Other projects have included the utility box wraps around the city and the newly installed mural in Pavillion Park.

To learn more about the Parks and Arts Commission and how you might support their projects or to view the full call to artists, please visit the City of Liberty Lake’s website: https://www. libertylakewa.gov/433/Parks-andArts-Commission.

COVID-19 vaccinations available in prioritized phases From Current News Sources

The COVID-19 vaccine is now being made available with high-risk healthcare workers and long-term care residents being prioritized first, followed by first responders, then people aged 65 and older and multi-generational household members.

You can figure out your eligibility with the Washington Phase Finder website. Simply enter in your information, including your work, age and health and you will be notified on whether you qualify for the vaccine. To find what your phase is, visit www. findyourphasewa.org or call 800-

FEBRUARY 2021 • 9

525-0127.

The latest announcements on the vaccine can be found at the Spokane Regional Health District’s COVID-19 information page at “COVID-19 Updates & Information” at www.srhd.org which will always be the source of the most updated information and resources for Spokane County.

SRHD can also be reached 509-3241500.

For the full list of vaccination sites in Washington, visit the Department of Health website at www.doh.wa.gov. The WA Vaccine Hotline can be reached, toll-free at 800-525-0127 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

The following mental health resources can be accessed for help and support: First Call for Help: (877)266-1818; Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800)273-8255; Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

Accepting Applications Liberty Lake City Council Accepting Applications for Open Seat The Liberty Lake City Council is accepting applications from individuals interested in serving the interim vacancy for City Council Position 7. The term for service will be through ratification of the votes from the November 2021 General Election.

The City Council is the legislative and policy making body for the City of Liberty Lake. It is the Council's responsibility to make and pass laws within the city. The City of Liberty Lake has a strong mayor-council form of government. The Mayor chairs all meetings of the City Council. The Council is comprised of seven members who meet bi-monthly to work on city issues. As the legislative body, the City Council establishes local laws and policies, and has general oversight and control over City's finances, primarily through the budget process. Regular Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Other meetings could include committee and special council meetings.

State law requires that a council member be a resident of Liberty Lake for at least one year and a registered voter at the time of application.

The deadline to submit applications is 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 10, 2021. The interview schedule will be determined during the February 16, 2021 City Council meeting.

Complete information on how to apply for the position can be found on the City’s website www.libertylakewa.gov. Questions may be directed to Katy Allen, City Administrator, at (509) 755-6728.

This link provides additional information for anyone considering submitting an application: http://mrsc.org/getmedia/034f13b6-7ec2-4594-b60b-efaf61dd7d10/Mayor-AndCouncilmember-Handbook.pdf.aspx?ext=.pdf

COVER STORY

10 • FEBRUARY 2021

City of Liberty Lake now has a HR Manager

By Nina Culver

Splash contributor

The city of Liberty Lake incorporated in August 2001, but the city’s employee roster has just now grown large enough to justify the hiring of a new full-time human resources manager.

everything correctly.

Until recently the city’s finance director had been doing double duty, handling the human resources requirements in addition to his financial duties. But that was becoming untenable, Allen said. “He was spending more and more time on human resources and had less time available for finance,” she said.

“It became more of a hindrance of him doing his real job. It wasn’t as demanding years ago.”

Businesses that have more than 50 full-time equivalent employees have to offer different programs and benefits than smaller businesses and the city recently passed that threshold, said City Manager Katy Allen.

The new position was included in the city’s 2021 budget, which was approved by the city council in December. Hiring someone was a top priority and the new human resources manager, Heidi Workman, started in mid-January. “She’ll be a part of the executive team,” Allen said.

“As we grow as a city, there’s a couple of dynamics going on,” Allen said. “We want to be very knowledgeable and on top of the legal requirements. We needed a subject matter expert.”

Workman was born and raised in Spokane Valley and graduated from East Valley High School. She earned degrees in business management and human resources management from Eastern Washington University.

There’s also the matter of being up to date on COVID requirements, including masking. “We just needed someone who could pay attention to what’s current and what’s legally required,” she said.

Workman worked 13 of her 14 years in human resources working for health care organizations, but said she doesn’t expect working for the city to be much different. “I feel like human resources is human resources,” she said.

With more employees comes the need to schedule more training programs and meetings with incoming employees. “We also have some other challenges,” she said.

“Even our retirement program is complicated.”

Some city employees participate in an alternative to Social Security while others, including part-time and seasonal employees, are in the Social Security program. It can be difficult to keep everything straight and Allen said the city just wanted to make absolutely sure it was doing

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She’s no stranger to Liberty Lake, having worked in the Safeway store there while she was in high school. “I’ve always been a fan of Liberty Lake,” she said. “I like the community’s family atmosphere.”

Her grandmother saw the job opening listed by the city and told her it would be perfect for her, Workman said. She agreed and applied. “It was such a great opportunity, I couldn’t pass it up,” she said.

Workman said she enjoys her job

LIBERTY LAKE

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Contributed photo The City of Liberty Lake has hired Heidi Workman as their new HR Director. and feels like human resources work is much more than doing paperwork.

She likes the interaction with people and sees herself as a helper rather than a compliance officer. “I like to be able to feel like I’ve helped someone at the end of the day,” she said. “To me, it’s more of a relationship I develop with employees.”

smoothly. “With my experience I’ve just been able to jump right in,” she said.

That’s not to say that she doesn’t enjoy compliance work, because she does.

“I think there will be some growing pains, but I’m excited for the challenge,” she said. “I’m just really excited to be working with everyone in the community.”

Though she just started, Workman said everything seems to be going

As a department of one, Workman will be responsible for everything related to human resources in the city for employees who do everything from running the children’s room at the library to working as a police officer.

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FEBRUARY 2021 • 11

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Change at the library top city news

for rest of 2021 and be required to put her name on the ballot in this November’s general election to complete the two remaining years of Brickner’s term. She has already filed her intent to run with the Public Disclosure Commission. If more than two candidates for mayor emerge, there will be a primary election this summer.

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

The New Year has already brought a slew of significant changes at Liberty Lake City Hall.

On Jan. 5, longtime City Council Member Cris Kaminskas was appointed to replace Shane Brickner as mayor after Brickner announced in late December he would be stepping away due to health concerns. Later in January, Library Director Jocelyn Redel gave a 30-day notice to the city that she would be leaving to work in her family’s business.

The administrative shuffle comes on the heels of Damon Simmons being hired to replace Brian Asmus as police chief in mid-December.

Redel’s last day will be Feb. 15. She will be moving into an accounting role with her family business, an online retail company that also has a small storefront in Spokane Valley. She will help on the web side of the operation as well.

“This was a very tough decision,” said Redel who took over for Pamela Mogen as library director in October 2018. “I love libraries and I love the city. Coming here was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. This is just an opportunity to help my family find that work-life balance and do something that I think I’ll enjoy.”

Jandy Humble, longtime Youth Services librarian, will take over as interim director while the city begins the search for Redel’s replacement.

Redel spearheaded the library’s Community Needs Assessment and Master Plan that will set the stage for facility and programming transitions. She also implemented new ideas like doing away with overdue fines for materials.

Redel became only the second library director in the city’s history when she replaced Mogen who had built the library from a small, volunteer-driven undertaking in cramped space on Meadowwood Lane to a thriving municipal program in a renovated facility on Mission Avenue that included the police precinct.

Kaminskas moved to Liberty Lake in 2006 with her husband Scott and son Kyle after she accepted a job as a senior project manager with KeyTronic Corp. She currently works a sales support team lead for Tierpoint in Liberty Lake, overseeing the western region.

File photo Jocelyn Redel is stepping down as director of the Liberty Lake Library to work for her family’s retail business. Redel took over for Pamela Mogen in October 2018 and has been a catalyst in coordinating projects like the library’s Community Needs Assessment and Master Plan.

“Pamela did a really good job of starting a library from scratch,” Redel said. “When I started, I realized we had a really strong foundation. I just wanted to build on that and adjust it to meet our community needs.”

Redel previously worked for the Sno-Isle Library District on the west side of the state and also spent time at the Spokane Valley Library as part of field work while earning her master’s degree in Library and Information Science.

Library Trustee Sandy Bishop said Redel was well-liked and respected among staff, trustees and volunteers.

“She brought a breath of experience from her previous position,” Bishop said. “That was very much needed to take the library to the next level.”

Bishop said Redel will be remembered for giving the library a blueprint to move forward as well as “keeping the library running during a challenging time.”

“She brought the community into the discussion about the library’s future,” Bishop said. “She had the humility to say, ‘I don’t have all the answers but I’ll get back to you on that.’ Jocelyn was a really good listener and always very organized.”

An avid reader, Redel said she

will continue to be a library patron.

“I’ve already told the staff that they won’t get rid of me that easily,” Redel said. “The staff at the library and the city are just so wonderful.

People here are so supportive of the library. I love libraries but I’m ready to step away from it right now. I can’t say that I’ll never return to this field.”

Kaminskas in as mayor Kaminskas began her tenure as a city leader in January 2010 when she was appointed to fill the remaining City Council term of Patrick Jenkins who moved out of state. This time around, the confirmation process resulted in the Ohio native becoming only the fourth mayor in the history of Liberty Lake.

Kaminskas and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Kennedy both received nominations from fellow council members to replace Brickner at the Jan. 5 council meeting. Kaminskas earned votes from Hugh Severs, Dan Dunne and Annie Kurtz, in addition to her own vote, to be confirmed.

“My job is to steer the vision and help get things implemented on staff,” Kaminskas said. “I love interacting with people and getting feedback and the right information.

I don’t want to be a know-it-all but I do want to know it all.”

Kaminskas will serve as mayor

Less than a month into the job, Kaminskas has already made several changes, including a shift to the action items in the regular City Council agenda. The new approach will feature more accountability on each item, including who made the request, what was requested and who will provide the relevant information and when. Kaminskas is also providing a regular recap to staff and council on the meetings and activities that comprised her schedule in the preceding week.

The city is currently accepting applications for the Pos. 7 council seat that Kaminskas occupied. She has three years remaining on her term. Deadline for applications is Feb. 10. Similar to the the scenario with mayor, the council will confirm the appointee who will need to run on the ballot this year to fulfill the remaining portion of the term.

In Liberty Lake’s strong-mayor/ City Council form of government, Kaminskas is responsible for hiring and firing of city staff, crafting the preliminary annual budget, running meetings and keeping staff and council up to speed on the most recent professional trainings. Kaminskas has a degree in psychology from Miami University in Ohio and her advanced certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities.

She has previously served as mayor pro tem.

Kaminskas said she brings a “very similar management style” to Brickner’s.

“We are both very inclusive and very open-door in terms of our approach,” she said. “I see this as a great learning opportunity.”

12 • FEBRUARY 2021

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About and for Liberty Lake seniors

Central Valley School District Levy – February CVSD’s 09, 2021 Director of

By Tie Lemerond Splash contributor

On February 9th, Central Valley School District residents will be asked to vote on the levy for the 20222024 school years. The three-year replacement levy creates stability.

Central Valley School District’s School Programs and Operations levy is a renewal of the existing levy. It is not a new tax. It comes before voters every three years and simply replaces the expiring levy— at the same tax rate. Nearly 14% of the school district’s annual budget comes from a voter-approved levy, including state matching funds.

The levy is a replacement levy at $2.40 per one thousand dollars of a homes assessed value for the existing levy tax rate of $2.48 per one thousand dollars. The levy will cover 2022, 2023 and 2024 to provide critical funding from local dollars to fill the gap between what the State funds and the actual cost of programs. These levy dollars sustain existing programs that tie directly to student achievement.

Central Valley School District has grown by about 60 percent since 2000 and the district is asking for your help in preserving valuable school programs in academics and social learning for the vibrant future of the Central Valley community for 2022 and beyond.

Where do levy dollars go? Voter approved levies fund essential services and staff positions that create quality schools and ensure a safe learning environment for all students. Local levy dollars fill the gap between state funding and the actual cost of programs. Positions ranging from nurses to counselors to campus resource officers are all funded by local dollars. Programs like special education, AP courses, all school athletics, music, drama, and debate rely on levy funding.

CVSD’s distance learning technology infrastructure and laptops for students are also levy funded.

Communications, Marla Nunberg, states, “The levy funds essential staff and programs that are not funded by the state as a part of basic education, including: Nurses Student intervention and support programs

• Campus resource officers serving our elementary and middle schools.”

State basic education funding does not fully fund important positions that are essential in the district to serve all the students. Levy dollars make up the difference: • State funding pays for three nurses. Levy dollars fund 12.

• State funding pays for 57 custodians. Levy dollars fund 32.

and

• State funding pays for 29 counselors. Levy dollars fund 7.

• Programs for struggling or academically advanced students

These positions have been more important than ever during this COVID pandemic.

• Academic, emotional supports

social,

• Systems to encourage positive behavior for a safe and orderly learning environment •

Special education

Fills the gap left between program costs and state and federal funding • Technology • Curriculum and instructional materials • Textbooks materials

and

teaching

• Co-curricular and extracurricular activities (music, drama, debate, athletics, STEM camps and after school activities that keep students engaged after school) • Counselors, social workers, and teachers to maintain smaller class sizes Safety and security • School resource deputies in our high schools • Crossing guards, playground supervisors, and school assistants

Students in every school benefit from each levy dollar: • Levy dollars pay for CVSD’s digital backbone learning platform that enabled distance learning.

• Levy dollars purchased Chromebooks for every student that needs one in the district. They also supported web cameras and supply kits to send home with students.

• Levy dollars enable K-3 classes of 14 students during COVID, which enabled a safe return of these students to in-person learning.

Levy funding responds to community needs. It provides flexibility to pivot when the community faces new opportunities or challenges. Levy funding also enables the district to respond to unprecedented circumstances, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Levy dollars have been critical to CVSD’s ability to meet community needs—in ways funding from the State does not allow.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, levy dollars funded the following: • Helping the distribution of over 975,000 meals to students in the community since March and 7,000 delivered to the doorsteps of those who experience food insecurity.

• Technology to establish a digital backbone learning platform and supply every student who needs one in the district with a Chromebook laptop for remote learning.

• Student intervention and support programs helping with barriers to learning such as food insecurity, access to technology, and unsafe living conditions.

• Staffing to create community partnerships to provide students with learning centers, childcare, and other pandemic-related support across the district.

• Last resort essential workers pandemic.

childcare for during the

• Custodial staff positions to ensure CVSD schools are compliant with reopening guidelines so special education students and elementary school students could return to school.

Nunberg commented, “If the levy does not pass, we will have to look at cutting staff that have been funded with levy dollars.” Although she does not know what that would like, as it would begin with a budget review process and a significant amount of planning.

CVSD feels the levy is essential for economic vitality and per their website, “Education is the heart of a healthy economy.”

FEBRUARY 2021 • 13

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FEBRUARY 2021 • 15

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Student of the Month

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Avery Auth was recently named a Spokane Scholar in Social Studies, one of many accomplishments for the Central Valley senior. Auth maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society.

She is part of the NHS leadership team that organizes community service projects and a tutoring lab that has now shifted to a virtual format. The senior is the principal cellist for CV’s chamber orchestra and has been playing the cello since fifth grade.

Auth participated in cross country as a sophomore and junior and also competes on a club lacrosse team.

The Liberty Lake resident qualified for state in Science Olympiad as a freshman and sophomore and joined the school’s competitive math team last year. Auth would like study environmental engineering in college with an emphasis on water quality and city design.

Gavin Gilstrap was literally in the middle of Central Valley’s run to a state 4A boys’ basketball runner-up trophy last season. The 6-10 junior post averaged a double-double – 12 points and 10 rebounds – a game for a squad that won the Greater Spokane League title and District 8 4A championship. Gilstrap led the Bears with 21 points and eight rebounds as CV defeated Gonzaga Prep for the district crown. He had the winning basket on a two-handed dunk against Skyview in a state quarterfinal game and finished with 16 points. He had another clinching bucket earlier in the season against Ferris in a 57-56 win. Gilstrap proved resilient after suffering a tibial plateau fracture as a freshman. He was named first team All GSL last season and earned second team All State Tournament honors. He maintains a 3.3 grade point average.

Tom Pauley may have retired from a 27-year career in the military in 1992 but he hasn’t slowed down. Pauley most recently served on the Liberty Lake Library Board of Trustees before stepping down to devote more time to his role as senior vice commander with VFW Post 1435.

Pauley served in both the Marines and Air Force and was part of nuclear security and presidential security during the Ford, Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. As an employee for ZAK Designs, Pauley was a catalyst in organizing the ZAK Charity Open, a golf tournament that raised over $5.5 million for local nonprofit causes including the YWCA, Children’s Miracle Network and others He also serves as the board chair for Global Credit Union.

Tom and his wife Sandy have been married 55 years and have two grown kids and two grandchildren.

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16 • FEBRUARY 2021

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Defense, teamwork propelled CV on improbable run

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

When it came time for the Central Valley boys’ basketball team to travel across the mountains for the 4A state tournament in March 2006, the Bears opted against an upscale charter bus for their mode of travel.

“We just took a regular, yellow school bus over there,” said Kevin Cameron, the starting junior point guard. “That’s just kind of who we were, just a blue-collar team.”

The fact that CV was even one of the 16 teams to qualify for the bracket in the Tacoma Dome came out of the blue for most observers.

The Bears had finished a solid, but unspectacular 15-5 – fifth overall – in a strong Greater Spokane League featuring state-ranked programs like Ferris, Gonzaga Prep and Mt. Spokane. CV never snuck into the 4A poll during the season.

“Like any high school team, the goal was to get to state,” recalls Brad Johnson a senior forward.

“But honestly, I think for us it was wishful thinking.”

but improved to 43 percent in the playoffs. Sophomore guard Luke Clift led the scoring with just over 11 points a game followed by junior post Nick Ambrose at 10. Cameron and Johnson contributed around 8 points each.

Clift, now an assistant coach at Viterbo University in Wisconsin, said Sloan was the key to the team’s steady work ethic.

“He really leans on the defense,” Clift said. “It was all about attitude and effort. I don’t know too many other coaches who could have gotten so much out of that team.”

The Bears took on Davis of Yakima in the first round of the regional tournament, defeating the Pirates 70-64. GSL nemesis Gonzaga Prep was next.

A hard-fought game at the Toyota Center in Kennewick boiled down to the last 10 seconds as the Bears found themselves trailing by one with the ball. Sloan called an inbounds play that had produced a basket earlier. This time, the lob

pass went to Clift who scored on a layup and secured a CV win and a ticket to state.

Upon arriving in Tacoma, the Bears received anything but the redcarpet treatment from local media and fans. The Seattle Times placed CV dead last out of 16 schools in the bracket preview.

Despite the skeptical coverage, Cameron said he and his teammates remained focused on the opportunity before them.

“We couldn’t have cared less where they ranked us,” he said.

“We were just like, ‘OK, now we’re here. Let’s go.’”

Clift said being a long shot was secondary to a season-long focus on teamwork.

“We knew we were overmatched but we also knew that five guys working together can make a lot of things happen,” he said.

The Bears took on Bellarmine Prep in the first round, a game considered a formality by most pundits for the talented Lions.

Playing in their own backyard, the team was led by the state’s leading scorer in Vaughn Gaines, University of Washington-bound

That changed when the Bears upset Ferris in overtime on their way to a district title. Head coach Rick Sloan remembers defense being the catalyst for a team known for playing deliberately on the offensive end.

“Our goal was to score 40 points a game,” Sloan added.

CV only shot 39 percent from the field in the regular season

Cameron remembers teams at state literally overlooking the underdog from Veradale.

“You could see it in the layup lines before the game,” he said.

“Just the laughing and the joking. It was pretty evident.”

Things turned more serious as CV’s pressure defense wore teams down. The Lions also pressed but CV was ready.

“We had a whole week to prepare,” Sloan said. “We just needed to have good spacing and not get sped up.”

The strategy worked as the Bears stunned the Lions, 59-53 to earn a berth in the quarterfinals. Gig Harbor awaited with a towering roster that included two players at 6-8 and another pair at 6-5. Johnson drew the task of guarding 6-8 sophomore Clarence Trent, another Husky recruit. Trent would only manage six points as CV stifled the Tides in a 46-34 win. Senior reserve Mike Morgan paced the victors with 14 points.

“We were just patient against their zone and got the shots we wanted,” Sloan said. “On defense, we were just a bunch of little gnats out there.”

The win pitted CV against second-ranked South Kitsap in the semi-final, a team that had only lost once all year. The Wolves took the lead into half-time but the Bears began the third quarter with a trio of unanswered three-pointers by Johnson, Clift and Cameron.

“Even in the games we lost, we played good defense,” Sloan said.

“We were the best defensive team in the area, if not the state.”

Sloan said he knew high point totals would not be the trademark of a squad that had finished .500 the year before. He said a workmanlike 36-32 win over rival University in the season opener “encapsulated what our year was going to be like.”

Abdul Gaddy and future NBA first-round pick Avery Bradley, currently playing for the Miami Heat.

Photo by Bob Johnson The 2005-06 Central Valley boys’ basketball team placed fifth in the Greater Spokane League regular season but hit their stride in the playoffs, winning a district title (pictured above) and advancing to the state 4A tournament where they defeated three heavily favored opponents before falling to powerhouse Franklin in the championship.

Later in the period, Clift dove on the floor, beating a South Kitsap player to the ball. Cameron retrieved it and drove the length of the court for a layup, part of a 20-4 CV run.

“That intensity was always there with us, especially on defense,” Johnson said.

CV rode the momentum in the

FEBRUARY 2021 • 17

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second half to a 58-48 win and a trip to the championship game. Stunned South Kitsap post Josh Monagle told the Spokesman-Review after the game, “We thought we had a cakewalk.” Clift, who led the Bears with 18 points, recalls getting to the final against powerhouse Franklin as “surreal.”

“It was like, ‘Holy cow, we’re playing for a state title,’” he said.

“At that point, we said, ‘Why not us?’”

Franklin had its Division 1 recruits

share of including

Peyton Siva who would go on to play for the University of Louisville and be drafted by the Detroit Pistons. Yet again, the Bears came out undaunted, taking a 16-13 lead after one quarter.

lost but we were proud of ourselves too.”

Cameron and Johnson also coached at SCC.

Turnovers and foul trouble plagued CV the rest of the way as the Quakers outscored the Bears 22-7 in the second period en route to a 70-51 win and their fifth state crown in school history.

Clift remembers the Bears “running out of gas” against the Quakers’ 10-man rotation and fullcourt press.

“It just slowly got away from us,” he said. “It was sad in the locker room, definitely. There were tears going around but not tears of failure.”

Nearly 15 years after their improbable quest, this group of determined Bears are still remembered for a level of grit that set a gold standard.

“Franklin did to us what we did to Bellarmine Prep,” Sloan said.

“Everybody was bummed that we

Cameron, Johnson and Clift would all go on to play for Spokane Community College while Ambrose competed for Eastern Oregon.

“I’m just proud of the way they never gave up,” Sloan said. “They stuck with it the entire time. These guys really epitomized the word ‘team’ and played for the system.

They checked their egos at the door.”

18 • FEBRUARY 2021

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Skating has deep roots in Liberty Lake

By Ross Schneidmiller Splash contributor

A group of winter sports enthusiasts in Spokane gathered in the latter months of 1922. Several of them had relocated here from eastern states and others from the Providences of Canada. In those areas they had participated in the various sports of skating. Amongst them were figure and stunt skaters, racers and hockey players. Some of them were quite accomplished in their skating disciplines. They wanted to participate in those activities here in the Inland Empire, so they formed a club. Called the Arctic Skating Club, its purpose was to promote winter sports activities in the area.

By March of the following year, they staged the first ever competitive ice skating races for Spokane and the vicinity. Held at Liberty Lake, 6 events were planned, ranging from 50 yards to 1 mile. Members of the club set the course near Stonehouse Park on the Southernmost portion of the lake. Due to heavy snow starting by mid-afternoon, only four races took place. Even with a shortened program the spectators were thrilled with the skating skills they saw displayed. Especially when club President Fred McGarry posted his time in the 150-yard dash, said to be within 1 second of the world record.

A cold and calm January greeted the skaters in 1924. By the 5th day of the new year 7 inches of clear ice on Liberty Lake beckoned their participation. The Spokane & Eastern Railway Co. added additional trains on Sunday the 6th to handle the demand. To further accommodate the skaters, bonfires were built along the lake shore and arrangements for coffee and roasted wieners were made. Hundreds of skaters rode the rails or traveled by auto to the lake.

The smooth ice and crisp pleasant weather provided a day of joy to the ice lovers. What the fires dotting the shoreline did to take the chill off their extremities the warm food and beverages did for their insides. So happy was the mood of the crowd that returned by train that songs and cheers accompanied them home.

When a few inches of snow covered the ice two weeks later the skaters were not deterred.

While many were just beginning to navigate a day where the thermometer was near the zero mark, an Arctic Club member was clearing the ice at Liberty Lake. With an ingenious scraper attached to his automobile the member removed snow from a 300-foot wide by nearly one milelong area of the lake.

Seeing a need for an enlarged membership the club reorganized and opened up their doors to all that wanted to join. They set their sights on growing their ranks, bringing back a facility with artificial ice and organized hockey for the Inland Empire. (see Did You Know) The best way for the club to accomplish their goals was to demonstrate the demand and enthusiasm the community had for ice skating sports. Their skating races at the lake drew over 2000 spectators in 1923 -- so they set out to improve on their success. The threat of a warming trend raised concerns amongst members, but the cold conditions held. The sunshine leaving a small amount of water on the ice to freeze the night before the event, left the surface mirror-like the day of the races.

Perfect conditions provided speedy ice and a sizeable crowd. A conservative estimate was that 3500 watched the sprints, distance and fancy skating at the lake. Cars were parked by the hundreds from Liberty Lake Park on the Lake’s westside to Dreamwood, it’s southern bay.

Lining

the

skating

course

multiple people deep -- spectators trying to get a glimpse of the finish would rush onto the ice track. As the enthusiastic crowd would call for more, the race officials would clear the way for another race. Lasting well past dusk the glittering bonfires reflecting over the ice illuminated a winter scene of warmth and good cheer.

The sports editor for the Spokesman Review wrote under the caption “Sunshine and Sport” -- “If there's any single-track mind in the community that believes folks are not vitally interested in sport for the love of the game, the owner of that mind should have been “there” in yesterday’s sunshine. Thousands watched the Ice Meet held by the Arctic Skating Club at Liberty Lake.”

The Club’s event was a success.

They not only demonstrated the Inland Empire’s interest in ice sports, they added an additional 75 members to their roster. Each receiving the Club’s sweater monogram – the letter A formed by the two slanting lines of a triangle crossed in the middle by an illustration of an ice skate blade.

The Club’s membership grew over the next several months. By the time they were organizing for the 1924-25 winter season they had increased their roster to 250 members and a few months later 300. Now headquartered out of the Ware Brothers Co., a sporting goods store, members of the scouting committee reported daily on ice conditions at lakes and ponds in the vicinity of Spokane including Liberty. The local papers often

FEBRUARY 2021 • 19

published their findings and as the Ware Brothers ads proclaimed: “Watch Our Skating Bulletin in the Window and You Can’t Go Wrong.”

Establishing hockey as a regular institution in the athletic life of Spokane was a focus for the season.

Now called a Winter Carnival, the Arctic Club’s main event at Liberty Lake in 1925 featured a hockey game between members of the Club and a hockey team of soldiers from Fort George Wright (located on Spokane’s westside). Where prior years’ events demonstrated the popularity of spectators enjoying the ice sports, the 1925 Winter Carnival, with its 1000 participants, demonstrated the popularity of participating in them.

Hockey steadily grew in popularity. In 1926 Spokane formed a team with members of the Arctic Skating Club and another recently formed club. J. C. Knight, a former star Canadian hockey player, was hired to coach the squad. After a short amount of practice, they accepted a challenge to compete against a team from Coeur d’ Alene.

Matches between those clubs from the two cities became a regular occurrence, with Liberty Lake sometimes being the location.

Prominent hotel owner Louis Davenport offered a silver cup to the winner of the Inland Empire Hockey Championship.

What became known as the Davenport Cup spurred on competitive spirits.

It started as a single match but turned into a multi-game event.

Over the next seven years more See SKATING, Page 22

20 • FEBRUARY 2021

The Splash

SVFD Report – January 2021 Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to a total of 142 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area* from December 15, 2020 – January 15, 2021 Emergency Medical Services 122 Building Alarms

7

Fires 4 Dispatched and cancelled en route 3 Motor Vehicle Accidents

3

Hazardous Materials

2

Service Calls

1

The *Service area for SVFD Station #3 in Liberty Lake • Calls saw an increase from 122 last month to 142 this month.

• Emergency Medical Services saw an increase from 89 calls last month to 122 calls this month.

• Building Alarm saw an increase from 3 last month to 7 this month • Motor Vehicle Accidents remained the same with 3 last month and 3 this month.

Media Release Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units were dispatched at approximately 8:30, December 25, for a residential structure fire in the East 7100 block of Eighth Avenue.

A neighbor saw flames coming from the side of the house near the chimney and called 911. Neighbors knocked on the door of the involved house to notify any residents, but no one was home.

The crew from Valley Engine 6 was the first unit on scene and upgraded the incident to a working fire. A working fire upgrade brings additional units to the scene to provide the necessary apparatus

and manpower required to safely fight and extinguish a structure fire.

Valley Engine 6 used aggressive fire tactics to attack the fire from the outside. Additional units were assigned to search the interior of the building and check to see if the fire had extended into the attic space.

Crews were able to locate and safely remove two dogs and a cat from the structure. There were no reported firefighter injuries.

A total of 12 response and command units responded to the fire, including units from the City of Spokane as part of automatic aid.

The fire was determined to have been caused by a faulty chimney.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind homeowners to make sure they get their woodstoves, fireplaces and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year.

Media Release Spokane Valley Fire Department

(SVFD) is one of several local Fire Agencies that will participate in the Sound Off Program. The program is designed to teach elementary school children how to stay safe from fire.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is a FEMA grant subrecipient and will participate in the Sound Off Program.

“Sound Off with the Home Fire Safety Patrol is a school-based fire safety program created through a grant to the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI), a nonprofit organization,” said SVFD Fire Marshal, Greg Rogers. “The program teaches children in grades 2-3 and their caregivers how to stay safe from fire and offers home safety visits to install free smoke alarms in homes that need them.”

Washington joins six other states (Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Vermont) as new Phase 1 State Teams. Each state team has selected 3-5 local teams to deliver three

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Sound Off lessons in 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms in a total of 29 high-risk communities. State teams will distribute free smoke alarms provided by the grant to install in student and other high-risk homes.

Spokane Valley Fire Department is extremely proud to be a part of this program that helps educate and create a safe community for children and their families,” said SVFD Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Specialist, Caroline Kusher. “This program upholds CRR practices and promotes fire safe communities as a way of life for everyone. To learn about some of our other CRR efforts, join us on social media during the 2nd Annual CRR Week, January 18 -24. This year’s theme is “Getting Ahead of the Call”.

If classroom visits are not possible due to COVID-19, some virtual tools have been developed and more will be developed during the grant period. Local teams in Washington include Lacey Fire District 3, North County Regional Fire Authority, Pasco Fire Department, Spokane Fire Department, and Spokane Valley Fire Department.

Over the next few months, representatives from these agencies and the SFMO will receive virtual training from MPHI project managers. The training will cover Sound Off history, best practices, and development; the teaching kit and other printed materials; and

FEBRUARY 2021 • 21

The Splash review online videos and virtual materials.

The SFMO is excited to participate in this proven and worthy program as it works towards making Washington a safe place to live, work, and play.

Media Release The Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) has been selected by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to participate in the second phase of a pilot program to build a Community Risk Assessment (CRA) dashboard tool.

“This tool will assist fire department leaders in recognizing the conditions that impact the health, safety and resilience in their communities,” said SVFD Fire Marshal, Greg Rogers.

SVFD is one of 250 US fire departments chosen to fill the slots during this phase of the pilot which will run through June 2021. Fire departments were chosen based on a variety of factors including the size of their department, size of the community they serve, the services provided by the department including EMS, fire prevention, inspections, public education, and the status of their Community Risk Reduction (CRR) efforts.

According to the NFPA “CRR is a process to identify and prioritize local risks, followed by the integrated and strategic investment of resources to reduce their occurrence and impact.

In other words, it is a process to help communities find out what their risks are and develop a plan to reduce the risks viewed as high priority.” The CRA is the evaluation step that precedes the building of the CRR plan.

CRR is a proactive process many Fire Departments have adopted throughout the nation. Each year during the month of January Fire Departments support a national CRR Week awareness campaign.

This year CRR Week is January 18 – 24 and the theme is, “Getting Ahead of the Call.” Spokane Valley Fire will be demonstrating each day of CRR Week the community impact and benefits from its CRR practices and why this pilot program is a win for our community.

Incidents: Structure Fire, December 21, 2020 – Spokane Valley Fire was called to a potential structure fire.

A resident called in seeing smoke and smelling burnt plastic coming from their water heater. On arrival VL1 was assigned to do a walk around the exterior of the home.

VL1 then took a water can inside to investigate. Upon entry, the crew found very light smoke and no heat.

The resident stated that the smoke was coming from the water softener in the bathroom. No evidence of fire was noted with the water softener.

SVFD Engineer pulled two sections of access skirting noting burned insulation. It was determined that heat tape wrapped around the water pipes, leading to the water softener, had melted the foam insulation on the pipes and was the cause of the smoke. The insulation was pulled from the pipes as access would allow. TIC showed no heat signature.

HazMat Investigation, December 27, 2020 - Spokane Valley Fire parked 200 feet west of a natural gas manifold. VE3 responded to Meadowood Technology Campus on a reported natural gas leak.

We were met by the building maintenance who directed us to a natural gas manifold 200 feet north of building #1. We approached the manifold and smelled natural gas.

After noting the smell, crews called for Avista. Upon arrival of Avista, crews turned the scene over to them.

Service Call, January 10, 2021 - Spokane Valley Fire responded to a call of an elevator with someone trapped inside.

Upond arrival crews objectives were to gain access to the building so the maintenance worker could open the elevator.

VE3 spotted on side Alpha in front of the front doors. There were 2 LLPD on scene as well. VE3 used the Knox Box key to gain access to the building. A maintenance worker then was able to open the elevator and get the worker out from inside.

VE3 then returned to service.

1300 block of N Whitman Lane Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Nextdoor, and YouTube.

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SKATING

Continued from page 19 teams were formed, and amateur hockey leagues organized. Winter carnivals continued with races and games, but they mostly took place at park ponds and manmade flooded rinks. The events were still at the mercy of the weather but not to the same degree as the events that were held out in the large expanse at Liberty Lake.

In 1933 ten years after the Arctic Skating Club was formed the Spokane Ice Arena capable of making artificial ice opened. The community now had a sheet of ice they could depend on again without cooperation of the weather.

When professional hockey returned to Spokane in 1936 a contract to enclose the arena was awarded and completed the following year.

In 1948 the city’s hockey team was renamed the Spokane Flyers; they continued playing at this arena until the Spokane Coliseum opened in 1954.

For anyone who has skated on Liberty Lake with a mirror-like surface reflecting the surrounding beauty, they know artificial ice in an arena can’t compare. However, if you have the warmer temperatures like we have as of this writing, you would not be able to hold your event. If you are a skating enthusiast you are thankful for both.

After working on this article, I got excited for skating and decided the grandkids needed better equipment.

So, with the skates arriving last week and no ice on the lake we improvised, thanks to an idea from their auntie. Blue tape on the living room carpet outlined an imaginary pond. It was not a bluebird day on the lake, but the kids had a lot of fun.

Did You Know: • Spokane had an outside ice arena that opened in 1916. It operated an amateur hockey league and for one year the Spokane Canaries, a professional team of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, played there. Their player-coach was the legendary Lester Patrick (who later was a player and a coach for the New York Rangers) and most if not all of the team was from Canada.

Unfortunately, that ice arena had problems with their artificial ice system and the rink closed within a few years.

The Splash

ON THAT NOTE

As it nears it’s 100 year anniversary, The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber makes log was just a blender,” she own 15 second spots posted on social major changes said“The of the previous design. “It wasn’t media.

By Nina Culver

Current Contributor

Last year was a year of transition for the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce as it worked to move its headquarters from Liberty Lake to Spokane Valley while simultaneously trying to help its members keep their doors open during the pandemic.

The physical move was aided by the fact that chamber staff has been working remotely because of the pandemic, said executive director Lance Beck. The staff moved out of their old location at the end of August even though finishing touches are just now being completed at the new location, the former Banner Bank on Sprague Avenue just east of University Road.

“We weren’t in any rush to be in the office because of the current situation,” he said.

The move was made to bring the chamber to a more central location, Beck said. “A big piece of this is being visible and being more centrally located to our entire members,” he said. “There are more businesses in Spokane Valley than there are in Liberty Lake.”

There simply wasn’t much signage at the old Liberty Lake location, Beck said. “We were in a basement environment with no road signage visible to the public,” he said. “If you didn’t know we were there, you wouldn’t know to look for us there.

That was a long trek to come out and visit us.”

It felt like the Valley Chamber was out of sight and out of mind for most people, Beck said. “General walk-in traffic in our old location was next to nothing,” he said.

The building should be ready to occupy by late February or early March.

The building features a conference room that will easily accommodate meetings of up to 40 people, which the chamber didn’t have before, Beck said.

Exterior signs are being installed at the new building and those paying attention will notice a new logo as well.

It features a bright orange “c” with a white letter “v” in its center. Board member Bonnie Quinn, who also owns the QUINN advertising agency, worked on the rebranding. She said the new logo is more modern and simplistic than the old one.

a modern, standout logo.”

Incorporating the bright color orange is a nod to the chamber’s informality. “We’re more casual, more fun,” she said. “Orange was a color we wanted to own.”

The new logo has been featured in ad, television commercials and videos highlighting local businesses in a “Shop the Valley” campaign that just completed. The ads were part of a marketing campaign designed to support local small businesses during the pandemic that was funded by CARES Act money distributed by Spokane County, Beck said.

The goal was to highlight businesses in Spokane Valley, Millwood and Liberty Lake. “We were targeting small businesses in eastern Spokane County,” he said.

The ads and commercials featured businesses that the Valley is known for, including Nick’s Boots, Simply Northwest and Dishman Dodge. Many other businesses were featured in their

Contributed photo The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber has relocated to the old Banner Bank on Sprague and University.

“It’s been very well received,” Beck said. “It definitely has moved the needle across the board for all those businesses. That was a really great way to end the year. This is just a great example of who we think we are as an organization.”

The recent ad blitz was just one of the ways the Chamber has tried to help local businesses during the pandemic.

Chamber staff have become experts on video communication, using it to host networking events and virtual forums, including one last spring featuring all four Spokane Valley area school superintendents.

“This is what we do all day every day,” he said.

Beck said he’s been impressed by the virtual networking the Chamber hosts once a month. “It’s not the same as it was, but it’s functional,” he said.

“Our attendance is about the same or even better than what it was.”

The Chamber has also spent a significant amount of staff time on

FEBRUARY 2021 • 23

small business grant opportunities.

The Chamber partnered with Spokane County and Greater Spokane Inc. to distribute just under $11 million in “Open Together” small business grants. They later partnered with GSI and Innovia in a $12 million hospitality industry grant relief program.

The Chamber also ran two rounds of small business grants for the City of Spokane Valley with $2.5 million in funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

“That took up the lion’s share of our capacity,” Beck said. “For us, that helped keep us afloat.”

Beck said there have been casualties in local businesses, but hopes that what the Chamber has done has helped stem the tide. “We made a conscious decision not to limit service based on whether they were a Chamber member or not,” he said.

As the pandemic drags on, Beck said he hopes there will be more assistance for businesses. It was difficult to read so many grant applications begging for help, he said. “Every one of those applications was just a heartbreak story,” he said. “I hope there’s another round of help, because the closures are still there.”

24 • FEBRUARY 2021

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