News and Notes –August 2023

By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor

• Liberty Lake Police Chief Damon Simmons introduced Officer Kyle Fritz, the newest addition to the force at the July 11 council meeting. Fritz came from the Post Falls Police Department where he worked as a senior patrol officer. Prior to that, Fritz worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

• Council Member Dan Dunne gave a brief report on a roundtable discussion on solutions to regional homelessness that he and fellow Council Member Tom Sahlberg attended. “It was an excellent opportunity to understand a regional and distributive approach to an important set of services that our jurisdiction does not have a footprint in,” Dunne said.

• Sahlberg saluted staff for their diligence in raising awareness related to the closure on Mission Avenue for construction. The project was completed two days ahead of schedule last month.

• A Fire Danger Burn Restriction continues in effect as announced by fire marshals with the Spokane Valley Fire Department and Spokane County. Unauthorized open burning and unauthorized recreational fires are restricted until the order is lifted or otherwise permitted by law enforcement or authorized agencies. All recreational fires (including backyard fire pits or campfires) and all open burning are not allowed. Manufactured portable outdoor devices, such as fireplaces, barbeques and patio warmers, are allowed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Designated campfires in parks and campgrounds may be allowed as approved and determined by agencies with jurisdiction.

• Mayor Cris Kaminskas, City Administrator Mark McAvoy and Council Members Dunne, Jed Spencer and Annie Kurtz attended the Association of Washington Cities annual conference June 2023 in Spokane. The mayor said she focused on sessions related to grants and procuring federal funding as well as refresher courses in parliamentary procedures.

• Volunteers took part in a special project at the Liberty Lake Library on July 28, making “Friendship Frogs” for seniors at local retirement centers.

• The library is hosting a free educational program titled “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” (PTC) through Aug. 22. PTC helps caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, balance lives, improve communication and locate helpful resources. The class meets every Tuesday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 509-4587450, option 2.

• McAvoy told council that 652 responses were received from residents on the city’s strategic plan. The data will be reviewed by a focus group comprised of chairs of municipal boards and commissions as well as graduates of the inaugural City Academy. The group will present their findings to council on Aug. 22. “All things considered, I think it was a great response,” said McAvoy who noted that 95 percent of survey respondents either live or work in the city.

• Bill Genoway, a commissioner with the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District, said the district office on Mission Avenue is being renovated but customers can still pay their utility bills or ask questions in person by accessing a side entrance.

• A request for more baseball field space was addressed during a workshop on July 11. The city manages four fields at The Diamonds, two of which are owned by the Central Valley School District. There is one baseball diamond at Pavillion Park. Local Little Leaguer Hudson Cargill spoke up in public comments, asking the city to consider adding fields to Rocky Hill Park and Pavillion Park. Operations and Maintenance Manager Jen Camp gave an overview of greenspaces across the community, noting that many would involve “extensive renovations” to convert into baseball diamonds. Liberty Lake Spokane Valley Little League consisted of 500 participants this spring, a 15-percent increase in participation from last year and 50-percent uptick since 2018 with 40 percent of players residing in Liberty Lake. With limited field space, only 50 percent of games are played in Liberty Lake. Options were raised to build more fields at Liberty Lake Elementary and Liberty Creek Elementary. Funding has come forward to build a field for players with special needs who compete the Challenger Division. “The only empty space the city owns is the four acres around Town Square Park,” said Kaminskas, who brought up the HUB Sports Center and other privately owned properties as possibilities for baseball venues.

• Rick Romero of the Spokane Regional Collaborative gave a report on July 18 on recommendations for the formation of a regional authority on homelessness, housing, health and safety. Romero said the dialogue in these areas had become “divisive and politicized in a way that wasn’t leading to any pragmatic solutions.” Discussions began with representatives from Spokane County, the city of Spokane and the city of Spokane Valley that engaged in a 90-day due diligence period that resulted in the recommendation to form a Public Development Authority or PDA. Cheney, Medical Lake and Airway Heights were added to the conversation later. The PDA board would include a blend of representatives from government, local nonprofits and private entities who would address the core issues of housing, enforcement and behavioral health and pursue local, state and federal funding. “I’m firmly a believer in a regional approach to the objectives,” said Dunne. Romero said the hope is to have the PDA established by Jan. 1, 2024. “This particular proposal I think has a lot of merit,” said Sahlberg. Council approved staff to move ahead with a resolution to approve an interlocal agreement with the program that will be read at the next meeting.

• The mayor told council that just over $1.6 million has been secured from the Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) for a pavement overlay project on Mission Avenue that will take place next year. The road upgrade will go from Country Vista to the roundabout with the SRTC funds covering 75 percent of the overall cost. Kaminskas serves on the SRTC board and administrative committee.

• The city’s new podcast “The Liberty Lake Deep Dive.” has broadcast nine episodes since premiering in April and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. “This is really Liberty Lake’s only opportunity to have our own radio talk-show,” said Communications Specialist David Goehner.

• Nancy Hill with the Parks and Arts Commission told council that the mural at the Pavillion Park basketball courts began July 17 with resurfacing and is expected to be completed by the end of September. Hill added that a similar project at the skate park will come before council this month.

• Council confirmed the mayor’s appointments of Joe Mann, Brittany Webster and Maria Hatcher to the Civil Service Commission.

• The annual Summer Soiree raised over $7,000 for the Liberty Lake Municipal Library.