Falcons Brian Conrad Recognized as Advisor of the Year
By Nina Culver Splash contributor
The Association of Washington Student Leaders, a division of the Washington School Principal’s Education Foundation, recently selected Ridgeline High School teacher Bryan Conrad as their 2024 High School Advisor of the Year.
The award was given in recognition of Conrad’s “unwavering dedication to student activities, leadership development, and fostering a culture of belonging,” according to an association press release announcing the award. The organization also wanted to recognize Conrad’s work at summer leadership camps and his service on the board of the Washington Activity Coordinators Association.
“Bryan’s heart for others is evident in everything he does,” AWSL Director James Layman said in the press release. “He invests in students with authenticity and care, ensuring that every student feels valued and empowered. His impact extends far beyond Ridgeline High School – he has shaped countless young leaders across Washington State.”
Conrad said he’s been aware since November that he was nominated for the award, but was surprised to be selected. He said he’s not sure how what he does with his students as an Associated Student Body (ASB) advisor and leadership teacher is special. “There’s a lot of people who do what I do,” he said. It’s quite an honor.”
He doesn’t know for sure who nominated him for the award, but based on the quotes from anonymous students in the press
DOCKSIDE
release announcing his selection, he believes it was current or former students. “I know it was students who know me,” he said.
Those students described Conrad as more than a teacher, as a mentor and a role model. One student called him an uncle figure. “He pushed me to attend leadership camps and I wouldn’t be as confident in myself without him,” that student wrote.
Another student wrote “The way he listens, understands, and puts effort into everything he does shoes us how to be good humans. He made me realize that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to.”
A third student wrote “He makes everyone feel seen and heard, even if they have different opinions. He has a way of bringing people together, fostering relationship and making
leadership fun.”
Conrad has deep roots in Spokane Valley and the Central Valley School District. He graduated from University High School before getting his teaching degree at Eastern Washington University. He currently lives three houses down from the home he grew up in, having purchased his home his grandfather used to live in.
After graduating from EWU in 1998, he was a substitute teacher for a year before taking a position as the band teacher at Horizon Middle School. He stayed there until moving to the brand new Ridgeline High School when it first opened in 2021. He followed Ridgeline Principal Jesse Hardt, who had been principal at Horizon for 11 years.
Conrad had been Horizon’s ASB
advisor his last four years there and was interested in creating a new ASB program at Ridgeline. “I loved teaching leadership,” he said. “It kind of relit a fire in my career to come here. With a new school, there is no Associated Student Body. We had to start from scratch. My kids had to write the constitution.”
In addition to following his new passion, Conrad wanted to follow Hardt because of the culture he fostered at Horizon. “He and I were on the same page as far as school culture,” he said.
Conrad has seen that school culture blossom at Ridgeline. “School culture is now people behave habitually and repeatedly,” he said. “I feel like the culture here is amazing.”
The front office staff is very warm and welcoming to students, staff and visitors alike, Conrad said. Many teachers stand at their doorway in between classes, greeting students as they arrive as a way to touch base and create a sense of belonging. “It feels different when you walk into Ridgeline,” he said. “We have a great culture here.”
Conrad spends his days teaching leadership development classes for freshmen and ASB leadership classes for juniors and seniors in addition to being the ASB advisor.
Conrad describes himself as being a shy and introverted high school student, so he makes it a point to help students make connections. “I take a lot of intentional time to make sure I provide opportunities for my students to connect with each other,” he said.
What led to your decision to become a teacher?
When I was in high school, I was a band kid. I loved what being involved in music had done for me and I wanted to make that possible for students. I went to college to be a band teacher. I started my first teaching job at Horizon Middle School in 1999.
How did you become an ASB
Contributed photo
Ridgeline Principal Jesse Hardt congratulates Ridgeline High School Teacher Bryan Conrad. Conrad was recognized by the Association of Washington Student Leaders as the 2024 High School Advisor of the Year. See CONRAD, Page 4
CONRAD
Continued from page 2
advisor?
At the time I was a band director at Horizon Middle School and there was a need for a Leadership teacher. I had the opportunity to change my schedule slightly and add the Leadership class. I was excited to try something new. The ASB advisor position was at the time loosely tied to the Leadership position. I became the ASB advisor at that time.
How would you describe ASB to someone who is not familiar with it?
ASB stands for Associated Student Body. The ASB council is a group of elected students that represent the voice of the student body of a school. The ASB council is responsible for how ASB funds are spent on and for the students. They also plan events around community building and school culture.
What do you see as the benefits of being involved in ASB for students?
Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District Denies Annexation Request
By Nina Culver
Splash contributor
A request by three property owners to be annexed into the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District failed last month after district board members voted to deny their request.
As a student, the benefits of being involved in ASB include building skills in organization, leadership, finances, event planning, communication, and social skills.
How would you describe your philosophy of leadership?
The leadership philosophy that I have come to love is the idea that leadership is all about relationships. Through relationship building and service to others, a person can build influence with those around them. When this is done consistently over time this influence builds trust and others will follow.
What is your favorite part of being a high school teacher and ASB advisor?
I love coming to work knowing that the skills I am teaching are going to be useful in life to all of my students no matter what they choose to do after high school. I love the kids and the energy in the building.
What are your favorite hobbies when you are not in the classroom?
I love making things out of leather. I love being on my ATV in the woods or sitting around a campfire. I’m beginning to dabble in the world of Radio Controlled Rock Crawling.
The five parcels in question were directly north of the Spokane River on the east side of Harvard Road. The southernmost one, located on the southeast corner of Harvard Road and Euclid Avenue, is 6.9 acres owned by Spokane River Escape that has a home and several outbuildings on it. The next three contiguous parcels, totaling 14.45 acres that includes a small red building, are owned by Brett Cohen. The northernmost parcel, which is vacant, is 4.86 acres owned by the Gillespie Trust.
LLSWD general manager BiJay Adams said all three property owners petitioned for sewer only, not water service. The annexation was requested by the property owners and was not initiated by LLSWD, Adams said.
A public hearing on the annexation request was held at the February 10 board meeting and over 140 people attended, almost all of them strongly against the annexation. Sixty-eight of those in attendance spoke against the annexation in the meeting and hundreds of other local residents signed petitions opposing the annexation. Nearly two dozen others submitted written comments.
Adams said people seemed to be concerned that annexing the properties would lead to their development and rumors of large commercial building projects were swirling among residents. Many of those objecting spoke to the rural nature of the area and their desire to keep it safe from development. Some also mentioned possible negative impacts on local schools and already busy roads.
Applying for annexation is only step one in the process, Adams said. Step two would have been extending service to the parcels, which would
have only been for the current rural zoning. “The zoning would have to be changed,” he said. “That’s a different agency that is responsible for that.”
One resident argued that the property owners knew what they were getting. “The owners of the lots we are opposing purchased their property knowing how they were zoned and they were outside the Liberty Lake district,” wrote Otis Orchards resident Heather Chamberlain. “Please keep this from moving forward and destroying our way of life.”
“We oppose any plans that lead to development within Otis Orchards, which would contribute to the degradation of our rural community,” wrote Eldon and Robin Jons. “The land owners requesting this annexation are not Otis Orchards residents so their petition does not affect their daily lives, but it has a very negative impact on our lives.”
Resident David Charbonneau wrote that he assumes that if the property owners are willing to pay for sewer access, they have plans to put in multi-family housing. “I believe attachment to your live sewer system would be the factor needed to apply for and achieve the necessary rezoning with Spokane County to do this,” he wrote. “Otis Orchards is the last large portion of land in Spokane County zoned Rural-5 and if the sewer is extended across the river and those lots rezoned, it would likely just begin the rezoning of all our rural and historic area.”
Gene Cohen, one of the property owners who made the annexation request, defended their decision in a lengthy letter to the board. “Our land is sitting empty and we get $1,100 a year from farming,” he wrote. “That is a ridiculously low return to us. We pay over $11,000 a year in taxes and insurance.”
Cohen wrote that if he puts rental homes on the land, he can begin making money from his properties and other development is possible in the future. “We can simply wait and do other things,” Cohen wrote. “Someone will show up and pay all our costs and more when it’s time. In fact, time is on our side. Land will be worth more tomorrow and we can just wait.”
Cohen also submitted a letter that he intended for his neighbors and other residents in the area. “Nothing here tonight will change anything about how we use our properties,” he wrote. “What Jerry, Mike and I decide
on our properties will happen. It will be for what the law allows and for the betterment of our families. The law only allows us to put two houses per property at this time. Nothing more.”
Cohen wrote that he tried to engage the neighborhood and assure people that he and the other property owners had good intentions, but was rebuffed. “Today there are no plans to build a Costco on our land,” he wrote. “Today there is no plan to annex our properties into Liberty Lake. Today there is no plan to put in a shopping area. Today there is no plan to put up dozens of three-story apartment buildings.”
Future development and/or zone changes on the properties is up in the air, but all three property owners have sent letters of interest to Spokane County indicating that they would like their land to be included in the County’s Urban Growth Area. Being included in the UGA would make further development of the land easier, particularly if the property owners also apply for a zone change that allows denser housing and/or commercial uses.
Adams said it was those letters of interest that convinced the board to deny the annexation request. “We thought it would be better off waiting for that process to play out,” Adams said.
The denial was also advocated by Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney in a letter sent to the board voicing her opposition to the annexation. “It is premature until these parcels are planned for urban development and included in an Urban Growth Area,” she wrote. “These parcels were submitted to the Spokane County Planning Department by their owners for inclusion in the UGA. However, there is no assurance that these parcels will be included in the County’s 2026 UGA.”
Adams said the property owners can reapply for annexation into the district if the properties are in fact added to the UGA in the future.
The district currently handles 950,000 gallons of wastewater in its treatment plant daily and has a capacity of 2 million gallons. “That doesn’t mean we’re looking for properties to fill that gap,” Adams said. “There’s still a lot of open property in Liberty Lake and a lot of that is commercial use. We don’t know what’s coming in. We’re not out there actively trying to expand our territory.”
Introducing the Safety Awareness Channel
Suspicious Vehicles 55
Significant Cases
Splash news sources
Total incidents generated by Officers and emergency calls for service last month 1297
Traffic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Injury Collisions 7
Citations (Traffic/Criminal/ Non-Criminal) 59
DUI (Driving Under Influence) 2
Thefts / Vehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft / Burglaries 21
Malicious Mischief 1
Argument / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Assault w/a Weapon 6
Parking Violations 31
2025-88000077 Burglary, 01/05/2025:
Officers responded to the 20700 block of E Valley Vista Drive for the report of a burglary and stolen vehicle. The victims advised they woke up to find their residence had been entered through their garage and their vehicle and other items had been stolen. The vehicle was later recovered in Spokane. Officers are attempting to identify a suspect.
2025-88000204 Theft, 01/09/2025:
Officers responded to the 500 block of N Legacy Ridge Drive for the report of a mail theft. The
victim reported that a package from Amazon had been stolen off the porch. Officers responded and received video evidence of the suspect and suspect vehicle. Currently, the investigation is ongoing.
2025-88000631 DUI, 01/17/2025:
Officers responded to the report of an erratically driven vehicle. The complainant advised they were being followed by the vehicle and drove to the Police Department. Officers contact the suspect driver and subsequently made an arrest for DUI and Disorderly Conduct. The driver was booked into Spokane County Jail.
2025-88000934 Theft, 01/09/2025:
Officers responded to the 20800 block of E Thomson Ave for the report of mail theft. The victim reported that two packages had been stolen off the porch. Officers responded and received video evidence of the suspect and suspect vehicle. Currently, the investigation is ongoing.
Update: As of 2/12/2025, following emphasis patrols in the community and investigation by the detectives unit, several suspects have been identified as being involved in the mail thefts and burglaries in the community. The investigation is ongoing and charges will be forwarded to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office as more suspects are identified.
The Lookout
Are you keeping those curbsides clear?
Here’s a safety issue that can easily be overlooked as temperatures get less cold and the opportunities become more frequent for playtime outside your front door: Placing obstructions on the city right-ofway areas outside your home’s property.
Routinely storing objects such as portable basketball hoops or street hockey nets on neighborhood streets can pose safety risks for both players and drivers. While these objects may seem to provide enjoyment and convenience, there are
Want to join a city commission this year?
Two of Liberty Lake’s citizen commission groups are currently seeking new members. The Parks and Arts Commission currently has a spot open for an adjunct member. And, the Community Engagement Commission has an opening for a representative who resides in the eastern area of the northeast portion of the city (south of I-90, east of Liberty Lake Road, and north of Mission).
If you’d like to know more about either of these groups and access an application form, go to the city’s website at: www. libertylakewa.gov/136/BoardsCommissions-Committees.
safety issues when any vehicle access area is being used for this purpose.
To protect everyone, keep in mind these safety considerations:
• Emergency vehicle access: Streets must remain clear for emergency vehicles. A basketball hoop in the roadway is a hazard that may delay critical response times.
• Obstructing traffic and essential public services: Basketball hoops placed in the street can obstruct vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. They can
also increase the risk of accidents, and impede street sweeping, snow removal or garbage collection.
• Property damage liability: If someone accidentally hits a portable basketball hoop in the street, the owner of the obstruction may be liable for any damage. This can be even more of a problem at night because most hoops are not reflective and can be very difficult to see.
• And finally, local laws: The Liberty Lake City Code prohibits obstructions to streets, sidewalks and other public right of way areas. The adjacent rightof-way must be clear of anything that obstructs or interferes with
Have you filled out your 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey?
Numerous randomly chosen households throughout the Liberty Lake city limits have had the good luck of getting to make their voice heard by receiving the invitation card to take part in the 2025 edition of the Liberty Lake Community Satisfaction Survey. The online survey is your opportunity to influence City Hall’s decision makers by letting them know
your viewpoints about Liberty Lake’s local quality of life, public safety, city services, economic opportunities, and more.
If you received an invitation card but need help filling it out online, you can take your card to the Liberty Lake Municipal Library; the staff there can assist with logging you in so you can start in on your survey. Or, if you misplaced the invitation card that you were mailed, you can find out how to get into your survey by calling City Hall at 509-755-6700. The survey is currently scheduled to close on March 30.
the normal flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
Here are some safer alternatives:
• Set up your hoop in your driveway or other private property, off the street and away from traffic.
• Use our community parks or recreation centers that have designated basketball courts.
The City of Liberty Lake encourages you to prioritize safety and comply with city regulations by not storing portable basketball hoops, hockey nets, and other obstructions on our public streets.
Carter Francis joins the LLPD
The Liberty Lake Police Department is now a force of 26, following the addition of Officer Carter Francis on Feb. 12. The city’s newest policeman was formally sworn in that morning by Deputy Chief Darin Morgan.
Officer Francis was previously a state trooper with the Idaho State Police during 2017-2019 and rejoined the ISP in 2020. He was also a deputy sheriff with the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin for six months starting in 2019, and earlier served as a certified military police officer with the U.S> Coast Guard from 2014 to 2017.
Council holds workshops on meetings, commission appointment changes
By John McCallum Splash contributor
The Liberty Lake City Council is proposing changes to its bi-monthly meetings. The proposals, presented in a workshop at its Feb. 4 meeting, are hoped to lead to more citizen engagement and efficiencies in conducting meetings and receiving information from council members and city staff.
One of those proposed changes is taking place right now on a trial basis as the City Council has moved up their start times from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. at their regular meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. In presenting the proposals at the Feb. 4 meeting, Councilwoman Annie Kurtz said a review of meeting ending times indicated over 75% of the meetings were going longer than 9 p.m., with 25% wrapping up after 10 p.m.
About 25% of meetings currently beginning at 7 p.m. were ending between 8 – 9 p.m. Council agreed to try the 6 p.m. start time for meetings beginning Feb. 18 and running through April 30, with those meetings targeting a 9 p.m. conclusion.
Kurtz, who teamed with councilmen Mike Kennedy and Jed
Spencer on a committee exploring ways to improve meetings, listed several other proposals. These ranged from reducing citizen comments from the current three minutes to two minutes, changing the order of agenda items so more city business was at the beginning of meetings, changing the frequency of departmental reports and improvements to how council votes are tallied.
Councilwoman Linda Ball and Councilman/Mayor Pro Tem Chris Cargill said they were against reducing the citizen comments time, which currently take place at the beginning and ending of meetings. Cargill said one change to comments could be to shorten individual’s time in the second comment portion if they had already commented earlier in the meeting.
Some of the improvements to citizens’ council experience included tallying votes on screen, electronic signups to present comments and links to citizen comments submitted earlier by email. Also proposed was better utilization of Robert’s Rules of Order, a “how to” on conducting public meetings along with more training on using points of order as a means of getting meetings back on track.
Changes to appointment process debated
deny the application by individual voice vote, and any applicant denied a position could reapply within 60 days.
Cargill said his reasons for submitting the proposal is to “formalize the process more to the council chambers” than where it currently lies in the Mayor’s Office.
Issues regarding the appointment process came up in December during nominations for positions on the city’s Library Board of Trustees made by Mayor Cris Kaminskas. Several council members including Cargill, Spencer and Kennedy expressed frustration with a lack of knowledge about the appointees that they felt might help them make better decisions.
Kennedy gave an example of one applicant who had an impressive resume, but when he asked them what they knew about the position they were applying for, their answer indicated they didn’t know much.
“I voted no,” Kennedy said. The candidate was subsequently confirmed 6-1.
minimum of two hours.
When Little League submitted their request for the use of three ball fields and three sports fields, each at 868 hours for a total of 5,208 hours, the total cost was $52,080.
“That is a big number,” McAvoy said of the cost. “That is sticker shock territory, and so we can understand that.”
McAvoy said Little League officials and city staff met several times to discuss costs and options, and the league had since revised its request, using five fields with a total of 754 hours at a cost of $9,480. The request is to use fields from March through October.
“When you look out across the state, and all the municipalities across the state that operate sports fields, our fees are among the lowest that you’re going to see,” McAvoy said.
In 2024, Little League initially requested the use of six fields, four at 946 hours — including one sports field — and two sports fields at 236 hours for a total of 4,256 hours. The total cost was $45,780, with the three ballfields priced at about $15.50 per hour and the sports fields at $1.25 per hour.
The council is considering making changes to the appointment process for positions on local boards and commissions. At a workshop at the Feb. 18 meeting, Cargill introduced 10 ideas to “improve” the process, five of which he said were already part of the current process where the mayor selects candidates who apply for the positions, conducts interviews, checks references and makes recommendations to the council, which has the final approval.
Cargill proposed five more steps in this process — beginning with candidates filling out a “legislative questionnaire” prepared by the council. Applicants would also supply references with this questionnaire.
Candidates’ appointment would be placed on a council agenda within 30 days of completion of these steps and attend a council meeting to respond to questions. Council would then approve or
Councilwoman Kurtz agreed a better, more objective process was needed in selecting citizen appointments, but didn’t want one that might discourage potentially good candidates from applying. Councilwoman Wendy Van Orman said commissions and boards each had unique responsibilities, and questions for one commission might not work for another.
She also asked if there was a way to not require council attendance of applicants, noting some had conflicts on Tuesday evenings or were intimidated by speaking in public.
Council agreed to continue its discussion on the proposed changes.
Addressing baseball “sticker shock”
During his report at the Feb. 18 meeting, City Manager Mark McAvoy updated the council on an issue first presented at the Feb. 4 meeting regarding field reservations for the Liberty Lake / Spokane Valley Little League. According to the city’s 2025 fee schedule, nonprofit organizations may reserve ball fields for $15 an hour, minimum of two hours and sports fields — essentially a field with a backstop —for $5 an hour,
McAvoy said the biggest difference between this year and 2024, and even before that, is the estimated amount was never paid to reserve the fields. The actual amount paid by Little League in 2024 was $3,295 for 1,139 total hours for three ball fields and two sports fields, with an hourly rate varying from $1.20 to $4.12.
Usage fees for city facilities, including fields, are set by council budget ordinance. McAvoy admitted that with Little League, staff had been making unauthorized discounts for fields.
“So, we’ve been violating our own budget ordinances?” Cargill asked.
“Yes,” McAvoy said.
Council unanimously agreed to add a review of the fee schedule and possible adjustments to the March 4 agenda. Cargill motioned to charge Little League the 2024 rates in 2025, a move City Attorney Sean Boutz said would require a budget amendment, which could be furnished also at the March 4 meeting.
Council considers new options for library expansion
By John McCallum Splash contributor
Expansion of the Liberty Lake Public Library has taken a different direction in recent weeks with proposals by City Council members to potentially combine that with another desired project — namely a build out of the city’s Town Square located east of Safeway between East Appleway and East Mission avenues and North Signal Drive.
The only action taken so far was a motion, passed 7-0, at a Feb. 25 workshop on the subject to direct staff to bring a proposal before council as early as the March 4 meeting for a work order directing consultant development of two
concepts for Town Square — one with a new library only and the other with a library and community center.
The city’s original plan was to move the library from its current location to a renovated building just to the east along East Mission Avenue — the former Legacy Church. The city purchased the 14,400 square foot building in 2022 for $2.175 million, and has been setting aside money in the Library Capital Fund to renovate it since then, a fund currently totaling $3.99 million in the 2025 budget.
Not included in that is a $937,000 Department of Commerce grant and a $500,000 planned donation. If the city changed its library proposal and did not renovate the Legacy building, the Commerce grant would go away, as might the donation.
Councilman Mike Kennedy first proposed the idea of building a new library and community center at Town Square — a project first proposed in 2008 — at the
Nov. 19, 2024 council meeting. Kennedy said the amount of funding already accumulated for the library combined with selling Legacy could get the city close to $8 million for the proposal, with other funding sources located to fill in the remainder including going to citizens for a bond vote.
Kennedy also said building these two facilities at Town Square could lead to creation of an enclosed public market building on the site resulting in a year-round facility. Currently, the Liberty Lake Public Market uses the open space in the summer for its weekly vendors.
At the Feb. 4 meeting, Councilman / Mayor Pro Tem Chris Cargill expanded Kennedy’s concept, proposing an 11,000 square foot library and 8,000 square foot community center complex along with a public market at Town Square, estimating the library/community center cost at $14.5 million. Cargill proposed hiring a firm to develop a concept for all three facilities, selling the Legacy building immediately to generate revenue, delegate those
funds to the Town Square concept and place a measure for additional funding for voter consideration on the November ballot.
As an example of a possible successful year-round market, Cargill pointed to the Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee. According to its website, the Port of Chelan purchased the former Pybus Steel Foundry warehouse in 2013 for $1.33 million.
A local developer agreed to invest $3 million in a public/ private arrangement to turn the facility into a public market, with the Port allocating $1.35 million towards construction and the city of Wenatchee securing a $1.4 million grant as their portion.
The total cost for the warehouse renovation into a year-round market was $10 million. The market is currently operated by a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization, and houses more than 20 restaurants, shops and specialty stores, with additional space on the grounds outside for up to 35 additional vendors.
At the Feb. 4 meeting, council agreed to hold the Feb. 25 special meeting to discuss the Town Square concept. No official presentation was made at the meeting, but instead, a wide-ranging discussion was held between council members, staff and attending citizens.
Several positions were staked out during the meeting, including opposition by council members Annie Kurtz, Dan Dunne and Linda Ball to selling the Legacy building, at least until firm development and construction numbers for the proposal are known. Kurtz added she wanted the focus to remain on improving and expanding the library, which she said the public has indicated it wants.
“If we keep adding other pieces in, I do feel like we would be setting ourselves up for failure (with a public vote) like in the past,” she added.
The city originally held a public vote on a library/community center in 2016 and 2017. In 2016 it received a 56% yes vote on a bond funding the project, short of the 60% needed, with the 2017 measure shot down by a 61.6% no vote.
Kennedy stated any concept that didn’t include a community center was non-starter for him. While
Photo courtesy of city of Liberty Lake Councilman / Mayor Pro Tem Chris Cargill holds up his quickly drawn rendition of possible improvements to the city’s Town Square at a Feb. 25 special meeting.
COVER STORY
agreeing an updated library was important for the city, he said a lot of what was being asked for in this concept was additional space for meetings and events, something he felt could be accomplished with a community center.
“A community center is absolutely critical for moving forward,” Kennedy said.
A 2019 report indicated a new Liberty Lake library should be 16,500 – 19,000 square feet in size to meet the community’s needs upon full population buildout of over 24,000 residents. While 2,100 square feet smaller than the minimum, Library Director Jandy Humble said the current expansion proposal at Legacy meets the current space needs, although full population buildout would require a library of 43,500 square feet just for its collection alone.
Cargill said he felt it was imperative to sell Legacy so the city would know how much money it would have before proceeding with the Town Square concept, including the potential for a public market. Also factoring into the mix
is a recent draft report of a public facilities analysis that indicated an expansion of City Hall is needed to accommodate growth.
Two options for this were presented at the Feb. 18 council meeting. Option 1 involved the library moving to the Legacy building, some City Hall departments move to the library building and renovating the current City Hall to house the Parks Department and upgraded council chambers at a total cost of $10.9 million — $5.7 million alone for the library move.
Option 2 moved City Hall/ council chambers to the Legacy building, Parks Department to the current City Hall and construction of a new library at Town Square — total cost $20 million, with the library construction alone tabbed at $14.5 million.
Further work on the facility analysis is still to come, and council hopes the library/community center design work order will help with clarifying the direction it can take — and the community will support.
Photo courtesy of Port of Chelan
An aerial photo of the Pybus Public Market in Wenatchee. Several Liberty Lake City Council members are proposing the city consider development and construction at some point of a similar facility at the city’s Town Square, part of a project that would first include a new library and community center.
Student of the Month
Warrick Duarte a senior at Ridgeline High School has no problem jumping right in and working with his hands. Duarte is the club captain for the Falcon Robotics Team and fascinated by mechanical systems and design processes.
Duarte maintains a 3.85 GPA while taking a full load of advanced placement classes such as Calculus based AP Physics, AP Language, AP Government, and Calculus. He also is the teachers assistant for the principles of engineering class where he enjoys making projects for teachers around the school. He has also volunteered in the school kitchen serving food for the last three years. “Its my chance to help out my school” said Duarte. Outside of school Duarte has another passion, agriculture. Raising Boar Goats, Duarte has been active with the Spokane County Junior Livestock Show showing and most recently as a barn volunteer. “I want to help teach future generations about AG,” added Duarte.
While Warrick hasn’t settled on where he plans to go next, he plans to pursue a career in Aerospace Engineering.
Relative newcomer, Julianne Stevenson, has taken flight since being at Ridgeline. The Ridgeline High School senior moved to the area in 2022 and quickly found home in the Falcon Gymnastics team. Stevenson who has been involved in gymnastics since she was 6 years old, was recognized as the Level 6 all-round regional champion in 2022 and recently won the state championship in beam setting a school record as the first Ridgeline Gymnast to have won a state championship. This year Stevenson also joined the Falcon competitive cheerleading team which placed 2nd in the state for medium size tumbling.
Outside of school Stevenson enjoys volunteering in the nursery at the Haven Bible Church and working as a gymnastics coach at Spokane Gymnastics. “Julianne loves to work with kids” added Julianne’s mom Sheryl. After graduation, Stevenson plans to attend Boise State University to pursue a degree in Early Education.
Citizen of the Month
Carol Smith a local Liberty Lake resident and real estate agent with John L Scott joined the Liberty Lake Kiwanis Club in 2024 and has immediately taken lead with the Liberty Lake Kiwanis Father Daughter Dance. From organizing the theme for the dance to working with students at Ridgeline on helping design the artwork, securing donations to help offset the expenses for the event, and organizing the raffle, Carol has helped make this event happen this year.
In addition to helping with the Father Daughter Dance Carol is a regular at the Kiwanis Food Booth in both Liberty Lake as well as with the Spokane Valley Kiwanis Club at the Spokane County Interstate Fair. Thank you Carol for all you do!
By John McCallum
Splash contributor Boys basketball
The Falcons struggled down the stretch in the final weeks of the season. After a tight, 61-57 loss to Greater Spokane League second-place 4A Mead on Jan. 28, Ridgeline hit the road for its final three games — all losses.
The Falcons dropped games at University, 83-75; Cheney, 67-65 and the season finale at Central Valley, 6957. Seeded eighth in the 3A District 6 playoffs, Ridgeline slipped to a playin game Feb. 11 against North Central at Gonzaga, ending their season with a 69-58 loss.
The Falcons finished seventh overall in the GSL at 3-6, 7-14 overall Girls basketball
Ridgeline brought a 16-game winning streak into its Feb. 7 showdown with fellow GSL 3A power Central Valley in a game for the league crown. A 13-0 run by the top-ranked and undefeated Bears to open the game proved too much to overcome, although the Falcons battled to close the gap before falling 56-40.
At 17-3 overall, 8-1 in the GSL and ranked fifth in 3A state by the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association’s RPI standings, Ridgeline found itself seeded fourth in the District 6 tournament due to pre-determined standings and an agreement between the GSL and the Mid-Columbia Conference.
The Falcons cruised to a 76-52 opening-round win over Hermiston before falling52-44 to top-seeded Kennewick. Needing two wins to advance to state as the district’s third seed, Ridgeline knocked off University 54-48 and Hermiston — again — 6147 despite being without the services of the GSL’s top scorer Emma Myers, who missed both games due to an illness.
At 20-4 and seeded ninth in the
Gymnastics
Stevenson wins beam 3A state title, girls basketball advances to state
3A state bracket, Ridgeline awaits the winner of an opening round match up between Bellevue and Mountain View (Auburn). The Falcons will need to win that game at Central Valley, Feb. 28 or March 1, and a loser-out third round game March 5 to advance to the quarterfinals and the tournament’s double elimination rounds March 6 –8 at the Tacoma Dome.
Three Falcons made the trip to 3A state competition Feb. 20-21 at Sammamish High School: seniors Trynity Van Gelder, Julianne Stevenson and Elliot Edminster. It was a return trip for Van Gelder and Stevenson and a first for Edminster.
Stevenson made the top-16 on the beam to advance to the finals and scored a 9.450 on the apparatus to capture a state title in the event.
www.hubsportscenter.org
“It was an incredible routine for her,” head coach Leah Grisafi said. “She is now the only (Ridgeline) gymnast to ever place at finals and then ended up winning.”
Van Gelder also reached the final round of 16 on the bars, placing 15th with a score of 7.60. Edminster competed in the beam as well but missed the finals.
Boys swimming
In their inaugural year of competition, the Falcon boys’ team did pretty well.
Junior Ethan Gingras and freshman Ari Teske notched top-eight finishes to lead Ridgeline to 55 points and a 12thplace finish at 3A state competition Feb. 21-22 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Perennial state swimming power Bellevue captured the team title with 276 points, followed by Shorecrest in second and Lakeside of Shoreline, north of Seattle, in third.
“Great accomplishment for the
program in its first year,” head coach Jennifer Hochwalt said. “I am excited to see what next year brings.”
Gingras reached the A finals in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke. He placed sixth in the 200 with a time of 1 minute, 55.15 seconds and seven in the back in 53.10.
Teske made the A finals in the 500yard freestyle, placing seventh with a time of 4:47.31, almost two seconds faster than his 4:49.19 preliminary time. He also made the B finals in the 200-yard freestyle, finishing 14th in 1:47.72.
Freshman Liam Gingras also provided team scoring by reaching the B finals in the 50 and 100 free events. He was 10th in the 50 in 21.88, better his preliminary time of 22.07, and 15th in the 100 free in 48.97, also better than his prelim mark of 49.08.
Finally, the 400-yard freestyle relay team of Liam Gingras, Teske, freshman Joshua Kautzman and Ethan Gingras scored points in the B finals by placing 14th in a time of 3:25.29, almost two seconds faster than their prelim mark.
Wrestling
Preston Wentling and Owen Van Rossum placed fifth and sixth respectively in 3A state competition at Mat Classic XXXVI, Feb. 20-21 at the Tacoma Dome.
Wentling advanced to the semifinals at 215 pounds with a major decision over Kent-Meridian’s Jeshua Najera, a pin of EdmondsWoodway’s Alex White and another major decision over Snohomish’s Magnus Schwabenbaue. In the semis he lost via pin to White River’s Riley Simmons — who subsequently emerged as state champion.
Wentling pinned Carter Nichols of Shorecrest to place fifth.
Van Rossum advanced with a major decision over Jared Friedberg of Seattle Academy a close, 3-0 decision in the third round to Abel Noriega of Kennewick. In the consolation bracket, Van Rossum advanced with a pins of Luka Sadder of Ballard, Eddie Cormier-Higg of Enumclaw and Avi
Contributed photo by Leah Grisafi / Ridgeline High School
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Wylen of Shorecrest before facing a familiar foe in the semis — Noriega, who again emerged victorious in a 6-2 decision.
In the match for fifth and sixth, Van Rossum lost via injury default to Central Valley’s Braxton Beard.
Also competing in Tacoma for the Falcons were Wyatt Schmauss (106), Kaiden Montgomery-Jones (138), Judah Eck (150), David Colby (165), Lance Hilton (190) and Dheyauldeen Alnajati (285).
Hailee Argaw placed fourth for the Falcon girls at 155. The junior moved through the bracket with a first-round pin of Brissia Barajas of Lakes and a 5-0 decision of Hermiston’s Jaydan McKim before losing to Bishop Blanchet’s Alexandr Peato 8-1.
In the consolations, Argaw notched decisions over Hermiston’s Beatrix Risters, Southridge’s Tenacious Villasenor before matching up again with Peato in the match for third and fourth where she lost in a major decision.
Also competing for the Ridgeline girls were Maelia Amen (115) and Perla Owen (135).
EDITOR/PUBLISHER Ben Wick
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State Legislative session is under way
By Ben Wick Splash Publisher
While the state legislature is considering over 1,800 different bills currently we wanted to help you engage with the state process and highlight a couple of bills that rise to the top that you might want to weigh in on. Note: the legislative session is active and these proposals are subject to change so please check the legislative websites or your legislators for the most recent updates on them.
Engaging the State Legislative Process
There are multiple ways to engage in the Legislative Process in Washington State. The primary way is to engage with your elected officials directly. This way you can share your thoughts and beliefs with your legislators to help influence their position or vote on the issue. Another way is to comment or testify on the proposals / bills directly.
The Identifying your Legislators
Following a districting or redistricting process that occurs every ten years, after each census, that breaks the state into 49, approximately equal by population, legislative districts. Each district has two state representatives and one senator. These representatives are the districts voice in the state legislature.
4th Legislative District includes everyone within the Cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and Millwood and north. Those living south of the cities of Spokane Valley or Liberty Lake and into the south part of Spokane County are in the 9th Legislative District. The 9th Legislative District is a larger district that also wraps around the south side of Spokane County and includes areas such as Cheney. As well as everything west of Spokane County from the river down to Oregon picking up the Cities of Pullman, Pomeroy, Ritzville, Lind, and Odessa.
Once you have identified the
legislative district you are in, connect with your legislators to get help with state issues, stay up-todate with happenings in Olympia by subscribing to their newsletters, or reach out and share your opinions on the pending legislative actions / bills.
The 4th Legislative District legislators are:
Representative Suzanne Schmidt, Republican, suzanne. schmidt@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7820
Representative Rob Chase, Republican, rob.chase@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7984
Senator Leonard Christian, Republican, leonard.christian@leg. wa.gov 360-786-7606
The 9th Legislative District legislators are:
Representative Mary Dye, Republican, mary.dye@leg.wa.gov 360-786-7942
Representative Joe Schmick, Republican, joe.schmick@leg. wa.gov 360-786-7844
Senator Mark Schoesler, Republican, mark.schoesler@leg. wa.gov 360-786-7620
Signing in or Testifying on Bills
Another great way to engage with the state legislative process is by sharing your position on bills or legislative changes being considered. Anyone can sign in or indicate that they are in favor (pro) for or against (con) a legislative proposal or bill while it is having a hearing in a legislative committee. Access https://leg.wa.gov/billsmeetings-and-session/ to learn more about finding the current bills and the upcoming legislative committee meeting schedule to know which ones are going to have a hearing this week so that you can share your thoughts.
Key Dates During Legislative Process
While the state legislature is considering over 1,800 different bills there are some key dates that affect their consideration. Each bill is referred to go through at least one committee related to its topic. It is during this stage that the legislature holds the public hearing and has an opportunity to hear from the public any comments. While not all bills are allowed to have a hearing, all bills are required to pass out of
their committees on or before the 40th day of the legislative session which is February 21st 2025. If a bill doesn’t get voted out of the committee before then it will no longer be considered during this legislative session (unless it is deemed necessary to implement the budget).
If the bill has an impact on the operating budget, after it passes out of its policy committee it must go through the finance or fiscal committee. Bills are required to pass out of the fiscal committee by the 47th day of session which is February 28th 2025 to still be considered.
After the committee reviews and approvals, bills must pass their house of origin meaning that it must be approved by the majority of the representatives of the chamber it was submitted in (i.e. either the House or the Senate) by 5pm on the 59th day of session or March 12th in order to continue to be considered.
After that the process starts over in the opposite house, if the House approved the original bill then it would begin its process in the Senate by first going through its committees (on or before April 2nd, then fiscal committee by April 8th, and to the floor for a vote by April 16th unless it is considered necessary to implement the budget then it is exempt from all cutoff timelines.
The official end of the legislative session per the state constitution is April 27th. After which the Governor has 5 days to approve or veto any approved legislation.
Operating Budget
Unlike most personal budgets the state has three separate budgets (Operating, Transportation, and Capital) which are all biennial or two year budgets. The Operating Budget which is the budget that contains the day to day operations of most state agencies, colleges and universities, and public schools. While no official budget bills have been released the budget is a dominating topic in Olympia. Based upon financial projections from the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM), the state will be facing $10 to $12 Billion more expenses than revenue for the 2025 to 2027 budget. This has dominated most discussions around the capital as to how the
state legislature is going to address this in their budget proposals. The governor has called for $3 Billion in spending reductions while other legislators are talking about ways to get more revenue which will come from increased taxes.
Transportation Budget
The State budget that funds the construction, maintenance and operation of the states transportation infrastructure. This budget is also projected to have more expenses planned for 2025 to 2027 than the projected revenue. The methods of balancing this budget are by delaying construction projects into the future thereby reducing the expenses in the current budget or by raising revenues.
For our region the possibility of delaying construction projects is concerning when thinking about the completion of the North Spokane Corridor which has funding expected to be included in the upcoming budget. While this isn’t the only mega project in the budget forecast, it is the only one that is not under construction currently so up under consideration by the legislators as they craft the transportation budget.
Some legislators are interested in pursuing a revenue option. House Bill 1921 a bill that would implement a road usage charge that would augment the reduced revenues being seen by the transportation budgets primary revenue source (the gas tax). According to a press release about the legislation, it proposes a road usage charge of 2.6 cents per mile, which would be adjusted periodically to match the gas tax revenue, and would involve annual odometer reporting, with self-reporting being phased in starting in 2026. The proposed roll out would be in the following phases:
• Phase 1 (2027-2029): Voluntary for EV and hybrid drivers (registration fees waived).
• Phase 2 (2029-2031): Mandatory for EVs/hybrids; voluntary for fuel-efficient gas vehicles (20+ mpg).
• Phase 3 (2031-2035): Mandatory for all gas vehicles with 20+ mpg. Beginning July 2031 – 2035, fuel-efficient cars will be phased in from most to least fuelefficient
