This week’s Spokane Valley City Council meeting began with the pledge of allegiance, an invocation and approval of the meeting agenda.
Special Presentation
Mayor Haley presented the November You Rock! Community Recognition award to Partners INW, recognizing their many years of serving Spokane Valley residents in need with services from their food bank, diaper bank, clothing bank, emergency utility assistance and mobile food bank. The award was accepted by Dr. Cal Coblentz, CEO of Partners INW. Nominate someone for the You Rock! program at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/YouRock.
General Public Comments
Each week, community members have an opportunity to address Councilmembers for up to three minutes during the General Public Comment period, either at the beginning or end of each meeting either in person or via Zoom.
ACTION ITEMS
#1 – First Reading Ordinance 25-018: Automated Traffic Safety Cameras
The Council discussed this item at the Oct. 7, 2025, meeting. Staff reported that the goal of Speed Safety Camera (SSC) programs is to increase safety. The use of SSC to reduce the number and severity of speed-related crashes is recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board. By state law, revenue from SSC programs may only be used for:
- Construction, maintenance and operations of traffic safety projects
- Costs to install, operate and administer the SSC program
- Traffic safety projects in census tracts with household incomes in the lowest quartile areas and areas with above-average injury crashes
- After four years of operation, cities are required to deposit 25% of the net revenue into the State transportation safety fund
Staff summarized the implementation process, how the program works in other cities, data collection, citation and revenue estimates, and next steps.
A motion to advance Ordinance 25-018 adopting chapter 9.6 SVMC Automated Traffic Safety Camera Program to a second reading passed with 6 votes in favor and 1 vote against.
#2 – Second Reading: Ordinance 25-016 Levying 2026 Regular Property Tax
The Council has discussed this topic four times since Aug. 26, most recently at the Nov. 5, 2025, meeting. State requires annual approval of an ordinance establishing the next year’s property tax levy. It was noted that the proposed 2026 property tax levy does not include the 1% increase permitted by state law. The following is a distribution of property taxes from the city’s largest property tax district (TCA 144):
- 22% State schools
- 35% Central Valley School District
- 24% Spokane Valley Fire District
- 8% City of Spokane Valley
- 7% Spokane County
- 3% Spokane County Library District
A motion to approve Ordinance 25-016 levying regular property taxes for 2026 passed unanimously.
#3 – Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) Opportunity Fund Authorization
This item was presented to the Council on Nov. 5, 2025, and staff brought forward two motions. Inadvertently, one of the motions was not voted on in its entirety. This item is to seek approval of the original motion authorizing the proposed Opportunity Fund.
A motion to authorize that $170,000 of 2026 TPA revenue be placed into an Opportunity Fund to distribute to destination venues and events based on presented criteria that will be approved by City Council and adopted in the SVMC; and grant the Spokane Valley TPA Hotel Commission administrative authority to review Opportunity Fund applications and award funding passed unanimously.
NON-ACTION ITEMS
#4 – Eastern Washington University (EWU) Economic Trends Update
Drs. Patrick Jones and Kelly Cullen of the EWU Public Policy and Economic Analysis Department reported on current 2025 economic analyses and trend reports for the City of Spokane Valley. Information presented about demographics, labor markets, employment, residential construction, non-residential construction and taxable sales and revenues.
#5 – Parks and Recreation Season Review
Staff provided a recap of the Parks and Recreation Department 2025 recreation and aquatics programs, park shelter reservations and special events. Highlights of this year’s recreation programs included the Arbor Day celebration, Summer Solstice Sunset Concert, the Park and Meal program that served 6,795 meals at three city parks, 10 weeks of summer day camps with full registration, five movie nights in the park, Halloween event at Mirabeau, and the Spokane Valley Senior Center. Spokane Valley pools saw 23,482 participants over the season and special sponsored swim events. The Parks Department had 395 shelter reservations in 2025, over 40 special events held in the parks (car shows, weddings, etc) and partner with various associations for organized sports in city parks.
#6 – Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) Recommendations
The Council has held multiple discussions regarding allowable uses of the lodging tax revenue, the LTAC’s role in the process, and the Council’s goals and priorities for the use of the lodging tax revenues. The LTAC met on Oct. 29, 2025, to hear presentations from applicants seeking a portion of $930,000 of lodging tax revenue in 2026. Nine applications were considered, totaling $708,311 in funding requests. Staff provided a brief overview of the process, discussed the LTAC recommendations, and next steps in the process. The LTAC is meeting again on Nov. 20, 2025, to consider applications related to the Innovia Foundation Ice Sports Facility. This item will come back before the Council on Dec. 16, 2025, for motion consideration.
#7 – Balfour Park Update
Staff provided a summary of Balfour Park development to date, including park infrastructure, pathways, park lighting, park building, events plaza and Veterans Memorial (Phase 1), which were completed in 2024. The construction of sport courts (Phase 2) will occur in 2026, and development of the playground and spray park (Phase 3) is scheduled for 2027. Staff are continuing to work on identifying grant opportunities to help fund Phase 4, large group picnic shelter and outdoor amphitheater. Staff recognized the generous gift from the Wolff Family, which facilitated the installation of a large sculpture in the park near Sprague Avenue.
About Spokane Valley City Council
City Council meetings occur most Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Spokane Valley City Hall, 10210 E. Sprague Avenue, Spokane Valley, and online via Zoom. Meeting agendas and minutes are available at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/Agendas. Community members are invited to attend Council meetings to participate in action items or public comment periods in-person or online. Council meetings are broadcast on Comcast channel 14. Councilmembers are Mayor Pam Haley, Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg, Councilmember Rod Higgins, Councilmember Jessica Yaeger, Councilmember Al Merkel, Councilmember Ben Wick and Councilmember Laura Padden. Email the Council at CityCouncil@SpokaneValleyWA.gov or learn more at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/CityCouncil.
Stay Connected
Spokane Valley City Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information is available online at SpokaneValleyWA.gov. Sign up to receive email updates about the topics that matter to you most at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/SignUp or follow the city on social media.