Spokane City Council out of session for 25% of year, still receiving full salaries

(The Center Square) – Spokane’s elected officials are on another recess from city business, this time for a two-week vacation less than a month after taking another week-long holiday; however, the timing of those breaks may violate state law.

The city disseminated a list of cancellations earlier this year, noting that the city council would not meet for 11 out of the 52 weeks in 2024. Most of the cancellations are due to various holidays. However, only a few regular meeting dates would’ve actually fallen on a holiday. 

Spokane has mostly followed its list of cancellations, except for Jan. 1 and one of the council’s legislative sessions, which it called off in May. Still, assuming there aren’t any more unplanned cancellations by the end of this year, the council would’ve been on break for 25% of 2024. 

Christopher Savage, who’s run for council multiple times, testified to the elected officials after their July 4 holiday over the apparent waste of time. 

“The reason given for canceling the meeting was because of the Fourth of July holiday,” Savage said, “yet the meeting was on July 1, which is three days from July 4.”

Out of the 11 scheduled cancellations and two others that were called off, only six, or 46%, actually fell on a holiday. The other 54% of the cancellations were days away from the mentioned holiday.

“Again, why does the council think that they can take the whole week off from city business to celebrate a holiday when everyone else had to work up to [July 4]?” Savage continued.

Spokane’s city council will not return from its “summer break” until Aug. 12. The last formal meeting was on July 22, meaning that 21 days will have lapsed since the previous council meeting. 

The Spokane Municipal Code notes a few dates during which all offices, including municipal court, are closed; these include New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the next day known as Black Friday, and Christmas Day. 

However, according to state law, “if at any time any regular meeting falls on a holiday, such regular meeting shall be held on the next business day.” 

The SMC backs this by noting, “When a Monday is a legal holiday according to City ordinance, then the meeting may be held on the next succeeding day which is not a City holiday.” 

The difference is that state law uses the language “shall,” which means the governing body must hold the regular meeting on the next business day. In contrast, the SMC uses “may,” which allows the council to decide whether or not it will meet instead of requiring it to do so. 

Lisa Gardner, director of communications and community engagement for the Spokane City Council, said that while some are vacationing, other council members are still in the office. 

However, she said that all of them have the option to take two weeks off with their full salary provided. 

Gardner confirmed that Council President Betsy Wilkerson was in office for part of this week but that some of the others from the council office were taking the break away from city business. 

When asked about the conflict between state law and the SMC regarding holding meetings the day after a holiday, Gardner said she would contact the council’s policy advisor.

The Center Square contacted Christopher Wright, the council’s policy advisor, and City Attorney Mike Piccolo but did not receive a response. 

Erin Hut, Spokane’s director of Communications & Marketing, confirmed that Mayor Lisa Brown is working during the council’s summer break.