(The Center Square) – Despite a survey showing strong opposition, the Spokane City Council is moving forward with an ordinance to change its regular meeting date for the first time in more than a century.
The officials had planned to hear a first reading of the ordinance on Monday night, but switched course during another meeting that afternoon. The version that appeared on the legislative agenda didn’t say which day the council prefers to meet moving forward, and now it could be months before they decide.
The dais voted Monday to defer the first reading until February, following a contentious go-around last December. Council President Betsy Wilkerson reintroduced the idea in late August, acknowledging that it “wasn’t fair” to change things last year since some members are running for reelection next month.
“It would seem wise that we would defer this,” Council Policy Advisor Christopher Wright said Monday.
The last time the officials discussed the proposal was during a committee meeting last month. Council Communications Director Lisa Gardner presented the results of a recent survey, which she said yielded 270 responses in just two weeks; 60% preferred Monday as the official meeting date moving forward.
Last winter, the progressive majority attempted to move their meetings to Tuesday, the only day that Councilmember Jonthan Bingle isn’t able to attend due to a family scheduling conflict. The push drew immense backlash, with even progressive advocates arguing it would’ve silenced the council minority.
Bingle and Councilmember Michael Cathcart represent the conservative minority and downtown, often finding themselves on the losing end of a 5-2 vote. If the majority had opted for Tuesday last winter, it would have significantly limited Bingle’s participation ahead of him facing opposition in his reelection bid.
According to the latest agenda, the officials have held meetings on Mondays since 1960; however, the Spokesman-Review uncovered records that show the council has met on that day since at least 1912.
“I’m assuming there’s some level of understanding of what change is going to come,” Cathcart said on Monday, noting he hasn’t heard anything about this for weeks. “I would either say, let’s just dispense with this right now, or let’s indefinitely defer until there’s something substantial that we can act on.”
Bingle told The Center Square that he would be shocked if the majority didn’t opt for Tuesdays again.
Councilmember Zack Zappone was skeptical of the survey results last month, noting that people could submit as many responses as they pleased. Councilmember Kitty Klitzke expressed similar sentiments.
Zappone said his neighborhood council isn’t concerned about moving the dates, and that some people “really feel strongly that we should switch it.” He wants to hear more feedback from the community.
Wilkerson called the results a starting point and mentioned the need for some in-person engagement.
“It’s just funny that they discount anything that comes in,” Bingle said. “It’s not what they want to hear.”
The council will hear a first reading of the ordinance to alter the official meeting date on Feb. 2.
