Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown — who took office on Jan. 1 — is bringing together a team of new and familiar faces to helm her executive leadership team at City Hall. Brown appointed Alex Scott, who previously worked as a federal policy specialist for the state Commerce Department, as her chief of staff in a newly created position. Under Nadine Woodward's administration, the chief of staff role was informally held by Brian Coddington, her spokesperson. Brown is replacing Coddington with Erin Hut, who has experience as a local broadcast journalist and most recently did communications work with the state Democratic Party. Brown appointed Dawn Kinder to lead the city's Neighborhood, Housing and Human Services division. Kinder previously worked with the city department before moving to Catholic Charities. Brown has also promoted Assistant City Attorney Mike Piccolo to the role of city attorney and elevated the city's Office of Civil Rights, Equity and Inclusion to a Cabinet-level position. Brown still needs to hire a police chief following former Chief Craig Meidl's decision to resign shortly after the election. Maggie Yates, who unsuccessfully ran for Spokane County commissioner last year, is being brought on by Brown as assistant city administrator, and will help lead the search for a new chief. (NATE SANFORD)
On Monday, Washington state lawmakers heard testimony about House Bill 1998, which would require cities and counties to allow co-living housing in their multifamily and mixed-use zones. Co-living, where tenants rent their own lockable bedroom and share kitchen and living space (including bathrooms, depending on the setup) with other residents, used to be popular in the early 1900s but fell by the wayside midcentury, in some cases because zoning banned it. Ben Stuckart, executive director of the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium, which includes more than 25 local nonprofits, credit unions and low-income housing providers, testified in support of the bill. He says that Spokane's affordable housing providers have more people on their waiting lists — a combined 8,000, but it's not clear if there are duplications — than the number of affordable units they have to offer. Also testifying in support of the bill was AARP, because the lack of affordable housing options also dramatically impacts seniors. Co-living offers community and a chance to age in place for those who don't need assisted living yet. The bill could get a vote to move out of committee on Jan. 11. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
It may soon be safer to be a sports official for school athletics. In December, Rep. Suzanne Schmidt, R-Spokane Valley, along with Reps. Leonard Christian, R-Spokane Valley, and Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, filed two House bills — HB 2078 and 2079 — that would add more penalties for threats of force or violence at schools and school-related athletic activities. "The legislature finds that the values engendered in athletic activities are being undermined by participants and spectators who do not respect the commitment of these officials. Increasingly, these people are expressing their dissatisfaction through inappropriate verbal abuse and behavior directed at the officials," HB 2078 states. If passed, an adult who violates the bills would be charged with a Class C felony, which would be a step up from current law that considers these violations to be gross misdemeanors. For a closer look at some of the other bills our local legislators hope to pass this session, go to Inlander.com. (COLTON RASANEN)