Recap Mar 24 Cheney City Council

Hi, folks! Ahead of tonight's City Council meeting, let's do a quick recap of what happened at our last meeting. I have linked the Zoom meeting recording for full viewing and you can read the official (draft) meeting minutes which are up for review and approval tonight.

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General Notes

Following feedback at the March 10 meeting about transparency in council voting, the General Government Committee proposed pairing a visible hand raise with any voice vote. Mayor Martin agreed to pilot the practice at this meeting. The goal is to make voting clearer for attendees in person and on Zoom, easier for the City Clerk to record in the minutes, and more accessible for anyone who has difficulty hearing.

We had four in-person public comments and no emailed comments:

• One resident raised concerns about dangerous traffic on Sunrise Drive.
• One resident spoke about Cheney Cohousing and the comprehensive growth plan process.
• Two residents spoke about a community project to paint a mural on the bathroom building in Veteran's Memorial Park.
• Carmela Conroy also spoke to share she is running for congress against Michael Baumgartner.

Resolutions

We had a number of resolutions, all of which passed unanimously.

• Resolution F-478 — STA Small Town Representatives MOU: Cheney and four other small cities collectively hold a single vote on the Spokane Transit Authority Board. This MOU formalizes how those cities communicate and coordinate that shared vote.
• Resolution F-479 — Secure Court Solutions Contract: A renewal of the city's electronic monitoring services contract, formerly provided under the name Moon Securities. The contract covers electronic home monitoring and alcohol monitoring, and now adds drug monitoring patches as a new capability.
• Resolution F-480 — Public Defense Contract: A new one-year contract with attorney Matthew Bopp to provide public defender services for Cheney Municipal Court, replacing a prior arrangement. The contract is renewable.
• Resolution F-481 — FCS Agreement Amendment 5: FCS Group has provided utility rate study services for the city since 2019. This fifth amendment authorizes a new Revenue Requirement Rate and Pole Attachment Fee study to assess the financial needs of Cheney's electric utility.
• Resolution F-482 — Stryker Maintenance Agreement: A consolidated three-year service agreement with Stryker to maintain, calibrate, and service the city's sensitive medical equipment — including AEDs for the Police Department and cardiac/defibrillation equipment used in opioid overdose response. Replaces Resolution F-160, which was set to expire in June 2026. By consolidating under one agreement, the city secured a discounted rate and locked in pricing for three years.

Ordinances

We heard two ordinances for their first reading before Council. Generally speaking, ordinances get three readings to give maximum opportunity for public comment before a final vote. Under certain circumstances, this process can be expedited to two or even just one reading.

• Ordinance Z-01 — Amended 2026 Compensation Ordinance: Updates the city's compensation schedule in three ways: establishes a new pay rate for the Chief of Police (in support of the recent hire Chief Oakes), creates a new "Recreation Supervisor" position title and compensation rate, and eliminates the Recreation Director and Recreation Coordinator positions (as both roles will be combined into the new Recreation Supervisor role). Passed unanimously on an expedited three-reading-in-one motion by Councilmember Long (me 😄).
• Ordinance Z-02 — Amending Civil Service Commission: This ordinance would expand the Civil Service Commission from three to five members, aiming to improve community representation, deliberative capacity, and continuity in overseeing police and fire civil service functions.
  
  During discussion of the ordinance, Councilmember Belock made a motion to amend the agenda with an executive session per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) to discuss Z-02 in more depth, which took 15 minutes for that session. It also marked our first test of the new executive session process, with Council, the Mayor, and selected attendees relocating to the Mayor's Conference Room rather than clearing the chambers.
  
  Following the session, Councilmember Posthuma moved to defer the ordinance to the next meeting, counting this as its first reading. Council also asked the City Attorney to clarify some of the ordinance's language ahead of the second reading.

Staff & Council Reports

• Todd Ableman (our interim City Administrator) shared that the City Administrator candidates had been narrowed to four, with a plan to be reduced to three finalists ahead of community interviews and a meet-and-greet at the Wren Pierson Building on April 2 at 6:00 p.m.
• Mayor Martin announced she would be giving the State of the City address at the West Plains Chamber Annual Meeting.
• Councilmember Long reported attending Kratom informational meetings and a tour of the Sterling Moorman House, and enjoyed Coffee with Council.

• Councilmembers Belock and LaBar also called out that they enjoyed Coffee with Council.
• Councilmember Nazzaro highlighted Clean Sweep on April 11.

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Next meeting is tonight at 6pm at City Hall in the Council Chambers! You can check out the packed agenda here with the big ticket item being that we will be voting on confirmation of a new City Administrator. Hope to see you there!