The severe winter storms a couple years ago caused severe erosion at the City Parks golf course The Creek at Qualchan. Last night Council approved using $300K from the golf fund reserves to repair storm damage, an amount that will be reimbursed by FEMA. This is in addition to $400k for previous restoration work on the stream that borders the golf course. The Council also approved a $125K settlement in lawsuit in which it was a co-defendant with Avista. Avista’s portion of the settlement was $375k and it is regarding claims from a gas line “rapid expansion event” or explosion by another name. Both these first two items passed 6-0 with Councilmember Rush absent. The Council deferred deliberations on putting the proposed charter amendments on the ballot until next week when the full council is present.

In other business the Council read two mayoral proclamations, one regarding “ADA Awareness Day” celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with DIsabilities Act, and “Recreation and Parks Week” celebrating the grand opening of the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex. Mayor Verner herself was in attendance to present the Washington Library Association Trustee Distinguished Service Award to Ned Barnes, whose extraordinary efforts for over two decades as a Spokane Public Library trustee is one of the reasons we have such a great library system.