Soap Lake council approves resolution opposing Proposition 1 - iFIBER One News

SOAP LAKE (VIDEO) – The Soap Lake City Council voted 5-1 to oppose Proposition 1 during their Wednesday night meeting.

The council approved a resolution against the proposition, which would replace the mayor with a city manager.

Proposition 1 was put on the November ballot by Councilmember Robert Brown and resident Maynard Hagen, citing a lack of confidence in Mayor Raymond Gravelle following his re-election last year.

During a public hearing Wednesday night, two residents came forward opposing the proposition and two voiced their support.

Brown said the current structure is no longer working for Soap Lake and the money to pay for a city manager is available in both the city’s general and solid waste funds.

Brown claimed the change to a city manager would make Soap Lake’s government more efficient and run like a business.

“A city manager has to be accountable every month. They have to perform and it’s up to the city council to see that he or she does.” Brown said.

Brown cited other cities both in and out of Washington have adopted the city manager system, and suggested it’s time for Soap Lake to do the same.

“We need to get into the 21st century and right now, we’re stuck in the 20^th century,” Brown said.

Other councilmembers said the city budget lacks the long-term stability to afford the change.

“Looking at Airway Heights as an example of a low-cost city manager, they have a corrections center, a Walmart Supercenter, the Northern Quest Casino, Spokane Center Raceway Park, and they’re planning a full-service recreation center which is out for a bond now,” Councilmember John Glassco said. “We just are not a comparable city to that.”

Councilmember Judith Tramayne questioned Brown’s plan to utilize what he called “excess” in the city’s waste fund to pay for a city manager. Under state law, a city’s utility and enterprise funds can only be used to pay for items relevant to the appropriate systems.

“We cannot touch a utility fund. It’s for a specific purpose,” Tramayne said. “Mr. Brown mentions we have all this money, but we can’t do anything with it except use if for that which is purposed. The state auditor would come down on us like a ton of bricks if we tried to do anything else.”

Glassco and Tramayne added if the city were to change to a city manager, property tax and utility rates for residents would likely increase and reductions in city employees is also possible.

“You have to think about it this way. Do you want a city manager or a police department? Do you want a manager or a public works department?” Tramayne said.

Proposition 1 is placed on the Nov. 8 election ballot. 

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