In brief: Council resolution supports unions

There will be no Wisconsin-style effort to repeal bargaining rights in Spokane.

The Spokane City Council on Monday voted 6-1 on a nonbinding resolution stating its support for collective bargaining.

Councilman Jon Snyder said he felt it was important to send a signal to its workers that the city respects the bargaining rights because of efforts under way in other communities to change bargaining rules.

The resolution states: “The City of Spokane is committed to a fair and respectful process and to bargaining in good faith with our public employees in order to provide the best possible services in the most effective and economical way to the citizens of Spokane.”

Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin cast the lone vote in opposition.

City leaders have indicated a potential need to once again ask union leaders for contract concessions because of an estimated $6.6 million deficit for 2012.

Man sentenced in beating death

A Spokane transient who earlier pleaded guilty to beating a man to death was sentenced Monday to serve 10  1/2 years in prison.

Rolane E. Benton II pleaded guilty last month to first-degree manslaughter with a deadly weapon for the beating death of 46-year-old Douglas J. Klages. His bludgeoned body was found April 30 in a small cave at Camp Caro Community Park at Dishman Hills.

Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza sentenced Benton to 126 months, which is the high end of the sentencing range for the manslaughter charge. Benton had been charge with first-degree murder before attorneys worked out a plea agreement.

In solving the case, detectives retraced Klages’ final hours and found video of him leaving a Spokane Valley Rosauers store with Benton on the day Klages’ body was discovered by hikers in the area. Detectives arrested Benton on May 5.