Council To Discuss Riverfront Property

Spokane City Council members may decide tonight to walk away from plans to condemn Steve and Leslie Ronald’s downtown riverfront property.

At least two members have said the city can’t afford the $2.18 million purchase price set by a Superior Court jury last month.

In 1995, the council chose to condemn the property to protect the view of the Spokane Falls from the city library.

The council also will consider:

Granting a franchise allowing Electric Lightwaves Inc. to use public right of way to lay fiber-optic cable.

Accepting a $25 million grant from the Washington Department of Ecology for improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment facility. The money from the Centennial Clean Water Fund will be paid to the city over 20 years.

Accepting $853,513 from the U.S. Department of Justice to improve the Police Department’s computer technology. The money will be used for a computer crime unit and a project that allows police to call in their reports instead of writing them by hand.

A briefing for the council will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the lower-level conference room of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The council meeting will start at 6 p.m.

, DataTimes