Right growth leader?

The Spokesman-Review carried an item (Dec. 3) about the recent approach by a representative of the city of Spokane’s Business and Developer Services Division to a senior Spokane County staff member, the person who is the county’s “building official.”

The inquiry was for this official to act, part time and on an interim basis apparently, as the city’s building official. The building official is a state-mandated position that has the final authority on building permits.

The overture was declined, and the article quoted county Commissioner Al French: “I’m worried about (him) being a pawn within a jurisdiction that, clearly, doesn’t have their act together yet.” In two years, Spokane’s Business and Developer Services Division has lost its building official and its planning director.

Presently, this major city division, encompassing multiple departments, but essentially responsible for the city’s growth future, is under the leadership of Jan Quintrall, a person who has no prior experience in managing economic or property development, or in long-range planning. She is without permanent senior staff with the requisite training, experience and professionalism to administer the city’s building codes, or guide a state-mandated update of the city’s comprehensive plan and development regulations by 2017.

Is this what Mayor David Condon wants?

Paul Kropp

Spokane