The sanctions City Council imposed on Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing started taking effect.
During Monday’s meeting, council voted 5-0 to remove Rushing as the Airway Heights representative on the Spokane Regional Transportation Council. They also voted 5-0 to remove him as the city’s representative on the Spokane Transit Authority Board and appointed Councilman Steven Lawrence in his place. Rushing abstained from voting in both items and Deputy Mayor Kevin Richey was absent. Rushing’s replacement on the SRTC will be appointed at a later date.
The removal from Rushing from the STA and STRC boards is a result of a resolution City Council passed at its July 22 meeting. The resolution declared that council has no confidence in Rushing to perform his duties as mayor and directed staff to review the mayor’s position on boards and commissions, and the process to remove him from those groups. The resolution was the result of a July 13 study session where council asked Rushing to resign, which he refused to do. Rushing made comments on his personal Facebook account, comparing President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to “monkeys” on the weekend before the study session.
Council also voted 5-0 to direct staff to draft a letter to Association of Washington Cities Board of Directors, asking they remove Rushing as the District 1 director. As District 1 director, he represents 37 cities and towns in northeast Washington. Rushing abstained from voting.
City Manager Albert Tripp explained that two-thirds of the AWC directors would have to vote yes to remove Rushing from his board position.
“This is not a process where a council member would step in,” Tripp said. “The other cities would select a new representative to serve in the mayor’s place.”
On July 13, AWC President Paul Roberts issued a statement, stating Rushing’s comments are “not consistent with the core beliefs of the AWC” and his behavior “in this matter is unacceptable.”
During staff reports, Tripp asked Rushing if he had made the Facebook comments on a city computer or iPhone. Rushing said he did not and agreed to submit his tablet and iPhone to staff. The resolution directs staff to review Rushing’s use of city equipment to determine if he improperly used it for personal use or non-city business.
In other business, council approved the creation of a city engineer position in the Public Works Department. Interim Public Works Director Ross Dunfee said the city engineer position would allow the department to have a staff member, besides the Public Works Director, who has professional engineering experience.
“It would create some continuity within the department,” Dunfee said. “The city engineer could also fill in for the public works director in his absence and vise-versa.”
Council also adopted a resolution proclaiming August as Water Conservation Awareness Month.
“One of the most valuable resources is water,” Dunfee said. “We feel it’s appropriate to continue educating residents on water conservation.”
Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.
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