Council previews vehicle purchases, schedules benefit supplemental agreements for Dec. 1

The Spokane City Council heard a briefing Nov. 24 on a mid‑biennial budget modification to replace two aging Facilities Department vehicles and was told four supplemental benefit agreements will be before the council for final consideration on Dec. 1.

Policy adviser Scott introduced the item and Matt Boston, speaking for the Facilities Department, described SBOC 36796 as “a budget modification to purchase replace 2 vehicles within the Facilities Department.” Boston said the vehicles being replaced are a 2003 Dodge Dakota and a 2009 Chevrolet HHR and that department policy requires electric replacements where possible. He told the council the total cost of ownership over five to 10 years yields an estimated savings “about $3,000 per year in combined fuel and maintenance savings.”

Council members pressed Boston on the source of funds and fiscal priorities. Council member Cathcart asked why salary savings were being shifted from operations into capital instead of using those dollars to reduce an ongoing budget deficit; Boston replied the Facilities capital line has projects and the salary savings are available in 2025 and can be moved into a capital line to enable the purchase now, noting some savings will be swept back to the General Fund if not used. Councilor McCluskey asked whether the salary savings were one‑time; Boston said vacancies ebb and flow and that while the resource conservation manager position had been removed, the department expects occasional vacancies and did not characterize the savings as strictly one‑time.

Separately, Lisonbee Adam briefed a set of four supplemental agreements needed to implement negotiated benefit modifications for 2026. She told the council the agreements “reflect the difference between our contractual obligations as currently listed in the CBA versus those that we were able to negotiate with each of the union groups” and said staff would bring them for final consideration Dec. 1 to align with open enrollment timing.

What’s next: The council voted to add the four supplemental agreements for final consideration on Dec. 1. The vehicle purchase item remains a budget modification staff proposed to authorize once the council acts on mid‑biennial changes.