Council approves sole-source contract with Spokane Riverkeeper to fund river cleanups

The Spokane City Council voted to authorize a sole-source contract with Spokane Riverkeeper to organize and lead river cleanup events along the Spokane River, a measure council members said would expand volunteer-led removal of litter and improve shoreline habitat.

Supporters told the council the nonprofit is uniquely positioned to reach difficult sections of the river. "They've worked with over 2,000 volunteers and removed significant amounts of trash — two hundred eighty-eight thousand pounds over the lifetime of the program," said Breean, a Spokane resident who identified herself as a Riverkeeper board member. George Shultz, a Riverkeeper director, described the group's specialized boats and rafts that enable removal from places city crews cannot safely access.

The resolution in the agenda text identified the contract as a five-year sole-source arrangement with an approximate annual value of one hundred thousand dollars and authorized the city to enter the agreement without a public bid. Council members who supported the motion emphasized the partnership's outreach value: it provides hands-on stewardship, environmental education and volunteer engagement in addition to debris removal. "This program ... improves habitat, water quality and engages the community in caring for the watershed," a Riverkeeper speaker said.

Council discussion did not record a motion-maker on the public transcript; the measure advanced on the record following public testimony and voice approval. The transcript lists the resolution and accompanying public testimony in support; the council recorded the item on the legislative agenda and proceeded with approval.

The contract will require staff to finalize terms consistent with the conditions stated in the resolution; the transcript did not record the exact motion text or a roll-call vote with individual member votes for this item.

The body tasked with contract oversight and the timeline for execution were not specified in the public record included in the meeting transcript.