Richey selected as AH mayor

The search for a new mayor of Airway Heights is over.

At Tuesday's meeting, the City Council voted 4-0 to appoint Deputy Mayor Kevin Richey as the new Airway Heights mayor. Richey abstained from voting and Councilman Steven Lawrence was absent.

Richey has served on council since 2007 and currently works as a deputy for the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. He takes over for former Mayor Patrick Rushing, who resigned Aug. 17 due to health concerns. Since Rushing's departure, Richey has overseen the former mayor's duties in the interim.

Richey is scheduled to take the oath of office at the Sept. 21 meeting. His term expires in 2017, and he is eligible to run for reelection.

Before he was appointed mayor, Richey resigned from his City Council Position 2 seat. Council did not discuss the future of the newly vacant position, which is up for election in November. Richey did not file for reelection for Position 2, stating at an earlier study session that he intended to take some time off from council and would possibly run for mayor in 2017.

"I hope over the next couple of years I can prove that I deserve this honor," Richey said after council's vote. "And I do see this (being mayor) as an honor."

In other business, council voted to contribute $5,000 to the Port Authority Strategic Business Plan. Greater Spokane Incorporated approached the city to help fund a study to see if a port district would be beneficial for Spokane County. Spokane County Commissioner Al French also spoke to council about the port district at its Aug. 24 study session.

Council voted to remove Dan Garcia from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. J.C. Kennedy, Parks, Recreation and Community Services director, explained that Garcia was acting as a city representative and authorizing the use of city property without staff's knowledge or approval.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].