Airway Heights 'Strategic Plan' draft moves forward

AIRWAY HEIGHTS — The road map to help guide what is sometimes referred to as the sleepy little town of Airway Heights moved yet another step closer to enactment following its review by Airway Heights City Manager Albert Tripp at a March 8 City Council study session.

Subtitled “Awaken Airway Heights 2020” Tripp introduced the topic with what might have been a puzzling analogy asking members if they had ever changed their own oil in their vehicles? And if so had they used a funnel. Most all had — and did.

And that, he said, was what the city was trying to do with its proposed draft Strategic Plan that will receive even further input at the March 15 council legislative session — and possible approval.

The processes goes from the macro level to the micro level. Or in the funnel comparison there are lots of things to consider, but not everything will make it through to the end.

Tripp zeroed in on a number of objectives such as economic development, something that pretty much speaks for itself.

Government effectiveness and efficiency is an objective that seeks

maintain and improve the provision of high-quality, affordable and efficient community services in Airway Heights.

The quality neighborhoods element is designed to “Maintain and improve Airway Heights’ small-town scale, unique civic identity and aesthetic beauty.”

As the fastest growing community in the Northwest, the city is trying to not get caught unprepared by having this plan as a guide.

Rather than being viewed as a bedroom community to Spokane, the document seeks to change Airway Heights vision to being a great place to raise a family and put down roots — or “make memories” as the language in the draft states.

“These targets, I think are great, because eventually we can start talking about how we measure where we’re at and where we’re headed, how we’re making progress,” Mayor Sonny Weathers said.

Tripp was pleased that the process had reached this stage with an end presumably in sight.

“From my standpoint, it’s exciting to be at this particular juncture,” he said, adding “This concludes our review so it will be on the city council agenda for Monday for action.”

While not a legislative session, council did move on a couple of items that were deemed important considering their timing.

One was a request from Police Chief Brad Richmond to purchase three new computers for his patrol cars for a total of just over $9,000. The urgency comes in the fact that the department has no backups and it will still take a couple of weeks to purchase and have the devices programmed. The money will come from $28,000 savings in the budget from the jail contract with Spokane County.

Council also approved the appointment of Hank Bynaker to the city’s Planning Commission in advance of a March 10 meeting that has a large agenda. Bynaker was one of the 13 nominees for a pair of open council seats and earlier withdrew his application for the commission. But when he did not make the final cut he reinstated the application.

Paul Delaney is a retired former Free Press Publishing reporter and can be reached at [email protected].