SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane County leaders came together Thursday for the “State of the County” address, hosted by Greater Spokane Incorporated, at the Spokane Convention Center.
The purpose of the event is for County commissioners to highlight where things stand and where leaders would like to head in 2025.
Spokane County Commissioner Mary Kuney led the State of the County, where the theme was “Building Our Future.”
Kuney highlighted various issues that were of note in 2024, such as investing in County roadways, like the 8-mile-long Bigelow Gulch connector.
She told attendees that the County also invested millions of dollars into Spokane County parks. One example includes $6 million invested into building a park at Camas Meadows.
“So much of our individuals in Spokane County want to be outside and enjoy the outdoors and so we want to make sure we were putting those dollars where they could be used for the best benefit of our citizens,” Kuney said.
Other areas of note include investing in public safety, and investing in facilities for direct treatment with mental health and addition. Additionally, millions of dollars were spent to fund a 23-hour crisis relief and sobering center.
“And it’s gonna help plug some of the holes that we have, because we don’t have adequate detention services. We certainly don’t have adequate space in our emergency rooms, and this… 23-hour sobering center is going to be a critical component of a system to help people treat substance abuse disorder and mental health illness,” Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said.
Some presenters promoted Measure 1, which is appearing on the November ballot.
This would impose a one tenth of one percent sales and use tax throughout the County to fund juvenile detention facilities and jails.
That works out to roughly 10 cents from every $100 spent.
