MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — The mayor of Medical Lake hosted a press conference on Sunday afternoon to address claims that the City of Spokane intends to convert an old Medical Lake corrections facility into a homeless shelter.
On August 1, Spokane mayor Lisa Brown, along with legislators from State District 3, toured the former Pines Lodge Corrections Facility on the shores of Medical Lake, near Eastern State Hospital.
Soon after, Spokane City Councilmember, Jonathan Bingle mentioned during a city council meeting the idea of using the facility as a new homeless shelter.
A video of that comment sparked backlash throughout Medical Lake.
At Sunday’s press conference, Medical Lake mayor Terri Cooper dismissed the idea of the building’s use as a shelter in front of a large audience.
She said she had no idea about the idea until she saw the video of the Spokane city council meeting.
“I wanted to say that I was astonished by the City of Spokane’s lack of transparency. Their actions were unprofessional, their lack of collaboration, of which they boast, was alarmin and without consideration for another community’s needs and the impact on Medical Lake as a city,” said Mayor Cooper.
Spokane County Commissioner Al French presented emails to the public during the press conference that were sent from an administrator at Spokane Homeless Coalition to City of Spokane officials. He said it is evidence that the City of Spokane intended to proceed with discussions about the proposed homeless shelter.
Mayor Lisa Brown’s only involvement in the emails is that she received an invitation to a meeting to discuss the matter.
When asked how the emails can be considered definitive evidence that Spokane had plans to turn Pine Lodge into a homeless shelter, Mayor Cooper responded.
“I believe it was in the planning stage. That is how things happen. They’re planned. Deals are made and ideas are vetted out. So, when you start touring facilities and you have a councilmember making public statements that they found the best viable option at Pines Lodge on the same day, it causes alarm, because that is how these things happen,” said Mayor Cooper.
Mayor Brown issued a statement on Saturday refuting Mayor Cooper’s claims.
“Mayor Cooper and Commissioner French are misinformed and could have simply picked up the phone if they wanted clarification about my visit to Pine Lodge,” read the statement. “Comments that our visit was about using the site for a homeless shelter are not only disingenuous, they are false.”
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