It was with a heavy heart that I accepted the Bozzi Media family’s kind invite to write this month’s Lilacs & Lemons. Emily and Vince were family to Brianna and I. We shared their love of life, nature, and adventure, as well as a love of sustainable business in balance with our environment. Vince was my best man at our September commitment ceremony. We loved hiking, music, Best of Broadway shows with the rest of “Wiley’s Raiders,” the Spokane Symphony, and Northern Quest concerts. We had planned to go to Spain this May. Most of all, we could shed our cloaks of business and meet on the boat for heart-to-heart conversation, music, food, and occasionally…brandy and a cigar. 

Their loss left a huge hole in the community and a bigger one in our hearts.

We would often discuss this column on the boat and come up with likely targets of both Lilacs and Lemons. Vince neither shied from controversy, nor pulled punches. In that spirit, I follow his blazed trail. 

LEMONS to area developers who feel they are being “blackmailed” by the City of Spokane building department responsibly reviewing applications. Perhaps this is because of a growing realization that developers need to start contributing more to infrastructure needs that accompany their projects before getting permits. For too long, area governments and officials have had pretty round heels, approving projects without looking at infrastructure accountability. For years that responsibility has landed on the taxpayers’ shoulders. 

Tossing out disingenuous claims of how the development will “improve our quality of life” no longer passes muster.  Just look at skyrocketing rent, housing costs, property taxes, and appraisals, or the never-ending overcrowding of schools with the accompanying bond issues. Look at the traffic on inadequate infrastructure that has drivers gritting their teeth during daily commutes, or even minor errands. These issues all put the claims of “improved quality of life” to the test. Those who profit the most from these projects must be willing to shoulder more of the financial and planning burden to ensure real “quality of life” is not adversely impacted for so many struggling residents. 

LEMONS AND A RASPBERRY to people who claim that those who have the aforementioned concerns are somehow against “change” or “progress” or lacking in vision. Perhaps those who want to go on conducting old school business are really the people afraid of change?   More and more citizens are realizing that unbridled, poorly regulated development is no longer economically viable for them individually, nor is it environmentally and economically sound for the region. Most residents want responsible, sustainable growth that enhances our region, not a few bottom lines. More importantly, those citizens realize our land and resources are fragile, finite, and our “quality of life” can be destroyed. They want real change.

LILACS to the permitting department for battling COVID-19 and advocating developer responsibility during these times of runaway growth that at times seems to be metastatic. I would also include lilacs to emerging citizens groups and activists who are embracing use of the word sustainability and are gearing up to help define a paradigm that will help our region grow at a pace that benefits all, not just developers and well-heeled transplants.

LILACS to Mayor Nadine Woodward for her entreaties to Gov. Jay Inslee to halt on pushing us back to Phase 2. He apparently listened, and at this time of writing, she secured at least two additional weeks for the metrics to reflect our vaccination numbers. Thanks for taking a stand, Mayor! Here’s hoping this global cloud is dissipating.

LEMONS to Spokane Prosecutor Larry Haskell, Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl, and Spokane Sherriff Ozzie Knezovich for their myopic efforts to gut the Spokane Regional Law & Justice Council from twenty to thirteen people.  Now more than ever, it is important to have extensive and diverse citizen voices and representation in all matters of law enforcement, especially in these times where law enforcement is under the microscope. Transparency, not obfuscation, is the way the nation is moving.  Trying to buck that movement will only backfire…loudly.  

Born in Coeur d’Alene three generations deep, Paul Shields has been in business for himself for fifty years. He has owned a bar, the ad agency Madison West, as well as Wild Designs, which has designed and built custom lighting, furniture, and accents for the last twenty-five years.