City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 03
Chapter 03.01B
Section 03.01B.011
 

Title 03 Administration and Personnel

Chapter 03.01B Executive and Administration

Article I. Administrative Branch

Section 03.01B.011 Administrative Departments Defined and Established

 

  1. A City of Spokane administrative department is an organizational unit that has been authorized through the City of Spokane budget to employ at least three employees, with no more than two employees exempt from civil service. Except as otherwise provided, the administrative departments and offices listed in this chapter shall have all the rights and powers granted and duties imposed by authority of the laws of the state and the charter and ordinances of the City now existing or subsequently adopted, subject to the general supervision and control of the Mayor.
  1. Administrative departments may consist of one or more offices organized by function or program.
  1. Administrative departments and offices may promulgate public rules in the form and manner set forth in Chapter 3.14 of the Spokane Municipal Code.
  1. Pursuant to Section 24 of the City of Spokane Charter, the Mayor appoints all administrative heads and assistant administrative heads in each department. The appointment of the administrative head of each department is subject to approval by the Spokane City Council. A resolution requesting Council approval of the appointment shall be placed on the City Council’s agenda within thirty (30) calendar days of the appointment.  Any person appointed by the Mayor as an administrative head of an administrative department in an interim or acting capacity may serve up to 180 calendar days and may be extended for up to an additional 180 calendar days by City Council resolution. Any interim appointment shall be deemed terminated 180 days after the initial interim appointment or the city council’s extension of the initial interim appointment, as applicable.
  1. The appointment and termination of persons within the classified service shall follow the procedures of the civil service system as provided in Section 55 of the City Charter.
  1. The City of Spokane consists of the following administrative departments:

Communications and Marketing Division

Office of Neighborhood Services

Spokane 311

Community and Economic Development Division

Arts, Culture, and Historic Preservation

Code Enforcement

Development Services

Planning Services

Finance and Administration Division

Accounting

Facilities Management

Fleet Services

Grants Management

Information Technology

Management and Budget

Purchasing and Contracts

Housing and Human Services Division

Housing and Homeless Services

Family and Youth Services

Public Works Division

Engineering Services

Integrated Capital Management

Solid Waste Collection

Solid Waste Disposal

Wastewater Management

Water and Hydroelectric Services

Spokane Police

Administration and Investigation

Analytics, Research, and Technology

Patrol

Transportation and Sustainability Division

Parking Services

Street
  1. The City of Spokane has the following stand-alone administrative departments:

Stand-alone Administrative Departments

City Attorney

City Clerk

Human Resources

Spokane Fire Department

Spokane United 911 Network
  1. The City of Spokane has the following stand-alone administrative departments administered concurrently by an appointed board:

Board-governed Administrative Departments

Governing Board

Civil Service

Civil Service Commission

Police Ombuds

Office of the Police Ombuds Commission

Retirement

Spokane Employees’ Retirement System Board

 

Date Passed: Monday, January 12, 2026

Effective Date: Sunday, February 22, 2026

ORD C36795 Section 3