Spokane County, Our Government: County Chief Executive Officer

County divisions/departments/enterprise funds report to the CEO. They are:

Administrative Services: Administrative Services accounts for activities of the Budget Office, and administrative costs and revenues not associated with a particular general fund department. Administrative Services consists of six divisions/departments.
The mission of the Budget Division is to provide timely and accurate financial information to the Board of County Commissioners, Elected Officials, Department Heads and the public. It is responsible for all aspects of the budget within the County. Position Maintenance (Position Control) is also the responsibility of this office. Sales tax auditing is provided; working to ensure the maximum possible sales tax revenue is received by the County.

Facilities Maintenance, a part of Administrative Services, protects and enhances the facilities, systems and grounds of Spokane County.

The Information Systems Department provides Spokane County with the technical leadership and expertise to manage networks and computer systems, coordinating and providing planning, education, services, and tools in a cost effective and timely manner.

Golf Course operations provides the best possible playing conditions and operational services to the golf playing public at all County courses at a minimum cost and consistent with the County's desire to continue to be self supporting.

The goal of the Purchasing Department is to support the public service mission of Spokane County through the effective procurement of goods and service in a courteous and lawful manner, which maintains the reputation of integrity and public trust and confidence.

Risk Management oversees the county self-insured liability insurance and is a member of the Washington Counties Risk Pool. The agency accounts for the General Fund's premium to the self-insurance fund for liability coverage. In addition, the Liability Unit of Risk Management ensures that Spokane County's properties are insured properly and claims/lawsuits are managed effectively. Staff provides hazard mitigation, liability review, and accident investigations; claims review and adjudication; litigation management; as well as training of County employees in accident prevention and safety programs. Risk Management provides claims support and adjudication of Worker's Compensation claims through the Worker's Compensation program. The Occupational Health Unit provides health ad welfare services, pre-employment physicals, oversees the employee drug testing program and promotes the safety, health, and well being of all county employees.
Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service: Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service protects public safety and ensures animal welfare through compassionate, responsive, professional enforcement of laws and public policy.
Board of Equalization: The Board of Equalization serves as a statutory board functioning as a "quasi judicial body" and is governed by the State Department of Revenue. The Board is independent of the Assessor's Office. The Board is responsible for assuring that all "real" and "personal" property is entered on the County's assessment roll at "fair value". Staff addresses taxpayer complaints and inquiries, assists parties involving assessment disputes including filing process / procedures and consults with effected parties when applicable. Staff also coordinates mediation when appropriate. The taxpayer may file a diversity of petitions with the local Board of Equalization disputing the assessment valuation/rulings placed on their property by the County Assessor. If resolve does not occur, The Board of Equalization conducts hearings addressing such disputes. Decisions may be appealed to the State Board of Tax appeals.
Boundary Review Board: The Boundary Review Board serves the public and provides information, dispute resolution, and assistance to cities, towns, special purpose districts, land developers, property owners, and neighborhood residents for annexations, incorporation, the extension of water or sewer service areas and related proposals.
Community Services: Community Services Community Services allocates and administers federal, state and/or private funding to a multitude of community based service providers. The department has offices on the Spokane County campus, at the Monroe Court Building and the Lindaman Center. It is divided into three specific programs: Mental Health, Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention, and Developmental Disabilities.
Cooperative Extension: Cooperative Extension represents the cooperative efforts of Spokane County, Washington State University and the United States Department of Agriculture. Cooperative Extension educates citizens about applying practical, research based knowledge to critical issues facing individuals, families, ad communities in Spokane County. This includes guiding children and youth to become productive citizens and leaders, strengthening families through improved parenting skills, nutrition, and financial management; building healthy neighborhoods that are safe and secure; and improving quality of life in Spokane County through programs that teach environmentally sound agronomic practices.
Counsel for Defense: The Counsel for Defense provides zealous and effective professional representation of clients appointed to the office, independent of the Spokane County Public Defender's Office. The mandate of Counsel for Defense flows from the same sources as the Spokane County Public Defender's Office, as well as from legislative actions of the Spokane County Commissioners to ensure effective representation of persons otherwise without the ability to obtain counsel. The primary focus of the agency is to ensure that there is effective assistance of counsel in cases where legal conflicts arise between defendants within the Public Defender's Office; however, the majority of cases assigned to the CFD remain "non conflict" clients. Areas of representation include adult felony crimes as well as juvenile crimes whether felony or misdemeanor. All clients are afforded equal treatment and representation without regard to circumstance or charge.
Fair & Expo Center: The Fair and Expo department strives to exemplify the standards necessary to reflect the needs of Spokane County by providing a professionally managed facility that insures opportunities for community, public and private events as well as produce the Spokane County Interstate Fair.
Geiger Corrections Center: The Geiger Corrections Center provides for the public's safety through the confinement and supervision of low security, adult offenders, and to provide programs and services to assist offenders in taking positive steps toward rehabilitation.
Hearing Examiner: The Hearing Examiner hears and issues decisions on Spokane County land use applications in a fair, legal and expedient manner.
Housing and Community Development: Since 1988, the Housing and Community Development Department has helped to invest more than $25 million in Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and HOME investment Partnership Program funding across the region. These dollars have helped to create jobs, build new and rehabilitate existing housing, bring water lines to new and existing communities, improve parks and fed families. More important, each federal dollar has leveraged additional dollars in local and private funding, allowing our communities to expand the options available to low and moderate income residents.
Human Resources: The Human Resources Department meets the operational and strategic human resource needs of Spokane County in the areas of recruitment, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations, affirmative actions and the Commute Trip Reduction and Parking Program.
Medical Examiner: The Medical Examiner is under contract to the County. The Medical Examiner is a physician trained and certified in Forensic Pathology whose mission is to serve the living by investigating sudden, violent, unexpected and suspicious deaths. A complete investigation provides for expeditious settling of insurance claims and estates, as well as for implementing civil and criminal actions.
Office of Pre-trial Services: The Office of Pretrial Services is responsible for assisting the Municipal, District and Superior Courts in pre-trial screening services, determination of indigence and appointment of public defenders.
Parks & Recreation: The Parks and Recreation Department strives to enhance the quality of life for residents of Spokane County by providing high quality parks, recreation, open space and cultural opportunities.
Public Defender: The Board appoints the Public Defender whose mission it is to provide quality, professional, independent and effective representation of all clients appointed to the office at a reasonable cost to the community. Areas of representation include adult felony crimes, juvenile, felony and misdemeanor crimes, County misdemeanor crimes, juvenile dependency or termination petitions and civil and alcohol commitment petitions.
Public Works Department: The Public Works Department consists of four divisions.

The Building and Planning Division is dedicated to public safety in the built environment through the consistent and reasonable administration of building and site development regulations, the enhancement of professionalism in staff, and facilitating processing projects with a fair and efficient user-friendly process. The division operates and provides technical and administrative services for the county, permit issuance, building and other permit review and issuance, field inspection and code compliance services. The division is responsible for administration and enforcement of the State Building Code Act, the Spokane County Zoning Code, and other regulations governing land use/construction, alteration, and use of new and existing buildings within Spokane County.

The mission of the Engineering and Roads Division is to provide and maintain the best possible county road system and serve the public today and in the future. They provide design, maintenance, construction of roads and bridges within Spokane County, as well as providing cost effective equipment and vehicle purchase, rental, leasing and maintenance services for county departments. They provide general information regarding public and private roads, development standards, drainage and flood plain guidelines, as well as permits for approaches and street obstruction. They also provide design, Construction, Traffic and Traffic Safety Programs and Transportation Demand Management (county-wide).

The Utilities Division protects health and the environment through the replacement of ground waste disposal with piped sewerage systems above the sole source aquifer. It ensures the storm water systems are planned, developed and maintained to prevent flooding, protect water quality and preserve natural storm water systems. Utilities provides leadership and a focus for other community efforts working toward improved storm water management, manages flood plains in the county to ensure that structures will be safe from flooding and that the natural functions of the flood plains are maintained. This division is responsible for administration of the Aquifer Protection Area, Utility Local Improvement Districts and the design, construction and maintenance of sewers and landfills. In addition, it administers remedial activities associated with the three designated Super fund Cleanup sites, provides stomacher management, environmental permit and storm water information, water quality "208" aquifer protection and education information.
Veteran Services: Veteran Services provides emergency assistance to indigent wartime veterans, widows, and orphans as defined by RCW 41.04.005.