Liberty Lake, Washington
City in the United States in Spokane County
About Liberty Lake
Liberty Lake is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States, located adjacent to the eponymous lake. Located just over a mile (about 2 km) west of the Washington–Idaho border, Liberty Lake is both a suburb of Spokane, Washington, and a bedroom community to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The population was 12,003 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 13,353 in 2024.
Liberty Lake was named after a pioneer who settled near the lake, Etienne Edward Laliberte (anglicized as Steve Liberty). The town was previously called Arturdee.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Liberty Lake is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
1 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Liberty Lake
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
- Cris Kaminskas per Wikidata
The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- libertylakewa.gov
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Population over time
From 7,591 in 2010 to 12,003 in 2020 (+58.1%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 12,003 |
| 2010 | 7,591 |
History
The first homestead on modern-day Liberty Lake was established in 1871 by Etienne Eduard La Liberte, a Quebec-born mail carrier known locally as Stephen Liberty, for whom the lake is named. The area was also known as Arturdee. The lake later became a recreation destination for Spokane residents and a resort hotel was built on the north shore. A private club purchased 50 acres (20 ha) on the north side of the lake in 1945 for a nine-hole golf course and residential community. The land was sold to the county government in 1957 and became the Liberty Lake Golf Course, a public facility. Liberty Lake itself was noted for its trout fishing and had four lakeside resorts by 1959.
A sewer district around Liberty Lake was formed in 1973 to address water pollution issues within the lake that had been studied by Washington State University. A sewage system was built later in the decade and was followed by a wastewater treatment plant in 1982. A citizens' group proposed the incorporation of Liberty Lake into a city in the late 1990s to manage recent residential and commercial growth in the community. Liberty Lake was officially incorporated on August 31, 2001, but the lake remained outside of the city's boundaries. Within its first three years, the city government purchased a private golf course, expanded an existing community library, and established a police department with six officers.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.