HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/22/2025 Study Session 14
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YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
April 22, 2025
City Hall - Council Chambers - 129 N 2nd Street, Yakima WA
5:00 PM City Council Study Session - Conducted in person and virtually via Zoom
1) Roll Call
City Council Present: Mayor Patricia Byers, presiding; Assistant Mayor Matt Brown and
Councilmembers Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio (attending remotely via Zoom), Rick Glenn,
Danny Herrera and Leo Roy (present remotely at 5:17 p.m. via Zoom)
County Commissioners Present: Chair Kyle Curtis, Amanda McKinney, and LaDon Linde
Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda
lbarra
Mayor Byers recognized Yakima Police Department employee Matthew Sutton for his
promotion to Captain and Police Department Employee of the Year Yvette Inzunza.
2) Study Session Items
2.A City and County joint study session regarding homeless coalition
The Yakima City Council and the Yakima County Board of County Commissioners
held a joint study session to discuss the Yakima County Homeless Coalition and
its efforts to address homelessness issues in the community.
Yakima County Human Services Director Esther Magasis presented information
about the homeless response network system including outreach, permanent
supportive and transitional housing, case management, prevention, shelters,
rehabilitation programs and employment assistance services. The funding is
allocated through various federal and state program resources such as capital
improvement, coordinated entry, permanent supportive housing, rental assistance,
encampments and shelters. Ms. Magasis shared statistics about people who had
received services in past years and talked about coordinated response for
unsanctioned encampments which involve code enforcement, case managers,
designated crisis responders, and law enforcement. She also highlighted Project
Pause and a proposed Downtown and First Street Cleanup Project. Recent
Charter updates allow for more representation on the Homeless Coalition by
expanding the Executive Team and creating a City and Town Committee on
homelessness issues.
Yakima Police Department Captain Chad Janis provided information related to law
enforcement response to matters related to the homeless community.
City Councilmembers and County Commissioners engaged in extensive discussion
about chronic homelessness issues in Yakima. Challenges noted include the crime
and damage caused by chronically homeless individuals, lack of accountability and
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restrictions related to rental assistance, and the need for substance abuse and
mental health treatment facilities. Both legislative bodies agreed to continue
discussions and seek potential opportunities for future collaboration on solutions.
3) Public Comment(allow 15 minutes)
Rick de Villa, City resident, made suggestions for public forums to include work force
development and employment and engagement of families impacted by those suffering
homelessness and addiction.
Tony Sandoval, City resident, discussed his personal experience and mentioned some
holes in the services provided by local service providers.
Mike Kay, CEO of Grace City Outreach, the organization which manages Camp Hope,
mentioned the ground-breaking of a behavioral health center embedded in a low-barrier
homeless shelter. Mr. Kay also mentioned the need for a county-wide regionalized
shelter system.
Tony Courcy, City resident, commented on issues with prior Council members and
ongoing concerns about water rights issue.
4) Adjournment
MOTION: Brown moved and Berg seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
regular meeting on May 6, 2025, beginning with Executive Session at 5:00 p.m. in
the Council Chambers at City Hall. The motion carried by unanimous vote. The
meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m.
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