HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/15/2025 07.A. Approval of minutes from the July 1, 2025 City Council regular meeting and July 8, 2025 City Council study session r:-
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 7.A.
For Meeting of: July 15, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Approval of minutes from the July 1, 2025 City Council regular
meeting and July 8, 2025 City Council study session
SUBMITTED BY: Rosalinda Ibarra, City Clerk
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
ITEM BUDGETED:
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25:
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Minutes 07-01-2025_DRAFT
Minutes 07-08-2025_DRAFT
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YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
July 1, 2025
City Hall - Council Chambers - 129 N 2nd Street, Yakima WA
5:30 PM City Council Regular Meeting - Conducted in person and virtually via Zoom
1) Roll Call
Present: Mayor Patricia Byers, presiding; Assistant Mayor Matt Brown (attending remotely
via Zoom) and Councilmembers Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio, Rick Glenn, Danny Herrera
and Leo Roy
Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda
I barra
2) Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Byers led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3) Interpreter Services
Mayor Byers introduced Jorge Villasenor who announced interpreter services are available
in Spanish.
4) Public Comment
The following individuals made remarks about the City's budget deficit and proposed levy
and some expressed support for public safety services: Tony Sandoval, City resident;
Nicole Berg, City resident; James Parks, City resident; David Elofson, City resident; John
Gorman, City resident; Ryan Bleek, County resident; Patty Maggard Prediletto, City
resident; and Kristi Foster, President and CEO of Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor Byers read a written public comment from Samantha Reyes, City resident,
regarding farmworker rights and working conditions.
Mayor Byers read a written public comment from Alicia Tobin Stromme, City resident,
encouraging transparency related to the budget deficit and potential outcomes.
Tony Courcy, City resident, spoke about property matters including public/private
partnerships.
Carter Heald and Natalie Keister, non-City residents; expressed concerns about increased
restrictions imposed by the Gambling Commission on cardrooms.
5) Open Discussion for the Good of the Order
None.
6) Council Reports
July 1, 2025-Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4
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Councilmembers Deccio and Glenn shared their experience at the recent AWC conference
in Kennewick, WA.
7) Consent Agenda
Mayor Byers referred to the items placed on the Consent Agenda, questioning whether
there were any additions or deletions from Council members present. There were no
changes. The City Clerk read the Consent Agenda items, including resolutions and
ordinances, by title. (Items on the Consent Agenda are handled under one motion without
further discussion-see motion directly below.)
MOTION: Deccio moved and Herrera seconded to approve the consent agenda. The
motion carried by a 7-0 roll call vote.
7.A Approval of minutes from the June 17, 2025 City Council regular meeting
7.B Set date of August 4, 2025, for a closed record public hearing to consider proposed
amendments to Yakima Municipal Code Title 14 Subdivisions and Title 15 Urban
Area Zoning Ordinance
7.0 Resolution authorizing Department of Ecology Grant Amendment 3 for
environmental cleanup of Tiger Oil site at 1808 N 1st Street Project 2389/1st
(Environmental Fund 555)
RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-105, A RESOLUTION authorizing the execution of
Amendment 3 to the Interagency Agreement with Department of Ecology
(ECOLOGY) for the former Tiger Oil site located at 1808 N 1st Street Project 2389.
8) Public Hearings
None.
9) Department Items
9.A Clean City Program 2025 Year-to-Date presentation
Solid Waste Manager Trace Bradburn and John O'Rourke, Solid Waste Code
Compliance Officer, presented information about the Clean City Program and
highlighted the 2025 year to date accomplishments, recent activities, and provided
a 3-year comparison.
The Clean City Program addresses chronic blight issues throughout the community
by responding to graffiti, homeless encampments, illegal dumps, dangerous
buildings, inoperable vehicles, and removal of tires and garbage.
Recently, the city implemented a new strategy to reduce abandoned shopping carts
in the public rights-of-way and also expanded the bulky waste collection service for
residents and businesses in Yakima. Reducing the program would likely result in
slower response times and an increase in graffiti and garbage in the city.
9.B Discuss budget reduction impacts related to Police, Fire, Streets, Parks, and Clean
City
City Manager Vicki Baker and Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner
introduced the discussion regarding the impacts on services from potential budget
reductions.
July 1, 2025-Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4
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Director of Public Works Scott Schafer presented the budget impacts for the
following programs/services:
• Clean City Program - the proposed budget reduction amounts to $360,500 in
savings and includes reducing an attorney position and eliminating a code
compliance officer and code compliance assistant.
• Streets and Traffic Division - the reduction amount totals $905,000 and
includes reducing street maintenance (eliminating two street specialist
positions), reducing snow and ice control, eliminating sidewalk improvements
(tree removal), eliminating alley maintenance, and eliminating trolley
maintenance.
Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson presented the budget impact for the
Parks and Recreation Division. The budget reduction proposal equals $2 million
and includes closing the Washington Fruit Community Center, Franklin Pool, Lions
Pool and Harman Center; eliminating youth sports programming, youth summer
program, adult sports, and community recreation; and reducing Tahoma Cemetery
water and park maintenance services.
Chief Aaron Markham, Yakima Fire Department, presented budget impacts for the
Yakima Fire Department. A $1.7 million dollar budget reduction includes personnel
costs equal to one full company or the staffing for one station resulting in the
closure of a fire station and an adjustment to the daily staffing level from 23 to 20.
Chief Shawn Boyle, Yakima Police Department presented budget impacts for the
Yakima Police Department. Potential budgetary impacts include the reduction or
elimination of the following services: property crimes unit, gang unit, narcotics unit,
crime analysis, traffic unit, animal control and parking enforcement, and the crime
free rental housing program.
Mr. Warner reiterated the Council's options to generate revenue. The City Council
can authorize a sales tax or utility tax by passing legislation with five votes. Imposing
a property tax or EMS levy would require voter approval.
After considerable Council discussion and amendments, the following motions
were considered:
MOTION: Roy moved and Herrera seconded to amend the original motion to
a $0.50 cent levy increase which would be just over$6 million. The motion
carried by a 4-3 roll call vote; with Berg, Brown, and Glenn voting no.
MOTION: Brown moved and Berg seconded to postpone the motion indefinitely.
The motion failed with a 3-4 vote, with Byers, Deccio, Glenn, and Herrera voting no.
FINAL AMENDED MOTION: Glenn moved and Deccio seconded to direct staff
to bring back a resolution to place a levy on the November 2025 ballot that
will result in revenue of$0.50 cent per$1,000 levy. The motion carried with a
4-3 vote; with Berg, Brown, and Roy voting no.
9.0 Ordinance amending the 2025-2026 Biennial Budget for the City of Yakima and
making appropriations from Unappropriated Fund Balances within various Funds
for expenditure during 2025-2026 for various purposes (First Reading)
July 1, 2025-Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4
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Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner briefed Council on the first reading of
the budget amendment. He noted new grant revenue and adjustments to the 2025
budget that were not known at the time of adoption.
The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only.
First Reading of An Ordinance amending the 2025-2026 Biennial Budget for the
City of Yakima and making appropriations from Unappropriated Fund Balances
within various Funds for expenditure during 2025-2026 for various purposes.
10) City Manager Update
City Manager Baker reported on her communication with Pacific Power & Light regarding
recent power outages in West Valley and their efforts to prevent wildfires by installing
enhanced safety setting devices to monitor future interruptions.
11) Other Business
MOTION: Deccio moved and Brown seconded to add to the next agenda a
proclamation for National Health Center week. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
MOTION: Brown moved and Berg seconded to direct staff to approach entities that
could be part of a regional fire authority or fire district and prepare financial
information about the operational cost and available funding streams. The motion
carried by a 6-1 vote; with Glenn voting no.
12) Adjournment
MOTION: Deccio moved and Berg seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
study session on July 8, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. The
motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
CERTIFICATION
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
‘9NI)
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK MAYOR
July 1, 2025-Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4
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YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
July 8, 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
Present: Mayor Patricia Byers, presiding; Assistant Mayor Matt Brown and Councilmembers
Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio, Rick Glenn (attending remotely via Zoom), Danny Herrera and
Leo Roy
Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda
I barra
2) Public Comment (allow 15 minutes)
Linda Lockwood, City resident and President of the Yakima Valley Seniors Citizens, Inc.;
Vicki Rodgers, City resident; Luis A. Lopez, City resident; Tony Sandoval, City resident;
Zach Stambaugh, City resident; Kenton Gartrell, County resident; and Autumn Torres,
County resident; expressed concerns about the City's budget and preservation of
services provided by the city.
Tony Courcy, City resident, expressed frustration with crosswalk matters at N. 16th Ave.
and Hathaway.
3) Study Session Items
3.A Discussion of the Downtown Master Plan and Potential Update
Assistant City Manager Gary Ballew presented a brief overview of the Downtown
Master Plan. He described the implementation process that occurred leading to
its adoption in September 2013. Some of the successful efforts since then
include the completion of a parking plan to address short-term and long-term
parking in the area; frontage and retail improvements to Chestnut Avenue; and
an improved Farmer's Market location. Looking ahead, Mr. Ballew noted that it is
time for an update and introduced the idea of a strategic plan for the downtown
area that will outline measurable goals and actions.
The City Council did not take any formal action; however, most Councilmembers
expressed support for a downtown strategic plan.
3.B Resolution authorizing the submission of a ballot proposition for a property tax
levy lid lift
Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner read the proposed resolution title
authorizing a ballot measure to be added on the November 4, 2025, election
ballot. He also read the proposed ballot proposition in its entirety.
July 8, 2025—Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 2
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A RESOLUTION providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City
of Yakima at an election to be held on November 4, 2025, of a proposition
authorizing the City to lift the levy limit established in RCW 84.55.010 in order to
provide funds to pay costs of City operations and services, including public
safety, parks and recreation, streets, and related services, and providing for
severability and an effective date.
Assistant Mayor Brown reviewed three separate comparisons of the 2026, 2027,
and 2028 general fund forecasts. One version did not include any changes,
another version included $9 million in cuts, and the third version included $6
million in revenue and $3 million in cuts. Brown noted that by either cutting $9
million or imposing a property tax levy, the City would face similar budgetary
challenges in 2027 and 2028. City Manager Baker pointed out that the 1% cap
on property tax increases does not keep pace with the rate of inflation which
creates a funding gap year after year.
Council members discussed at length reduction options and ideas and agreed
that specific cuts should be identified prior to them considering this resolution.
3.0 Council guidance to staff on final budget direction
After extensive discussion related to Item 3.B,
FINAL AMENDED MOTION: Deccio moved and Brown seconded to have
additional special meetings as are necessary to consider cut packages
based on $3 million in cuts, $4.5 million in cuts, and $9 million in cuts, and
include other options (volunteerism and other programs) in developing the
budget; and also include cut projections for 2027 and 2028 to not be in the
negative; and bring back a resolution. The motion carried unanimously.
City Attorney Watkins outlined the process for adding a ballot measure to the
November general election.
4) Adjournment
MOTION: Brown moved and Herrera seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
regular meeting on July 15, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
The motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:42 p.m.
CERTIFICATION
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK MAYOR
July 8, 2025—Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 2
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