HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/24/2025 Special Meeting57
YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
July 24, 2025
City Hall - Council Chambers - 129 N 2sd Street, Yakima WA
5:30 PM City Council Special Meeting - 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, Danny Herrera and Leo Roy
(attending remotely via Zoom)
Staff; City Manager Vicki Baker„ City Attorney Sara Watkins and Deputy City Clerk
Brandy Bradford
2) Public Comment (allow 15 minutes)
Dana Johnson, City resident, addressed comments made by a Budget Committee
member in a local radio interview and spoke against a potential levy.
Tony Sandoval, City resident, provided suggestions for budget savings.
Jeanna Hernandez, City resident, clarified comments made in a radio interview about
the budget and noted that ample public participation opportunities were made available,
3) Special Meeting Items
3.A Council requested cut package discussion
City Manager Vicki Baker and Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner
outlined the proposed cut package. Warner detailed the changes that were
incorporated from Council suggestions and identified those that were unable to
be reduced due to mandated requirements.
After extensive Council deliberation,
MOTION: Glenn moved and Deccio seconded to accept the proposed cuts as
illustrated. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
The proposed budget reductions illustrated totaled $3,000,511 and included.
eliminate lobbying and Council travel; eliminate funding for fireworks; reduce
Windows Alive funding; eliminate flowers downtown; reduce funding to YCDA;
reduce Economic Development staff; remove Main. Street match; streamline Civil
Service; reduce Financial Service department; eliminate trolley maintenance;
eliminate alley maintenance; eliminate funding for sidewalk improvements; reduce
street maintenance funding; create reserve for snow and ice control funding;
reduce Tahoma Cemetery watering; eliminate graffiti removal program; eliminate
day camps; eliminate funding for adult sports program; reduce funding for
community recreation; eliminate youth sports programs; close Franklin Pool (2027
capital refurbish); reduce Washington Fruit Community Center; reduce Harman
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3.B
Center; eliminate Legal Department front staff; eliminate two YPD crime analysts;
eliminate crime free rental housing; reduce Code Enforcement officers; reduce
Lions Pool; facilities specialist position; economic development assistant position;
AWC membership; corrections administration specialist position; fire electronics
technician position.
Resolution authorizing the submission of a ballot proposition for a property tax
levy lid lift
Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner briefed the Council on a proposed
resolution which would authorize a ballot measure to be added to the November
general election.
The City Clerk read the resolution by title only.
MOTION: Glenn moved and Deccio seconded to accept the $6 million levy
resolution. The motion carried by a 4-3 roll call vote; with Berg, Brown, and Roy
voting no.
RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-109, 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.
Mayor Byers invited interested members of the public to apply to be appointed to
the "for and "against" committees. The committees will be tasked with preparing
statements to be included in the Voter's Pamphlet for the November general
election,
4) Adjournment
MOTION: Brown moved and Herrera seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
regular meeting on Monday August 4, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council
Chambers. The motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:19 p.m.
CERTIFICATION
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
DATE
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE.
IN(3
CITY CLERK MAYOR ,
July 24, 2025 - Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes
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