HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/14/2025 Study Session89
YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
October 14, 2025
City Hall - Council Chambers - 129 N 2' Street, Yakima WA
5:00 PM City Council Study Session - Conducted in person and virtually via Zoom
1) Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.rn.
Present: Mayor Patricia Byers, presiding; Assistant Mayor Matt Brown and Councilmembers
Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio, Rick Glenn, Danny Herrera and Leo Roy (present at 5:21 p.m.)
Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and Deputy City Clerk
Brandy Bradford
2) Public Comment (allow 15 minutes)
None.
3) Study Session Items
3.A Review of the 2026 Preliminary Mid -Biennial Budget
Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner presented the 2026 preliminary
mid -biennial budget for the City of Yakima. He noted that the City is faced with
financial challenges that include lower than expected sales tax revenue and a
$8.1 million deficit. City Manager Vicki Baker reported that the City of Union Gap
opted not to renew the fire protection services agreement with Yakima.
Mr. Warner also noted the following unbudgeted needs totaling $2.8 million:
police equipment replacement, fire equipment replacement, snow & ice removal
reserve, bond payment for facility upgrades, police training increase, IT firewall
upgrade, and IT server replacement. He briefly described additional potential
expense reductions to include Police, Fire, and Parks.
Specific to the General Fund, the 2026 Adopted Budget is $76,779,080 and the
proposed 2026 mid -biennial budget is $95,983,348. Anticipated changes to
revenue total approximately $16,204,268, resulting from property taxes, sales
taxes, and utilities taxes. Forecast changes in expenditures total approximately
$11,520,077 due to transfers, salaries and benefits, services and charges, and
previous Council approved budget reductions.
Regarding the City-wide budget (including General Fund), the 2026.Adopted
Budget reflects $286,376,546 and the 2026 Amended Budget is proposed to be
$326,717,428. This includes changes in revenues of $$37,406,595 and changes
in expenses of $40,340,882. Any changes would result in amendments to the
Adopted 2026 Budget.
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The Council is expected to hold public hearings in November and potential
adoption of the 2026 mid -biennial budget in December.
3.B Update on Indigent Defense Caseload Standards
Senior Assistant City Attorney Cynthia Martinez provided an update on the
Washington State Supreme Court's recently adopted indigent defense caseload
limits and the potential impacts to the city.
In March 2024, the Washington State Bar Association implemented new case
load limits establishing a reduction in the caseload limit for each public defense
attorney. The number of misdemeanor case credits a public defender can
handle will be reduced over a ten-year phased in approach from 400 cases per
year until it reaches 120 case credits.
Beginning on January 1, 2026, 10% of the difference between 400 and 120 must
be reduced. For the City of Yakima, the anticipated indigent defense funding
level for 9.35 attorneys will result in reductions as follows: in 2026 a reduction of
262 cases, and in 2027 a reduction of 523 cases. Alternatively, 22 new defense
attorneys would need to be hired over the course of ten years to maintain the
City's current charging standards.
Council members expressed an interest in having a discussion with the Municipal
Court judges regarding audit and inquiry into ability to pay for defense costs.
4) Adjournment
MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
regular meeting on October 21, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
The motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:03 p.m,
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