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Home My WebLink About01/06/2026 10.D. Station 92: Operations Decisions, Constraints and Path Forward riV ii .....#0 _�ii • i i BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 10.D. For Meeting of: January 6, 2026 ITEM TITLE: Station 92: Operations Decisions, Constraints and Path Forward SUBMITTED BY: Aaron Markham, Yakima Fire Chief Vicki Baker, City Manager Craig Warner, Director of Budget & Finance SUMMARY EXPLANATION: This is an update on the City's efforts to keep Station 92 open and cut roughly $3.8M from the Fire Department Budget in 2026. The $3.8M figure includes the loss of nearly $2M in revenue from the Union Gap contract, along with the $1.75M reduction in the 2026 adopted budget. Council will receive an update on the financial constraints and operational challenges associated with the Fire Department's budget cuts. The adopted budget cuts are achieved by a station closure to reduce overtime and redeploy staff. Station 92 was selected for closure due to its lowest call volume and other factors that minimize city-wide service impact. ITEM BUDGETED: N/A STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Safe and Healthy Yakima RECOMMENDATION: A range of decisions for Council are provided on page 11 of the attached presentation. ATTACHMENTS: Station 92 Presentation.pdf 388 Alriki) 1 I I N1 r Station 92 Operations Decisions, Constraints and Path Forward January 6, 2026 Presented by Vicki Baker, City Manager Craig Warner, Finance Director Aaron Markham, Fire Chief 389 `l ..\`,,, • 1"-) '' ••••L 1141 Budget Rea itv or 2026 • General Fund reduction plan : Fire $ 1,750,000; Police $3,000,000; Parks $ 1,400,000. • Add back $600,000 to Police through 3-year 1% utility tax • Add back $470,000 one-time reserve funds to Parks for 2 months Lions Pool, 6-month Washington Fruit Center & 12-month Harman Center • Fire reduction approach adopted : "Close Station 92, utilizing filled staff positions at other stations to reduce overtime expense," prioritizing retention . • Compounding factor: Loss of ^'$2,000,000 Union Gap contract revenue (historical), combined with the adopted cut - about $3 .8M shortfall vs. 2025 operations. 390 Ir� i yip r Council Motion — December 2, 2025 • Motion: "Station 92 remain open and that the City Manager require the Fire Chief and the Financial Director to identify and implement $ 1 .8 million in operational reductions within the budget without using any fire station closures including the use of extraordinary measures to achieve the required savings, that the budget be adopted with these adjustments, and that the City Manager report back to Council in January with the changes." • Does the motion supersede binding Council action of adopting the 2026 Budget and the IAFF Local 469 Collective Bargaining Agreement? 391 Ir� i • 111 •w.r.. yr J n Council Directives Council Action : • Adopted 2026 budget ( Dec 2) includes Fire Dept reduction of $ 1,750,000 by reducing overtime . • IAFF Local 469 CBA (effective Jan 1, 2026—Dec 31, 2027) sets minimum apparatus staffing and overtime hiring practices. Council Direction : • Dec 2 motion to identify ways to keep all stations open while reducing fire budget by $ 1,750,000. 392 41111 Timeline • Nov 4, 2025: First hearing of 2026 budget, includes $6M levy passing. • Nov 18, 2025: Second hearing of 2026 budget, $6M in additional cuts including Station 92 closure and reduction in overtime. • Dec 2, 2025: Council motion to meet budget reduction while not closing a station. • Dec 2, 2025: Council adopts via Ordinance the 2026 Budget. • Dec 11, 2025: City Manager notifies Council of Station 92 closure for 2026 to enable required scheduling and continuation of effects bargaining prior to December 15, 2025 deadline. • Dec 22, 2025: City Manager decision to keep Station 92 open for the first six days of January, 2026 using extraordinary measures to include use of overtime. 393 • 414 Deliberations & City Decision • A citywide task team spent many hours over the course of two weeks developing and reviewing options that could meet the motion's request while remaining in the adopted budget. • The team also worked with IAFF on creative solutions. • No alternative was identified that would not close a station or raise overtime costs. • Timeline was tight due to deadline of December 15th for firefighters to develop 2026 schedules. • Operational schedule could not wait until Jan 6 Council discussion as schedule begins on January 1, 2026. • Operational decision was made on December 11 to close station 92, after the team could not find a way to reduce $1.75M from the budget and keep all the stations open. • Extraordinary measure taken on December 22 to keep Station 92 open until Jan 6, and schedule for closure on Jan 7 without any further Council action. 394 f-c-APW-1..,, '-c..).s .1 . 6...,/ ••.....• •_.,, .____ .......:....‘.......:_----- .mac. _ _ Staffing Needs With 6 Apparatus (92 Open) 4iirrt With 5 Apparatus (92 Closed) Staff 6 Apparatus (3 per apparatus) 18 5 Apparatus (3 per apparatus) 15 Kelly Days coverage 3 Kelly Days coverage 3 Vacation day coverage 3 Vacation day coverage 3 Sick/Leave 2 Sick/Leave 2 ARFF 1 ARFF 1 Shift Commander 1 Shift Commander 1 Total II Tota x3 Shifts 84 x3 Shifts 75 Available Staff (January 1, 2026) 81 Available Staff (January 1, 2026) 81 Available Staff (July 1, 2026) 77 Available Staff (July 1, 2026) 77 395 rkik • Why Closing Was Necessary Now • Budget adopted on Dec 2 requires Fire budget reductions and references Station 92 closure to curb OT—there are no alternative measures that create a savings of $1.8M that preserves all stations under current staffing. • We do not have enough current employees to fully staff and keep Station 92 open without a significant amount of overtime on a daily basis, which is not in the adopted budget. • Operational certainty needed to meet December 15, 2025 deadline. 396 rib, 11111; ter' N.a ill,,si .-• • • • • • • ir••• • • •- • • irseei.•• • 1 •. • • •• 1 ♦ r • • 4 S� ,• • •IPS.• 11I174•619 • . :IYK91 • , • Terrace W h Station 92 ? •• }' ••• •' ' . •• - • • • • • • • � •• •A - , 1•ti, 4 . • •, Heights .s f : ` ••;;.'"%r..••,�`. •Yakima + ' • .. , `i .. • • . ti•4,r +• • -.anti{ • • • ReducingStation 91 • r• • ;..••Valley •;• .• • •:1 • .•;. '�. :, •s •• • w•`' {. `f•, . •. •vat •' • • ••• _ is 44• •�• to one apparatus • ,Y;K92.; • • :- ; •:. �:: �••• ''1� ;,, y . •K • 95• ;LL• •+• would leave the one • ' '• • ••'••• .i• . ta •, • • ' : i' `am ' ` remaining apparatus • ••• •4 A .• ..1r:K94 • `!..• 4k4DLIrli• • . •••- • N •• •• Yakima Air . • • •• •• • •'�• with 39% of the calls �► ' ' Terminal/ • ._♦ • • • • •• • a• • • McAllister Fld •?r • •1 •• YK96• •• •c , • (based on 2025 year YK96A• i •.•�••• • U"ni Gap to date). t . • Station 92 has k:66b • ' YK96A YK96B lowest call volume. ' • 397 Ir� i • 111 •w.r.. yr J n Near-Term Operation Options • When staffing allows, operate an apparatus from Station 92 . • Continue working with the IAFF to develop standards for a two person non-suppression response unit that could be operated from Station 92 or allow shifting of other units so that a full suppression apparatus can operate from Station 92 . • Stop Gap Measure — Increase overtime budget for Fire, approximately $ 150,000 month . Staffing levels dropping with expected retirements will increase overtime expenses after July 1 . 398 Ir�Amor, ni 111 1 Tonight's Decisions • No Decision — Budget as passed, closes Station 92 . • Stop Gap Measure — Increase overtime budget for Fire, approximately $ 150,000 month . Staffing levels dropping with expected retirements will increase overtime expenses after July 1 . • Long Term Solutions • EMS Levy — 60% voter approval • Public Safety Levy Lid Lift — 50% voter approval • Permanent Utility Tax increase — Council vote 5-2 and increase utility rates • Future Study Session — Fire District (voter approval ) 399 111 New Questions and Answers 400