The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About07/21/2026 Business Meeting215 YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES July 21, 2026 City Hall Council Chambers 129 N 2nd Street, Yakima WA 5:30 PM City Council Regular Meeting - Conducted in person and virtually via Zoom. Executive Session - 5:00 p.m. Executive Session regarding pending litigation pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) MOTION: Byers moved and Potrykus seconded to adjourn to Executive Session until 5:30 p.m. to discuss pending litigation pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). The motion carried by unanimous vote. Assistant Mayor Berg announced that Council is not expected to take further action following executive session. Present for Executive Session: Mayor Brown (present via speakerphone at 5:10 p.m.), Assistant Mayor Reedy Berg and Councilmembers Patricia Byers, Rick Glenn, Felisa Gonzalez, Juliet Potrykus and Leo Roy Executive session was held at 5:03 p.m. and adjourned at 5:30 p.m. 1) Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 5:32 p.m. Present: Assistant Mayor Reedy Berg, presiding; Mayor Matt Brown (attending remotely via Zoom), Councilmembers Patricia Byers, Rick Glenn, Felisa Gonzalez, Juliet Potrykus and Leo Roy Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda lbarra 2) Pledge of Allegiance Assistant Mayor Berg led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3) Interpreter Services Assistant Mayor Berg introduced Jorge Villasenor who announced interpreter services are available in Spanish. 4) Public Comment Zachary Galland (City resident), Noemi Sanchez (City resident) and Michael Morrison (City resident) spoke against the use of Flock cameras due to privacy and transparency issues. Eric Rodriguez, City resident, provided comments about Camp Hope and his personal homelessness experience. Tony Courcy, City resident, noted frustration with a lack of response on several matters. 5) Open Discussion for the Good of the Order Councilmember Glenn inquired about the limited action from the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency regarding imposing penalties towards those responsible for wildfires. July 21, 2026 - Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4 216 Councilmember Gonzalez and Assistant Mayor Berg thanked community members, organizations and staff for their donations supporting concerts in the parks. Councilmember Potrykus encouraged everyone to view the City of Yakima podcasts featuring the city's elected officials. 6) Council Reports Councilmember Gonzales, on behalf of the Yakima Arts Commission, recognized Jane Cooper for her work on the Windows Alive project and other arts and cultural programs. 7) Consent Agenda Assistant Mayor Berg 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: Byers moved and Roy seconded to approve the consent agenda. The motion carried by a 7-0 roll call vote. 7.A Approval of minutes from the July 7, 2026 City Council regular meeting 7.B 2026 Second Quarter Investment Transaction Report 7.0 Approve payment of disbursements for the period June 1 - 30, 2026 7.D Resolution authorizing a Professional Services Agreement with RH2 Engineering, Inc. to provide engineering services for Sludge Thickening Improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-111, A RESOLUTION authorizing a Professional Services Agreement with RH2 Engineering, Inc. to provide engineering services for Sludge Thickening Improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. 7.E Resolution authorizing a Professional Services Agreement with RH2 Engineering, Inc. to provide engineering services for Grit Removal System Improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-112, A RESOLUTION authorizing a Professional Services Agreement with RH2 Engineering, Inc. to provide engineering services for Grit Removal System Improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. 7.F Resolution authorizing grant acceptance from the Department of Commerce for Clean Building Performance for the Public Works building and the Yakima Convention Center RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-113, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager to accept Clean Building Performance Grant awards from the Washington State Department of Commerce for the Public Works Clean Building Audit and the Yakima Convention Center Energy Audit. 7.G Resolution authorizing the acceptance of a Federal Aviation Administration grant for the Work Package 02 - Terminal Core (Ticket Counter), Phase 1 project, at the Yakima Air Terminal -McAllister Field RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-114, A RESOLUTION authorizing acceptance grant award 3-53-0089-65-2026 in the amount of One Million Five Hundred Fifty-nine July 21, 2026 - Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 217 Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-six ($1,559,556) dollars from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for construction of Terminal Core and Rental Car Counter Modernization, a capital improvement project at the Yakima Air Terminal -McAllister Field. 7.H Resolution authorizing grant acceptance from the Washington State Department of Commerce Office of Crime Victims Advocacy Community Services Divisions SFY27 Violence Against Women DVHRT Program RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-115, A RESOLUTION authorizing a grant acceptance agreement from the Washington State Department of Commerce Office of Crime Victims Advocacy Community Services Divisions SFY27 Violence Against Women DVHRT Grant in the amount of $200,000.00. 8) Public Hearings 8.A First public hearing on the 2026 Draft Annual Action Plan Assistant City Manager Gary Ballew briefed Council on the 2026 Draft Annual Action Plan which describes how the city plans to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funding from the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Councilmembers requested further information on several projects described in the report. Assistant Mayor Berg opened the public hearing. Tony Courcy commented about housing and infrastructure improvements. Zachary Galland clarified that Casa de la Mora will provide housing for homeless youth and their families. Jeanna Hemandez provided comments specific to asbestos and lead -based hazards. With no one else coming forward or calling in to speak, Assistant Mayor Berg closed the hearing. Another opportunity to provide comments will be held on August 3, 2026. 8.B Public Hearing and Resolution declaring the utility easement rights obtained by the City in Ordinance No. 3384 located in the vacated alley under said Ordinance, in Yakima, Washington, to be surplus to the uses and needs of the City of Yakima, and authorizing disposition of such property rights to Agena, a Washington Nonprofit Corporation City Attorney Sara Watkins briefed Council on the proposal to declare the utility easement rights under Ordinance No. 3384 to be surplus to the uses and needs of the City of Yakima and authorize disposition of such property rights to Agena, a non-profit corporation. Assistant Mayor Berg opened the public hearing. Tony Courcy provided remarks concerning storm drains and water right claims that did not pertain to the specified proposal. With no one coming forward or calling in to speak, Assistant Mayor Berg closed the hearing. After Council discussion, the City Clerk read the resolution by title only. MOTION: Glenn moved and Byers seconded to adopt the resolution. The motion carried by a 7-0 roll call vote. RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-116, A RESOLUTION declaring the utility easement rights obtained by the City in Ordinance No. 3384 located in the vacated alley under said Ordinance, in Yakima, Washington, to be surplus to the uses and needs of the City of Yakima, and authorizing disposition of such property rights to Agena, a Washington Nonprofit Corporation. July 21, 2026 - Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 218 9) Department Items None. 10) City Manager Update 10.A Preview of upcoming topics City Manager Vicki Baker extended an invitation from Trouves Health Care offering tours of their facility. She also noted her participation in a meeting with Commissioner Curtis, Lance Larson, Mike Kay and Jodi Daly regarding Camp Hope funding. City Manager Baker announced Franklin Pool will be open on four Saturdays in August. And she noted that MultiCare government affairs staff agreed to have a discussion with Council. 11) Other Business None. 12) Adjournment MOTION: Byers moved and Roy seconded to adjourn to the next City Council regular meeting on Monday August 3, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. The motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:34 p.m. CERTIFICATION READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY ATTEST: MAYOR July 21, 2026 - Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4