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YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION
March 1, 2018
City Hall -- City Manager's Conference Room
4 p.m. Council briefing — MINUTES
1. Roll'Call
Council: Mayor Kathy Coffey, presiding, Assistant Mayor Dulce Gutierrez (left at 4:55 p.
Council Members Holly Cousens, Kay Funk, Carmen Mendez and Jason White
Absent: Council Member Brad Hill (excused)
Staff: City Manager Cliff Moore, Assistant City Manager Ana Cortez, City Attorney Jeff
Cutter, Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler and Acting City Clerk Jodi
Stephens
2. Council updates
MOTION: Funk moved and Gutierrez seconded to adjourn to Executive Session for
up to 45 minutes for prospective litigation. The motion carried by unanimous vote, Hill
absent. Executive Session was held and adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Assistant Mayor Gutierrez and Council Member Cousens requested to add terminating the
Yakima Central Downtown Plaza project to the March 6, 2018, agenda as Ms. Gutierrez
believes the City can no longer afford this project with all of the other projects
underway. Mayor Coffey voiced her disappointment with this action, especially since the
Plaza Committee raised over $9 million as requested by the City Council.
Council Member Funk brought up a concern at the Public Safety Forum about several group
homes housing people with addictions and other potential problems. She stated she will
discuss this issue further with City Manager Moore and bring it back to Council for discussion.
She stated she would also like to revisit the Pit Bull Ordinance. Assistant Mayor Gutierrez
shared a list that was created following the Public Safety Forums including potential agenda
items for a joint meeting with the Yakima School District:
1. Active shooter drills and City/YPD coordination
2. After school and summer activities
3. Reducing out of school suspension and truancy
4. Surveying capacity for Safe Routes to Schools Grant application
5. Prevention/I ntervention activities for 4th graders
6. Mentorship programming
7. Literacy programming
8. Partnership with Beyond the Bell
Council Member Cousens mentioned Eschbach Park and the potential for disc golf at that
location. She stated she will bring this up for discussion at the next Council meeting. Council
Member White updated members on the Historic Preservation Meeting and the plans to
survey the people in the Naches Parkway area for the potential of creating a historic
district. He announced there is a conference call on March 8, 2018, and stated there will be a
presentation on March 20, 2018. He also voiced his concerns about the overlap at some
locations for summer programming and would like to see it addressed. He noted the Bicycle
Master Plan has come together nicely and is very supportive of the plan.
3. Agenda preview for March 6 & 20, 2018
City Manager Moore reviewed the March 6, & 20, 2018 agendas.
4. City Manager update
Assistant City Manager Cortez provided an update on the Community Safety Plan.
Communications and Public Affairs Director Beehler provided a Legislative update. Council
Member White asked about a House Bill pertaining to fixing up vacant buildings, which Mr.
Beehler will follow up on. Assistant City Manager Cortez gave a brief update on the Strategic
Plan and distributed a draft Strategic Planning Agenda for March 17, 2018. It was Council
consensus to accept the agenda.
City Manager Moore updated Council on the following issues: State Liquor Tax;
homelessness; Fire Chief hiring process; Selah transit update; Salvation Army letter of
support; and scheduling update for training with Ann McFarlane. After Council discussion on
possibly terminating any more efforts on the Martin Luther King Jr. Pool, Council Member
Mendez and Mayor Coffey requested this capital construction project item be added on the
next agenda.
5. Adjournment
MOTION: Cousens moved to adjourn to the next City Council Business Meeting on
March 6, 2018, at 5 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The motion carried by unanimous
vote, Hill absent. The meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
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