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YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION
March 15, 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 6:28 p.m.),
Council Members Holly Cousens, Kay Funk, Brad Hill, Carmen Mendez and Jason White
Staff: City Manager Cliff Moore, Assistant City Manager Ana Cortez, City Attorney Jeff
Cutter, Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler and City Clerk Sonya Claar
Tee
2. Council updates
Mayor Coffey reminded Council they are only reviewing the next Council agenda and not
changing it. Council Member Gutierrez disagreed and felt two Council members could add
items to the already completed agenda.
Council members discussed audio recording the Briefing meetings. After further discussion,
it was Council consensus to audio record the meetings and leave the location up to the City
Manager.
City Manager Moore distributed several items from Council agenda packets going back to
January of 2016 documenting REET as the funding source for the Plaza in response to
Assistant Mayor Gutierrez's recent question on when Council was made aware of this issue.
Assistant Mayor Gutierrez asked about the Economic Development Manager's meetings with
community members regarding plaza parking. Assistant City Manager Cortez reported that
City staff frequently have conversations with community members about various ideas they
bring forward; however, staff members do not make commitments on behalf of the City.Mayor
Coffey, Council Member Mendez and Council Member White updated Council on the Plaza
Committee meetings.
Council Member Hill briefed Council on YVCOG's actions to suspend the Homeless
Planning and Policy Committee. Council Member Mendez requested information on funding
amounts generated from HB2163 and SHB2060 and information on the costs to establish a
Human Services Division.
MOTION: At 4:45 p.m. Gutierrez moved and Hill seconded to adjourn to an
Executive Session for up to one hour to discuss prospective litigation. The motion
carried by unanimous vote.
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At 5:40 p.m. Gutierrez announced Executive Session would be extended another 30
minutes. At 6:10 p.m. Assistant City Manager Cortez announced Executive Session would be
extended another 30 minutes. Executive Session was held and adjourned at 6;20 p.m.
3 Agenda preview for March 20 and April 3, 2018
City Manager Moore reviewed the March 20 and April 3, 2018 agendas.
4. City Manager update
Assistant City Manager Cortez briefed Council on a request from the State Fair Park for one
Council member to attend an all expense paid Sister City exploratory trip to Hadong County,
South Korea May 16-23, 2018. Council Member Funk stated she does not think the
constituents would be in favor of this trip. Council Member Cousens commented that she
would like to attend since she is on the Economic Development Committee. Council Member
Hill stated he would like to attend and make this an opportunity to bring back high-end
manufacturing and utilize this as a true trade mission.
Communications and Public Affairs Director Beehler provided a Legislative update. City
Manager Moore noted the Olympia lobbyist contract will be expiring soon and staff will issue
an RFP. Council Member Funk suggested the Partnership Committee review the proposal,
which was confirmed by Council consensus.
Assistant City Manager Cortez updated Council on the following: Farmers Market;
preparations for the Strategic Planning Retreat on March 17; and the recent Community
Integration Committee meeting.
City Manager Moore updated Council on the following issues: Plath request regarding
an Early Learning Center; Special Investigation Unit for Yakima Valley; and an update on Jeff
Emmons departure from the Office of Emergency Management. Council Member Funk
shared that she thinks the OEM and EMS offices don't realize she is a member. Council
Member Mendez suggested the City Manager send them a letter of notification that Council
Member Funk is the City's representative.
City Manager Moore asked about the Naches Parkway donation. Council Member White
stated he will talk to Mr. Wilson regarding the donation and that the Historic Preservation
Commission is looking at Naches Avenue as a possible addition to the Historic Register.
5. Adjournment
MOTION: Coffey moved to adjourn to a City Council Strategic Planning Retreat on
March 17, 2018, at 9 a.m. in the City Training Facility. The motion carried by
unanimous vote, Gutierrez absent. The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
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