HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2011-104 Richard A. Zais, Jr. Center for Law and Justice, Name Designation for Building at 200 South Third St. RESOLUTION NO. R- 2011 -104
A RESOLUTION of the City of Yakima, Washington, designating the name of the
"Richard A. Zais, Jr. Center for Law and Justice" as the name of
the City of Yakima building at 200 South Third Street in Yakima,
Washington, in honor and recognition of the outstanding service of
City Manager Dick Zais to the City of Yakima.
WHEREAS, Dick Zais has served the City of Yakima with honor and distinction for 38
years since 1973, serving as the City Manager for the City of Yakima for 32 years; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has recognized some of the many accomplishments Dick
Zais has contributed to the City of Yakima in the City Council's "Proclamation of Commendation
and Appreciation for City Manager Dick Zais ", which was read by the City Council at the City
Council business meeting on July 5, 2011, and the Proclamation of Commendation and
Appreciation is incorporated by reference into this Resolution; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais has been a prominent leader for 38 years in the City of Yakima
and has sought to improve the quality of life for its citizens; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais has continuously fostered the highest standards of ethics and
professionalism in City government, and promoted integrity in the civil and criminal justice
system; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais has left an enduring legacy of professionalism and demonstrated
the highest ethics, honesty, dignity, tolerance, wisdom and ideals in upholding the public trust
over the 38 years of his service to the City of Yakima, and he has advocated through his words
and by his example how others should be treated with respect; and
WHEREAS, as a testament to the leadership and accomplishments of City Manager
Dick Zais, the City Council desires to recognize him in a manner that acknowledges into the
future all that City Manager Dick Zais has contributed to the City of Yakima over his 38 years of
service; and
WHEREAS, the Yakima Municipal Court, the Yakima Police Department and the City
Legal Department are located in the City building at 200 South Third Street in Yakima; and
WHEREAS, in honor and commendation of Dick Zais and his years of service with
distinction to the City of Yakima, it is the desire of the City Council that the City building located
at 200 South Third Street in Yakima, Washington be formally named the "Richard A. Zais, Jr.
Center for Law and Justice "; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds it in the best interest of the City of Yakima that this
name be designated for the City building; now, therefore:
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA:
The name of the "Richard A. Zais, Jr. Center for Law and Justice" is hereby designated
as the official name of the City of Yakima building located at 200 South Third Street in Yakima,
Washington, in honor and recognition of the years of outstanding service of City Manager Dick
Zais to the City of Yakima.
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 5 day of July, 2011.
42a
Micah awley, Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk
2
•
A PROCLAMATION OF COMMENDATION AND APPRECIATION
FOR CITY MANAGER DICK ZAIS
WHEREAS, Dick Zais has served the City of Yakima with honor and distinction
for 38 years — appointed Assistant to the City Manager in 1973, Assistant City Manager
in 1977, and City Manager in January 1979; and
WHEREAS, Dick worked for and with 55 Council Members and 12 Mayors,
attended over 2,200 Council meetings, signed over 200,000 official City documents,
appointed over 6,000 current and former City employees, and is presently the City's
longest serving active employee; and
WHEREAS, as City Manager, Dick Zais was responsible for the delivery of
quality municipal services while overseeing the growth of the city from 45,000 to over
91,000 residents and from 12 to 28 square miles in size; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais worked with City Councils to successfully promote and
lobby for the City's state and federal legislative priorities and to secure over $300 million
in federal and state grants, financial assistance, and tax incentives to support and
finance economic development, transportation, and criminal justice initiatives as well as
public works infrastructure projects; and
WHEREAS, Dick prepared and administered 33 years of balanced, fiscally -
responsible City budgets and financial reports .which have been recognized by the City
Council, State Auditors, and the National Government Finance Officers Association for
excellence and distinguished fiscal management in budget preparation, financial
reporting, and audit compliance; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais helped to secure financing and manage construction of
more than $500 million in Yakima municipal capital improvements and infrastructure for
public safety, public works, and parks facilities including a new Police Station and Legal
Center, water, irrigation, wastewater treatment, and stormwater utilities, railroad
underpasses for Lincoln Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the Gateway
Sports Complex, the Kiwanis Skate Park, Chesterley Park soccer fields and skate park,
Randall Park, Kissel Park, the Harman Senior Center, new fire stations at Nob Hill
Boulevard, 40 Avenue, West Valley, and the fire training facility, the downtown Transit
Center, and the Public Works complex; and
WHEREAS, Dick helped lead, promote, and direct the investment of $200 million
in economic development initiatives through public /private partnerships which have
significantly stimulated growth, business expansion, investment, tourism, and job
creation in our community. Examples include the construction and expansion of the
Deccio Higher Education Center at Yakima Valley Community College, the Yakima
Armory, the Downtown Futures Initiative, the Hilton Garden Inn, two expansions of the
Yakima Convention Center, the Visitors Information Center, construction and expansion
of the Yakima SunDome, improvements to the Central Washington State Fairgrounds,
reconstruction and expansion of the Capitol Theatre, and the rehabilitation of housing
for seniors and disadvantaged citizens; and
WHEREAS, through his experience and expertise, Dick helped the City develop
and expand its influence and lobbying efforts at state and federal levels regarding
major public policy issues including, growth management, economic development,
community revitalization, public safety, education, and intergovernmental relations
between city, county, state, and federal governments; and
WHEREAS, Dick significantly increased employee productivity, professionalism,
and efficiency in serving the public through the recruitment of highly - qualified and
respected city staff, enhanced training, and implementation of state -of- the -art
information systems throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, Dick successfully managed and directed the City of Yakima's $15
million self- insured employee benefit programs for health insurance, municipal liability,
property insurance, workers' compensation and wellness; and
WHEREAS, Dick dealt with sensitive and difficult personnel matters, resolved
conflict, and settled grievance issues with professionalism, compassion, and integrity;
and
WHEREAS, Dick significantly increased the employment of minorities and
women in the City's workforce thereby making it more representative of the community's
cultural and ethnic diversity; and
WHEREAS, Dick creatively negotiated and resolved challenging public policy
issues, labor contracts, water rights issues, property acquisition, environmental land use
disputes, intergovernmental issues, and other conflicts in a positive, diplomatic, fair, and
fiscally -sound manner; and
WHEREAS, Dick helped to establish the City's Municipal Court and implemented
a Safe Community Action Plan. Those two steps have led to a reduction in crime rates
and decreased criminal gang activity and youth crime in our community; and
WHEREAS, Dick helped to improve communication and working relationships
with citizens, the business community, and media through the City's community
relations program and cable access TV channels; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais achieved broad intergovernmental cooperation in growth
management planning, regional wastewater service, municipal annexations, uniform
urban area zoning, airport operations, a regional stormwater utility, and helped to
secure and protect the City's domestic and irrigation water rights for future generations;
and
WHEREAS, Dick mobilized, coordinated, and managed the City of Yakima's
highly successful response to the 1980 Mt. St. Helens eruption and ash fall on Yakima;
and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais has given his time, talents, and resources to numerous
local, regional, and national organizations including: Chair — U of W Evans School of
Public Affairs Denny Alumni Council; Member — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Local Government Advisory Committee; Board member — Committee for Downtown
Yakima; Member — Yakima County Fair Board; Board Member — Yakima Valley Visitors
and Convention Bureau; Board Member — Yakima County Development Association;
Board Member — Yakima County Substance Abuse Coalition; Member — Yakima Rotary
Club; Member — Washington City /County Management Association; Vice President —
International City /County Management Association ( "ICMA "); Chair — ICMA Committee
on Governmental Affairs and Policy; Co -Chair — ICMA Task Force on Environmental
Mandates; Member — Yale University's "Next Generation Project on Environmental
Policy Reform; President, Vice President, and Board Director — Washington City /County
Management Association; Board Member — Association of Washington Cities ( "AWC ");
Member — AWC Legislative Lobbying Committee; Member — AWC Urban Growth
Committee; Member — AWC Environmental Policy Committee; Member — AWC
Personnel and Labor Relations; Member - AWC Municipal Budgeting Committee;
Member — AWC City /County Relations Committee; Member — AWC Emergency
Preparedness Committee; Member — AWC Economic Development Committee;
Member — AWC Council- Management Communications Committee; Member — AWC
Municipal Intergovernmental Relations Committee; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais has received numerous awards recognizing his
exceptional career including: Chairman's Award for Service to the Yakima Valley's
Travel and Tourism Industry — Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau; Joe
Miller Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Public Service and Professional
City Management — Washington City /County Management Association; Municipal
Excellence in Economic Development Award — Association of Washington Cities;
Distinguished Service Award — International City /County Management Association;
Distinguished Service Award — Washington City /County Management Association;
Yakima County Fair Board Directors Award; Multiple Awards for Distinguished Budget
Presentations and Excellence in Financial Reporting — Government Finance Officers;
Award for Skill in Intergovernmental Cooperation on Federal Environmental Mandates
Legislation and Regional Services — Washington City /County Management Association;
• All America City Award — National Civic League; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais achieved an outstanding record of accomplishment and
success in managing, implementing, and attaining the City Council's mission, vision,
goals, and strategic priorities during his 32 years as Yakima City Manager; and
WHEREAS, Dick Zais leaves an enduring legacy of professionalism and major
contributions to significantly improving and strengthening the Yakima community for all
of its citizens and has demonstrated the highest ideals, ethics, honesty, dignity, and
wisdom in upholding the public's trust over the 38 years of his career spent in Yakima,
NOW THEREFORE, the Yakima City Council does hereby express its sincere
appreciation and heartfelt thanks to
DICK ZAIS
on the occasion of his retirement and extend best wishes to him in his future endeavors.
Dated this 5 day of July, 2011
Micah Cawley, Mayor Kathy Coffey, Assistant Mayor
Dave Edler, Council Member Bill Lover, Council Member
Rick Ensey, Council Member Maureen Adkison, Council Member
Dave Ettl, Council Member
•
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
III AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 8 B 3
For Meeting Of July 5, 2011
ITEM TITLE: Consideration of a Resolution of the City of Yakima, Washington,
designating the name of the "Richard A. Zais, Jr. Center for Law and
Justice" as the name of the City of Yakima building at 200 South Third
_ Street in Yakima, Washington, in honor and recognition of the outstanding
service of City Manager Dick Zais to the City of Yakima.
SUBMITTED BY: City Council
CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE: Mayor Micah Cawley, 575 -6050
Assistant Mayor Kathy Coffey, 575 -6050
SUMMARY EXPLANATION: • .
Dick Zais has served the City of Yakima with honor and distinction for 38 years since 1973,
serving as the City Manager for the City of Yakima for 32 years. The City Council has
recognized some of the many accomplishments Dick Zais has contributed to the City of
Yakima in the City Council's "Proclamation of Commendation and Appreciation for City
Manager Dick Zais ", which is being read by the City Council at the City Council business
meeting on July 5, 2011. Dick Zais has fostered the .highest standards of ethics and
• professionalism in City government, and promoted integrity in the civil and criminal justice
system. Dick Zais has left a legacy of professionalism and demonstrated the highest ethics,
honesty, dignity, tolerance, wisdom and ideals in upholding the public trust over the 38 years
of his service to the City of Yakima, and he has advocated through his words and by his
example how others should be treated with respect.
As a .testament to the leadership and accomplishments of City Manager Dick Zais, the City
Council would like to recognize him in a manner that acknowledges into the future all that
City Manager Dick Zais has contributed to the City of Yakima over his 38 years of service.
The Yakima Municipal Court, the Yakima Police Department and the City Legal Department
are currently located in the City building at 200 South Third Street in Yakima. The proposed
Resolution formally designates the name of the "Richard A. Zais, Jr. Center for Law and
Justice" as the official name of the City of Yakima building located at 200 South Third Street
in Yakima, Washington, in honor and recognition of the years of outstanding service of City
Manager Dick Zais to the City of Yakima.
Resolution X • Ordinance Other (Specify)
Contract Mail to (name and address):
Phone:
Funding Source
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: Mayor Micah Cawley
40 RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution.
COUNCIL ACTION:
1-L' ` OFFICE- OF THE MAYOR
';L4 129 North Second Street
• 7,''') City Hall, Yakima, Washington 98901
t
0 . Phone (509) 575 -6050 • Fax (509) 576 -6335
On July 5, 2011
this facility was named the
RICHARD A. ZAIS, JR.
CENTER FOR
LAW AND JUSTICE
i Ali by the Yakima City Council.
IF "Dick" Zais provided 38 years
of outstanding public service to
the community, including
32 years as city manager from
1979 to 2011. This facility now
bears his name as a tribute to the
dedication and commitment he
demonstrated to the
,
citizens of Yakima.
0 Yakima
Al AminiGt
11
1YH4 ..
6 ''