HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/17/2000 Adjourned Meeting 492
CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 17, 2000 - 7:00 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS - 129 NORTH 2 STREET
Present: Mayor Mary Place, presiding; and Council Member Bernard Sims
Staff: Dick Zais, City Manager; Bill Cobabe, Office of Neighborhood Development
Services Manager; Marketa George Oliver, Administrative Assistant to the City
Manager; Mary Valladares and Marvin Miller, Office of Neighborhood
Development Services
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE HUD ACTION PLAN
Mayor Place called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. She explained that she was reopening the
hearing from the Council meeting that was held earlier that afternoon.
• Bill Cobabe explains purpose of hearing and Action Plan
Bill Cobabe, Office of Neighborhood Development Services Manager, explained the purpose of
this hearing and the HUD (Housing and Urban Development) Plan. A draft version of the Action
Plan for 2001 would be prepared by October 20, and after a 30 -day public comment period, a
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public hearing on the Plan will be held on November 7. Following the closure of the public
comment period on November 20, the Plan, along with all of the public comments, will be
submitted to HUD. He explained that the Action Plan is based on what the City anticipates
receiving from the Federal Government, a little under $2 million. Mr. Cobabe gave a brief
explanation of each of the programs operated by his division.'
• Lynne Kittelson and Carol Folsom -Hill testify on painting properties /housing shortage
Lynne Kittelson, 305 North 9th Street, that multi - family housing be added to the paint
program. Carol Folsom -Hill, 15 South 6th Street, Yakima Interfaith Coalition, said the Plan
should go further than painting properties. There is the critical need of affordable rent for low -
income people. She also pointed out there is a lack of programs for low- income single women
with no children. Council Member Sims asked Mr. Cobabe to look into the problem. He hears
from local landlords that they have up to a 30% vacancy rate and the majority of those are
single bedroom units. Mrs. Hill said people do not have enough money to pay rent.
• Economic development and ClientLogic is discussed
Mr. Cobabe indicated that there are too many jobs that do not pay a living wage in this area, but
the City is working on that. For example, ClientLogic was drawn to Yakima partially through the
help of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and is a company that pays a good
wage. The City will give ClientLogic $140,000 per year for the next five years. Ms. Kittelson
asked if the program revenue received from investments made from CDBG money in prior years
had the same strings attached to it that current CDBG money has. Mr. Cobabe said yes, but
that the regulations are relatively flexible. He said that $50,000 of CDBG money could be spent
per job to create new jobs. The City only spent $3,500 per job to develop the new jobs with
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OCTOBER 17, 2000 — ADJOURNED MEETING
ClientLogic. Mr. Cobabe said that approximately $160,000 of CDBG funding is earmarked each
year for economic development. Because of the ClientLogic commitment, $140,000 of that
figure is allocated for each of the next five years.
Mrs. Hill asked if the labor force was skilled enough to acquire the new jobs. Mayor Place
discussed the ClientLogic training program and the expanded programs at Yakima Valley
Community College. She said the ClientLogic jobs start between $7.50 and $11.50 per hour
and has full benefits. Mr. Pleasant said black people have to leave Yakima for employment
opportunities.
• Phil Pleasant requests economic development opportunities for black people
Phil Pleasant, 1202 Fair. Avenue, asked what the program is doing for black people in the
community. He said there is no business development for black people. Mr. Cobabe assured
Mr. Pleasant that every opportunity is extended to minorities wishing to participate in any of the
Office of Neighborhood Development Services programs. Mr. Pleasant said black people are a
targeted group but they have been excluded from economic development.
• Martha Larson speaks about poor image for city created by boarded -up houses
Martha Larson, 510 East Chestnut, said she had recently moved to Yakima and it is a shame to
see so many boarded up houses. Having people from the community fix these places up would
be valuable. She is from Oregon and her community did not tolerate boarded up houses.
Council Member Sims explained that there are some different financing options available to
communities in Oregon that are not available in Washington, such as Tax Incremental
Financing. The City is working with others around the State to modify these laws. The City is
trying to address the problems of boarded up and dilapidate houses. Mr. Cobabe gave an
overview of the housing rehabilitation programs and said dilapidated housing was addressed
through Code Administration.
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Mrs. Hill asked if CDBG money would be used to replace the irrigation on the east side of
Yakima. Mr. Cobabe said no, that an irrigation utility had been created to handle those
problems.
• City Manager requests funds for New Vision for economic development
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City Manager Zais spoke briefly about the City's financial condition and the contingency budget
reduction plan. As part of,that Plan, the fees the City pays to New Vision would be reduced. He
suggested that New Vision, whose purpose is to promote economic development, be funded
with some CDBG economic development dollars. He asked that it be put into the Action Plan.
Mr. Cobabe will look into this to see if it is permissible. Ms. Kittelson said the City should give
technical expertise and in -kind services to New Vision, but not money. She said it is the private
sector's answer to a public port district and she does not want any tax dollars going to it.
Mr. Zais said that the City is a participant and New Vision's budget only consists of
approximately 25% public dollars.
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OCTOBER 17, 2000 — ADJOURNED MEETING
• Maud Scott requests emphasis on historic preservation /earlier participation in Plan
Maud Scott, 712 East Spruce Street, said that people who have already invested in the
neighborhoods should be included in the Plan. There needs to be meaningful voices in New
Vision for our neighborhoods. There should also be more of an emphasis on historic
preservation. Also, the City should not wait until October to hold hearings on the Plan. Mayor
Place explained that the timeline for the process coincided with the Federal Budget
development process that starts in October.
• Announcement of next public hearing
Mayor Place announced that the public comment period would be open until November 20th
and another public hearing is scheduled for November 7th at 2:00 p.m. in the City Council
Chambers. Copies of the Action Plan are available at the Office of Neighborhood Services; the
City Clerk's Office; the Library; on the website; and at the Police Station.
• Adjournment
Mayor Place adjourned the meeting at 8:25 p.m. to the November 7, 2000 Council Study
Session at 7:30 a.m. in the Second Floor Conference Room of the Police Station /Legal Center.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY:
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
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COUNCIL ME E 41
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK ARY PLACE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Marketa George Oliver; edited by Linda Watkins and Karen Roberts. Audio and video tapes of
this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office
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