HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/12/2005 Adjourned Meeting 1O
ADJOURNED MEETING
APRIL 12, 2005 - 7:30 A.M. - 9:00 A.M.
YAKIMA CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1. RoII CaII
Present:
Council: Mayor Paul George, presiding, Council Members Ron Bonlender,
Dave Edler, Neil McClure, Mary Place, and Bernard Sims
Staff: City Manager Zais, City Attorney Paolella and Acting City Clerk
Watkins
Absent: Susan Whitman (excused)
2. Study Session on Yakima Downtown
Doug Picatti, President of the International Downtown Association, introduced the
members of the association that were present: Craig Rath, Jamie Stickel, Kathy
Coffey, Monica Weyhe, John Baule, Barbara Greco, Jack Cannon, and Mike
McMurray. Mr. Picatti then gave a history of the project and the process.
• 3 years ago held a series of meetings on downtown renovation
• Individual areas of interest; economic development, beautification, arts & culture
• Idea of having professional management, structure for volunteers
• Downtown organizations worked together; YDA, Westside Merchants, & Front Street
• Spent 2 years building a plan for a self- sustaining organization
• , Created the report now submitted to Council
Jamie Stickel gave a review of the planning process. They brought experienced people
in to look at Yakima's situation and make suggestions. He spoke of analogies, e.g. the
downtown organization is a vehicle with the vision being the destination and the panel
report the roadmap. It will need an appropriate vehicle with a competent driver. The
second analogy was the city center being a family room of the community and our
neighborhoods the bedrooms. The family room is where we have entertainment, music,
food, wine, dancing, etc. The association believes they need a champion, a volunteer
leader from the private sector. Because no one can do it alone, they also need to create
an Executive Committee. They do not want to talk about a manager anymore, someone
who would just be in charge of promotions downtown. Because other communities have
been doing what Yakima is attempting to do, there is a pool of experienced, successful,
executives that we can look to for help. Someone with a proven track record. The plan
calls for an interim director, for a maximum of 12 months, to take us through the next
step. They have the names of successful people who want to help. It will cost money
to succeed and these experts know where that money is. Mr. Stickel described some of
the visits from the experts, notably how they focused on the upper floors of some of our
buildings and how they could be used for housing. The downtown is currently
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fragmented and lacks connection. He said they have gone to the Yakima Downtown
Association and they voted to contract with the partnership to fund a manager with their
reserve funds. They rewrote their budget and have about $100,000 in reserves and
$12,000 left in the CDBG funding for this process. They requested Council earmark the
proceeds from the sale of the parking lot to the Federal Courthouse, $250,000, for this
revitalization effort. They will then go out and raise the second half of the money
needed. They have been advised that, at a minimum, they would need $600,000 over
the next three years to begin the process.
Council Member Place expressed concern about funding for the Farmers' Market. She
was advised that last year they did not use any YDA funding. Discussion then went into
YDA's budget and assessments. Council Member Place emphasized the importance of
sustainability and discussion continued on ways of raising money to make this happen.
City Manager Zais confirmed that the proceeds from the parking lot sale would be
available for this project if the Council desired it. It was noted that the private sector
must buy into the project as well. Mr. Stickel committed that they would rise to the
challenge and if they could not raise the private money needed, they will not take the
parking lot sale proceeds.
Mr. Picatti agreed that the critical component is sustainability. He shared their thinking
on how to get commitments from the community. Council Member Sims also
commented that it may be appropriate for Michael Morales to help research grants to
supplement funding, and to focus CDBG funding on renovating the upstairs of the
buildings for housing. But the major need is to have someone on board coordinating the
efforts on a daily basis. Mr. Picatti agreed commenting that this director would know
how to get investment money and how we can leverage our position.
Council Member Place commented that she would like Steve Caffery from the Capitol
Theatre here to discuss having these proceeds all go to this project. She said she had
asked him, and Mr. Stickel said he had as well, and Mr. Caffery had said they did not
need the money, but she was uncomfortable making the commitment to the downtown
project without him being present.
Mr. Picatti advised that the people that have been identified as potential interim directors
do not live close to Yakima nor are they interested in relocating to Washington State.
Their interest lies in getting this type of an organization started. They would come only
to do the start up, help us build our organization, and get the executive team in place.
Kathy Coffey spoke in support of the project and urged Council to go forward. Barbara
Greco, in support of a public /private partnership, offered For A Better Tomorrow's site at
3rd and A Streets for the interim person to use as office space. Others who spoke in
support of the project were Joe Mann and John Baule.
It was the consensus of the Council to have staff prepare legislation supporting the
parking lot proceeds going to this project and to bring it back at a future City Council
meeting.
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APRIL 12, 2005 - ADJOURNED MEETING 1 0 9.
3. Audience Comments (8:45 a.m. — 9:00 a.m.)
No one came forward to speak.
4. Adjournment
EDLER MOVED AND SIMS SECONDED TO ADJOURN. The motion carried by
unanimous voice vote; Whitman absent. The meeting adjourned at 8:55 a.m.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY tZe
OUNC EMBER DATE
COUNCL EMBER DATE
ATTEST: , �
ACTING CITY CLERK ULF. GEORGE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City
Clerk's Office
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