HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/29/2016 Special Meeting/Executive Session 379
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YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
March 29, 2016
5:00 p.m. Executive Session
6:00 p.m. Special Joint Meeting with Yakima School District Board — MINUTES
1. Roll Call
Council: MayorAvina Gutierrez, presiding, Assistant Mayor Holly Cousens (arrived 5:10 p.m.),
Council Members Maureen Adkison, Kathy Coffey, Dulce Gutierrez, Bill Lover, and Carmen
Mendez were present.
MOTION: Adkison moved and Lover seconded to adjourn to Executive Session to discuss
pending litigation and issues associated with a public employee for up to 45 minutes. The
motion carried by unanimous vote.
2. Executive Session to discuss pending litigation and issues associated with a public employee
Executive Session was held and adjourned at 5:44 p.m.
MOTION: Lover moved and D. Gutierrez seconded to adjourn to a 6 p.m. Special Joint
Meeting with the Yakima School District at 104 N. 4th Avenue, Yakima, Washington. The
motion carried by unanimous vote.
3. Discuss homeless issues in schools and the community
Yakima School District (YSD) Board of Directors President Rice called the Special Joint Meeting to
order at 6:04 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance at the YSD Board Room, 104 N. 4th Avenue,
Yakima, Washington.
Council: MayorAvina Gutierrez, presiding, Assistant Mayor Holly Cousens, Council Members
Maureen Adkison, Kathy Coffey, Dulce Gutierrez, Bill Lover, and Carmen Mendez were present. Staff:
I nte rim City Manager Cutter, Acting City Attorney Kunkler and City Clerk Claar Tee were present.
School Board Members Martha Rice, John Vornbrock, Don Davis Jr., Graciela Villanueva, and
Raymond Navarro Jr., were present.
President Rice presented regarding the YSD homeless student population, including the definition of
the federal McKinney -Vento Act and definition of a homeless student, for U.S. education purposes.
The question of "How can the YSD and the City of Yakima work together to address some of the
issues of homeless students and families ?" was posed for the council and board to consider.
Pastor Dave Hansen spoke to the boys and girls residential homes that he is involved with that assist
homeless youth who have experienced major trauma, including sex trafficking. He noted there is a 4-
child capacity in each home, with costs approximating $7,000 per child, per month. Questions about
the local YSD intake forms, how YSD assists homeless students, BECCA law /truancy, demographics,
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homeless populations by school, City - School District relationships state - wide /nation -wide, the
Homeless Network, Triumph Treatment, Neighborhood Health, and faith community support were
discussed.
Public Comment:
Larry Mattson, Yakima Valley Conference of Governments (COG), spoke to their homeless program,
which will be fully transferred to their agency from Yakima County by year -end.
Tim Sullivan, Homeless Programs Manager with COG, spoke regarding the "point in time count" they
use for their annual census of the homeless population. They count primarily unsheltered and living in
shelters, whereas YSD counts homelessness differently, as their counts are ongoing.
Andy Ferguson, Transform Yakima Together, stated they are in the process of creating a school
adoption handbook to distribute to all churches in the valley and discussed the success they have
had with this program.
Rhonda Hauff, Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, reported they work with the Yakima Housing
Authority, Triumph Treatment Services, and the YWCA to have unification to assist homeless families
in finding housing. They have also been in collaboration with Rod's house, OIC, ESD105 and DSHS
to target young people aging out of foster care.
Bunker Frank, former YSD Board Member and former State Board of Education Member, spoke
about having schools be a safe and nurturing place for children. She believes the summer break for
schools is a huge risk for students to fall into homelessness.
Council Member Mendez suggested having President Rice and Mayor Gutierrez work on a joint
agenda and create more unification for a potential quarterly collaborative meeting.
4. Adjournment
MOTION: D. Gutierrez moved and Lover seconded to adjourn to the next Council Business
Meeting on April 5, 2016, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The motion carried
by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
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