City Council Study Session — Yakima, WA
Date: 2026-01-13

YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
 January 13, 2026
 City Hall - Council Chambers - 129 N 2nd Street, Yakima WA
 5:00 PM City Council Study Session - Conducted in person and virtually via Zoom

1) Roll Call
 The meeting was called to order at 5:01 p.m.
 Present: Mayor Matt Brown, presiding; Assistant Mayor Reedy Berg and Councilmembers
 Patricia Byers, Rick Glenn, Felisa Gonzalez, Juliet Potrykus and Leo Roy
 Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda
 Ibarra

2) Public Comment (allow 15 minutes)
 Tessie Coscarart, City resident; Isaac Wheeler, City resident; Kaitlin Hovanes, City
 resident; Lesley Arellano, City resident; David Morales, City resident and Immigrant
 Response Network; Noemi Sanchez, City resident; Giovanni Severino, City resident;
 Kyra Smith, County resident; Josh Cook, County resident; Luis Soto, Moxee resident;
 expressed concerns about the use and cost of ALPR data.
 Tony Sandoval, City resident, expressed concerns about actions of Federal agents
 within Yakima.
 Luis Lopez, City resident, expressed support for all law enforcement activities in Yakima.
 Alyxandria Voorhees, City resident; Neeve and Rory Scheidegger, City residents;
 Shannon Sardell, Idaho resident; Peggy Hughes, Kirkland resident; Greg Johnsen, non-
 City resident; expressed support for the Yakima Valley Trolleys.
 Sarah Davila, City resident, spoke against expanding the LTAC membership.
 Tony Courcy, City resident, expressed ongoing frustration with Council’s lack of response.

3) Study Session Items
 3.A Resolution increasing the number of members on the Lodging Tax Advisory
 Committee, repealing Resolution No. 2015-155, and re-establishing the procedures
 and duties of the LTAC (No Budgetary Impact)
 Senior Assistant City Attorney Ryan Bleek briefed the Council on the proposed
 resolution to increase the number of members on the Lodging Tax Advisory
 Committee (LTAC). The Council did not take action on this matter.
 A RESOLUTION increasing the number of members on the Lodging Tax
 Advisory Committee, repealing Resolution No. 2015-155, and re-establishing the
 procedures and duties of the LTAC.


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 3.B Homeless Strategic Plan Updates
 City Manager Vicki Baker introduced Yakima County Commissioner Kyle Curtis
 who presented an update on the Yakima County 5-Year Homeless Strategic
 Plan. Yakima County Human Services Manager Esther Magasis briefly described
 the state of the homelessness situation in Yakima County, current challenges,
 homelessness response system network and funding efforts and opportunities
 provided by federal, state, and local resources.
 The comprehensive homeless response system includes outreach, permanent
 supportive housing, transitional housing, vouchers, case management, rental and
 eviction assistance, low-barrier and cold-weather shelters, domestic violence
 shelters, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and mental health programs, and
 employment assistance.
 Commissioner Curtis highlighted his top four goals to address homelessness
 issues: medical detox program, additional strategic permanent supportive
 housing and long term care, regional shelter system and Objective 8 which is to
 balance outreach strategies with public space stewardship and safety to reduce
 homelessness in critical areas.
 3.C Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Cameras
 Yakima Police Chief Shawn Boyle and Union Gap Police Chief Dustin Soptich
 presented an overview of the history and potential advancements of automatic
 license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras in Yakima. ALPR's have existed in
 Yakima since 2022 through the Flock Safety company. Law enforcement officials
 have relied on this tool successfully to address a variety of crime cases associated
 with suspect vehicles, such as missing people and stolen vehicles. The city has an
 opportunity to incorporate additional Flock cameras with the ability to capture video
 instead of still images. Using artificial intelligence these cameras can identify
 individuals based on specific features, such as clothing, but do not use facial
 recognition technology. Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner explained
 some of the overall costs involved if the city agrees to accept the additional Flock
 cameras, specifically related to handling public records.
 Discussion ensued regarding privacy concerns, accessibility, cybersecurity and
 associated long-term costs; however, no action was taken at this time.
 3.D Proposed Parks, Recreation & Tahoma Cemetery Fees
 Parks & Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson presented information about current
 and proposed fee changes for Parks, Recreation and Tahoma Cemetery. The
 fees for Yakima Parks and Recreation facilities, programs and services are set
 as low as reasonably possible to allow for the highest amount of participation by
 the largest number of people, using an identified program fee formula.
 MOTION: Glenn moved and Potrykus seconded to approve the
 recommendations. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
 3.E Resolution regarding 2026 state legislative priorities
 Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler briefed the Council on
 the proposed resolution related to state legislative priorities. Mayor Brown
 distributed an edited version of the resolution for Council’s consideration.



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 The City Clerk read the resolution by title only.
 MOTION: Berg moved and Byers seconded to approve the edits to the
 legislative priorities as presented and adopt the resolution. The motion
 carried by a 6-1 roll call vote; with Gonzalez voting no.
 RESOLUTION NO. R-2026-009, A RESOLUTION encouraging the Washington
 State Legislature to focus on and act on the legislative priorities during its 2026
 session expressed by the Yakima City Council in this resolution.
 3.F Boards, Commissions, and Committees
 Councilmembers reviewed the list of boards, commissions, and committees. It
 was Council consensus to make the following assignments:
 • Nominating Committee: 1) Roy; 2) Gonzalez; 3) Berg; (Alternate) Brown
 • GRIT Steering Committee: 1) Glenn; 2) Roy
 • Hotel/Motel Commission of the TPA: 1) Gonzalez; (Alternate) Roy
 • Lodging Tax Advisory Committee: 1) Brown; (Alternate) Potrykus
 • Yakima Regional Clean Air Board: 1) Potrykus; (Alternate) Glenn
 • Arts Commission: Liaison: Gonzalez; (Alternate) Byers
 • Yakima Nation Community Contribution Committee: 1) Brown; (Alternate)
 Byers
 • Fire Relief & Pension Board: 1) Byers; (Alternate) Brown
 • Board of Volunteer Firefighters: 1) Brown
 • Police Relief & Pension Board: 1) Byers; (Alternate) Brown
 • Yakima Valley Tourism Board of Directors: 1) Gonzalez; (Alternate) Brown
 • Capitol Theatre Board: 1) Gonzalez; (Alternate) Brown
 • Choose Yakima Valley (YCDA): 1) Potrykus; (Alternate) Glenn
 • Yakima Chamber of Commerce Board: 1) Glenn; (Alternate) Gonzalez
 • Supporting Investments in Economic Development Board (SIED): 1) Brown;
 (Alternate) Byers
 • Yakima Valley Conference of Governments (YVCOG) Executive Board: 1)
 Byers; (Alternate) Glenn
 • Yakima Valley Conference of Governments (YVCOG) General Membership:
 1) Byers; (Alternate) Glenn
 • Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board: 1) Potrykus; (Alternate) Brown
 • TRANS-Action: 1) Potrykus; (Alternate) Byers
 • Sports Commission: 1) Roy; (Alternate) Byers
 • Homeless Network General Membership: 1) Glenn
 • Seniors, Inc: 1) Brown
 • Yakima County Homeless Coalition Executive Committee: 1) Brown
 • Yakima County Board of Health: 1) Byers
 • Parks & Recreation Commission: 1) Gonzalez; (Alternate) Brown
 • Yakima Planning Commission: 1) Brown; 2) Gonzalez
 • Office of Emergency Management: 1) Byers
4) Adjournment
 MOTION: Glenn moved and Byers seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
 regular meeting on January 20, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council
 Chambers. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
 The meeting adjourned at 8:37 p.m.


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CERTIFICATION
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
 /s/ Signature on File
 ______________________________________
 COUNCIL MEMBER DATE

 /s/ Signature on File
 ______________________________________
 COUNCIL MEMBER DATE

ATTEST:

 /s/ Signature on File
_________________________________ /s/ Signature on File
 _________________________________
 CITY CLERK MAYOR




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