City Council Study Session — Yakima, WA
Date: 2025-10-14

YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
 October 14, 2025
 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 5:00 p.m.
 Present: Mayor Patricia Byers, presiding; Assistant Mayor Matt Brown and Councilmembers
 Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio, Rick Glenn, Danny Herrera and Leo Roy (present at 5:21 p.m.)
 Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and Deputy City Clerk
 Brandy Bradford

2) Public Comment (allow 15 minutes)
 None.

3) Study Session Items
 3.A Review of the 2026 Preliminary Mid-Biennial Budget
 Director of Finance and Budget Craig Warner presented the 2026 preliminary
 mid-biennial budget for the City of Yakima. He noted that the City is faced with
 financial challenges that include lower than expected sales tax revenue and a
 $8.1 million deficit. City Manager Vicki Baker reported that the City of Union Gap
 opted not to renew the fire protection services agreement with Yakima.
 Mr. Warner also noted the following unbudgeted needs totaling $2.8 million:
 police equipment replacement, fire equipment replacement, snow & ice removal
 reserve, bond payment for facility upgrades, police training increase, IT firewall
 upgrade, and IT server replacement. He briefly described additional potential
 expense reductions to include Police, Fire, and Parks.
 Specific to the General Fund, the 2026 Adopted Budget is $76,779,080 and the
 proposed 2026 mid-biennial budget is $95,983,348. Anticipated changes to
 revenue total approximately $16,204,268, resulting from property taxes, sales
 taxes, and utilities taxes. Forecast changes in expenditures total approximately
 $11,520,077 due to transfers, salaries and benefits, services and charges, and
 previous Council approved budget reductions.
 Regarding the City-wide budget (including General Fund), the 2026 Adopted
 Budget reflects $286,376,546 and the 2026 Amended Budget is proposed to be
 $326,717,428. This includes changes in revenues of $$37,406,595 and changes
 in expenses of $40,340,882. Any changes would result in amendments to the
 Adopted 2026 Budget.



October 14, 2025 - Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 2
 The Council is expected to hold public hearings in November and potential
 adoption of the 2026 mid-biennial budget in December.

 3.B Update on Indigent Defense Caseload Standards
 Senior Assistant City Attorney Cynthia Martinez provided an update on the
 Washington State Supreme Court's recently adopted indigent defense caseload
 limits and the potential impacts to the city.
 In March 2024, the Washington State Bar Association implemented new case
 load limits establishing a reduction in the caseload limit for each public defense
 attorney. The number of misdemeanor case credits a public defender can
 handle will be reduced over a ten-year phased in approach from 400 cases per
 year until it reaches 120 case credits.
 Beginning on January 1, 2026, 10% of the difference between 400 and 120 must
 be reduced. For the City of Yakima, the anticipated indigent defense funding
 level for 9.35 attorneys will result in reductions as follows: in 2026 a reduction of
 262 cases, and in 2027 a reduction of 523 cases. Alternatively, 22 new defense
 attorneys would need to be hired over the course of ten years to maintain the
 City's current charging standards.
 Council members expressed an interest in having a discussion with the Municipal
 Court judges regarding audit and inquiry into ability to pay for defense costs.

4) Adjournment
 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
 regular meeting on October 21, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
 The motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:03 p.m.


CERTIFICATION
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ATTEST:

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 CITY CLERK MAYOR




October 14, 2025 - Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 2