City Council Regular Meeting — Yakima, WA
Date: 2025-06-17

YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
 June 17, 2025
 City Hall - Council Chambers - 129 N 2nd Street, Yakima WA
 5:30 PM City Council Regular Meeting - Conducted in person and virtually via Zoom

1) Roll Call
 Present: Mayor Patricia Byers, presiding; Assistant Mayor Matt Brown and
 Councilmembers Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio, Rick Glenn, Danny Herrera and Leo Roy
 Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda
 Ibarra
2) Pledge of Allegiance
 Mayor Byers led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3) Interpreter Services
 Mayor Byers introduced Jorge Villaseñor who announced interpreter services are
 available in Spanish.
4) Public Comment
 Assistant Mayor Brown read a written public comment from Dawn Shepherd, Selah
 resident, in favor of the Yakima Valley Trolley.
 Emily Nelson, EDS 105, spoke in recognition of Pride Month and extended an invitation
 to the Yakima Pride parade.
 Tony Courcy, City resident, expressed concerns about the perceived lack of Council
 response.
5) Open Discussion for the Good of the Order
 5.A Council Nominating Committee recommendations regarding appointments to boards,
 commissions, and committees
 Councilmember Berg reported on the June 9, 2025 Council Nominating Committee
 meeting. The Nominating Committee's recommendation for appointments and
 reappointments include:
 • Public Facilities District Board - reappoint Ryan Beckett and appoint W. Sheldon
 Butler
 • Henry Beauchamp Jr. Community Center Advisory Committee - reappoint James
 Parks
 • Historic Preservation Commission - reappoint Paul Edmondson and Cynthia Hall
 • Parks and Recreation Commission - reappoint Rod Bryant and appoint Bruce
 Whitmore


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 • Tree City USA Board - reappoint Jheri Ketcham (Yakima Arboretum representative)
 and appoint Jacob Nowlin
 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adopt the Council Nominating
 Committee recommendations. The motion carried by unanimous vote.
6) Council Reports
 None.
7) Consent Agenda
 Mayor Byers referred to the items placed on the Consent Agenda, questioning whether
 there were any additions or deletions from Council members present. There were no
 changes. The City Clerk read the Consent Agenda items, including resolutions and
 ordinances, by title. (Items on the Consent Agenda are handled under one motion
 without further discussion-see motion directly below.)
 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to approve the consent agenda.
 The motion carried by a 7-0 roll call vote.
 7.A Approval of minutes from the June 3, 2025 City Council regular meeting and
 June 10, 2025 City Council study session
 7.B Approve payment of disbursements for the period May 1 - 31, 2025
 7.C May 2025 Investment Transaction Report
 7.D Set date of July 15, 2025, for a closed record public hearing to consider
 proposed amendments to Yakima Municipal Code Title 14 Subdivisions and Title
 15 Urban Area Zoning Ordinance
 7.E Set date of July 22, 2025, for a closed record public hearing to consider a
 proposed rezone in the Light-Industrial (M-1) zoning district
 7.F Resolution modifying the City Treasurers Petty Cash and Change Funds
 (Resolution R-2024-126 adopted July 16, 2024)
 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-098, A RESOLUTION amending Resolution No. R-
 2024-126, adopted July 16, 2024, and authorizing the existence of Change
 Funds, and other Petty Cash Funds, within the various Funds of the City of
 Yakima.
 7.G Resolution authorizing an agreement with Yakima Mechanical Inc for City Hall
 Chiller Replacement Project 2858 (REET Fund)
 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-099, A RESOLUTION authorizing an agreement with
 Yakima Mechanical Inc. for the City Hall Chiller Replacement Project 2858.
 7.H Resolution authorizing an agreement with the Washington Traffic Safety
 Commission to provide funding for a dedicated DUI officer position (No
 Budgetary Impact)
 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-100, A RESOLUTION authorizing an agreement with
 Washington Traffic Safety Commission to provide pass-through funding from the
 US Department of Transportation to fund a police officer position for impaired
 driving patrol.




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 7.I Resolution authorizing the City Manager to extend and amend the City's current
 contract with CWA, Inc. for Yakima-Ellensburg Commuter Services (Enterprise
 Fund)
 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-101, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager
 to extend and amend the City's current contract with CWA, Inc. for Yakima-
 Ellensburg Commuter Services.
 7.J Resolution authorizing Department of Ecology Grant Program Supplemental
 Agreement 5 for environmental cleanup of Tiger Oil site at 2312 W Nob Hill Blvd
 Project 2999
 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-102, A RESOLUTION authorizing the execution of
 Amendment 5 to the Interagency Agreement with Department of Ecology
 (ECOLOGY) for the former Tiger Oil site located at 2312 West Nob Hill
 Boulevard Project 2799.
 7.K Ordinance amending YMC 7.50.110 Meter Access (Enterprise Fund)
 ORDINANCE NO. 2025-020, AN ORDINANCE amending the City of Yakima
 Municipal Code Section 7.50.110 Meter Access to add new section (C).
8) Public Hearings
 8.A Public hearing to consider: A) Resolution adopting the Six-Year Transportation
 Improvement Program for the period of 2026 through 2031, and to amend the
 Transportation Systems Plan 2040; and B) Resolution amending the Yakima
 Urban Area Comprehensive Plan Capital Facilities Element (No budgetary
 impact)
 Community Development Director Bill Preston presented the City of Yakima's
 proposed 2026-2031 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program and the
 Transportation Systems Plan 2040. Mr. Preston described the transportation
 projects listed for which state gas tax revenue or federal revenue will be used.
 Additionally, the city is required to amend the Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive
 Plan Capital Facilities Element to ensure that Yakima is in compliance with the
 Growth Management Act and consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
 Councilmembers briefly discussed the street status regarding the 6th Avenue
 Roadway Improvements project.
 Mayor Byers opened the public hearing.
 The following individuals provided remarks related to the trolley:
 Joshua Hicks, City resident; Pattie Graffe, Selah resident and Executive Director of
 Selah Downtown Association; “Santa Claus”; Aileen Kane, City resident; Stephen
 Johnsen, non-City resident; Greg Bliss, Northern Pacific Railway Museum of
 Toppenish; Hans Larson, Bothell resident; Anne Knapp, City resident; William
 Longmire, Selah resident and Selah City Councilmember; Moira Nadal, Washington
 Trust for Historic Preservation; Russell Holter, Lakewood resident; and Paul
 Edmondson, Yakima resident.
 Mayor Byers closed the public hearing.
 The City Clerk read both resolutions by title only
 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adopt both resolutions.
 The motion carried by a 6-1 roll call vote; with Berg voting no.


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 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-103, A RESOLUTION adopting the Six-Year
 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the period of 2026 through 2031
 for transportation improvements to arterial streets in the City of Yakima and
 amending the Transportation Systems Plan 2040.
 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-104, A RESOLUTION to amend the Yakima Urban
 Area Comprehensive Plan Capital Facilities Element to incorporate the Six-year
 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the period of 2026 through 2031.
 8.B Public Hearing relating to the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) modifying
 transportation list to be funded by the district (No Budgetary Impact)
 Community Development Director Bill Preston briefed Council on the proposed
 Transportation Benefit District project list and provided clarification to Council's
 questions related to the 6th Avenue Roadway project.
 Mayor Byers opened the public hearing.
 Tony Courcy, City resident, expressed concerns about the TBD funds.
 Greg Johnsen, New York resident, spoke in support of the Yakima Valley Trolley
 and its inclusion on the TBD project list.
 With no one else coming forward or calling in to speak, Mayor Byers closed the
 public hearing.
9) Department Items
 9.A Ordinance relating to updating the Transportation Benefit District project list (TBD
 Fund)
 Community Development Director Bill Preston briefed Council on the proposed
 ordinance indicating the list has been updated with current costs for transportation
 project improvements to be funded through the Transportation Benefit District.
 The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only.
 After Council discussion,
 MOTION: Deccio moved and Brown seconded to pass the ordinance. The
 motion carried by a 6-1 roll call vote; with Berg voting no.
 ORDINANCE NO. 2025-021, AN ORDINANCE of the City of Yakima, Washington,
 relating to a Transportation Benefit District; updating project costs for the
 transportation improvements to be funded by the district.
 9.B Budget Advisory Committee final report
 Jeanna Hernandez and Angie Girard, Budget Advisory Committee (BAC)
 members presented their report and recommendations related to potential
 expenditure reductions and new revenue sources to address the City's budget
 deficit, while maintaining essential services and quality of life for the community.
 The Budget Advisory Committee proposed a $2.7 million public safety sales tax
 levy, a $2.7 million public safety levy, and a $1.8 million parks levy as revenue
 generation. The Budget Committee members requested insight into the direction
 Council intends to take regarding the 1/10th public safety sales tax. They urged
 support for the sales tax and stated that knowing Council’s position would help
 them decide how to approach budget cuts that may be necessary.



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 9.C Follow-up discussion of 2026 budget options
 City Manager Vicki Baker and Director of Budget and Finance Craig Warner
 provided follow-up information to Council regarding potential revenue options and
 service reductions.
 The recent 1/10th sales tax for criminal justice option supports activities that
 substantially assist the criminal justice system. It does not allow for services such
 as snow and ice removal, fire suppression, fire inspection or prevention. Staff
 provided a comparison of utility taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, and average
 assessed property valuation across similar cities. Yakima's property tax per
 1,000 assessed valuation is at $1.848 and the sales tax rate is at 8.5% (both
 rates include the recently approved communications sales tax).
 Further, staff informed Council that the number of full-time employees that would
 potentially be impacted by proposed budget reductions without any additional
 revenue sources equals 56.
10) City Manager Update
 City Manager Vicki Baker reported she and Assistant City Manager Gary Ballew will
 conduct business outreach at the Yakima Chamber of Commerce.
11) Other Business
 Assistant Mayor Brown spoke to Congressman Newhouse regarding federal funding
 matters.
 Brown introduced an ordinance amendment relating to impounded vehicles.
 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to direct staff to prepare an
 ordinance amendment for consideration at the July 1, 2025 City Council meeting,
 using the language provided, to amend Yakima Municipal Code Sections
 9.47.040(B) and 9.47.010(J)(1)(b). The motion carried by unanimous vote.
12) Adjournment
 MOTION: Glenn moved and Berg seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
 regular meeting on July 1, 2025, 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.

CERTIFICATION
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ATTEST:

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 CITY CLERK MAYOR



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