City Council Regular Meeting — Yakima, WA
Date: 2024-09-03

YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
 September 3, 2024
 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

 Consuelo Rodriguez and Roberto Solis, representing La Casa Hogar, introduced
 citizenship students in attendance who are learning about local government.

 Mr. Tim, City resident, spoke regarding concerns about the Justice Housing project.

5. Open Discussion for the Good of the Order

 A. Introduction of Finance Director Viren Mayani

 City Manager Vicki Baker introduced and welcomed Viren Mayani as the City's
 Director of Finance and Budget. Mr. Mayani will oversee the Financial Services,
 Purchasing and Utility Services divisions.

 B. Recognition of Fruit Row National Historic District and Yakima Harvest Month
 Proclamation

 Planning Manager Trevor Martin opened this item with historical information about the
 area of recognition. Mayor Byers proclaimed the month of September as "Harvest
 Month" and recognized the listing of the Fruit Row District in the National Register of
 Historic Places. Bud Hollingbery accepted the proclamation.



September 3, 2024 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 6
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. Item 7L was
 removed from the consent agenda. 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.

 A. Approval of minutes from the August 20, 2024 City Council regular meeting and August
 27, 2024 study session

 B. Project Completion and Contract Acceptance for Belsaas & Smith Construction Company
 for the Cowiche Canyon Trail Project 2430

 C. Set date of October 1, 2024 for an open record public hearing to consider the Hearing
 Examiner's recommendation regarding a right-of-way petition for Columbia Ridge Homes
 LLC to vacate a portion of N. 92nd Ave. north of Summitview Avenue

 D. Resolution declaring certain rolling stock surplus and authorizing the City Manager to
 dispose of said property in a manner most beneficial to the City of Yakima

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-159, A RESOLUTION declaring certain rolling stock surplus
 and authorizing the City Manager to dispose of said property in a manner most beneficial
 to the City of Yakima.

 E. Resolution authorizing an Interlocal Agreement with Yakima County for stormwater
 laboratory services

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-160, A RESOLUTION authorizing an interlocal agreement
 between the City of Yakima and Yakima County for stormwater laboratory services.

 F. Resolution authorizing an Interlocal Agreement with Yakima County for preparation of a
 Bacterial Sampling Quality Assurance Project Plan

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-161, A RESOLUTION authorizing an Interlocal Agreement
 between the City of Yakima and Yakima County for preparation of a Bacterial Sampling
 Quality Assurance Project Plan.

 G. Resolution authorizing an Interlocal Agreement with Yakima County for Construction
 Inspection Services for the Nelson Phase 2 Conveyance Improvements Project IC2010

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-162, A RESOLUTION authorizing an Interlocal Agreement
 between the City of Yakima and Yakima County for Construction Inspection Services on
 the Nelson Phase 2 Pipeline Conveyance Improvements Project IC2010.



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 H. Resolution authorizing an Agreement with Evergreen StormH2O to provide engineering
 design services for the Randall Pond Outlet Water Quality Treatment Project SW2634

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-163, A RESOLUTION authorizing an agreement with
 Evergreen StormH2O to provide engineering design services for City of Yakima Randall
 Pond Outlet Water Quality Treatment Project SW2634.

 I. Resolution authorizing an Agreement with Washington State Department of Commerce
 for grant funding for the construction of the Aquatic Center at Martin Luther King Jr. Park

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-164, A RESOLUTION authorizing execution of an Agreement
 with Washington State Department of Commerce for a grant of $72,750 for the
 construction of a public swimming pool at MLK Jr. Park.

 J. Resolution authorizing the City of Yakima to consent to a conditional settlement
 agreement entered into by Cities Insurance Association of Washington (CIAW) and
 Munich Reinsurance to resolve and settle the lawsuit brought by Ricky Garcia

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-165, A RESOLUTION authorizing the City of Yakima to
 consent to a conditional settlement agreement entered into by Cities Insurance
 Association of Washington (“CIAW”) and Munich Reinsurance to resolve and settle the
 lawsuit brought by Ricky Garcia.

 K. Resolution authorizing an amendment to Airport Lease Agreement between the City of
 Yakima and McAllister Museum of Aviation to allow for tax-exempt status and rental credit

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-166, A RESOLUTION authorizing an amendment to Airport
 Lease Agreement between the City of Yakima and McAllister Museum of Aviation.

 L. This Item was removed from the Consent Agenda.

 M. Resolution amending a contract with Washington State Department of Commerce to
 Revise the Scope of Work for the Fruitvale Housing Project CHIP Grant

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-168, A RESOLUTION authorizing an amendment to the
 agreement with the Washington State Department of Commerce for $299,771.00 through
 the Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) administered by the City of
 Yakima’s Community Development Department.

Items Removed from the Consent Agenda

 L. Resolution authorizing a contract with Yakima Housing Authority for expenditure of
 unused funds for the Fruitvale Housing Project CHIP Grant and Revision of Scope of
 Work

 Mayor Byers requested more information regarding this item, specifically soft costs
 associated with the project. The City Clerk read the resolution by title only.

 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adopt resolution for Item L. The
 motion carried by a 7-0 roll call vote.



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 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-167, A RESOLUTION authorizing an agreement with the
 Yakima Housing Authority to allow expenditure of $135,311.92 of unused funds that were
 granted through the Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) administered
 by the City of Yakima’s Community Development Department

8. Public Hearings
 None.

9. Department Items

 A. Gang Reduction Intervention Task Force (GRIT) and transfer from City of Yakima
 oversight

 City Attorney Sara Watkins described the changes proposed to the Gang Reduction
 Intervention Task Force (GRIT). The GRIT program was created in 2018 as a pilot
 program, through a Governor's proviso grant, to address youth gang involvement with
 a goal of using that framework to obtain future grants. The City has continued to
 facilitate the Steering Committee meetings; however, with new members, and a focus
 on community-wide issues, impacts and programming throughout Yakima County, the
 Steering Committee requested that the City Council approve the proposed Charter
 changes, which include:

 1. Adding a number of stakeholder members to the Steering Committee to provide
 a broad and diverse perspective.
 2. Changing the meeting requirement for the Steering Committee from every two
 months to quarterly.
 3. Providing that the Chair or Vice-Chair shall call the meetings rather than the
 City of Yakima, transferring facilitation to the Steering Committee and its
 members.
 4. Emphasizing the need for community-wide evaluation of the issues.
 5. Providing for an annual report which will be sent to agencies, governments and
 stakeholders from the Steering Committee.
 6. Allowing the Steering Committee to have oversight of the Village.
 7. Allowing the Steering Committee to amend the Charter and terminate GRIT if
 necessary.

 MOTION: Brown moved and Herrera seconded to amend the Gang Reduction
 and Intervention Taskforce Charter as provided. The motion carried by a 7-0 roll
 call vote.

 B. Resolution authorizing acceptance of a State of Washington Department of Ecology
 Grant Award Agreement for the Nelson Phase 2 Pipeline Conveyance Improvements
 Project IC2010

 Water and Irrigation Manager Mike Shane briefed Council on a grant agreement with
 the Department of Ecology for the Nelson Phase 2 project. The funds will be used to
 construct a portion of the overall pipeline project between October 2024 and April
 2025.

 The City Clerk read the resolution by title only.



September 3, 2024 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6
 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adopt the resolution. The
 motion carried by a 7-0 roll call vote.

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-169, A RESOLUTION authorizing an Agreement with the
 State of Washington Department of Ecology for a grant of $7,600,000 for the Nelson
 Phase 2 Pipeline Conveyance Improvements Project IC2010.

 C. Resolution authorizing the Downtown Development & Promotion Agreement with DAY
 & use of Main Street Tax funds for 2024

 City Attorney Sara Watkins briefed Council on the proposed agreement and outlined
 the use of the Main Street Tax Credit funds to promote the downtown area through
 events and activities for 2024.

 The City Clerk read the resolution by title only.

 MOTION: Deccio moved and Brown seconded to adopt the resolution. The
 motion carried by a 7-0 roll call vote.

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-170, A RESOLUTION approving the Yakima Downtown
 Development and Promotion Agreement between the City of Yakima and Downtown
 Association of Yakima.

 D. Ordinance amending the 2024 Budget for the City of Yakima and making
 appropriations from unappropriated fund balances within various funds for
 expenditure during 2024 for various purposes (First Reading)

 Financial Services Manager Kimberly Dominé briefed Council on the first reading of
 proposed amendments to the 2024 budget.

 The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only.

 First Reading of AN ORDINANCE amending the 2024 Budget for the City of Yakima
 and making appropriations from unappropriated fund balances within various funds for
 expenditure during 2024 for various purposes.

10. City Manager Update

 City Manager Vicki Baker provided a brief update on the recent budget meetings with
 Finance Director Mayani and departments/divisions, and plans to move forward with
 Council’s model for priority-based budgeting.

11. Other Business

 MOTION: Berg moved and Brown seconded to add to future study session a
 discussion on the ten most dangerous intersections in Yakima and what steps
 Council can take to reduce collisions. The motion carried by unanimous vote.

 MOTION: Berg moved and Brown seconded to direct staff to add to a business
 agenda meeting, at the end of September, a discussion on reducing or eliminating
 needle exchange programs in the City limits. The motion carried by unanimous vote.


September 3, 2024 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6
 Assistant Mayor Brown invited the public to a Town Hall discussion meeting with himself
 and Councilmember Berg on Friday, September 6, 2024, at the Harman Center.

 MOTION: Herrera moved and Brown seconded to direct staff to provide an update
 on the Aquatic Center at MLK park on construction and fundraising at a future
 business meeting. The motion carried by unanimous vote.

12. Adjournment

 MOTION: Brown moved and Herrera seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
 regular meeting on September 17, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City
 Hall. The motion carried by unanimous vote. The meeting adjourned at 6:18 p.m.


CERTIFICATION
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
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 _____________________________________
 COUNCIL MEMBER DATE

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 _____________________________________
 COUNCIL MEMBER DATE

ATTEST:

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_____________________________________
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 _____________________________________
 CITY CLERK MAYOR




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