Yakima City Council Regular Meeting (March 4, 2025): Homeless Coalition Resolution, Budget Survey, and Policy Updates
Yakima City Council Regular Meeting (March 4, 2025)
The Yakima City Council convened on March 4, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. for a regular meeting that included public comment, discussion of a resolution expressing concerns about the Yakima County Homeless Coalition, adoption of the consent agenda, a policy change for proclamations, and a city manager update on budget challenges and a new assistant city manager.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes from the February 18, 2025 regular meeting.
- Accepted project completion and contract for Snow Removal Equipment procurement.
- Authorized write-offs of uncollectible central accounts receivables, utility accounts, and parking citations.
- Authorized an agreement with KDA Architecture Inc. for architectural design services.
- Authorized sole-source purchase of aeration system blower parts from Howden USA Company for the Wastewater Division.
- Authorized a mutual aid agreement with the Department of the Army for emergency response.
- Adopted an ordinance amending Municipal Code Chapter 9.25 to allow cruising event dates to be set by resolution annually. All consent items were approved unanimously (7-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kyle Curtis (Yakima County Commissioner): Expressed support for the resolution's call for reform but cautioned against replacing existing administrative structures. Proposed a strategic project coordinator independent of government.
- Scott Stevens (City of Yakima resident): Voiced support for a no-confidence vote in the Homeless Coalition.
- Frieda Stevens (resident): Supported the resolution, stating the Coalition's approach "hasn't worked."
- Joe Daniels (resident): Read definitions of "patriot" and "communist," expressing that citizens are "slaves on the disrupted leadership"; urged action.
- Jenny Reed (county resident): Supported the resolution, noting visible homelessness and calling for "something new."
- Christina Bassford (downtown business employee, 10 years): Described daily issues with homeless individuals, including camping, vandalism, and safety concerns; stated YPD unable to act; questioned current approach.
- Tony Corsey (resident): Discussed personal property and legal matters; referenced water rights and a judge's statement.
- Kenton Gartrell (City of Yakima resident and voter): Supported the resolution, describing negative experiences with homeless individuals and criticizing provider effectiveness over 50 years, alleging a focus on tax dollars rather than outcomes.
- Gina Hernandez (City of Yakima resident, Homeless Coalition member): Thanked council, acknowledged homelessness as a national issue, but defended the Coalition’s efforts while understanding the no-confidence vote; offered to walk downtown with critics.
- Mike Schreiner (property owner, via Zoom): Supported the no-confidence vote, detailing ongoing problems at his building (Bridmar/Talcott building).
Discussion Items
- Council Nominating Committee Recommendations (Item 5A): Councilman Berg reported unanimous recommendations to appoint Emeka Udenze to the Henry Beauchamp Community Center Advisory Board and Audrey Ruttifer and Erica Keller to the Hotel and Motel Commission. Approved.
- YVCOG 2024 Annual Report (Item 5B): Chris Wagenhagen, YVCOG Executive Director, presented the report, highlighting: local crime lab successes (e.g., 3.5-day NIBIN turnaround), work on uniform data coding, strategic facilitations, transportation planning, climate element work, home repair grants, and a new $2M down-payment assistance grant. Stated priorities for 2025 include workforce development and plain language government communication.
- Resolution on Yakima County Homeless Coalition (Item 6): Deputy Mayor Brown introduced a resolution expressing profound concerns and intent to explore alternatives if reform is not implemented. Extensive discussion followed:
- Council members questioned accountability, data quality, RFP scoring, and provider compensation.
- Commissioner Curtis and County Human Services staff (Esther) answered questions, acknowledging past shortcomings and describing ongoing reforms (e.g., data cleanup, charter changes).
- Councilman Glenn emphasized the impact of chronic homeless individuals and the need to focus on law enforcement and state-level issues.
- Mayor Byers supported a two-year measurable plan rather than a five-year one.
- The resolution passed 5-2 (Byers, Glenn, Roy, Berg, Brown in favor; Dico and Herrera opposed).
- Proclamation Policy (Item 9): Councilman Berg proposed policy changes to require a council vote (motion and four votes) before a proclamation is placed on a future agenda, aligning with procedures for resolutions/ordinances. After discussion, the council voted 7-0 to amend the policy, directing staff to finalize language.
City Manager Update
- Budget Survey: City Manager Baker announced a community survey addressing a $9 million general fund deficit, focusing on public safety (82% of general fund). The survey will be distributed online and through community outreach. She emphasized it is "just a survey" to gather input on difficult choices.
- Assistant City Manager: Baker announced the hiring of Gary Bellew as Assistant City Manager, effective March 17. Bellew brings 25 years of economic development experience and environmental engineering background, previously from Spokane and Benton County. Baker noted this will help with day-to-day operations and long-term revitalization efforts (downtown, mill site, airport).
Other Business
- Animal Licensing (Councilman Berg): Council directed staff to bring a cost-benefit analysis of animal licensing fees and animal control to a future study session. Approved.
- Backyard Chickens (Councilman Berg): Council directed staff to review code and bring recommendations on increasing the permitted number of backyard chickens. Approved.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution R-2025-xxx expressing concerns about the Yakima County Homeless Coalition adopted (5-2).
- Proclamation issuance policy amended (7-0) to require a council vote before scheduling.
- YVCOG annual report presented for information.
- Consent agenda adopted (7-0).
- Council directed staff to study animal licensing fees and backyard chicken limits at future meetings.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome. I am going to reconvene the Yakima City Council of Regular Meeting for March fourth, twenty twenty-five. We'll have a roll call again, please. Brown. Here. Byers present. DCO. Here. Glenn. Here. Herrera. Here. Roy. Here. Berg. Thank you. Please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. Again. And to be the Republic for which it stands one nation under God. Next, we'll have interpreter services. Yes, good evening. Uh see I'll necessitate the young interpreter, then I'm saying so you keep on a user. Thank you. Next on the agenda is public comment. There will be thirty-five minutes allotted for public comment with two and a half minutes per speaker in order to allow as much opportunity as possible for audience participation. Written communication and email messages are strongly encouraged. When you come up to the podium, please give us your name and uh the uh uh where you live city or county. Thank you. So Bruce is going to be um Commissioner Calicurtis. Good evening, Madam Mayor, Council Member Staff, Kyle Curtis, your Yakima County Commissioner. Tonight my comments are directed towards the resolution expressing concerns on the performance of our Yakima County homeless coalition. I've been part of this group for the past year and a half as your commissioner, and I can tell you that this group consists of some of the most dedicated professional and commute committed community members who all strive with the common goal uh to make homelessness in Yakima County as brief and rare as possible. If this was an easy task, we wouldn't be here tonight. Just like many of you, due to this frustration is why I have spent countless hours meeting touring and asking questions, tough questions of every program and service provider in our homeless response system. Spending countless hours with law enforcement, business leaders, first responders, and community members to do my best to be as educated as possible on the complexities of the system. The county's human services department has some of the most dedicated and professional public servants I know who understand the objectives of your commissioners and and who have made great strides in the way that we track data, manage our contracts, and ensure that we are fiscally responsible in our county. We do not need a different entity to run the day-to-day administration of contracts and funds, but rather I agree with the resolution that we need to think seriously about empowering a strategic project coordinator, a project coordinator that has no ties to government, and one that is centered around delivering our defined outcomes in a specific amount of time. Someone who frankly isn't afraid of putting themselves out of a job. I ask that as community leaders, we use our frustration to help bring tangible solutions to the table, and that we continue to work together as we always have. Thank you, Council. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. The next next is Scott Stevens. I'm Scott Stevens, City Weller. And I'm here to voice my support of the no competence vote, considering the coalition uh the homeless coalition group. And I support your decision for a no confidence vote. And basically, I'm keeping it brief. So thank you for your time and effort. Thank you, Mr. Stevens.
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