Yakima City Council Regular Meeting - April 1, 2025
Yakima City Council Regular Meeting - April 1, 2025
The Yakima City Council met on April 1, 2025, at City Hall for a regular meeting beginning at 5:30 PM. The meeting included public comments, proclamations, consent agenda items, and several department discussions, including budget amendments, animal control, airport funding, a presentation on the city's financial challenges, and parking permits. Key votes included approval of a water transfer agreement (6-1), rejection of a code violations ordinance (4-3), and unanimous approval of agreements with the Yakima Humane Society and for airport minimum revenue guarantee.
Proclamations
- Arbor Day 2025: Approved unanimously (7-0).
- National Day of Prayer: Approved unanimously (7-0).
- America's 250th Anniversary "Two Lights for Tomorrow" Initiative: Approved unanimously (7-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Patty Maggard Prediletto (Yakima resident): Expressed concerns about potential budget cuts to senior centers and pools, noting 168,000 annual visits to these four facilities and that 82% of Parks & Rec visits are to these facilities. She argued that eliminating Franklin Pool would harm West Side residents.
- Lea Draven (Yakima resident): Expressed concern about the Council's decision to draft a letter opposing House Bill 1380 without having read the legislation, and urged the city to ensure its homeless policies are watertight before criminalizing camping.
- Shelley White (Yakima resident): Spoke in opposition to middle-housing requirements, presenting research on population trends and questioning the claimed housing crisis. She provided a handout.
- Ron Torres (Yakima resident): Continued Shelley White's presentation, arguing that the Western world faces underpopulation, not overpopulation, and that declining birth rates threaten tax bases. He linked this to housing issues.
Consent Calendar
Items removed from consent: Item E (Temporary Water Transfer Interlocal Agreement with City of Tieton) and Item K (Ordinance adding Section 12.01.080 regarding violations) were discussed separately.
Approved consent items (all 7-0):
- Approval of March 18, 2025 minutes.
- Set date of May 6, 2025 for closed record public hearing on zoning text amendments (YMC Title 14 & 15).
- Project completion for Washington Fruit Community Center HVAC projects.
- Tourism promotion agreements with Capitol Theatre Committee and Yakima Valley Tourism.
- Equitable Sharing Agreement with US DOJ.
- Collective bargaining agreements for Police Corrections Sergeants (2024-2025) and Supervisors & Administrative Unit (2024-2027).
Discussion Items
Item 7.E – Water Transfer Agreement: Water and Irrigation Manager Mike Shane explained a temporary lease of 31 irrigation shares to the City of Tieton for the 2025 season at a total cost of $4,373, based on the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District rate. The city has done this for 11 years. Councilmember Herrera questioned the minimal cost and suggested future rate discussion. Motion to approve passed 6-1 (Berg dissenting).
Item 7.K – Ordinance Adding Violations Section to YMC 12.01: Community Development Director Bill Preston presented an ordinance to codify violations for excavation and engineering permits, allowing a $500 per day penalty for willful noncompliance, similar to existing right-of-way ordinances. Council debate centered on whether the daily penalty was too heavy-handed. Councilmember Roy suggested a cap. Others noted the need for enforcement tools. Motion to pass failed 4-3 (Byers, Glenn, Roy, Berg opposed). Attorney Watkins clarified that the existing 801 ordinance already provides a process with notice and opportunity to cure.
Item 9.A – First Reading of Budget Amendment: Interim Finance Director Mike Bailey presented a first-quarter budget amendment covering new revenues, prior-year roll-forwards, and expenditures from fund balances (e.g., MLK pool operations, court security, opioid lawsuit funds, fire vehicle repairs, taser contract). No action required; second reading at next meeting.
Item 9.B – Cost-Benefit Analysis of Animal Licensing Fees: Sergeant Ryan Wisner detailed the role of Community Service Officers (CSOs) in animal control. Key statistics: In 2024, CSOs investigated 2,545 cases in SmartGov and 2,300 in Spillman, impounded 33 animals, and issued $100,428.43 in fines, of which only about 18% had been collected (some on payment plans). Only 500 dog licenses exist in a city of ~100,000. Council discussed requiring microchips instead of licenses, the difficulty of enforcement, and the need for education. No action taken; council asked the city attorney to research requiring chips as an option.
Item 9.C – Agreement with Yakima Humane Society: Police Chief Shawn Boyle presented a contract for animal sheltering services: up to 45 dogs per month at $275 per dog, with carryover allowed. Annual cost estimated at $148,500. Motion to approve passed 7-0.
Item 9.D – SIED Funding Agreement for Airport: Airport Director Rob Hodgman presented a resolution to accept $500,000 per year for three years from Yakima County's SIED fund for a minimum revenue guarantee to incentivize Delta Airlines to add flights to Salt Lake City. The city's match comes from a $500,000 federal DOT grant already awarded (only $38,000 used previously). Clarified that no general fund money is involved. Motion to approve passed 7-0.
Item 9.E – Community at a Crossroads Presentation: City Manager Vicki Baker presented a comprehensive overview of the city's financial challenges, including a $4.6 million general fund deficit in 2025 projected to grow to $8.1 million in 2026. She outlined priority-based budgeting, outreach efforts (three town halls in April, surveys with 1,500 responses already), and a citizen budget committee set to report on May 6. She addressed common questions: sales tax cannot be raised for general fund, cuts have already been made to non-public safety areas for 20 years, and staffing is already below market. Economic Development Director Gary (new hire) provided data: property tax share has fallen from 27% to 20% of the total property tax dollar over 20 years, while population grew 16% and inflation-adjusted property tax revenue declined. The presentation emphasized transparency and community engagement.
Item 9.F – Parking Permits Discussion: City Manager Baker noted that the 60% permit cap had been reached (zero available for April but some in May/June). City Attorney Watkins presented options: do nothing, increase to 65%, or give the city manager discretion to issue permits above 60% on a case-by-case basis. Downtown Association (DYBID) supported 65% but also wanted better enforcement. Councilmember Glenn moved to adopt the flexible option, seconded by Deccio. After brief debate about fees ($20/month considered low), motion passed 7-0 directing staff to bring an ordinance giving the city manager discretion to the next meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Proclamations approved (3 items, all 7-0).
- Consent agenda items approved except E and K (see below).
- Water Transfer Agreement (Item 7.E): Approved 6-1 (Berg no).
- Violations Ordinance (Item 7.K): Failed 4-3 (Byers, Glenn, Roy, Berg opposed).
- Humane Society Contract (Item 9.C): Approved 7-0.
- SIED Airport Funding Agreement (Item 9.D): Approved 7-0.
- Parking Permit Flexibility: Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance giving the City Manager discretion to issue permits above 60%, passed 7-0.
- Next meeting: City Council study session on April 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
- Adjourned at 7:58 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Rosalinda, do we have a gavel this evening? We do. Just uh gabble with your hand. Good evening, and welcome. I will call to order the Yakman City Council business meeting of April the first, twenty twenty-five. And the April Fool's joke on me is I have no gavel. Your hand. And Roy. Here. Thank you. Please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. All right. And when you come to the podium, please identify yourself and tell us the city in which you live. The first person we have is Patty Maggard. Predalito? Predaletto. Petaleno. I knew I get that wrong. Thank you. That's a name you should have to work on this. I know, I'm sorry. I didn't. I just couldn't say it though. I get it. My maiden name was Miller. So now I spell my name everywhere I go. So my name is Patty Maggard Predileto, and I'm here on behalf of the patrons of the two senior centers and the two pools here in Yacima. I am from Yakima, I'm a Yakima city resident. So these are very near and dear to my heart. In 2024, there was almost 168,000 visits to these four facilities. And there's about 275 people per day that go through the Harman Center alone. So 300 days out of the year, that's 82,500 visits. It's heavily frequented by senior citizens, working people who swim early in the morning before I ever get up. It's also the local practice facility for all of the swim teams in town, the swim meets, and uh lifeguard training. Franklin Pool is in the heart of Yacima. Now there's been a lot of talk about the city has promised the East Side this new pool, which is great. But if you take away Franklin Pool, what does that tell everybody on the West Side? Now the West Side kids don't have a pool. So that means we're gonna have to take buses. And we all know there's a reputation on the east side, and so how many Westside people are gonna be comfortable sending their kids on a bus to the east side? It's just a fact of life here in Yakima. Um so now you guys are budget people. So we're gonna talk a little bit about numbers. I've given you each a handout. So you'll see that only 26% of the parks and rec's budget is for these four facilities. The total visitor to all the parks and rec facilities, including Fisher Park, youth adult sports, is 203,172. So over 82% of the visits to these four facilities are what you want to cut from this budget. So Yakima, their population is 96,750 as of the 2023 census. 27.8% were under 18, 16.3% are over 65. These are the typical patrons of these four facilities.
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