Yakima City Council Regular Meeting – August 19, 2025
Yakima City Council Regular Meeting – August 19, 2025
The Yakima City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers; public hearings followed after 6:00 p.m. Mayor Patricia Byers presided, with Assistant Mayor Matt Brown and Councilmembers Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio, Rick Glenn, Danny Herrera, and Leo Roy present. The meeting was held in person, livestreamed, and available via Zoom, and Spanish interpreter services were announced. The Council approved a consent calendar, two public hearings, two FAA grant resolutions, and took separate action on the Yakima Valley Trolley and Flock Safety items. The meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m., with the next regular meeting set for September 2, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- The Council approved the consent agenda by a 7-0 roll call vote after removing Items 7E (Yakima Valley Trolleys) and 7G (Flock Safety) for separate discussion.
- Approved the August 4, 2025 Council minutes; disbursements for July 1-31, 2025; and the July 2025 Investment Transaction Report.
- R-2025-118 accepted the 2nd Quarter 2025 Claim Report.
- R-2025-120 authorized the First Response Agreement among Yakima County Fire Protection District No. 4, the City of Union Gap Fire Department, and the City of Yakima Fire Department.
- R-2025-122 renewed the service agreement with Penser North America, Inc. as third-party administrator for the City's workers' compensation program.
- R-2025-123 ratified the City Manager's execution of the Washington State Office of Public Defense reimbursable grant agreement for 2025.
- Ordinance 2025-027 amended the 2025-2026 biennial budget and made appropriations from unappropriated fund balances.
- R-2025-127 authorized a second amendment to the commercial lease with the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce at 10 North 9th Street.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Anne Knapp and Mary Place, City residents, urged the Council to postpone action on the Yakima Valley Trolley agreement until the full financial impact and additional information were provided.
- Lisa Downey, City resident, opposed closure of Franklin Pool. She said she had gathered 1,635 digital signatures and suggested sponsorship, community membership, or remodel-and-reopen options, noting the West Side would otherwise have no public pool.
- Consuelo Rodriguez introduced students from La Casa Hogar who were attending to learn about local government.
- Tony Courcy, City resident, spoke about a water-rights claim and a storm drain issue and criticized the City's handling of both.
- Leroy Bruce Golightly, City resident, expressed concerns about the Yakima Police Department, referenced the recent officer-involved shooting, and said he planned to take his concerns federally.
Proclamations & Council Reports
- The Council unanimously approved the Overdose Awareness Day proclamation and requested it be read. Mayor Byers proclaimed August 29, 2025 as Overdose Awareness Day; the proclamation noted overdoses claimed the lives of more than 144 Yakima residents in 2024. Kim Hitchcock and Jessica Espinoza accepted the proclamation on behalf of local recovery organizations.
- Mayor Byers presented the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) recommendations from its August 14, 2025 meeting, based on a 2026 lodging tax revenue forecast of $1,800,000. Recommended allocations were $490,000 for debt service, $3,274 for City administrative fees, $300,000 for Convention Center capital, $641,226 for Convention Center operations, $60,000 for Visitor Center operations, $95,500 for Sports Commission operations, $150,000 for Capitol Theatre operations, and $60,000 for the Sundome. (Minutes list $150,000 for Capitol Theatre; the spoken transcript appears to say $1,500.) John Cooper and Connie Upton answered Council questions, stating no general fund money is used for Convention Center operations and that the center had record earned revenue exceeding $1 million in the prior year. The LTAC recommendations were approved 7-0.
Public Hearings
- Champions Park Phases 2-6: In a closed-record hearing, the Council heard a presentation from Senior Planner Eric Crowell on the Hearing Examiner's recommendation to approve the master planned development and subdivision. The proposal by Prickly Pear Holdings LLC / HLA Engineering and Surveying is a 221-lot subdivision near Sorenson Road between S. 38th Avenue and S. 52nd Avenue, seeking commercial uses on residentially zoned property, a private gated residential street, and modified street and site design standards. The Hearing Examiner held an open-record hearing on June 26, 2025, and issued a recommendation for approval subject to conditions on July 10, 2025. No public testimony was offered. The Council adopted R-2025-124, affirming the Hearing Examiner's recommendation and authorizing a development agreement, by a 7-0 roll call vote.
- Lochridge Annexation: Planning Manager Trevor Martin reviewed the proposed annexation of a single 5.24-acre parcel at 1504 S. 80th Avenue, zoned R-1. The notice of intent was received on February 25, 2025, and the Council set August 19, 2025, for consideration. The Council voted 7-0 to direct staff to draft the official annexation petition and collect property-owner signatures to begin the annexation review process.
Discussion Items (Removed from Consent Agenda)
- Yakima Valley Trolleys (Item 7E): Councilmembers raised concerns that the proposed five-year operation license agreement did not reflect recent budget decisions and understated the total general fund impact. Community Development Director Bill Preston said the current agreement expires August 31, 2025; the City budgeted $10,000 for administration and $20,000 for maintenance in 2025, with $10,000 proposed to be cut for 2026. Preston noted the signed copy returned by the Trolleys showed a contract term ending in 2034, while the draft he sent said 2029, requiring correction. The Council suspended its rules and adopted R-2025-119, extending the existing agreement through September 30, 2025, by a 6-1 roll call vote, with Councilmember Deccio voting no. The Council then voted unanimously to table the original Item 7E to a future date.
- Flock Safety (Item 7G): Lieutenant Tory Adams explained the resolution was for annual subscription renewals only, not new cameras. He said the City has 86 Flock cameras acquired since 2022, with an average of about 2.79 hits per 10,000 license-plate reads; one lower-use camera still generated 1.3 million reads and 215 hits over eight months. He credited the cameras with helping apprehend a homicide suspect from the Tri-Cities the previous month. The City is now contracting directly with Flock, with a per-camera increase of $250 rather than the anticipated $500, and the police budget can absorb the cost. The Council approved R-2025-121 by a 7-0 roll call vote.
Department Items
- Crosswind Runway Rehabilitation: Airport Director Robert Hodgman said the FAA grant would fund design for rehabilitating Crosswind Runway 2-2 at Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field. The runway's pavement condition index averages about 20%, and it is used by FedEx, UPS, and Airlift Northwest when winds require it. Funding comes from FAA grants and passenger facility charges in the airport enterprise fund, not the general fund. The Council adopted R-2025-125 by a 7-0 vote.
- Terminal Building Baggage Claim and Restroom Upgrades: Hodgman presented the FAA grant application for the Yakima Air Terminal Building Modernization project, which would double baggage claim space, add a baggage carousel, remodel restrooms, and add a family lounge and vending area. Funding is from the FAA grant and a county match through airport funds. The Council adopted R-2025-126 by a 7-0 vote.
City Manager Update & Other Business
- City Manager Vicki Baker reported on attending the Washington City Managers Association conference. She referenced a session on social media in which a study found 70% of the overall population disagreed with social media sentiment, which came from less than 5% of people.
- The Council added a Yakima United League Championship proclamation to the September 2, 2025 meeting and directed staff to prepare a Harvest Marching Band proclamation for October; both motions were unanimous.
- Councilmembers expressed appreciation for the Yakima Police Department's response to recent events. Assistant Mayor Brown requested that future budget agenda items identify the full general fund impact of proposals rather than listing amounts by individual funds.
Key Outcomes
- Consent calendar approved 7-0, with Items 7E and 7G removed.
- Overdose Awareness Day proclamation approved unanimously; August 29, 2025 proclaimed.
- LTAC lodging tax allocation recommendations approved 7-0.
- R-2025-124 (Champions Park Phases 2-6) adopted 7-0.
- Council directed staff to begin the Lochridge Annexation petition process 7-0.
- R-2025-125 (Crosswind Runway FAA grant) and R-2025-126 (Terminal modernization FAA grant) adopted 7-0 each.
- R-2025-121 (Flock Safety renewals) adopted 7-0.
- R-2025-119 (Trolley extension through September 30, 2025) adopted 6-1; original Item 7E tabled to a future date.
- Yakima United and Harvest Marching Band proclamations added to upcoming agendas unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
And NEPA need to be done. Those are environmental impact studies that gives notice and gets permission from all landowners. It requires a critical areas review and a cultural resource assessment. The two three, the three cost of a project is that in 2024, they said there was a cost of five million dollars per mile. That's for four just for the four miles to going to SELA. That's 20 million dollars. I don't know where that money's coming from. Walking the old trolley line, I would encourage you to do that. There are numerous rockfalls area that have covered the track and probably damaged the track. That is not considered in the cost effect. The Yakima trolleys are National Historic Register, but they are not currently a national historic landmark. And without the railroad going into SELA, it does not meet the standard to be that. The trolleys do not and will not meet that designation without the 20, without the miles going into SEALA. I have actively supported the Yakima trolleys for over 30 years. But I think it's time for the trolleys to reinvent themselves and stay within the city of Yakima. Thought money can be better spent elsewhere. I'd like wish I could give it to police and fire, but because of where it comes from, it has to stay within streets. So that's bill sidewalks around schools. Thank you for your time. Thank you. It's nice. Next is Lisa Downey. Good evening, everyone. Patricia, I've met you once before. Nice to meet you again. My name's Lisa Downey. I'm a native of Yakma, been living here about four years now, but prior to that was born and raised here until I went to school and came back. Um I heard the Franklin pool is being closed. I don't know if there are plans to reopen it, but I did a digital petition the last three weeks. I've got 1,635 digital signatures, and I gave the evidence to Rosalinda. I'd like you guys to consider or reconsider reopening the pool. Perhaps um remodel it now and reopen next year rather than wait when other funds won't be available. You know, perhaps offer sponsorships to some of the top businesses in town. Consider the pool being perhaps GS Long Franklin Pool, the hogback Franklin Pool, Washington Fruit Franklin Pool, or some of the other businesses in town that might sponsor it. The other option would be offering the pool as a community uh membership pool. I had the same dilemma in Bellevue when I lived there in the SMINA Club, had a pool, it was going to close. The neighborhood banded together and created a uh community membership pool, and it's now thriving. So that I gave you the link in the in the PowerPoint too. The other option would be just take sponsor donations from across all of Yakima and Sila. In the digital um petition I did, the bulk of the supporters came from 98902, which is Yakima, but also Union Gap, SEALA, Gleed, Wapato, which was surprising. Anyway, this would if we close Franklin and be the only, we would not have a public pool on the West Side any longer. And there's a lot of people, elderly in people that are healthy challenged, health challenged that use it every day, like myself. So I look forward to your hopeful response. And if I can help in any way to reach these 635 to vote for the levy coming up, I'd be happy to do so. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, so next is Bruce, and I'm so sorry I cannot pronounce your last name. I cannot read your last name. Do we have a book? No, we're called for time.
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