Yakima City Council Regular Meeting - November 18, 2025
Yakima City Council Regular Meeting - November 18, 2025
This meeting of the Yakima City Council began at 5:43 p.m. following an executive session on collective bargaining. The agenda included consent items, public hearings on the 2024 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) and the 2026 Preliminary Mid-Biennial Budget, and department items on animal control and water rate studies. The meeting was dominated by the city's $9 million budget deficit, with extensive public comment and council discussion on proposed cuts to police, fire, and parks services, including the potential closure of Lions Pool, the Harmon Center, and the Washington Fruit Community Center.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda was approved by a 7-0 roll call vote after removing items M, N, and O for separate consideration.
- Approved items included: approval of November 3, 2025 meeting minutes; payment of disbursements for October 2025; October 2025 Investment Transaction Report; tourism promotion agreements with Yakima Valley Sun Dome/State Fair Park & Event Center and Yakima Valley Visitor and Convention Bureau; surplus declarations for refuse trucks and an asphalt paver; right-of-way use permits for pillars at Avalon Care Center and staircases on Lincoln Avenue; a contract with Barn Masters, LLC for Kiwanis Park Storage Building; an amendment to the Yakima Pickleball Club agreement; HUD funding agreements for 2025 HOME and CDBG grants; an interlocal agreement for dispatch services with Union Gap Police Department; and an ordinance amending the 2025-2026 Biennial Budget (Ordinance 2025-034).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Anna Gomez (City resident): Requested improved bathroom facilities at Chesterley Park, citing public health and safety concerns.
- Brian Brown (City resident): Asked the council to review the public disturbance noise ordinance (YMC 6.04.180), specifically the hours for construction and lawn equipment.
- Ezequiel Morfin (County resident) and Brian Korst (City resident): Spoke against the use of Flock cameras without additional oversight or privacy protections. Mr. Korst presented a petition with over 500 signatures to pause Flock cameras, citing a court ruling that data from the cameras is public record.
- Tony Sandoval (City resident): Expressed support for the collective bargaining agreement with the police department and the tourism promotion service agreement.
- Kirstin Stein (City resident): Criticized the Yakima Police Department for inadequate application of law, recounting an incident involving a man smoking crack in an alley.
- Madison Moen (County resident): Opposed proposed cuts to the Humane Society contract, arguing the public was not adequately informed.
- Ryan Anderson (City resident): Advocated to keep Lions Pool open, noting its value for youth, seniors, and high school swim teams.
Public Hearings
8A. First Public Meeting on 2024 CAPER
- Community Development Director Bill Preston presented the draft 2024 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER), which summarizes HUD-funded programs (CDBG, HOME) for January 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025. The report covers single-family home repair, affordable housing, public facilities (including $546,000 for the pool), and code compliance. No public comments were received; the public comment period runs through December 8, 2025, with final approval scheduled for December 9.
8B. Second Public Hearing on 2026 Preliminary Mid-Biennial Budget
- City Manager Vicki Baker and Finance Director Craig Warner reviewed the $9 million deficit: $3 million in cuts previously approved and an additional $6 million shortfall after the failure of a proposed tax levy. The proposed cuts include $3 million from police, $1.75 million from fire, and $1.4 million from parks and recreation.
- Police Chief Shawn Boyle detailed cuts: elimination of 12 police officer positions (through attrition, no layoffs), reduction of Community Service Officers from 5 to 1, loss of an analyst position, and reduced humane society contract. Overtime costs were highlighted (9,096 hours in 2024 for shift minimums, 2,500 hours for jail coverage).
- Fire Chief Aaron Markham proposed closing Station 92 in West Valley, reducing staffing to 1990 levels while call volume has tripled. This could lower the city's fire insurance rating, increasing costs for residents and businesses.
- Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson outlined cuts: 31 positions (3 full-time, 5 vacant, 23 seasonal), closure of Washington Fruit Community Center, Lions Pool, and Harmon Center, and a 16% reduction in park maintenance (less garbage pickup, bathroom closures, reduced mowing).
- Public comment on the budget included over 30 speakers, many advocating for keeping Lions Pool open through the end of the boys' swim season (February), and others opposing cuts to the Humane Society, Harmon Center, and fire services. Speakers emphasized the importance of swimming lessons, senior activities, and animal welfare.
Discussion Items
9A. Ordinance Amending Animal Control (YMC 6.20)
- Senior Assistant City Attorney Cynthia Martinez presented amendments: adding a definition for potentially dangerous dogs, updating state definitions for minimum care and animal cruelty, clarifying impound procedures, and addressing feeding of feral cats on public property. Dog licensing was retained due to its value in enforcement and vaccination tracking. The ordinance passed 7-0.
9B. Domestic and Irrigation Water Rate Study Presentation
- Water/Irrigation Manager Mike Shane and Chase Boett (FCS Group) presented a rate study. For domestic water, they proposed a block rate structure for single-family customers to encourage conservation, with lower rates for low usage and higher rates for high usage. For irrigation water, they presented options for operations and maintenance (OM) and capital improvement program (CIP) charges to address projected deficits. Three scenarios for OM rate increases (one-year, two-year, three-year) were shown. No action was taken; the presentation was for informational purposes.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved 7-0 (items A-L, P). Items M, N, O were removed for separate votes.
- Items M and N (Collective Bargaining Agreements): Motion to adopt passed 6-1 (Councilmember Berg voted no). Resolutions R-2025-177 (IAFF Local 469) and R-2025-178 (YPPA) were adopted.
- Item O (Cascade Natural Gas Franchise): Passed 7-0 (Ordinance 2025-033).
- Budget Direction: A motion (Deccio/Glenn) passed 5-2 (Berg and Brown opposed) directing staff to bring back information on utility tax and public safety sales tax increases to the December 2 meeting.
- Lions Pool: A motion (Glenn/Brown) passed unanimously to direct staff to keep Lions Pool open through at least the end of February to allow the boys' swim team to finish their season.
- Animal Control Ordinance: Passed 7-0 (Ordinance 2025-035).
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 10:56 p.m. The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 2, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome. I will uh reconvene the uh business meeting of the Accom City Council for November November eighteenth, twenty twenty-five. We'll have a roll call again, please. Bird? Here. Buyers. Present. DCO. Here. Glenn. Here. Herrera? Here. Roy? Here. Council member excuse me, Assistant Mayor Brown is absent. Thank you. Please stand and join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Next, we have Nate, who's going to come up and do interpretation for us, please. There will be thirty-five minutes allotted for public comment with two and a half minutes per speaker. If you wish to make public comment in general to the city tonight, please make sure you fill out a form in the lobby. On weekends, the soccer fields are full of kids, teams, and even regional tournaments that bring in families from all over the valley. It's a place that encourages physical activity, teamwork, and healthy routines. The park is also located right next to an independent living community for older adults, many of whom walk the truck or the past for daily exercise. For them, accessible and sanitary bathrooms are not just convenient, they're in essential for maintaining their independence and confidence while staying active. However, the current bathroom facilities are often unsafe, unsanitary, and poorly maintained. Many parents, children, and even elderly communities members feel uncomfortable using them, especially during busy events or in the evenings. As someone studying nursing and public health, I see this as far more than a simple inconvenience. Poor sanitation increases the spread of germs and infections. And when people don't feel safe using public facilities, it becomes a barrier to healthy outdoor activities. This affects children, families, athletes, and older adults alike. There's also a known history of homelessness and safety concerns in the surrounding area. Without proper lighting, cleanliness, and structure, the bathrooms can feel unsafe for anyone who needs to use them. Improving these facilities with better lighting, consistent cleaning, and even security measures if needed would make an immediate and meaningful difference. Investing in a safe and sanitary place shows that we value the health, dignity, and well-being of all those who use Chester Lee Park. It supports public health, encourages physical activity, and ensures that everyone from young soccer players to older adult adults staying active, feel welcome and safe. As a lifelong community member and a nursing student, I care deeply about the health and safety of Yacoma families. Clean, secure bathrooms are a basic necessity, especially in a park that serves so many people every day. Thank you, Ms. Gomez. Excuse me, we're gonna ask that we not have applause or outbursts during the public comment period. Thank you. It just leaves time for everybody. Okay. The next is Sony Corsi. Yeah, I'll wait until you're public thought young one. You did not indicate that on your form, Mr. Corsi. Mr. Corsi, you can either indicate it on this form and get it back to us, or I will not call your name.
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