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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting – December 2, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, December 2, 2025

BodyYakima, Washington

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, December 2, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 3:28:23

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

5:04

Good evening and welcome.

5:05

I will call the Yakima Business Meeting of December 2nd, 2025 to order.

5:10

We'll start with roll call, please.

5:12

Berg.

5:13

Here.

5:14

Brown.

5:14

Here.

5:16

Present.

5:16

DCO.

5:17

Here.

5:18

Glenn.

5:18

Here.

5:19

Erena?

5:20

Here.

5:20

Roy.

5:21

Here.

5:22

Thank you.

5:23

Please stand and join us for the Pledge of Allegiance.

5:45

Next, we'll have interpreter services.

5:59

Next is public comment.

6:01

Tonight we'll allow 35 minutes for public comment, and everybody who wishes to speak will have two and a half minutes.

6:07

When you come to the podium, please identify us yourself by giving us your name and the city in which you live.

6:13

Also, I'm going to ask tonight.

6:14

I appreciate that all of the signs are out in the lobby and not here in the council room.

6:19

So we're going to ask that all of the conversation be respectful.

6:22

And also, uh, when there's this many people in the room, if you have side conversations going on, it's hard for everyone else to hear.

6:30

So we're gonna ask that you keep side conversations to a minimum so everybody in the audience can actually hear what's going on.

6:36

Um other than that, make sure we keep the doorway clear because that's a fine rexit, and so by regulations we have to have that.

6:44

Any questions?

6:45

Okay, let's go.

6:51

The first person we have tonight is Ryan Anderson.

7:07

Well, good evening, council.

7:09

Thank you for having me back.

7:11

I was I was here at the last meeting, and I um my name's Ryan Anderson, and I live here in the city of Yakima with my family.

7:18

So at the last meeting I uh uh pled with you to to uh give us some time with Lions Pool, at least get us through the season and and that uh plea was heard, and I appreciate that that's what you're working on on providing.

7:32

So um I just like to start off by saying thank you.

7:36

Um that's awesome.

7:37

We get to have a uh high school swim season.

7:40

Um and so thanks for that.

7:44

Moving moving forward, I you know, would hope and encourage um that we continue to keep uh finding solutions to keep Lions Pool open, and I know these other uh potential cuts, Harmon Center, uh the fire station, and and other cuts we need to to continue to work.

8:02

I know you've seen there's energy in the crowd here.

8:05

Um the last meeting in this meeting, uh, there's lots of folks that are willing to help.

8:09

Um, whether that's um helping uh run the levy again, helping um uh raise funds and community partnerships to keep these services rolling.

8:19

Uh, we're all here and we're all behind that endeavor.

8:23

Um and I see later on in the agenda there's there's uh opportunity to increase revenue.

8:28

I I would normally not support uh in uh increases in utility taxes, but in this case I would uh given the the dire need of city finances, so I would encourage yes votes on those and encourage um continued um solution finding and and reaching out to all of us to provide help.

8:47

So thank you.

8:48

Thank you, Mr.

8:48

Anderson.

8:55

Next is Amanda and Kevin Evans.

9:03

Yep, you can wave hi to us.

9:05

Good.

9:07

Uh hello, council.

9:09

Uh my name's Amanda Evans, and this is my son, who would tell me your name.

9:15

And thank you for hearing us.

9:18

Um we're here to talk about the Washington for You Community Summer Center.

9:23

Um something I've learned, especially as being a single mother and somebody with to somebody with special needs, um, how important community is.

9:32

And the Washington for You Community Center has been a really big part of my life.

9:37

And my son's life, especially.

9:39

Um, he's been a part of the program for the last five years going to their after school program.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Parks and Recreation███████████████████19%

Fiscal Sustainability███████████████15%

Public Safety███████████11%

Procedural██████████10%

Community Engagement█████████9%

Budget Equity Analysis███████7%

Youth Programs██████6%

Public Engagement████4%

Economic Development████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting – December 2, 2025

The Yakima City Council held a regular meeting on December 2, 2025, at 5:33 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, addressing a $9 million general fund shortfall resulting from rising costs, limited revenue growth, and the failure of a recent property tax levy. After extensive public comment and deliberation, the council adopted a $317.97 million mid-biennial budget for 2026, approved several funding measures for community centers and the pool, and directed staff to find $1.8 million in operational reductions to keep Fire Station 92 open. The meeting adjourned at 8:56 p.m.

Consent Calendar

Approval of minutes from November 12, 2025, study session and November 18, 2025, regular meeting.
Resolution R-2025-179 adopting the City Council regular meeting schedule for 2026.
Both items approved by a 7-0 roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

Over 25 community members spoke, primarily opposing proposed cuts to the Washington Fruit Community Center, Lions Pool, the Harman Center, and Station 92. Many expressed support for the Beyond the Bell after-school program, senior services, and year-round swimming. Several speakers offered to help raise funds or find alternative solutions. One speaker urged the city to sell the trolley barn to the trolley organization to reduce subsidies. Another resident advocated for using a one-tenth of one percent sales tax to preserve police positions. A physician noted that community amenities are critical for recruiting and retaining medical professionals.

Discussion Items

Status of Council Motions: City Manager Vicki Baker opened by describing the budget process and the $9 million gap. Finance Director Craig Warner presented the revised 2026 General Fund budget, showing an ending fund balance of $11.39 million, $781,503 above the required 12% reserve. Assistant City Manager Gary Ballew detailed progress on prior motions, including revenue-neutral options for the Harman Center, Washington Fruit Community Center, and Lions Pool. He noted that even mothballed facilities would incur ongoing costs for utilities, maintenance, and security.
Lions Pool: Staff presented three alternatives for keeping the pool open beyond February, with costs ranging from $360,000 to $470,000 in additional donations needed. Council directed staff to continue discussions with school districts (meeting set for December 18) and to readdress the pool's future in January.
Washington Fruit Community Center: Options included a third-party lease or minimal operations. The council voted to fund the center for six months at $150,000, covering the Beyond the Bell program, karate, and lunch program.
Harman Center: Council approved $225,000 from one-time reserves to keep the center fully funded for 2026, giving time for a long-term plan.
Station 92: Despite initial budget proposals to close the station, council passed a motion (5-2) to keep Station 92 open, directing the city manager, fire chief, and finance director to identify $1.8 million in operational reductions without station closures, with a report back in January.
Revenue Options: A motion to remove items 9B (0.1% sales tax for criminal justice), 9C, 9D, and 9E (utility tax increases) from the agenda passed 4-3, removing those potential revenue sources from discussion.
AWC Membership: A motion to restore the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) membership ($25,000 allocated from other funds) failed 5-2, with opponents citing the need to prioritize core services over membership.

Key Outcomes

Motion to Remove Tax Items (9B-9E): Passed 4-3 (Byers, Deccio, Herrera voting no).
Harman Center Funding: Motion to apply $225,000 of one-time money to keep the center fully funded for 2026 passed unanimously (7-0).
Lions Pool Direction: Motion to direct staff to continue discussions with school districts and readdress in January passed unanimously (7-0).
Washington Fruit Community Center Funding: Motion to fund for six months at $150,000 (including Beyond the Bell, karate, lunch program) passed unanimously (7-0).
Station 92 Operational Reductions: Motion to keep Station 92 open and require the city manager, fire chief, and finance director to identify $1.8 million in operational reductions using extraordinary measures, with a report in January, passed 5-2 (Byers and Deccio voting no).
AWC Membership: Motion to add AWC back to the budget, allocating costs to all funds, failed 5-2 (Berg, Brown, Glenn, Herrera, Roy voting no).
2026 Mid-Biennial Budget Adoption: Ordinance No. 2025-036 adopting the modified 2025-2026 biennium budget for fiscal year 2026 with adjustments passed 7-0.
Legislative Priorities Resolution: Motion to prepare a resolution listing legislative issues for the 2026 session passed unanimously (7-0), to be brought back for discussion at the next meeting.
City Manager Update: The council was informed of two finalists for Airport Director; a meet-and-greet event will be held on December 8, 2025, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at the Yakima Air Terminal, which will be noticed as a special meeting due to potential council quorum.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome. I will call the Yakima Business Meeting of December 2nd, 2025 to order. We'll start with roll call, please. Berg. Here. Brown. Here. Present. DCO. Here. Glenn. Here. Erena? Here. Roy. Here. Thank you. Please stand and join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Next, we'll have interpreter services. Next is public comment. Tonight we'll allow 35 minutes for public comment, and everybody who wishes to speak will have two and a half minutes. When you come to the podium, please identify us yourself by giving us your name and the city in which you live. Also, I'm going to ask tonight. I appreciate that all of the signs are out in the lobby and not here in the council room. So we're going to ask that all of the conversation be respectful. And also, uh, when there's this many people in the room, if you have side conversations going on, it's hard for everyone else to hear. So we're gonna ask that you keep side conversations to a minimum so everybody in the audience can actually hear what's going on. Um other than that, make sure we keep the doorway clear because that's a fine rexit, and so by regulations we have to have that. Any questions? Okay, let's go. The first person we have tonight is Ryan Anderson. Well, good evening, council. Thank you for having me back. I was I was here at the last meeting, and I um my name's Ryan Anderson, and I live here in the city of Yakima with my family. So at the last meeting I uh uh pled with you to to uh give us some time with Lions Pool, at least get us through the season and and that uh plea was heard, and I appreciate that that's what you're working on on providing. So um I just like to start off by saying thank you. Um that's awesome. We get to have a uh high school swim season. Um and so thanks for that. Moving moving forward, I you know, would hope and encourage um that we continue to keep uh finding solutions to keep Lions Pool open, and I know these other uh potential cuts, Harmon Center, uh the fire station, and and other cuts we need to to continue to work. I know you've seen there's energy in the crowd here. Um the last meeting in this meeting, uh, there's lots of folks that are willing to help. Um, whether that's um helping uh run the levy again, helping um uh raise funds and community partnerships to keep these services rolling. Uh, we're all here and we're all behind that endeavor. Um and I see later on in the agenda there's there's uh opportunity to increase revenue. I I would normally not support uh in uh increases in utility taxes, but in this case I would uh given the the dire need of city finances, so I would encourage yes votes on those and encourage um continued um solution finding and and reaching out to all of us to provide help. So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Anderson. Next is Amanda and Kevin Evans.

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