OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting - June 2, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, June 2, 2026
BodyYakima, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, June 2, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:34:14

Transcript — Verbatim
3:06

Call the council regular meeting back into order.

3:10

Uh clerk, roll call, please.

3:12

Here.

3:13

Brown.

3:14

Here.

3:15

Blenn?

3:16

Here.

3:16

Gonzalez?

3:17

Here.

3:18

Patrickus?

3:19

Here.

3:19

Roy?

3:20

Here.

3:22

All right.

3:22

Stand with me for the play.

3:33

And to the Republic.

3:47

All right.

3:47

Interpreter services.

3:50

Uh, yes.

3:51

If somebody needs the interpreting services, I have the radios.

4:02

All right, thank you.

4:04

Next up is uh item four, which is public comment.

4:07

Um, if you would like to make public comment, there are forms in the back.

4:12

And uh each person doing public comment will receive two and a half minutes per speaker in order to allow as much opportunity as possible for our audience participation.

4:23

Um, state law does prohibit uh electionary net city facilities, so during public comment, speakers cannot campaign for or against candidates or support or oppose any ballot measure in any upcoming election.

4:36

We do ask that you uh state your your name and the city you reside in when you come up.

4:46

Sorry, there's a lot of papers here, is Andrina Rangel.

5:01

I'm here tonight to ask the council to look at the data and redirect our resources towards what actually keeps our neighborhood safe.

5:08

Right now, Yakima relies on motion censored cameras that capture audio and video to monitor our streets.

5:14

While the technology was initially meant to help catch major offenders, our ALRP contract costing the city thousands annually creates significant ongoing liabilities.

5:25

I asked the council to reconsider the ALRP program because automated license plate readers track innocent residents rather than actively stopping crimes.

5:34

These funds should be reallocated to support community-based services and frontline first responders who provide direct assistance to our neighborhoods.

5:43

True public safety comes from addressing the root causes causes of crime.

5:47

By funding local youth recreation and mentorship programs, deploying unarmed mental health responders to crisis calls and investing in street light and park maintenance, we can actively prevent crimes before they happen.

6:01

Cameras and mass surveillance tools do not stop a crisis or build a stronger community.

6:06

People do.

6:07

Let's shift our budget away from passive surveillance and toward the public services that will tangibly improve safety and well-being for every Yacoma resident.

6:15

Thank you.

6:16

Thank you.

6:19

Next is uh Noemi Sanchez.

6:25

Sorry, bro.

6:30

Uh Noemi Sanchez, I'm a resident of district two.

6:34

Uh I want to respond to a comment made by Councilmember Glenn last city council meeting.

6:40

You said that it's easy for people to complain and that we should bring solutions.

6:45

First, I want to point out showing up here is not easy, and we're not complaining.

6:50

We are here because we are concerned about how the city is spending public funds and the priority and priorities those spending decisions reflect.

6:58

People take time away from their jobs, their families, and other responsibilities to be here.

7:02

Many of us spend spend many hours reviewing contracts, researching policies, analyzing budgets, and talking with our neighbors because we care deeply about Yakima.

7:13

We have been bringing solutions.

7:14

In fact, many community members have already repeatedly proposed investing in youth programs, community centers, re-creation, and other proven crime prevention strategies.

7:25

If those suggestions are being dismissed as complaints, then it raises the question of whether community input is truly being heard by this council.

7:35

The city continues to tell us that flock cameras are about public safety.

7:39

But cameras do not prevent crime.

7:41

At best, they may help identify a suspect after a crime has already occurred.

7:45

But that's not prevention.

7:47

Facing a nine million budget deficit, the city chose to cut programs that directly support young people and families.

7:53

Programs that research has consistently shown and has consistently proven to reduce crime rates and strengthen communities.

8:00

According to the city budget numbers, Yakima has spent nearly $400,000 on mass surveillance cameras.

8:08

The same amount could be used to fund the Washington Fruit Community Center, the Harmon Center, Lion Pools, Franklin Pool, and youth and other youth sports programs that y'all have already chosen to cut and dipped into reserve funds.

8:21

Therefore, next year we're going to be in a deficit again.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation████████████████████████24%
Procedural██████████10%
Public Safety██████████10%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████9%
Healthcare Funding████████8%
Affordable Housing████████8%
Budget Equity Analysis███████7%
Fiscal Sustainability██████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting - June 2, 2026

The Yakima City Council held a regular meeting on June 2, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, preceded by a 5:00 p.m. executive session to discuss pending litigation. The meeting included public comments, approval of a consent agenda, adoption of several resolutions, a first reading of a budget amendment, a detailed update on Franklin Pool repairs, and other business items. The meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes from the May 12 and May 19, 2026, regular meetings.
  • Adopted Resolution R-2026-079 authorizing an interlocal agreement with the City of Tieton and Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District to lease 31 shares of irrigation water for the 2026 water year. (Approved 7-0)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Andreina Rangel (county resident) urged the council to reconsider the ALPR (Automated License Plate Reader) program, arguing that funds should be redirected to community-based services and youth programs to address root causes of crime.
  • Noemi Sanchez (city resident, District 2) responded to a prior councilmember's comment about bringing solutions, stating that community members have repeatedly proposed investments in youth programs and community centers. She noted that the city has spent nearly $400,000 on surveillance cameras instead of funding community spaces like pools and centers.
  • William Chichenoff (city resident) criticized the proposed $800,000 annual cost for the Flock camera contract, arguing it is fiscally irresponsible and raises Fourth Amendment concerns. He suggested building a local system with Perry Tech to keep money in the valley and retain data control.
  • Deshawn Oursland (city resident, phlebotomist at Memorial Hospital) expressed concern about MultiCare's negotiations with insurance companies, noting the strain on employees and the community's healthcare access.
  • Angi Scott (city resident, nurse at MultiCare) highlighted declining surgical cases due to loss of public trust and asked the council to raise awareness and support for community healthcare needs.
  • Amy Laws (city resident, nurse) spoke about the impact of rising healthcare costs on employees and patients, urging the council to pressure MultiCare to negotiate in good faith.
  • Michael Morrison (city resident, District 2) urged the council to put the Flock camera contract to a public vote and redirect funds to proven crime prevention strategies like harm reduction and social services.
  • Nick Marquez (city resident) suggested using affordable housing funds ($900,000) to subsidize water meter connection fees for ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units), which would generate ongoing utility revenue and increase affordable housing stock.
  • Tony Courcy (city resident) expressed frustration over a water rights claim and past stormwater costs, stating he would pursue legal action.

Discussion Items

  • 9A: Airport Terminal Grant (Resolution R-2026-080) – Airport Director Christopher Hopkins presented a resolution to apply for a 95% FAA grant for terminal core and rental car counter modernization (project cost ~$1.99 million, 5% from SIED funds). The resolution was adopted 7-0.
  • 9B-9D: Utility Rate Increases for Fire Station 92 – Public Works Director Scott Schafer presented three resolutions to amend the master fee schedule for stormwater, water, and wastewater rates, each incorporating a 3% utility tax increase to fund Fire Station 92. All three were adopted 6-1 (Councilmember Gonzalez voting no on each).
    • Stormwater: 3.2% increase in 2026 ($1.50/year per household), then 7% annually 2027-2029. (Resolution 2026-081)
    • Water: 12.3% increase in 2026 ($3.67/bi-monthly per typical household), then 6.5% in 2027 and 4.5% in 2028-2029. (Resolution 2026-082)
    • Wastewater: 8.4% increase in 2026 ($4.38/bi-monthly per typical household), then 3% annually 2027-2029. (Resolution 2026-083)
  • 9E: Budget Amendment (First Reading) – Finance Director Craig Warner reviewed 14 amendments to the 2026 budget, including a $104,124 grant for comprehensive plan updates, a $5,000 donation for indoor drones, increased natural gas costs ($50,000), indigent defense ($250,000), IT security upgrades, leave liability ($400,000), snow removal contingency ($250,000), HR reserve ($100,000), and funding for Washington Fruit Community Center ($150,000), Fire Station 92 ($1.05 million), Lions Pool ($300,000, including $150,000 from donations), and park bathrooms ($141,920). The ordinance was introduced on first reading; no vote was taken.
  • Franklin Pool Update – Councilmember Byers shared concerns about the timing and cost of repairs. Parks Manager Ken Wilkinson provided a detailed update: the main drain was cracked and contractor Popoff began repairs on June 2. Challenges include specialty parts, concrete curing time, and lifeguard shortages. The target opening date remains June 15, but the timeline is uncertain. The city is also preparing to reopen the aquatic center on June 12.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent agenda approved (7-0).
  • Resolution 2026-080 (airport grant) approved (7-0).
  • Resolution 2026-081 (stormwater rates) approved (6-1; Gonzalez no).
  • Resolution 2026-082 (water rates) approved (6-1; Gonzalez no).
  • Resolution 2026-083 (wastewater rates) approved (6-1; Gonzalez no).
  • Motion to direct staff to prepare a Juneteenth Freedom Week proclamation for the June 9 agenda passed unanimously.
  • Motion to increase reserve to 15% was proposed by Councilmember Glenn and seconded by Councilmember Potrykus, but later withdrawn after discussion; staff will instead incorporate it into 2027-2028 budget discussions.
  • Staff direction: The city will investigate using 1406 affordable housing funds for ADU utility connections and report back on options for separate meters. Councilmembers also requested information on group home regulations and enforcement.
  • Next meeting: June 9, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.

Meeting Transcript

Call the council regular meeting back into order. Uh clerk, roll call, please. Here. Brown. Here. Blenn? Here. Gonzalez? Here. Patrickus? Here. Roy? Here. All right. Stand with me for the play. And to the Republic. All right. Interpreter services. Uh, yes. If somebody needs the interpreting services, I have the radios. All right, thank you. Next up is uh item four, which is public comment. Um, if you would like to make public comment, there are forms in the back. And uh each person doing public comment will receive two and a half minutes per speaker in order to allow as much opportunity as possible for our audience participation. Um, state law does prohibit uh electionary net city facilities, so during public comment, speakers cannot campaign for or against candidates or support or oppose any ballot measure in any upcoming election. We do ask that you uh state your your name and the city you reside in when you come up. Sorry, there's a lot of papers here, is Andrina Rangel. I'm here tonight to ask the council to look at the data and redirect our resources towards what actually keeps our neighborhood safe. Right now, Yakima relies on motion censored cameras that capture audio and video to monitor our streets. While the technology was initially meant to help catch major offenders, our ALRP contract costing the city thousands annually creates significant ongoing liabilities. I asked the council to reconsider the ALRP program because automated license plate readers track innocent residents rather than actively stopping crimes. These funds should be reallocated to support community-based services and frontline first responders who provide direct assistance to our neighborhoods. True public safety comes from addressing the root causes causes of crime. By funding local youth recreation and mentorship programs, deploying unarmed mental health responders to crisis calls and investing in street light and park maintenance, we can actively prevent crimes before they happen. Cameras and mass surveillance tools do not stop a crisis or build a stronger community. People do. Let's shift our budget away from passive surveillance and toward the public services that will tangibly improve safety and well-being for every Yacoma resident. Thank you. Thank you. Next is uh Noemi Sanchez. Sorry, bro. Uh Noemi Sanchez, I'm a resident of district two. Uh I want to respond to a comment made by Councilmember Glenn last city council meeting. You said that it's easy for people to complain and that we should bring solutions. First, I want to point out showing up here is not easy, and we're not complaining. We are here because we are concerned about how the city is spending public funds and the priority and priorities those spending decisions reflect. People take time away from their jobs, their families, and other responsibilities to be here. Many of us spend spend many hours reviewing contracts, researching policies, analyzing budgets, and talking with our neighbors because we care deeply about Yakima. We have been bringing solutions. In fact, many community members have already repeatedly proposed investing in youth programs, community centers, re-creation, and other proven crime prevention strategies.

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