OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Yakima, Washington/City Council
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting July 21, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BodyYakima, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, July 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:05:30

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
3:23

All right.

3:24

Um, I call the July twenty first, twenty twenty-six regular meeting back to order.

3:29

Can we do roll call, please?

3:31

Bird.

3:32

Here.

3:33

Brown.

3:36

Here.

3:39

Buyers.

3:40

Present.

3:40

Glenn?

3:41

Here.

3:42

Gonzalez?

3:43

Present.

3:43

Patrickis.

3:44

Here.

3:45

Roy?

3:46

Here.

3:47

All right.

3:48

Uh, join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

3:53

Ready to begin.

3:59

And to the Republic for which it stands.

4:09

All right.

4:10

Interpreter services.

4:14

Yes.

4:18

Somebody needs to.

4:20

Uh you don't interpret it.

4:26

Thank you.

4:27

Um, item four is public comment.

4:29

There will be thirty-five minutes allotted for public comment with two and a half minutes per speaker in order to allow as much opportunity as possible for audience participation.

4:38

Written communication and email messages are strongly encouraged.

4:42

State law prohibits electioneering at city facilities during public comment.

4:46

Speakers cannot campaign for or against candidates or support or oppose any ballot measure in any upcoming election.

4:54

So our first speaker will be Zachary Gland.

5:00

Galand.

5:06

May I approach the clerk?

5:09

Some documents.

5:11

That's just a little news article.

5:14

It's double-sided, two pages or two pieces of paper.

5:18

You know what I mean.

5:20

Anyway, thank you, Council members.

5:24

It's good to be back.

5:25

I'll try to be quick.

5:26

Um I'm here because we're giving taxpayer money to a company that's been caught time and time again lying to the very people it expects to sign contracts with.

5:35

City councils.

5:36

Here's an example.

5:37

In Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Flock's own chief information security officer, stood before city council and swore their system does not create heat maps of an individual's movements.

5:48

The council approved the contract.

5:50

The very next morning, they found out how that was a complete lie.

5:53

The deputy mayor said.

5:58

I don't know how I can make a decision if you lie to me.

6:01

He said, shame on them.

6:04

They revoked the contract in a single day, which was our record.

6:08

It's nice to see officials who are able to admit that they made a mistake.

6:11

We love a man that could say when he's wrong.

6:15

Um here's the kicker though.

6:16

When Flock got caught, they didn't apologize.

6:19

They attacked the city and called it one small misconception and a minor nuance.

6:24

That's not a company acting in good faith.

6:26

Given Dustin Soptich's history as a flock employee, it's not a stretch to think that maybe he told you some untruths when he presented when he was presented as the subject matter expert several weeks ago.

6:37

It may be through no fault of his own.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing███████████████████████████████31%
Homelessness█████████████13%
Procedural██████████10%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████10%
Public Safety████████8%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Arts And Culture█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Housing and Home Repair████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting July 21, 2026

The Yakima City Council held its regular meeting on July 21, 2026, at 5:32 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, preceded by an executive session from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. regarding pending litigation. The meeting included public comment, two public hearings, and a consent agenda. The council unanimously approved the consent agenda and a resolution declaring utility easement rights surplus. The meeting adjourned at 6:34 p.m.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of minutes from the July 7, 2026 regular meeting.
  • 2026 Second Quarter Investment Transaction Report.
  • Payment of disbursements for June 1–30, 2026.
  • Resolution R-2026-111: Authorizing a professional services agreement with RH2 Engineering for sludge thickening improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
  • Resolution R-2026-112: Authorizing a professional services agreement with RH2 Engineering for grit removal system improvements.
  • Resolution R-2026-113: Authorizing acceptance of Clean Building Performance grants from the Washington State Department of Commerce for the Public Works building and the Yakima Convention Center energy audits.
  • Resolution R-2026-114: Accepting a Federal Aviation Administration grant of $1,559,556 for Terminal Core and Rental Car Counter Modernization at the Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field.
  • Resolution R-2026-115: Accepting a $200,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce for the Violence Against Women DVHRT Program.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Zachary Galland (City resident) opposed the use of Flock cameras, citing the company's history of misleading city councils (e.g., about heat maps) and instances of police misuse, including searching 83,000 cameras to track an individual seeking an abortion. He urged redirecting funds to programs like Camp Hope rather than surveillance.
  • Noemi Sanchez (District 2 resident) criticized the council for continuing Flock contracts instead of redirecting over $200,000 to address root causes of crime. She noted Camp Hope is cutting beds due to insufficient county funding and asked the council to reconsider priorities.
  • Michael Morrison (City resident) provided documents from Flock's patent and transparency portal, arguing the system is more than license plate readers—it includes motion-detecting cameras with AI. He questioned data control, error rates, and the lack of meaningful transparency.
  • Eric Rodriguez (City resident) shared a personal experience of being turned away from Camp Hope for having a Bible and criticized shelter and recovery programs.
  • Tony Courcy (City resident) expressed frustration with the council's lack of response on earlier matters and raised concerns about storm drains and water rights.
  • During the first public hearing on the 2026 Draft Annual Action Plan:
    • Tony Courcy asked whether the city addresses storm drains and sidewalks when purchasing and rehabilitating properties.
    • Zachary Galland clarified that Casa de la Mora will serve homeless youth and their families, not just individual young adults.
    • Jeanna Hernandez (City resident) commented on ongoing risks of asbestos and lead-based paint hazards, noting that lead poisoning still occurs in the area.
  • During the second public hearing on the utility easement surplus:
    • Tony Courcy provided remarks about storm drains and water right claims that were not directly relevant to the proposal.

Discussion Items

  • Council Reports: Councilmember Gonzalez recognized Jane Cooper for coordinating the Windows Alive project for over two decades, highlighting her contributions to public art and cultural vibrancy in downtown Yakima.
  • Open Discussion: Councilmember Glenn questioned why the Yakima Regional Clean Air Authority penalizes small backyard fires but does not address wildfire emissions. Councilmember Gonzalez and Assistant Mayor Berg thanked community members and organizations for donations supporting concerts in the parks.
  • City Manager Update:
    • City Manager Vicki Baker announced that Truvés Health Care offers tours of its facility to council members.
    • She reported a positive meeting with Commissioner Curtis and county staff about Camp Hope funding, though no decisions were made.
    • Franklin Pool will be open on four Saturdays in August (August 1, 8, 15, 22) from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    • MultiCare has agreed to send government affairs staff to a future study session to answer council questions.
  • Public Hearing 8A – 2026 Draft Annual Action Plan:
    • Assistant City Manager Gary Ballew presented the plan, which describes how the city will use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program funds from HUD. Key allocations include $750,000 for emergency home repairs, $140,000 for public services, and $2 million in HOME funds for new construction and rehabilitation. The city also has a $394,000 balance for sidewalks from prior years.
    • Councilmembers requested more granular data on past program performance, specific outcomes, and how public service grants are scored. A second public hearing is scheduled for August 3, 2026.
  • Public Hearing 8B – Utility Easement Surplus:
    • City Attorney Sara Watkins explained that the city holds an unused utility easement from a 1991 alley vacation near the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. The city never constructed utilities there. The council held a public hearing and then voted to declare the rights surplus and dispose of them to the current property owner, Agena, a nonprofit.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved by a 7-0 roll call vote.
  • Resolution R-2026-116 (Utility Easement Surplus): Adopted by a 7-0 roll call vote, declaring the utility easement rights obtained via Ordinance No. 3384 surplus and authorizing their disposition to Agena.
  • 2026 Draft Annual Action Plan: First public hearing held; a second hearing and potential approval will occur on August 3, 2026.
  • The council requested staff provide more detailed reporting on CDBG/HOME program performance, including past year expenditures and outcomes.
  • The city manager will schedule a study session with MultiCare government affairs staff to address council questions.

Meeting Transcript

All right. Um, I call the July twenty first, twenty twenty-six regular meeting back to order. Can we do roll call, please? Bird. Here. Brown. Here. Buyers. Present. Glenn? Here. Gonzalez? Present. Patrickis. Here. Roy? Here. All right. Uh, join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Ready to begin. And to the Republic for which it stands. All right. Interpreter services. Yes. Somebody needs to. Uh you don't interpret it. Thank you. Um, item four is public comment. There will be thirty-five minutes allotted for public comment with two and a half minutes per speaker in order to allow as much opportunity as possible for audience participation. Written communication and email messages are strongly encouraged. State law prohibits electioneering at city facilities during public comment. Speakers cannot campaign for or against candidates or support or oppose any ballot measure in any upcoming election. So our first speaker will be Zachary Gland. Galand. May I approach the clerk? Some documents. That's just a little news article. It's double-sided, two pages or two pieces of paper. You know what I mean. Anyway, thank you, Council members. It's good to be back. I'll try to be quick. Um I'm here because we're giving taxpayer money to a company that's been caught time and time again lying to the very people it expects to sign contracts with. City councils. Here's an example. In Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Flock's own chief information security officer, stood before city council and swore their system does not create heat maps of an individual's movements. The council approved the contract. The very next morning, they found out how that was a complete lie. The deputy mayor said. I don't know how I can make a decision if you lie to me.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com