OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting – September 1, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, September 1, 2026
BodyYakima, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:30:40

Transcript — Verbatim
4:57

I will call this uh council meeting to order.

5:01

Uh clerk, roll call, please.

5:04

Berg.

5:04

Here.

5:05

Brown?

5:06

Here.

5:06

Five years.

5:08

Present.

5:09

Glenn?

5:10

Here.

5:10

Gonzalez.

5:11

Present.

5:12

Patrickis.

5:13

Roy.

5:15

Here.

5:16

All right.

5:17

Stand with me for the play.

5:27

And to republic for which you stand.

5:38

All right.

5:39

Interpreter services.

5:44

Providing interpreting services.

5:46

See alguien necessita layout in interprete, then go the Sistema Radio disponible.

5:51

Awesome.

5:52

Thank you.

5:54

Next is item 4A, which is an open discussion.

5:58

And we have a recognition of the Yakima United FC on their third consecutive Evergreen Premier League of Washington Championship.

6:07

And if you guys would come up right up here, I just want to say, I mean, in council, this is we have uh we had these we had these folks here last year, and it was their second year in a row.

6:19

And now they're here again.

6:20

I mean, in Yakima, we seem to be having sports teams just keep winning state championships over and over again.

6:26

So uh one, can we give them a round of applause?

6:29

Woo.

6:34

All right, go for it.

6:35

I'm not the soccer player.

6:36

I know.

6:38

So uh I feel important that the community needed to recognize um these high accomplishments.

6:44

I mean again who wins the championship three in a row.

6:48

So Mr.

6:49

Vega, he's been at it for years.

6:52

Twenty more than twenty-five years that I know.

6:55

He's the president of Unit the Yakima United, and before that uh he uh was coaching the Reds, Yakima Reds.

7:03

And and then the the sons, the two sons also um are coaches.

7:07

Matter of fact, they sent Josh couldn't come here because he's coaching the YBC ladies.

7:13

Well, uh first of all, thank you for the opportunity to uh to be here.

7:18

Uh we are a semi-pro uh soccer team, and we've been but we've been participating in the last 12 years.

7:24

Well uh the last three years has been successful, and that's why a reason we were in black, red, and uh gray.

7:32

So this is for the league.

7:33

We won the league, we won the cup, and he's one of the players that he's been with us for the last 15 years.

7:40

But one of the things that I love and I like the most is seeing the kids finish high school and then they go to college.

7:50

And when they come back, they play in our program.

7:54

They go back and they say, Wow, what did you do in the summer?

7:58

Well, I play for Yacoma United.

8:00

And they improved.

8:01

Now we have players playing in D1, uh D2 all over the state, and that's the reason we do it.

8:08

Uh we have a success and we have the opportunity to play among everybody in the state.

8:14

And fortunately, we've been winning the last three years, and that's so proud, and thank you for letting us be here.

8:21

And we're here to commit to do things for the for the city and for the young players that they want to be elite and want to move on and play in a higher level.

8:31

Thank you for the opportunity.

8:33

Thank you.

8:33

Thank you.

8:34

Come on up.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Substance Use Disorder██████████████████████████26%
Public Health█████████████13%
Procedural███████████11%
Technology and Innovation███████████11%
Public Safety████████8%
Public Engagement██████6%
Lead Abatement██████6%
Pending Litigation█████5%
Homelessness████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Regular Meeting – September 1, 2026

The Yakima City Council met on September 1, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included a recognition, public comments on surveillance and city governance, approval of the consent agenda, and presentations on a medical detox facility and federal grant applications. Council also discussed immigration concerns.

Recognition

  • The Council recognized Yakima United FC for winning its third consecutive Evergreen Premier League of Washington championship. Team president Mr. Vega highlighted the program's success in developing local youth players who go on to college and higher-level soccer.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Zachary Galliant (District 1) opposed Flock cameras, citing misuse incidents in other jurisdictions and questioning oversight. He urged cancellation of the city's Flock contract.
  • Sue Finich raised concerns about the Mark Peterson case, alleging City Manager Vicki Baker overstepped authority by filing an appeal without Council approval.
  • Tony Sandable expressed support for Chief Boyle and Flock cameras, arguing they help catch criminals and that surveillance is longstanding.
  • Joseph Kopzik argued Flock cameras are ineffective and abusive, citing statistical rates of false accusations and police misconduct.
  • Troy Cunningham described retaliation he experienced at Camp Hope and called for better conditions and safety under director Mike Kay.
  • Brian Korst thanked Chief Boyle for answering questions about ICE activity in the municipal courthouse.
  • Mark Peterson stated the city manager filed an appeal in his case despite a Council declaration not to appeal, alleging a violation of the First Amendment and city charter.
  • Drina Rangel questioned YPD’s use of Flock and Raven gunshot detection cameras, lack of transparency, and collaboration with ICE.
  • Amanda criticized Council members for lacking integrity on Flock votes and called on citizens to reject mass surveillance.
  • Tony Corsey alleged the city lost documents related to his public records requests and questioned personnel classifications.

Consent Calendar

  • The Council unanimously approved the consent agenda, including:
    • Minutes of August 18 and August 25, 2026 meetings.
    • Setting October 6, 2026 for a closed record public hearing on the preliminary plat of "Plat of the Orchards".
    • Setting October 6, 2026 for a public hearing on Secure Community Transition Facilities.
    • Resolution awarding bid 12606 to Ferguson Waterworks for fire hydrant purchase and delivery.
    • Resolution authorizing a professional services agreement with Parametrix, Inc. for Goodwin Tracts Sanitary Sewer Lift Station Improvements.

Discussion Items

  • Yakima County Medical Detox Facility Update

    • Commissioner Kyle Curtis introduced new Human Services Director Matthew McKay.
    • Representatives from Triumph Treatment Services (Jolene Ceta, Dr. Jamie Simmons) described the need for a medically monitored withdrawal management facility. The closest facility is 100 miles away; local detox would reduce barriers to treatment.
    • They highlighted the SPRINT program (soft-launched August 2026) where paramedics administer buprenorphine after overdose to engage patients in treatment. Three people have been treated so far.
    • The proposed facility would be located in the former Yakima County Corrections facility pod, with an estimated capital cost of $8.3 million. Funding so far includes $6 million from county mental health sales tax, $309,000 from a state capital budget, and a pending $4 million federal request. The county seeks additional city support to strengthen grant applications.
    • Councilmembers expressed support and asked about voluntary versus involuntary treatment (distinguishing from Comprehensive Healthcare's involuntary detox), capacity, preference for county residents, and the timeline.

  • Resolution to Apply for HUD Grants

    • Assistant City Manager Gary Ballou and Program Supervisor Jesse Mooney presented two grant applications:
      1. Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program: $4 million over four years for lead abatement in pre-1978 homes. Yakima has ~20,000 such units. Mitigation includes siding replacement, window replacement, and interior wall removal.
      2. Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program: $2 million over three years for modifications (e.g., ramps) to help seniors age in place.
    • The resolution authorized the City Manager to apply; if awarded, the Council would approve spending later.
    • The Council unanimously adopted the resolution.

  • Councilmember Comments

    • Councilman Rick Roy expressed concerns about immigration enforcement, advocating for a path to citizenship for long-term, law-abiding undocumented residents. He noted it is a federal issue but wanted local consideration.
    • Mayor Brown noted a missed proclamation for Overdose Awareness Day (August 31) and suggested early submission for future requests.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (6-0).
  • Resolution for HUD Grants: Adopted unanimously.
  • **No further votes taken. The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:30 p.m. (estimated from transcript length). Next regular meeting scheduled for September 8, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

I will call this uh council meeting to order. Uh clerk, roll call, please. Berg. Here. Brown? Here. Five years. Present. Glenn? Here. Gonzalez. Present. Patrickis. Roy. Here. All right. Stand with me for the play. And to republic for which you stand. All right. Interpreter services. Providing interpreting services. See alguien necessita layout in interprete, then go the Sistema Radio disponible. Awesome. Thank you. Next is item 4A, which is an open discussion. And we have a recognition of the Yakima United FC on their third consecutive Evergreen Premier League of Washington Championship. And if you guys would come up right up here, I just want to say, I mean, in council, this is we have uh we had these we had these folks here last year, and it was their second year in a row. And now they're here again. I mean, in Yakima, we seem to be having sports teams just keep winning state championships over and over again. So uh one, can we give them a round of applause? Woo. All right, go for it. I'm not the soccer player. I know. So uh I feel important that the community needed to recognize um these high accomplishments. I mean again who wins the championship three in a row. So Mr. Vega, he's been at it for years. Twenty more than twenty-five years that I know. He's the president of Unit the Yakima United, and before that uh he uh was coaching the Reds, Yakima Reds. And and then the the sons, the two sons also um are coaches. Matter of fact, they sent Josh couldn't come here because he's coaching the YBC ladies. Well, uh first of all, thank you for the opportunity to uh to be here. Uh we are a semi-pro uh soccer team, and we've been but we've been participating in the last 12 years. Well uh the last three years has been successful, and that's why a reason we were in black, red, and uh gray. So this is for the league. We won the league, we won the cup, and he's one of the players that he's been with us for the last 15 years. But one of the things that I love and I like the most is seeing the kids finish high school and then they go to college. And when they come back, they play in our program. They go back and they say, Wow, what did you do in the summer?

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