At the meeting of the city council of Yakima, this week was about learning and preparing.
Council members heard presentations on the city center, homelessness, tourism and urban projects and traffic.
They voted to enable more flexibility for affordable housing tax dollars and urban office hours. Council members introduce future discussions and propose changes to the proclamation process and confidence in the homeless cerunner in Yakima County.
Homeless coalition
The deputy mayor Matt Brown said that he was frustrated with the reaction of the Yakima County's homeless manner on local residential problems after meeting the group that day. The council members decided not to discuss confidence in the coalition at their next meeting.
Brown said he didn't feel that the coalition had been effective or achieved its goals.
The homeless coalition operates as part of the district's homeless and auxiliary program and is taken with the development and review of the district's five-year plan, which goes to the district commissioners. The commissioners have the final responsibility for the homeless apartment programs in Yakima County, as stated in state law according to the group's information.
Brown is a member of the homeless person, which also includes representatives from district and city administrations, non -profit organizations, the Yakama nation, companies, organizations for public security and people with experience with homelessness.
A draft draft from Brown says that the five -year plan was not missing clear, measurable results and did not lead to a reduction in homelessness, improved coordination of services or better financial accountability. It calls on the district to remove the coalition and the homeless reaction system from the district department for health and human service in the district and to find another project manager. It also requires a financial exam.
The coalition plans a community commitment forum for homelessness at 6 p.m. on March 3 in the Yakima County Resource Center, 2403 p.
Road projects
Bill Preston, the director of the development of the urban development director, announced a presentation on construction projects in 2025:
• The work in the North First Street is on schedule and should end between April and June.
• The construction begins on district sellers in the 34th Avenue and in Fruitvale Boulevard and the 72nd Avenue and the Washington Avenue.
• Repairs begin on the River Bridge.
The maintenance on the Nob Hill Boulevard continues and the traffic measures of the traffic lawyers are installed in the 10th and 12th ways.
The council members discussed the city's traffic calming program and asked whether the residents could pay speed complaints or other resources for traffic calms. Preston said that it was difficult – the engineers would have to evaluate the streets before building roads, and there were concerns that the residents were only prioritized because they could pay.
Maintenance in the city center
The council members have previously considered to hire a contractor for the maintenance work that the city concluded with the Downtown Association of Yakima in order to complete them. The chairman of the business improvement district in downtown Yakima, Ben Hittle, shared information about how the city center pays additional fees and taxes for services and the work of the day.
“It is the best bang for our money and they concentrate on the city center,” he said.
Curt Wilson, Executive Director of Day, said that he wanted to create better communication with the city government and with parishioners who may have complaints so that they may be addressed.
He added that outsourcing maintenance work would be more expensive than the use of Days, according to the offers received by the city. The companies in the city center together pay around 175,000 US dollars and this money through the city. According to a presentation of the city council in December, the contractors would cost at least 200,000 US dollars. If the city's employees did the work itself, the city of Yakima would cost this.
“These commandments all came with at least 25,000 US dollars,” he said.
Brown said questions were raised as to whether the entire maintenance contract was met.
“Is the rifle scope too big?” Asked Brown. “If so, do we have to change that?”
Quick hits
• Council member Reedy Berg proposed a new requirement for city applications: You will receive confirmations from three council members. Council members usually coordinate the proclamations and Berg did not provide any additional details. He also asked for a presentation in the city prison.
• The council members approved a regulation that gave the city more flexibility in the use of affordable housing tax dollars of the state – previously these funds had only been an incentive program for water and wastewater connections.
• John Cooper, President and CEO of Yakima Valley Tourism, shared data from 2024 and the destinations for 2025. has been appointed the best wine region in USA Today.
Note from the publisher: In this article, additional information about the proposal for homeless coalition was added.