[0:04] be too clueless. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think everything else is

[0:08] pretty straightforward.

[0:12] » She just has like this. I finally sink the clock.

[0:19] » Oh, yeah. Good. >> Awesome.

[0:23] » Yeah, it is. >> There we go.

[0:26] » Well, that one's We're still a little bit behind. [clears throat]

[0:29] Few

[0:43] more seconds.

[0:49] » Okay. Good evening everyone.

[0:54] Thank you for joining us. I'd like to call this regular council meeting today,

[1:00] Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 to order at 6 p.m.

[1:10] First item is a call to order. Um, madame city clerk, would you initiate

[1:14] roll call? Councelor Chavez, >> here.

[1:17] » Councelor Zeti here. >> Councelor Vasquez has asked for an

[1:21] excused absence. Is there any >> any opposed?

[1:26] » No objection. >> Objection.

[1:28] » Uh, councelor Dolan >> here.

[1:30] » Councelor Govan >> here.

[1:31] » Deputy mayor >> here.

[1:33] » Mayor >> here. There is a quorum.

[1:37] Thank you, Katie. Moving on to agenda approval. Could I

[1:42] entertain a motion to approve the agenda for the September 23rd, 2026 regular

[1:47] meeting as presented?

[1:52] I motion to approve the agenda for September 23rd, 2026 regular meeting.

[1:57] » I'll second. >> Motion by councelor Zati, seconded by

[2:01] councelor Chavez. Is there discussion?

[2:05] » Hearing none. >> Councelor Chavez,

[2:09] » yes. >> Councelor Zeti,

[2:10] » yes. >> Councelor Dolan,

[2:13] » yes. >> Councelor Gavan,

[2:14] » yes. >> Deputy mayor,

[2:16] » yes. Mayor, >> yes.

[2:18] » Motion carries. >> Okay. Next item on the agenda is

[2:21] invocation. Do we have anybody here to do okay please approach the podium? Um

[2:27] whoever is able to please remain standing after invocation for the pledge

[2:31] of allegiance. >> Our heavenly father we thank you for uh

[2:36] the opportunity to be able to be here this evening. We thank you for your

[2:40] grace and your mercy. We thank you for the fall and the wonderful harvest that

[2:44] we're enjoying and all of the bountiful benefits that you've given us. Father,

[2:49] we pray for our town. We just ask that you would touch it in a special way. We

[2:53] think of all of the our first uh responders that they would be safe and

[2:58] all of their uh goings on. We pray for the city manager that you'd grant them

[3:03] wisdom and strength. We think of all of the city staff and whatever job they

[3:07] happen to be at. We just pray that you'd be with them and help them and grant

[3:10] them safety. Father, we think of all of the city council members and we thank

[3:14] you for them. We just ask that you'd grant them wisdom and safety in all the

[3:18] things that they do. And then, Father, we think of our schools and all of the

[3:22] children and the teachers and all of the workers that are employed by the school

[3:26] district. We just ask for each of them and their for their safety. And then we

[3:30] think of the local businesses. Father, we just ask that uh the new ones would

[3:34] grow and the existing ones would get even better. And we just thank you for

[3:38] all of the things that are available here. And then we just thank you for the

[3:42] blessings that you've given us on our town. And we just thank you most of all

[3:46] for your son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for us. In Jesus' name we

[3:50] pray. Amen. >> Amen.

[3:55] » To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it

[4:00] stands. One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

[4:09] [clears throat]

[4:13] Okay, [clears throat] up next on the agenda, we do have a

[4:18] proclamation that was presented. Um, it was submitted to our city clerk

[4:26] and that is around suicide prevention awareness month.

[4:33] Um I believe we have members here the

[4:39] someone the individual who submitted the proclamation and um seems like they

[4:45] invited um some members of community. Uh before we delve into discussion though,

[4:51] I'd like to present this to the council and entertain a motion uh to

[4:59] um proclaim uh suicide prevention awareness month and pass this

[5:04] proclamation. Go ahead.

[5:07] » Um I do see the the Ramos family here and the Garcia family. Um I don't know

[5:11] if maybe we or if they want to say any statements u beforehand

[5:15] » maybe >> or after

[5:16] » after we voted. Yeah. Okay. >> That'd be great. Yeah.

[5:19] » With that, I move to approve. >> I'll second.

[5:21] » Okay. Got a motion by councelor Galvan, seconded by Deputy Mayor.

[5:26] Is there a further discussion from the council?

[5:30] Okay. Hearing none. Would you initiate a roll call, Katie?

[5:33] » Uh, councelor Zeti? >> Yes.

[5:36] » Councelor Dolan? >> Yes.

[5:38] » Councelor Gavan? >> Yes.

[5:39] » Councelor Chavez, >> yes.

[5:41] » Deputy Mayor, >> yes.

[5:43] » Mayor, yes. Motion carries. >> Thank you.

[5:48] Okay, as uh councelor Galvan mentioned um we have families here with us today

[5:55] and we do have the individual who submitted the proclamation. Um at this

[5:59] moment I um would like to invite anyone who u may have a comment before we read

[6:06] in um the proclamation into the record and you may approach the podium.

[6:19] Good afternoon, council. My name is Diana Gutierrez, lifelong Sunnyside

[6:23] resident and chair of the arts commission here in Sunnyside. Um, I was

[6:27] the individual who submitted the proclamation. Um, the arts commission

[6:32] was invited to attend the Walk for Hope. Um and I was just really moved by the

[6:38] speech just by gathering all the um community all the resources that they

[6:43] provided and I felt it necessary to bring this forward to you guys because

[6:50] um we've lost so much um people to this in our city and just worldwide but you

[6:58] know specifically in our hometown and I just want before the month ends I wanted

[7:02] to just bring this recognition and wanted to give um flowers where they are

[7:07] due because thanks to the Ramos and Garcia family, we do have this wonderful

[7:12] event that happens um every year now for 5 years to bring awareness to this and

[7:19] um yeah, that's all I have to say. I did write my name on the public comment for

[7:23] this part, so maybe we can just cross that off when you guys get to it. Um and

[7:28] I will invite anyone else in the family if they want to say something.

[7:33] » [clears throat] >> Thank you so much, Diana.

[7:40] » Hello. It's my first time here, so really sure what the protocol is, but um

[7:46] I'm going to use this opportunity to just talk a little bit about our Walk

[7:51] for Hope uh event that Deian is talking about. So, um I lost my son to suicide

[7:59] about four and a half years ago. He was 18 and um a senior at Sunnyside High

[8:05] School, a captain of a soccer team, had just signed to a college and planned to

[8:10] pay the play there. Um, I want to thank Tom Dolan who went that

[8:16] day to to my house and George Galvan who supports the event also by providing

[8:22] transportation from us for us after we walk um from the Centennial Square to

[8:28] the Sunnyside High School and um both Leticia and Ramon have been there to the

[8:33] event. So, thank you guys for all your continued support. Um, and I I know you

[8:38] guys got a really tough job. So, I just want to say thank you to everyone here

[8:41] and also thank you to supporting uh this proclamation. It's it's important. Um

[8:47] since I've lost my son, we started the event. Uh I lost him February 7th, 2022.

[8:54] And in researching ways to prevent further suicides, but also bring healing

[8:59] just to my own. Um I learned that community walks and events like the Walk

[9:05] for Hope can be very beneficial. And so I started it just kind of with my family

[9:11] was pretty big family here. And we gathered together, we did a walk and

[9:16] it's been growing and we've even connected to other organizations um in

[9:21] nearby towns that want to contribute and collaborate. So I just want to say um

[9:27] it's important work. we've lost more young lives to suicide. And

[9:31] unfortunately, I've spoken to too many people that have

[9:36] um shared [clears throat] that if they lost a a father or someone, they can't

[9:41] even talk about it cuz there's too much stigma surrounded around a loss of

[9:46] suicide. I know it's difficult to talk about um and if it's difficult for

[9:51] adults and if you're feeling uneasiness, I can't even imagine what it's like to

[9:56] be a kid, a young person. So, by us having these tough conversations, it

[10:01] opens the doors and brings down some of those walls and stigmas, challenges that

[10:06] young people face to say those things, to reach out for help. And that's our

[10:12] goal is to make connections with our existing resources in our community, but

[10:17] also so that we can bring awareness to a very real problem

[10:22] and um and work on the prevention, but also the importance of uh mental health

[10:28] challenges. So, thank you for listening. >> Thank you so much for being here.

[10:36] Anybody else feel comfortable making a comment?

[10:42] Okay, that's okay. Anybody from council want to make any other comment before we

[10:48] read this into the record? >> You know, um I've been attending this

[10:53] event, being part of this event. Um this is this year was my first year not being

[10:57] able to attend. You know, I apologize to the family. I wasn't able to attend this

[11:01] year. I was out of outhead of town. But, you know, um it it it is I'm glad that

[11:07] we're bringing it to light. I deal with this on a daily basis where I uh through

[11:12] part of my work. So bringing it to light is important. Um

[11:18] people need to see that there's still hope and there's many resources that are

[11:22] available for the people that are struggling with it. And um you know I'm

[11:28] I'm still with you guys and u we'll be doing it again next year.

[11:36] I just want to thank you guys for for coming and um Elizabeth for for speaking

[11:40] on behalf of of the the great work you guys are doing. Um you know having you

[11:47] hear about these things happening and um never

[11:51] you don't think about how close to home that would hit and you know having kids

[11:55] myself um that was a big wakeup call. Um,

[12:01] and I wasn't going to say anything because I cry all the time, but um, you

[12:05] know, when my daughter came to me about having some mental health issues, like I

[12:10] was on it, you know, and I think this was this helps to open up the doors, you

[12:16] know. I I feel like I've always been pretty um open with my my children, but

[12:20] sometimes it's probably not easy for them to come to us. So, I appreciate all

[12:24] the work you guys are putting into this event and I'm sure you guys are working

[12:27] year round with different things. So, thank you.

[12:32] » Um, yeah, just just thank you guys for for being there and and for sharing

[12:36] those resources. Um, I know the first [clears throat] year that I helped it

[12:39] was with one bus and it's now gone to two buses, so it's it's growing. The

[12:43] event is growing. So, um, you know, share with the community as soon as you

[12:48] guys know the next year's uh dates. So, so they could plan on being there. I

[12:51] wasn't able to be there this past uh event. I just had surgeries, but I'm

[12:57] glad that everything uh turned out okay. Thank you guys.

[13:05] » Anybody else? No, >> I I'd like to add a little bit. Um

[13:39] Thank you, Councelor Chavez. Um, I I didn't have anything prepared. Um

[13:45] this was very very quick. So thank you Diana for for submitting this and

[13:49] reaching out to the families and other members of community that have impact

[13:53] been impacted by um by by these types of tragedies. Um, I know that a

[14:00] proclamation um isn't, you know, everything that

[14:05] could possibly bring about all the healing that our community needs and

[14:10] those who have been impacted um by suicide,

[14:15] um, mental health. Um, and you know, as as a council, um, I know that our

[14:23] efforts go beyond, um, just a a a proclamation and a recognition. It it is

[14:29] definitely our job and it will continue to be our job to make sure that we are

[14:33] putting safety in the forefront and in the center of all of the work that we

[14:38] carry through. Um, [clears throat] and um, making sure that there are support

[14:43] systems in place. And um I I know we have a member from from the school board

[14:48] here with us today and um you know working in collaboration um with our

[14:53] school district is also very very important to us. Um and making sure that

[14:58] we stay connected with the families um all the time as much as we can. Um so I

[15:05] know some of for some of you it's your first time here. I hope it's not your

[15:08] last time here. Um, and um, I I hope that every single council member on

[15:14] here, we're missing one, but could be of service to you. Um, whenever you have a

[15:20] question or whenever you need to be connected to any resource, um, we are

[15:26] here to serve you. Um, and I am very appreciative. We're all very

[15:31] appreciative that you all would show up with us and be here today. And um we're

[15:38] going to go ahead and read this now into the record. Um but we all wish you all a

[15:43] lot of healing, a lot of unity. We wish that amongst our own community. Um and

[15:49] you know again we are here to serve you all to continue serving the community.

[15:54] So I encourage us all and you all to continue staying connected with us. Um,

[16:00] so whereas every life in Sunnyside has

[16:06] value and suicide affects individuals, families, friends, and neighbors

[16:10] throughout our community. And whereas we remember those whose lives have been

[16:16] lost to suicide and stand with the people who love and miss them. And

[16:22] whereas people experiencing emotional distress deserve to be heard and treated

[16:27] with compassion, dignity, and care. And whereas honest conversations about

[16:33] mental health, meaningful connections, and access to support can help people

[16:38] through difficult moments. And whereas the 98 988 suicide and crisis lifeline

[16:45] is available to anyone seeking support by calling or texting 988 or chatting at

[16:52] 988 lifeline.org with services available in English and

[16:58] Spanish. Now therefore, I, Vicky Ferrosto, mayor

[17:02] of the city of Sunnyside, Washington, by virtue of the authority vested in the

[17:06] laws of the state of Washington, and on behalf of the city council, do hereby

[17:10] proclaim September 2026 as suicide prevention awareness month in the city

[17:17] of Sunnyside. I encourage residents to check in on one

[17:21] another, listen without judgment, share available resources, and help make

[17:26] Sunnyside a community where no one must face a crisis alone.

[17:33] In testimony whereof, I have here on to set my hand and cause the seal of the

[17:37] city of Sunnyside to be affixed done at the city of Sunnyside this 23rd day of

[17:42] September in the year 2026.

[18:02] Thank you so much for being here. I do have this up here for for um for for

[18:06] someone to take with you. If any of you would like a copy, please let me know.

[18:11] Um Katie works very diligently to make sure that she gets these out to us and

[18:16] we can go ahead and sign for anybody who needs an extra one for yours to keep. Um

[18:22] on behalf of the city with a lot of love and with the utmost respect um to every

[18:28] single one of you. Um we usually invite folks to come up and and and take a

[18:34] picture. I will leave that completely up to you all if you would like to do that.

[18:39] If not, um I would love for this to fall into the hands of the person who is

[18:44] going to take it take this home with you.

[18:59] I don't know. We're just going to get to

[19:17] Thank you.

[19:29] [clears throat]

[19:33] Thank you so much again. Okay.

[19:38] Now, moving on with our agenda, we're going to move into item

[19:43] six. I'm sorry, I thought you were trying to grab my attention. Public

[19:46] comments for active agenda items. Hector, would you mind passing over the

[19:50] signup sheet for the active agenda items?

[20:05] I assume that Elizabeth Garcia, you want to remove your your name from the list?

[20:10] Okay. And then I'll go ahead and remove yours. We have um then Juan Alvarez on

[20:17] our signup sheet. And just to reiterate, citizens are advised that they must

[20:23] limit their remarks to the city council to 3 minutes. Council may refer items to

[20:28] staff to review under research for the presentation at a future council

[20:31] meeting. Uh recorded comments in meeting signing sheets are public record subject

[20:35] to disclosure under RCW42.56 and the names of the speakers are

[20:39] recorded in the meeting minutes.

[20:44] » Okay. >> Good evening. Uh Juan Alvarez. Uh I

[20:47] reside here in Sunnyside. Um I was actually a little bit confused. I was

[20:51] going to talk about well six but that's not part of the agenda item here. Do you

[20:55] guys mind if I talk about well six now instead of well 9?

[21:01] Is there any objection? >> We are going to be talking about a well.

[21:05] So, >> okay. [clears throat]

[21:08] So, um at the last meeting, we talked about world six and well six and some of

[21:12] the issues and the grant that was available for um what was originally

[21:17] supposed to be uh well rehabilitation and that kind of shifted over. Um, I

[21:22] just wanted to uh let the council know that um

[21:28] some of the things that are being brought forward is in the name of

[21:31] safety, which I totally a agree with. Um I urge the city to if they can afford it

[21:39] to still continue with this grant, change the direction of what is going to

[21:45] be repaired. Um, one of the items brought up for this uh the renovation or

[21:51] rehabilitation of the facilities was for safety.

[21:55] The most dangerous thing at that well is the chlorine gas. So, I would like to

[22:02] see the city eliminate that hazard from being around the school and around the

[22:07] students around the sporting events. Um, boring gas at a high concentration is

[22:13] toxic. Um

[22:18] the fix is to move over to a sodium hypocchlorite solution, otherwise known

[22:22] as hypo. Uh which is a 10 or 15% solution. Um you have to change

[22:27] different pumps. Um it's purchased here locally through

[22:31] Oxark just like the chlorine gases. Um so it's the same vendor. Um and then if

[22:36] there is what with whatever money is left over then do some of the electrical

[22:41] upgrades. Um, so, uh, as well as the SCADA, because if you can't monitor the

[22:47] well in real time, you don't know when something is failing, especially if no

[22:53] one's acknowledging alarms that are coming on. And I believe they said that

[22:57] the SCADA currently isn't working. Um so um for those that don't know what SCADA

[23:03] is, it's the it's the uh supervisory control and data acquisition part of the

[23:09] system which means it tracks uh numbers data turns them into real time numbers

[23:16] and then the SCADA systems all that. So you know when you can go

[23:23] back and you know flows, chlorine residuals, how long the well was

[23:28] running, how many gallons, and over time you can track that and you can start

[23:33] determining where your failure of a well started. Um and thank you very much.

[23:39] That was it.

[23:43] » Thank you for your public comments.

[23:48] Okay, moving into number seven, consent agenda.

[23:53] A, minutes of the September 9, 2026 meeting. B, payroll vouchers. Approved

[23:58] payroll vouchers numbers1200049 through1200059

[24:02] and wire transfers as listed for $698,9846

[24:09] for the period ending August 31st, 2026. C.

[24:14] Claim vouchers. Approve claim voucher numbers 114795,

[24:19] 1114912 through 115001

[24:23] and wire transfers as listed for $634,35812

[24:29] for the period September 10th 2026 through September 18th, 2026.

[24:38] Council, any initial comments or pulling of any of these items for further

[24:43] discussion? Go ahead, councelor Goodwin. >> I do have a question. Um, given that I

[24:47] wasn't able to attend the the previous finance uh subcommittee meetings, I

[24:51] allowed u Mr. Councelor Dolan to attend for me. Um, there's an item here 11711.

[24:57] It has to do with the commen condemning of hotel fencing. I believe uh councelor

[25:02] Chavez asked that question as to who was picking up that tab. Are we eventually

[25:08] going to have uh the owner pay for that? >> Correct. We actually were working with

[25:14] uh Landmark who's out there uh helping us getting this uh secured. Uh we did uh

[25:21] Corey did give him a invoice to notify the bank and we will follow up once uh

[25:26] everything's done and we get the the whole invoice uh that we will be sending

[25:31] it to them. >> Okay. Thank you.

[25:35] » Can you keep council in the loop in regards to how all that's coming out?

[25:39] Yes, that's part of my uh uh update. Okay.

[25:42] » Yeah. So, I I will be speaking on part about that.

[25:54] » Don't see any additional comments. Um could I entertain a motion?

[26:01] Um, Madame Mayor, I [clears throat] will um make a a motion to approve the

[26:07] minutes, payroll vouchers, and claim vouchers presented on the consent

[26:11] agenda. >> I'll second.

[26:14] » Motion by Deputy Mayor Hart, seconded by uh Councelor Sati. Is there any further

[26:19] discussion? Hearing none. Oh,

[26:23] » there you go. Go ahead, Councelor Dolan. Um, as uh

[26:29] council galvan said, I attended a meeting for him and I have some issues

[26:35] with process uh thanks to the finance director there. I was a lot

[26:42] of my questions have already been answered, but I think the process we

[26:45] need to look at that possibly at a workshop or possibly at the next

[26:50] meeting. Um, I just have a real problem with the way

[26:54] we're doing this. I had a problem when we started it and now I'd done some

[26:59] research on my own and found out that starting around 2011

[27:04] all of these things started to come about and before that we never had any

[27:12] um committees like this and I feel that we as a council need to look at every

[27:18] dime that goes through this building together as seven and uh adopt the uh

[27:28] the responsibility of helping our finance director and her helpers get

[27:32] this back on track. We've been told probably six or seven times now that

[27:37] it's time to tighten the belt and get out of this mess we've been put in. And

[27:43] if we stick with some of the same things that we've had for the last 10 years or

[27:48] well since 2011, then several of these people I spoke

[27:53] with feel that you're not going to get out. You're just going to be treading

[27:58] water for a long time to come. So seeing hearing that and seeing that I I think

[28:04] we it's time for us to use a workshop or whatever to actually look into this and

[28:09] say is this working because I feel that uh all of us need to

[28:15] be uh responsible for the finance committee meeting and I don't know how

[28:20] you work that to where all seven of us can be there without an open public

[28:25] meeting but I think it needs to happen. >> [clears throat]

[28:28] » um that's the way it used to be and as of 2011 it's changed dramatically

[28:36] and uh

[28:39] that's that's pretty much it in a nutshell for tonight.

[28:46] So, just to clarify, councelor Dolan, you're saying that we should um

[28:51] eradicate the the the finance subcommittee

[28:55] » as it exists and it's a it's a u what's it called? Um it has to be done

[29:02] by the city manager. I think he knows the process real well to change make

[29:07] those changes. And we I think we need to discuss how to do this so that all seven

[29:12] of us are involved with reviewing the money coming in, the money going out,

[29:16] and who's getting paid and why. Uh there was a lot of things I didn't understand.

[29:20] Thanks to Jessica, we a lot of that was taken care of. Um I just had a real

[29:27] problem with it. I I still have a bit of a problem with it. I think we need to

[29:32] look at other ways of doing this. this was done by other people and other

[29:35] councils and other mayors and other city managers and uh instead of being on the

[29:43] receiving end of how to do something, I think we need to make our own and and uh

[29:48] basically make it work so that we're all covering

[29:52] we're all ex accepting the responsibility of being on this council

[29:55] instead of just that one's ready to go. Thank you. I I uh

[30:04] Thank you, councelor Dolan. Does anybody else have any comments?

[30:08] » Go ahead, Councelor Chavis. No, I >> I I have to agree with councelor Dolan.

[30:13] I sat in um I think once or twice into the the the meetings. Um I sat in for

[30:20] councelor Sissathi and I even had a lot of questions and you know um I don't get

[30:26] a full clarification because I don't sit on them the whole time but I I have to

[30:30] agree. So my question is to our city manager. Is that even possible?

[30:39] Well, typically you have a committee that reviews things before they go to

[30:43] council and every city has a finance committee and it's usually the most

[30:48] challenging of all the committees because it has enormous responsibilities

[30:53] and um because uh the finance of the city is complicated and takes time to

[31:01] learn it. uh it's usually uh maybe a year or two before existing comm uh

[31:07] council members who are on there kind of understand what's going on. So, somebody

[31:11] new coming in, it's like, oh my goodness, what what's it just takes a

[31:14] lot of time and in other cities they won't they won't transition new council

[31:19] members beyond uh one because it takes two who are knows what's going on to

[31:25] help the the new one be able to kind of come up to speed over

[31:30] time and it might as I said it might take a year to really understand the

[31:34] city finances. So uh to get all seven uh uh on that kind of knowledge level, it

[31:40] would be better to have a rotation and then so that every year or so you

[31:46] have a new council member and they come up to speed and so the other three are

[31:50] being trusted as a part of the council group that's reviewing those things and

[31:55] then another person gets to come and then they become informed and over over

[31:59] the council's uh uh term uh everybody's had a chance to partic participate on

[32:05] the council meeting. So, it it's not a one session and you got it all figured

[32:09] out. It takes multiple sessions to figure it all out.

[32:13] » Well, I remember sitting in on it. I I kind of felt a little guilty cuz I was

[32:16] asking for some questions and some clarifications and, you know, the

[32:20] finance committee was able to provide me that, but you know, I I I I felt that I

[32:26] kind of pushed a little bit in regards to asking for some of those things. I

[32:29] appreciate that you guys were able to give me all of that, but there is

[32:32] questions that are sometimes need to be answered and being at those comm

[32:35] committees is is very useful and I think a lot of us need to be part of that,

[32:40] » right? We have, you know, a staff that are able to access answers to those

[32:45] questions that we can't [clears throat] bring to a council meeting here. We just

[32:48] don't have the personnel to do that because they got to go to their files

[32:52] and pull out the vouchers and then answer the question and explain what

[32:55] that issue is. It's much easier to do that at a at the committee level.

[33:00] » And so, uh, Jessica, I don't know if you have any more you want to add to that.

[33:06] » I can provide the check register that's provided to the finance committee. I can

[33:10] send it to all the council members and you guys can review it and then you guys

[33:15] are more than welcome to reach out with any questions, concerns, [clears throat]

[33:18] copies of the invoices. um it it doesn't because of how things work and quorum

[33:25] and and all of that. I I suggest that could be an appropriate

[33:30] um solution to to your concerns. >> Go ahead, councelor Sati.

[33:36] » I mean that's that's a that's a good idea also, but I think like Pat was

[33:41] saying also, you know, it takes time to start understanding. I literally

[33:44] probably last month started feeling a little bit more of a flow like okay this

[33:48] is something that's there regularly and stuff. So like when Ramon's filled in

[33:52] once or twice or Dolan's filled in you know two to three times because you're

[33:56] you miss that flow of every week reviewing you know then you do have you

[34:01] know a lot of questions and stuff and and I understand some of the questions

[34:05] that he did ask with like the process and so forth. So that can probably be

[34:10] revisited and so forth. But I mean it would be nice that we would all get

[34:14] together so that we can all try to kind of understand and because yeah if if if

[34:19] Tom doesn't show up for or fill in for 2 3 months then at the next time you look

[34:23] at it you're a little lost again. It's almost like starting over. Um but yeah

[34:27] they do come in with stacks about this high of you know invoices and so forth.

[34:32] So, and they're available for any one that needs to be pulled and and are

[34:36] pretty good to I mean, I guess have the answers on what it's for and what what

[34:41] you know. So, I mean, I I think even if you did send that over when you're not

[34:47] used to sitting there and looking at it every week, you're going to have

[34:51] probably a thousand1 questions and that can probably be I know you guys are

[34:55] super busy and I appreciate the work you do. So, that can open up probably a

[35:00] whole new kind of worms, but it's up to you guys.

[35:06] » Councelor Gwin. >> So, it it has been one of my main

[35:10] concerns since we started doing this. Um, just because I feel that the whole

[35:14] seven of us need to actually look at what we're approving. We just can't,

[35:18] like Dolan says, rubber stamp everything. So, my question, uh, it

[35:22] might be a legal question, maybe you help us with, is can we start recording

[35:27] these meetings? Um, and that way if council members um feel like me, oh, let

[35:32] me catch up on what's going on, they could get jump on those uh recordings,

[35:40] » Madam Counsel,

[35:46] » I in my experience, I've not seen subcommittee meetings um recorded and

[35:55] the minute you record something like that then you've you've developed a

[36:00] public record, right? That is subject to the public records act. And I don't know

[36:05] if decision-m and what what is going on in there if that's something that you

[36:10] want to be available in the public domain. Those uh it it it could chill

[36:19] um candid conversation amongst the folks that are in that room. Um so I don't

[36:25] know. I I' I'd have to think about that a little bit more. I think that's a

[36:29] concern. Um I also think the um trying to expand uh the number of

[36:37] folks there, you're going to run into issues about a quorum um and then you're

[36:43] talking about doing public notice and um and I'm not sure you want to go down

[36:48] that road either. Um but I'm I'm happy to look at that more [clears throat] in

[36:52] depth. I just it's not something I've seen before. I think it's something you

[36:56] certainly could do, but there are going to be consequences

[37:01] uh from going down that road.

[37:07] » Oh, I I have a maybe question for for the interm city manager. Um

[37:14] um when we were talking to was it Mike Bailey?

[37:18] » Right. >> Right. So, I remember that Friday we

[37:20] were we were talking about standardizing meetings um that had to do with budget

[37:26] and finance and um and like standardizing them like it fits either

[37:32] quarterly um to come together and look at our budget. Um it's something that

[37:37] hasn't been done. I don't know. I'm only throwing this out there as maybe another

[37:40] alternative that we could do if the finance subcommittee wants to continue

[37:46] or we want to continue. um or there's no way to break away from

[37:51] it, which I'm sure if it was if we didn't have it before 2011,

[37:57] um we might have to revisit the co um the municipal code. Um but as an

[38:03] alternative um which I believe is needed regardless

[38:08] if we have this or not is standardizing um more frequent budget uh me review

[38:14] meetings with the entire council,

[38:20] » right? I you know that that would probably relate more specifically to

[38:25] where we are budget-wise, you know, and so you have a quarterly report and

[38:28] update and how our expenses are doing, how we're tracking in in in categories,

[38:31] you know, like the police department and public works and what percentage of

[38:35] progress we're making in revenue received and all that. I think what Mr.

[38:39] Dolan is addressing is specific invoices and having eyes on specific invoices. Is

[38:45] that right, Tom? >> Correct.

[38:47] So the process for doing that uh is certainly welcome to anyone and I think

[38:52] that's what Jessica is saying. If you have a question we can jump with on it

[38:56] with an answer. Um I'm saying that it it typically takes a lot of time for people

[39:02] to understand the process and for every council member to

[39:06] understand it all at the same time is is a challenge. So one of the methods of

[39:11] doing that is rotating council members through that committee so that

[39:14] eventually everybody's got an eye on it but not necessarily collectively

[39:18] together because uh my invitation to the council member has been why don't you

[39:23] trust your other three council members to to make a judgment on it because if

[39:27] you need to see it that means you don't trust their judgment.

[39:31] » Go ahead councelor Dolan. Um, I talked about a little bit of research earlier

[39:35] and that it's uh talking with a former city manager told me was the one that

[39:41] came up with uh trust but verify and you know I I told Jessica that it's not a

[39:49] matter of trust for me. I want to verify cuz I'm a visual learner and I'm looking

[39:53] at some of these and I'm you know how do you justify $11,000 to this?

[40:00] To me, it's like, wait a minute. I would see a bill come across my desk

[40:05] in Hawaii and it choked me because I I thought, what where did that come from?

[40:11] And then you find out that that came from someone making a decision for you

[40:18] and then not verifying that we needed that to be done. And so, we end up

[40:25] paying the bill and sorry for it. I mean, uh, it feels like when you're in

[40:30] the water and, you know, at this level right here, if you don't start doing

[40:36] something, that's going to go. I just think uh, this this the process

[40:43] that I've been experiencing in the in the finance committee, I don't think

[40:46] it's enough. I think it needs to be a lot clearer. and uh

[40:53] and I don't know if I'm saying that right, but maybe uh

[40:58] um the process outlining the process of how it happens and especially

[41:05] looking at those invoices and saying, "Well,

[41:08] how do you justify $96,000 for design and engineering?" For me, that's

[41:16] a big slap in the face. It's like we just did a tour of all these welds

[41:22] just the other day and to me if they're not doing new switch gear, why is it so

[41:29] much and it's not even started? The work hasn't even started yet. You've got a

[41:34] little 20 by 20 area to cover and it's $96,000 to do it. I understand some of

[41:41] the equipment is expensive and we've talked about that at length sometimes

[41:47] because um having the experience of having to get new motors across the

[41:51] ocean to me so that I'm not shut down for too long. It's a it's something like

[41:55] these guys have to really plan ahead for.

[41:59] But at the same time, when you have a project, how about an itemized

[42:05] planning and design and engineering? You know, if you have it itemized and like I

[42:10] said, I'm a visual learner. So, I look at that and I say, "Well, yeah, that's

[42:13] going to cost, that's going to cost, and your guys are 38 bucks an hour to 60

[42:18] bucks an hour. Your operators are higher. All that adds up. But, do we

[42:23] really need this? Do we really need to go in there? Can't we just plug it in

[42:27] for another two years and tighten our belt a little bit? Or do we need to

[42:30] hardwire it because of what it is?" I agree with Juan 100%.

[42:36] something needs to be looked at for the chlorine evacuation,

[42:40] but you know, at what cost? I mean, have we gotten three bids for

[42:45] all these projects? Don't you go out and get three bids? Um, isn't that a state

[42:50] law somewhere? Or is it just me? I know that whenever I was dealing with the

[42:56] investors or the the owners, um, and they would say, "Well, how many bids do

[43:02] you have?" And let me look at those. So, I'm just curious. I I mean, I'm just

[43:07] rattling the cage a little bit because it seems like, okay, let's just go do

[43:10] this and let's go do this and let's go do this. And nobody's looking back and

[43:14] going, oh, this is going to cost $36,000 out of all of your pockets. They're not

[43:20] going to be happy about that. So, that's just my thinking on the situations.

[43:27] » Those those are all good points. Um, one second, Councelor Chavis, we have Deputy

[43:30] Mayor with her hand up. I just for the the the sake of of the consent agenda,

[43:36] I'm sure that we can continue workshopping an alternative and we can

[43:40] get to something that we can all agree to. Um, I'm going to have us just kind

[43:44] of wrap this up and then figure out with Katie and and and Mr. Haley when we can

[43:50] continue this discussion because I do believe that you all have very valid

[43:53] points. Um, but go ahead, uh, Deputy Mayor.

[43:57] » I'd like to call for the motion, please. >> Okay. Um, is there are you motioning?

[44:03] » It's already been motioned. I'm calling for

[44:05] » Has it has it already been motioned? Oh, yes. Seconded. Okay. So, is there

[44:09] » It's already been seconded. It's already been The motion has been made. The

[44:14] comments that have been going on should be probably called into some other kind

[44:18] of meeting. They were good. But the motion on the floor is to approve the

[44:22] consent agenda. >> Okay.

[44:27] Mr. Chavez, is was there anything pressing? No, we can go ahead and move

[44:30] forward. >> Okay. So, go ahead and initiate a roll

[44:34] call. >> Excuse me.

[44:37] » Yes. Go ahead. Councelor Dolan. >> Discussion after the second is a process

[44:40] also and that needs to take place. >> Understood.

[44:44] » Yeah. So, councelor Chavez had his hand up. He says he can he'll forgo his

[44:48] comment. Is there any other comments discussion?

[44:53] Okay. Go ahead.

[44:56] » Councelor Dolan. >> Yes. Councelor Gaban,

[44:59] » yes. >> Councelor Chavez,

[45:01] » yes. >> Councelor Zeti,

[45:03] » yes. >> Deputy mayor,

[45:05] » yes. >> Mayor,

[45:06] » yes. >> Motion carries.

[45:09] » Okay, moving forward with the active agenda.

[45:16] We have do I have the right one with the right order that we included the motor.

[45:26] So that's okay. Just making sure. Okay. A

[45:31] council set date sugarbeat ranch plant unit development and preliminary plot.

[45:38] » Mr. Mahia. >> Good evening, council mayor. Thank you.

[45:42] Uh the planning commission had had an open record public hearing on September

[45:47] 8th, 2006 to consider the proposed plan unit development and preliminary plat of

[45:52] the Sugar B ranch uh PUD-26-1.

[45:57] uh PLP-26-2

[46:01] and SEPA-26-4

[46:05] and issued a recommendation for approval subject to conditions in accordance to

[46:09] the SMC 16.28.120

[46:14] and 17.52.040.

[46:18] Uh upon recipient the recommendation of the

[46:23] planning commission, the council shall set the date for a closed record hearing

[46:28] where it may adopt or reject the recommendation of the planning

[46:32] commission. >> Okay. Thank you. Any initial questions

[46:38] from the council?

[46:43] » Go ahead. >> We're just setting a date. Nothing

[46:45] nothing to review, right? >> No, sir.

[46:47] » Okay. Okay. With that, I move the city council set October 14th, 2026 as the

[46:51] date for public hearing to consider the planning commission's recommendation on

[46:55] the Sugar B ranch plan unit development and preliminary plan.

[47:00] » Is there a second? >> I second. Motion by councelor Galvan,

[47:04] seconded by councelor Sasati. Is there further discussion on this item?

[47:09] » Go ahead, councelor Dolan and then councelor Chavez.

[47:13] Is this a um is this a situation where they're allowed without changing the

[47:20] without changing the uh trying to think

[47:27] » zoning? Okay. So, if it's zoned for industrial, you're going to put up

[47:32] housing there. Is that the plan? >> Um I can let Joseph Kagun, who's on

[47:37] Zoom, uh speak. >> Hello, Joseph. Can you explain that to

[47:41] me? Yes, that's part of the planned unit

[47:44] development process. Sorry, Joseph Calhoun, HLA for the record. The plan

[47:48] unit development process goes through the public comment period

[47:54] through planning commission and then to council. The allowed uses in a PUD zone

[48:00] are unlimited essentially is the way the

[48:03] code reads. So the the total packet all the information in the record as

[48:10] considered by the planning commission will be presented at your public

[48:15] hearing.

[48:21] » That's where we change the zoning or recommend that just zoning change.

[48:26] » Yeah. Essentially the the plan unit development or PUD process is

[48:31] effectively a zone change.

[48:37] That's all I had. >> Thank you. Uh, councelor Chavis,

[48:40] » you know, I just wanted to there I'm kind of glad you clarified a little bit

[48:44] more about it cuz we have an audience that sometimes don't understand these

[48:48] things and when we use this lingo right here, a lot of them get lost in what's

[48:52] going on. So, it's important that we kind of share and we're open uh and be

[48:55] transparent with where what we have. So, I'm glad that you were able to bring

[48:58] that up. >> Yeah, you're welcome.

[49:04] Any other comments?

[49:09] Hearing none and seeing no hands up, go ahead, Katie.

[49:14] » Uh, councelor Gavan, >> yes.

[49:16] » Council Chavez, >> yes.

[49:17] » Councelor Zeti, >> yes.

[49:19] » Councelor Dolan, >> yes.

[49:20] » Deputy mayor, >> yes.

[49:22] » Mayor, >> yes.

[49:23] » Motion carries.

[49:28] » Thank you, Kitty. Um, moving on to the next agenda item that

[49:33] was added today. Um, it's the emergency purchase of a

[49:38] motor for well number nine. So again, this is Mr. Mahia's item.

[49:44] » Yes. Again, good afternoon, council and mayor. So

[49:49] the motor at well 9 has failed and is no longer oper operational. As a result,

[49:54] well 9 has been taken offline and is currently unavailable provide water to

[49:58] the city's water system. Uh well 9 is an important part of our water system

[50:03] supply infrastructure uh due to being our biggest producing water well. Uh

[50:09] keeping the well out of service for an extended period could reduce the city's

[50:12] available water production and cap cap capsicity. Sorry, it's a big word for

[50:18] me. >> Capacity.

[50:19] » Yeah, capacity. Sorry. um and place additional demand on the

[50:23] remaining operation wells. Because of the unexpected motor failure and the

[50:27] need to restore well 9 to service as quickly as possible, uh public works

[50:31] request authorization to proceed with an emergency purchase of a replacement of

[50:35] the motor. >> Okay. Questions? Uh councelor Dolan?

[50:40] Then I'll go to you councelor Chavis. Go ahead.

[50:45] So, uh, just for clarification, well 9ine, we we we visited the wells, uh,

[50:52] um, the one over by the airport. Correct.

[50:54] » Correct. >> Just so our, um, our committee knows

[50:56] which one we're talking about. And I did see that they were working on it. So,

[51:00] the result end came where the motor's no good.

[51:02] » Yes, sir. We thought it was the lead line. Um, and it ended up being once we

[51:06] got it pulled out, they took it down to their shop and it ended up being the

[51:10] motor. The pump itself is good. It was just the mortar. It was bad.

[51:15] » And Picotti bros are the ones that are going to be working on it.

[51:17] » Correct.

[51:21] » Go ahead, Councelor Dolan. >> I'd move the city council authorize the

[51:25] interimm city manager to sign a purchase agreement with the Picotti Brothers

[51:28] Incorporated to replace the motor at wells number nine for a cost not to

[51:34] exceed $35,000. >> I'll second.

[51:38] » Motion by councelor Dolan, seconded by councelor Chavez. Is there further

[51:43] discussion on this item? Go ahead, councelor Galan

[51:46] » Hector. Um, based on this invoice here, ORS estimate

[51:51] based on the amount that you're requesting, you're requesting the

[51:53] Franklin uh 175HP. >> Yes, sir. So, the one that we had in

[51:58] there was ame um and it only lasted us uh three years.

[52:02] It's about a three-year-old motor, two [clears throat] and a half. Um, I've had

[52:07] other Franklin motors um that I've worked with um and they seem to held up

[52:13] his durability. >> Like about how many years? Because you

[52:16] do you do realize that that Franklin motor is two weeks out?

[52:20] » Correct. And then talking to Joe Mford who I've been working with Picotti. Um

[52:25] we are going to see if we can expedite it because it is in Indiana.

[52:30] » Okay. All right. >> Go ahead. Councelor Dolan,

[52:34] » will you be rewinding the one that's there or are we looking for a second to

[52:38] back it up next time? >> Um, I will talk to Mr. Morford and see

[52:42] if we are able to rewind it. If not, um, we can look and see if we can uh get a

[52:48] second one and start putting money aside here in the fiscal year 2027 for um,

[52:55] purposes like this. >> Why I'm curious why they would think of

[53:00] being wouldn't be able to rewind it. I I don't know the whole detail out of it.

[53:05] Um soon as I get more information. Um I will be able to give you a better

[53:09] update. Um if you would like um we can stop by tomorrow and we can both call

[53:13] Mr. Morford in the morning and see if he can give us a detailed of what's what is

[53:18] wrong with the mortar. >> That'd be great.

[53:20] » Okay. >> I'll see you in the morning.

[53:21] » Yes, sir. >> Um so I have a question. Um is the

[53:28] 35,000 including the installation of the motor? So, taking the old one out and

[53:33] putting the new one in. That was >> Yeah, that's that's just the purchase of

[53:35] the pump. >> That's just a purchase.

[53:37] » Yes. >> How much more are we looking at for

[53:40] installation? >> Uh I can get that cost and uh let

[53:45] everybody know. I should be able to get that tomorrow.

[53:48] » Garza could do it, couldn't he? >> I believe he could. Um [laughter] if he

[53:52] had time >> on nights and weekends if you want.

[53:55] » I'll come. >> No, but I I'll definitely uh get that in

[53:57] the morning once uh Mr. Dolan and I can talk to Mr. Morford and then uh I can

[54:03] shoot you shoot the council an email. >> Okay.

[54:12] » Any other questions?

[54:18] » Go ahead. Councelor Zati. >> Just a comment. I think like for next

[54:20] time we should probably have the full amount so we have an idea of what the

[54:24] full expenditure is going to be. >> Yes ma'am. I will make sure I do that.

[54:28] » Thank you. Mhm. >> Go ahead, council go.

[54:31] » One more. Um, since well 9 is the the the well that produces the most for

[54:36] Sunnyside, are we in danger to running at a critical

[54:42] low level? I guess >> right now with the wells we have,

[54:47] no. If if we do have another well go down, yes.

[54:51] » Okay.

[54:54] » So, and it it will be coming out of the water enterprise. Um, so that's that's

[54:59] where we'll be getting the funding from. >> Lorenzo, what uh what well are we using

[55:04] instead? >> We are actually using well six the

[55:08] backup. So well 72 is actually having some problems. So we were not able to

[55:13] use well 7. Like I had I think I told some of you on the tour that well 7 was

[55:18] giving us some problems. We're not able to get any chlorine injected into the

[55:21] water distributing system right now. So, well six came in

[55:26] to rescue us once again. Um, I know the pricing and everything, it was kind of

[55:32] pretty quick. Picotti Brothers actually was there the next day. Hector's has a

[55:36] really good relationship with them. All the other places were telling us we had

[55:39] to wait a couple weeks. Um, he made a call, guy was here the next day, got the

[55:44] crew out, I think a day after, and they actually started pulling the pump that

[55:48] following Monday. So, they're actually helping us out a lot on this one. I know

[55:53] the pricing. We were trying to get that, but it's just everything's going to

[55:57] happen so quick. We weren't able to get that for you.

[56:03] » Okay. So, there's a motion. There's a second. Is there any further discussion?

[56:09] » Hearing none. >> Council Chavez,

[56:12] » yes. >> Council Deti,

[56:14] » yes. >> Councelor Dolan,

[56:16] » yes. >> Councelor Govan,

[56:18] » yes. >> Deputy mayor,

[56:20] » yes. >> Mayor,

[56:21] » yes. Motion carries. >> Thank you so much.

[56:25] » Thank you, Katie. Moving on to item C, approval of task order number 26163 with

[56:32] HLA Engineering and Land Serveying. This is again uh your item, Mr. May.

[56:39] » Yes. Thank you so much. Um I have uh Mara Mensah from HLA to uh be able to

[56:47] discuss what we need at um for this task quarter. uh she works with HLA who's our

[56:53] project engineer. So, >> right. Thank you, Hector. Good evening,

[56:57] council mayor. Um so, this is a really exciting project for the city. Um the

[57:02] city received grant funding in the amount of $880,000 from the Washington

[57:07] Department uh from WASHDOT, the Department of Transportation through

[57:11] their pedestrian and bicycle program. Um and this is for evaluation of Yakma

[57:16] Valley Highway um between 1st Street and 16th Street. Um so the purpose of the

[57:21] project is to evaluate the entire corridor to look at the existing

[57:25] conditions and then identify any potential pedestrian, bicycle,

[57:29] intersection and safety improvements along this um corridor.

[57:33] Um so this is only for planning and designing. Um there is no construction

[57:38] funding currently. Um, but this is for preparation for future funding. So, HLA

[57:44] will manage the overall project. Um, and we're going to be leading the

[57:48] engineering efforts. Um, but we will be working with a team to help us with the

[57:53] outreach portion and some of the traffic analysis throughout here. Um, so

[57:58] community community engagement is going to be a big effort through this project.

[58:03] Um, we're going to include four focus group meetings. Um, we're going to have

[58:06] three open houses. Um, we're going to have an online survey and we're going to

[58:10] do direct outreach to all the businesses, the property owners, and

[58:13] then any other community member that is along the corridor. Um, we're going to

[58:17] be providing materials in Spanish and English. Um, and then at the events

[58:22] there will be Spanish interpretation provided. [clears throat] And then

[58:25] there's going to be a technical analysis, a traffic analysis throughout

[58:29] here that's going to um help aid and with the community feedback to develop

[58:35] um and evaluate up to three corridor um alternatives. Um and so with that, we

[58:41] will present to council and council will choose a preferred alternative of what

[58:47] this corridor could look like. Um and then from that um there will be a threeb

[58:52] block segment that will be selected to do a full design for for this. So for

[58:56] the overall project we will be doing 30% design plans and estimates just prel

[59:02] preliminary estimates for the whole corridor but only three blocks are going

[59:06] to be full design. Um and so the task order for you is

[59:11] before you tonight is for HLA um in the amount of 879,000.

[59:16] Um and then we have money allocated for wash state services as well. And I'm

[59:21] happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you, Mara. Any um initial

[59:26] questions for HLA? Go ahead, councelor Dolan.

[59:29] » This is just design and engineering. Again,

[59:33] » um and there's a significant planning effort to this. So, this is all the

[59:36] public outreach, which is about half of the analysis. Um and then the traffic

[59:41] analysis for that. Can you give us the total amount of turkey on this project?

[59:46] How much it's going to cost? >> Yes. So, it's the 879,000.

[59:50] » Not just for planning and develop and design for the total project to be

[59:55] finished. >> Oh, I we don't know yet. So, that's part

[59:59] of what this is going to inform because we don't know what three blocks are

[1:00:03] going to be. Sorry, am I not am I not loud enough?

[1:00:06] » No, it's really cold in here, so I'm just motioning to him to turn up the

[1:00:10] Sorry. Sorry. >> So, sorry. No. So, um, so we don't know

[1:00:14] what the final project is going to be and so this is all for that planning to

[1:00:18] see because this could be so a big part of this is trying to include the

[1:00:23] complete streets policy trying to make this corridor more safe. Um, a lot of

[1:00:28] the corridor is just lacks control access so anyone can go in and out of

[1:00:32] the properties and so part of this is going to be looking at adding curb and

[1:00:36] gutter um adding [clears throat] specific driveways throughout there. Um,

[1:00:41] and then so we don't have the three blocks that are going to be designed and

[1:00:46] so I couldn't tell you right now what the total project because we don't we

[1:00:49] don't quite know the exact project. >> Okay. Go ahead, Councelor Chavez.

[1:00:54] » So I'm I'm just I'm hesitant on signing up for 879,000 and not having the full

[1:01:02] amount of what we're going to end up paying. That's that's where where where

[1:01:05] I'm at right now. And I can see that um councelor Dolan is also looking at the

[1:01:09] same thing. I think we really need to look at what it's going to cost, what

[1:01:12] the city's going to be looking for um because I don't I I don't feel

[1:01:16] comfortable doing $8879,000 and not knowing what it's going to cost in total

[1:01:20] » for sure. So this is a 100% grant. There is no city match associated to this. So

[1:01:26] a little bit of background on this, too. So this money was actually awarded back

[1:01:29] in 2024. Um and so the city was actually at risk

[1:01:34] of losing this funding. Um that was the original timeline to actually have this

[1:01:38] done around this time this year. Um but we worked with Wash with the city to

[1:01:43] come up with a new schedule and wash that allowed the city to continue with

[1:01:47] this funding. So um right now so this is all this is all grant right now. Um and

[1:01:55] then for future funding that's part of this process too like we're going to

[1:01:59] look out for potential funding sources for what could fund this for

[1:02:03] construction. Um, >> so I want to add to my question here.

[1:02:09] » So if we're going to go ahead and put I know that this is a grant for 879,000.

[1:02:14] » So does that also connect us to being able to follow through with the

[1:02:19] construction of it now? >> Yes. So this is essentially setting us

[1:02:24] up for construction funding >> without us knowing what the total

[1:02:29] amount's going to be. >> Well, we're we're sorry. As part of this

[1:02:32] project, we are developing the cost estimate and we're developing the

[1:02:36] project. And so you will have a full plan specifications and estimate for a

[1:02:42] proposed project. And then from there, it'll be it's essentially what we call

[1:02:47] like a shovel ready project. It's going to be fully designed. It's going to be

[1:02:51] three blocks that are fully designed and ready to pursue funding

[1:02:55] if funding becomes available.

[1:02:59] So there's no commitment of on the commitment after [clears throat] you've

[1:03:03] you know you're there. So now let's go pursue funding and what are the options

[1:03:08] for that. So there's no commitment on the city's part once they finish this

[1:03:12] but they do have something in place that'll tell some funding agency exactly

[1:03:18] what we want done. Right now we're speculating what needs to be done. We're

[1:03:22] kind of researching, thinking about it, asking questions, public forums, staker,

[1:03:27] stakeholder input, get all that done. And then and then from that, they'll

[1:03:31] have a 30% design, which is where you you are when you know pretty close to

[1:03:36] what it's going to cost. And um and then we can decide where where to go from

[1:03:40] there. And a lot of the applications that we do try to go out for grants,

[1:03:45] they like to know how much applica how much of the uh design is done um prior

[1:03:51] to them actually looking at us and allowing us to apply for the grant. Uh

[1:03:57] so that's that's a lot of it also that is one of the big questions that get

[1:04:02] asked by uh wash uh YB COG um Fed the other state money that we look at. You

[1:04:10] know they want to make sure that we have a plan and we're not just going to sit

[1:04:14] on this money before uh and then try to have a get everything um planned out and

[1:04:20] hurry up and basically shoot from the hip.

[1:04:24] » Go ahead Deputy Mayor. Um so actually we have the money so all we're asking for

[1:04:31] is the uh city manager to execute the task uh number so that we can go forward

[1:04:38] with the design and development services most of which you've already described

[1:04:42] as quite a bit of community outreach. We have the money. The money is 100% we

[1:04:50] have the money is none of this is coming out of our pocket. It might be at a

[1:04:55] further at a further opportunity, but it gives us, as Hector has suggested, a

[1:05:01] picture of what we want to do. So, we could be ready to just see that money

[1:05:06] and go. Is that not close? >> Exactly.

[1:05:10] » So, it's actually a good deal. I mean, we we're not going to be spending any of

[1:05:14] our own money to get a picture of what three blocks improvement could look

[1:05:18] like. Have you picked the three blocks? >> No. So, that's going to be part of what

[1:05:23] we're presenting to council. Um, after the whole public outreach, once we have

[1:05:27] feedback from the community of what they'd like to see through there, this

[1:05:30] include a new pathway, how's sidewalk going to look, the widths for for that?

[1:05:34] Are we going, you know, there there's so much potential through here? Because it

[1:05:37] is such a wide corridor. I believe there's about 100 ft of rightway. And

[1:05:41] so, that's part of what we're anal or looking into as well is what is the

[1:05:45] existing rightway? Are there going to be rightaway needs that do we need to

[1:05:48] purchase right away for future projects? Um, so that's all part of that's we're

[1:05:52] looking at. >> Can I have a quick follow?

[1:05:54] » Yes. And then we have a couple more. >> Okay. So, the quick followup to that is

[1:05:57] because we've been doing a lot with uh um storm storm water. Will that be

[1:06:03] included in this design because obviously we have to deal with runoff,

[1:06:08] water runoff. >> Correct.

[1:06:10] » So, um that'll be part of that design. Thank you.

[1:06:13] » Go ahead, council. So just for the record, the corridor

[1:06:17] that you're speaking of is Highway 12 from First Street to 16th Street.

[1:06:23] Correct. >> Sorry. Is Yakama Valley Highway highway

[1:06:27] 12? >> Yes. No. And I'm sorry.

[1:06:29] » I apologize. I don't know the >> And actually, council, we we do have a

[1:06:33] an estimate, right? Because we voted on the six-year transportation uh

[1:06:37] improvement plan. And in their total funds, it's and granted it's estimates

[1:06:44] they have it listed as $16 million. Uh federal funds $9.6 million. State

[1:06:51] funds 4.8 million. Local funds meaning us we need to come up with $1.9 million

[1:06:58] for this project. Um the only thing I liked about this

[1:07:03] project is that it was in the in the transportation um improvement plan,

[1:07:07] right? But, you know, I I just drove down that

[1:07:11] highway right now and and I was looking at the different possibilities for for

[1:07:14] for improving um the highway and I don't know, it just seems

[1:07:21] it just seems far off. I mean, I don't see how it could improve. Maybe

[1:07:25] sidewalks on on on one side of the highway. Um but then you're talking

[1:07:29] about just doing three blocks of it. So, you know, it does list the $882,000

[1:07:36] uh state fund right here with the pedestrian bike program. [snorts] So,

[1:07:41] shouldn't that also cover the whole corridor, not just the three the three

[1:07:45] blocks? >> Um, the way that So, unfortunately, I

[1:07:49] wasn't part of the initial scoping or any of the conversations because this

[1:07:53] was the final scope for this was determined with the state of like what

[1:07:57] we would like to see. Um, so the three quarters is what or the three

[1:08:04] blocks it's is what was determined was reasonable for this amount.

[1:08:09] » But you have that amount listed um for the whole project. Not not just

[1:08:14] three blocks on the on the six-year plan. And just so council knows there

[1:08:19] there is going to be some some um cost to the city. Maybe not money but staff

[1:08:24] cost, right? Because on page eight of the contract items to be furnished and

[1:08:30] responsibility of the city, you know, it goes on to list I believe nine different

[1:08:35] items um that the city is responsible for. U one of which one of which um you

[1:08:41] know gather up I think it was gather up the the public comments and engagement

[1:08:46] material, review public engagement material and provide comments within

[1:08:50] five working days. But then you go down to the breakup um and

[1:08:59] they are wanting okay page 10 item 5.0 community

[1:09:05] engagement work for community engagement shall be performed for the lumpsum of

[1:09:10] $189,000. I think $189,000

[1:09:14] that HLA is going to be building. I think that's enough money for you guys

[1:09:18] to have somebody at these events writing down comments and and not necessarily

[1:09:23] using city staff. Let's see here. So, there is going to be

[1:09:29] cost to the city. So, just want to make it make sure that it's out there. There

[1:09:33] is cost associated to the city before um we even get to the next step.

[1:09:38] » Thank you, council. um the comments uh that would be coming back um usually we

[1:09:44] get them emailed to myself and then I would email them to um HLA or they would

[1:09:50] bring them in and then I would f um scan them and send them by email to HLA. We

[1:09:56] just have we when the comments are coming back we have a central place so

[1:10:00] they're not going up to Yak Mall or going to the city it's just one central

[1:10:05] place. So that's that's where uh this I believe staff would come into play.

[1:10:11] » Uh councelor Dolan, >> can you tell me how long a block is?

[1:10:17] » I cannot off the top of my head like through this specific corridor. I

[1:10:21] » this project >> um so I believe the project is just over

[1:10:25] a mile on on this specific one. I >> total project.

[1:10:30] » Yes. >> But you keep saying three blocks that

[1:10:32] says a 30% >> for the entire corridor.

[1:10:36] We're doing 30% plans and cost estimate for the entire project limits. And then

[1:10:42] there's going to be three blocks that we're doing a full design for.

[1:10:55] » Thank you. >> So I I I believe when I came on and I

[1:11:00] had talked to Mr. bridges um and Stephanie

[1:11:06] um when I was coming on uh they were trying

[1:11:11] to get this all combined with our um roundabout.

[1:11:15] So it'll be starting on First Street and working our way down to 16th or uh all

[1:11:22] the way to Edison or yeah I believe Edison. So um

[1:11:29] so there is a lot there. Um, like I said, we've, like, uh, more or less

[1:11:35] said, this was, this project was supposed to get started in 23 24. Um, I

[1:11:40] don't know where it it got dropped. Um but now I mean obviously you know we we

[1:11:48] are picking it up and um we did ask wash out to not take the money away from us

[1:11:54] cuz it once we have money taken away it is very hard to go back and said hey can

[1:12:02] we go for another grant or funding >> um

[1:12:07] I'll go to councelor >> I got a quick question so I know where

[1:12:10] we also have the other project on the roundabout

[1:12:12] Okay. So, are these two projects going to be doing sign at the same time or are

[1:12:17] we looking at doing one a different time?

[1:12:22] » No, I'll we'll be coordinating internally because we are designing the

[1:12:25] roundabout and so looking at what the tie-in's going to be like. So, just to

[1:12:30] continue. So, like with the roundabout where the sidewalk is going, where is

[1:12:34] future sidewalk for the rest of the corridor going to go? So like that kind

[1:12:38] of planning level planning level plans we're going to develop.

[1:12:43] » Um council we do do we do have the the the option of tableabling this if you

[1:12:49] all need more information from from HLA. I was going to refer to uh Mr. Haley to

[1:12:54] see if you had any other input around the project um being in conversation

[1:12:58] with HLA and then I'll go to you and we can figure this out.

[1:13:04] Uh Marlo, on the section that uh uh George is referring to regarding the fee

[1:13:10] for services and the amounts to be paid by the city,

[1:13:15] is that us being reimbursed by this grant as well?

[1:13:19] » Yes. So >> So we're not actually paying this. We're

[1:13:22] we're getting money back. This is a part of the grant.

[1:13:27] We don't have any city expenditure that isn't covered under

[1:13:33] [clears throat] this task order. So like you mentioned like staff time that's not

[1:13:37] included in here. This is um the task order is for HLA and then all the

[1:13:44] subconsultant work and other services um that are going to be part of this.

[1:13:52] » Right. So, you know, as we go down, uh, project management, funding

[1:13:56] administration, environmental culture review, corridor planning, analysis,

[1:14:00] community engagement, design engineering, and there's fees associated

[1:14:05] with all those that are a part of the city's payment to

[1:14:10] HLA. We are being reimbursed by this grant

[1:14:14] for those costs. >> Yes.

[1:14:17] » Did you understand that everybody? >> Can you repeat that again? Because my

[1:14:21] question was because going off what Galvan, George Galvan um said about the

[1:14:28] um staff time and stuff and then you came back Hector with it's just emails.

[1:14:34] So my question was so just if it's just emails then we're not being charged the

[1:14:38] 189 or so that's why Pat if you can kind of

[1:14:42] » well I'm asking the question because there's fee for services if you go

[1:14:45] through this agreement and it says here for the services furnished by HLA as

[1:14:49] described in the task for the city agrees to pay HLA the fees set forth

[1:14:53] herein. So those are listed 1 2 3 4 5 and each of those have a dollar amount

[1:14:59] associated with that. And my question back to Mara is yes, we'll pay HLA for

[1:15:04] these services that you'll do and then we ask the grant to pay us back for what

[1:15:10] we paid you. >> Correct. Everything is reimbursed.

[1:15:14] » So that's not an expense to the city in the in the true fashion. And there's

[1:15:20] nothing hidden here that says, "Oh, by the way, under the table, there's some

[1:15:24] extra money that you're going to owe us." It's all all all grant.

[1:15:28] » I I do want to add to that a grant like this is it is uncommon for it to not

[1:15:34] have any match as you seen like a lot of the projects

[1:15:38] that I've come to have a city associated match to it. Um, and so this is this is

[1:15:44] a neat opportunity for the city to have everything paid for.

[1:15:51] » Okay. Um, I'll go to councelor Dolan. >> I uh

[1:15:56] you said curbs, storm drains, all that plumbing, asphalt getting torn up, and

[1:16:03] businesses being cut off like what happened on Sixth Street. That's what

[1:16:08] I'm picturing in my head right now. And I don't know that we've got enough

[1:16:14] information because we keep going back to different

[1:16:18] things. I mean, bouncing around here. Well, this is 100%. But then those

[1:16:21] [clears throat] costs aren't included. You you stated several items that well,

[1:16:25] those those things won't be included in this. That'll be extra that we pay. What

[1:16:32] he brought up right here was the costs that are going to be incurred later. I

[1:16:37] mean, once we get into this, it's like, well, we could table it then

[1:16:42] and decide whether we want to use all this. What's the what's the time frame

[1:16:46] on this grant? Friday.

[1:16:49] [laughter] Um, so right now we have proposed a

[1:16:55] schedule to wash that we're going to do it within the next bianium. So the 2027

[1:17:02] or part of it will be part of this bianium um which was the 25 to 27 and

[1:17:07] then the rest of it through 27 and 29. >> Um and so right now we're anticipating

[1:17:12] six months of public outreach and then about 10 months of the design after

[1:17:18] that. >> Mhm.

[1:17:19] » So we're looking at 6 months from now for

[1:17:26] acceptance of this. six months from now for council to

[1:17:31] decide um what this corridor should look like.

[1:17:36] » At this time, I'd like to motion that we table this until we have a bigger,

[1:17:40] brighter, clearer presentation from HLA. >> I second.

[1:17:45] » Okay, we got a motion on the table by councelor Dolan, seconded by councelor

[1:17:50] Chavez. Is there any further discussion on this item for tableabling?

[1:17:57] Hearing none.

[1:18:00] Uh, councelor Zeti, >> yes.

[1:18:03] » Councelor Dolan, >> yes.

[1:18:06] » Councelor Gavan, >> yes.

[1:18:08] » Councelor Chavez, >> yes.

[1:18:11] » Deputy mayor, >> no.

[1:18:13] » Mayor, >> yes.

[1:18:14] » Motion carries. >> All right. Thank you, council.

[1:18:18] » Thank you.

[1:18:23] Okay. So, moving on to item D, ordinance amending chapter 9.4. 40 entitled public

[1:18:30] camping. Uh Rob Loose. We have our attorney with us here today.

[1:18:37] » Good evening, Madame Mayor. Uh members of the city council. Um for the record,

[1:18:42] my name is Robert Loose. I'm the city attorney, as you know. Um it's my

[1:18:46] absolute pleasure to be with you again tonight um to present on an extremely

[1:18:53] important um ordinance. Um it's my opport uh my pleasure to be

[1:18:58] here with Hector and the chief as we'll probably have a a little bit of a joint

[1:19:03] presentation um if there are some questions. This ordinance updates and

[1:19:08] clarifies the city's camping code pursuant to the recent uh US Supreme

[1:19:13] Court decision in City of Grants Pass versus Johnson. That was a 2024

[1:19:18] decision. As you know, Grant's pass clarified that

[1:19:22] the enforcement of ordinances that criminalize public camping do not

[1:19:27] violate the eth amendment constitutional protection against cruel and unusual

[1:19:31] punishment, overruling the Ninth Circuit's decision in Martin versus City

[1:19:36] of Boisey, which I handled part of that for uh four years.

[1:19:41] The recommended red lines and deletions follow similar changes adopted by

[1:19:46] Richland, Burian, Spokane, and most other municipalities in the state of

[1:19:51] Washington. Richland's ordinance was the template for what for what Sunnyside

[1:19:57] originally enacted. My point being the city is not leading the pack or an

[1:20:02] outlier when it comes to these recommendations based upon codes that

[1:20:06] have been enacted by other municipalities in Washington state.

[1:20:11] to explain the ordinance, which can be found at pages 34 to 40 of your packet.

[1:20:17] We start with 9.40.20 definitions. And we're recommending

[1:20:22] changes to several definitions to better clarify the distinction between merely

[1:20:27] sleeping and camping or storing personal property

[1:20:31] on public property. And we added a new term public property to streamline the

[1:20:37] code. The definition of unlawful camping was clarified and simplified.

[1:20:43] [snorts] 9.4.30

[1:20:46] and 40 make it clear that we're addressing unlawful camping and unlawful

[1:20:52] storage of personal property on public property.

[1:20:57] 050 removal of unlawful encamp encampments or unlawful storage of

[1:21:02] property establishes [clears throat] two tracks. one for emergency situations and

[1:21:08] one for non-emergencies. 70 incorporates the new standard under

[1:21:13] grants pass. There's no requirement that beds, housing, shelter, or treatment be

[1:21:18] available, offered, or sought before enforcement of this chapter.

[1:21:24] Lastly, 9.40.100 40.100

[1:21:28] clarifies that we're not creating an affirmative public duty and the city is

[1:21:34] not assuming any li liability for removing encampments or personal

[1:21:40] property on public property. The recommended action for this evening is

[1:21:45] to adopt the resol the ordinance. Um that concludes my presentation for this

[1:21:51] evening. I don't know if Hector or the chief may have something to add.

[1:21:56] But I would stand for questions. >> Thank you, Mr. Loose. Um, Chief, do you

[1:22:00] have anything to add? >> This doesn't prevent somebody from

[1:22:05] camping in their vehicle. Um, they can camp in their vehicle for up to 72

[1:22:08] hours. What this does prevent is them taking over eight parking spots with

[1:22:13] shopping carts full of stuff, and that's what we're getting the police calls on

[1:22:17] regularly. So, if they keep their stuff contained in their vehicle, they're able

[1:22:19] to sleep in their vehicle for up to 72 hours. At that point, they need to move

[1:22:23] to another location, but they're able to sleep in their vehicle at that new

[1:22:25] location. It's the um taking over of parking lots that we're getting the

[1:22:30] complaints on, and that's what this addressed.

[1:22:34] » Go ahead, council. >> I have a question. So, when you say

[1:22:38] camping, I I picture the park. Okay. I picture our city our city park right

[1:22:43] here downtown. Um, the reason I say that is because we have an event that happens

[1:22:49] every year for our swim team that they actually camp out there. That's why I

[1:22:55] want to make sure that we're clear on this and how that's going to be

[1:22:58] addressed. >> So, the or Madame Mayor um, and

[1:23:02] counselor, the ordinance provides that there are exceptions to this where

[1:23:06] there's permission that's been granted by the city. And so, I I think that

[1:23:10] would fall under that piece. And uh that's why we have the swim team get us

[1:23:15] uh an event uh permit uh and that allows them to be able to camp out at those uh

[1:23:22] at those parks. >> Yeah. I just wanted to make that clear

[1:23:24] cuz Yeah. >> Go ahead, Councelor Dol. 72 hours. Is

[1:23:30] that um the time they can be there with their vehicle or and right now is it set

[1:23:36] up for 24 hours notice once it's posted by law enforce um code enforcement or

[1:23:43] law enforcement? I I didn't quite understand the situation. and it just

[1:23:47] took place and and they came back and said, "Well, state law says

[1:23:53] you have to give them notice and post it and then you have 24 hours after that

[1:23:59] before you pick up their vehicle and drive it away." Madam, madame mayor and

[1:24:04] counselor. So, the way we we set this up is that if if there is an emergency

[1:24:11] emergent type of situation where the public safety's at issue because uh

[1:24:18] streets being blocked or uh the sidewalks being blocked, then that piece

[1:24:24] of the code allows for immediate removal. M

[1:24:28] » if it's simply a situation like the the chief

[1:24:34] uh described where you've got folks they've they're they're in their RV,

[1:24:40] they're in their car and then they've got stuff, you know, the shopping carts

[1:24:44] and and whatever and there's not an immediate risk. Uh then that goes

[1:24:51] through a notice process and it's it's set up to be uh a notice that you need

[1:24:59] to remove this this personal property. You have 48 hours to do so. If you don't

[1:25:04] do it, um then we're going to remove it. So that's the piece of the camping code.

[1:25:11] The next ordinance that you're going to see addresses the 72-hour

[1:25:16] parking piece. So, there's there's two different things going on tonight. One

[1:25:22] in the parking and uh model motor vehicle code and then this one that

[1:25:28] specifically addresses camping and trying to update your current code to

[1:25:34] match with the US Supreme Court decision.

[1:25:37] » So, two separate two separate things. Is there is there a piece in there about

[1:25:42] using your camping area, your camping area as a a urinal and a an outhouse

[1:25:49] because they we just finished cleaning up after

[1:25:55] um >> it was an open air outouse, but it still

[1:25:59] had to be cleaned up. My madame mayor uh and councelor my recollection is that's

[1:26:05] not addressed specifically in this camping code but that would be addressed

[1:26:08] in like the public nuisance and disorderly conduct that

[1:26:13] » I'm sorry uh and we're working on that one in the nuisance part um we're we're

[1:26:18] trying to gather all our information because as it states as I stated before

[1:26:22] our nuisance doesn't give us the bite it >> emergency status

[1:26:27] » it gives us the bark but it doesn't give us the bite and we're working on it so

[1:26:32] we can have everything under a nuisance ordinance um and use that one as our

[1:26:39] premature for code will be our biblical um and then that way we can make sure

[1:26:45] that we are uh following that nuisance and everything that we refer to will be

[1:26:50] under one nuisance and be much clarified and and and much user friendly.

[1:26:57] Um I I have a question actually. I I know that uh we there's um um a certain

[1:27:05] section in this ordinance um that says there there will be no requirement

[1:27:13] to provide any um resources uh to those who are going to be who have

[1:27:21] been noticed to move. Um, I think this is more um along the lines of um

[1:27:30] process, but have we been doing that and would we continue doing that even though

[1:27:36] it's not a requirement? >> We do. I think the requirement is when

[1:27:39] this federal law passed there was a requirement that you if there was no

[1:27:43] shelter, you had to allow them to camp. That's what that's addressing. We do

[1:27:46] offer them um Camp Hope will come get somebody if they need a place to stay.

[1:27:50] They'll they'll drive down here. The last two days I've seen the Camp Hope

[1:27:53] car driving around Sunnyside. Actually, the it's a a little SUV. It's pretty

[1:27:57] clearly marked. The whole thing's wrapped. So, I know that they're down

[1:27:59] here um working on the uh unhoused. And so, um we do offer that. Um some people

[1:28:06] say, "Hey, my kids go to school here. I'm trying to find a job down here or

[1:28:09] whatever the reason is. I don't want to leave Sunnyside." And and and there's no

[1:28:12] shelter here, unfortunately. So, it's 30 minutes away. Uh the other option, I

[1:28:16] think it's just for adult males. I'm not 100% sure, but is Noah's Arc and Watau

[1:28:22] is the other closest option. >> Okay, go ahead, Councelor Chavis. I'll

[1:28:26] go to councelor Galan. >> You know, um we're going to be signing

[1:28:29] this. The only thing I ask is I know that um the individuals that we're

[1:28:33] pretty much talking about is a lot of the homeless, you know. All I ask is

[1:28:37] that we show empathy to them. Um provide them some resources. So, um you know,

[1:28:42] cuz they're humans, you know, and I I work with a lot of them and I serve a

[1:28:46] lot of them. And so I just ask this from our police that um we show some empathy

[1:28:51] to them. >> Yeah, it this is something that code

[1:28:55] enforcement handles mo mostly in the city.

[1:28:58] » So and obviously we have uh offered um services to them. Um a lot of them have

[1:29:06] denied me personally. I've I've offered to give them a ride. Um and then

[1:29:12] obviously they state can I take my recreational stuff with me? And

[1:29:16] obviously we know camp is a dry dry camp and we can't and then they said no then

[1:29:21] I don't want to go. So um we we we do show empathy to them and

[1:29:27] we do our best to provide them with information to to let them know that you

[1:29:33] know um whatever we can do to get them to a safer place and give them the help

[1:29:40] um we're willing to do that but it's got to be accepted by them also. Um, as the

[1:29:46] old saying says, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make you can't

[1:29:49] force it to drink. >> Yeah.

[1:29:51] » So, >> thank you, Hector. I think what

[1:29:53] councelor Chavez is saying is nevertheless any everyone should be

[1:29:58] treated um with human dignity regardless if this is on paper and if we've it's

[1:30:03] already been in practice, we continue doing so.

[1:30:06] » Yeah. No, that is our practice. >> Go ahead, councelor. So,

[1:30:10] » section 9.40.050 050 subsection B subsection one.

[1:30:17] It says the city shall post at least a 48 hour advanced notice which shall

[1:30:22] include the following. It goes on to list a couple of the of the items. So if

[1:30:27] I'm reading this correctly, if somebody is is violating this, we need to provide

[1:30:32] a 48 hour notice. Where where do we post that? And what prevents that individual

[1:30:38] from just going to a park down the road? We have 10 parks or

[1:30:42] » different properties. >> Oh, the mayor left. But

[1:30:45] » that's okay. >> The the um so the answer to that is that

[1:30:48] I mean that can happen with a traffic ticket where where where it's left on a

[1:30:54] car and then somebody just you know rolls it up and then pitches it and

[1:30:58] doesn't respond to it. Um, but you [clears throat] would what typically

[1:31:02] happens and the chief can correct me if I'm wrong, is that that that notice is

[1:31:07] going to get posted on if it's a vehicle, it's going to get posted on a

[1:31:10] vehicle. If it's a shopping cart, and it's only a shopping cart on the

[1:31:14] shopping cart. Um, and you're going to retain a copy of it and it's going to

[1:31:19] have the location and and if you if you know who the person is, it'll have the

[1:31:24] person's name and whatnot. I I'd add that our code enforcement

[1:31:28] takes a picture of where they put it and when they put it there immediately and

[1:31:32] so that's recorded usually on the windshield if it is a vehicle like

[1:31:36] » correct and we we and we have a documentation on open gov we we put it

[1:31:40] all we post it all on open gov um so we do follow up um it gets us open gov

[1:31:46] gives us a reminder so um and then u we have all our records on open gov

[1:31:52] » and we do ask I mean myself I've asked several times. Can can we get you a

[1:31:57] place? >> And uh they re refuse to. No, I want to

[1:32:03] stay here. >> Okay.

[1:32:06] » So, as a >> So, was my second question to that was,

[1:32:10] you know, what prevents them from going to a different park? Do we still we

[1:32:13] would need to give them another 48 hour notice?

[1:32:17] » Potent. The answer is potentially yes. Um, and I mean the this is somewhat

[1:32:23] intertwined with that 72-hour piece that we're going to talk about next. Um, so

[1:32:30] they're they're parking in one spot. They got their sharp shop shopping cart

[1:32:35] out. Um, it's not all contained inside their vehicle. We post it and then they

[1:32:40] move down the road. Um, and I mean that's that is certainly a possibility

[1:32:46] and there really the Washington law is such that um there really there really

[1:32:53] aren't good tools for municipalities because the court the court has said

[1:32:59] that that you a vehicle can be your home um in Washington state. Um and so your

[1:33:07] you're the the your normal tool would be to impound that vehicle um if if they're

[1:33:14] exceeding 72 hours or whatever the parking rules are. But because of that

[1:33:19] ruling by the courts here, that impound piece isn't an option. Um and so you're

[1:33:26] left with posting and then they move and then they move and then they move. Um

[1:33:31] and it I I'm sorry. I just I don't have any tools for you because of of the way

[1:33:36] the courts have have set this up. >> Go, Madam Mayor. Um, Mr. Bruce, the the

[1:33:43] uh question I have is and you know we have our truck route which runs kind of

[1:33:48] and I've seen people parking on the truck route just behind Sunnyside uh

[1:33:54] Safeway and parking close to the building which is you know and then the

[1:34:01] other side on the other side there's you know parking places. Um,

[1:34:06] I'm thinking that that is a pretty dangerous place to be parking on the on

[1:34:11] the truck route. We talk about semi-truckss, delivery trucks, you

[1:34:15] coming into town and using that that that truck route. Is there any special

[1:34:21] um comp, you know, regulation towards that?

[1:34:26] So once we get like she said, if it if it becomes where they're spread out all

[1:34:33] over, um that's when we uh give them a give them a notice and we let them know

[1:34:39] they have 72 hours, 48 hours to either get cleaned up and vacate and um move to

[1:34:46] the next spot. Um like Mr. Chavez was saying, we did have that one when we had

[1:34:53] to swim meet. Um, we had somebody in the park that was staying there for the last

[1:34:58] 3 weeks. Um, I stopped, gave her a notice. Um, was very, you know, working

[1:35:06] with her, let her know, hey, we need you to move along. I let her know that we're

[1:35:10] going to have a swim meet. It wasn't until I told her, "Hey, we can no longer

[1:35:15] leave leave you here. You need to move or we're going to tow it." Um, she she

[1:35:21] did get some help. They moved it over to Safeway where you are speaking about.

[1:35:26] Um, Safeway called us and we gave her another notice. Then she moved them

[1:35:32] there. She moved to the top of the hill. Um, we had people calling because stuff

[1:35:38] was getting left out again. We gave her another notice. She moved over to the

[1:35:42] church. Uh, she was leaving stuff all over the

[1:35:47] place again. Gave her a notice. So, basically, we we just follow them. Um

[1:35:51] there's nothing else that we can do. I mean, we've offered help uh to the the

[1:35:57] resident of the vehicle. She does not want it. So,

[1:36:02] » thank you. >> Thank you.

[1:36:04] » I move to motion to adopt an ordinance amending chapter 9.40 entitled public

[1:36:08] camping in the Sunnyside Municipal Code. >> I'll second.

[1:36:12] » Motion by councelor Chavez, seconded by councelor Dolan. Is there further

[1:36:15] discussion?

[1:36:19] No. Hands up. Councelor Dolan, >> yes.

[1:36:24] » Councelor Gavan, >> yes.

[1:36:25] » Councelor Chavez, >> yes.

[1:36:27] » Mr. Zeti, >> yes.

[1:36:28] » Deputy mayor, >> yes.

[1:36:30] » Mayor, >> yes. Motion carries.

[1:36:34] Moving on to E. Ordinance amending chapters 10.08 entitled parking and

[1:36:40] 10.04 entitled model traffic ordinance. Mr. Loose. Madame Mayor, uh, this

[1:36:47] ordinance updates, um, and members of the council, uh, this ordinance updates

[1:36:52] and clarifies the process and procedures.

[1:36:55] » Rob, could you turn your mic on? >> Uh, applicable to parking infractions,

[1:37:00] including the issuance, processing, response, and enforcement of notices of

[1:37:05] parking infraction. It also provides for coordinated enforcement of the city's

[1:37:10] parking regulations by the Sunnyside Police Department and code enforcement.

[1:37:15] To explain the ordinance, which can be found at pages 42 to 60 of your packet,

[1:37:21] uh, chapter 108.20 establishes a 72-hour parking limit

[1:37:29] except where another shorter limit is established in the city.

[1:37:34] This is a very common regulation across the United States and I believe it's

[1:37:39] certainly a welcome tool for code enforcement and the Sunnyside Police

[1:37:43] Department.

[1:37:47] 060 clarifies and simplifies the continuous parking regulations.

[1:37:53] 130 clarifies that code enforcement officers have the authority to issue

[1:37:57] notices of parking violations. We also clarified the process under state law

[1:38:03] and deleted procedures and processes that were not being used by uh Sunnyside

[1:38:12] deleted the public nuisance provisions and replaced them with a straightforward

[1:38:16] notice and empoundment process that follows be best practice in state law.

[1:38:21] And as Hector mentioned, we're we are going to be working on the uh public

[1:38:26] nuisance ordinance, making that clear and simplifying that process, and

[1:38:32] that'll be coming before you um sometime in the future here.

[1:38:37] » Uh finally, uh title 10.04

[1:38:44] was revised to clarify who has authority to impound with other suggested red

[1:38:49] lines that follow. um state law and best practice. The recommended action for

[1:38:55] this evening is to adopt this ordinance. Uh that concludes my presentation. I'

[1:39:01] defer to Hector and the chief if they would like to add anything, but I'm

[1:39:05] happy to stand for questions. >> Go ahead, councelor.

[1:39:09] » So, couple of questions, I guess. Um why are we changing this? And I would have

[1:39:16] loved the public works uh subcommittee take a look at it before I reached

[1:39:20] council just because some of the some of the things I've mentioned here before is

[1:39:25] is you know the semi-trucks that park in in residential zones, right? I clearly

[1:39:31] know what the dangers are of semi trucks and and children. We just had an

[1:39:35] incident with, you know, thankfully it wasn't a bad incident, but just imagine

[1:39:40] a semi-truck uh running over a kid. They have much more blind spots. They have no

[1:39:46] business being parked in city residents. I tell my guys, I don't want to see you

[1:39:51] go park there. They have places they can park. So, I I feel that this doesn't go

[1:39:57] far enough, right? And it doesn't address the dangers that that our kids

[1:40:02] have in the community. So, um, you know, I once again I would have loved to see

[1:40:07] this in the public works subcommittee and I would have let you guys know then

[1:40:11] they we need to change this and my apologies. We we were working on this um

[1:40:16] I know you know with the whole uh Silverstoneone

[1:40:20] uh coming to play uh we were trying to figure out a way how to make sure that

[1:40:26] we were going to be moving forward. Um, if you would like, uh,

[1:40:34] uh, you may table this and I can take it to the subcommittee. You guys, uh, the

[1:40:38] subcommittee can review it. Um, if there's any suggestions that, um, want

[1:40:43] to be made, we can definitely look into it and then we can return to Mr. Loose

[1:40:48] and bring it back to, uh, council >> for the time.

[1:40:52] » Okay. Uh, go ahead and then I'm going to refer to Chief. Well, with that, I move

[1:40:56] to table this item, send it to the public works subcommittee for review.

[1:41:00] » A second. >> Um, further discussion?

[1:41:05] » I I had a comment for for Chief Chief. Is there anything else that you would

[1:41:09] want to add for clarification? >> No, I don't believe so, but

[1:41:15] I'm not sure if some of the what you're talking about is covered under the truck

[1:41:19] route. So, I'm trying to look real quick on the municipal code. So,

[1:41:23] » Okay. Well, there's been a motion and there's a second.

[1:41:27] » Um, is there any further discussion? No. Okay. Hearing none.

[1:41:34] Councelor Gan, >> yes.

[1:41:37] » Councilor Chavez, >> yes.

[1:41:39] » Councelor Zati, >> yes.

[1:41:41] » Councelor Dolan, >> yes.

[1:41:42] » Deputy Mayor, >> yes.

[1:41:44] » Mayor, >> yes. Motion carries.

[1:41:49] » If you would like, uh, when Mr. Dolan comes into my office so we make the

[1:41:54] phone call for Mr. Morford. Um, if you like, you may stop by and we can sit

[1:41:58] down and uh get a date going so we can uh have the the public works committee

[1:42:04] uh get together and we can look to uh revive or review it.

[1:42:08] » Yeah. Set it up and I'll be there. >> Yes, sir.

[1:42:10] » Yes. So, I believe it's councelor Dolan, >> councelor Chavez, and councelor Buscus

[1:42:18] were part of the >> No, it's public works. Sorry, I'm

[1:42:21] thinking public safety and >> yes, Mr. Mr. Dolan and Mr. Chavez.

[1:42:26] » So, I will u I'll set up a date and uh send you guys an invite.

[1:42:30] » I think we're about due anyway, aren't we, Chief? I

[1:42:33] » I I believe so, but the parking in the It is covered under the um truck route

[1:42:38] section. It says um a vehicle restriction except as provided in

[1:42:42] subsection B of this section. No person shall operate or park at any time upon

[1:42:45] any of the streets, parts of streets or rightaway not described in SMC 102040,

[1:42:51] which is the truck route. Uh any vehicle consisting of a tractor, trailer,

[1:42:54] semi-tractor or truck, logging truck, pull trailer, or any uh vehicle

[1:42:58] exceeding the weight limitations described below. So, it's it's in a

[1:43:01] different section. >> Is it enforceable? And why aren't we

[1:43:04] enforcing it? [snorts] >> We have we have [laughter]

[1:43:08] it's been enforced. Yeah, they've they've been they've been addressing it.

[1:43:11] We I I was part of actually part of one of that. So they have enforced it.

[1:43:16] » This has Jim Stevens. >> Okay. All right. Well, I never argue

[1:43:22] against uh versus another set of eyes and another round of revisions and then

[1:43:27] we can definitely bring it back to council when you all feel like it's

[1:43:31] ready for us to deliberate on it again. >> Yes. Thank you.

[1:43:36] » All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Liz. Thank you, Chief. Uh, moving on to

[1:43:42] nine, public comment for non-active agenda items.

[1:43:52] Okay. Anyone else wishing to sign up to do public comment, please do so now.

[1:44:01] Madame Mayor, we do have somebody online as well, so we'll have to make sure she

[1:44:05] goes last. >> Thank you.

[1:44:14] Thank you, Hector.

[1:44:18] » Okay. Public comment for non-aggenda items. Uh, citizens are advised that

[1:44:24] they must limit their remarks to the city council to three minutes. Council

[1:44:27] may refer items to staff to review under research for presentation at a future

[1:44:31] council meeting. Uh recorded comments and meeting signing sheets are public

[1:44:34] records subject to disclosure under RCW42.56

[1:44:38] and the names of speakers are recorded in the meeting minutes. First on the

[1:44:42] list is Monica Neim.

[1:44:52] Um yes, good evening. Monica Neyer, City of Sunnyside. Um, I actually just had

[1:44:56] one question, but then when you guys were talking about the finance

[1:44:58] committee, so I'll get to that um, question. On July 17th, there was the

[1:45:04] meeting for uh, the check to go out for Davis Consulting for 10,500 and he was

[1:45:10] supposed to in response to paying that even though the contract was cancelled

[1:45:15] and we paid it. Um, he was supposed to be giving us some documentation.

[1:45:20] um that part was talked about in public, but the follow-up was talked about in

[1:45:24] public. So, can we get some feedback since that's what was open to us and

[1:45:29] that was a contract that was closed and we did pay on it and it also was a

[1:45:34] contract that was not approved before council and had no resolution attached.

[1:45:38] So, I think uh public comment on that is is warranted and quite fair. Um, in

[1:45:45] regards to the finance committee, um, listening to you guys, um, talk, so I

[1:45:50] understand how complicated, actually I lie. I probably don't even know how

[1:45:54] complicated it can be. Uh, maybe as a council, um, and I've said this before,

[1:46:00] you know, do your actions develop healthy habits

[1:46:04] and how does that work? How do you develop those healthy habits? And I'm

[1:46:07] sorry, I wrote notes and put them in order. So for me to develop healthy

[1:46:12] habits and and um uh city manager um you talk about you know they have to trust

[1:46:19] their judgment but honestly for me trust is a flow. It works one way and it goes

[1:46:25] the other way. That's how trust works. So if you do have members on your

[1:46:30] council wanting to ask questions then shouldn't that trust be reciprocated? It

[1:46:36] should be acknowledged to both sides. um why not trust what their questions

[1:46:42] are if there's a reason especially as you guys are talking about you know

[1:46:45] everything is um so complicated you know you guys are facing the issue of trust

[1:46:52] not only amongst yourselves apparently but with the public and as it sounds

[1:46:56] like there's also un there's this um gap of understanding with council on what

[1:47:01] you guys are looking at it sounds challenging um to learn so with that you

[1:47:07] know here's my Not when you take the responsibilities away from council

[1:47:12] members, looking at the budget as a responsibility and an obligation to each

[1:47:18] one of those council members. When you take that power away from or that power

[1:47:23] of decision away from them, are you perhaps allowing um a smaller pool of

[1:47:28] them to make a decision that they all should be included in and it be done

[1:47:33] privately? So then you have three people making decisions or giving guidance for

[1:47:37] all. Not only is that not fair to the council members, there's your trust, but

[1:47:43] is it fair to the public and is there our trust? You you guys have a big

[1:47:47] hurdle, a big m a hill to climb building trust. So maybe taking those steps now

[1:47:53] and looking at the bigger picture of okay, this is more work for us, but what

[1:47:59] are your goals? Your goals are to have healthy habits or to have a better

[1:48:03] understanding. And you know, rotating in a year at a time. I I understand why

[1:48:08] it's needed. I I'm sure it makes sense. But maybe letting everyone learn all at

[1:48:13] once is a healthy thing. And perhaps doing it in front of the public would

[1:48:18] help with that with that issue of trust. And it would help educate us as well. So

[1:48:24] we don't come to speculation and worry and concern. We're learning while you're

[1:48:28] learning because remember some of us will be council members. So, let's learn

[1:48:32] together. Um, where am I at? Oh, and that's about it. So, thank you so much.

[1:48:37] » Thank you for your comment. Moving on to Danna Gutierrez.

[1:48:45] She's online. Hold on. Oh, okay. Hello. Um, again, I'm so sorry I had to step

[1:48:52] out, but I was just wanting to um address the council um as my capacity

[1:49:01] as chair of the arts commission. Um, just a quick little update on what we've

[1:49:04] been up to. So, we were at Sunshine Days. That was um a success despite the

[1:49:10] rainy weather. Uh, we did have a few actually quite a bit of people stop by

[1:49:14] our booth throughout the day on Sunday. Um, and like I mentioned earlier, we

[1:49:18] were at the Walk for Hope. Um, and that was really wonderful. And I just wanted

[1:49:22] to extend another thank you to all the council members for um, allowing us to

[1:49:28] have a budget um, and then allowing us to fundra as

[1:49:33] well because thanks to your guys's support for the arts commission, we have

[1:49:37] been able to provide these these uh, free arts uh, services to the community

[1:49:42] in um, small but meaningful ways. So, I just want to give everybody a big shout

[1:49:47] out and a thank you and um and yeah, and then additionally, I do want to invite

[1:49:53] uh the council members to our next event October 17. It will be a car meet um

[1:50:02] along with an art exhibit at Trulita's parking lot and then I believe the

[1:50:07] Edison lot will be having a market as well with some vendors. Um, I will be

[1:50:13] working with the commission to get more of the details in line so that we can

[1:50:17] send you guys all of that um that stuff and we'll be working on a flyer as well

[1:50:21] so that it could be shared out with the public. But yeah, that's pretty much it.

[1:50:25] I just kind of wanted to give you guys a quick little update and if you guys ever

[1:50:29] have any questions, I encourage you guys to attend our arts commission meetings.

[1:50:32] We actually will be having another one um next Monday, I believe.

[1:50:40] » Where would that be? Uh we will be meeting over Zoom and Katie uh postes

[1:50:46] those meetings online on the agendas website.

[1:50:50] » Did you say the time for the October 17th? Did you say times on it?

[1:50:55] » We are still in the midst of planning it, but I believe um the event we're

[1:51:02] we're workshopping it still. I think it's around um

[1:51:07] I think we said like 300 p.m. to 7. >> Thank you, Diana.

[1:51:14] » Appreciate the information on behalf of the arts commission and thanks to

[1:51:18] everybody uh who is a member of the arts commission and all the work that you all

[1:51:22] continue to do on behalf of the city. Um up next on the list

[1:51:30] is Raquel Iso Lopez.

[1:51:39] Good evening Lopez side resident. I wrote some notes

[1:51:44] down so I wouldn't forget everything I wanted to say. Um I'm here tonight

[1:51:47] because I want to address something that I believe deserves more than a reaction

[1:51:50] after someone gets hurt. It deserves proactive action. On September 11th, the

[1:51:54] mayor sent an email to the city manager regarding the condition of the

[1:51:57] crosswalks at the Sunny State School District. The markings are extremely

[1:52:01] faint and the concern was specifically raised that this created a safety hazard

[1:52:05] for our students. That concern was brought to your attention. You had

[1:52:09] noticed and yet almost 10 days later on Monday morning, a student from our high

[1:52:13] school was struck by a vehicle while using that crosswalk. Thankfully, we are

[1:52:17] talking about an injured student and not a tragedy. It could have been a much

[1:52:20] worse tragedy. What I have a real problem with is the fact that action

[1:52:23] wasn't taken until almost a week later. I really feel that this incident could

[1:52:28] have been prevented. I was particularly troubled by the response that these are

[1:52:32] these are high school students and they should know better. Yes, they are high

[1:52:36] school students. You're right. But they are teenagers. And if there are

[1:52:39] crosswalk lines there, how are the students supposed to know not to use

[1:52:42] them? Students walk into these crosswalks every morning. I know because

[1:52:47] I do drop off and pickup for my daughter and I see them crossing all the time.

[1:52:51] Our responsibility as adults and community leaders is to anticipate

[1:52:54] mistakes and create an environment that helps prevent them from becoming

[1:52:57] injuries. I think Horge Alvan said it great a little bit ago. Our

[1:53:01] responsibility is safety. Pat, I want to say this directly to you.

[1:53:05] I know that you that you're the interim city manager. You told me that in a

[1:53:09] conversation we had out in the lobby that you're just here manning a seat

[1:53:12] until the next one arrives. But interim does not mean inactive.

[1:53:17] You are still the city manager. you still have the responsibility to act

[1:53:20] when a safety concern is brought to your attention. And as schoolboard president,

[1:53:24] when that safety concern involves our student at Sunnyside School District, I

[1:53:28] expect swift action, not action after someone gets hurt. Again, it could have

[1:53:33] been a worse tragedy. I'm not here tonight to attack anyone personally. I'm

[1:53:37] here because I expect our city leadership to work proactively with our

[1:53:40] school district to protect our kids. We should not be working in silos. We

[1:53:45] should not have to wait for a student to be injured before a clearly identified

[1:53:48] safety concern gets addressed. I'm asking the council to take a hard look

[1:53:52] at what happened between September 11th, at the time that that email was sent,

[1:53:56] after the city manager was notified, and Monday morning when the incident

[1:54:00] occurred, and why action wasn't taken sooner, and what procedures need to

[1:54:04] change so that when legitimate safety concerns are brought up to any one of

[1:54:07] us, it's addressed before someone gets hurt, not afterwards. I also wanted to

[1:54:12] read some of the comments made on that email that I referenced to reinforce my

[1:54:17] comment regarding the true lack of urgency. Um, I asked the mayor Frosto

[1:54:22] for a followup on this because on September 10th she had called me to

[1:54:25] address this also and she told me that she would be contacting the city manager

[1:54:30] about it and I asked her to please follow up with me if there was anything

[1:54:33] the school needed to do. Um, I had a call. Um, so Vicky Thrasto went ahead

[1:54:38] and forwarded these to me and on September 11th, it looks like she

[1:54:41] emailed you at 5:17 p.m. Um, she talked about the two crosswalks that they are

[1:54:46] faint in color. She told you exactly where both were at. Um, and she also

[1:54:50] said, "Pat, can you direct streets crew to look into it ASAP?" Um, then after

[1:54:55] » we're overtime. >> Okay, I will send this in an email.

[1:54:59] Thank you. >> Thank you so much for your comment.

[1:55:01] Sorry, I lost track of time. Usually I'm looking for the music. um or waiting for

[1:55:06] the music. Um thank you for your comment and I'm going to follow up on that

[1:55:11] during my council report. Um moving on to Juan Alvarez.

[1:55:25] Good evening again, Juan Alvarez. Uh reside here in Sunnyside. Um I was going

[1:55:30] to continue the topic of the wells. Um this one with well number six. I mean,

[1:55:34] sorry. Well, number nine. And I know it was already on the agenda, but it was

[1:55:38] just based on some of the the comments that were made. Um, I find it uh

[1:55:43] concerning that the motor for that well and on the submersible pump only lasted

[1:55:49] 3 years. Um, when a few city council meetings back,

[1:55:56] um, it was said that the reason the well was inoperable was due to the SCADA

[1:56:00] system. Um, so now, um, it was explained that it

[1:56:06] unex unexpectedly stopped working. Um, wells don't work that way. They just

[1:56:12] don't stop working from one day to the next. There has to be an underlying

[1:56:16] issue. Um, so I caution just getting the wellhead and not trying

[1:56:22] to do any type of diagnostics to the motor control center. um was was the

[1:56:30] well pumped too long too often that the that the motor overheated um especially

[1:56:37] if it only lasted 3 years. I believe the sodium hypocchlorite system went down

[1:56:42] about 3 or 4 years ago. So that took well 11 12 and 13 I believe the wells at

[1:56:47] the Mson's. So that would mean that well 9 was probably running the entire time

[1:56:54] um because there was no way to make sodium hypocchlorite the hypo. Um

[1:57:01] my question um and Lorenzo or um Hector you guys can answer is how long the has

[1:57:07] a well been offline because they don't they don't have to

[1:57:12] answer. I'm saying they could um the reason being is once they open up that

[1:57:16] wellhead there will have to be a full wellhead disinfection um to get the well

[1:57:22] back online. Is that something that the city is going to do with its operators

[1:57:26] or is that something that the well company is going to do? Um after that

[1:57:32] you still have to flush. You have to wait f between five and 10 days and then

[1:57:37] take a back tea sample to make sure there is no collar form or anything any

[1:57:42] other bacteria in the well. So once it's installed the well is not going to be

[1:57:46] running immediately. Um it it's going to probably be about another week, week and

[1:57:50] a half by the time you get the those results. Um, and

[1:57:56] when the well was taken offline, was the state notified to make sure that we

[1:58:01] don't become non-compliant with any of the well quarterly or annual tests that

[1:58:08] that are being done or that are required. I'm not saying any any of them

[1:58:12] have been missed. It's if the state was notified that the well was out of

[1:58:16] commission. Um,

[1:58:19] and that is all I had. Thank you.

[1:58:26] Thank you for your comment. Um,

[1:58:31] next on the list is Monty Johnson.

[1:58:39] » Hello, Monty Johnson. Um, longtime resident of Sunnyside and a teacher

[1:58:44] here. Um, I'd like to just reiterate my concerns about the flock system. I know

[1:58:49] the council is still considering that. Um, I have grave concerns about it and

[1:58:54] the the potential for it to violate our rights to personal privacy. Um, it is a

[1:58:59] powerful technology and I know it can be used by the police to to stop crime or

[1:59:05] to identify criminals. But if you want to live in an authoritarian society

[1:59:09] where everybody's monitored all the time, we could eliminate almost all

[1:59:14] crime. Most people would say that the, you know, means the ends don't justify

[1:59:20] the means. You know, um, flock is not that extreme, but I think it could

[1:59:25] possibly be a step towards something like that. Um, there are clear examples

[1:59:30] of where the system has been abused by local police across the country and our

[1:59:36] own federal government. I would remind the council that the University of

[1:59:40] Washington in their report stated that there were a number of communities in

[1:59:44] our own state where their systems had been uh accessed basically by uh ICE or

[1:59:50] Border Patrol without their you know basic permission. Um I'm sure that if

[1:59:56] that is true that ICE or Border Patrol are aware that that's a violation of our

[2:00:01] state law yet they chose to do it anyhow.

[2:00:04] Um, you know, and you might be somebody, well, they're just doing it for

[2:00:07] immigration purposes, but if they can do it for immigration purposes, they can do

[2:00:11] it for other things as well. Um, you know, our founding fathers uh included a

[2:00:17] bill of rights in our constitution. They thought that was necessary basically to

[2:00:22] spell out our basic rights to protect them from our own government. Our

[2:00:28] government's basic purpose is to protect our rights. But our founding fathers

[2:00:32] also understood that one of the gravest threats to our rights is our own

[2:00:36] government. It's up to us as citizens to make sure that our rights are preserved

[2:00:40] and protected. And if we don't do that, obviously it's easy to lose them. And

[2:00:45] once rights are lost, they're very difficult, if not impossible to get

[2:00:48] back. There are examples in history where society has lost their rights. And

[2:00:54] in most cases, it, you know, if you look at it, it looks like, well, it's some

[2:00:57] catastrophic event that, you know, suddenly happened. But if you look at

[2:01:01] things a little closer, usually there's a long, you know, trail of evidence

[2:01:05] where rights have been gradually eroded. The government usually comes out and

[2:01:11] says it's necessary for people's protection that we need to give up or

[2:01:16] weaken certain rights. And usually there's a few people that will sound the

[2:01:21] alarm, but in general, people will accept the new normal. And once that new

[2:01:26] normal is established, then the government can take a further step until

[2:01:30] eventually all rights are lost. I I don't want to be a crazy conspiracy

[2:01:35] theorist and start wearing tinfoil hats, but I am concerned about this system and

[2:01:40] I would ask that the council please, you know, consider that as well.

[2:01:44] » Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Thank you for your comment.

[2:01:48] Is there anybody else online? Sorry, we have one more online, so you

[2:01:53] can go ahead and unmute. And could you state your name for the record, please?

[2:01:58] » Was my name Eskea. I am a resident of Sunnyside and have lived here for 27

[2:02:04] years. Thank you for the proclamation on suicide awareness. This month is also

[2:02:08] Hispanic Heritage Month, and our Hispanic community is facing a mental

[2:02:12] health crisis. Stricter immigration enforcement policies and rising

[2:02:16] anti-immigrant sentiment worsen mental health and increased suicide risk in the

[2:02:21] Latino community. Latino youth experience high rates of emotional

[2:02:24] distress. According to a national youth survey, 17% of Hispanic high school

[2:02:28] students seriously consider suicide and 9% attempted it in the prior year. Mixed

[2:02:35] status families live with constant fear of detention or deportation. Hispanic

[2:02:39] men experience up to 24% increase in suicide rates under this intensified

[2:02:44] enforcement climate. So, I thank you again for the proclamation.

[2:02:48] Thank you for listening to the community at our August meeting and not renewing

[2:02:52] the contract for the mobile flock camera trailer. I'm here today to present

[2:02:56] comments on the flock camera contract that is active through 2028, costing us

[2:03:01] 102,000 annually and covering 39 fixed automated license plate reading cameras

[2:03:06] across the city. I urge you to continue to listen to the community and address

[2:03:12] our concerns over the second flock camera contract. I believe as a council

[2:03:17] and community, our hands are not tied and urge you to consider our options. I

[2:03:24] would like to see us immediately deactivate our city's flock cameras.

[2:03:28] Waiting for the contract to expire exposes our city and its residents to

[2:03:32] ongoing legal, privacy, and financial liabilities that demand swift

[2:03:37] administrative intervention. Cities right here in Washington State have

[2:03:41] proven that we do not need to wait out these contracts to protect our

[2:03:45] communities. Olympia took immediate action by passing contract timelines to

[2:03:49] order a rapid 24-hour shutdown, manually hooding every active lens to safeguard

[2:03:55] community trust. Closer to home, the city of Proser decided to deactivate and

[2:03:59] shut off all 20 of its flock cameras while under contract. The urgency for

[2:04:04] immediate deactivation while the contract is active comes down to these

[2:04:08] critical factors. Protecting data. I left our August city council meeting

[2:04:13] without full confidence that we have explicit city oversight over these

[2:04:17] cameras and our data. To mitigate financial and legal liability, Flock's

[2:04:24] updated standards terms shift the legal and financial burden of data breaches

[2:04:29] and algorithmic flaws directly onto municipalities

[2:04:34] and its taxpayers. If an error triggers a false ID or high-risisk traffic stop

[2:04:40] tomorrow, the city of Sunnyside, not Flock, faces immense legal and financial

[2:04:46] liability. It is a viable option. Ordering an

[2:04:50] immediate operational halt or putting protective bags over the lenses is a

[2:04:55] fully viable administrative step. Protecting civil liberties and

[2:05:00] safeguarding city finances cannot wait for a 2028 expiration date. I ask this

[2:05:04] council to instruct law enforcement to deactivate these cameras immediately

[2:05:08] while our legal council reviews the quickest path for permanent contract

[2:05:12] termination. Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your urgent

[2:05:15] attention to this matter. >> Thank you, Mrs. Ga. Thank you for your

[2:05:18] comment. Is there anybody else online?

[2:05:23] » No, there's no. >> Okay. So, that that concludes our list

[2:05:27] for public comment for non-aggenda items and I'll go ahead

[2:05:32] and pass this over.

[2:05:36] Okay. Moving on from public.

[2:05:40] » I got something to say. Um if you can give me some time. So, I do I

[2:05:46] do recall back in June when me and Hugo decided to take over and Pat, correct me

[2:05:50] if I'm wrong, we did a pre-assessment of the system. Again, this was back in

[2:05:55] June. >> We did let all of you guys know,

[2:05:58] everyone sitting there that we are running every single well because we had

[2:06:04] wells down. Um, well 9 was not taking a break. It was running. I do remember

[2:06:09] telling everybody that and we did say that those wells are not meant to run

[2:06:14] 24/7. >> So that's why we started the process of

[2:06:18] taking care of all the wells that are messing up. Um yes 9 messed up. It did

[2:06:25] not mess it messed up when it was turning on. Uh again, that's why we are

[2:06:30] asking for the SCADA panel upgrade, which you guys all had seen the new one

[2:06:34] at 12 and 13, and it has that amp draw and all that other good stuff on there.

[2:06:38] So, there's no way of us able to tell if there's high amperage on that motor.

[2:06:43] That that ska system is outdated. Um Picotti Brothers, they're they've been

[2:06:49] doing this for a very long time. They know what they're doing. And uh we hired

[2:06:54] them for a job to do. So I'm sure they know what they need to do. They did

[2:06:58] mention that they just had pulled a pump for CILA and they had just came down

[2:07:02] here to come help us out. So they know what they're doing. They're the

[2:07:05] professionals. Uh I've came here knowing that there was a

[2:07:10] lot of problems and I have been I let all you guys know um the system isn't

[2:07:16] perfect. It's old. It's an aging system. The system has been aging for a very

[2:07:22] long time, but it's this pushing off and pushing off. It ended up catching up

[2:07:26] with this. The unfortunate thing is that it's catching up with me as a lead

[2:07:31] operator here for the city of Sunnyside. Uh again, I did ask everybody if they

[2:07:36] had any questions to come to me and I would answer them for them. Uh you will

[2:07:42] see me make mistakes, but you will never see me quit. I will not quit.

[2:07:46] um the situations are going to get addressed accordingly. Again, uh we did

[2:07:51] let everybody know that every well was running and they're not meant to be ran

[2:07:55] like that. So, I just wanted to throw that comment out there and again that

[2:08:00] this is not going to be the last problem with the well that you're going to see.

[2:08:04] I don't know why it's been so private. I'm going to be open and let you guys

[2:08:08] know all the problems that are happening at the well systems. That's why we did

[2:08:12] the tours. I know Mr. Galvan, I'm waiting to take you to all of them. If

[2:08:15] you guys want to go to all the other ones, we can do that. But all I ask from

[2:08:19] you as city council is support. That's all I ask for. And like it was said

[2:08:26] earlier, it's a two-way street. Trust is both ways. So that's all I ask. Thank

[2:08:33] you. >> And Lorenzo, may I double check with

[2:08:37] you? You have a level three certification and is that the highest

[2:08:41] level? >> Uh, no. Oh, you can go up to level four,

[2:08:44] which I'm working on, but I do have a level three in water and I do have a

[2:08:48] level two in sewer. And I'm working on my level three here in January.

[2:08:53] » And we are we are working diligently on uh making sure that the city does not

[2:08:59] run out of water. Uh Lorenzo and I are always looking at the our app that has

[2:09:03] log me in, which tells us um how much water is in our tower, which pump is

[2:09:08] running. I'm on it at 1 in the morning sending him a text, waking him up,

[2:09:13] letting him know this is where our water tower is at. Um when I'm at, you know,

[2:09:18] getting ready for work, check it right before we go, letting him know again,

[2:09:21] hey, have we checked on it? So, we're in communications. We worked hard and uh

[2:09:27] we're doing our best. Like I said, we're human. We are going to make mistakes. Um

[2:09:31] we will do the best that we can with the system that we have. Um we're here to

[2:09:36] improve it. Um, and also with my other, you know, supervisors. We're here to

[2:09:41] improve Sunnyside as much as we can. Um, we would just like the trust and the

[2:09:47] support. That's all we ask for. Um, we're here to help you guys and support

[2:09:52] you guys as in turn. We hope and I've and I've said it in my memos before, I

[2:09:57] appreciate your guys' support and I truly do.

[2:10:02] So, >> and just another thing too is well 9

[2:10:05] when when well 9 went down um we did call SCADA. They checked all the SCADA

[2:10:10] stuff. Again, they're going to tell us your guys' SKA stuff is outdated. We let

[2:10:14] you know that's why you guys have the bid. We did call electricians to go out

[2:10:19] there and check the soft start. Soft start was fine. So, we did it backwards.

[2:10:24] We did all the cheaper stuff first and then unfortunately the more expensive

[2:10:28] thing came out being the motor.

[2:10:34] I'll add to that during my council report. Um, but for now, I'm going to go

[2:10:37] ahead and start with um actually, hold on one second. It's mayor's appointments

[2:10:43] and boards and uh boards and commissions next. I did um notice that we um didn't

[2:10:50] add Sandra Benez for a reappointment. I believe she had reapplied. Um, so if we

[2:10:56] can add her the next time around and she can come in and do the swearing. And um,

[2:11:01] there was a vacancy for um, the housing uh, the Sunnyside housing authority and

[2:11:08] we had an individual who already sits on the board submit an application. You all

[2:11:13] should have received that um, to your inboxes as as soon as they anyone

[2:11:17] applies, we all get it to our inboxes around the same time.

[2:11:22] » Did Mrs. Dolan uh retract her application. She put it in a long time

[2:11:27] ago. >> A long time. She retracted it a long

[2:11:28] time ago. At least from my recollection. >> Never talks to me. So

[2:11:32] » Oh, okay. Sorry about that. Um and now we will move into because I did

[2:11:40] not see any other applications come in. We'll go ahead and move to B other

[2:11:44] reports announcements under questions by council. Councelor Chavez.

[2:11:51] Um, you know, this weekend I had a lot of reflection and, you know, and I I I

[2:11:58] want to, you know, kind of put myself on that and I want to kind of hold myself

[2:12:02] accountable as the same time holding other people accountable. And

[2:12:07] you know when when I when I I'm looking at this uh project going on at the park

[2:12:13] in um over at up uh Upland Park and I just don't see I think we're trading

[2:12:20] water there. We're trading water. This project has been going on forever and we

[2:12:26] I just it's and I'm putting that on me too because I'm part of that um the

[2:12:30] parks commission. So, I'm going to uh put my stuff available this weekend to

[2:12:35] get it going because we can't keep we can't continue doing this. We we've been

[2:12:40] waiting I think 2 3 months. We already have I believe we have all the stuff and

[2:12:44] I just think we're just not pushing fast enough on that. And so, I'm kind of

[2:12:48] holding myself accountable for this too because I'm part of that.

[2:12:51] » I'm going to give you a um rundown on everything.

[2:12:54] » Yeah. Perfect. And so, you know, um you know, I it's that's kind of where I'm at

[2:13:00] with the with the parks commission. I with the our um parks and in regards to

[2:13:07] um to our public safety one, I want to make sure that we meet again. So, let's

[2:13:13] schedule a meeting. Um I think there's a lot of things that we need to address

[2:13:18] and um so I'm hoping that uh I get an email from from Rob and uh we can get

[2:13:23] together for that, too. because I think we're overdoing it. We

[2:13:27] haven't had one in what, two months. So, I'm I'm like I said, I I really this

[2:13:34] weekend I really reflected on a lot of things and I'm and I got to, you know,

[2:13:38] I'm have to hold myself accountable for it. I'm actually dropping the ball on

[2:13:41] and I can't do that. I got to continue, you know, and I ask my my peers here,

[2:13:45] you know, if you guys see, you know, hold me accountable for it, too. You

[2:13:47] know, don't be afraid to say, "Hey, we what's going on with this? I don't see

[2:13:51] it moving." you know, and um I need that too.

[2:13:57] » Thank you, Councelor Chavis. Councelor Sati,

[2:14:00] » um

[2:14:03] touching on the the safety issue with the with the incident at the school, the

[2:14:06] the crosswalk and stuff, I I think, you know, we do need to get together. Um

[2:14:13] I think the ball was dropped and I feel like um it was fingerpointing. We did

[2:14:19] this, no, they didn't. Blah blah blah. So, I I just think in order to avoid

[2:14:24] something else, um you know, I even spoke to staff who actually have been

[2:14:28] working at the school who all said that's always been a crosswalk. So, it

[2:14:32] just seems like something that should have been

[2:14:35] notified, updated probably every school year, every 6 months, whatever. We don't

[2:14:39] use this. But anyway, I think we that could have been avoided like Raquel

[2:14:44] said. And I I think we need to um continue that conversation for the

[2:14:48] safety of not only our children, the community. Um I also do want to say that

[2:14:53] um I am proud of the arts commission who was out there in the cold uh the Sunday

[2:14:59] of Sunshine Days. I did volunteer a few hours and even though it was cold and

[2:15:03] rainy, we probably at least the about four hours that I was there, I would say

[2:15:08] there was about close to 20 kids. So, and some parents were involved too. And

[2:15:13] so that was that was cool to see the kids just excited painting um canvases

[2:15:18] and I think most of them did canvases and also um the

[2:15:24] arcade. What's the name? Infinity. I um well a few of us.

[2:15:28] » Infinity World. >> Infinity World. It's amazing. If you

[2:15:32] guys haven't checked it out, I'm I was going to say if you have kids, even even

[2:15:36] adults would have a blast there. It it's amazing. So go support. And I'm excited

[2:15:41] to see what the Edison parking lot has um is going to have. I did see a a post

[2:15:46] or a Tik Tok about um inviting others for a barbecue competition or

[2:15:52] something. So hopefully that gets going and I can't wait to go try out some

[2:15:57] barbecue or whatever it was. But yeah, other than that, that's it. Thank you,

[2:16:03] council. Is that the councelor Dolan? >> Oh yeah, I got a few things here. um

[2:16:08] questions and statements and uh you need to work on your bumper cars a little bit

[2:16:13] there, mayor. [laughter]

[2:16:18] Oh, that was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed that.

[2:16:21] » Took a couple of you out. >> Kind of targeted, you know,

[2:16:26] but that was a lot of fun. And uh I think that place was set up awesome

[2:16:30] because you walk in the door and here's a security guard and then it's kind of a

[2:16:34] long trick for a kid to get down there where all the games are and start

[2:16:37] playing games, but once they're there, you can just kind of smile and head in

[2:16:42] there and get a turkey leg. And so it was they have a food court. He he had

[2:16:46] the machine set up. There's a lot of old school machines that I really enjoyed. I

[2:16:51] didn't see any pinball, you know, at that blind guy I play with. So, um, it's

[2:16:58] it [laughter] was a lot of fun. I I encourage

[2:17:02] everybody to go try it out at least once because it's all electronic now. You use

[2:17:07] a you pick up a card, you tap it on there, you play your game, you can get

[2:17:12] more points and build up on your card again and play some more. The kids were

[2:17:16] just way past me on how to run those things. So, it was a lot of fun. Okay.

[2:17:21] So, to address your mental health, um, this is, and I'll get you all copies of

[2:17:31] this. This is a, um, engineered

[2:17:36] project pretty close to what we're doing up at Upland Park. It's very close. And

[2:17:42] I went to an engineer that owed me a favor. He said, "I'd be happy to do that

[2:17:45] for you." He's working on it now for our project. So, if it does come about in

[2:17:49] the future, it's there. But I went and talked to the parks supervisor, uh,

[2:17:56] Mitch, and he said he's not touching it because, um, it has to be engineered

[2:18:01] first. So, I went and got it engineering. This would explain to you

[2:18:05] why I haven't, and I apologize for not communicating sooner. I I meant to come

[2:18:10] by and see you and uh call everybody in and say um we're going to put this uh I

[2:18:15] know Julia was chomping at a bit to paint all these poles and stuff. So I

[2:18:19] was kind of I was kind of falling down on my communication uh things with

[2:18:24] everyone, but I did pick this up from him. It kind of explains that we put be

[2:18:29] under each pool we'd be putting a yard and a half of concrete which is a 4x4

[2:18:37] six no four by Yeah. 4x4 by 4 foot3 block of concrete

[2:18:44] to be able to withstand 100 mph winds. Um I said, "Well, they're

[2:18:50] going to be taken off every year and put away for the winter." And he laughed and

[2:18:54] said, "And if it doesn't happen, then somebody might very easily get hurt." He

[2:19:00] did the calculations for that. This is for a sign.

[2:19:06] uh Granger Chamber of Commerce sign and uh it's basically the same thing we're

[2:19:11] doing at the top of ours would have a little tilt to it to throw a shadow on

[2:19:16] the slides. Um he said the poles were barely

[2:19:22] uh big enough and heavy enough for what we're doing, but because it's fabric and

[2:19:26] not a solid sign like these, he said you might be able to get away with it. He

[2:19:30] has to finish all the calculations for us, but we cannot really even go up

[2:19:34] there. you're going to be digging with a backhoe and putting in a 4x4 hole a

[2:19:41] little bigger than that to be able to drop that much concrete in there. He did

[2:19:46] say that the the posts if you do it this way, then they all have to be drilled

[2:19:51] and the rebar inserted in the bottom of them. If you do with another plate

[2:19:56] welded to the bottom of those plates, that gives you your 16 ft. But you

[2:20:00] needed a bigger plate to withstand the moment, what they call the moment on

[2:20:06] that thing. And that would that would uh hopefully eliminate the pole going over

[2:20:11] and hitting a kid on the slide. It they try to plan these guys try to plan for

[2:20:17] and he's a good engineer. I think they plan for what can happen because when it

[2:20:23] does happen, you Oh, kind of messed up on that one, didn't we? But if you like

[2:20:29] to, I can get you copies of this. This gives you an idea of what we're looking

[2:20:33] at to do that. I thought it'd be a great project for all of us to get involved

[2:20:36] in. Um, it it would be a fun little project, but it's turned into a very

[2:20:42] large project that we would have to have the

[2:20:45] cities help with. Maybe some of the guys in streets could come up and dig the

[2:20:50] holes or I mean, trying to do that with a vac

[2:20:55] » and we'd be willing to help out. like it's always stated, I'm I'm willing to

[2:20:58] do what I can and uh I believe my team is willing to help out also

[2:21:02] » and they they that's exactly what they said and they help me get things set up

[2:21:05] down there. But the problem is that you know we're getting into where uh this is

[2:21:11] the time of year where if you can get some of it ready and done, protect it

[2:21:15] for the spring, get on it again in the spring and see how we can work this out

[2:21:19] because that excavation is going to be a big deal. Those are 10 foot apart. These

[2:21:23] are only 4T apart. So, there's a lot of fabric to stretch out there, but like

[2:21:30] you say, we have just about everything we need except the manpower and

[2:21:35] some of the materials to put this together. So, um it's not forgotten. I I

[2:21:42] want you to know I'm still working. I put about a a good four days in on it,

[2:21:46] the leg work and whatnot. And uh I think it's a very viable thing. I I

[2:21:52] question how often we would need those put up because you have we have what

[2:21:59] maybe maybe as much as a month of hot weather. The direct sunlight was putting

[2:22:06] quite a bit of heat on the slides. I went up and measured or put my hands on

[2:22:10] everything when I checked it in the hottest part of the day with the direct

[2:22:13] sunlight. The uh um Mr. Gary had taken a heat gun up there

[2:22:20] and actually put it on the slides during the hot part of the day and it did come

[2:22:24] out to 146°. I believe 140 is the threshold for

[2:22:30] second degree burns. Um, at first I was real skeptical about that because

[2:22:34] they're plastic and it's a special plastic, but these slides are actually

[2:22:38] made with something different than the poles are coated with. So, it did turn

[2:22:43] out to be a pretty hot thing. Uh we had a testimony from uh Jill Patterson and

[2:22:48] her daughters were there in the meeting and they said she said they won't go to

[2:22:53] the park without long pants on and they don't want to go with long pants on so

[2:22:56] they don't go to the park anymore. So we just uh made it a requirement for

[2:23:01] long pants. No, I'm just kidding. Um if you go up there and look at it, the

[2:23:08] the the play area is bordered with like 4x4s or 6x sixes I believe. And

[2:23:14] then it has bark chips um in the in there for the

[2:23:20] cushion falls and whatever. And an idea that was suggested said uh they said,

[2:23:26] "Well, why don't we put a 4ft fence around it and lock it when it's too

[2:23:31] hot?" I mean, it's if it's a a safety issue,

[2:23:35] then it's kind of like the pool. We don't leave the pool wide open every

[2:23:38] night during the summer because kids will drown in there. So, if we had like

[2:23:44] a 4ft fence and we have signage, the correct signage up there, because we

[2:23:47] have some signage, but it's not enough. But a 4ft fence and locking the gates

[2:23:53] and then going up and opening them in the mornings,

[2:23:57] I I can see that that might be maybe the total expense we'd have to worry about

[2:24:02] if it's too hot for their kids. A good parent is going to be there and say,

[2:24:05] "No, you can't. Let's go over here and go on the swings or something." I have I

[2:24:10] have very few places that I've been and I did check around a lot to see if

[2:24:16] there's shades on anything else. I there was one at the child care over there on

[2:24:20] um 16th and and Sheller I believe uh right on the corner there by the

[2:24:27] Chris Christian school property. But that's the only place I saw a shade

[2:24:32] anywhere um over playground equipment. So, it's

[2:24:37] something to discuss further. I believe if we did looked at it again at the

[2:24:42] workshop, take our time, do this right, because you don't have engineered

[2:24:48] drawings and and an engineered plan. when they told Pat um he called the

[2:24:54] insurance company, they said, "Well, you have a low, it's kind of a low liability

[2:24:58] for this, but I think I'm pretty sure that the assumption was you're going to

[2:25:03] have a contractor, professionals do it. We were going to do it as a council."

[2:25:08] And uh it can be done. I mean, I like I said, I know Julie just wants to grab a

[2:25:13] paintbrush right now and get all those bulls painted up because they I think

[2:25:18] they'll work pretty good. And uh questions. I had one for Pat. Um did we

[2:25:25] get our grand uh what's it called? The master

[2:25:29] plan, soccer master plan yet.

[2:25:34] » We have received it. >> We have it.

[2:25:36] » So, right. So, I could u present that to a parks committee and have it reviewed.

[2:25:43] Um but I uh I haven't had access to it. I've reviewed it. Um, I'm not sure what

[2:25:50] we want to um learn from that, but uh I have a copy of

[2:25:55] it. >> Well, I was I was thinking about um

[2:25:59] along these lines, goal placement. Um are are we going to create these goals?

[2:26:03] I mean, they're really super expensive. And I know uh several places that have

[2:26:08] this steel that can be fabricated into soccer goals depending on what age

[2:26:13] group. Are they going to use the fulls size goals here? There's a lot of ways

[2:26:17] to go with it. And so the fact that he has gotten lived up to his

[2:26:22] responsibility and got us that back, it's like a go-ahhead for us to go ahead

[2:26:26] and start looking at ways to make that happen.

[2:26:30] » And I think that's about all I got.

[2:26:34] » Oh, >> he does. He just want doesn't want to

[2:26:37] talk about it. >> Are you sure?

[2:26:38] » All this time. >> Yeah.

[2:26:40] » Okay. Um uh Deputy Mayor, >> nothing.

[2:26:45] » Okay. So, I'm going to be I'm going to try to be quick and and just just just

[2:26:49] very direct here. Um, we had a a school board um member um approach the mic and

[2:26:56] talk about the incident that happened on Edison. So, um

[2:27:02] I on around September 11th, I did send an

[2:27:07] initial email because I uh to to Mr. Haley and I copied members of the public

[2:27:12] safety committee. I I I clearly remember copying Tom Dolan um on this email to

[2:27:17] Pat um expressing the urgency of addressing the hazard that this faint

[2:27:22] crosswalk um creates to students um uh over at the high school that are

[2:27:31] attempting to continue to try to use that crosswalk even though it's no

[2:27:34] longer a crosswalk. Um, and I had a parent actually call me a week before

[2:27:40] that um, concerned that she like actually saw an an accident that almost

[2:27:47] happened because of actually what happened on Monday. There was a car

[2:27:51] coming out of the parking lot and in their blind spot there was a student

[2:27:55] that was actually not trying to cross the crosswalk I believe but was

[2:27:59] according to Mr. Haley was going onto the sidewalk. Nevertheless, that area

[2:28:03] there is very problematic. Um, I went out on September 11th. No, September

[2:28:10] 11th, I sent that initial email. I copied some of you who are part of the

[2:28:13] public safety. I'm usually always copying the deputy mayor on these. Um, I

[2:28:18] tried to interchange whoever I'm copying just so I keep most of you in the loop.

[2:28:22] Um, I didn't get a response until around Monday from U. Mr. Haley and um, from my

[2:28:29] um, very obscure recollection. And I I remember um the email saying something

[2:28:34] like um I' I've driven around and it seems like the city is in compliance. Um

[2:28:40] and you know that email told me, well there's nothing else to do. So then I

[2:28:44] pushed back on that email and I said um something along the lines of um at this

[2:28:50] point I actually take it upon myself to go take pictures of the crosswalks that

[2:28:53] I was referring to um around 8 in the morning. and I sent an another email

[2:28:58] this time and I believe I switch and I maybe copy you Mr. Chavez um because

[2:29:04] you're also part of the public safety committee um subcommittee and um I say

[2:29:09] actually um you know many times laws do not equate to protection just as

[2:29:14] compliance doesn't equate to safety. So, we should look into this a lot further

[2:29:19] and a lot thorough. And if we have to, let's pull in the school district um

[2:29:24] because we need to stop working in silos and we need to come together

[2:29:28] collaboratively to uh make sure that we have a safety plan in place. What are

[2:29:33] our streets crews doing knowing that that's not a crosswalk there? Um to make

[2:29:38] sure that we're painting over it um as frequently as we need to, especially

[2:29:41] when school's about to commence. Um, and what's our communication with the school

[2:29:48] district to make sure that if there are problem areas um that we receive maybe

[2:29:53] as council members because usually we are the first to be tapped in from the

[2:29:57] community comes to us and then it might go to the the city manager usually is

[2:30:01] how it happens. And if we're tapped in, um, how do we make sure that through the

[2:30:05] city manager, we're conveying that to the school district or, um, we're trying

[2:30:11] to come together, uh, to have a conversation. Um, after that, I I

[2:30:16] believe um um, somebody maybe it was you, Councelor Sati, that inserted

[2:30:23] yourself and you asked a question. Um, nevertheless, I I didn't receive any

[2:30:28] other um feedback if things were getting taken care of, if they were not taken

[2:30:33] care of. Um, and then I might have sent out another email along the way. Um, all

[2:30:38] that to say is that by Tuesday last week, I have no idea what's going on.

[2:30:42] Um, I don't know if it's getting taken care of. Um, I know that maybe you,

[2:30:46] Hector, had reached out and said, "We're going to take care of the situation.

[2:30:49] However, there's no there's no timeline. There's no deadline. There's no when,

[2:30:53] how, who." Um, and so, um, I'm, uh, out of town. Maybe Monday morning. I

[2:31:01] actually end up losing connection to my email. Thank you, Jafet, for helping

[2:31:04] restore my password. um on Tuesday and um Monday I get this um I actually uh

[2:31:13] get a screenshot to uh sent to me about um this the PD um informing the

[2:31:20] community that there has been an accident on Edison and then a

[2:31:23] 50-year-old high school student is at the hospital with leg injuries. So

[2:31:28] imagine from the 11th through the day that the accident happens in between we

[2:31:35] talk about uh trust in between there being no clear and concise communication

[2:31:40] from the interim city manager from public works um from the school board

[2:31:46] for the school district letting us know how this issue was going to be handled.

[2:31:51] And then on Monday, I wake up to someone being injured, a child being injured and

[2:31:56] at in and now at the Sunnyside Hospital. That literally was a hit to the gut

[2:32:02] because at that moment I thought, what could I have done as a council member

[2:32:07] who was actually approached by a parent? Um what how could my colleagues um help

[2:32:14] how could they have helped reinforce the situation and the urgency of the

[2:32:17] situation? how could this the interim city manager have stepped in um to make

[2:32:22] sure that things were moving a lot quicker? And you know, at at that point

[2:32:26] in time, all I thought was it could have been worse. Thank god it was not worse.

[2:32:31] And um then I think yesterday, no maybe the

[2:32:37] day before, um councelor Chavez mentioned that he was out with public

[2:32:42] works and there was a second uh uh layout of the tar um uh actively being

[2:32:50] sto um laid out um that morning with now cones around it. And so now I'm

[2:32:56] thinking, well, why are we why do we move after something happens instead of

[2:33:02] being proactive? Again, I'm going to take the schoolboard members word. We're

[2:33:06] being reactive. And so, um, I'm just going to reiterate to all of you right

[2:33:12] now is when I'm copying you all on an email, it's not just for just out of the

[2:33:18] blue. I'm copying you all on an email. When I'm bringing things to the interm

[2:33:21] city manager, I'm not bringing a honeydew list just to bring a honeydew

[2:33:25] list to the NRM city manager. Usually with things when I am approaching

[2:33:29] situations, when I'm trying to contact any of you, it's because I believe it is

[2:33:34] urgent and because I believe it is something that we need to take care of.

[2:33:38] Um, and so that leads me to to just kind of a side note here is if I am copying

[2:33:46] you all, if I am calling you all, um, if I am maybe texting you all, um, out of

[2:33:52] common courtesy, and we can put this in in the rules and procedures, and we can

[2:33:55] amend this, is that we should be acting to respond to each other. Sometimes

[2:34:00] we're not responding as quickly as we can because I understand that we all

[2:34:04] have lives and we all have to take care of our jobs and we're in the middle of

[2:34:08] maybe with family and you know emergencies come up. But I I do request

[2:34:12] that we are being as responsive to one another as possible. Um, you know,

[2:34:17] Deputy Mayor Hart, um, because I haven't been getting responses from you via

[2:34:22] email, via phone, I am now going to do this publicly and I am going to say

[2:34:26] that, you know, it's becoming quite an inconvenience when I'm trying to reach

[2:34:30] out to my deputy mayor, the deputy mayor, um, when I'm trying to obtain

[2:34:35] reinforcement, support, backing, when things like these are happening and they

[2:34:40] are urgent and when we are trying to work to fix something and they are

[2:34:44] urgent and I am not getting responses. It is frustrating and it is becoming a

[2:34:50] barrier to the progress to the work for the city and this is across the board

[2:34:55] because I hope that you are also going back to councelor Chavez you are also

[2:34:58] holding me accountable if I'm not being responsive to you all. I do not agree

[2:35:03] with many of you on many thing many many things you know some some things morally

[2:35:08] ethically um you know you know I'm not here to you know to to your point

[2:35:13] interim city manager you know you did ask me a little bit ago are we friends

[2:35:17] I'm not here to make friends and I want to make that very clear and I'm not sure

[2:35:21] how that's going to land too many of you but I'm not here to make friends I am

[2:35:24] here to collaborate to get jobs done I am make sure I am here to collaborate

[2:35:28] with every single one of you whether we agree um uh or on on on personal issues,

[2:35:35] on um uh moral issues, on value issues, whether we agree or not, if it's

[2:35:42] something that's going to improve and help the city and support our community,

[2:35:46] I will work with every single one of you. So, I want for you all to continue

[2:35:53] holding me accountable. If I'm not being as responsive, if you all would need me

[2:35:56] to be responsive, I ask the same of of you, you know, vice versa here, you

[2:36:03] know, I if if it's something that pertains to the city and the improvement

[2:36:07] and the rehabilitation and public safety, I will move mountains to make

[2:36:12] sure that I am sitting across from you to make sure that we are having

[2:36:16] conversations to create action plans to make sure that we are addressing dire

[2:36:22] urgent situations when they arise. and we are not having to wake up one morning

[2:36:26] knowing that we could have done more to prevent somebody

[2:36:31] being sent to the hospital with leg injuries. Now,

[2:36:36] um what I'm I'm going to add here is is is lastly kind of lastly because I'm

[2:36:41] going to try to summarize this up is that uh the the um the um I did go down

[2:36:47] to the workshop session for the schoolboard because I did want to

[2:36:49] directly talk to the superintendent and um I did ask for um the the interim city

[2:36:55] manager uh the PD um for folks from public works uh from for the for the

[2:37:01] school board to come together and have a meeting where we address a safety plan

[2:37:07] between the school and between the city to make sure that we are on the same

[2:37:11] page about how we are going to move forward to make sure that we aspire to

[2:37:17] having zero zero casualties uh zero injuries on our streets, zero

[2:37:24] injuries and zero harm um in our community uh because it's really

[2:37:29] important. I know that we can't um it can't be more than than than three of us

[2:37:35] before it becomes quorum, but if more of you want to come, there's a way to go

[2:37:39] about it and all we have to do is announce it. We can take action, but we

[2:37:44] can bring it back to council to take action. Um and it is an initial meeting

[2:37:48] that um I sent out trying to bring us together and if um uh I was going to ask

[2:37:54] Mr. Haley to send you all that email. Um it it has been um I think we identified

[2:38:00] a date for Tuesday at 400 pm. If there's more of you that than three that want to

[2:38:05] attend um I think that's amazing. We'll just have to go through proper protocol

[2:38:11] to make sure that we are not violating OPMA. Um but we need to come together

[2:38:15] and we need to stop working in silos to address these issues. Um just going to

[2:38:19] address one comment that she said there about um my um conversation with the

[2:38:25] interim city manager about um you know what I I had an agenda meeting

[2:38:29] yesterday. Usually we have agenda meetings, deputy mayor and I before the

[2:38:33] council meeting to address what's going to be on the agenda. Um and to make sure

[2:38:37] that anything that maybe some of you all want to bring to the agenda is on the

[2:38:40] agenda. Um and you know what I I left pretty frustrated because you know one

[2:38:46] of the comments u Mr. Mr. Haley that you made was that um you know these these

[2:38:50] aren't children these are high schoolers and they should know better. I go to the

[2:38:53] work session and actually hear from the school board members one one school

[2:38:57] board member saying well they are high schoolers they continue wanting to use

[2:39:00] the sidewalk. Let me remind you all that these are minors. You know they continue

[2:39:04] being minors and they continue being the children that we were elected to serve

[2:39:08] and minors means vulnerable population. So we should be acting as swiftly and as

[2:39:14] urgent as such when something is impacting vulnerable populations in

[2:39:18] community. And so um this is this type of perspective these are just you know

[2:39:25] they're they're not children um children do what they want is what leads to

[2:39:30] mental health crisises. You saw families here in the audience earlier. Well, if

[2:39:36] we can actually establish better mentorship, resourcing our families,

[2:39:40] resourcing our students, I hope that we can also prevent more mental cris more

[2:39:46] mental crisises, injuries that are landing us at the hospital and and

[2:39:51] hopefully hopefully completely eradicate

[2:39:56] children dying by suicide. So I I challenge every single one of us to not

[2:40:01] just say they are ch they you know they're they're whatever children will

[2:40:04] do what they do do. We are adults that were tasked with protecting youth and we

[2:40:11] should all be expected to act accordingly because that's what we were

[2:40:15] elected to serve. So what happens at the Sunnyside School District is very much

[2:40:19] my problem because those families were who elected me to be here on this DAS

[2:40:25] and and to continue advocating for them. Now um I'm going to um ask for y'all's

[2:40:35] backing because we go back to trust and I believe that trust um uh the

[2:40:39] foundation of trust is is open communication. Open communication

[2:40:43] two-way street. I think that's not what we're getting enough of. So, um, uh,

[2:40:48] Elizabeth Alba was doing this. Uh, Mike Gonzalez was doing this. He was

[2:40:52] reporting out, they were all reporting out every week, um, this as city

[2:40:56] managers what was happening throughout the week. Um, we haven't been getting

[2:41:00] that from the interim city manager. So I I would like and I hope that maybe

[2:41:04] there's a consensus here for the interim city manager to provide a report just

[2:41:08] like department has provided a report to us of what's going on um throughout the

[2:41:12] city, what projects are being worked on, what's not being worked on, what's

[2:41:15] troubling, what we need to work on as a council to make sure that we're we're

[2:41:20] taking care of it. So, um I would like to direct the city manager to make sure

[2:41:24] that he is doing a report out every week just like department heads are reporting

[2:41:28] out every week. So, we are all in the know of what's happening. Um so, I can

[2:41:33] put a motion on the table or this can be a consensus.

[2:41:40] I agree.

[2:41:44] Anybody else? I agree.

[2:41:51] I agree.

[2:41:54] » Yep. Any

[2:41:59] » I uh would like to tell you a little bit about what I witnessed. Um as we talked

[2:42:05] several times uh earlier about flashing lights, a crossing thing there. Um when

[2:42:11] this happened, I went directly to his office. He was on the phone

[2:42:17] already talking to the state about what is required so we could figure out how

[2:42:24] to get through this. I went to public works and talked to a couple of them

[2:42:31] down there and that both of those crosswalks that are not on the corner

[2:42:36] from 16th over the next two crosswalks were abandoned.

[2:42:40] They took the paint off, they tarred over it and that's worn down. And so now

[2:42:44] you have a faint view of a crosswalk. I have 20 plus years in almost 25. I'm

[2:42:51] sure that uh my friend over there number 11 would back me up on saying that they

[2:42:57] don't obey when you tell them you cannot walk across the tracks and go to

[2:43:03] McDonald's. They don't obey. You're just a teacher. I'll go do what I want. I

[2:43:09] appreciate the urgency of it. you took two days to get back to me. And I just

[2:43:16] thought, well, what do we do now? I mean, it's

[2:43:20] like we I don't think that we have a responsibility

[2:43:25] to educate people's children on how to cross the street. When I was a little

[2:43:30] kid, my dad grabbed my hand and said, "I'm going to show you how you cross a

[2:43:33] street." >> So, there's a lot of people involved in

[2:43:38] this and a lot of situations involved in this. And [clears throat] I don't think

[2:43:42] the light should be shed on the city. And I don't think the light should be

[2:43:46] shi shed on the school district other than, hey, here's an idea. Let's all

[2:43:51] work together and see if we can make the environment a little better so they

[2:43:54] understand you can't you can't jump the fence right there and then go running

[2:43:59] across the street without looking. Things like that happened all the time.

[2:44:05] and losing kids to suicide that really hurts because I lost a few

[2:44:10] in 20ome years and it really hurts. So there is the drive to to fix this but at

[2:44:18] the same time I don't think we can really point the finger at anybody that

[2:44:23] that this happened because accidents happen. Somebody didn't see this,

[2:44:28] somebody looked that way and I was sorry to hear it. Go ahead, counselor uh

[2:44:33] Chavez, and then we'll wrap this up. >> You know, I'm not I'm not here to either

[2:44:37] point fingers, but you know, as a parent, last year I was taking my

[2:44:40] daughter to school. I would drop off in front of that paint, in front of that

[2:44:47] crosswalk because I never knew it was not a crosswalk. It had paint. It was a

[2:44:52] crosswalk. That's what I saw. And every year you every time I would take my

[2:44:55] daughter, I would park right there, give her a hug, give her a kiss, have a good

[2:44:59] day. We will see you. To this day, after this happened, I found out that that was

[2:45:03] not a crosswalk. You walk over there. I went with that gentleman yesterday on

[2:45:08] Monday. He goes, "That looks like a crosswalk to me, too." So, it's not that

[2:45:14] we're pointing fingers, but a lot of us are I didn't know about it.

[2:45:18] » Was a crosswalk for many years and then >> Exactly. And so that's what we're that's

[2:45:22] the thing about the school needs to at least educate or remove it to make it

[2:45:26] for people to know that it's not a crosswalk.

[2:45:30] That's just my take on it. >> I uh gave you the uh timetable of events

[2:45:37] that happened that uh that are being addressed.

[2:45:39] » Yeah. And I think you know going back to your point, he was on the phone. How

[2:45:42] come we all don't didn't know about it? >> Oh, I could defend that. You know,

[2:45:47] whenever Mr. Haley is being brought up. I can say, you know what, this he was on

[2:45:50] the phone with X Y Z person and it's getting taken care of. We're doing the

[2:45:55] most that we can. I can't say that we're saving everybody, but we can aspire to

[2:45:59] that. We can aspire to that. And the responsibility does fall on the adults.

[2:46:03] So, I would challenge that. It does fall on the adults. Um, that's why we need

[2:46:07] the school district at the table. That's why we're going to come together and

[2:46:10] have a conversation because it it will take both entities and actually more

[2:46:14] entities to make sure that we figure out what's best moving forward so they can

[2:46:20] take care of what they need to take care of. We take care of what need we need to

[2:46:23] take care of and then we come together and figure out where you know the those

[2:46:26] intersections lie within our scope of work.

[2:46:32] » Okay. I'd like to give you my timetable since I've been part of this discussion.

[2:46:38] Uh September 11th is a Friday and I don't work Fridays. So on September 14th

[2:46:44] is the first I heard about it. I went out there and did a visual inspection of

[2:46:48] every crosswalk in the city of Sunnyside around all the schools. Saw that they

[2:46:53] were all marked, all located. Uh, not only is there an

[2:46:59] alert sign that says a crosswalk ahead, but there's also a a pointer to the

[2:47:04] actual crosswalk on um uh so then my response back was

[2:47:12] under compliance with our existing crosswalks.

[2:47:15] Uh then it was identified that this is a faded location. And just walking out

[2:47:20] there, I could tell that there was a movement of this because

[2:47:26] there the the crosswalks that were previously pointing at the driveway for

[2:47:31] the parking lot clearly were abandoned and one was moved one direction and the

[2:47:37] other was moved another direction. And again, signs pointing to those

[2:47:43] locations. So then I called Ryan Maxwell and said, "This used to be a sidewalk

[2:47:49] here. What's the status?" and he said, "Well, in 2010 when we opened up this

[2:47:55] school, uh, we realized that the congestion at that location with people

[2:47:59] coming and going in and out of the parking lot

[2:48:03] and people driving up and down Edison and then somebody trying to use that

[2:48:09] crosswalk into at the location of the parking lot was unsafe. So, we abandoned

[2:48:16] and moved it." And I said, "Okay." Okay. So, I sent an email saying this is a

[2:48:22] school district problem and instructed Hector, so this is on a

[2:48:27] Wednesday the 16th.

[2:48:32] So, two days after I heard about it, I instructed Hector to send our crews out

[2:48:38] there to cover up the sidewalk because at least we could do that because we we

[2:48:43] couldn't put a sidewalk there because we'd have to put signage. And again,

[2:48:46] that was already identified as a traffic location.

[2:48:51] And I said it was a schoolboard problem. The crews were out there Thursday

[2:48:56] morning covering up the sidewalk. Their machine broke down Thursday morning and

[2:49:02] they said, "Well, we're going to have to get it fixed." So they fixed it on

[2:49:06] Friday with the full intention of being there Monday morning

[2:49:11] to finish the job, which is what they were out there first thing Monday

[2:49:16] morning without any instructions. They were planning on covering it up, not

[2:49:20] even knowing that previously earlier that morning an accident had happened.

[2:49:24] And so every action was taken on my part in a timely fashion. To say that I did

[2:49:32] nothing is really inaccurate because I was communicating with staff that

[2:49:38] this is a previous crosswalk location clearly has been abandoned. Maxwell, why

[2:49:44] has it been abandoned? Because it's a traffic hazard. Okay, let's get it

[2:49:48] covered up. Let the school board decide what they want to do with labeling their

[2:49:52] sidewalks. Cuz you couldn't put a crosswalk at the entrance to the school

[2:49:56] parking lot. You couldn't put it there. So they had moved it previously and this

[2:50:02] is a schoolboard problem and that was my last communications with the council

[2:50:06] members. It's a schoolboard problem and Leticia I told you we had street crews

[2:50:11] that were going to take care of the issue and they were out there Thursday

[2:50:15] morning taking care of the issue. Unfortunately their equipment broke down

[2:50:20] and they couldn't get back to it till Monday.

[2:50:23] » What were you guys using for equipment to fix that?

[2:50:27] We're using tar uh to uh get that cleaned up. Obviously, it's a a seal

[2:50:33] coat that we have that we use for uh seal coating.

[2:50:36] » Was it covering up all the white sp the the white um the crosswalk? Was it

[2:50:41] covering it >> as what I could tell? Yes, it was.

[2:50:44] » I went out there Thursday, took a picture and it wasn't done.

[2:50:47] » Well, on Thursday, it wasn't completed. There was a portion that was completed

[2:50:50] and I have a picture showing that it was completed. a portion was and that is at

[2:50:54] the point where their equipment broke down. I can even bring it up here on the

[2:50:59] computer to show you that a half of it was done and the equipment broke down

[2:51:03] and so they couldn't finish the other half.

[2:51:10] » Now, the second thing I'd like to address is there anybody that thinks I'm

[2:51:14] sitting on my hands here and not doing anything regarding city activities? I

[2:51:19] mean, I brought a whole list of things I'm working on. If you want me to just

[2:51:22] keep on reinforcing that list, I'd be happy to do that. But there's a lot of

[2:51:26] things I have been working on and responding to. And I personally go out

[2:51:32] when I hear something, I personally go out and check on it to to validate how

[2:51:37] accurate it is. And that's why I brought back, hey, we're in compliance with

[2:51:42] crosswalk locations. And Maxwell told me that they moved it because it was

[2:51:46] unsafe. I don't know what more I could have done. Yeah, I know what you could

[2:51:51] go ahead. >> I I do appreciate you you you doing what

[2:51:54] you can, but I've also heard the comments out there in the community

[2:51:57] where you say, "I'm just a a temporary guy. I'm my time is here. You know, it's

[2:52:03] I'm gone in October. I'm gone in November." I don't think that should be

[2:52:07] the message. >> No. Uh George, I want to challenge that.

[2:52:09] I have never said I've said I'm in >> Well,

[2:52:12] » I've never said that. I'm just sitting in a chair. I've never said that. those

[2:52:16] and and and there was just just one person. It was a few people that said,

[2:52:20] you know, when when the comments that we get from the interim city manager is

[2:52:24] just that that he's just an inrum and that he's leaving it up to the new guy.

[2:52:30] » There is nothing I'm leaving up to the new guy.

[2:52:33] » I I have heard that from >> Yeah. But see, but but you see, have you

[2:52:37] heard [clears throat] it from any staff? Staff, do you think that I'm sitting in

[2:52:40] my hands? >> I'm not always I don't have all the

[2:52:44] » But that's where who you should hear from. That's you who you should hear it

[2:52:46] from. >> He's the first one in the office. He's

[2:52:49] the last one to leave. He's addressed everything up and down within the

[2:52:53] office. He goes he talks to each one of us. He makes sure he gets the correct

[2:52:57] updates. I Yeah. Yeah. Good. Well, it is important

[2:53:03] and I I I I um I'm I'm going to second counselor Galvan on this one because it

[2:53:07] is important that you know the community pays y your checks. The community

[2:53:12] elected us to be here. Um, so it is important to hear first from community.

[2:53:17] Um, the community pays your salary. Um, so it is important to hear from

[2:53:21] community and I'm glad that he's working out for you all. Um, but I I have to

[2:53:26] second what councelor Gvans said because I have heard from many many people. Um,

[2:53:30] » how many is many many people? I mean I don't

[2:53:33] » probably a good five. >> I don't engage.

[2:53:35] » We need to maintain the quorum. I think it's

[2:53:37] » I don't engage with five me people in the commission. Well, um I have I'm I'm

[2:53:41] I'm speaking. So, you know, it I was I you know, a council member brought up a

[2:53:46] a concern about these comments being brought up and I think um you know, I

[2:53:51] have also heard that myself and I don't know if councelor Galwan and I speak to

[2:53:55] the same people, but I have heard it myself um as well. And um you know, I

[2:54:00] think it's important that while you're here um you you [clears throat] are

[2:54:04] investing the time and um into making sure that we understand what it is

[2:54:09] you're doing. I'm glad staff understands because they are your employees so they

[2:54:13] should understand what you're doing. Um I didn't know that you were out there

[2:54:17] calling whoever Tom Dolan witnessed you calling. I I don't have all the time to

[2:54:22] be at city hall as a council member. I also try to refrain from going into city

[2:54:26] hall because it is not within my job scope. It is not within the RCW for me

[2:54:30] to be um in engaging too much with with staff members. Um so so I don't find

[2:54:37] myself as often. So I might not know as much as Tom Dolan does, but um but but I

[2:54:42] do ask that you do report out. We think we had a consensus of from council

[2:54:46] members that you do report out. So we all understand what is happening and you

[2:54:50] are taking care of. So if somebody ever approaches us and says this isn't

[2:54:54] getting done, we can say, you know what, he's getting people to it. I couldn't

[2:54:59] have said that because I had no idea. The the email shut off at one time and

[2:55:04] then I had no idea what was going on. Um, I'm I'm going to go ahead and move

[2:55:08] us um because we can be here and we're going to hit the third hour and we still

[2:55:12] have to go into executive session. Um, thank you for reminding us to to to keep

[2:55:17] the quorum. Um, but you know, if if I'm being challenged, I'm going to challenge

[2:55:21] challenge back and >> we we do have um one only employee and

[2:55:24] that is the interim city manager. Um, I'm going to go ahead and just move us

[2:55:28] along. I'd >> like to have one quick uh response very

[2:55:32] quick. I'm You keep talking about staff and I'm I can remember sitting here and

[2:55:38] not seeing all these new faces. I mean, I went down to city hall and I didn't

[2:55:43] see anybody in there and now we have a staff to actually talk to and I think

[2:55:48] that uh that's been done by him. So, we got to give him a little credit. Um, I'm

[2:55:54] surprised with this response because I I get down

[2:56:00] there and I see all these new faces in the building and none of them there's a

[2:56:04] lot of them not here tonight, but there's uh people in place and

[2:56:09] assistance to help them. And that didn't just happen. That happened because his

[2:56:13] whole desk is covered with these thousand papers and I walk in there and

[2:56:17] talk to him anyway because he didn't close his door. if he doesn't close the

[2:56:22] door, I'm going to walk in there and take his time for a little bit because I

[2:56:24] need to know things. And so, yeah, I do go down and talk to him. If I'm out of

[2:56:29] my lane, just let me know because I keep seeing that and I think that, wow, I'm

[2:56:34] not the only one out of my lane. That's all I have. I got something to

[2:56:39] say real quick and I'd like to apologize to you on my behalf, on me, but not

[2:56:45] answering you correctly and not answering getting back to you as soon as

[2:56:48] I can. So, I apologize to you. I will do better to make sure. The import that you

[2:56:54] have is my import also. Uh, Mr. Haley's been really great. He's been a good

[2:57:00] leader to us. Um, I can't say much more, but I appreciate him as I appreciated

[2:57:08] all appreciate all everybody here. I appreciated Jim Bridges when he was

[2:57:12] here. So, I thank you and I apologize to you, mayor. No,

[2:57:18] » no, no, no, no. Allow me to apologize because you did reach out. I did get

[2:57:23] back to you. I did not give you a a time. I will make sure that I will be

[2:57:28] doing better and I will make sure that I give you a time and date, a drop dead

[2:57:33] time and date when I will be making sure stuff get done. So, please accept my

[2:57:38] apologies. Again, I apologize to you. I want to put on the record you did come

[2:57:41] out and reach out to us. >> Yeah. No, thank you, Hector. Thank you.

[2:57:45] And then, you know, at the end of the day, it all follows funnels through

[2:57:48] through this way as well. So, I think we were all on the same page with how we

[2:57:52] move along. But I appreciate that. Um, I'm going to move us along to upcoming

[2:57:57] council meetings. The next one's going to be on Wednesday, October 7th, which

[2:58:01] is a study session, and then followed by Wednesday, October 14th, was which is a

[2:58:05] regular meeting. Wednesday, October 28th, which is a regular meeting. Um,

[2:58:09] and then that concludes the month of October. Um, I'm going to go ahead and

[2:58:13] toss this over to you for city manager reports and then before we move into

[2:58:17] executive session,

[2:58:22] » I'm happy to uh give an update on anything. Uh, Jafet, how are we doing?

[2:58:36] All I have to say is that Pat's created the best work environment I've had since

[2:58:40] I've been in Sunny's head. And to watch him bered like that, I I don't

[2:58:44] appreciate it. I'm I have stuff I'm working on, but

[2:58:51] I I don't appreciate seeing him take that. And that's all I can see right

[2:58:57] now. >> I'm going to challenge that. There's not

[2:59:00] a berating. It's it's accountability because he is our only employee and I we

[2:59:06] do expect communication and when we're asking for communication

[2:59:11] um it's it's pretty clear what we're asking for. Um our you know the last

[2:59:18] city manager was also really berated and but I'm not going to go there. Um

[2:59:26] » any more uh Hector that you have? >> Uh just wanted to give you guys an

[2:59:33] update on the Silver Dollar Motel. Um I know Mr. Chavez wanted the pictures. I

[2:59:38] will see if if I can share them somehow someway. Um don't want to take up more

[2:59:45] time. I know we're I only got two minutes and I don't I can talk but uh so

[2:59:49] we do have a fence around it. It is boarded up. Uh we are talking with

[2:59:53] landmark uh land landmark um who's working with us about the uh

[3:00:00] Silverstone. Uh it is now secured. Um we do have a fence on it. Um there is no

[3:00:07] trespassing signs on it and um we will continue to work with them uh to make

[3:00:12] that a cleaner place. So um >> quick question, Hector.

[3:00:17] » Yes, sir. >> So the people that were there, they're

[3:00:19] no longer there, >> correct? Were they offered anything to

[3:00:22] be able to move around? Uh, so maybe going up to Yakma for Camp Hope or any

[3:00:27] other services? >> I I believe they was prior to prior to

[3:00:31] us. They >> they've been offered that for 6 months

[3:00:33] repeatedly. That's what Yakima County Human Services did down here for 6

[3:00:37] months was try to work with them and I think they got almost every family

[3:00:39] placed except two or three that wouldn't uh accept help and that was the two or

[3:00:44] three. >> If you see any of them and they send

[3:00:45] them send them through comprehensive, we'll we got some some resources for

[3:00:48] them to be able to house them. my understanding that uh the one family

[3:00:52] DSHS maybe found a place for him. Okay. Or or helped him with an apartment or

[3:00:55] something to that. >> I'm putting all these notes of all the

[3:00:58] meetings that I got coming up. Um I know that you just emailed me and Hector

[3:01:02] emailed me. So, I'm adding everything over to my calendar. So, I have that cuz

[3:01:06] I, you know, like I said, I'm trying to hold myself accountable to making sure

[3:01:10] that I'm attending some of these meetings, making sure that we we follow

[3:01:13] through with the meetings. And so, but thank you for the for that. I appreciate

[3:01:18] um we're getting that. Hopefully the city is

[3:01:22] um Oh, but document let's document. Remember we talked about this. Let's

[3:01:26] document everything that we do when we send over to the to the

[3:01:31] um to the bank. So if it ever comes back, we have some documentation that

[3:01:36] we've asked them what to do. Um I think our city attorney can agree with me in

[3:01:40] regards to that.

[3:01:43] Madame Mayor and councelor, we're working directly with Hector and the

[3:01:49] chief on the forms and the documentation and all of that. So, yes.

[3:01:54] » Thank you guys. Appreciate it. I do appreciate you guys working on that cuz

[3:01:56] that's something that's been an isore for our community and I think that

[3:02:00] hopefully we can get get that put behind us.

[3:02:03] » Yes. Now, you will see some uh uh material not materials, personal

[3:02:09] items out there in front and the U-shape. Um that is for them to come

[3:02:13] back and pick it up. Um we did say I think a week

[3:02:17] » I wasn't there. >> I believe it's a week. He wasn't it

[3:02:19] wasn't there. I think Cory and I were talking about it and we and with the

[3:02:22] sheriffs and we're giving them a week to come back get their personal items and

[3:02:26] then Landmark is going to be taking it all away. They're they're they took the

[3:02:30] lead on it. Um we're we let them know that we're here to help them at anyway.

[3:02:34] Um but like I said right now we do have the fencing up. Um they did board up

[3:02:38] today. They'll be back tomorrow to board up um on the east side.

[3:02:42] » Are you doing a like a special uh um in kind of special invoices to know how

[3:02:48] much we're spending as a city into what we're putting into that that hotel? So

[3:02:52] when we later do bill, we have all that. >> Yes, sir.

[3:02:55] » Okay. >> Council, I just want to remind you that

[3:02:58] we've hit the third hour. So if we can just allow them to and if we have any

[3:03:01] other f No, you're fine. Any follow-up questions, we can direct those through

[3:03:04] the city manager. Jessica,

[3:03:10] » um, real quick, I sent out the public safety committee email, so if we can get

[3:03:13] that set up, so if we can respond. And then third, Tuesday, the meeting at 4.

[3:03:16] Do you have a location for that? I believe on Tuesdays, they have court in

[3:03:19] this room, so this room will not be available.

[3:03:21] » Believe the superintendent u mentioned that um the exec um the admin building.

[3:03:28] » Okay. All right. And then October 29th, trunk or treats coming up, but we can

[3:03:32] hit there's meetings between now and then. So, thank you.

[3:03:39] Nothing for me at this time. >> Dang.

[3:03:45] » Okay. So, do you all want to recess for a couple m minutes before we move into

[3:03:49] executive session? >> Just Just move. It's already 9:03.

[3:03:53] » Yeah. Let's move. >> Let's move. Okay. Uh so now we will be

[3:03:56] moving into executive session for 30 minutes pursuant to RCW4230.110

[3:04:02] subsection G to evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for

[3:04:05] public employment or to review the performance of a public employee. Also

[3:04:09] RCW4230.110 subsection I to discuss with legal

[3:04:13] counsel representing the agency matters relating to agency enforcement actions

[3:04:16] or to discuss with legal counsel representing the agency litigation or

[3:04:19] potential litigation to which the agency the governing body or a member acting in

[3:04:23] an official capacity is or likely to become a party when public knowledge

[3:04:27] regarding the discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial

[3:04:31] consequence to the agency. We are now asking for everybody to ex

[3:04:42] Okay, we are back in session in regular session. Um we have concluded our

[3:04:47] executive session. There will be no action to be taken tonight. Now, without

[3:04:52] um any objection, seeing none, hearing none, I will go

[3:04:57] ahead and conclude our regular meeting at 9:45 p.m.

[3:05:07] Thank you guys.

City Council Regular Meeting 9/23/26

Transcript