[1:04] All right. It's 4:30.
[1:09] Okay, we're going to have to quiet down
a little bit here.
[1:13] It's 4:30 for our discussion for the
round table discussion. It's not public
[1:16] comment. You're welcome on the public
comment after the Our meeting starts at
[1:20] uh 5:15. We'll have that opportunity for
you. This really is a great opportunity
[1:24] for all of us to get together and for
the city council to have uh concerns and
[1:30] talks uh freely. There will be no action
um done with this. I'm going to use my
[1:35] three three five to five minutes to turn
it over to our interim city
[1:39] administrator to just tell us how we got
here. And that's what uh for the city
[1:43] council. And then it'll just turn it
over to each city council person to uh
[1:48] talk however they want to whatever they
want to say.
[1:55] That was apparently my [clears throat]
cue. Uh good evening council and mayor.
[1:59] I'm Edgar Reynold, the interim city
administrator and chief of police for
[2:02] the Wenatchee Police Department.
Uh
[2:05] as a bit of background, in October 2025,
the city of Wenatchee staff began
[2:09] looking at the process for seasonal
banners in the downtown core.
[2:12] Uh public works had noted a lack of
formalized process for scheduling,
[2:16] approval, cost recovery, and even
storage of the banners when they were
[2:20] not in use.
The city had basically taken the
[2:22] responsibility for all of these elements
without any formal agreements.
[2:26] This raised questions about costs and
potential liability in the case of a
[2:30] mishap.
One of the major reasons for these
[2:32] questions when they came up in October
was a set of banners that were hung in
[2:35] 2025 even though they did not properly
fit our installed brackets on light
[2:40] poles, and the bottoms of those banners
were secured with zip ties to kind of
[2:45] help them fit.
Um Wenatchee's banner process is not
[2:49] codified in ordinance and therefore we
just continued development of our
[2:52] updated process.
At different times we considered
[2:55] eliminating banners entirely, selecting
certain banners related to city
[2:59] interests, or continuing with the status
quo.
[3:02] None of these seemed like a best
possible solution for anyone.
[3:06] The advice provided by our legal counsel
was to allow everything or nothing.
[3:11] After further discussions between the
mayor, myself, the public works
[3:14] director, and the human resources
director, we came to the conclusion that
[3:18] ending the program suddenly, as in
having no banners in 2026,
[3:22] was not fair to organizations that had
already planned, perhaps even purchased,
[3:26] or had inquired about having banners
banners this year.
[3:30] So we took a phase out approach to the
program, potentially ending ending it
[3:33] after the 2027 season.
In the middle of this process, public
[3:38] works staff hung the American Red Cross
banners without being instructed to do
[3:41] so, just like they had done for prior
years in the month of March.
[3:45] This further illustrated the
disorganized state of affairs with this
[3:48] process and demonstrated that we had
been storing the banners.
[3:52] We rebuilt an existing application with
some new requirements, including payment
[3:56] of an increased application fee, a limit
of 50 banner locations, a fit check for
[4:00] the banners to physically fit our
hangers, and date ranges for application
[4:04] and approval, among others.
On March 23rd, 2026, the updated
[4:09] application was published on the City of
Wenatchee website, but not before
[4:12] notifying organizations who had
previously expressed interest in
[4:15] displaying banners in 2026,
including the Washington State Apple
[4:19] Blossom Festival, North Central
Washington Equity Alliance, Cascade
[4:23] Unitarian Church, the Fraternal Order of
Eagles,
[4:26] Community Foundation of North Central
Washington, and the Wenatchee Downtown
[4:30] Association reference to veterans
banners.
[4:32] These organizations were given advanced
notice of the updated application.
[4:37] On March 25th, 2026, the North Central
Washington Equity Alliance submitted an
[4:41] incomplete application in that the
intended art to be hung was not
[4:44] included.
They were notified the same day of the
[4:47] problem and failed to respond until
March 30th, 2026.
[4:51] In the meantime, another organization
submitted an application that was
[4:54] approved on March 26th, 2026.
That same organization returned the
[4:58] following day with new art that was also
approved on that date to replace the art
[5:03] from the day prior.
As more organizations sought to
[5:06] participate, competition for preferred
dates naturally increased, which led to
[5:11] ongoing disagreements as groups worked
to secure their desired time frames.
[5:15] Unfortunately, the heightened demand has
created tension within the community and
[5:19] it's become a divisive issue for some
community members.
[5:22] Our attempt to build a fair plan
designed to allow for any interested
[5:25] group to submit banners has reached a
sticking point.
[5:28] As we look at it today, our main
options, and they are only a list of
[5:32] options, they are not limited to this,
includes uh
[5:35] maintaining the current structured
application process and continuing to
[5:39] administer the program with this neutral
first come, first served basis,
[5:44] or we could develop a formal city code
to be explored and worked on this fall
[5:48] that clearly defines which banners may
be displayed potentially limiting
[5:51] displays to city sponsored programs,
policies, or causes.
[5:55] And that might formally identify which
events are city sponsored.
[5:59] Or discontinue the banner program
entirely, transition transitioning away
[6:03] from our temporary non-city banners,
and allowing the city to focus on
[6:07] potential permanent artistic
installations like we see on the north
[6:10] end in the Apple Capital Loop project.
Um
[6:14] as with anything, of course, there are a
myriad of options
[6:17] » [clears throat]
>> pending legal review,
[6:19] but this is really kind of where we got
to, and it kind of goes back to how we
[6:22] started this last fall.
Thank you.
[6:27] Okay, I used up my time.
Turn it over to the council.
[6:34] I can go first
if that's okay with the others. Yes.
[6:37] Yeah. Go for it.
So, uh it was my understanding that the
[6:42] city had other permit process that came
through the mayor's office um and
[6:46] through public works
for things like a parade, and that those
[6:50] application processes were codified. In
other words, the city council had
[6:54] approved those and
made available options for appeal if
[6:58] necessary, an appeal that
would only occur if
[7:02] an application had run into a delay or
some other inconsistency and the mayor's
[7:06] office was unable to approve it, a
person would have an appeal process.
[7:11] Uh or an organization for that matter
would have an appeal process. Uh
[7:14] similarly,
um
[7:17] in 2020,
the city decided to allow for purposes
[7:21] of COVID compliance, I believe, sidewalk
uses, and that's um policy R-13 that I
[7:27] have here from public works.
Again, it provided an opportunity for
[7:31] organizations or for businesses to apply
for and to be able to use
[7:35] city spaces for purposes of uh
accommodating customers, clients, and so
[7:41] forth during the COVID times.
Once again, that was codified in a city
[7:45] code and allowed for opportunity for the
mayor's office to approve and issue
[7:48] permits
or for public works to do so.
[7:52] It's not unusual for a city to have
permit processes that began with a city
[7:57] council approval of a city code
and therefore led to administrative
[8:03] options for permits to be issued,
fees to be collected,
[8:08] and of course schedules when it involves
city personnel to complete the
[8:12] installations.
[8:15] Simply stated, I hope to bring
a process through city code adoption
[8:21] going forward
that and including in that process the
[8:25] opportunity for the city to have an
appeals process that is also built into
[8:31] the city code and brings it into
consistency, I believe, with
[8:39] things like code 7.40, which deals with
the sidewalk use.
[8:49] Okay.
Okay, um
[8:53] well,
after hearing what Councilman
[8:56] Miller said, I tend to agree that
maybe council participation in
[9:01] codifying in the future
would be good. Um
[9:08] I'm just going to speak
personally as
[9:12] uh
community member, as a lifelong
[9:14] Wenatchee and
uh business owner,
[9:17] city council member, just a Wenatchee
person in general, I
[9:21] I personally feel like
I was not kept up-to-date. Even though
[9:25] maybe the resources were out there, I
it was not um
[9:30] easy for me to
keep up-to-date on on the ongoings of of
[9:34] this
banner um,
[9:38] issue. Um,
that being said,
[9:42] since I've been a council member,
I think the city has proclaimed twice
[9:47] that the month of June
in this town is known as would be known
[9:51] as Pride Month.
As well as, um,
[9:55] the state of Washington, RCW 43 114070,
also,
[10:00] um, declares June as
LGBTQ Awareness and Pride Month.
[10:06] So,
that being out there, it it seems
[10:10] doesn't seem a stretch for Wenatchee,
as in other
[10:16] other months, to kind of
just, um,
[10:20] not just, but to, uh, respect that.
Um,
[10:24] going forward, I I think I agree with
council
[10:27] member Miller, um,
and also,
[10:34] of the options that Chief mentioned,
I would
[10:39] I'd be willing to review
the applications, but also, um,
[10:45] hearing that potentially there could be
future permanent, uh,
[10:49] city signs,
um, it might
[10:53] it might be beneficial to
to maybe not do banners on this cycle,
[10:58] but that would be up to
other people's opinions and votes. Um,
[11:02] that's all I have.
That's the option that I would prefer
[11:06] that we discontinue the banners and go
with the permanent artwork.
[11:14] I will just say I believe Mayor Poirier
and city staff did an excellent job of
[11:19] developing a policy that is balanced and
respectful to all parties involved.
[11:25] Their approach reflected thoughtful
consideration of the community as a
[11:29] whole.
That being said, if there is a desire to
[11:33] formalize uh, uh through city code, then
let's move forward that and create a a
[11:39] clear code. However, I strongly believe
the code should specify that banners are
[11:45] for city-sponsored events, such as Apple
Blossom and Veterans Day.
[12:01] Okay.
>> [snorts]
[12:06] » You guys got me all nervous. There's a
lot of people here.
[12:10] I'm going [clears throat] to speak the
truth and only the truth about who I am
[12:13] and what what I really see in this.
Honestly, I have no
[12:21] How do I put this?
To me, everybody's welcome in our city.
[12:26] Everybody, regardless of who you are,
what you do, how you live.
[12:31] Everybody's welcome.
[12:35] The banners, please don't let the
banners, whatever banner it is up there,
[12:40] bother you, hurt you.
But you whatever situation, it's just a
[12:46] banner.
Let's move on with our lives.
[12:51] I have many co-workers who are in the
pride community.
[12:56] I've
talked to them
[12:59] and I got advice from them.
What they mentioned was
[13:04] it's not them
that they're worried about. It's the
[13:08] regular people that are just start
fighting for it, the pride people.
[13:12] And to them, they seem it's getting more
um
[13:19] dispassionate about it. They they said,
"Move on with your lives.
[13:24] It's not something going to
provide
[13:29] food over the table or something. It's
just a banner, you know, and I respect
[13:33] people. I have a gay brother. I have gay
nephews and nieces.
[13:38] I respect them. I'm not saying anything
bad about them. They're all welcome.
[13:41] Everybody's welcome.
This is a welcoming city.
[13:44] Just because we if we don't provide or
put in a a
[13:48] a pride banner doesn't mean that we
don't like you or dislike you, whatever.
[13:53] Everybody's welcome.
Um
[14:06] I I'm going to agree whatever
as our city staff will provide and see
[14:11] the concepts of
what's in the document to provide for
[14:16] any anybody out there, but I do concur
with council member
[14:21] Linda.
[14:24] The pride should only be only Excuse me,
the the banners should only be for our
[14:27] Apple Blossom and our and our veterans.
[14:32] I do get a lot of emails and phone calls
from you guys and I normally respond.
[14:38] Eventually, I haven't responded this
time because it it was going to be too
[14:41] much talking to a lot of people.
But I listen again.
[14:46] I respect everybody
and everybody's welcome.
[14:50] If you need to talk to me privately
afterwards, we can. We'll have a good
[14:54] discussion. Thank you.
[15:05] Well, it seems like
[15:08] four of you
want it to be in code, if I'm getting
[15:12] it. I'm just looking for direction. Four
It sounds like four of you are in code,
[15:14] two of you want the code to be specific
uh
[15:20] » [clears throat]
>> specific for the banners
[15:23] and then one wants to discontinue it. Do
I got that?
[15:27] Right? Correct.
>> Okay. And we don't have council member
[15:30] Navarro Gomez here and council member
Hornby here. So, that's four. So,
[15:37] um
I would think it sounds like to me I
[15:39] have direction to look at code. Uh it
wouldn't come up until this season's
[15:46] over. So, the code we'd look at it in
the um
[15:49] after the November
and kind of go from there. As as the
[15:53] best that I'm thinking of and I'll let
you guys kind of if I'm missing Well, uh
[15:58] yeah. Let me just So, we're not taking
any action. You're just taking
[16:01] direction. I'm just
Yeah. But so, even so, you would it
[16:06] would come to us as a motion to
establish a code, huh? And that's where
[16:10] the action would be taken.
>> Yeah, we got to do, you know, legal
[16:12] research. We can't just say
[16:16] you know,
the process was
[16:21] » [clears throat]
>> fair and legal.
[16:25] And then it we're in this position. But
I love this I love this. I'm so glad
[16:29] we're here because this should eliminate
calls
[16:33] and emails.
And then somebody contacting each
[16:37] individual city council person.
You know, I mean, that's that's not
[16:41] really the direction that makes sense. I
love this I love this meeting. This is a
[16:44] great way and that's what I'm seeing.
But then I'm going to I'll I'll I'll be
[16:48] quiet and kind of turn it back over to
you guys and
[16:51] let you continue.
>> just to be clear, so if it was to be
[16:56] uh come up in November, um would it
would the banners just pause until then?
[17:01] Or would be
We
[17:03] I think and maybe Danielle can help me
out here, but I believe there's a legal
[17:08] I
I'm sorry. Did I interrupt you? No.
[17:11] Okay. I'm looking at Danielle. So, right
now the uh banner program is run through
[17:16] the pre-approved policies and procedures
that are within our code. So, the public
[17:20] works director has the ability to put
that pause on there. And so, if
[17:26] um
the pause can stay in effect or it can
[17:29] be lifted while this process is going.
And then, what I anticipate happening is
[17:36] that uh I'll draft proposed code with
the direction that the mayor provides
[17:42] based upon the meeting and any other
prior conversations. And then, it will
[17:46] be presented to the city council for um
action, for approval or not approval.
[17:56] So, the
if I may sum summarize, the
[18:00] if a change of code comes through, uh it
would appear in front of us as a part of
[18:05] another public meeting in the future.
Even if it's an existing code that gets
[18:09] modified. And that is not an uncommon
process to have happen.
[18:14] If it's a brand new code, it would come
through
[18:17] as a city council approved
Brand new code and a modification of a
[18:22] code or repeal of a code, it's all the
same process. Okay. Ordinance, ordinance
[18:27] published, so forth and Correct. Okay.
Thank you.
[18:33] Uh
To bring it to a close for my my
[18:36] comments, there is a
There is a city sign code. It was last
[18:39] visited, I believe, in 2019.
And
[18:43] it provides a lot of information for
things Well, I'll just show you.
[18:48] Even though this is old, and it's
probably hard for everybody to see, it's
[18:51] just a sign from the 1950s. This Having
signs for business use around the city
[18:56] is nothing new.
But,
[18:58] as we know, uh the city has to have some
control over
[19:03] its own structures and its own uh
properties.
[19:08] Just like a person would want to have
control over what signs can go in front
[19:12] of their home and so forth.
So, if a larger comprehensive sign code
[19:15] change does come down, you'll all be
aware of it in advance.
[19:20] Thank you.
[19:26] Anybody else?
Hearing none,
[19:30] I guess we're good and
start our meeting at 5:15.
[19:35] Thank you guys.
>> Do we need a motion to adjourn the
[19:37] special?
Oh, there you go.
[19:39] I move that we adjourn adjourn the
special meeting. Second. Motion and
[19:44] second. All those in favor? Aye. All
those opposed? Motion carries.