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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026.01.05 Council Minutes MINUTES City Council Regular Meeting 7:00 PM - Monday, January 5, 2026 Pasco City Hall, Council Chambers & Microsoft Teams Webinar CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Debby Barham, City Clerk. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present: Mark Figueroa, Charles Grimm, Leo Perales, David Milne, Calixto Hernandez, and Abel Campos Councilmembers attending remotely: Councilmembers absent: None Staff present: Harold Stewart, City Manager; Richa Sigdel, Deputy City Manager; Kevin Crowley, Fire Chief; Kevin Hebdon, Finance Director; Daniel Kenny, City Attorney; Craig Raymond, Community & Economic Development Deputy Director; Sara Matzen, Human Resources Director; Ken Roske, Police Chief; Maria Serra, Public Works Director; Debby Barham, City Clerk; and Krystle Shanks, Deputy City Clerk The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. SELECTION OF TEMPORARY PRESIDING OFFICER (TO CHAIR BEGINNING OF MEETING) City Clerk Barham read the instructions for selecting an temporary presiding Officer to run the meeting until the Mayor is elected. Mr. Grimm nominated Mr. Milne as the temporary presiding Officer to chair the meeting until the Mayor is elected. Council concurred with the nomination. MOTION: Mayor & Councilmember - District 2 Grimm moved, seconded by Councilmember Perales to select Mr. Milne as the Temporary Presiding Officer to Chair the beginning of the Meeting. RESULT: Motion carried 6-0 AYES: Councilmember Figueroa, Mayor & Councilmember - District 2 Grimm, Councilmember Perales, Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne, Councilmember Hernandez, and Councilmember Campos ELECTION OF MAYOR Chair Milne called for nominations for Mayor. Mr. Milne nominated Mr. Grimm for Mayor. Following three calls the nominations were closed by interim Meeting Chair MIlne. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Campos - Yes Councilmember Grimm -Yes Councilmember Figueroa -Yes Councilmember Hernandez -Yes Councilmember Milne - Yes Councilmember Perales - Yes The vote carried 6-0. Councilmember Grimm was elected Mayor effective January 5, 2026 through December 31, 2027. ELECTION OF MAYOR PRO TEM Mayor Grimm called for nominations for Mayor Pro Tem. Mr. Figueroa nominated Mr. Milne for Mayor Pro Tem. Following three calls the nominations were closed by Mayor Grimm. Roll Call Vote: Councilmember Campos -Yes Councilmember Grimm - Yes Councilmember Figueroa - Yes Councilmember Hernandez - Yes Councilmember Milne - Yes Councilmember Perales - No The vote carried 5 to 1. Councilmember Milne was elected Mayor Pro Tem effective January 5, 2026, through December 31, 2027. RECESS Mayor Grimm called for a 10-minute recess to arrange Council seating at 7:10 PM and the meeting was called back to order at 7:20 PM. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Meeting Minutes for December 1st and 8th To approve the minutes of the Pasco City Council Regular Meeting held on December 5, 2025, Special Meeting and Special Workshop held on December 8, 2025. Bills and Communications - Approving Claims in the Total Amount of $23,046,718.81 and Write-off Totaling $2,500.00 (delinquent bad debt) To approve claims in the total amount of $23,046,718.81 ($8,448,651.11 in Check Nos. 275274 - 275766; $3,343,312.70 in Electronic Transfer Nos. 851768 - 851772, 851847 - 851855, 851857 - 851867, 851960 - 851963, 851970 - 851971, 851974 - 851976; $21,409.77 in Check Nos. 55110 - 55122; $3,267,446.36 in Electronic Transfer Nos. 30234695 - 30236003 $7,965,898.87 in Electronic Transfer Nos. 1034 - 1035). To approve bad debt write-off for accounts receivable including Utility Billing, Ambulance, Cemetery, General Accounts, and Miscellaneous Accounts in the total amount of $2,500.00 and, of that amount, authorize $2,500.00 to be turned over for collection. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne moved, seconded by Councilmember Figueroa to approve the Consent Agenda as read by Roll Call vote. RESULT: Motion carried 6-0 AYES: Councilmember Figueroa, Mayor & Councilmember - District 2 Grimm, Councilmember Perales, Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne, Councilmember Hernandez, and Councilmember Campos PROCLAMATIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PUBLIC COMMENTS Amber Wade, Pasco resident, played a recording from her phone related to an ongoing personal incident. She spoke about displacement concerns and challenges related to economic and affordable housing. Mary Mahoney, Pasco resident, commented on several topics, including Tri-Cities Animal Control, the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget, homelessness, low-cost spay and neuter services, the Pasco Public Facilities District Aquatic Center and Memorial Pool, floodplain development, eaglet protection, and Local Improvement Districts (LIDs). Lori Thompson, Pasco resident, welcomed the newly seated Councilmembers and expressed appreciation for their service. She expressed concerns regarding illegal aerial fireworks during the Christmas and New Year holidays, as well as issues related to water, sewer, and utility rates, and landscaping standards. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES AND/OR OFFICERS Verbal Reports from Councilmembers Mayor Pro Tem Milne reported participating in a Tri-Cities Animal Shelter tour, Wreaths Across America annual event at the City View Cemetery, and Pasco Winterfest. Mr. Figueroa reported being invited as a panelist at Columbia Basin College (CBC) and the AWC Elected Officials Workshop. He also participated in a meet-and-greet with downtown business owners held last Friday. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS NOT RELATING TO HEARINGS Resolution No. 4692 - Setting Time and Date for a Public Hearing for a Right- of-Way Vacation-Tierra Vida Phase 1 Westerly 20 Feet (VAC2025-003) Mr. Raymond provided a brief report related to setting a public hearing for consideration of a right-of-way vacation in the location of Tierra Vida Phase 1. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne moved, seconded by Councilmember Hernandez to approve Resolution No. 4692, setting 7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, as the time and date for a public hearing to consider the vacation of the westerly 20 feet of Tierra Vida Phase One, as established by Auditor’s File Number 1691585. RESULT: Motion carried 6-0 AYES: Councilmember Figueroa, Mayor & Councilmember - District 2 Grimm, Councilmember Perales, Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne, Councilmember Hernandez, and Councilmember Campos Ordinance No. 4808A - Amended 2026 Administrative/Professional Wages Ms. Matzen provided a brief report on technical amendments needed to the recently approved 2026 Administrative and Professional Wages for non-represented staff. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne moved, seconded by Councilmember Campos to adopt Ordinance No. 4808A, amending wages for certain administrative/professional, non-management personnel for calendar year 2026. RESULT: Motion carried unanimously. 6-0 AYES: Councilmember Figueroa, Mayor & Councilmember - District 2 Grimm, Councilmember Perales, Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne, Councilmember Hernandez, and Councilmember Campos UNFINISHED BUSINESS Presentation - Columbia River Shoreline Reconveyance Update Mr. Rice introduced Karl Dye and David Reepleog from the Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC) who provided an update on the Columbia River shoreline reconveyance and answered questions asked by Council. NEW BUSINESS Declare Council Position No. 4 Servicing Council District No. 4 Vacant Ms. Barham introduced Mr. Kenny, City Attorney who provided a brief summary on declaring Council Position No. 4 vacant. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne moved, seconded by Councilmember Figueroa to declare Pasco City Council Position No. 4, serving Council District No. 4 vacant. RESULT: Motion carried 6-0 AYES: Councilmember Figueroa, Mayor & Councilmember - District 2 Grimm, Councilmember Perales, Mayor Pro Tem & Councilmember - District 5 Milne, Councilmember Hernandez, and Councilmember Campos Council Appointment Process for Council Position No. 4, Voting District No. 4 Ms. Barham provided a brief overview of the process to fill the vacant Council Position No. 4 and outlined options for how Council could proceed. Mayor Grimm invited Mr. Cotta to the podium to speak regarding his interest in being re-appointed to Council Position No. 4. Mayor Pro Tem Milne expressed appreciation for Mr. Cotta’s leadership and stated support for his reappointment to Council. Mr. Hernandez stated he would prefer opening the position to seek a pool of applicants. Mr. Figueroa asked whether the discussion could take place in Executive Session. Mr. Stewart advised that, because the discussion concerned deliberations on the process rather than the qualifications of a specific candidate, the discussion should take place in open session. Mr. Perales moved to re-appoint Mr. Cotta to Council Position No. 4. The motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Milne. Roll Call Vote: Campos - Yes Figueroa - Yes Hernandez - No Perales - Yes Milne - Yes Grimm - Yes The motion carried 5-1. Mr. Cotta was re-appointed to Council Position No. 4. He will take his oath of office at the next Workshop. MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION Mr. Stewart welcomed Council to the new year and expressed appreciation for having a fully seated Council noting that was the first time during his tenure. He asked Council if they had any questions regarding the City Manager’s report provided in the agenda packet and no one asked for clarification on the report. Mr. Stewart announced that Officer Phil Hanks will be presented with a Purple Heart Medal for courageous service on Thursday, January 8, at 9:00 a.m. at the Pasco Police Department community room and invited Council and the public to attend. Mr. Stewart introduced Kevin Hebdon, the City’s new Finance Director, who attended his first City Council meeting, and noted that the new City Attorney, Mr. Kenny, had also been introduced earlier in the meeting. He reported that Griselda Garcia, Finance Manager and previous Interim Finance Director, has submitted her resignation, with her last day being January 7th, and publicly thanked her for her service, including her role as Interim Finance Director. Mr. Stewart informed Council of a developer outreach meeting regarding water and sewer connection fees and rates scheduled for Wednesday, January 7th, at 12:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers and invited Councilmembers to attend. Mr. Perales reported being contacted by Joe Thornton of Big Bro Joe, who is interested in relocating his organization to Pasco and requested an opportunity to provide a 5 to 10 minute presentation to Council on partnering with the City. Council expressed interest, and Mr. Stewart offered to help coordinate a future workshop agenda item. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:28 PM. PASSED and APPROVED on January 20, 2026. APPROVED: ATTEST: Charles Grimm, Mayor Krystle Shanks, Deputy City Clerk