Two of Three Petitions to Force Yakima Council To Act Don’t Qualify

Three petitions will be in front of the Yakima City Council on Tuesday but city officials say two of the petitions didn't make the signature threshold and will not go forward.

A YAKIMA GROUP THOUGHT THEY HAD ENOUGH SIGNATURES

A group of Yakima residents presented the signed petitions to the Yakima City Clerk earlier this month in an effort to force the Yakima City Council to reinstate five citizen committees that the group says helps "improve the quality of life in the city."
The petitions asked the council to reinstate the committees or send the issue to the ballot for voters.

THE FIRST TWO PETITIONS WILL NOT GO FORWARD

Two petitions oppose "the removal from the city code of the Sustainable Yakima Committee, which addresses climate change issues affecting city residents including clean air and water, and the Community Integration Committee, which focuses on equity issues across Yakima Neighborhoods, from community pools to sidewalks."
The third petition is opposed to placing "the Bike/Pedestrian Committee, the Historic Preservation Committee, and the Tree Board under the jurisdiction of the Planning Commission."

THE PETITION DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE WILL MOVE FORWARD

The only petition that will move forward is the petition that opposes the removal of the Sustainable Yakima Committee, which addresses climate change issues. That petition is now in the hands of the Yakima County Auditor for signature verification. If the signatures are verified the city has two options. Council members can either repeal the ordinance or place it on the ballot.

COUNCIL MEMBER MATT BROWN SAYS THE COMMITTEES ARE NO LONGER NEEDED

Officials with the unnamed group say they spent hours over the past month collecting signatures from residents. Yakima City Council member Matt Brown says the committees were created to serve a purpose and the council deemed their purpose was no longer needed.