The Yakima City Council meets Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Yakima City Hall, where they will address two significant issues: the Yakima Municipal Court's community service program and the funding for city pools, including the new facility planned for Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES WILL LEAD THE DISCUSSION

During the meeting, two judges from the Yakima Municipal Court will present insights into the community diversion program, which empowers judges to sentence defendants to community service as an alternative to traditional penalties. Participants in this program must have no violent convictions or lengthy criminal histories.

The front of Yakima City Hall
The front of Yakima City Hall
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FORMING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Municipal Court officials have expressed a desire to enhance the program by forming partnerships with non-profit organizations to facilitate community service opportunities.
They believe;

Community service could be utilized in a more structured manner.
Defendants may be directed to complete service hours by assisting city employees with city maintenance and    improvement projects.

However, the implementation of this program poses certain challenges, including:

The need for supervision of defendants during their service.
Additional staffing to handle the screening process for participants.
Concerns related to liability for the city.

COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ALSO TALK ABOUT A POOL FUND

In addition to discussing the community service program, council members will consider establishing a financial fund dedicated to supporting city pools and aquatics facilities. This includes the upcoming pool at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, which was identified as a priority during last year's budget discussions. The council previously suggested allocating funds from a stormwater utility tax increase to support this initiative.

YOU CAN WATCH IN PERSON OR ON TV

Residents are invited to attend the meeting in person. For those unable to be there, the session will be available on Y-PAC, Charter Spectrum Channel 194, and can be streamed live at watch live.

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