Yakima Mayor Says He’s Determined To Save Committee For Downtown Yakima

Business and property owners in downtown Yakima met with the city mayor Wednesday to talk about the future of the Committee for Downtown Yakima. Last week, the city council voted against renewing the improvement district after it failed to get the 60 percent required to re-establish the plan. Wednesday night, Mayor Micah Cawley held a meeting to discuss what's ahead for the heart of Yakima. Dozens of business and building owners turned out to weigh in on the uncertainly of Yakima's downtown improvement program. Cawley says something has to be done. Doing nothing - he says is not an option. Cawley says Wednesday's meeting gave him hope that a middle ground can be found. The city council must now essentially go back to the drawing board, reevaluate those boundaries, the fees, and the services businesses can expect. And that needs to be quickly - one of the few things everyone can currently agree on. Cawley says the council will likely hold a study session soon to discuss the future of downtown Yakima.