Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency reviews proposed 2025–26 budget amid staffing concerns

The Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency Board of Directors reviewed a first-pass proposed 2025–26 budget and heard public criticism about staffing and line-item projections during its April 10 meeting in Yakima.

The comments mattered because the board will consider a draft budget and hold a public hearing before adopting a final budget at its June meeting; the agency also faces potential federal funding changes that staff said could force further adjustments.

Jean Mendoza, executive director of Friends of Toppenish Creek, told the board she was “bothered a lot” by language in the proposed budget that would allow vacant positions to remain unfilled if financial conditions deteriorate. “I don't think that this agency can function properly with a staff of 8,” Mendoza said, adding that the agency previously had about 12 employees and that staffing reductions have contributed to errors in permit accounting. Mendoza referenced a communication from the Washington State Auditor's Office about an audit of Title 5 permits and questioned several revenue and expenditure projections in the proposed budget, including a projected doubling of Title 5 income and a discrepancy she highlighted between projected revenue and spending for the visual emissions certification program.

Mark Thornsburg, executive director, described ongoing internal work to improve operational systems and said staff are prioritizing process changes and targeted recruiting. “We are currently actively recruiting for two,” Thornsburg said, adding that a third vacancy was being held in abeyance because of concern about future funding. He warned the board that conversations about federal program cuts could abruptly reduce agency revenue and said staff are trying to make operations more efficient in the event funding declines.

Commissioner Amanda McKinney urged caution about assuming that more staff always yields better results, noting government agencies have achieved efficiency gains through technology. “There are ways to utilize technology to cut down on FTE,” McKinney said, while also acknowledging the agency’s need to fill critical positions.

An unnamed board member raised economic concerns about prior community actions, saying Friends of Toppenish Creek and others had contributed to closures of two legacy dairies and the loss of related jobs and economic activity. That speaker framed those closures as having broad local economic effects.

The board approved a correction to the March meeting minutes and approved vouchers and payroll authorization transfers for March. No changes to the budget were made at this meeting; Thornsburg said a draft budget and a public hearing are next steps before a final budget is presented for adoption in June for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

The meeting ended after a brief additional exchange among board members about local economic impacts and public comment.