A Yakima County resident urged commissioners on June 5 to adopt a formal policy guiding how permitting and planning inspectors handle citizen complaints, saying a lack of written procedures undermines public confidence in investigations.

Jean Mendoza told the board she had compared protocols at the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency and the Washington State Department of Ecology and found both had established policies; after a public records request she said she found no equivalent written policy at Yakima County. Mendoza described a specific complaint from a neighbor near a Lower Yakima Valley dairy who reported seeing buried cattle near the Yakima River. Mendoza said county permitting staff visited the site, tried to contact the dairy manager, ultimately spoke by phone, the manager denied burying cattle at the site, and the county inspector closed the case without entering private property.

“A citizen complaint deserves a proper investigation, which means following approved steps for investigation,” Mendoza said during public comment.

Commissioners discussed how to respond. Commissioner McKinney said she opposed holding a public meeting focused on a single constituent’s complaint and reiterated that commissioners routinely offer one-on-one meetings and that the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency meeting is the appropriate venue for continuing to raise these concerns; McKinney also noted she serves on the Clean Air Authority. Commissioner Lindy concurred with McKinney’s view that an individual’s concerns are typically addressed via one-on-one meetings or during public comment at the relevant agency meeting.

Chair Commissioner Curtis said the board had received a May 23 letter from the constituent outlining concerns about the clean air agency and asked whether the board should schedule time in a work session to discuss it. With consensus among the commissioners, Curtis said he would draft a response letter to the constituent outlining next steps and available avenues for follow-up, and the board directed staff to proceed with that draft.

Why it matters: Mendoza’s comments raise questions about how county permitting staff investigate potential environmental and nuisance complaints and whether written procedures exist to ensure consistent complaint handling. Commissioners did not order a formal policy change at this meeting but directed staff to draft a reply to the constituent and noted other venues (agency meetings and one-on-one meetings) to pursue the matter.

Next steps: Commissioner Curtis will draft a letter responding to the constituent’s May 23 letter and outline options for follow-up; Commissioner McKinney may raise the issue at Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency meetings where the constituent has also commented.