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Resident alleges last-minute agenda addition at Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency violated open public meetings law
Summary
A resident told the board the executive director introduced a December agenda addition recommending Dr. Jones’ reappointment and the board acted despite YRCAA administrative code limiting action on added items, raising questions under the Open Public Meetings Act.
A Yakima-area resident raised a formal concern that the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency may have violated the Open Public Meetings Act by taking action on a last-minute agenda addition at a December meeting.
“Vice chair, members of the board. My name is Jean Mendoza, and I live in White Swan. I want to address a possible violation of the open public meetings act,” Jean Mendoza said during the public comment period, adding she had sent two documents to board members that were not part of the packet. Mendoza said that at the December YRCAA board meeting, the executive director introduced a last-minute agenda addition asking the board to recommend “Doctor Jones for reappointment to the board.” Mendoza cited “YRCAA administrative code part a” and said that code permits discussion of added items but bars action: “YRCAA administrative code part a says the additions to the agenda may be discussed, but no action may be taken. But this board voted to make that recommendation anyway.”
Mendoza also said the agency’s executive director had relied on a provision she quoted as allowing exceptions to agency procedures: “agency policies and procedures are subject to change and exception without prior notice at the discretion of the board of directors.” Mendoza asked whether the board itself had voted previously to suspend that portion of the administrative code and whether any suspension was temporary or permanent.
Mendoza requested the board address the timing and authority for suspending administrative-code provisions and whether similar last-minute additions could be used to push controversial measures without public notice. The remarks were made during the public comment period; the transcript does not record a board response on the record to Mendoza’s specific allegation during this meeting.
