Yakima city manager launches public budget survey, announces incoming assistant city manager

City Manager Baker told the Yakima City Council on March 4 she will release a public survey this week asking residents to weigh trade-offs for roughly a $9 million gap in city services, and she announced the hire of an assistant city manager, Gary Baloo, who is expected to start in March.

Baker said the survey will ask residents to consider difficult budget choices tied to streets, parks, fire and police services. “This is a $9,000,000 problem that we have. Includes really important things. That’s streets, parks, fire, and our police department,” Baker said. She told council that roughly 82% of the city’s general fund supports public-safety services and asked the public to weigh priorities in forthcoming outreach.

The survey will be reviewed by the budget committee and then distributed online and via targeted outreach in partnership with the Yakima Valley Council of Governments to reach multiple neighborhoods and community groups. The city manager said she will attend local meetings and town halls to discuss the survey results and that the budget committee will review responses.

Baker also announced that Gary Baloo (pronounced “Baloo”), currently serving in administrative roles in the region, will join the city as assistant city manager in March. She described Baloo’s background in economic development, Port and county administration and environmental/engineering matters and said he will help with downtown and mill-site revitalization and other operational priorities.

The council did not take a vote on the survey or the hire at the meeting; Baker said staff will return with budget study materials and survey results in coming weeks.

Why this matters: The survey frames potential trade-offs in core public services and will inform the city’s 2026 budget direction; bringing an assistant city manager on board expands staff capacity for implementation and interagency coordination.