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Resident urges county to follow City of Yakima resolution, criticizes homeless health coalition and calls for coroner resignation
Summary
At public comment during the Feb. 25 Yakima County commissioners meeting, Ken Gartrell criticized the Homeless Health Coalition's performance and said the county should back a City of Yakima resolution; he also called for a resignation by 'Bruce' over alleged coroner-related issues.
Ken Gartrell, a City of Yakima resident, used the Feb. 25 public comment period to criticize the Homeless Health Coalition’s performance and urge Yakima County to align with a City of Yakima resolution addressing the coalition.
Gartrell told commissioners the coalition had “failed every metric of its five-year plan for the past six years,” and asserted it had “wasted over $30,000,000.” He said he “fully support[s] the city’s Yakima resolution” and suggested the county poll other cities about the coalition’s performance. Gartrell recommended forming a citizens’ committee to oversee the matter rather than relying on staff oversight.
Gartrell also called for the resignation of an individual he identified as Bruce, linking that request to conduct related to the coroner’s office. He said, without citing court records in the meeting, that “you guys have lost various lawsuits due to his problematics with records and various other things” and that Bruce was “compromised both ethically and by the Bar Association.”
These remarks were made during the public comment period and did not prompt board action during the meeting. The board did not respond with any formal motions regarding the Homeless Health Coalition or the coroner’s office at the Feb. 25 session.
