Council approves Veterans Memorial Park design contract and sets study-session recording, seating rules

The Yelm City Council approved three formal items during the meeting: (1) the consent agenda (approval of minutes from the Aug. 12, 2025 regular meeting); (2) a professional services agreement with LDC Incorporated for design and engineering of the Veterans Memorial Park not to exceed $652,648; and (3) motions addressing study-session logistics, including seating at the round table and rules for recording and streaming study sessions.

Contract for Veterans Memorial Park

Cody (public services) introduced Elizabeth “Liz” Jones, the city’s project and grants manager, as the staff lead for the Veterans Memorial Park project. Council considered a professional services agreement with LDC Incorporated, selected through an RFP process from four firms. Staff described the contract as a design-and-engineering agreement to create a complete park design that can be phased for construction. The first construction phase described by staff includes realignment and widening of Mill Road to add a left-turn lane, new sidewalk connections and an initial parking/entry area. Council was told the city has approximately $600,000 from the Department of Commerce available for construction and that design funding would come from the city’s capital fund (identified as the 03/2002 fund).

The motion to authorize Mayor Pinto to sign a professional services agreement with LDC Inc. not to exceed $652,648 for design and engineering of the Veterans Memorial Park passed by voice vote. The contract amount in the motion matches the city staff figure presented; staff said the $652,648 is the design/engineering cost only and that the Department of Commerce funds would be used toward construction when the project is shovel-ready.

Consent agenda

Councilor Hass moved to approve the consent agenda (Aug. 12, 2025 meeting minutes); Councilor Kaminsky seconded. The council approved the consent agenda by voice vote.

Study-session seating and recording

Councilors debated whether to continue sitting at the round table or return to the dais for study sessions and whether to record or livestream those sessions. The council took three separate actions under the subject (motions and discussion were lengthy and interleaved):

- Motion A (table seating): Councilor Hess moved to continue sitting at the round table for study sessions; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call. Individual roll-call statements recorded in the transcript included Councilor Wood (Aye), Councilor Richardson (No), Councilor Crossman (Yes), Councilor Kingizer (Aye), Councilor Johnstone (Yes) and Councilor Kaminski (Yes). The chair announced the motion carried and the council will maintain round-table seating for study sessions.

- Motion B (recording, not livestream): Councilor Wood moved to have study sessions recorded and made available to staff and council but not livestreamed to the public; that motion was seconded and passed in a roll-call vote (transcript records the motion carried). The clerk and staff discussed practical differences between audio-only and video recordings and the procedures for sharing presentations when video is used.

- Motion C (record and livestream): Later in the same agenda item a separate motion was made and seconded to record and livestream study sessions in the same manner as regular council meetings. The transcript shows that motion also passed in a recorded vote: Councilors Kaminski, Johnstone, Hess, Kingizer and Crossman voted yes while Councilors Richardson and Wood voted no. The clerk noted that the sequence of motions and the potential to rescind prior votes created some procedural complexity; council discussion referenced the option to request a revote if any member wished to change a prior recorded vote.

Because the record shows both Motion B and Motion C passed in successive votes, staff told council there are administrative steps available (revote or rescind by council action) if the body wishes to reconcile outcomes; staff also noted camera limitations with the current round-table configuration and said IT could pursue camera upgrades. The council did not vote further to rescind earlier actions during this meeting.

What passed (at a glance)

- Consent agenda: approved (motion by Councilor Hass; second Councilor Kaminsky; voice vote). - Professional services agreement with LDC Inc. for Veterans Memorial Park design and engineering: authorized, not to exceed $652,648 (mover: Council member on record; second: Councilor Kaminski; voice vote). - Continue round-table seating for study sessions: approved (motion by Councilor Hess; roll-call vote; individual votes recorded in transcript). - Record study sessions for staff and council but not livestream: approved in a roll-call vote (motion by Councilor Wood). - Record and livestream study sessions as regular council meetings: later motion approved in roll-call vote (mover: Council member Kinghiser; second: Councilor Kaminski); recorded votes listed in transcript as noted above.

Staff follow-up and notes

City staff indicated the LDC contract will be used to produce a shovel-ready design to support further grant applications; staff said about $600,000 in Department of Commerce funds is earmarked for construction but is not sufficient to complete the entire project. On recording logistics, staff said the current camera views do not capture the entire round-table and that IT will need to upgrade camera coverage if the council wishes to livestream while seated at the table. Staff also noted public-records request procedures for accessing recordings if the council elects not to post recordings publicly.

The council moved on to other agenda items after these votes.